Page 102 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

The Decameron his love. The servant delivered the message, leaving Gerbino, who The Fourth Day | The Fifth Novell
knew of his grandfather's assurance, at a loss. Driven by love and
Storyteller: Filomena
the lady's words, he armed two galleys and set sail for Sardinia,
where he believed the ship would pass.
Lisabetta 's three brothers secretly killed a gentleman who loved
her. He appears to her in a dream, and shews her where he is
After a few days, the ship appeared. Gerbino rallied his men, urging
buried: she privily disinters the head, and sets it in a pot of basil,
them to attack and seize the ship, promising them the spoils while
he claimed only the lady. His men, eager for the fight, overhauled
her by her brothers, she dies, not long after.
the ship. The ship's crew, unable to avoid combat, prepared for whereon she daily weeps a great while. The pot being taken from
defense. Gerbino demanded the ship's surrender, but the Saracens,
displaying King Guglielmo's glove, refused, citing the breach of
faith. Gerbino, seeing the lady on the ship's deck and burning with
desire, dismissed the glove and prepared for battle.

The battle began with a furious exchange of arrows and stones.
Seeing little advantage, Gerbino set a light bark on fire and bore
down on the ship. The Saracens, facing defeat, brought the weeping
lady on deck, opened her veins, and cast her into the sea, saying,
"Take her; we give her to you as we can, and as your faith has
merited." Maddened, Gerbino boarded the ship, slaughtering many
Saracens. As the ship burned, he ordered his men to take what they
could and then left, having gained a sorrowful victory.

Gerbino recovered the lady's body from the sea, mourned her with
many tears, and gave her an honorable burial in Ustica. He returned
to Sicily, the saddest man alive. When the King of Tunis learned of
the breach of faith, he sent ambassadors to King Guglielmo, who,
unable to refuse justice, had Gerbino arrested and sentenced
to death. Despite his barons' pleas, King Guglielmo had Gerbino
beheaded, preferring to lose his grandson than gain a reputation as
a faithless king. Thus, within a few brief days, the two lovers died
woeful deaths without ever knowing the joy of their love.

1985 HAND COLORED AQUA TINTA / AQUA FORTE
29,5X19,5 CM. | 11¾X7½ IN. (IMAGE SIZE).
98
The Decameron