Page 253 - THE DECAMERON: A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

suffice to say, 'I did it because he is a Ghibelline.' Is it then consistent The Tenth Day | The Seventh Novell
with the justice of a king that those who seek his protection, as this Storyteller: Pampinea
man has sought yours, should be treated in this way? King, I bid you
remember that, great as your glory is for having vanquished Manfred, Lisana, a Florentine apothecary's daughter, fell in love with King
to conquer oneself is a still greater glory. Therefore, you, to whom Piero of Aragon after seeing him at a tournament and became
belongs the correction of others, see to it that you conquer yourself and extremely ill. She sang a song in his hearing, prompting the king to
refrain from this unruly passion. Let not such a blot mar the splendor
visit her, kiss her, and declare himself her knight. He then arranged
of your achievements."
her marriage to Perdicano with generous endowments.
Sore stricken at heart by the Count's words and more mortified because
he acknowledged their truth, the King heaved a fervent sigh or two
and then said: "Count, there is no enemy, however mighty, but to the
practiced warrior is weak enough and easy to conquer compared to
his own appetite. I make no doubt of this. Great though the struggle
will be and immeasurable the force it demands, so shrewdly galled am
I by your words that not many days will pass before I shall have done
enough to show you that I, who am the conqueror of others, am no
less able to gain the victory over myself." Indeed, a few days later, the
King, on his return to Naples, being minded at once to leave himself no
excuse for dishonorable conduct and to recompense the knight for his
honorable treatment of him, resolved to bestow the two young women
in marriage, not as Messer Neri's daughters but as his own. Messer
Neri consenting, he provided both with magnificent dowries and gave
1985 HAND COLORED AQUA TINTA / AQUA FORTE
Ginevra the Fair to Messer Maffeo da Palizzi and Isotta the Blonde to
29,5X19,5 CM. | 11¾X7½ IN. (IMAGE SIZE).
Messer Guglielmo della Magna, both noble knights and great barons.
This done, sad at heart beyond measure, he betook himself to Apulia
and, by incessant labor, so mortified his vehement appetite that he
snapped and broke in pieces the fetters of Love and for the rest of his When Fiammetta finished her story, and much praise had been
days was no more vexed by such passion. given to the virile magnificence of King Charles, Pampinea,
having received the king's command, began: "None of
Perhaps there will be those who say that it is but a trifle for a king to discernment, my ladies, would say otherwise than you have
bestow two girls in marriage; nor shall I dispute it. But say we that a said about good King Charles, unless for some other reason she
king in love bestowed in marriage her whom he loved, neither having bears him a grudge. However, as I recall the honorable treatment
taken nor taking, of his love, leaf or flower or fruit; then this I say was of one of our Florentine girls by one of his adversaries, I am
a feat great indeed, nay, as great as might be. minded to recount it to you.

After such a sort, then, did this magnificent King, at once generously When the French were driven out of Sicily, there lived in Palermo
rewarding the noble knight, commendably honoring the young women one of our Florentines, an apothecary named Bernardo Puccini,
he loved, and stoutly subduing himself. a man of great wealth. He had an only and exceedingly fair
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