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Belphagor – Niccolo Macchiavelli (1464-1527)

Macchiavelli is best known to the world as author of a famous book on statecraft, entitled The Prince, and of a History of Florence. Like many of the remarkable men of his time, he was an inquiring and many- sided person: statesman, intriguer, political theorist, dramatist, and story-teller. Belphagor, exceptional among early Italian stories, is not part of a collection, and was published after the author’s death. This tale is a spirited retelling of an old subject, familiar to every student of comparative literature.

The present version is translated by Thomas Roscoe, and reprinted from his Italian Novelists, London, no date.
Belphagor
We read in the ancient archives of Florence the following account, as it was received from the lips of a very holy man, greatly respected by every one for the sanctity of his manners at the period in which he lived. Happening once to be deeply absorbed in his prayers, such was their efficacy, that he saw an infinite number of condemned souls, belonging to those miserable mortals who had died in their sins, undergoing the punishment due to their offences in the regions below.

He remarked that the greater part of them lamented nothing so bitterly as their folly in having taken wives, attributing to them the whole of their misfortunes. Much surprised at this, Minos and Rhadamanthus, with the rest of the infernal judges, unwilling to credit all the abuse heaped upon the female sex, and wearied from day to day with its repetition, agreed to bring the matter before Pluto. It was then resolved that the conclave of infernal princes should form a committee of inquiry, and should adopt such measures as might be deemed most advisable by the court in order to discover the truth or falsehood of the calumnies which they heard.

Belphagor part 9

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This, along with a few other secret re-medies which I shall apply, will surely compel the spirit to depart.” These preparations were accordingly made by the royal command; and when the day, being Sunday...

Belphagor part 8

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To this the king made answer, that be the case what it might, he would certainly hang him if he did not succeed. It is impossible to describe poor Matteo`s terror and perplexity on...

Belphagor part 7

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“Roderigo, it is Matteo that is come. So do as we agreed upon, and get out.” Roderigo replied: “It is all well; but you have not asked enough to make you a rich man....

Belphagor part 6

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In this dilemma there was nothing left for them but to proceed in the pursuit, which they continued for two days, and then returned, jaded and disappointed, to Florence. In the meanwhile, Matteo drew...

Belphagor part 5

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Just as his case became extremely delicate, there arrived sudden tidings both from East and West that one of his wife`s brothers had dissipated the whole of Roderigo`s profits in play, and that while...

Belphagor part 4

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For what with the influence of her father, her brothers, her friends, and relatives, the duty of the matrimonial yoke, and the love he bore her, he suffered all for some time with the...

Belphagor part 3

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Poor Belphagor having signed these conditions and received the money, forthwith came into the world, and having set up his equipage, with a numerous train of servants, he made a very splendid entrance into...

Belphagor part 2

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Now, as the latter is the fault of a careless, and the former of an unjust judge, we, wishing to avoid the trouble and the blame that might attach to both, yet hardly seeing...

Belphagor part 1

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Niccolo Macchiavelli (1464-1527)Macchiavelli is best known to the world as author of a famous book on statecraft, entitled The Prince, and of a History of Florence. Like many of the remarkable men of his...

Miniaturk

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