# The Second Nun's Tale explained — The Canterbury Tales > Chapter companion for The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. ## What happens The Second Nun recounts the life and martyrdom of Saint Cecilia, a noble Roman virgin who converts her husband Valerian and his brother Tiburce to Christianity. She withstands persecution under Prefect Almachius, survives an attempted execution by fire in a bath, and is finally beheaded after three strokes, spending her last days preaching and converting others. ## Themes in this chapter ### Sin and Redemption Cecilia's martyrdom exemplifies redemption through faith and suffering, contrasting the sin of idolatry with Christian salvation. ### Corruption and Hypocrisy in the Church Almachius represents corrupt secular authority that persecutes true believers, while the tale upholds the purity of the early Church. ### Gender and Power Cecilia, as a woman, exercises spiritual authority over men, converting her husband and brother-in-law and boldly confronting the prefect. ## Character check-ins ### The Second Nun Narrator of the tale; invokes the Virgin Mary and explains the meaning of Cecilia's name. ### Cecile Saint Cecilia, a devout Christian virgin who converts her husband and brother-in-law, withstands Almachius, and is martyred. ### Saint Urban The Pope who baptizes Valerian and Tiburce, and later receives Cecilia's converts and belongings. ### Almachius The Roman prefect who interrogates and condemns Cecilia to death. ### Tiburce Brother of Valerian, converted by Cecilia, baptized by Urban, and martyred alongside Valerian. ## Key lines > The minister and norice unto vices, Which that men call in English idleness, The porter at the gate is of delices; T' eschew, and by her contrar' her oppress— That is to say, by lawful business — Well oughtë we to do our all intent, Lest that the fiend through idleness us hent. Idleness is the nurse of vices and the gatekeeper of pleasures; we should avoid it by engaging in lawful work, lest the devil catch us through laziness. _The Second Nun opens with a moral warning against idleness, framing her tale as a productive spiritual exercise._ > And, for that faith is dead withoutë werkës, For to workë give me wit and space, That I be quit from thennes that most derk is; Since faith without works is dead, grant me wisdom and time to act, so I may escape the darkest place. _Cecilia's invocation echoes the Epistle of James, emphasizing the necessity of good works alongside faith._ > Lo, right so as the love of Christ, quoth she, Made me thy brother's wife, right in that wise Anon for mine allý here take I thee, Since that thou wilt thine idolës despise. Just as Christ's love made me your brother's wife, I now take you as my ally because you reject idols. _Cecilia welcomes Tiburce into the Christian community after he renounces paganism._ > I speakë not but steadfastly, quoth she, Not proudly, for I say, as for my side, We hatë deadly thilkë vice of pride. I speak only truth, not out of pride, for we Christians mortally hate the vice of pride. _Cecilia defends her boldness before Almachius, distinguishing steadfastness from pride._ > Three strokës in the neck he smote her tho, The tórmentor, but for no manner chance He might not smite her fairë neck in two: And, for there was that time an ordinance That no man shouldë do man such penánce, The fourthë stroke to smitë, soft or sore, This tórmentor he durstë do no more; The executioner struck her three times on the neck but could not sever it; because of a law forbidding a fourth stroke, he left her half-dead. _Cecilia's incomplete beheading allows her three more days to preach and convert before dying._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-second-nun-s-tale - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters