The Decameron (Day 6 to Day 10): Containing an hundred pleasant NovelsBoccaccio, Giovanni
History
The Decameron (Day 6 to Day 10): Containing an hundred pleasant Novels
Boccaccio, Giovanni
Allegories; Frame stories; Plague -- Europe -- History -- Fiction; Storytelling -- Fiction
So soone as Madame _Neiphila_ sate silent (the Ladies having greatly
commended the pleasant answer of _Chichibio_) _Pamphilus_, by command
from the Queene, spake in this manner. Woorthy Ladies, it commeth to
passe oftentimes, that like as Fortune is observed divers wayes, to
hide under vile and contemptible Arts, the most great and unvalewable
treasures of vertue (as, not long since, was well discoursed unto us
by Madam _Pampinea_:) so in like manner hath appeared; that Nature
hath infused very singular spirits into most misshapen and deformed
bodies of men. As hath beene noted in two of our owne Citizens, of
whom I purpose to speake in fewe words. The one of them was named
_Messer Forese de Rabatte_, a man of little and low person, but yet
deformed in body, with a flat face, like a Terrier or Beagle, as if no
comparison (almost) could bee made more ugly. But notwithstanding all
this deformity, he was so singularly experienced in the Lawes, that all
men held him beyond any equall, or rather reputed him as a Treasury of
civill knowledge.
The other man, being named _Giotto_, had a spirit of so great
excellency, as there was not any particular thing in Nature, the
Mother and Worke-mistresse of all, by continuall motion of the
heavens; but hee by his pen and pensell could perfectly portrait;
shaping them all so truly alike and resemblable, that they were taken
for the reall matters indeede; and, whether they were present or no,
there was hardly any possibility of their distinguishing. So that
many times it happened, that by the variable devises he made, the
visible sence of men became deceived, in crediting those things to be
naturall, which were but meerly painted. By which meanes, hee reduced
that singular Art to light, which long time before had lyen buried,
under the grosse error of some; who, in the mysterie of painting,
delighted more to content the ignorant, then to please the judicious
understanding of the wise, he justly deserving thereby, to be tearmed
one of the _Florentines_ most glorious lights. And so much the rather,
because he performed all his actions, in the true and lowly spirit of
humility: for while he lived, and was a Master in his Art, above all
other Painters: yet he refused any such title, which shined the more
majestically in him, as appeared by such, who knew much lesse then he,
or his Schollers either: yet his knowledge was extreamly coveted among
them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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