Italian, a linguistic passion!

How is Italian related to Ravello? Have patience and you'll soon find out!
We want to relive history with you.
Giovanni Boccaccio
My name is Giovanni Boccaccio
I was born in 1313 in Italy. My father was a prominent merchant. I attended school in
Florence and was taken into the family business at the ae of 1!. I was sent to "aples to
study business and law in 13#$. %t the %nevin &ourt the story of the last descendants of
the 'ufolos and della Marras was still alive . (hey had been condemned to death by
&harles II accused of e)tortion and treason* so I decided to visit 'avello and its beautiful
palaces and churches.
My rowin interest in literature drifted me away from studyin law and I dedicated
myself entirely to literature. I returned to Florence in 13+, on the death of my father. I
met Francesco -etrarca and became his close friend. Followin .ante/s e)ample we
wrote our works in 0atin* but then decided to switch to the 1vernacular2 * the lanuae
spoken by the people.
.urin the 1+th century the (uscan dialect bean to predominate* because of the central
position of (uscany in Italy* and because of the aressive commerce of its most
important city* Florence. Moreover* of all the Italian dialects* (uscan departs least in
morpholoy and phonoloy from classical 0atin* and it therefore harmoni3es best with
the Italian traditions of 0atin culture. Finally* Florentine culture produced the three
literary artists who best summari3ed Italian thouht and feelin of the late Middle %es
and early 'enaissance4 .ante* -etrarca* and myself
My masterpiece the 1.ecamerone2 was completed in 135, It is a collection of a
hundred stories narrated by seven women and three men who reside in a country villa for
ten days after escapin from the plaue in Florence.
%s I had been very much impressed by the 'ufolos* I included the story of 0andolfo
'ufolo* in the .ecameron.. I wrote in 1vular2 6 from 0atin 1volus* people2 7
I attempted to burn my works* letters* manuscripts and my library. but -etrarch
convinced me not to and offered to purchase them. 8owever* after my death* my literary
works were presented to the monastery of 9anto 9pirito* in Florence. I passed away on
.ecember #1st* 13$5.

The wedding
In the middle of the 13
th
century many rich families lived in Ravello.
Nicola Rufolo My name is Nicola Rufolo. I am a a wealthy merchant and I
am tryin hard to !ecome a part of the royal no!ility.
"iilaida della Marra My family is no!le and rich. #e descend from the Normans
and are related to the "wa!ian royal family.
My name is "iilaida.
Nicola Rufolo $ur families decided our marriae and I was happy to
!ecome "iilaida's hus!and% !ecause she is !eautiful and
very educated and it's my passport to the court.
"iilaida &his type of marriae won't !e accepted !y the future
eneration% !ut% I can assure you that Nicola is a !rave man
and I am very proud to !e his spouse.
Nicola "iilaida I ta'e thee as my spouse. In your honour this
palace will !e completely re!uilt in a way that will steal the
attention of scholars% artists and connaisseurs in the course
of centuries
"iilaida #e shall also donate a pulpit to the (athedral
Nicola )our !ust will !e positioned over the trefoil door leadin to
the pulpit itself.
Boccaccio's story (2
nd
day - 4
th
story)
*andolfo+ ,iovanni -occaccio visited my hometown in the 1.
th
century
and in his masterpiece% the /ecameron% he tells my story. He
calls me *andolfo% !ut my real name is *oren0o.I am Nicola
and "iilaida Rufolo's randson.
&he story starts with the description of my hometown% which
is worth listenin to.
!carce any part o" Italy is reputed so delecta#le as the sea-coast #etween $eggio
and Gaeta% and in particular the coast which overloo&s the sea #y !alerno, and
which the dwellers there call the 'oast o" ()al"i, is studded with little towns,
gardens and "ountains, and peopled #y )en as wealthy and enterprising in
)ercantile a""airs as are anywhere to #e "ound* In one o" these towns, to wit $avello,
rich as its inha#itants are to-day, there was "or)erly a )erchant, who surpassed
the) all in wealth, +andol"o $u""olo #y na)e, who not content with his wealth, #ut
desiring to dou#le it, ca)e nigh to losing it all and his own li"e to #oot*,
Reader The new king of Naples, Charles I, to whom the Rufolos had given
money, made them governors and harbour masters of Barletta, and they
obtained the right to collect the customs dues and accumulated great
wealth. Charles II being envious of the new enormous patrimony of
the Rufolos, charged them with etortion and treason and condemned
them to death. !oren"o paid for his ransom and could go back to
Ravello.

