Chapter III: Introduction: xi

CHAPTER

I. BOCCACCIO'S PARENTAGE, BIRTH, AND CHILDHOOD 3

II. HIS ARRIVAL IN NAPLES--HIS YEARS WITH THE
MERCHANT--HIS ABANDONMENT OF TRADE AND
ENTRY ON THE STUDY OF CANON LAW 15

III. HIS MEETING WITH FIAMMETTA AND THE PERIODS
OF THEIR LOVE STORY 27

IV. THE YEARS OF COURTSHIP--THE REWARD--THE
BETRAYAL--THE RETURN TO FLORENCE 41

V. BOCCACCIO'S EARLY WORKS--THE _FILOCOLO_--THE
_FILOSTRATO_--THE _TESEIDE_--THE _AMETO_--THE
_FIAMMETTA_--THE _NINFALE FIESOLANO_ 61

VI. IN FLORENCE--HIS FATHER'S SECOND MARRIAGE--THE
DUKE OF ATHENS 96

VII. IN NAPLES--THE ACCESSION OF GIOVANNA--THE
MURDER OF ANDREW OF HUNGARY--THE VENGEANCE 108

VIII. IN ROMAGNA--THE PLAGUE--THE DEATH OF FIAMMETTA 119

IX. THE _RIME_--THE SONNETS TO FIAMMETTA 130

X. BOCCACCIO AS AMBASSADOR--THE MEETING WITH
PETRARCH 145

XI. TWO EMBASSIES 162

XII. BOCCACCIO'S ATTITUDE TO WOMAN--THE _CORBACCIO_ 170

XIII. LEON PILATUS AND THE TRANSLATION OF HOMER--THE
CONVERSION OF BOCCACCIO 189

XIV. THE EMBASSIES TO THE POPE--VISITS TO VENICE
AND NAPLES--BOCCACCIO'S LOVE OF CHILDREN 207

XV. PETRARCH AND BOCCACCIO--THE LATIN WORKS 223

XVI. DANTE AND BOCCACCIO--THE _VITA_--AND THE
_COMENTO_ 249

XVII. ILLNESS AND DEATH 279

XVIII. THE _DECAMERON_ 291

APPENDICES

I. THE DATES OF BOCCACCIO'S ARRIVAL IN NAPLES
AND OF HIS MEETING WITH FIAMMETTA 319

II. DOCUMENT OF THE SALE OF "CORBIGNANO" (CALLED
NOW "CASA DI BOCCACCIO") BY BOCCACCIO IN
1336 325

III. FROM "LA VILLEGGIATURA DI MAIANO," A MS.
BY RUBERTO GHERARDI; A COPY OF WHICH
IS IN POSSESSION OF MRS. ROSS, OF POGGIO
GHERARDO, NEAR SETTIGNANO, FLORENCE 335

IV. THE ACROSTIC OF THE _AMOROSA VISIONE_ DEDICATING
THE POEM TO FIAMMETTA 348

V. THE WILL OF GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO 350

VI. ENGLISH WORKS ON BOCCACCIO 355

VII. BOCCACCIO AND CHAUCER AND SHAKESPEARE 360

VIII. SYNOPSIS OF THE _DECAMERON_, TOGETHER WITH
SOME WORKS TO BE CONSULTED 367

IX. AN INDEX TO THE _DECAMERON_ 394

INDEX 409

ILLUSTRATIONS

TRADITIONAL PORTRAITS OF BOCCACCIO AND FIAMMETTA (MARIA
D'AQUINO) _Frontispiece_

From the frescoes in the Spanish Chapel at S. Maria Novella,
Florence. Photogravure.

_To face page_

THE BURNING OF THE MASTER OF THE TEMPLE 6
From a miniature in the French version of the _De Casibus
Virorum_, made in 1409 by Laurent le Premierfait. MS. late
XV century. (Brit. Mus. Showcase V, MS. 126.)

CASA DI BOCCACCIO, CORBIGNANO, NEAR FLORENCE 12

KING ROBERT OF NAPLES CROWNED BY S. LOUIS OF TOULOUSE 18
From the fresco by Simone Martini in S. Lorenzo, Naples.

