Tied to an episode of Florentine political life is the Consolatoria a Pino de’Rossi, of 1361-62. This is one of the poet’s rare missives in the vernacular, apart the already mentioned Epistola napoletana and a business note addressed to Leonardo Del Chiaro. Pino, hit by the repression of the 1360 conspiracy was condemned to exile, and became the ideal alter ego of the author, who had been eliminated from public office for suspicion that he might have connived with the conspirators. Boccaccio’s choice of going into voluntary exile in Certaldo appears as a preference for a state of  beneficial and restorative otium, that, thanks to a similarity of the little Tuscan borgo, evokes models of classical literature,:

 

Sono tornato a Certaldo e qui ho cominciato, con troppa meno difficultà che io estimavo di potere, a confortare la mia vita; e cominciami già ii grossi panni a piacere e le contadine vivande; e il non vedere l’ambizioni e le spiacevolezze e’ fastidi de’ nostri cittadini m’è di tanta consolazione nell’animo che, se io potessi stare senza udirne alcuna volta, credo che ‘l mio riposo crescerebbe assai (Consolatoria: 171)

 

His letter to Francesco Nelli is also linked to historic events that touched him personally. Written in 1363, it has reached posterity in the form of a copy in the vernacular. Boccaccio describes in realistic and bitter tones his Naples trip in 1362. Disappointed by Niccolò Acciaiuoli’s promises, the authors seeks vengeance by making him the sarcastic target of violent invective. The controversial relation of friendship that tied Giovanni to the most eminent personalities of the Neapolitan galaxy is confirmed by the three missives to Zanobi da Strada (Ep. VI, VIII e IX[1]). His school friend from youth is envied for the attainment of the title of poet laureate and the post of regal secretary, held together with Niccolò Acciaiuoli. These were both posts much wanted by Boccaccio, but who only managed to earn himself much lesser recognition.

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[1] Epistles and letters, ed. G. Auzzas, in All the works of Giovanni Boccaccio, ed. V. Branca, Milan 1992, 5.1, pp. 544-549; 558-573.

Consolatoria a Pino de’ Rossi, Florence, Biblioteca Riccardiana, ms. 2544, c. 5r. Boccaccio visualizzato: narrare per parole e per immagini fra Medioevo e Rinascimento, a c. di V. Branca, Turin 1999, vol. II, p. 126.