The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
send not the monies speedily, the merchandise will be carried off to
Monaco and I shall never again have aught thereof.'
The lady was mightily concerned at this, fearing to lose him
altogether, and considering how she should do, so he might not go to
Monaco, said, 'God knoweth I am sore concerned for the love of thee;
but what availeth it to afflict oneself thus? If I had the monies, God
knoweth I would lend them to thee incontinent; but I have them not.
True, there is a certain person here who obliged me the other day
with the five hundred florins that I lacked; but he will have heavy
usance for his monies; nay, he requireth no less than thirty in the
hundred, and if thou wilt borrow of him, needs must he be made secure
with a good pledge. For my part, I am ready to engage for thee all
these my goods and my person, to boot, for as much as he will lend
thereon; but how wilt thou assure him of the rest?' Salabaetto readily
apprehended the reason that moved her to do him this service and
divined that it was she herself who was to lend him the money;
wherewith he was well pleased and thanking her, answered that he would
not be put off for exorbitant usance, need constraining him. Moreover,
he said that he would give assurance of the merchandise he had in the
customhouse, letting inscribe it to him who should lend him the money;
but that needs must be kept the key of the magazines, as well that he
might be able to show his wares, an it were required of him, as that
nothing might be touched or changed or tampered withal.
The lady answered that it was well said and that this was good enough
assurance; wherefore, as soon as the day was come, she sent for a
broker, in whom she trusted greatly, and taking order with him of the
matter, gave him a thousand gold florins, which he lent to Salabaetto,
letting inscribe in his own name at the customhouse that which the
latter had there; then, having made their writings and counter-writings
together and being come to an accord,[421] they occupied themselves
with their other affairs. Salabaetto, as soonest he might, embarked,
with the fifteen hundred gold florins, on board a little ship and
returned to Pietro dello Canigiano at Naples, whence he remitted to
his masters, who had despatched him with the stuffs, a good and entire
account thereof. Then, having repaid Pietro and every other to whom he
owed aught, he made merry several days with Canigiano over the cheat
he had put upon the Sicilian trickstress; after which, resolved to be
no more a merchant, he betook himself to Ferrara.
[Footnote 421: _i.e._ having executed and exchanged the necessary
legal documents for the proper carrying out of the transaction and
completed the matter to their mutual satisfaction.]
Meanwhile, Biancofiore, finding that Salabaetto had left Palermo,
began to marvel and wax misdoubtful and after having awaited him good
two months, seeing that he came not, she caused the broker force open
the magazines. Trying first the casks, which she believed to be filled
with oil, she found them full of seawater, save that there was in each
maybe a runlet of oil at the top near the bunghole. Then, undoing the
bales, she found them all full of tow, with the exception of two,
which were stuffs; and in brief, with all that was there, there was
not more than two hundred florins' worth. Wherefore Biancofiore,
confessing herself outwitted, long lamented the five hundred florins
repaid and yet more the thousand lent, saying often, 'Who with a
Tuscan hath to do, Must nor be blind nor see askew.' On this wise,
having gotten nothing for her pains but loss and scorn, she found, to
her cost, that some folk know as much as others."
* * * * *
No sooner had Dioneo made an end of his story than Lauretta, knowing
the term to be come beyond which she was not to reign and having
commended Canigiano's counsel (which was approved good by its effect)
and Salabaetto's shrewdness (which was no less commendable) in
carrying it into execution, lifted the laurel from her own head and
set it on that of Emilia, saying, with womanly grace, "Madam, I know
not how pleasant a queen we shall have of you; but, at the least, we
shall have a fair one. Look, then, that your actions be conformable to
your beauties." So saying, she returned to her seat, whilst Emilia, a
thought abashed, not so much at being made queen as to see herself
publicly commended of that which women use most to covet, waxed such
in face as are the new-blown roses in the dawning. However, after she
had kept her eyes awhile lowered, till the redness had given place,
she took order with the seneschal of that which concerned the general
entertainment and presently said, "Delightsome ladies, it is common,
after oxen have toiled some part of the day, confined under the yoke,
to see them loosed and eased thereof and freely suffered to go
a-pasturing, where most it liketh them, about the woods; and it is
manifest also that leafy gardens, embowered with various plants, are
not less, but much more fair than groves wherein one seeth only oaks.
Wherefore, seeing how many days we have discoursed, under the
restraint of a fixed law, I opine that, as well unto us as to those
whom need constraineth to labour for their daily bread, it is not only
useful, but necessary, to play the truant awhile and wandering thus
afield, to regain strength to enter anew under the yoke. Wherefore,
for that which is to be related to-morrow, ensuing your delectable
usance of discourse, I purpose not to restrict you to any special
subject, but will have each discourse according as it pleaseth him,
holding it for certain that the variety of the things which will be
said will afford us no less entertainment than to have discoursed of
one alone; and having done thus, whoso shall come after me in the
sovranty may, as stronger than I, avail with greater assurance to
restrict us within the limits of the wonted laws." So saying, she set
every one at liberty till supper-time.
