The story is an adaptation of the Roman legend of Virginia, whose father murders her to prevent her from living in shame as the slave of a lecherous judge. The earliest known written version of the story, which is referred to in "The Physician's Tale" itself, appears in The History of Rome, written by the Latin author Livy in the 1st century BCE. "The Physician's Tale" differs from earlier versions of the legend in that it focuses much more on the innocent victim Virginia herself. Versions of the story written before Chaucer focus more on the wicked officials who are responsible for Virginia's fate.