Page 66 - SUMMARIES OF GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO’S DECAMEON : A Visionary Journey In 100 Stories And 100 Etchings By Petru Russu

Agilulf’s Secret and the Peasant’s Love

In the court of King Agilulf of Lombardy, a tale unfolds that blends
desire, deception, and discretion with masterful irony. The Queen,
Theodelinda, is admired not only for her beauty but for her grace, and
among her silent admirers is a lowly groom whose love for her burns

with reckless intensity. Knowing his station forbids any open pursuit,
he devises a daring plan to impersonate the King himself.

After observing Agilulf’s nightly routine, his cloak, torch, and knock,
the groom bathes, dresses in similar garb, and approaches the Queen’s

chamber under cover of darkness. Mistaking him for her husband, she
receives him without suspicion, and he enjoys her company repeatedly
throughout the night.

Later, when the real King arrives and the Queen remarks on his

surprising stamina, Agilulf instantly understands what has happened.
Yet he does not erupt in fury. Instead, he chooses silence, recognizing
that the Queen was deceived and wishing to preserve her honor, and
his own. That night, he quietly visits the servants’ quarters and feels

the hearts of his sleeping men, knowing the guilty one will betray
himself through a racing pulse. When he finds the groom, he marks
him by cutting a lock of his hair, intending to identify him in daylight.

A STUDY IN REGAL STILLNESS But the groom, clever and alert, awakens after the King leaves and cuts the
INTERRUPTED BY COVERT
GEOMETRY, THE PIECE FLICKERS same lock from every servant’s head. In the morning, Agilulf finds all his
WITH VEILED SHAME AND WILY grooms similarly marked and is forced to abandon his plan. Recognizing the
DEFLECTION, WHERE PUNISHMENT groom’s ingenuity, the King issues a general warning, letting the matter rest
MEETS PARADOX, AND RESTRAINT without scandal or punishment. His restraint preserves the dignity of the court,
BECOMES THE CROWN’S
SHARPEST WEAPON. the innocence of the Queen, and his own reputation.
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