Literature in the book

In the book and the movie is one very important, if not the keyscene for the story. It is the scene in which Elios mother reads the tale of a princess and a knight. The Knight is desperately in love with the princess and eventually she is falling in love with him as well. But before that the knight asks her to assure his feeling to her:

“I pray you, sweetheart, counsel me whether it is better for a man to speak or die?”

Elios thinking is circling around that tale and after he discussed the tale and the knights behaviour with Oliver, he eventually decides that there is no other way for him than to assure his feelings to Oliver as the knight did to the princess.
Elio does not necessarily want Oliver to be in love with him, but just to tell him as it is the very same with the knight. The knight is in fear that others might see the love in his eyes, when the princess is nearby. The knight tells the princess to be able to protect her and the bound they to have. He is in hope that she might return his affection, but it is not his reason to admit his love.

“Were I not so regardful of your honour, I should not have sought this converse with you, for I hold myself sufficiently happy in the love and trust you bear me, and I ask nothing more save that they may continue.”

This story is one of the tales in the book Heptameron written by Marguerite, Queen of Navarre around 1550. It is a collection of 72 short stories about love and desire.

If you just have finished reading CMBYN this is a perfect way to process the story.