The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio by Giovanni Boccaccio (e reader manga .txt) π
[Footnote 199: Lit. and so I hope (spero), a curious instance of the ancient Dantesque use of the word spero, I hope, in its contrary sense of fear.]
There was in the kingdom of France a gentleman called Isnard, Count of Roussillon, who, for that he was scant of health, still entertained about his person a physician, by name Master Gerard de Narbonne. The said count had one little son, and no more, hight Bertrand, who was exceeding handsome and agreeable, and with him other children of his own age were brought up. Among these latter was a daughter of the aforesaid physician, by name Gillette, who vowed to the said Bertrand an infinite love and fervent more than pertained unto her tender years. The count dying and leaving his son in the hands of
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[287] Or chokebits (stranguglioni).
[288] i.e. that they may serve to purchase remission from purgatory for the souls of her dead relatives, instead of the burning of candles and tapers, which is held by the Roman Catholic Church to have that effect.
[289] i.e. a hypocritical sham devotee, covering a lewd life with an appearance of sanctity.
[290] Lit. a due or deserved bite (debito morso). I mention this to show the connection with teeth.
[291] An ellipsis of a kind common in Boccaccio and indeed in all the old Italian writers, meaning "it may be useful to enlarge upon the subject in question."
[292] The songs proposed by Dioneo are all apparently of a light, if not a wanton, character and "not fit to be sung before ladies."
[293] This singularly naΓ―ve give-and-take fashion of asking a favour of a God recalls the old Scotch epitaph cited by Mr. George Macdonald:
Here lie I Martin Elginbrodde:
Hae mercy o' my soul, Lord God;
As I wad do, were I Lord God
And ye were Martin Elginbrodde.
[294] Lit. for their returning to consistory (del dovere a concistoro tornare).
[295] Messer Mazza, i.e. veretrum.
[296] Monte Nero, i.e. vas muliebre.
[297] i.e. who are yet a child, in modern parlance, "Thou whose lips are yet wet with thy mother's milk."
[298] i.e. women's.
[299] See ante, p. 43, Introduction to the last story of the First Day.
[300] Lit. Family wine (vin da famiglia), i.e. no wine for servants' or general drinking, but a choice vintage, to be reserved for special occasions.
[301] A silver coin of about the size and value of our silver penny, which, when gilded, would pass muster well enough for a gold florin, unless closely examined.
[302] Il palio, a race anciently run at Florence on St. John's Day, as that of the Barberi at Rome during the Carnival.
[303] Lit. knowing not whence himself came.
[304] Or, as we should say, "in his own coin."
[305] A commentator notes that the adjunction to the world of the Maremma (cf. Elijer Goff, "The Irish Question has for some centuries been enjoyed by the universe and other parts") produces a risible effect and gives the reader to understand that Scalza broaches the question only by way of a joke. The same may be said of the jesting inversion of the word philosophers (phisopholers, Fisofoli) in the next line.
[306] Baronci, the Florentine name for what we should call professional beggars, "mumpers, chanters and Abrahammen," called Bari and Barocci in other parts of Italy. This story has been a prodigious stumbling-block to former translators, not one of whom appears to have had the slightest idea of Boccaccio's meaning.
[307] i.e. of the comical fashion of the Cadgers.
[308] An abbreviation of Francesca.
[309] "Or her."
[310] Lit. to avoid or elude a scorn (fuggire uno scorno).
[311] Cipolla means onion.
[312] The term "well-wisher" (benivogliente), when understood in relation to a woman, is generally equivalent (at least with the older Italian writers) to "lover." See ante, passim.
[313] Diminutive of contempt of Arrigo, contracted from Arriguccio, i.e. mean little Arrigo.
[314] i.e. Whale.
[315] i.e. Dirt.
[316] i.e. Hog.
[317] A painter of Boccaccio's time, of whom little or nothing seems to be known.
[318] Perpendo lo coreggia. The exact meaning of this passage is not clear. The commentators make sundry random shots at it, but, as usual, only succeed in making confusion worse confounded. It may perhaps be rendered, "till his wind failed him."
[319] Said by the commentators to have been an abbey, where they made cheese-soup for all comers twice a week; hence "the caldron of Altopascio" became a proverb; but quære is not the name Altopascio (high feeding) a fancy one?
[320] It does not appear to which member of this great house Boccaccio here alludes, but the ChΓ’tillons were always rich and magnificent gentlemen, from Gaucher de ChΓ’tillon, who followed Philip Augustus to the third crusade, to the great Admiral de Coligny.
[321] Sic (star con altrui); but "being in the service of or dependent upon others" seems to be the probable meaning.
