THE DECAMERON

THE DECAMERON

Episode 1

THE DECAMERON

by Boccaccio Giovanni THE INDUCTION OF THE AUTHOR TO THE FOLLOWING DISCOURSESGracious Ladies, so often as I consider with my selfe, and observe respectively, how naturally you are enclined to compassion; as many times doe I acknowledge, that this present worke of mine, will (in your judgement) appeare to have but a harsh and offensive beginning, in regard of the mournfull remembrance it beareth at the verie entrance of the last Pestilentiall mortality, universally hurtfull to all that beheld it, or otherwise came to knowledge of it.But for all that, I desire it may not be so dreadfull to you, to hinder your further proceeding in reading, as if none were to looke thereon, but with sighes and teares.For, I could rather wish, that so fearefull a beginning, should seeme but as an high and steepy hil appeares to them, that attempt to travell farre on foote, and ascending the same with some difficulty, come afterward to walk upon a goodly even plaine, which causeth the more contentment in them, because the attayning thereto was hard and painfull.For even as pleasures are cut off by griefe and anguish; so sorrowes cease by joyes most sweete and happie arriving.

After this briefe mollestation; briefe I say, because it is contained within small compasse of Writing; immediately followeth the most sweete and pleasant taste of pleasure, whereof (before) Imade promise to you.Which (peradventure) could not bee expected by such a beginning, if promise stood not thereunto engaged.And indeed, if I could well have conveyed you to the center of my desire, by any other way, then so rude and rocky a passage as this is, I would gladly have done it.But because without this Narration, we could not demonstrate the occasion how and wherefore the matters hapned, which you shall reade in the ensuing Discourses: I must set them downe (even as constrained thereto by meere necessity) in writing after this manner.

The yeare of our blessed Saviours incarnation, 1348, that memorable mortality happened in the excellent City, farre beyond all the rest in Italy; which plague, by operation of the superiour bodies, or rather for our enormous iniquities, by the just anger of God was sent upon us mortals.Some few yeeres before, it tooke beginning in the Easterne partes, sweeping thence an innumerable quantity of living soules: extending it selfe afterward from place to place Westward, until it seized on the said City.Where neither humane skill or providence, could use any prevention, notwithstanding it was cleansed of many annoyances, by diligent Officers thereto deputed:

besides prohibition of all sickly persons enterance, and all possible provision dayly used for conservation of such as were in health, with incessant prayers and supplications of devoute people, for the asswaging of so dangerous a sicknesse.

About the beginning of the yeare, it also began in very strange manner, as appeared by divers admirable effects; yet not as it had done in the East Countries, where Lord or Lady being touched therewith, manifest signes of inevitable death followed thereon, by bleeding at the nose.But here it began with yong children, male and female, either under the armepits, or in the groine by certaine swellings, in some to the bignesse of an Apple, in others like an Egge, and so in divers greater or lesser, which (in their vulgar Language) they termed to be a Botch or Byle.In very short time after, those two infected parts were growne mortiferous, and would disperse abroad indifferently, to all parts of the body; whereupon, such was the quality of the disease, to shew it selfe by blacke or blew spottes, which would appeare on the armes of many, others on their thighes, and every part else of the body: in some great and few, in others small and thicke.

Now, as the Byle (at the beginning) was an assured signe of neere approaching death; so prooved the spots likewise to such as had them: for the curing of which sicknesse it seemed, that the Physitians counsell, the vertue of Medicines, or any application else, could not yeeld any remedy: but rather it plainely appeared, that either the nature of the disease would not endure it, or ignorance in the Physitians could not comprehend from whence the cause proceeded, and so by consequent, no resolution was to be determined.Moreover, beside the number of such as were skilfull in Art, many more both women and men, without ever having any knowledge in Physicke, became Physitians:

so that not onely few were healed, but (well-neere) all dyed, within three dayes after the saide signes were seene; some sooner, and others later, commonly without either Feaver, or any other accident.

And this pestilence was yet of farre greater power or violence; for, not onely healthfull persons speaking to the sicke, comming to see them, or ayring cloathes in kindnesse to comfort them, was an occasion of ensuing death: but touching their garments, or any foode whereon the sicke person fed, or any thing else used in his service, seemed to transferre the disease from the sicke to the sound, in very rare and miraculous manner.Among which matter of marvell, let me tell you one thing, which if the eyes of many (as well as mine owne) had not seene, hardly could I be perswaded to write it, much lesse to beleeve it, albeit a man of good credit should report it.I say, that the quality of this contagious pestilence was not onely of such efficacy, in taking and catching it one of another, either men or women: but it extended further, even in the apparent view of many, that the cloathes, or anything else, wherein one died of that disease, being toucht, or lyen on by any beast, farre from the kind or quality of man, they did not onely contaminate and infect the said beast, were it Dogge, Cat, or any other; but also it died very soone after.

