Nathan’s generosity allows him to turn even Mithridanes’s excessive jealousy and competitiveness into a good thing. This tale is beginning to push seriously on the boundaries of believability, but thanks to the competition among the
brigata, this is only the beginning. It also displays Giovanni Boccaccio’s mastery of his craft as he expertly ratchets up the dramatic tension and leaves unanswered the question of what Nathan is planning to do to save himself.