FOUR days had passed when I was attacked with violent fever attended by
extreme cold; and taking to my bed, I made my mind up that I was sure to
die. I had the first doctors of Rome called in, among whom was Francesco
da Norcia, a physician of great age, and of the best repute in Rome. [1]
I told them what I believed to be the cause of my illness, and said that
I had wished to let blood, but that I had been advised against it; and
if it was not too late, I begged them to bleed me now. Maestro Francesco
answered that it would not be well for me to let blood then, but that if
I had done so before, I should have escaped without mischief; at present
they would have to treat the case with other remedies. So they began to
doctor me as energetically as they were able, while I grew daily worse
and worse so rapidly, that after eight days the physicians despaired of
my life, and said that I might be indulged in any whim I had to make me
comfortable. Maestro Francesco added: “As long as there is breath in
him, call me at all hours; for no one can divine what Nature is able to
work in a young man of this kind; moreover, if he should lose
consciousness, administer these five remedies one after the other, and
send for me, for I will come at any hour of the night; I would rather
save him than any of the cardinals in Rome.”
Every day Messer Giovanni Gaddi came to see me two or three times, and
each time he took up one or other of my handsome fowling-pieces, coats
of mail, or swords, using words like these: “That is a handsome thing,
that other is still handsomer;” and likewise with my models and other
trifles, so that at last he drove me wild with annoyance. In his company
came a certain Matio Franzesi [2] and this man also appeared to be
waiting impatiently for my death, not indeed because he would inherit
anything from me, but because he wished for what his master seemed to
have so much at heart.
Felice, my partner, was always at my side, rendering the greatest
services which it is possible for one man to give another. Nature in me
was utterly debilitated and undone; I had not strength enough to fetch
my breath back if it left me; and yet my brain remained as clear and
strong as it had been before my illness. Nevertheless, although I kept
my consciousness, a terrible old man used to come to my bedside, and
make as though he would drag me by force into a huge boat he had with
him. This made me call out to my Felice to draw near and chase that
malignant old man away. Felice, who loved me most affectionately, ran
weeping and crying: “Away with you, old traitor; you are robbing me of
all the good I have in this world.” Messer Giovanni Gaddi, who was
present, then began to say: “The poor fellow is delirious, and has only
a few hours to live.” His fellow, Mattio Franzesi, remarked: “He has
read Dante, and in the prostration of his sickness this apparition has
appeared to him” [3] then he added laughingly: “Away with you, old
rascal, and don’t bother our friend Benvenuto.” When I saw that they
were making fun of me, I turned to Messer Gaddi and said: “My dear
master, know that I am not raving, and that it is true that this old man
is really giving me annoyance; but the best that you can do for me would
be to drive that miserable Mattio from my side, who is laughing at my
affliction, afterwards if your lordship deigns to visit me again, let me
beg you to come with Messer Antonio Allegretti, or with Messer Annibal
Caro, or with some other of your accomplished friends, who are persons
of quite different intelligence and discretion from that beast.”
Thereupon Messer Giovanni told Mattio in jest to take himself out of his
sight for ever; but because Mattio went on laughing, the joke turned to
earnest, for Messer Giovanni would not look upon him again, but sent for
Messer Antonio Allegretti, Messer Ludovico, and Messer Annibal Caro. On
the arrival of these worthy men, I was greatly comforted, and talked
reasonably with them awhile, not however without frequently urging
Felice to drive the old man away. Messer Ludovico asked me what it was I
seemed to see, and how the man was shaped. While I portrayed him
accurately in words, the old man took me by the arm and dragged me
violently towards him. This made me cry out for aid, because he was
going to fling me under hatches in his hideous boat. On saying that last
word, I fell into a terrible swoon, and seemed to be sinking down into
the boat. They say that during that fainting-fit I flung myself about
and cast bad words at Messer Giovanni Gaddi, to wit, that he came to rob
me, and not from any motive of charity, and other insults of the kind,
which caused him to be much ashamed. Later on, they say I lay still like
one dead; and after waiting by me more than an hour, thinking I was
growing cold, they left me for dead. When they returned home, Mattio
Franzesi was informed, who wrote to Florence to Messer Benedetto Varchi,
my very dear friend, that they had seen me die at such and such an hour
of the night. When he heard the news, that most accomplished man and my
dear friend composed an admirable sonnet upon my supposed but not real
death, which shall be reported in its proper place.
