DecameronIn the summer of 1348, with the plague ravaging Florence, ten young men and women take refuge in the countryside, where they entertain themselves with tales of love, death, and corruption, featuring a host of characters, from lascivious clergymen and mad kings to devious lovers and false miracle-makers. J. G. Nichols’s new translation, faithful to the original but rendered in eminently readable modern English, captures the timeless humor of one of the great classics of European literature. Named after the Greek for “ten days,” Boccaccio’s book of stories draws on ancient mythology, contemporary history, and everyday life, and has influenced the work of myriad writers who came after him. A brilliant new translation of the work that Herman Hesse called “the first great masterpiece of European storytelling.” |
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abbot Aldobrandino Alessandro Andreuccio answered arranged arrived asked bagnio beautiful began believe Bologna Brother Bruno Buffalmacco Calandrino called Capestang Ciacco Ciappelletto Cimon Cisti clothes companions Corrado daughter dead death Decameron delight desire Dioneo door Elissa everything father Ferondo Filostrato Florence friar garden gave Genoa gentlemen Ghino di Tacco Gianni girl Gisippus give hand happened happy hear heard holy honour husband King knew lady's laughing lived look lord lover Lusca Lysimachus Madam Madonna maid married Messer Torello mind monk morning never Nicostratus night noble noble lady once Pampinea Pavia Petrarch Pietro pleasure praised Pyrrhus Queen realized replied Ricciardo Ruggieri Saladin sent servant Sicily sleep someone soul speak story tale tears Tedaldo tell things thought Titus told took turned waiting weeping wife wish women words wretched young woman