The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant NovelsBoccaccio, Giovanni
History
The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant Novels
Boccaccio, Giovanni
Allegories; Frame stories; Plague -- Europe -- History -- Fiction; Storytelling -- Fiction
Heere we meete and remaine (as it seemeth to mee) in no other manner,
then as if we would or should be witnesses, to all the dead bodies at
rest in their graves; or else to listen, when the religious Sisters
here dwelling (whose number now are well-neere come to be none at all)
sing Service at such houres as they ought to do; or else to acquaint
all commers hither (by our mourning habites) with the quality and
quantitie of our hearts miseries. And when we part hence, we meete
with none but dead bodies; or sicke persons transported from one place
to another; or else we see running thorow the City (in most offensive
fury) such as (by authoritie of publike Lawes) were banished hence,
onely for their bad and brutish behaviour in contempt of those Lawes,
because now they know, that the executors of them are dead and sicke.
And if not these, more lamentable spectacles present themselves to us,
by the base rascality of the Citie; who being fatted with our blood,
tearme themselves Grave-makers, and in meere contemptible mockerie of
us, are mounted on horse-backe, gallopping everie where, reproaching
us with our losses and misfortunes, with lewd and dishonest songs: so
that we can hear nothing else but such and such are dead, and such and
such lie a dying; heere hands wringing, and everie where most pittifull
complaining.
If we returne home to our houses (I know not whether your case bee
answerable to mine) when I can finde none of all my Family, but onely
my poore waiting Chamber-maide; so great are my feares, that the verie
haire on my head declareth my amazement, and wheresoever I go or sit
downe, me thinkes I see the ghostes and shadowes of deceased friends,
not with such lovely lookes as I was wont to behold them, but with most
horrid and dreadfull regards, newly stolne upon them I know not how.
In these respects, both heere, else-where, and at home in my house,
methinkes I am alwaies ill, and much more (in mine owne opinion) then
any other bodie, not having meanes or place of retirement, as all we
have, and none to remaine heere but onely we.
Moreover, I have often heard it said, that in tarrying or departing, no
distinction is made in things honest or dishonest; onely appetite will
be served; and be they alone or in company, by day or night, they do
whatsoever their appetite desireth: not secular persons onely, but such
as are recluses, and shut up within Monasteries, breaking the Lawes of
obedience, and being addicted to pleasures of the flesh, are become
lascivious and dissolute, making the world beleeve, that whatsoever is
convenient for other women, is no way unbeseeming them, as thinking in
that manner to escape.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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