Collected Works of Giovanni Boccaccio

by Giovanni Boccaccio

  In bringing which to speedy effect, dangerous delays were not deferred, and thought not my travail in the same, either too long or too great, because if the true testimony of the qualities of the heart is comprised in those which are not different in passions, I quickly perceived, that wished effects did follow my desires: whereupon I saw him not only full of amorous heat, but very wise also and expert in pursuing his amorous enterprises, which things did yield me no small joy and great contentation. With as earnest care therefore and due consideration, tendering my unsuspected honour as also to satisfy his deep desires, when time and place did grant him fit opportunity, he did seriously solicit me, and (as I believe) not without great pain (trying the utmost of his skill) to gain the familiarity of everyone that was nearest allied, and did daily converse with me, but especially, and last of all, to insinuate into the acquaintance of my husband and firmly to purchase his friendship. The which he did not only obtain, but did with such show of great goodwill and favour enjoy it, that there was nothing that might content or please either of them, if mutually and lovingly the same was not made known to each other. I believe (fair Ladies) that without writing it, you may easily know, or at least may imagine, how greatly this pleased me. For what woman is there so foolish, who would not especially conceive as much?

  This singular and wished privilege I enjoyed by this happy familiarity, that publicly, and in all companies, I might talk with him, and he discourse with me again. Who, thinking it now high time to proceed to matters of greater effects, sometimes with some other (perceiving that I might both hear and understand him) discoursed of such things, by the which I knew (most willing to learn the principles of this new law), not by his talk only, which he had with others, that he could cunningly and subtlely declare his affection, and finely have an answer thereof again, but with divers motions also of his hands, and gestures in his countenance, and body, he could passing well perform the same. And thus with pretty lessons pleasing my willing mind so much, I learned also to be so diligent and wary a scholar, that I would not tell him anything, or he to me again, but by these unsuspected means, whereby equally and justly we conceived our hidden conceits. Nor being yet content with these honest helps, by figurative speeches and invented names he taught me how to speak in open company, to make me thereby more assured of his fervent love, calling me by the name of Fiammetta, and himself Panphilus. Alas, how many times in the presence of myself, and of my dearest friends, being prettily heated with feasting, and love’s cates, did he devise (feigning Fiammetta and Panphilus to be Grecians) how I with him, and he with me, were first combined in loving bonds. And afterwards what accidents did ensue of this Grecian love, colouring his forged novel with fit and feigned names. It made me truly many times to laugh, not so much at the gravity and counterfeit modesty in his discourse, as at the simplicity and good meaning of those who gave ear and belief to his tale.

  And yet I was sometimes afraid lest that both his disordinate heats might have unadvisedly (perhaps) transported his tongue thither whither it would afterwards have repented that it had runned. But as he was a more prudent and perfect scholar than I took him to be, so did he craftily take heed of speaking of false Latin. O gentle and pitiful Ladies, what doth not love teach his subjects: and whom doth not he enable to learn his wise discourses, and acquaint him with brave and commendable fashions?

  Myself being but a young and simple woman in such pastimes, and scarce able, amongst other gentlewomen my companions, in plain and common things to untie my unperfect tongue, by giving a willing and an affectioned ear to his speeches, did reap thereby so much fruit that in a short time, in feigning and talking, I thought I did excel every famous Poet. For there were few or none of his presupposed positions but with a fictitious and painted tale I would have effectually argued, and fitly answered to the same (a very hard thing in my opinion for a young gentlewoman to learn so soon, and more difficult to tell, or put into practice). But all these shifts would seem but shadows, and of no consequence, if I did write and set down (if present matter should require), with subtle flights I did experiment the faith of one of my most familiar and trusty women, to whom we both purposed to commit the secrecy of our hidden love (not as yet by speeches manifested to anyone), considering with myself, that enclosed in my burning breast it could not be kept there long without great trouble and grief, and perhaps without some violent and sudden issue, unless there were some means and remedies applied to the contrary. It would be besides this a tedious labour to recount what counsel, and how many devices were excogitated between her and me (perhaps in vain and foolish matters) and never put in use, no not so much as imagined of any before. All which, although I have seen them put in trial, to my great prejudice and hindrance, I am not sorry, nevertheless, that I have known them.

  If I do not err (Gentlewomen) in my opinion, the great firmness of our young years was very strange to behold, if that with a due and perfect consideration it is well weighed how hard a thing it is for the enamoured minds of two young and raw lovers to continue any long time united together, but that on the one or other side, spurred on with superfluous and overruling desires, they should alter and wander out of reason’s course. But the bonds of our loves were so fast knit, and of such rare tenour, that the gravest, wisest and strongest personages in like passages should have got them high and worthy praises. But now my stained pen, with an unbridled and wanton desire, doth prepare itself to write of those final terms of love, beyond the which none can pass further with deed or desire whatsoever.

  But before I come to this point, as humbly as I may, I implore (gentle Ladies) your pity, and therewithal that amorous force, which, possessing your tender breasts, doth also draw your burning desires to such an end. And pray you moreover, if my speeches seem offensive unto you (I speak not of the deed, because I know that if you have not as yet attained to such felicity, you have in your minds a thousand times wished to have felt the same), that then most prompt you would arise in my excuse and defence. And though seemly and honest shamefastness too late (alas) entered into my wilful mind, pardon me, most earnestly entreating thee to give place a little while, too timorous young Gentlewomen, because secure and free from thy restraint and menaces, they may read that of me which, in their fervent loves (I know) and hot desires, they also wish might handsomely befall unto them. With hungry hope (therefore) and full of fearful cares, our longing desires, yet lingering delays drew one each day after another, which both of us with painful thoughts did hourly endure, albeit that one did manifest the same in daily meeting, and secret talk together, and the other did show herself in granting of it very coy, and in show repugnant (though against her will) as you yourselves in seeking that (which perhaps most of all doth please your wanton appetites) do know well enough that enamoured young gentlewomen are wont to do. He therefore, giving but little credit to my words in these denials, attending fit time and place, more audacious than advised in that which he did, and more fortunate than wise, obtained that of me which I as well as he (though with a feigned face, and a little rigorous resisting to the contrary) did most greedily desire. But if I should for all this affirm, that this was the occasion that made me love him more, I must confess that every time that the remembrance thereof touched my guilty mind it brought with it an incomparable grief. Wherefore let the Gods above (the secret teachers of our hearts) be witnesses with me herein, that this inevitable accident was then, and yet is, the least cause of that great love which I bear him. Albeit not denying, but that this was then, and evermore since, a most sweet, wished, and welcomed delight unto me.

  And what simple and slender-witted woman is she who would not wish that thing which she dearly loved to be rather near unto her than far off from her, and by how much she loved and desired it, by so much more to feel the same nearest of all unto her. I say therefore, that after such a quickly passed chance, not fallen in the compass of my belly before, though not seldom times tossed in my thoughts, with exceeding joy and favourable fortune, not once, but many ti
mes by means of our proper wits, and new inventions, we recreated ourselves with this manner of dainty disport, although the pleasures of the same is now (alas) lighter than the winds flown from me, unhappy woman. But yet while these pleasant times passed on, as love itself can make true report, and give sole testimony thereof, sometimes his unlawful coming unto me was not without great fear, when by some secret means or other, and at unseasonable times he would be with me: yet how dear was my Chamber unto him, and with what joy, and how willingly did it evermore receive him, whom I did also know to use more reverence in the same than in any holy Temple. Alas, how many pleasant kisses, what infinite number of loving embracements, and how many sweet nights more gracious and dear to us than the lightsome and clearest days, did we pass together without sleep in pleasant devices and dainty discourses. How many other delights, most dear to every Lover, have we felt in that blessed Chamber in that merry prime of our happy days. O most holy shamefastness (a pinching and hard bridle to wanton and youthful minds), wherefore once again at my request dost thou not depart? Why dost thou withhold my pen ready to unfold our past joys and pleasures? Alas, in thinking perhaps to gratify me, thou dost grieve me, and to help me, thou dost hinder me. To those women therefore to whom nature hath granted so large and ample a privilege, that by those things which are spoken they may comprehend and imagine the rest which are concealed to others, not so wise as these, let them be manifest and laid open. Nor let not any call me fool, as ignorant of so much, in knowing well enough, that it should have been more honestly for me to have concealed, than to manifest that which is already written. But who can countermand Love, when, with working all his might and force, he doth oppose himself? At this point many times I let my pen fall out of my hands, and as often again (molested by him) I took it up, and put it to his former task.

  And finally like a subject and bond woman I must needs serve him, whom (when I was free in the beginning) I knew not how to resist. He showed me that hidden delights and privy pleasures were as much worth again as hoarded Jewels and secret treasures. But wherefore do I feed and please my humour about these words? I say, that then I thanked infinite times the holy Goddess, the promiser, and performer, of these sweet joys. Oh, how many times crowned with her green leaves did I visit her sacred Temples, offering up sweet incense to her divine Altars, and how often did I condemn the old Nurse, and her simple counsel: and did besides this (rejoicing and glorying in myself above all other enamoured young Gentlewomen and Ladies, that I knew and kept company with) scorn and laugh at their ridiculous and appassionated loves, blaming that in my speeches which was dearest to my soul, saying many times to myself: “There is no woman beloved so as I am, nor any Lady, be she never so noble and fair, that doth love so brave, so wise, and so worthy a young Gentleman as I do, nor that doth with so great delight and pleasure reap such amorous fruit in a paradise of all joy, nor in so great abundance, as I most happily and hourly do taste.”

