Collected Works of Giovanni Boccaccio Read online

  The Collected Works of

  GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO

  (1313-1375)

  Contents

  The Decameron

  The Decameron: John Florio, 1620

  The Decameron: John Payne, 1886

  The Decameron: J. M. Rigg, 1903

  The Decameron: Original Italian Text

  The Novels

  The Filocolo

  The Elegy of Lady Fiammetta

  The Verse

  ‘The Knight’s Tale’ and ‘The Two Noble Kinsmen’ (Teseida)

  Il Filostrato

  The Non-Fiction

  De Mulieribus Claris

  The Life of Dante

  The Biographies

  Giovanni Boccaccio: A Biographical Study by Edward Hutton

  Giovanni Boccaccio by Francis Hueffer

  The Delphi Classics Catalogue

  © Delphi Classics 2017

  Version 1

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  The Collected Works of

  GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO

  By Delphi Classics, 2017

  COPYRIGHT

  Collected Works of Giovanni Boccaccio

  First published in the United Kingdom in 2017 by Delphi Classics.

  © Delphi Classics, 2017.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.

  ISBN: 978 1 78656 103 9

  Delphi Classics

  is an imprint of

  Delphi Publishing Ltd

  Hastings, East Sussex

  United Kingdom

  Contact: [email protected]

  www.delphiclassics.com

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  The Decameron

  Florence — Boccaccio’s birthplace

  Florence in a 1493 woodcut from Hartmann Schedel’s Nuremberg Chronicle

  Andrea del Castagno’s depiction of Giovanni Boccaccio, detail of the ‘Cycle of Illustrious Men and Women’, fresco, 1450, Uffizi Gallery, Florence

  The Decameron: John Florio, 1620

  Translated by John Florio

  Widely regarded as Boccaccio’s greatest work, The Decameron is a collection of 100 tales, which were likely conceived during the plague epidemic of 1348 and completed by 1353. The book features various tales of love, from the erotic to the tragic, as well as offering tales of wit, practical jokes and life lessons. Written in the vernacular of the Florentine language, The Decameron is considered a masterpiece of classical early Italian prose.

  The book’s title reveals Boccaccio’s fondness for Greek philology: Decameron combines two Greek words, deka (ten) and hemera (day) to indicate the ten day period taken by the characters in the frame story to tell their tales. Boccaccio’s subtitle, Prencipe Galeotto (Prince Galehaut), refers to Galehaut, a fictional king portrayed in the Lancelot-Grail who was from time to time called by the title haut prince (high prince). Galehaut was a close friend of Lancelot and an enemy of King Arthur. When Galehaut learned that Lancelot loved Arthur’s wife, Guinevere, he set aside his own love for Lancelot in order to arrange a meeting between his friend and Guinevere. At this meeting the Queen first kisses Lancelot, and so begins their love affair.

  The frame story introduces a group of seven young women and three young men, fleeing from plague-ridden Florence to stay in a deserted villa in the countryside of Fiesole for two weeks. To pass the evenings, each member of the party tells a story every night, except for one day per week set aside for chores, and the holy days during which they do no work at all, resulting in ten nights of storytelling over the course of two weeks. Thus, by the end of the fortnight they have told 100 stories.

  Each of the ten characters is charged as King or Queen of the company for one of the ten days in turn. This charge extends to choosing the theme of the stories for that day: examples range from the power of fortune and human will, love stories that end tragically or happily, devious tricks that women play on men and examples of virtue. Only Dioneo, who usually tells the tenth tale each day, has the right to tell a tale on any topic he wishes, due to his wit. Many commentators have argued that Dioneo expresses the views of Boccaccio himself. Each day also includes a short introduction and conclusion to continue the frame of the tales by describing other daily activities besides story-telling. These frame tale interludes frequently include transcriptions of Italian folk songs. The story plots mock the lust and greed of the clergy, explore the tensions in Italian society between the new wealthy commercial class and noble families and also narrate the perils and adventures of travelling merchants. The interactions among tales in a day, or across days, as Boccaccio spins variations and reversals of previous material, forms a whole and not just a collection of stories.

  Each daily collection of tales features a different tone. The first day consists of a humorous discussion of human vices, while the second day concerns stories where fortune triumphs over its human playthings. However, the tone shifts on day three when good fortune is vanquished by human will. Stories on the fourth day are marked by tragic love stories, while the fifth day brings happy endings to love that at first did not run smoothly. Wit and gaiety are in the ascendant again on the sixth day, followed by trickery and bawdy tales on Days Seven, Eight and Nine. By the final tenth day the earlier themes are brought to a high pitch and the widely popular and anthologised story The Patient Griselda concludes the cycle of tales.