POPE JOAN 24
A woodcut from the _De Claris Mulieribus_. (Berne, 1539.)
(By the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

LUCRECE 30
A woodcut from _De Claris Mulieribus_. (Berne, 1539.) (By
the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

BOCCACCIO AND MAINARDI CAVALCANTI 36
By the Dutch engraver called "The Master of the Subjects
in the Boccaccio." _De Casibus Virorum._ (Strasburg, 1476.)

SAPOR MOUNTING OVER THE PROSTRATE VALERIAN 42
By the Dutch engraver called "The Master of the Subjects in
the Boccaccio." _De Casibus Virorum._ (Strasburg, 1476.)

MANLIUS THROWN INTO THE TIBER 48
By the Dutch engraver called "The Master of the Subjects in
the Boccaccio." _De Casibus Virorum._ (Strasburg, 1476.)

ALLEGORY OF WEALTH AND POVERTY 54
From a miniature in the French version of the _De Casibus
Virorum_, made in 1409 by Laurent le Premierfait. MS. late
XV century. (Brit. Mus. Rothschild Bequest. MS. XII.)

THE MURDER OF THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS 62
From a miniature in the French version of the _De Casibus
Virorum_, made in 1409 by Laurent le Premierfait. MS. late
XV century. (Brit. Mus. Showcase V, MS. 126.)

A WOODCUT FROM _DES NOBLES MALHEUREUX (DE CASIBUS
VIRORUM_). PARIS, 1515 68
This cut originally appears in the _Troy Book_. (T. Bonhomme,
Paris, 1484.) Unique copy at Dresden. (By the courtesy of
Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

MARCUS MANLIUS HURLED FROM THE TARPEIAN ROCK 74
An English woodcut from Lydgate's _Falles of Princes_.
(Pynson, London, 1527.) It is a copy in reverse from the
French translation of the _De Casibus_. (Du Pré, Paris,
1483.) (By the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

THE TITLE OF THE _NOBLES MALHEUREUX_ (_DE CASIBUS_).
PARIS, 1538 80
(By the Courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

FRONTISPIECE OF THE _DECAMERON_. VENICE, 1492 86

CHAPTER HEADING FROM THE _DECAMERON_. VENICE, 1492 92

THE THEFT OF CALANDRINO'S PIG (_DEC._, VIII, 6) 98

GHINO AND THE ABBOT (_DEC._, X, 2) 98
Woodcuts from the _Decameron_. (Venice, 1492.)

THE DUKE OF ATHENS 104

THE EXECUTION OF FILIPPA LA CATANESE 104
From miniatures in the French version of the _De Casibus
Virorum_, made in 1409 by Laurent le Premierfait. Ms. Late
XV century. (Brit. Mus. Rothschild Bequest. Ms. XII.)

CIMON AND IPHIGENIA (_DEC._, V, 1) 110
From a miniature in the French version of the _Decameron_,
made in 1414 by Laurent le Premierfait. MS. late XV century.
(Brit. Mus. Rothschild Bequest. MS. XIII.)

GULFARDO AND GUASPARRUOLO (_DEC._, VIII, 1) 116
From a miniature in the French version of the _Decameron_,
made in 1414 by Laurent le Premierfait. MS. late XV century.
(Brit. Museum. Rothschild Bequest, MS. XIV.)

MADONNA FRANCESCA AND HER LOVERS (_DEC_., IX, 1) 124
From a miniature in the French version of the _Decameron_,
made in 1414 by Laurent le Premierfait. MS. late XV century.
(Brit. Mus. Rothschild Bequest. MS. XIV.)

THE KNIGHT WHO THOUGHT HIMSELF ILL-REWARDED (_DEC._, X, 1) 132
From a miniature in the French version of the _Decameron_,
made in 1414 by Laurent le Premierfait. MS. late XV century.
(Brit. Mus. Rothschild Bequest. MS. XIV.)

THE STORY OF GRISELDA (_DEC._, X, 10) 138
From the picture by Pesellino in the Morelli Gallery at
Bergamo.

