7. Panago A form taken from popular speech, Panago (i.e. Pánico, near Bologna) was a feudatory of the counts of Alberti.
8. My lord, I am ready to do as you ask Yet another biblical echo, this time of the Virgin’s ‘Ecce ancilla Dei’ (‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord’). from Luke i, 38.
9. I think I can boast The Italian text reads ‘credendomi poter dar vanto’. Luigi Russo pointed out that the phrase had a precise and solemn meaning in feudal society. It has to do with the ‘vaunts’ or boasts made by knights, often over the dinner table, concerning some outstanding personal achievement, defying their companions to cite a more worthy deed of their own.
(Conclusion)
1. the wisdom of mortals… anticipate the future For his definition of wisdom, B. is paraphrasing a passage from Dante’s Convivio (IV, xxvii, 5): ‘A person ought, then, to be prudent, or wise. To be so he must have good recollection of the past, good knowledge of the present and good foresight regarding the future.’
AUTHOR’S EPILOGUE
1. with his sword or his lance In other words, with his weapon. B. is continuing to cite nouns with equivocal meanings.
2. sometimes with a single nail, sometimes with two More phallic imagery, the mildly blasphemous double entendre being made possible because chiodo (‘nail’) derives from the Latin clavus, from which the Italian verb chiavare (‘to screw’) also derives. The sexual implications of the phrase tend to be overlooked by academic critics, some of whom have recently engaged in erudite debate over the way in which the Crucifixion is represented by medieval artists. Cimabue’s frescoes show Christ’s feet nailed separately to the cross. Giotto, more economical, followed the practice of northern European painters in transfixing both feet with a single nail.
3. Athens, or Bologna, or Paris The most famous centres of learning in the ancient world (Athens) and the world of B.’s own day and age (Bologna and Paris).
4. Jeremiah… Magdalen The references are to the Lamentations of Jeremiah, sung during Holy Week, to any one of several popular poems on the Passion of Christ such as Jacopone’s Pianto della Madonna, and to the poem already referred to in the story of Friar Puccio (III, 4).
5. who forsake a life of discomfort for the love of God Repetition of the deliberately ambiguous phrase used by Friar Cipolla in his impromptu sermon (VI, 10).
6. do their grinding when the millpond’s full A phrase used by the priest of Varlungo in the story of Monna Belcolore (VIII, 2).
7. they all smell a little of the billy-goat A reference to the homosexual proclivities of the religious, hinted at by Friar Cipolla with his veiled allusion to Capretius (VI, 10).
8. that I had the finest and sweetest tongue in the world Almost certainly, what is implied here is an act of cunnilingus. The light-hearted comment is offered in the same spirit as the casual reference to masturbation at the end of IX, 2. None of B.’s previous editors has felt it necessary to comment on his mischievous claim to close physical intimacy with his anonymous lady neighbour. The passage is entirely in keeping with the playful, irreverent tone of the rest of the Epilogue.
MAPS
Note: The maps on the following pages show the geographical location of places etc. named in the Introduction and Notes as well as in the text of the Decameron itself. Readers may consult the indexes for page-references to the various locations.
INDEX TO STORIES
Abate, Amerigo (Sicilian nobleman), 411–19
Abraham, 37–41, 45
Abruzzi, 475, 562
Acre, Holy Land, 173, 773
Adalieta, Madonna (wife of Torello of Strà), 769–73, 780–83
Adriano (friend of Pinuccio), 678–82
Aegina, 139
Aesculapius, 13
Agilulf, King of the Lombards, 199–205
Agnesa, Madonna (lover of Friar Rinaldo), 495–500
Agnesa (daughter of Bernabuccio), 399–405
Agnolclla (lover of Pietro Boccamazza), 385–93
Agnus Dei, 620
Agolante (son of Tebaldo), 83–5, 90–91
Agolanti, Sandro, 75
Agolanti family, 83
Aieroli, Ruggieri d’, 354–62
Aiguesmortes, Provence, 145
Alatiel (daughter of Sultan of Babylon), 126–47
Albenga, 173
Alberighi, Filippo (father of Federigo), 426
Alberto of Imola, Friar, 303–12
Alberto (physician of Bologna), 64–6
Aldobrandino, see Palermini, A.
