The Decameron

The Decameron

by

Giovanni Boccaccio

Francesco Vergellesi Character Analysis

Francesco Vergellesi appears in Elissa’s third tale (III, 5). This character is based on an early contemporary of Giovanni Boccaccio who did become podesta (leader) of Lombardy in the early 14th century. In The Decameron, he is wealthy and judicious, but also very arrogant and mean. He tries to manipulate Zima’s affection for Francesco’s Wife to get a fine horse from him for free, for instance. But his obstinacy allows Zima to demonstrate the day’s theme of perseverance, and doesn’t prevent his cuckolding in the end.

Francesco Vergellesi Quotes in The Decameron

The The Decameron quotes below are all either spoken by Francesco Vergellesi or refer to Francesco Vergellesi. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Love and Sex Theme Icon
).
Day 3: Fifth Tale Quotes

Dearest beloved, since I am yours and you alone have the power to fortify my soul with some vestige of hope as I languish in the fiery flames of love, I beseech you, as your most humble servant, to show me some mercy and mitigate the harshness you have been wont to display towards me in the past. Your compassion will console me, enabling me to claim that it is to your beauty that I owe, not only my love, but also my very life, which will assuredly fail unless your proud spirit yields to my entreaties, and then indeed people will be able to say that you have killed me. Now, leaving aside the fact that my death would not enhance your reputation, I believe, also, that your conscience would occasionally trouble you and you would be sorry for having been the cause of it.

Related Characters: Zima (speaker), Francesco Vergellesi, Francesco’s Wife
Page Number: 224
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Decameron PDF

Francesco Vergellesi Quotes in The Decameron

The The Decameron quotes below are all either spoken by Francesco Vergellesi or refer to Francesco Vergellesi. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Love and Sex Theme Icon
).
Day 3: Fifth Tale Quotes

Dearest beloved, since I am yours and you alone have the power to fortify my soul with some vestige of hope as I languish in the fiery flames of love, I beseech you, as your most humble servant, to show me some mercy and mitigate the harshness you have been wont to display towards me in the past. Your compassion will console me, enabling me to claim that it is to your beauty that I owe, not only my love, but also my very life, which will assuredly fail unless your proud spirit yields to my entreaties, and then indeed people will be able to say that you have killed me. Now, leaving aside the fact that my death would not enhance your reputation, I believe, also, that your conscience would occasionally trouble you and you would be sorry for having been the cause of it.

Related Characters: Zima (speaker), Francesco Vergellesi, Francesco’s Wife
Page Number: 224
Explanation and Analysis: