The Decameron (87 page)
Authors: Giovanni Boccaccio
Tags: #Fiction, #Historical, #Europe, #Criticism, #Literary, #Storytelling, #Classic fiction (pre c 1945), #Plague, #Florence (Italy), #Performing Arts, #General & Literary Fiction, #Classic fiction, #Literature - Classics, #Classics, #Literature: Classics, #Literature: Texts, #General, #History
[425]
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.
[426]
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 in making the advent of the light change the colour of the sky from azure to a darker colour, instead of, as Boccaccio intended, to watchet,
i.e.
a paler or greyish blue,) have misrendered the text, for sheer ignorance of the author's meaning.
[427]
Scannadio
signifies "Murder–God" and was no doubt a nickname bestowed upon the dead man, on account of his wicked and reprobate way of life.
[428]
i.e.
balls for a pellet bow, usually made out of clay. Bruno and Buffalmacco were punning upon the double meaning, land and earth (or clay), of the word
terra
.
[429]
Scimmione
(lit. ape), a contemptuous distortion of
Simone
.
[430]
Chiarea.
According to the commentators, the composition of this drink is unknown, but that of clary, a sort of hippocras or spiced wine
clear–strained
(whence the name), offers no difficulty to the student of old English literature.
[431]
i.e.
the doublet.
[432]
i.e.
do me a double injury.
[433]
Syn. goodly design of foresight (
buono avviso
).
[434]
Giovani di tromba marina.
The sense seems as above; the commentators say that
giovani di tromba marina
is a name given to those youths who go trumpeting about everywhere the favours accorded them by women; but the
tromba marina
is a
stringed
(not a wind)
instrument
, a sort of primitive violoncello with one string.
[435]
"Your teeth did dance like virginal jacks."—
Ben Jonson.
[436]
Adagiarono
,
i.e.
unsaddled and stabled and fed them.
[437]
i.e.
hog.
[438]
Lit. a backbiter (
morditore
)].
[439]
i.e.
conjured him by God to make peace with him.
[440]
i.e.
from a serious or moral point of view.
[441]
Apparently Laodicea (
hod.
Eskihissar) in Anatolia, from which a traveller, taking the direct land route, would necessarily pass Antioch (
hod.
Antakhia) on his way to Jerusalem.
[442]
i.e.
arrectus est penis ejus.
[443]
See p. 372, note.
[444]
i.e.
fortune.
[445]
Cattajo.
This word is usually translated Cathay,
i.e.
China; but
semble
Boccaccio meant rather the Dalmatian province of Cattaro, which would better answer the description in the text, Nathan's estate being described as adjoining a highway leading from the Ponant (or Western shores of the Mediterranean) to the Levant (or Eastern shores),
e.g.
the road from Cattaro on the Adriatic to Salonica on the Ægean. Cathay (China) seems, from the circumstances of the case, out of the question, as is also the Italian town called Cattaio, near Padua.
[446]
i.e.
to show the most extravagant hospitality.
[447]
Or as we should say, "After much beating about the bush."
[448]
i.e.
jealousies.
[449]
i.e.
all sections of the given theme.
[450]
Lit. accident (
accidente
).
[451]
i.e.
with news of her life.
[452]
Dubbio
,
i.e.
a doubtful case or question.
[453]
i.e.
who would have recognized her as Madam Catalina.
[454]
Compassione
,
i.e.
emotion.
[455]
Lit. I leave you free
of
Niccoluccio (
libera vi lascio di Niccoluccio
).
[456]
i.e.
Ansaldo, Dianora and the nigromancer.
[457]
i.e.
the money promised him by way of recompense.
[458]
i.e.
, nicety, minuteness (
strettezza
).
[459]
A town on the Bay of Naples, near the ruins of Pompeii.
[460]
Per amore amiate
(Fr. aimiez par amour).
[461]
In si forte punto
, or, in modern parlance, at so critical or ill–starred a moment.
[462]
Sollevata
, syn. solaced, relieved or (3) agitated, troubled.
[463]
Sic,
Publio Quinzio Fulvo
; but
quære
should it not rather be
Publio Quinto Fulvio
,
i.e.
Publius Quintus Fulvius, a form of the name which seems more in accordance with the genius of the Latin language?
[464]
Or "his" (
a sè
).
[465]
Or "thine" (
a te
).
[466]
Lit. "hope" (
sperare
). See note, p. 5.
[467]
i.e.
I would have her in common with thee.
