Pietro and Agnolella (fifth day, third story)
Gianni and Restituta (fifth day, sixth story)
Calandrino singing (ninth day, fifth story)
Titus, Gisippus, and Sophronia (tenth day, eighth
story)
— Endeth here the fourth day of the Decameron,
beginneth the fifth, in which under the rule of Fiammetta
discourse is had of good fortune befalling lovers
after divers direful or disastrous adventures. —
All the east was white, nor any part of our hemisphere
unillumined by the rising beams, when the carolling
of the birds that in gay chorus saluted the dawn among
the boughs induced Fiammetta to rise and rouse the
other ladies and the three gallants; with whom adown
the hill and about the dewy meads of the broad champaign
she sauntered, talking gaily of divers matters, until
the sun had attained some height. Then, feeling
his rays grow somewhat scorching, they retraced their
steps, and returned to the villa; where, having repaired
their slight fatigue with excellent wines and comfits,
they took their pastime in the pleasant garden until
the breakfast hour; when, all things being made ready
by the discreet seneschal, they, after singing a stampita,(1)
and a balladette or two, gaily, at the queen’s
behest, sat them down to eat. Meetly ordered and
gladsome was the meal, which done, heedful of their
rule of dancing, they trod a few short measures with
accompaniment of music and song. Thereupon, being
all dismissed by the queen until after the siesta,
some hied them to rest, while others tarried taking
their pleasure in the fair garden. But shortly
after none, all, at the queen’s behest, reassembled,
according to their wont, by the fountain; and the queen,
having seated herself on her throne, glanced towards
Pamfilo, and bade him with a smile lead off with the
stories of good fortune. Whereto Pamfilo gladly
addressed himself, and thus began.
(1) A song accompanied by music, but without dancing.
— Cimon, by loving, waxes wise, wins his
wife Iphigenia by capture on the high seas, and is
imprisoned at Rhodes. He is delivered by Lysimachus;
and the twain capture Cassandra and recapture Iphigenia
in the hour of their marriage. They flee with
their ladies to Crete, and having there married them,
are brought back to their homes. —
Many stories, sweet my ladies, occur to me as meet
for me to tell by way of ushering in a day so joyous
as this will be: of which one does most commend
itself to my mind, because not only has it, one of
those happy endings of which to-day we are in quest,
but ’twill enable you to understand how holy,
how mighty and how salutary are the forces of Love,
which not a few, witting not what they say, do most
unjustly reprobate and revile: which, if I err
not, should to you, for that I take you to be enamoured,
be indeed welcome.
