VIII. The reprobation of mercenary love
The two initial novellas would seem to be centred upon the reprobation of mercenary love. Female greed is revealed by Gulfardo (1), who has his lover madonna Ambruogia believe he is satisfying her avidity by giving her two hundred florins. In actual fact the German mercenary does not intend paying the woman for his sexual pleasure, as she had expressly asked, but uses it as a means with which to give back money he had borrowed from the husband, the rich merchant Guasparruolo. A similar hoax is the one played by the priest of Varlungo at monna Belcolore’s expense. The uncouth country wench, a figure that was to later inspire the rustic women of such works as Lorenzo dei Medici’s Nencia da Barberino, gives herself to him in exchange for a cape in fine cloth that, after the sexual encounter, the priest ably removes from her.
Salabaetto’s misadventure in Palermo (10) is very similar to the one which occurred to Andreuccio da Perugia (II, 5). As happened to Andreuccio, who is robbed by Fiordaliso, a prostitute from Palermo he meets in Naples, so is Salabaetto beguiled by the cunning whore from Sicily madama Iancofiore. If Fortune succours Andreuccio, who returns home richer than before, Salabaetto makes his own justice, thanks to his cunning. His hoax, at the expense of Iancofiore, redeems Andreuccio’s ingenuity and certifies a different attitude towards reality, that would no longer seem to be presided over by insurmountable forces, but be rather governed by human genius.
Decameron
