The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio

by Giovanni Boccaccio

  THE FIRST STORY

  [Day the Fourth]

  TANCRED, PRINCE OF SALERNO, SLAYETH HIS DAUGHTER'S LOVER AND SENDETH HER HIS HEART IN A BOWL OF GOLD; WHEREUPON, POURING POISONED WATER OVER IT, SHE DRINKETH THEREOF AND DIETH

  "Our king hath this day appointed us a woeful subject of discourse,considering that, whereas we came hither to make merry, needs must wetell of others' tears, the which may not be recounted without movingboth those who tell and those who hearken to compassion thereof. Hehath mayhap done this somedele to temper the mirth of the foregoingdays; but, whatsoever may have moved him thereto, since it pertainethnot to me to change his pleasure, I will relate a piteous chance, nay,an ill-fortuned and a worthy of your tears.

  Tancred, Lord of Salerno, was a humane prince and benign enough ofnature, (had he not in his old age imbrued his hands in lover'sblood,) who in all the course of his life had but one daughter, andhappier had he been if he had none. She was of him as tenderly lovedas ever daughter of father, and knowing not, by reason of this histender love for her, how to part with her, he married her not till shehad long overpassed the age when she should have had a husband. Atlast, he gave her to wife to a son of the Duke of Capua, with whomhaving abidden a little while, she was left a widow and returned toher father. Now she was most fair of form and favour, as ever waswoman, and young and sprightly and learned perchance more than isrequired of a lady. Abiding, then, with her father in all ease andluxury, like a great lady as she was, and seeing that, for the love hebore her, he recked little of marrying her again, nor did it seem toher a seemly thing to require him thereof, she bethought herself toseek, an it might be, to get her privily a worthy lover. She saw mengalore, gentle and simple, frequent her father's court, andconsidering the manners and fashions of many, a young serving-man ofher father's, Guiscardo by name, a man of humble enough extraction,but nobler of worth and manners than whatsoever other, pleased herover all and of him, seeing him often, she became in secret ardentlyenamoured, approving more and more his fashions every hour; whilst theyoung man, who was no dullard, perceiving her liking for him, receivedher into his heart, on such wise that his mind was thereby divertedfrom well nigh everything other than the love of her.

  Each, then, thus secretly tendering the other, the young lady, whodesired nothing so much as to foregather with him, but had no mind tomake any one a confidant of her passion, bethought herself of a raredevice to apprize him of the means; to wit, she wrote him a letter,wherein she showed him how he should do to foregather with her on theensuing day, and placing it in the hollow of a cane, gave the letterjestingly to Guiscardo, saying, 'Make thee a bellows thereof for thyserving-maid, wherewith she may blow up the fire to-night.' Guiscardotook the cane and bethinking himself that she would not have given ithim nor spoken thus, without some cause, took his leave and returnedtherewith to his lodging. There he examined the cane and seeing it tobe cleft, opened it and found therein the letter, which having readand well apprehended that which he had to do, he was the joyfullestman alive and set about taking order how he might go to her, accordingto the fashion appointed him of her.

  There was, beside the prince's palace, a grotto hewn out of the rockand made in days long agone, and to this grotto some little light wasgiven by a tunnel[219] by art wrought in the mountain, which latter,for that the grotto was abandoned, was well nigh blocked at its mouthwith briers and weeds that had overgrown it. Into this grotto onemight go by a privy stair which was in one of the ground floor roomsof the lady's apartment in the palace and which was shut in by a verystrong door. This stair was so out of all folk's minds, for that ithad been unused from time immemorial, that well nigh none rememberedit to be there; but Love, to whose eyes there is nothing so secret butit winneth, had recalled it to the memory of the enamoured lady, who,that none should get wind of the matter, had laboured sore many dayswith such tools as she might command, ere she could make shift to openthe door; then, going down alone thereby into the grotto and seeingthe tunnel, she sent to bid Guiscardo study to come to her thereby andacquainted him with the height which herseemed should be from themouth thereof to the ground.

