Boccaccio
GIOVANNI (bō-kätch'yō), an Italian novelist and poet, son of a Florentine merchant, was born in 1313, in Certaldo, a small town in the valley of the Elsa, 20 miles from Florence.
He spent some years unprofitably in literary pursuits and the study of the canon law, but in the end devoted himself entirely to literature. In 1341 Boccaccio fell in love with Maria, an illegitimate daughter of King Robert of Naples, who returned his passion and is immortalized as Fiammetta in many of his best creations. His first work, a romantic love GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO tale in prose, "Filocopo," was written at her command; as was also the "Teseide," the first heroic epic in the Italian language, and the first example of the ottava rima. In 1341 he returned to Florence at his father's command, and during a three years' stay produced three important works, "Ameto," "L'amorosa Visione" and "L'amorosa Fiammetta," all of them connected with his mistress in Naples. In 1344 he returned to Naples, where Giovanna, the granddaughter of Robert, who had succeeded to the throne, received him with distinction.
Between 1344 and 1350 most of the stories of the "Decameron" were composed at her desire or at that of Fiammetta. This work, on which his fame rests, consists of 100 tales represented to have been related in equal portions in 10 days by a party of ladies and gentlemen at a country house near Florence while the plague was raging in that city.
BODE On the death of his father, Boccaccio returned to Florence, where he was greatly honored. He was sent to Padua to communicate to Petrarch the tidings of his recall from exile and the restoration of his property. From this time an intimate friendship grew up between them. They both contributed greatly to the revival of the study of classical literature. In 1373 he was chosen by the Florentines to occupy the chair which was established for the exposition of Dante's "Divina Commedia." His lectures continued till his death. Among his other works may be mentioned "Filostrato," a narrative poem; "Il Ninfale Fiesolano," a love story; and several Latin works. The first edition of the "Decameron" appeared without date or place, but is believed to have been printed at Florence in 1469 or 1470.
The first edition with a date is that of Valdarfer, Venice, 1471; what is, perhaps, the only existing perfect copy of this was sold in London, in 1812, for £2,260. He died in Certaldo, in 1375.
BOCCAGE (bōk-äzh'), MARIE ANNE FIQUET DU (née LE PAGE), a French poetess, born in Rouen, Oct. 22, 1710. She published a small volume of verse in 1746; next an imitation of Milton, "Paradis Terrestre," in 1748; and, in 1756, her most important work, "La Colombiade."
Her letters to her sister, written while traveling through England, Holland and Italy, are her most interesting work.
During her lifetime she was excessively bepraised by men so great as Voltaire and Fontenelle; but modern readers cannot help thinking that her beauty must have recommended her verses. She was elected a member of many learned academies, and died Aug. 8, 1802.