The Decameron
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Table of contents
- Cover1
- Title Page2
- Copyright Page3
- Introduction4
- Contents5
- First Day7
- Story I. Ser Ciappelletto cheats a holy friar by false confession, and dies; and, having lived as a very bad man, is, on his death, reputed a saint, and called San Ciappelletto.7
- Story IV. A monk lapses into a sin meriting the most severe punishment, justly censures the same fault in his abbot, and thus evades the penalty.11
- Story X. Master Alberto da Bologna honourably puts to shame a lady who sought occasion to put him to shame in that he was in love with her.12
- Second Day15
- Story II. Rinaldo d’Asti is robbed, anives at Castel Guglielmo, and is entertained by a widow lady; his property is restored to him, and he returns home safe and sound.15
- Story V. Andreuccio da Perugia comes to Naples to buy horses, meets with three serious adventures in one night, comes safe out of them all, and returns home with a ruby.17
- Story VI. Madame Beritola loses two sons, is found with two kids on an island, goes thence to Lunigiana, where one of her sons takes service with her master, and lies with his daughter, for which he is put in prison. Sicily rebels against King Charles, the son is recognized by the mother, marries the master’s daughter, and, his brother being discovered, is reinstated in great honour.21
- Story VIII. The Count of Antwerp, labouring under a false accusation, goes into exile. He leaves his two children in different places in England, and takes service in Ireland. Returning to England an unknown man, he finds his sons prosperous. He serves as a groom in the army of the King of France; his innocence is established, and he is restored to his former honours.25
- Third Day31
- Story I. Masetto da Lamporecchio feigns to be dumb, and obtains a gardeners place at a convent of women, who with one accord make haste to lie with him.31
- Story IX. Gillette of Narbonne cures the King of France of a fistula, craves for spouse Bertrand de Roussillon, who marries her against his will, and hies him in despite to Florence, where, as he courts a young woman, Gillette lies with him in her stead, and has two sons by him; for which cause he afterwards takes her into favour and entreats her as his wife.33
- Story X. Alibech turns hermit, and is taught by Rustico, a monk, how the Devil is put in hell. She is afterwards conveyed thence, and becomes the wife of Neerbale.36
- Fourth Day40
- Story I. Tancred, Prince of Salerno, slays his daughter’s lover, and sends her his heart in a golden cup; she pours upon it a poisonous distillation, which she drinks and dies.40
- Story V. Lisabettas brothers slay her lover: he appears to her in a dream, and shews her where he is buried: she privily disinters the head, and sets it in a pot of basil, whereon she daily weeps a great while. The pot being taken from her by her brothers, she dies not long after.43
- Story X. The wife of a leech, deeming her lover, who has taken an opiate, to be dead, puts him in a chest, which, with him therein, two usurers carry off to their house. He comes to himself, and is taken for a thief; but, the lady’s maid giving the Signory to understand that she had put him in the chest which the usurers stole, he escapes the gallows, and the usurers are mulcted in moneys for the theft of the chest.44
- Fifth Day49
- Story IV. Ricciardo Manardi is found by Messer Lizio da Valbona with his daughter, whom he marries, and remains at peace with her father.49
- Story IX. Federigo degli Alberighi loves and is not loved in return: he wastes his substance with lavishness until nought is left but a single falcon, which, his lady being come to see him at his house, he gives her to eat; she, knowing his case, changes her mind, takes him to husband and makes him rich.50
- Sixth Day53
- Story IV. Ghichibio, cook to Cunado Gianfigliazzi, owes his safety to a ready answer, whereby he converts Cunado’s wrath into laughter, and evades the evil fate with which Cunado had threatened him.53
- Story X. Fra Cipolla promises to shew certain country-folk a feather of the Angel Gabriel, in lieu of which he finds coals, which he avers to be those with which St. Lawrence was roasted.53
- Seventh Day60
- Story VI. Madonna Isabella has with her Leonetto, her accepted lover, when she is surprised by one Messer Lambertuccio, by whom she is beloved: her husband coming home about the same time, she sends Messer Lambertuccio forth of the house drawn sword in hand, and the husband afterwards escorts Leonetto home.60
- Story IX. Lydia, wife of Nicostratus, loves Pynhus, who to assure himself thereof, asks three things of her, all of which she does, and therewithal enjoys him in the presence of Nicostratus, and makes Nicostratus believe that what he saw was not real.61
- Eighth Day65
- Story I. Gulfardo bonows moneys of Guaspanuolo, which he had agreed to give Guasparruolo’s wife, that he may lie with her. He gives them to her, and in her presence tells Guasparruolo that he has done so, and she acknowledges that (‘tis true.65
- Story II. The priest of Varlungo lies with Monna Belcolore; he leaves with her his cloak by way of pledge, and receives from her a mortar. He returns the mortar, and demands of her the cloak that he had left in pledge, which the good lady returns him with a gibe.65
- Ninth Day68
- Story II. An abbess rises in haste and in the dark, with intent to surprise an accused nun abed with her lover; thinking to put on her veil, she puts on instead the breeches of a priest that she has with her: the nun, espying her headgear, and doing her to wit thereof, is acquitted, and thenceforth finds it easier to forgather with her lover.68
- Tenth Day69
- Story III. Mitridanes, holding Nathan in despite by reason of his courtesy, journeys with intent to kill him, and falling in with him unawares, is advised by him how to compass his end. Following his advice, he finds him in a copse, and recognizing him, is shame-stricken, and becomes his friend.69
- Story VI. King Charles the Old, being conqueror, falls in love with a young maiden, and afterward growing ashamed of his folly bestows her and her sister honourably in marriage.71
- Story X. The Marquis of Saluzzo, overborne by the entreaties of his vassals, consents to take a wife, but, being minded to please himself in the choice of her, takes a husbandman’s daughter. He has two children by her, both of whom he makes her believe that he has put to death. Afterward, feigning to be tired of her, and to have taken another wife, he turns her out of doors in her shift, and brings his daughter into the house in guise of his bride; but, finding her patient under it all, he brings her home again, and shews her her children, now grown up, and honours her, and causes her to be honoured, as Marchioness.73
While the Black Death rages through 14th-century Florence, a group of young people retreat to the healthful air of the countryside and amuse themselves by telling tales of romance and adventure. This is the premise of Boccaccio's Decameron, a landmark of early Renaissance literature and one of the world's great story collections. Vast in scope, teeming with colorful characters, and rich in worldly wisdom, these 25 tales from the original 100 encompass a variety of genres — folktales, ancient myths, fables, and anecdotes ranging from earthy satires of hypocritical clergy to gripping tales of murder and revenge and stories of passionate love. Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Keats drew upon Boccaccio's masterpiece for inspiration, and the grand old storyteller's fables continue to captivate modern readers.