Episodes
1 Episode 1
2 Episode 2
3 Episode 3
4 Episode 4
5 Episode 5
6 Episode 6
7 Episode 7
8 Episode 8
9 Episode 9
10 Episode 10
11 Episode 11
12 Episode 12
13 Episode 13
14 Episode 14
15 Episode 15
16 Episode 16
17 Episode 17
18 Episode 18
19 Episode 19
20 Episode 20
21 Episode 21
22 Episode 22
23 Episode 23
24 Episode 24
25 Episode 25
26 Episode 26
27 Episode 27
28 Episode 28
29 Episode 29
30 Episode 30
31 Episode 31
32 Episode 32
33 Episode 33
34 Episode 34
35 Episode 35
36 Episode 36
37 Episode 37
38 Episode 38
39 Episode 39
40 Episode 40
41 Episode 41
42 Episode 42
43 Episode 43
44 Episode 44
45 Episode 45
46 Episode 46
47 Episode 47
48 Episode 48
49 Episode 49
50 Episode 50
51 Episode 51
52 Episode 52
53 Episode 53
54 Episode 54
55 Episode 55
56 Episode 56
57 Episode 57
58 Episode 58
59 Episode 59
60 Episode 60
61 Episode 61
62 Episode 62
63 Episode 63
64 Episode 64
65 Episode 65
66 Episode 66
67 Episode 67
68 Episode 68
69 Episode 69
70 Episode 70
71 Episode 71
72 Episode 72
73 Episode 73
74 Episode 74
75 Episode 75
76 Episode 76
77 Episode 77
78 Episode 78
79 Episode 79
80 Episode 80
81 Episode 81
82 Episode 82
83 Episode 83
84 Episode 84
85 Episode 85
86 Episode 86
87 Episode 87
88 Episode 88
89 Episode 89
90 Episode 90
91 Episode 91
92 Episode 92
93 Episode 93
94 Episode 94
95 Episode 95
96 Episode 96
97 Episode 97
98 Episode 98
99 Episode 99
100 Episode 100
101 Episode 101
102 Episode 102
103 Episode 103
104 Episode 104
105 Episode 105
106 Episode 106
107 Episode 107
108 Episode 108
109 Episode 109
110 Episode 110
111 Episode 111
112 Episode 112
113 Episode 113
114 Episode 114
115 Episode 115
116 Episode 116
117 Episode 117
118 Episode 118
119 Episode 119
120 Episode 120
121 Episode 121
122 Episode 122
123 Episode 123
124 Episode 124
125 Episode 125
126 Episode 126
127 Episode 127
128 Episode 128
129 Episode 129
130 Episode 130
131 Episode 131
132 Episode 132
133 Episode 133
134 Episode 134
135 Episode 135
136 Episode 136
137 Episode 137
138 Episode 138
139 Episode 139
140 Episode 140
141 Episode 141
142 Episode 142
143 Episode 143
144 Episode 144
145 Episode 145
146 Episode 146
147 Episode 147
148 Episode 148
149 Episode 149
150 Episode 150
151 Episode 151
152 Episode 152
153 Episode 153
154 Episode 154
155 Episode 155
156 Episode 156
157 Episode 157
158 Episode 158
159 Episode 159
160 Episode 160
161 Episode 161
162 Episode 162
163 Episode 163
164 Episode 164
165 Episode 165
166 Episode 166
167 Episode 167
168 Episode 168
169 Episode 169
170 Episode 170
171 Episode 171
172 Episode 172
173 Episode 173
174 Episode 174
175 Episode 175
176 Episode 176
177 Episode 177
178 Episode 178
179 Episode 179
180 Episode 180
181 Episode 181
182 Episode 182
183 Episode 183
184 Episode 184
185 Episode 185
186 Episode 186
187 Episode 187
188 Episode 188
189 Episode 189
190 Episode 190
191 Episode 191
192 Episode 192
193 Episode 193
194 Episode 194
195 Episode 195
196 Episode 196
197 Episode 197
198 Episode 198
199 Episode 199
200 Episode 200
201 Episode 201
202 Episode 202
203 Episode 203
204 Episode 204
205 Episode 205
206 Episode 206
207 Episode 207
208 Episode 208
209 Episode 209
210 Episode 210
211 Episode 211
212 Episode 212
213 Episode 213
214 Episode 214
215 Episode 215
216 Episode 216
217 Episode 217
218 Episode 218
219 Episode 219
220 Episode 220
221 Episode 221
222 Episode 222
223 Episode 223
224 Episode 224
225 Episode 225
226 Episode 226
227 Episode 227
228 Episode 228
229 Episode 229
230 Episode 230
231 Episode 231
232 Episode 232
233 Episode 233
234 Episode 234
235 Episode 235
236 Episode 236
237 Episode 237
238 Episode 238
239 Episode 239
240 Episode 240
241 Episode 241
242 Episode 242
243 Episode 243
244 Episode 244
245 Episode 245
246 Episode 246
247 Episode 247
248 Episode 248
249 Episode 249
250 Episode 250
251 Episode 251
252 Episode 252
253 Episode 253
254 Episode 254
255 Episode 255
256 Episode 256
257 Episode 257
258 Episode 258
259 Episode 259
260 Episode 260
261 Episode 261
262 Episode 262
263 Episode 263
264 Episode 264
265 Episode 265
266 Episode 266
267 Episode 267
268 Episode 268
269 Episode 269
270 Episode 270
271 Episode 271
272 Episode 272
273 Episode 273
274 Episode 274
275 Episode 275
276 Episode 276
277 Episode 277
278 Episode 278
279 Episode 279
280 Episode 280
281 Episode 281
282 Episode 282
283 Episode 283
284 Episode 284
285 Episode 285
286 Episode 286
287 Episode 287
288 Episode 288
289 Episode 289
290 Episode 290
291 Episode 291
292 Episode 292
293 Episode 293
294 Episode 294
295 Episode 295
296 Episode 296
297 Episode 297
298 Episode 298
299 Episode 299
300 Episode 300
301 Episode 301
302 Episode 302
303 Episode 303
304 Episode 304
305 Episode 305
306 Episode 306
307 Episode 307
308 Episode 308
309 Episode 309
310 Episode 310
311 Episode 311
312 Episode 312
313 Episode 313
314 Episode 314
315 Episode 315
316 Episode 316
317 Episode 317
318 Episode 318
319 Episode 319
320 Episode 320
321 Episode 321
322 Episode 322
323 Episode 323
324 Episode 324
325 Episode 325
326 Episode 326
327 Episode 327
328 Episode 328
329 Episode 329
330 Episode 330
331 Episode 331
332 Episode 332
333 Episode 333
334 Episode 334
335 Episode 335
336 Episode 336
337 Episode 337
338 Episode 338
339 Episode 339
340 Episode 340
341 Episode 341
342 Episode 342
343 Episode 343
344 Episode 344
345 Episode 345
Episodes