  [Footnote 219: Or airshaft (_spiraglio_).]

  To this end Guiscardo promptly made ready a rope with certain knotsand loops, whereby he might avail to descend and ascend, and donning aleathern suit, that might defend him from the briers, he on theensuing night repaired, without letting any know aught of the matter,to the mouth of the tunnel. There making one end of the rope fast to astout tree-stump that had grown up in the mouth, he let himself downthereby into the grotto and there awaited the lady, who, on themorrow, feigning a desire to sleep, dismissed her women and shutherself up alone in her chamber; then, opening the privy door, shedescended into the grotto, where she found Guiscardo. They greeted oneanother with marvellous joy and betook themselves to her chamber,where they abode great part of the day in the utmost delight; andafter they had taken order together for the discreet conduct of theirloves, so they might abide secret, Guiscardo returned to the grotto,whilst she shut the privy door and went forth to her women. The nightcome, Guiscardo climbed up by his rope to the mouth of the tunnel andissuing forth whence he had entered in, returned to his lodging; andhaving learned this road, he in process of time returned many timesthereafter.

  But fortune, jealous of so long and so great a delight, with a woefulchance changed the gladness of the two lovers into mourning andsorrow; and it befell on this wise. Tancred was wont to come bytimesall alone into his daughter's chamber and there abide with her andconverse awhile and after go away. Accordingly, one day, after dinner,he came thither, what time the lady (whose name was Ghismonda) was ina garden of hers with all her women, and willing not to take her fromher diversion, he entered her chamber, without being seen or heard ofany. Finding the windows closed and the curtains let down over thebed, he sat down in a corner on a hassock at the bedfoot and leant hishead against the bed; then, drawing the curtain over himself, as if hehad studied to hide himself there, he fell asleep. As he slept thus,Ghismonda, who, as ill chance would have it, had appointed her loverto come thither that day, softly entered the chamber, leaving herwomen in the garden, and having shut herself in, without perceivingthat there was some one there, opened the secret door to Guiscardo,who awaited her. They straightway betook themselves to bed, as oftheir wont, and what while they sported and solaced themselvestogether, it befell that Tancred awoke and heard and saw that whichGuiscardo and his daughter did; whereat beyond measure grieved, atfirst he would have cried out at them, but after bethought himself tokeep silence and abide, an he might, hidden, so with more secrecy andless shame to himself he might avail to do that which had alreadyoccurred to his mind.

  The two lovers abode a great while together, according to theirusance, without observing Tancred, and coming down from the bed,whenas it seemed to them time, Guiscardo returned to the grotto andshe departed the chamber; whereupon Tancred, for all he was an oldman, let himself down into the garden by a window and returned, unseenof any, to his own chamber, sorrowful unto death. That same night, atthe time of the first sleep, Guiscardo, by his orders, was seized bytwo men, as he came forth of the tunnel, and carried secretly, trussedas he was in his suit of leather, to Tancred, who, whenas he saw him,said, well nigh weeping, 'Guiscardo, my kindness to thee merited notthe outrage and the shame thou hast done me in mine own flesh andblood, as I have this day seen with my very eyes.' Whereto Guiscardoanswered nothing but this, 'Love can far more than either you or I.'Tancred then commanded that he should be kept secretly under guard andin one of the chambers of the palace, and so was it done.

