CANACE, CANACEE1. Canace was Aeolus's daughter. She fell in love with her brother Macareus and bore him a son. When Aeolus discovered this, he ordered the child exposed and abandoned; then he sent Canace a sword with which to commit suicide (Heroides XI).
The Man of Law says that Chaucer has never told the story of wicked Canacee, MLI 78-85. Gower tells the story in Confessio Amantis III.143-360. John H. Fisher suggests that those lines are Chaucer's answer to Gower's criticism of his bawdy tales. Canace appears in the ballad of faithful women, LGW F 265, LGW G 219. [Gower]
Canacee appears in final rhyming position, MLI 78; Canace appears in medial position, LGW F 265, LGW G 219. Both forms have three syllables.