The Decameron

The next storyteller is Elissa. A Sienese man named Ghino di Tacco is banished from his home city, so leads a campaign of “daring and brigandage” (1033) against the Church authorities in Rome. During the rebellion, he kidnaps an abbot from an abbey in Cluny. The abbot had been planning to visit Siena’s famous baths in search of a cure for a troubling stomach issue. Luckily for the abbot, Ghino is able to resolve the abbot’s medical issue by keeping him locked in “an extremely dark and uncomfortable little room” (1035) and giving him only a modest amount of food. When the abbot recovers, Ghino hosts “a great banquet” (1036) in the abbot’s honor. He returns everything that was stolen from the abbot and the abbot’s people. After, Ghino approaches the abbot and asks whether the religious man considers the medical assistance offered by Ghino to be worth any form of payment. The abbot takes a small amount of money from that returned to him and leaves the rest to Ghino. He takes “an essential minimum of his numerous belongings” (1038) to get back to Rome. Once the abbot returns to Rome, he speaks favorably about Ghino to the Pope. The Pope agrees to forgive Ghino and makes him a knight in the religious “Order of the Hospitallers” (1039).

The next storyteller is Filostrato. Nathan is “a man of noble lineage, wealthy beyond compare” (1040). The much younger Mithridanes looks up to Nathan and tries to be like his role model. However, he does not know whether he can “ever hope to match Nathan’s generosity in greater things, let alone surpass him” (1042) because he is too competitive and jealous. He becomes convinced that he must kill Nathan. While plotting, however, he sits down with another man whom he does not recognize. Unfortunately for Mithridanes, the man is Nathan. Mithridanes explains his entire plot to Nathan, who listens to the young man outline the plan to murder the older man. Nathan does nothing, claiming to be “one of Nathan’s menial servants” (1043). Mithridanes follows through on his plot but, just as he confronts Nathan, he recognizes the older man as the person who sat and listened to him. He cannot bring himself to kill the man with whom he was so friendly. They come to an arrangement where they are able to swap places and live one another’s lives, so that each is happy.

The next storyteller is Lauretta. Gentile de’ Carisendi is a nobleman from Bologna who falls in love with Madonna Catalina. Unfortunately for Gentile, Catalina is married to a local magistrate named Niccoluccio Caccianimico. When Catalina becomes pregnant with Niccoluccio’s child, she remains in the house when his work takes him to Modena. During this time, she contracts “a sudden and cruel malady” (1050), to the point where everyone believes that she has died. She is placed inside a tomb and people mourn her death. While mourning at the tomb, Gentile goes inside and places his “hand gently on her breast” (1051), which allows him to notice that Catalina is, in fact, still alive. He takes her back to his home and nurses her back to health. When she recovers, she gives birth to “a handsome boy” (1052). When Niccoluccio returns, Gentile invites the magistrate to “a great and splendid banquet” (1053) and then presents him with a healthy wife and a healthy son. He foreswears any legal “right” (1056) to claim Catalina as his wife after nursing her back to health. He explains what happened and Niccoluccio and Gentile become good friends.

The next storyteller is Emilia. When Ansaldo falls in love with Dianora, she does not return his affections. Dianora is married to another man and she goes to great lengths to show Ansaldo that she is not interested in him. Growing increasingly exasperated, she plans to “rid herself” (1060) of his attention by telling him to show how much he loves her. She tells him to create “a garden, somewhere near the town, that is full of green plants, flowers, and leafy trees, exactly as though it were the month of May” (1060) during the cold winter month of January. Ansaldo is determined to show his love for Dianora, so he recruits a magician to help him in this seemingly impossible task.

When Dianora sees the “wonderful garden” (1061), she is worried. She tells her husband that she asked Ansaldo to prove his love for her and now she may be compelled to return his affections. After initially being upset, Dianora’s husband sees no other alternative than for Dianora to stay true to her word and “endeavor in every way possible to have yourself released from this promise without loss of honor” (1062). Dianora visits Ansaldo and admits that, even though she does not love Ansaldo, her husband has told her to honor her agreement with Ansaldo. After hearing her words, Ansaldo is impressed. He knows that her husband is an honorable man, so he tells Dianora that she does not have to stay true to her promise and that she can return to her husband. After, her husband and Ansaldo become “the closest of loyal friends” (1063).

The next storyteller is Fiammetta. King Charles feels “a burning desire to pleasure” (1068) the two daughters of Messer Neri, a knight who previously fought against him. He hatches a plan to “abduct” (1070) the young women but, while he is planning, one of his subjects tells him that the plan would not be very honorable. After this rebuke, King Charles reconsiders his plan. Instead, he takes an honorable route by “bestowing the two girls in marriage as though they were his own daughters” (1071).

The next storyteller is Pampinea. Lisa is the daughter of an apothecary in Sicily. She falls “passionately in love” (1073) with King Peter but she knows that, as someone of “lowly” (1074) social status, she will never be able to marry the man she loves. The thought of unrequited love takes a toll on her and she begins to waste away. However, word of her suffering reaches King Peter via a group of musicians. He visits Lisa with his wife and assures her that he will help. While he cannot marry her himself, he arranges for Lisa to marry a “gently bred but poor” (1081) knight. He even pays the knight a large dowry on behalf of Lisa’s father.

The next storyteller is Filomena. Titus and Gisippus are two close friends who live in Athens. When Gisippus wants to marry “an incredibly lovely Athenian girl of impeccably noble breeding” (1084) named Sophronia, he introduces her to Titus. Unfortunately, Titus immediately falls in love with Sophronia and, though he tries to hide his affections, he is eventually forced to tell his friend the truth. The two friends debate over who loves Sophronia more. Eventually, Gisippus tells Titus that he should marry Sophronia because his “love for her is greater” (1088). However, Gisippus’s family have already arranged the marriage. The two men decide that Gisippus will legally marry Sophronia but Titus will be the person who has sex with her.