[322] Apparently the Neapolitan town of that name.
[323] The name of a famous tavern in Florence (Florio).
[324] Quære a place in Florence? One of the commentators, with characteristic carelessness, states that the places mentioned in the preachment of Fra Cipolla (an amusing specimen of the patter-sermon of the mendicant friar of the middle ages, that ecclesiastical Cheap Jack of his day) are all names of streets or places of Florence, a statement which, it is evident to the most cursory reader, is altogether inaccurate.
[325] Apparently the island of that name near Venice.
[326] i.e. Nonsense-land.
[327] i.e. Land of Tricks or Cozenage.
[328] i.e. Falsehood, Lie-land.
[329] i.e. paying their way with fine words, instead of coin.
[330] i.e. making sausages of them.
[331] Bachi, drones or maggots. Pastinaca means "parsnip" and is a meaningless addition of Fra Cipolla's fashion.
[332] A play of words upon the primary meaning (winged things) of the word pennate, hedge-bills.
[333] i.e. The Word [made] flesh. Get-thee-to-the-windows is only a patter tag.
[334] Or Slopes or Coasts (piaggie).
[335] ?
[336] Industria in the old sense of ingenuity, skilful procurement, etc.
[337] i.e. the tale-telling.
[338] Lit. the northern chariot (carro di tramontana); quære the Great Bear?
[339] Alluding to the subject fixed for the next day's discourse, as who should say, "Have you begun already to play tricks upon us men in very deed, ere you tell about them in words?"
[340] See p. 144, note 2.
[341] i.e. pene arrecto.
[342] i.e. a fattened capon well larded.
[343] i.e. eggs.
[344] So called from the figure of a lily stamped on the coin; cf. our rose-nobles.
[345] i.e. the discarded vanities aforesaid.
[346] i.e. the other ex votos.
[347] There is apparently some satirical allusion here, which I cannot undertake to explain.
[348] Syn. professor of the liberal arts (artista).
[349] i.e. inhabitants of Arezzo.
[350] Riporre, possibly a mistake for riportare, to fetch back.
[351] Lit. wished her all his weal.
[352] Boccaccio writes carelessly "for aught" (altro), which makes nonsense of the passage.
[353] Or, in modern parlance, "twopennny-halfpenny."
[354] Syn. encourager, helper, auxiliary (confortatore).
[355] This sudden change from the third to the second person, in speaking of Nicostratus, is a characteristic example of Boccaccio's constant abuse of the figure enallage in his dialogues.
[356] i.e. those eyes.
[357] i.e. the Siennese.
[358] i.e. from discovering to his friend his liking for the lady.
[359] Or, in modern parlance, logic-chopping (sillogizzando).
[360] i.e. with that whereof you bear the name, i.e. laurel (laurea).
[361] Or "on this subject" (in questo).
[362] Quære, "half-complines," i.e. half-past seven p.m. "Half-vespers" would be half-past four, which seems too early.
[363] Carolando, i.e. dancing in a round and singing the while, the original meaning of our word "carol."
[364] i.e. half-past seven a.m.
[365] Where the papal court then was. See p. 257, note.
[366] Or, as La Fontaine would say, "aussi bien faite pour armer un lit."
[367] Or apron.
[368] Se n'andΓ² col ceteratojo; a proverbial expression of similar meaning to our "was whistled down the wind," i.e. was lightly dismissed without provision, like a cast-off hawk.
[369] A play of words upon the Italian equivalent of the French word Douay (Duagio, i.e. Twoay, Treagio, Quattragio) invented by the roguish priest to impose upon the simple goodwife.
[370] Or in modern parlance, "making her a connection by marriage of etc.," Boccaccio feigning priests to be members of the Holy Family, by virtue of their office.
[371] i.e. Good cheer.
[372] A play upon the double meaning of a denajo, which signifies also "for money."
[373] A kind of rissole made of eggs, sweet herbs and cheese.
[374] Vernaccia, a kind of rich white wine like Malmsey.
[375] i.e. not strait-cut.
[376] Sforzandosi, i.e. recovering his wind with an effort.
[377] i.e. love him, grant him her favours. See ante, passim.
[378] i.e. in the malaria district.
[379] i.e. great ugly Ciuta.
[380] Quarantanove, a proverbial expression for an indefinite number.
[381] i.e. how they might do this.
[382] i.e. in the old sense of "manager" (massajo).
[383] i.e. white wine, see p. 372, note.
[384] i.e. embarked on a bootless quest.
[385] A proverbial way of saying that he bore malice and was vindictive.
[386] Lit. out of hand (fuor di mano).
[387] Boccaccio here misquotes himself. See p. 389, where the lady says to
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