Updated 345 Episodes

1
Episode 1
2
Episode 2
3
Episode 3
4
Episode 4
5
Episode 5
6
Episode 6
7
Episode 7
8
Episode 8
9
Episode 9
10
Episode 10
11
Episode 11
12
Episode 12
13
Episode 13
14
Episode 14
15
Episode 15
16
Episode 16
17
Episode 17
18
Episode 18
19
Episode 19
20
Episode 20
21
Episode 21
22
Episode 22
23
Episode 23
24
Episode 24
25
Episode 25
26
Episode 26
27
Episode 27
28
Episode 28
29
Episode 29
30
Episode 30
31
Episode 31
32
Episode 32
33
Episode 33
34
Episode 34
35
Episode 35
36
Episode 36
37
Episode 37
38
Episode 38
39
Episode 39
40
Episode 40
41
Episode 41
42
Episode 42
43
Episode 43
44
Episode 44
45
Episode 45
46
Episode 46
47
Episode 47
48
Episode 48
49
Episode 49
50
Episode 50
51
Episode 51
52
Episode 52
53
Episode 53
54
Episode 54
55
Episode 55
56
Episode 56
57
Episode 57
58
Episode 58
59
Episode 59
60
Episode 60
61
Episode 61
62
Episode 62
63
Episode 63
64
Episode 64
65
Episode 65
66
Episode 66
67
Episode 67
68
Episode 68
69
Episode 69
70
Episode 70
71
Episode 71
72
Episode 72
73
Episode 73
74
Episode 74
75
Episode 75
76
Episode 76
77
Episode 77
78
Episode 78
79
Episode 79
80
Episode 80
81
Episode 81
82
Episode 82
83
Episode 83
84
Episode 84
85
Episode 85
86
Episode 86
87
Episode 87
88
Episode 88
89
Episode 89
90
Episode 90
91
Episode 91
92
Episode 92
93
Episode 93
94
Episode 94
95
Episode 95
96
Episode 96
97
Episode 97
98
Episode 98
99
Episode 99
100
Episode 100
101
Episode 101
102
Episode 102
103
Episode 103
104
Episode 104
105
Episode 105
106
Episode 106
107
Episode 107
108
Episode 108
109
Episode 109
110
Episode 110
111
Episode 111
112
Episode 112
113
Episode 113
114
Episode 114
115
Episode 115
116
Episode 116
117
Episode 117
118
Episode 118
119
Episode 119
120
Episode 120
121
Episode 121
122
Episode 122
123
Episode 123
124
Episode 124
125
Episode 125
126
Episode 126
127
Episode 127
128
Episode 128
129
Episode 129
130
Episode 130
131
Episode 131
132
Episode 132
133
Episode 133
134
Episode 134
135
Episode 135
136
Episode 136
137
Episode 137
138
Episode 138
139
Episode 139
140
Episode 140
141
Episode 141
142
Episode 142
143
Episode 143
144
Episode 144
145
Episode 145
146
Episode 146
147
Episode 147
148
Episode 148
149
Episode 149
150
Episode 150
151
Episode 151
152
Episode 152
153
Episode 153
154
Episode 154
155
Episode 155
156
Episode 156
157
Episode 157
158
Episode 158
159
Episode 159
160
Episode 160
161
Episode 161
162
Episode 162
163
Episode 163
164
Episode 164
165
Episode 165
166
Episode 166
167
Episode 167
168
Episode 168
169
Episode 169
170
Episode 170
171
Episode 171
172
Episode 172
173
Episode 173
174
Episode 174
175
Episode 175
176
Episode 176
177
Episode 177
178
Episode 178
179
Episode 179
180
Episode 180
181
Episode 181
182
Episode 182
183
Episode 183
184
Episode 184
185
Episode 185
186
Episode 186