  And to be short, in respect of this, I esteemed the whole world as a trifle of no account, and thought that I reached the highest heavens with my thrice happy head, and wanting (as I thought) nothing else to attain to the highest top of felicity, and to the full accomplishment of all my pleasures and sweet contents, but only to have had the occasion of all my blissful joy and blessed fortune manifested, and made openly known to the world, thinking with myself, that that which delighted me so much should (as myself) have pleased everyone alike. But thou, O bashfulness, on the one side, and thou, fear, on the other, you have (I say) withheld me, the one threatening me eternal infamy, and the other, the loss of that, of which indeed envious fortune did afterwards miserably despoil me.

  Thus therefore I passed this golden and gladsome time many days and months (as it pleased Love) without emulating any loving Lady or enamoured Gentlewoman, loving most happily, and living most joyfully in a world of sweet content, and swimming with full sails in Seas of heavenly felicities, and of all manner of delights, not entertaining so much as a thought of discontent and sorrow, and never imagining that these pleasures, which then my merry heart was so amply and thoroughly possessed of, should be the root and plant (in time to come) of my miserable woes, and woeful miseries, which at this present, without any hope or remedy at all to my hapless pain and endless grief, too well I know, and most sensibly feel.

  THE SECOND BOOK OF BOCCACE HIS FIAMMETTA

  WHILST THAT, O dearest Ladies, I spent my merry days in so pleasant and jocund a life, as is above written, never thinking of future chances, cruel fortune did secretly prepare her malicious poison for me, and with continual courage (myself not suspecting anything) did at an inch pursue my joyful life. And thinking that (in making me become a vassal to love, and in my chiefest time of joy and liberty), she was not well appaid, but perceiving how this my sweet servitude did yield me great delight, she endeavoured with a more stinging nettle to torment and prick my poor and silly soul. And her appointed time being now come, she tempered (as after you shall perceive) her bitter galls and wormwood for my unwilling and feeble stomach: which (maugre my teeth) compelling me to drink, turned my present mirth into sudden sadness, and my wonted laughter into woeful lamentations: which things not only enduring, but yet thinking it my duty in writing them, to show them to some others, I took such compassion of myself, that taking almost all my force from me, and bringing infinite tears to mine eyes, it did hardly permit me anything effectually to execute my purpose herein: which, albeit I may very ill do, yet will I forcibly go about to perform the same.

  After that he and I (the weather falling out very cold and rainy) were in my Chamber together, reposing and solacing ourselves upon a sumptuous and sweet bed, and Lady Citherea wearied, nay almost overcome, the dark and silent night with her long tariance favourably granted to our pleasant and desired sports fit opportunity of time and place. And a great light hanging in the midst of the Chamber glutted his eyes and mine (viewing each other’s beauty) with exceeding joy: of which, while I recreated my mind in gazing and discoursing of his, mine eyes did drink a superfluous kind of sweetness, which making their lights inebriated (as it were) with the same, with deceitful sleep (I know not how) a little while oppressed, and my words (interrupted also in the midst) remained locked up close in their lids.

  Which pleasant and sweet slumber, passing so mildly away from me, as it came, my ears by chance heard certain doleful mutterings and sorrowful bewailings uttered forth by my best beloved. Wherefore suddenly troubled in mind, and my thoughts, at war within themselves for his welfare, made me almost interrupt him with these words Sweet heart, what dost thou ail?” But countermanded by new counsel I kept them in, and with a sharp eye and subtle ears, secretly beholding him turned now on the other side of the bed, I listened a good while to his sorrowful and silent words, but mine ears did not apprehend any of them, albeit I might perceive him molested with great store of lamentable sobs and sighs, that he cast forth, and by seeing also his breast bedewed all with tears.

  What words (alas) can sufficiently express with how many cares my poor soul all this while (being ignorant of the cause) was afflicted? A thousand thoughts in one moment did violently run up and down in my doubtful mind, meeting all at the last, and concluding in one thing, which was, that he, loving some other Woman, remained with me here, and in this sort against his will.

  My words were very often at the brink of my mouth, to examine the cause of his grief, but doubting lest he lamenting in this sort, and being suddenly espied and interrupted of me, he might not be greatly abashed thereat, they retired back, and went down again: and oftentimes likewise I turned away mine eyes from beholding him, because lest the hot tears distilling from them, and falling upon him, might have given him occasion and matter to know that I perceived his woeful plight. Oh, how many impatient means did I imagine to practise, because that he (awaking me) might conjecture that I had neither heard his sighs, nor seen his tears: and yet agreed to none at all.