  On the morrow, having meanwhile revolved in himself many and diversdevices, he betook himself, after eating, as of his wont, to hisdaughter's chamber and sending for the lady, who as yet knew nothingof these things, shut himself up with her and proceeded, with tears inhis eyes, to bespeak her thus: 'Ghismonda, meseemed I knew thy virtueand thine honesty, nor might it ever have occurred to my mind, thoughit were told me,
had I not seen it with mine own eyes, that thouwouldst, even so much as in thought, have abandoned thyself to anyman, except he were thy husband; wherefore in this scant remnant oflife that my eld reserveth unto me, I shall still abide sorrowful,remembering me of this. Would God, an thou must needs stoop to suchwantonness, thou hadst taken a man sortable to thy quality! But,amongst so many who frequent my court, thou hast chosen Guiscardo, ayouth of the meanest condition, reared in our court, well nigh ofcharity, from a little child up to this day; wherefore thou hast putme in sore travail of mind, for that I know not what course to takewith thee. With Guiscardo, whom I caused take yesternight, as heissued forth of the tunnel and have in ward, I am already resolved howto deal; but with thee God knoweth I know not what to do. On one sidelove draweth me, which I still borne thee more than father ever boredaughter, and on the other most just despite, conceived for thineexceeding folly; the one would have me pardon thee, the other wouldhave me, against my nature, deal harshly by thee. But ere I come to adecision, I would fain hear what thou hast to say to this.' So saying,he bowed his head and wept sore as would a beaten child.

  Ghismonda, hearing her father's words and seeing that not only was hersecret love discovered, but Guiscardo taken, felt an inexpressiblechagrin and came many a time near upon showing it with outcry andtears, as women mostly do; nevertheless, her haughty soulovermastering that weakness, with marvellous fortitude she composedher countenance and rather than proffer any prayer for herself,determined inwardly to abide no more on life, doubting not but herGuiscardo was already dead. Wherefore, not as a woman rebuked andwoeful for her default, but as one undaunted and valiant, with dryeyes and face open and nowise troubled, she thus bespoke her father:'Tancred, I purpose neither to deny nor to entreat, for that the onewould profit me nothing nor would I have the other avail me; more bytoken that I am nowise minded to seek to render thy mansuetude andthine affection favourable to me, but rather, confessing the truth,first with true arguments to vindicate mine honour and after withdeeds right resolutely to ensue the greatness of my soul. True is it Ihave loved and love Guiscardo, and what while I live, which will belittle, I shall love him, nor, if folk live after death, shall I everleave loving him; but unto this it was not so much my feminine frailtythat moved me as thy little solicitude to remarry me and his ownworth.

  It should have been manifest to thee, Tancred, being as thou art fleshand blood, that thou hadst begotten a daughter of flesh and blood andnot of iron or stone; and thou shouldst have remembered and shouldstill remember, for all thou art old, what and what like are the lawsof youth and with what potency they work; nor, albeit thou, being aman, hast in thy best years exercised thyself in part in arms,shouldst thou the less know what ease and leisure and luxury can do inthe old, to say nothing of the young. I am, then, as being of theebegotten, of flesh and blood and have lived so little that I am yetyoung and (for the one and the other reason) full of carnal desire,whereunto the having aforetime, by reason of marriage, known whatpleasure it is to give accomplishment to such desire hath addedmarvellous strength. Unable, therefore, to withstand the strength ofmy desires, I addressed myself, being young and a woman, to ensue thatwhereto they prompted me and became enamoured. And certes in this Iset my every faculty to the endeavouring that, so far as in me lay, noshame should ensue either to thee or to me through this to whichnatural frailty moved me. To this end compassionate Love and favouringFortune found and showed me a very occult way, whereby, unknown ofany, I won to my desire, and this, whoever it be discovered it tothee or howsoever thou knowest it, I nowise deny.

  Guiscardo I took not at hazard, as many women do; nay, of deliberatecounsel I chose him before every other and with advisement prepensedrew him to me[220] and by dint of perseverance and discretion on mypart and on his, I have long had enjoyment of my desire. Whereof itseemeth that thou, ensuing rather vulgar prejudice than truth,reproachest me with more bitterness than of having sinned by way oflove, saying (as if thou shouldst not have been chagrined, had Ichosen therefor a man of gentle birth,) that I have committed myselfwith a man of mean condition. Wherein thou seest not that thou blamestnot my default, but that of fortune, which too often advanceth theunworthy to high estate, leaving the worthiest alow.

  [Footnote 220: Lit. introduced him to me (_a me lo 'ntrodussi_); butBoccaccio here uses the word _introdurre_ in its rarer literal senseto lead, to draw, to bring in.]

  But now let us leave this and look somewhat to the first principles ofthings, whereby thou wilt see that we all get our flesh from one samestock and that all souls were by one same Creator created with equalfaculties, equal powers and equal virtues. Worth it was that firstdistinguished between us, who were all and still are born equal;wherefore those who had and used the greatest sum thereof were callednoble and the rest abode not noble. And albeit contrary usance hathsince obscured this primary law, yet is it nowise done away norblotted out from nature and good manners; wherefore he who dothworthily manifestly showeth himself a gentleman, and if any call himotherwise, not he who is called, but he who calleth committethdefault. Look among all thy gentlemen and examine into their worth,their usances and their manners, and on the other hand consider thoseof Guiscardo; if thou wilt consent to judge without animosity, thouwilt say that he is most noble and that these thy nobles are allchurls. With regard to his worth and virtue, I trusted not to thejudgment of any other, but to that of thy words and of mine own eyes.Who ever so commended him as thou didst in all those praiseworthythings wherefor a man of worth should be commended? And certes notwithout reason; for, if mine eyes deceived me not, there was no praisegiven him of thee which I saw him not justify by deeds, and that moreadmirably than thy words availed to express; and even had I sufferedany deceit in this, it is by thyself I should have been deceived. An,then, thou say that I have committed myself with a man of meancondition, thou sayst not sooth; but shouldst thou say with a poorman, it might peradventure be conceded thee, to thy shame who hast soill known to put a servant of thine and a man of worth in good case;yet poverty bereaveth not any of gentilesse; nay, rather, wealth it isthat doth this. Many kings, many great princes were once poor and manywho delve and tend sheep were once very rich.

  The last doubt that thou broachest, to wit, what thou shouldst do withme, drive it away altogether; an thou in thine extreme old age bedisposed to do that which thou usedst not, being young, namely, todeal cruelly, wreak thy cruelty upon me, who am minded to proffer noprayer unto thee, as being the prime cause of this sin, if sin it be;for of this I certify thee, that whatsoever thou hast done or shalt dowith Guiscardo, an thou do not the like with me, mine own hands shalldo it. Now begone; go shed tears with women and waxing cruel, slay himand me with one same blow, an it seem to thee we have deserved it.'

  The prince knew the greatness of his daughter's soul, butnotwithstanding believed her not altogether so firmly resolved as shesaid unto that which her words gave out. Wherefore, taking leave ofher and having laid aside all intent of using rigour against herperson, he thought to cool her fervent love with other's suffering andaccordingly bade Guiscardo's two guardians strangle him without noisethat same night and taking out his heart, bring it to him. They dideven as it was commanded them, and on the morrow the prince let bringa great and goodly bowl of gold and setting therein Guiscardo's heart,despatched it to his daughter by the hands of a very privy servant ofhis, bidding him say, whenas he gave it her, 'Thy father sendeth theethis, to solace thee of the thing thou most lovest, even as thou hastsolaced him of that which he loved most.'

  Now Ghismonda, unmoved from her stern purpose, had, after her father'sdeparture, let bring poisonous herbs and roots and distilled andreduced them in water, so she might have it at hand, an that shefeared should come to pass. The serving-man coming to her with theprince's present and message, she took the cup with a steadfastcountenance and uncovered it. Whenas she saw the heart andapprehended the words of the message, she was throughly certified thatthis was Guiscardo's heart and turning her eyes upon the messenger,said to him, 'N
o sepulchre less of worth than one of gold had beseemeda heart such as this; and in this my father hath done discreetly.' Sosaying, she set the heart to her lips and kissing it, said, 'Still ineverything and even to this extreme limit of my life have I found myfather's love most tender towards me; but now more than ever;wherefore do than render him on my part for so great a gift the lastthanks I shall ever have to give him.'