Aldruda, Monna, 441
Alessandro (Agolante’s nephew), 84–91
Alexandria, Egypt, 42, 116, 126, 142–3, 146, 173, 175, 772–7
Alexis, Saint, 486
Algarve, King of, 126, 144, 147
Algebra, 474
Alibech (recluse taught to put devil in Hell), 275–9
Alphonso, King of Spain, 703–6
Altarisi, Great Khan of, 620
Altopascio, 472
Amalfi, 92, 355, 359
Ambrogiuolo of Piacenza (trickster), 166–78
Ambrose of Siena, Saint, 499–500
Ambruogia (wife of Guasparruolo Cagastraccio), 552–4
Ambustus, Publius, 762
Amerigo, see Abate, A.
Anagni, 386–7
Anastagi, see Guido degli A.
Anastasius, Brother, 216
Ancona, 238, 664
Andreuccio di Pietro (horsedealer of Perugia), 97–111
Andreuola (daughter of Negro da Pontecarraro), 331–8
Anger, 313–14
Angiulieri, Cecco (young man of Siena), 664–8
Anichino (alias Lodovico, lover of Beatrice), 519–24
Ansaldo, see Gradense, A.
Anselmini, Ambruogio (husband of Monna Mita), 545–7
Anthony, Saint, Order of, 469–70, 475
anti-clericalism
abuse of confessional, 256–7
credulity of priests at Confession, 27–37
feeble-minded priests, 205–15, 474–5
friars’ high living and greed, 243–5, 474–5
holy relics ridiculed, 470–77
hypocrisy of the religious, 51–4, 302–12
lecherous monks and friars, 216–21, 255–64, 495–500, 569–75. 603
nuns’ behaviour, 193–9, 656–8
spitting in church, 33
tall stories of pilgrimages, 474–7
undue influence over women of parish, 555–60
wicked lives of the religious, 39–41, 44–8
anti-feminism, see women
Antigono of Famagusta, 142–7
Antioch, 691, 693
Antioco (guardian of Alatiel), 140–42
Antonio d’Orso, Bishop of Florence, 452
Antwerp, Walter, Count of, 148–64
Apulia, 114,695, 737
archery, 382–3
Archipelago, 93
Arcite, 548
Arezzo, 501
Argenti, Filippo (hot-tempered Florentine), 687–9
Argos, Greece, 533
Aristippus (Athenian philosopher), 746
Aristippus of Cyprus, 367–0
Aristotle, 471
Armenia, 142, 412
King of, 416
Arno, river, 541, 595, 626, 631, 686
Arrighetto, see Capece, A.
Arrigo, ‘Saint’, 71–5
Arriguccio, see Berlinghieri, A.
Asinaio, Mount, 287
Assisi, 304
Asti, Rinaldo d’ (merchant robbed on road to Verona), 76–82
Athens, 135, 138, 746–57
Duchess of, 136–7
Duke of, 133–8
Atticciato (Potbelly) (friend of Pasquino), 340–42
Augustus Caesar, 746, 762
Authari, King of the Lombards, 200
avarice, 59–61
Avicenna (Persian physician), 621
Avignon, 555
Avorio, see Naples
Azzo of Ferrara, Marquis, 76, 79–81
Berminedab, Sultan of, 126, 143–7
Saladin, Sultan of, 41–4, 765
bagnio (Turkish bath), 230–32
Bagriel (Gabriel), Arse(Arch)-angel, 263
Balducci, Filippo, 285–7
Balena, see Guccio Imbratta
Barbanicky, Begum of, 619
Barbary, 275, 321, 379, 381, 776
Barletta, 695–6
Baronci family, 457, 459–61, 472
Bartolomea (wife of Ricciardo), 179–86
Basano, King of Cappadocia, 139–40
basil, pot of, 329
Basques, 475, 561–2
Queen of the, 619
Bath, Order of, 627
Beatrice, Madonna (lover of Lodovico), 518–24
Bedlam, 474
Belchfire, Butch, 107
Belcolore, Monna (wife of Bentivegna del Mazzo), 555–60
Beminedab, Sultan of Babylon, 126, 143–7
Benedetto Ferondi (infant son of Ferondo), 264
Benedict, Saint, 48, 220, 262–3
Benevento, battle of (1266), 112
Bentivegna del Mazzo (husband of Monna Belcolore), 555–6
Bergamina, 623
Bergamino (conversationalist of Verona), 54–9
Beritola, see Caracciolo, B.
Berlinghieri, Arriguccio (jealous husband of Sismonda), 524–32
Bernabò, see Lomellin, B.