[468]
Or "arguments" (
consigli
).
[469]
i.e.
of your counsel.
[470]
i.e.
my riches are not the result of covetous amassing, but of the favours of fortune.
[471]
Sic (
tiepidezza
); but
semble
"timidity" or "distrustfulness" is meant.
[472]
i.e.
perils.
[473]
i.e.
to cross the Alps into France.
[474]
Adagiarono
; see p. 447, note.
[475]
i.e.
to place themselves according to their several ranks, which were unknown to Torello.
[476]
Sic (
la vostra credenza raffermeremo
); but the meaning is, "whereby we may amend your unbelief and give you cause to credit our assertion that we are merchants."
[477]
i.e.
should any rumour get wind of death.
[478]
Sic (
all' altro esercito
). The meaning of this does not appear, as no mention has yet been made of two Christian armies. Perhaps we should translate "the rest of the army,"
i.e.
such part of the remnant of the Christian host as fled to Acre and shut themselves up there after the disastrous day of Hittin (23 June, 1187). Acre fell on the 29th July, 1187.
[479]
It may be well to remind the European reader that the turban consists of two parts,
i.e.
a skull–cap and a linen cloth, which is wound round it in various folds and shapes, to form the well–known Eastern head–dress.
[480]
i.e.
he who was to have married Madam Adalieta.
[481]
See p. 325.
[482]
Or "strange" (
nuovo
); see ante, passim.
[483]
i.e.
his vassals.
[484]
i.e.
the husband of his kinswoman aforesaid.
[485]
i.e.
unwetted with tears.
[486]
i.e.
of overmuch licence.
[487]
Two noted wine–bidders of the time.
[488]
Lit. living folk (
viventi
).
Table of Contents
THE FIRST STORY
THE SECOND STORY
THE THIRD STORY
THE FOURTH STORY
THE FIFTH STORY
THE SIXTH STORY
THE SEVENTH STORY
THE EIGHTH STORY
THE NINTH STORY
THE TENTH STORY
THE FIRST STORY
THE SECOND STORY
THE THIRD STORY
THE FOURTH STORY
THE FIFTH STORY
THE SIXTH STORY
THE SEVENTH STORY
THE EIGHTH STORY
THE NINTH STORY
THE TENTH STORY
THE FIRST STORY
THE SECOND STORY
THE THIRD STORY
THE FOURTH STORY
THE FIFTH STORY
THE SIXTH STORY
THE SEVENTH STORY
THE EIGHTH STORY
THE NINTH STORY
THE TENTH STORY
THE FIRST STORY
THE SECOND STORY
THE THIRD STORY
THE FOURTH STORY
THE FIFTH STORY
THE SIXTH STORY
THE SEVENTH STORY
THE EIGHTH STORY
THE NINTH STORY
THE TENTH STORY
THE FIRST STORY
THE SECOND STORY
THE THIRD STORY
THE FOURTH STORY
THE FIFTH STORY
THE SIXTH STORY
THE SEVENTH STORY
THE EIGHTH STORY
THE NINTH STORY
THE TENTH STORY
THE FIRST STORY
THE SECOND STORY
THE THIRD STORY
THE FOURTH STORY
THE FIFTH STORY
THE SIXTH STORY
THE SEVENTH STORY
THE EIGHTH STORY
THE NINTH STORY
THE TENTH STORY
THE FIRST STORY
THE SECOND STORY
THE THIRD STORY
THE FOURTH STORY
THE FIFTH STORY
THE SIXTH STORY
THE SEVENTH STORY
THE EIGHTH STORY
THE NINTH STORY
THE TENTH STORY
THE FIRST STORY
THE SECOND STORY
THE THIRD STORY
THE FOURTH STORY
THE FIFTH STORY
THE SIXTH STORY
THE SEVENTH STORY
THE EIGHTH STORY
THE NINTH STORY
THE TENTH STORY
THE FIRST STORY
THE SECOND STORY
THE THIRD STORY
THE FOURTH STORY
THE FIFTH STORY
THE SIXTH STORY
THE SEVENTH STORY
THE EIGHTH STORY
THE NINTH STORY
THE TENTH STORY
THE FIRST STORY
THE SECOND STORY
THE THIRD STORY
THE FOURTH STORY
THE FIFTH STORY
THE SIXTH STORY
THE SEVENTH STORY
THE EIGHTH STORY
THE NINTH STORY
THE TENTH STORY
Conclusion of the Author