  Then, bending down over the cup, which she held fast, she said,looking upon the heart, 'Alack, sweetest harbourage of all mypleasures, accursed be his cruelty who maketh me now to see thee withthe eyes of the body! Enough was it for me at all hours to behold theewith those of the mind. Thou hast finished thy course and hastacquitted thyself on such wise as was vouchsafed thee of fortune; thouart come to the end whereunto each runneth; thou hast left the toilsand miseries of the world, and of thy very enemy thou hast thatsepulchre which thy worth hath merited. There lacked nought to thee tomake thy funeral rites complete save her tears whom in life thou solovedst, the which that thou mightest have, God put it into the heartof my unnatural father to send thee to me and I will give them tothee, albeit I had purposed to die with dry eyes and visage undismayedof aught; and having given them to thee, I will without delay so dothat my soul, thou working it,[221] shall rejoin that soul which thouerst so dearly guardedst. And in what company could I betake me morecontentedly or with better assurance to the regions unknown than withit?[222] Certain am I that it abideth yet herewithin[223] and vieweththe seats of its delights and mine and as that which I am assuredstill loveth me, awaiteth my soul, whereof it is over all beloved.'

  [Footnote 221: _i.e._ thou being the means of bringing about theconjunction (_adoperandol tu_).]

  [Footnote 222: _i.e._ Guiscardo's soul.]

  [Footnote 223: _i.e._ in the heart.]

  So saying, no otherwise than as she had a fountain of water in herhead, bowing herself over the bowl, without making any womanly outcry,she began, lamenting, to shed so many and such tears that they were amarvel to behold, kissing the dead heart the while an infinite numberof times. Her women, who stood about her, understood not what thisheart was nor what her words meant, but, overcome with compassion,wept all and in vain questioned her affectionately of the cause of herlament and studied yet more, as best they knew and might, to comforther. The lady, having wept as much as herseemed fit, raised her headand drying her eyes, said, 'O much-loved heart, I have accomplishedmine every office towards thee, nor is there left me aught else to dosave to come with my soul and bear thine company.' So saying, shecalled for the vial wherein was the water she had made the day beforeand poured the latter into the bowl where was the heart bathed with somany of her tears; then, setting her mouth thereto without any fear,she drank it all off and having drunken, mounted, with the cup in herhand, upon the bed, where composing her body as most decently shemight, she pressed her dead lover's heart to her own and withoutsaying aught, awaited death.

  Her women, seeing and hearing all this, albeit they knew not whatwater this was she had drunken, had sent to tell Tancred everything,and he, fearing that which came to pass, came quickly down into hisdaughter's chamber, where he arrived what time she laid herself on herbed and addressed himself too late to comfort her with soft words;but, seeing the extremity wherein she was, he fell a-weepinggrievously; whereupon quoth the lady to him, 'Tancred, keep thesetears against a less desired fate than this of mine and give them notto me, who desire them not. Who ever saw any, other than thou, lamentfor that which he himself hath willed? Nevertheless, if aught yet livein thee of the love which once thou borest me, vouchsafe me for a lastboon that, since it was not thy pleasure that I should privily and insecret live with Guiscardo, my body may openly abide with his,whereassoever thou hast caused cast him dead.' The agony of his griefsuffered not the prince to reply; whereupon the young lady, feelingherself come to her end, strained the dead heart to her breast andsaid, 'Abide ye with God, for I go hence.' Then, closing her eyes andlosing every sense, she departed this life of woe. Such, then, as youhave heard, was the sorrowful ending of the loves of Guiscardo andGhismonda, whose bodies Tancred, after much lamentation, too laterepenting him of his cruelty, caused honourably bury in one samesepulchre, amid the general mourning of all the people of Salerno."