THE STORY OF GRISELDA (_DEC._, X, 10) 146
i. The Marquis of Saluzzo, while out hunting, meets with
Griselda, a peasant girl, and falls in love; he clothes her
in fine things. From the picture in the National Gallery
by (?) Bernardino Fungai.

THE STORY OF GRISELDA (_DEC._, X, 10) 152
ii. Her two children are taken from her, she is divorced,
stripped, and sent back to her father's house. From the
picture in the National Gallery by (?) Bernardino Fungai.

THE STORY OF GRISELDA (_DEC._, X, 10) 158
iii. A banquet is prepared for the new bride; Griselda is
sent for to serve, but is reinstated in her husband's
affections and finds her children. From the picture in the
National Gallery by (?) Bernardino Fungai.

THE PALACE OF THE POPES AT AVIGNON 164

MASETTO AND THE NUNS (_Dec._, iii, 1) 174
In 1538 this woodcut appears in Tansillo's _Stanze_. (By
the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

MASETTO AND THE NUNS (_Dec._, iii, 1) 174
A woodcut from _Le Cento Novelle_ in ottava rima. (Venice,
1554.) (By the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

MONNA TESSA EXORCISING THE DEVIL. (_Dec._, vii, 1) 184
A woodcut from the _Decameron_. (Venice, 1525.)

MONNA TESSA EXORCISING THE DEVIL. (_Dec._, vii, 1) 184
Appeared in Sansovino's _Le Cento Novelle_ (Venice, 1571.)
(By the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

A WOODCUT FROM THE _DECAMERON_. (STRASBURG, 1535) 194
(By the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

TITLE OF THE SPANISH TRANSLATION OF THE _DECAMERON_
(VALLADOLID, 1539) 204
(By the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

A WOODCUT FROM THE _DECAMERON_ (VENICE, 1602.) TITLE TO
DAY V 214
(By the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

PETRARCH AND BOCCACCIO DISCUSSING 224
From a miniature in the French version of the _De Casibus
Virorum_, made in 1409 by Laurent le Premierfait. MS. late
XV century. (Brit. Mus. Showcase V, MS. 126.)

POMPEIA, PAULINA, AND SENECA 230
A woodcut from the _De Claris Mulieribus_ (Ulm, 1473), cap.
92. (By the courtesy of Messrs. J and J. Leighton.)

EPITHARIS 234
A woodcut from the _De Claris Mulieribus_ (Ulm, 1493), cap.
91. (By the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

PAULINA, MUNDUS, AND THE GOD ANUBIS 238
A woodcut from the _De Claris Mulieribus_ (Ulm, 1473), cap.
89. (By the courtesy of Messrs. J. and J. Leighton.)

THE TORTURE OF REGULUS 244
A woodcut from Lydgate's _Falle of Princes of John Bochas_.
(London, 1494.)

BOCCACCIO DISCUSSING 250
From a miniature in the French version of the _De Casibus
Virorum_, made in 1409 by Laurent le Premierfait. MS. late
XV century. (Brit. Mus. Rothschild Bequest. MS. XII.)

GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO 265
From the fresco in S. Apollonia, Florence. By Andrea dal
Castagno (1396(?)-1457).

CERTALDO 280

BOCCACCIO'S HOUSE IN CERTALDO 284

ROOM IN BOCCACCIO'S HOUSE AT CERTALDO 288

THE LADIES AND YOUTHS OF THE _DECAMERON_ LEAVING FLORENCE 292
From a miniature in the French version of the _Decameron_,
made in 1414 by Laurent le Premierfait. MS. late XV century.
(Brit. Mus. Rothschild Bequest. MS. XIV.)

POGGIO GHERARDO, NEAR SETTIGNANO, FLORENCE 298
(The scene of the first two days of the _Decameron_.)

VILLA PALMIERI, NEAR FLORENCE 302
(The scene of the third and following days of the
_Decameron_.)

LA VALLE DELLE DONNE 306
From a print of the XVIII century in Baldelli's _Vita di
Gio. Boccaccio_.

TITLE PAGE OF VOLUME II OF THE FIRST ENGLISH EDITION OF THE
_DECAMERON_ (ISAAC JAGGARD, 1620.) 312

GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO