Page 152 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

The Decameron The Sixth Day | The Eighth Novell My story is about a man named Fresco da Celatico, who had a
Storyteller: Emilia
niece called Ciesca. She was fair of face and person, though she
In just scorn of those who think only they are fair and well-
lacked the angelic charms we often see. She had such a high
favored. Fresco da Celatico advised his niece Cesca that if
opinion of herself that she habitually disparaged both men and
women and everything she saw, entirely ignoring her own defects.
those worthy of being looked at offended her eyes, as she often
For odiousness, tiresomeness, and petulance, she had no match
claimed, she should refrain from looking at anyone.
among women, and nothing could be done to her satisfaction. Her
pride was so great that it would have been inordinate even if she
had been of the blood royal of France. When she walked abroad,
she was so fastidious that she constantly averted her head, as if
everyone she saw or met reeked of a foul smell.

One day, not to mention her other odious and tiresome ways, she
came home where Fresco was, sat beside him with a languishing
air, and did nothing but fume and chafe. Fresco asked, "Ciesca,
what does this mean? Though it is a feast day, you have come back
so soon." She, almost dissolved with her vapors, answered, "The
truth is, I came back early because I believe there have never been
such odious and tiresome men and women in this city as there are
today. I cannot pass a soul in the street without loathing them like
bad luck. I believe there is no woman in the world as distressed
1985 HAND COLORED AQUA TINTA / AQUA FORTE
29,5X19,5 CM. | 11¾X7½ IN. (IMAGE SIZE). by the sight of odious people as I am, so I came home early to
avoid seeing them."

Fresco, to whom his niece's bad manners were extremely
distasteful, said, "Daughter, if you loathe odious folk as much as
At first, the ladies felt some flutterings of shame, shown by the
you say, you would be best, if you want to live happily, never to
modest blush on their cheeks, as they listened to Filostrato's story.
look at yourself in the mirror." But she, empty as a reed, though
But afterwards, exchanging glances, they could hardly keep from
in her own mind a match for Solomon in wisdom, was as far from
laughing and listened with titters. When he finished, the queen
understanding her uncle's jest as any sheep. She answered that, on
turned to Emilia and asked her to follow suit. Emilia, taking a deep
the contrary, she intended to look at herself in the mirror like other
breath as if roused from sleep, began: "Loving ladies, my brooding
women. And so she remained, and still remains, stuck in her folly.
thoughts have kept my spirit away for so long that I may only be
able to satisfy our queen with a much shorter story than I would
have otherwise told. I intend to tell you how a young woman's folly
was corrected by her uncle with a pleasant jest, had she but had
the sense to understand it.
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The Decameron