*andolfo In his story% -occaccio% says that I turned a pirate !ecause I
wanted to !ecome rich aain. In fact I intended to sail to the
Near 1ast with oods to sell.
2nna Rufolo *andolfo% I heard you want to leave Ravello and sail to the
Near 1ast% where you'll sell what is left of our !elonins.
*andolfo )es% Mother! )ou 'now how rich we were% and how poor we
are now. I'll come !ac' rich and powerful. /on't cry! "ay a
prayer for me% and I'll soon !e !ac'!
2nna My dear son% !e careful! ,od !e with you all the time! I'll
spend lon hours on the terrace loo'in at the sea% hopin to
see your ship sailin !ac' home.
*andolfo &a'e care% Mother! *oo' after yourself% and have patience+
I'll !e !ac'!
Reader !andolfo started his voyage to Cyprus, where he sold all his goods.
#ith the money he bought a light bark such as corsairs use, took to
scouring the seas as a pirate preying on all the ships he met at sea. $
year had scarce gone by before he had taken so many ships from the
Turk that not only had he recovered his fortune but was well on the way
to doubling it.
*andolfo I'm on my way !ac' to Ravello. I am now rich and I'm
loo'in forward to livin a peaceful life.
Reader In Boccaccio%s mind !andolfo%s piracy represented the Rufolo%s
etortion when collecting customs in Barletta. &nfortunately !andolfo%s
bark met the 'leet of the (aritime Republic of )enoa, and he was
forced on board and robbed of all his money.
In Boccaccio%s mind !andolfo%s capture represented !oren"o%s arrest.
$ tremendous sea storm destroyed the fleet and the crew drowned.
*andolfo ,ood 3o! I can swim% !ut the sea is very rouh! 2nd I need
somethin to hold on.
&here% there! $ver there! I can see there is somethin
floatin! It's a piece of wood% no% it's a piece of furniture.
It's a chest!
&han' ,od% I can ra! it and hold on it!
How many hours have passed? I have no idea. I'm tired! I'm
dead tired!
$h% there's a !each!
#oman #ho's there? 2 shipwrec'ed person! $h% my ,od. He's
dead! No% he's alive!
(ome on% leave this piece of furniture! *eave it% why do you
hold it so tiht!
*andolfo It's my safety. I could float all the time than's to it! #here
am I? #hat place is this?
#oman )ou are on the island of (orfu.. (ome to my home. )ou !adly
need a wash% some dry clothes and some warm food.
*andolfo &han' you% than' you. )ou're so 'ind. I thin' I'll lie down
and have a ood sleep.
#oman 4eep your chest near you. /on't part with it.
Reader #hile the woman is away !andolfo opens the chest and finds it is full of
precious stones.
*andolfo I thin' I've fully recovered and I want to o !ac' to Ravello
my Mother is waitin for me. )ou can 'eep the chest% !ut
please ive me a sac'% where I can put my misera!le clothes
2nna $h% my dear son! $h my dear son! How happy I am to see
you !ac'! #elcome home!
*andolfo I am happier! #e can now live in peace. 2ll our money
pro!lems do not e5ist anymore. I have to send some money
to a ood woman in (orfu% who saved my life% when I was
shipwrec'ed on the !each. &hen I want to send some money
to &rani% where I landed comin from (orfu. "ome people
from Ravello live there and they ave me new clothes and a
horse to ride !ac'!
Reader The story has a happy ending. !oren"o Rufolo really recaptured his
wealth, thanks to the *ewels that his mother had saved and kept aside
during her life.
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Italian+ a linguistic passion, Ravello+ a protagonist in the linguistic
process.