  It is now generally agreed that Boccaccio borrowed many of the stories from folklore and myth, though the exquisite writing and refined structure of The Decameron ably demonstrate that Boccaccio was no mere repeater of tales. His prose went on to influence many Renaissance writers and many of the stories featured in The Decameron have been borrowed for centuries from countless authors across the world. Although some critics have attacked the collection as crude and cynical, the author maintained an affirmation of moral values throughout even the most licentious passages.

  The Decameron was first translated into English in 1620 by an anonymous translator, who is sometimes identified as John Florio (1553–1625), a linguist and lexicographer, who was also a royal language tutor at the Court of James I, and a possible friend and influence on William Shakespeare. Florio was also the first translator of Montaigne into English. Born in London in 1580, he married Aline, the sister of poet Samuel Daniel. He died in Fulham, London in 1625. His translation of The Decameron omits the Proemio and Conclusione dell’autore, while replacing Tale III.x with an innocuous story taken from François de Belleforest’s “Histoires tragiques”, concluding that it “was commended by all the company... because it was free from all folly and obscoeneness.” Tale IX.x is also modified, while Tale V.x loses its homosexual innuendo.

  Illustration from the 1492 edition of ‘The Decameron’, published in Venice

  Miniature by Taddeo Crivelli in a manuscript of c. 1467 from Ferrara

  CONTENTS

  THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

  The Authors Prologue, to the Lords, Ladies, and Gentlewomen.

  THE DECAMERON

  The Induction of the Author, to the following Discourses.

  THE FIRST DAY.

  The first Novell.

  The second Novell.

  The third Novell.

&n
bsp; The fourth Novell.

  The fift Novell.

  The sixt Novell.

  The seaventh Novell.

  The eight Novell.

  The ninth Novell.

  The tenth Novell.

  THE SECOND DAY.

  The first Novell.

  The second Novell.

  The third Novell.

  The fourth Novell.

  The fift Novell.

  The sixt Novell.

  The seaventh Novell.

  The eight Novell.

  The ninth Novell.

  The tenth Novell.

  THE THIRD DAY.

  The first Novell.

  The second Novell.

  The third Novell.

  The fourth Novell.

  The fifth Novell.

  The sixth Novell.

  The seaventh Novell.

  The eight Novell.

  The Ninth Novell.

  The tenth Novell.

  THE FOURTH DAY.

  The Induction unto the ensuing Novelles.

  The first Novell.

  The second Novell.

  The third Novell.

  The fourth Novell.

  The fift Novell.

  The sixth Novell.

  The seaventh Novell.

  The eight Novell.

  The ninth Novell.

  The tenth Novell.

  THE FIFT DAY.

  The Induction.

  The first Novell.

  The second Novell.

  The third Novell.

  The fourth Novell.

  The fifth Novell.

  The sixth Novell.

  The seventh Novell.

  The eighth Novell.

  The ninth Novell.

  The tenth Novell.

  TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR PHILLIP HERBERT

  THE SIXT DAY.

  The Induction.

  The First Novell.

  The Second Novell.

  The Third Novell.

  The Fourth Novell.

  The Fift Novell.

  The Sixth Novell.

  The Seventh Novell.

  The Eighth Novell.

  The Ninth Novell.

  The Tenth Novell.

  THE SEVENTH DAY.

  The Induction to the Dayes Discourses.

  The First Novell.

  The Second Novell.

  The Third Novell.

  The Fourth Novell.

  The fift Novell.

  The Sixth Novell.

  The Seventh Novell.

  The Eight Novell.

  The Ninth Novell.

  The Tenth Novell.

  THE EIGHT DAY.

  The Induction.

  The First Novell.

  The Second Novell.

  The Third Novell.

  The Fourth Novell.

  The Fift Novell.

  The Sixt Novell.

  The Seventh Novell.

  The Eight Novell.

  The Ninth Novell.

  The Tenth Novell.

  THE NINTH DAY.

  The Induction.

  The First Novell.

  The Second Novell.

  The Third Novell.

  The fourth Novell.

  The fift Novell.

  The Sixt Novell.

  The Seventh Novell.

  The Eight Novell.

  The Ninth Novell.

  The Tenth Novell.

  THE TENTH AND LAST DAY.

  The Induction.

  The First Novell.

  The second Novell.

  The third Novell.

  The Fourth Novell.

  The fift Novell.

  The Sixt Novell.

  The Seventh Novell.

  The eight Novell.

  The Ninth Novell.

  The Tenth Novell.

  ‘A Tale from the Decameron’ by John William Waterhouse, 1916

  Lauretta, one of the narrators of the Decameron, painted by Jules Joseph Lefebvre

  John Florio, 1611. Engraving by William Hole from the second edition of Florio’s dictionary

  THE

  DECAMERON

  CONTAINING

  An hundred pleasant

  Novels.

  Wittily discoursed, betweene

  seaven Honourable Ladies, and

  three Noble Gentlemen.

  London, printed by

  Isaac Jaggard,

  1620.

  THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

  TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, Sir Phillip Herbert, Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of our Soveraigne Lord King James, Lord Baron of Sherland, Earle of Montgomery, and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter, &c.

  THE PHILOSOPHER ZENO (Right Honourable, and my most worthily esteemed Lord) being demaunded on a time by what meanes a man might attaine to happinesse; made answere: By resorting to the dead, and having familiar conversation with them. Intimating thereby: The reading of ancient and moderne Histories, and endeavouring to learne such good instructions, as have bene observed in our Predecessors. A Question also was mooved by great King Ptolomy, to one of the learned wise Interpreters. In what occasions a King should exercise himselfe, whereto thus hee replyed: To know those things which formerly have bin done: And to read Bookes of those matters which offer themselves dayly, or are fittest for our instant affaires. And lastly, in seeking those things whatsoever, that make for a Kingdomes preservation, and the correction of evill manners or examples.

  Upon these good and warrantable grounds (most Noble Lord) beside many more of the same Nature, which I omit, to avoide prolixity, I dare boldly affirme, that such as are exercised in the reading of Histories, although they seeme to be but yong in yeares, and slenderly instructed in worldly matters: yet gravity and gray-headed age speaketh maturely in them, to the no meane admiration of common and vulgar judgement. As contrariwise, such as are ignorant of things done and past, before themselves had any being: continue still in the estate of children, able to speake or behave themselves no otherwise; and, even within the bounds of their Native Countries (in respect of knowledge or manly capacity) they are no more then well-seeming dumbe Images.

  In due consideration of the precedent allegations, and uppon the command, as also most Noble encouragement of your Honour from time to time; this Volume of singular and exquisite Histories, varied into so many and exact natures, appeareth in the worlds view, under your Noble patronage and defence, to be safely sheelded from foule-mouthed slander and detraction, which is too easily throwne upon the very best deserving labours.

  I know (most worthy Lord) that many of them have (long since) bene published before, as stolne from the first originall Author, and yet not beautified with his sweete stile and elocution of phrases, neither favouring of his singular morall applications. For, as it was his full scope and ayme, by discovering all Vices in their ugly deformities, to make their mortall enemies (the sacred Vertues) to shine the clearer, being set downe by them, and compared with them: so every true and upright judgement, in observing the course of these well-carried Novels, shall plainly perceive, that there is no spare made of reproofe in any degree whatsoever, where sin is embraced, and grace neglected; but the just deserving shame and punishment thereon inflicted, that others may be warned by their example. In imitation of witty Æsope; who reciteth not a Fable, but graceth it with a judicious morall application; as many other worthy Writers have done the like.

  For instance, let me heere insert one. A poore man, having a pike staffe on his shoulder, and travailing thorow a Countrey Village, a great Mastive Curre ran mainly at him, so that hardly he could defend himselfe from him. At the length, it was his chance to kill the Dogge: for which, the Owner immediately apprehending him, and bringing him before the Judge, alledged, that he had slaine his servant, which defended his life, house, and goods, and therefore challenged satisfaction. The Judge leaning more in favour to the Plaintiffe, as being his friend, neighbour, and familiar, then to the justice and equity of the cause; reprooved the poore fellow somewhat sharpe
ly, and peremptorily commanded him, to make satisfaction, or els he would commit him to prison. That were injustice replyed the poore man, because I kilde the dogge in defence of mine owne life, which deserveth much better respect then a million of such Curres. Sirra, sirra, saide the Judge, then you should have turned the other end of your staffe, and not the pike, so the dogges life had beene saved, and your owne in no danger. True Sir (quoth the fellow) if the dog would have turn’d his taile, and bit mee with that, and not his teeth, then we both had parted quietly.

  I know your honour to be so truly judicious, that your selfe can make the moral allusion, both in defence of my poore paines, and acceptation of the same into your protection: with most humble submission of my selfe, and all my uttermost endeavours, to bee alwayes ready at your service.

  The Authors Prologue, to the Lords, Ladies, and Gentlewomen.

  IT IS A matter of humanity, to take compassion on the afflicted, and although it be fitting towards all in generall, yet to such as are most tied by bond of duty, who having already stood in neede of comfort, do therefore most needfully deserve to enjoy it. Among whom, if ever any were in necessity, found it most precious, and thereforey received no small contentment, I am one of them; because from my verie yongest yeeres, even untill this instant: mine affections became extraordinarily enflamed, in a place high and Noble, more (perhaps) then beseemed my humble condition, albeit no way distasted in the judgement of such as were discreete, when it came truly to their knowledge and understanding. Yet (indeed) it was very painfull for me to endure, not in regard of her cruelty, whom I so deerely loved; as for want of better government in mine owne carriage; being altogether swayed by rash and peevish passions, which made my afflictions more offensive to mee, then either wisedome allowed, or suited with my private particular.