Bernabuccio (father of Agnesa), 403–5
Bernard, Saint, 486
Bertella (daughter of N’Arnald Civada), 314–15
Bertrand (son of Count of Roussillon), 265–74
Besokindas Tocursemenot, Father, 475
Biliuzza (woman of Varlungo), 558
Binguccio dal Poggio (friend of priest of Varlungo), 559
Biondello (Florentine prankster), 686–9
Bitonto, 698
‘Black Death’, 453
Boccamazza, Pietro, 385–93
Bólgaro, Marin, 406, 410
Bologna, 64, 259, 518, 520, 616, 624–5, 719–22, 725, 792
Boniface VIII, Pope, 25, 448, 707–11
Bordello, 474
Borghese Domenichi, Coppo di (renowned Florentine), 425–6
Borsiere, Guiglielmo (Genoese courtier), 59–61
bread and cheese test, 582–5
Brescia, 331
Brindisi, 96
Broomhandle, Viscount, 626
Bruges, 85
Brunelleschi, Betto (leader of Florentine company), 467–8
Brunetta (Florentine wench), 454–5
Bruno (Florentine painter), 561–9, 579–85, 616–32, 659–63, 669–77
Buffalmacco (Florentine painter), 561–9, 579–85, 616–32, 659–63, 669–77
Buglietto d’Alberto (old clothes expert), 558
Buonconvento, 665
Burgundy, 25, 27
Cabestanh, see Guillaume de C.
Caccianimico, Niccoluccio (husband of Catalina), 719–28
Cagastraccio, Guasparruolo (husband of Ambruogia), 552–4
Calabria, 406–7
Calais, 151–2
Calandrino (Florentine painter), 561–9, 579–85, 659–63, 669–77
Caltabellotta, 745
Camaldoli, see Florence
Camerata, 486, 669–77
Camollia, Siena, 611
Campanella, see Minerva
Campi, 426
Camporeggi, Siena, 545
Can Grande della Scala, Lord of Verona, 54–9
Candia, Crete, 316–17
Canigiano, Pietro dello (treasurer to Empress of Constantinople), 639–40, 643–4
Capece, Arrighetto (courtier to King Manfred), 111, 114, 116, 118–19, 122–4
Capitol, Rome, 756
Cappadocia, King of, 139–40
Capretius, 475
Capua, Duke of, 291
Caracciolo, Beritola (wife of Arrighetto Capece), 112–24
Carapresa, Zita, see Zita C.
Carapresa (woman of Susa), 381–5
Carisendi, Gentile de’ (lover of Catalina), 719–26
Carthage, 323
Cassandra (wife of Lysimachus), 374–6
Castel Guiglielmo, 78
Castellammare di Stabia, 732
Castle Dusk, 445
Catalana, Ruga, see Naples
Catalina, Madonna (wife of Niccoluccio Caccianimico), 719–26
Catania, 123
Catella (wife of Filippello Sighinolfo), 228–36
Caterina (daughter of Lizio da Valbona), 393–9
Cathay, 712–18
Cavalcanti, Cavalcante de’, 467
Cavalcanti, Guido (Italian poet), 288, 467–8
Cavicciuli, see Florence
Cavriuola (Beritola Caracciolo), 115, 120
Cefalù, 745
Cephalonia, island of, 94
Cepperello (Ciappelletto) (notary of Prato), 24–37
Certaldo, 469–77
Cesca (niece of Fresco da Celatico), 465–6
Cesspool, Countess of, 626–8
Charlemagne, 800
Charles I (‘the Old’)
King of Naples, 112, 118, 123, 731–37
Charles II, King of Naples, 101
Charles of Valois, see Lackland
Chatillon, Lord of, 472
Chiarmontesi, Alessandro (lover of Francesca de’ Lazzari), 650–55
Chichibio (Venetian cook), 454–6
Chimera (servant of Lauretta), 21
Chinzica, see Ricciardo di C.
Chios, island of, 139
Chremes (Athenian nobleman), 746–7
Christ, 34, 199, 214, 219, 244, 445, 455, 559, 670, 799
church, see anti-clericalism
Ciacco (Florentine glutton), 685–9
Ciappelletto (Cepperello) (notary of Prato), 24–37
Cicero, 470
Cignano, Niccolò da (Salabaetto) (Florentine merchant), 633–44
Cimon (Galesus) (son of Aristippus), 367–78
Cino da Pistoia (Italian poet), 288
Cipolla, Friar, 469–77
Cisti the Baker, 448–51
Ciuriaci (servant of Prince of Morea), 134–6
Ciuta (Ciutazza) (maidservant to Monna Piccarda), 572–5
Civada, see N’Arnald C.