More than three long hours passed, and yet I did not regain
consciousness. Felice having used all the remedies prescribed by Maestro
Francesco, and seeing that I did not come to, ran post-haste to the
physician’s door, and knocked so loudly that he woke him up, and made
him rise, and begged him with tears to come to the house, for he thought
that I was dead. Whereto Maestro Francesco, who was a very choleric man,
replied: “My son, of what use do you think I should be if I came? If he
is dead, I am more sorry than you are. Do you imagine that if I were to
come with my medicine I could blow breath up through his guts [4] and
bring him back to life for you?” But when he saw that the poor young
fellow was going away weeping, he called him back and gave him an oil
with which to anoint my pulses, and my heart, telling him to pinch my
little fingers and toes very tightly, and to send at once to call him if
I should revive. Felice took his way, and did as Maestro Francesco had
ordered. It was almost bright day when, thinking they would have to
abandon hope, they gave orders to have my shroud made and to wash me.
Suddenly I regained consciousness, and called out to Felice to drive
away the old man on the moment, who kept tormenting me. He wanted to
send for Maestro Francesco, but I told him not to do so, but to come
close up to me, because that old man was afraid of him and went away at
once. So Felice drew near to the bed; I touched him, and it seemed to me
that the infuriated old man withdrew; so I prayed him not to leave me
for a second.
When Maestro Francesco appeared, he said it was his dearest wish to save
my life, and that he had never in all his days seen greater force in a
young man than I had. Then he sat down to write, and prescribed for me
perfumes, lotions, unctions, plasters, and a heap of other precious
things. Meanwhile I came to life again by the means of more than twenty
leeches applied to my buttocks, but with my body bore through, bound,
and ground to powder. Many of my friends crowded in to behold the
miracle of the resuscitated dead man, and among them people of the first
importance.
In their presence I declared that the small amount of gold and money I
possessed, perhaps some eight hundred crowns, what with gold, silver,
jewels, and cash, should be given by my will to my poor sister in
Florence, called Mona Liperata; all the remainder of my property, armour
and everything besides, I left to my dearest Felice, together with fifty
golden ducats, in order that he might buy mourning. At those words
Felice flung his arms around my neck, protesting that he wanted nothing
but to have me as he wished alive with him. Then I said: “If you want me
alive, touch me as you did before, and threaten the old man, for he is
afraid of you.” At these words some of the folk were terrified, knowing
that I was not raving, but talking to the purpose and with all my wits.
Thus my wretched malady went dragging on, and I got but little better.
Maestro Francesco, that most excellent man, came four or five times a
day; Messer Giovanni Gaddi, who felt ashamed, did not visit me again. My
brother-in-law, the husband of my sister, arrived; he came from Florence
for the inheritance; but as he was a very worthy man, he rejoiced
exceedingly to have found me alive. The sight of him did me a world of
good, and he began to caress me at once, saying he had only come to take
care of me in person; and this he did for several days. Afterwards I
sent him away, having almost certain hope of my recovery. On this
occasion he left the sonnet of Messer Benedetto Varchi, which runs as
follows: 5
“Who shall, Mattio, yield our pain relief?
Who shall forbid the sad expense of tears?
Alas! ‘tis true that in his youthful years
Our friend hath flown, and left us here to grief.
“He hath gone up to heaven, who was the chief
Of men renowned in art’s immortal spheres;
Among the mighty dead he had no peers,
Nor shall earth see his like, in my belief.
O gentle sprite! if love still sway the blest,
Look down on him thou here didst love, and view
These tears that mourn my loss, not thy great good.
“There dost thou gaze on His beatitude
Who made our universe, and findest true
The form of Him thy skill for men expressed.”
Note 1. Francesco Fusconi, physician to Popes Adrian VI., Clement VII.,
and Paul III.
Note 2. Franzesi was a clever Italian poet. His burlesque Capitoli are
printed with those of Berni and others.
Note 3. 'Inferno,' iii., the verses about Charon.