Gerbino is the entirely fictional grandson and heir of William the Second of Sicily and protagonist of Elissa’s fourth tale (IV, 4). He loves the Tunisian Princess according to the dictates of fin’amors, falling in love with her from afar based on her reputation alone. He is unlucky in his love, however, when she is promised to someone else, and he is unable to kidnap her for himself. Because he holds his love as more important than affairs of state and he defies William’s political promises, his grandfather has him executed.
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Gerbino Character Timeline in The Decameron
The timeline below shows where the character Gerbino appears in The Decameron. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Day 4: Fourth Tale
...reputation. When William the Second of Sicily’s son dies before him, he raises his grandson, Gerbino, as his heir apparent. Gerbino grows into a handsome man with a reputation for valor...
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Because her father is a tributary of his grandfather, the Tunisian Princess hears about Gerbino and falls in love with him. Likewise, when tales of her beauty and grace reach...
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...her to the King of Grenada, greatly distressing the lovers. Somehow, he knows enough about Gerbino’s devotion to ask King William the Second for assurances that he won’t interfere with the...
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Gerbino outfits two ships to intercept the Tunisian Princess’s ship, promising all the plunder to his...
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Gerbino and his pirates clamber aboard for plunder, but their victory is unrewarding. Gerbino retrieves the...
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Day 4: Fifth Tale
Filomena, sighing over the fate of Gerbino and the Tunisian Princess, begins the story of Lisabetta next. Because Lisabetta’s Brothers inexplicably failed...
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