187
Episode 187
188
Episode 188
189
Episode 189
190
Episode 190
191
Episode 191
192
Episode 192
193
Episode 193
194
Episode 194
195
Episode 195
196
Episode 196
197
Episode 197
198
Episode 198
199
Episode 199
200
Episode 200
201
Episode 201
202
Episode 202
203
Episode 203
204
Episode 204
205
Episode 205
206
Episode 206
207
Episode 207
208
Episode 208
209
Episode 209
210
Episode 210
211
Episode 211
212
Episode 212
213
Episode 213
214
Episode 214
215
Episode 215
216
Episode 216
217
Episode 217
218
Episode 218
219
Episode 219
220
Episode 220
221
Episode 221
222
Episode 222
223
Episode 223
224
Episode 224
225
Episode 225
226
Episode 226
227
Episode 227
228
Episode 228
229
Episode 229
230
Episode 230
231
Episode 231
232
Episode 232
233
Episode 233
234
Episode 234
235
Episode 235
236
Episode 236
237
Episode 237
238
Episode 238
239
Episode 239
240
Episode 240
241
Episode 241
242
Episode 242
243
Episode 243
244
Episode 244
245
Episode 245
246
Episode 246
247
Episode 247
248
Episode 248
249
Episode 249
250
Episode 250
251
Episode 251
252
Episode 252
253
Episode 253
254
Episode 254
255
Episode 255
256
Episode 256
257
Episode 257
258
Episode 258
259
Episode 259
260
Episode 260
261
Episode 261
262
Episode 262
263
Episode 263
264
Episode 264
265
Episode 265
266
Episode 266
267
Episode 267
268
Episode 268
269
Episode 269
270
Episode 270
271
Episode 271
272
Episode 272
273
Episode 273
274
Episode 274
275
Episode 275
276
Episode 276
277
Episode 277
278
Episode 278
279
Episode 279
280
Episode 280
281
Episode 281
282
Episode 282
283
Episode 283
284
Episode 284
285
Episode 285
286
Episode 286
287
Episode 287
288
Episode 288
289
Episode 289
290
Episode 290
291
Episode 291
292
Episode 292
293
Episode 293
294
Episode 294
295
Episode 295
296
Episode 296
297
Episode 297
298
Episode 298
299
Episode 299
300
Episode 300
301
Episode 301
302
Episode 302
303
Episode 303
304
Episode 304
305
Episode 305
306
Episode 306
307
Episode 307
308
Episode 308
309
Episode 309
310
Episode 310
311
Episode 311
312
Episode 312
313
Episode 313
314
Episode 314
315
Episode 315
316
Episode 316
317
Episode 317
318
Episode 318
319
Episode 319
320
Episode 320
321
Episode 321
322
Episode 322
323
Episode 323
324
Episode 324
325
Episode 325
326
Episode 326
327
Episode 327
328
Episode 328
329
Episode 329
330
Episode 330
331
Episode 331
332
Episode 332
333
Episode 333
334
Episode 334
335
Episode 335
336
Episode 336
337
Episode 337
338
Episode 338
339
Episode 339
340
Episode 340
341
Episode 341
342
Episode 342
343
Episode 343
344
Episode 344
345
Episode 345

Download

Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Download

Bonus

New users downloading the APP can read 10 episodes for free

Receive
NovelToon
Step Into A Different WORLD!
Download MangaToon APP on App Store and Google Play