On the night of the wedding, they arrange to have rooms next door to one another so that they can “pass freely from the one to the other” (1091). When Gisippus takes Sophronia to bed, he slips out of the room and fetches Titus. Gisippus forces the reluctant Titus to have sex with Sophronia. Shortly after, however, Titus’s father dies and he is called back to Rome on family business. Because he is leaving, he is forced to tell Sophronia the truth about what happened. She is furious that she has been tricked and she tells her family. Titus calls together the angry family members and, “having set all prejudice aside and examined the matter dispassionately” (1096), he explains to them using logic why he was forced to act in the way he did. Eventually, he manages to convince them that he is a suitable husband for Sophronia. Titus and Sophronia return to Rome while Gisippus stays in Athens.

Years later, Gisippus and his family lose their wealth due to war. Gisippus, now “poor and destitute” (1100), visits his old friend in Rome to ask for help. Titus has risen through the ranks in Rome and he has become an important and influential figure. After Titus does not recognize Gisippus in a crowd, Gisippus wants to die. He frames himself for the murder of a thief but, before he can be executed, Titus steps from the crowd and saves his old friend. Titus claims that he was the real murderer, offering himself up for execution. The two old friends debate back and forth over who should be put to death. Eventually, the real murderer steps forward and confesses. After, Titus takes Gisippus back to his home and makes him “joint owner of all his treasures and possessions” (1103). He arranges for Gisippus to marry his sister, Fulvia, and they all live together happily in Rome.

The next storyteller is Panfilo. Saladin is the “outstandingly able” (1107) Sultan of Babylon. One day, he dresses as a merchant so that he can travel through Christian countries and learn about the people who are about to launch a crusade against the Islamic countries under his control. In Pavia, he meets Torello and becomes friends with the man. Torello is very generous and the disguised Saladin promises “to return the hospitality” (1114) of his new friend’s kindness in the future. While Saladin returns to Babylon, Torello joins up to fight with the Christian army in the crusades. He tells his wife that, if he does not return, she should re-marry. Torello is captured by Saladin’s forces and is “afraid to disclose his identity” (1116) so takes a job training falcons for the Sultan. Despite the disguise, Saladin uncovers Torello’s true identity. He is given “the chance” (1117) to repay Torello’s kindness, so he gifts Torello a large collection of treasure. Among the collection is a magical bed which will transport Torello back to Pavia and allow him to be with his wife, so that she will not believe that her husband is dead and marry another man. In Pavia, Torello appears in a church and shocks the priests. He leaves for his house in time for the feast at his wife’s wedding to another man. At the right moment, he reveals himself and reunites with “his beloved wife” (1128).

The final storyteller is Dioneo. Gualtieri is the Marquis of Saluzzo. As an unmarried man he spends his time “hunting and hawking, and never even thought about marrying or raising a family” (1130). However, his estate languishes and people worry about the future. At the encouragement of others, Gualtieri agrees to marry. Much to their displeasure, he falls in love with a “very poor” (1131) woman named Griselda. He surprises her by ordering that she be “stripped naked” (1132) in front of her village and then adorning her in new, lavish clothes. They marry and Griselda gives birth to a daughter.

However, their seemingly perfect marriage is ruined when Gualtieri is overcome by “the strange desire to test Griselda’s patience” (1134) by treating her badly. Griselda continues to obey her husband and Gualtieri is pleased that she obeys him even when he is behaving atrociously. He continues to test her and arranges for a servant to approach her and inform her that the people—due to their disgust at Griselda’s low social standing—have demanded that the servant “murder her child” (1135). Though she is heartbroken, Griselda willingly hands over her baby. Gualtieri takes the baby and sends it away to be raised in secret. A short time later, Griselda gives birth to a boy. Gualtieri carries out the same test, only this time he tells Griselda that he will also marry a woman with a higher social status. After having two babies sent away, however, Gualtieri’s people are furious. Like Griselda, they believe that he has murdered two babies and that he has become “a cruel tyrant” (1136). Despite her broken heart, Griselda will not criticize her husband.

Years later, Gualtieri performs a third and final test of his wife’s obedience. He tells Griselda that he is going to divorce her, even showing her forged paperwork from the Pope which gives him “permission to abandon Griselda and remarry” (1137). In front of everyone, Gualtieri announces his divorce and sends the humble, quiet Griselda from his home. At her request, he allows her to remain clothed. He continues to torture her, however, demanding that she prepare his home for the upcoming wedding. While Griselda prepares the house, Gualtieri sends for the children. When his son and daughter arrive, he pretends that his 12-year-old daughter is his new wife. Everyone showers the daughter in praise, including the abused Griselda. Eventually, Gualtieri tells her the truth. After nearly 12 years of torture, he says that Griselda has proved her goodness and her “unfailing patience” (1141). Griselda is overjoyed to be reunited with her children and her husband. The people are impressed by Gualtieri’s dedication and forethought. Griselda is returned to her position by Gualtieri’s side and the feast takes place.

After 15 days away from Florence, the 10 men and women decide that their time in the villa is over. They plan to return to the city the next day. The women return home and the men set off “in search of other diversions” (1146).

In the author’s conclusion, Boccaccio addresses the audience directly. He refutes the idea that the stories may be too bawdy or licentious for “prudish ladies who attach more weight to words than to deeds” (1148). He defends his choice of language and his writing style, while also insisting that his many tales of corrupt clergy members are reflective of reality. Whether the stories are good or bad, he says, is up to the interpretation of the reader. He thanks God for inspiring him and hopes that his audience will enjoy the work.