Classe, near Ravenna, 420
Cluny, Abbot of, 56–7, 707–11
Cocomero, Via del, 616
Conradin (Conrad V, King of Sicily), 736
Constance, Queen (consort of Peter HI), 743–5
Constant (son of Emperor of Constantinople), 136–9
Constantinople, 93, 240
Emperor of, 136, 139
Empress of, 639
Coppo, see Borghese Domenichi, C. di
Corfu, island of, 95, 96
Corinth, Greece, 131, 133
Cornacchini, Filippo (son of Niccolò), 669–74
Cornacchini, Niccolò (owner of estate at Camerata), 669
Corniglia wine, 708
Cornucopia, land of, 561–2
Cornwall, Earl of, 91
Corsignano, 665
courtiers, 60
cranes with one leg, 454–6
Cremona, see Guidotto da C.
Cressida, 444
Crete, 316, 372, 776
Duke of, 318–19
Crivello (servant of Giacomino da Pavia), 400–402, 405
cruelty, 297–301
Crusades, 49, 53, 416, 765, 772–3; see also Holy Land
Cuba, La, villa, 406–7
Cuculia, see Mannuccio dalla C.
Currado, Viceroy of Trapani, 415, 417
Cyprus King of, 61–2, 144, 146–7
Cyprus, island of, 92, 141–3, 146–7, 238, 367–72, 378, 767
Cypsehus (father of Iphigenia), 370–71
Dante Alighieri, 288
Dego della Ratta (Marshal to King Robert), 452–3
Dianora, Madonna (wife of Gilberto), 726–31
Digne, see Torello of D.
Dioneo (member
of the lieta brigata), 18, 20,22, 44, 68, 178, 274, 353, 362–3, 432, 445–6, 469, 477–9, 544, 615, 632, 765, 783–4, 795
dogana, 632–3, 640, 643
Dominic, Saint, 496
Donati, Corso (Florentine political leader), 686
dreams, 330–33, 678–82, 683–5
Dung, Lord, 626
Egano de’ Galluzzi (husband of Beatrice), 518–19
Egypt, 473, 765
Sultan of, 173, 175–7
Sultana of, 619
Elena (Florentine widow), 586–610
Elissa (member of the lieta brigata), 14, 17 61, 148, 221, 320, 385, 441, 465, 495, 560, 655, 706
Emilia (member of the lieta brigata), 14, 51, 68–9, 111, 187, 237, 338, 378, 464, 485, 569–70, 644–5, 689, 726
En Cararch (ship’s captain), 173
England, 84, 85, 86, 91, 148, 152, 154, 160, 161
King of, 82, 85, 158, 159
King’s Marshal, 152–3, 159
Queen of, 619, 620
Envy, 284, 294
Epicureans, 467
Ercolano (friend of Pietro di Vinciolo), 436–7
Ermellina (wife of Aldobrandino Palermini), 237–54
Eve, 799
Faenza, 400, 403, 563
falconry, 426–31, 454, 537, 768, 773
Famagusta, 142, 144
Fano, 399, 403
Faziuolo da Pontremoli (murdered man mistaken for Tedaldo), 253–4
Federigo degli Alberighi, 426–32
Federigo di Neri Pegolotti (lover of Monna Tessa), 486–90
Felice, Dom (amorous monk), 216–21
Ferondo (jealous husband sent to Purgatory), 254–64
Ferrara, 76
Ffouljakes, Baron, 626
Fiammetta (member of the lieta brigata), 48, 97, 228, 291, 363, 425, 459, 505, 610, 668, 731, 796
Fiesole, 487, 570
Provost of, 570–75
Figiovanni, Ruggieri de’ (Tuscan knight), 703–6
Filippa (adulterous wife of Rinaldo de’ Pugliesi), 462–4, 552
Filippo di Sanlodeccio (Tedaldo degli Elisei), 238
Filippo of Rimini (neighbour of wife with jealous husband), 507–13
Filomena (member of the lieta brigata), 41, 66–8, 165, 205, 326, 419, 446, 518, 649, 746
Filostrato (member of the lieta brigata), 76, 192, 280–91, 349, 393, 461, 490, 575, 659, 7
Finale, Sicurano da (Zinevra), 173
Fiordaliso (Neapolitan prostitute), 97–105
Fiorentino, Piero di (young man of Florence), 460–61
Flanders, 304
Florence, 237–8, 269, 339, 344, 426, 449, 561, 586, 609, 644, 685, 797
art in, 457
avarice growing with prosperity, 466
Bruno and Buffalmacco’s society meetings, 618–21
The Decameron Page 118