All commended the queen of that which she had said, holding it sagely
spoken, and rising to their feet, addressed themselves, this to one
kind of diversion and that to another, the ladies to weaving garlands
and to gambolling and the young men to gaming and singing. On this
wise they passed the time until the supper-hour, which being come,
they supped with mirth and good cheer about the fair fountain and
after diverted themselves with singing and dancing according to the
wonted usance. At last, the queen, to ensue the fashion of her
predecessors, commanded Pamfilo to sing a song, notwithstanding those
which sundry of the company had already sung of their freewill; and he
readily began thus:
Such is thy pleasure, Love
And such the allegresse I feel thereby
That happy, burning in thy fire, am I.
The abounding gladness in my heart that glows,
For the high joy and dear
Whereto thou hast me led,
Unable to contain there, overflows
And in my face's cheer
Displays my happihead;
For being enamouréd
In such a worship-worthy place and high
Makes eath to me the burning I aby.
I cannot with my finger what I feel
Limn, Love, nor do I know
My bliss in song to vent;
Nay, though I knew it, needs must I conceal,
For, once divulged, I trow
'Twould turn to dreariment.
Yet am I so content,
All speech were halt and feeble, did I try
The least thereof with words to signify.
Who might conceive it that these arms of mine
Should anywise attain
Whereas I've held them aye,
Or that my face should reach so fair a shrine
As that, of favour fain
And grace, I've won to? Nay,
Such fortune ne'er a day
Believed me were; whence all afire am I,
Hiding the source of my liesse thereby.
This was the end of Pamfilo's song, whereto albeit it had been
completely responded of all, there was none but noted the words
thereof with more attent solicitude than pertained unto him, studying
to divine that which, as he sang, it behoved him to keep hidden from
them; and although sundry went imagining various things, nevertheless
none happened upon the truth of the case.[422] But the queen, seeing
that the song was ended and that both young ladies and men would
gladly rest themselves, commanded that all should betake themselves to
bed.
[Footnote 422: The song sung by Pamfilo (under which name, as I have
before pointed out, the author appears to represent himself)
apparently alludes to Boccaccio's amours with the Princess Maria of
Naples (Fiammetta), by whom his passion was returned in kind.]
HERE ENDETH THE EIGHTH DAY
OF THE DECAMERON
_Day the Ninth_
HERE BEGINNETH THE NINTH DAY OF THE DECAMERON WHEREIN UNDER
THE GOVERNANCE OF EMILIA EACH DISCOURSETH ACCORDING AS IT
PLEASETH HIM AND OF THAT WHICH IS MOST TO HIS LIKING
The light, from whose resplendence the night fleeth, had already
changed all the eighth heaven[423] from azure to watchet-colour[424]
and the flowerets began to lift their heads along the meads, when
Emilia, uprising, let call the ladies her comrades and on like wise
the young men, who, being come, fared forth, ensuing the slow steps of
the queen, and betook themselves to a coppice but little distant from
the palace. Therein entering, they saw the animals, wild goats and
deer and others, as if assured of security from the hunters by reason
of the prevailing pestilence, stand awaiting them no otherwise than as
they were grown without fear or tame, and diverted themselves awhile
with them, drawing near, now to this one and now to that, as if they
would fain lay hands on them, and making them run and skip. But, the
sun now waxing high, they deemed it well to turn back. They were all
garlanded with oak leaves, with their hands full of flowers and
sweet-scented herbs, and whoso encountered them had said no otherwhat
than "Or these shall not be overcome of death or it will slay them
merry." On this wise, then, they fared on, step by step, singing and
chatting and laughing, till they came to the palace, where they found
everything orderly disposed and their servants full of mirth and
joyous cheer. There having rested awhile, they went not to dinner till
half a dozen canzonets, each merrier than other, had been carolled by
the young men and the ladies; then, water being given to their hands,
the seneschal seated them all at table, according to the queen's
pleasure, and the viands being brought, they all ate blithely. Rising
thence, they gave themselves awhile to dancing and music-making, and
after, by the queen's commandment, whoso would betook himself to rest.
But presently, the wonted hour being come, all in the accustomed place
assembled to discourse, whereupon the queen, looking at Filomena, bade
her give commencement to the stories of that day, and she, smiling,
began on this wise:
[Footnote 423: According to the Ptolemaic system, the earth is
encompassed by eight celestial zones or heavens; the first or highest,
above which is the empyrean, (otherwise called the ninth heaven,) is
that of the Moon, the second that of Mercury, the third that of Venus,
the fourth that of the Sun, the fifth that of Mars, the sixth that of
Jupiter, the seventh that of Saturn and the eighth or lowest that of
the fixed stars and of the Earth.]
[Footnote 424: _D'azzurrino in color cilestro._ This is one of the
many passages in which Boccaccio has imitated Dante (cf. Purgatorio,
c. xxvi. II. 4-6, "... il sole.... Che già, raggiando, tutto
l'occidente Mutava in bianco aspetto di cilestro,") and also one of
the innumerable instances in which former translators (who all agree