DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32873#0068
10 LIFE OF BENVENUTO CELLINI [BK. i
these said damsels, who bore the name of Elisabetta;
and so much did she please him that he asked for her
as his wife; and since both their fathers, from being
such near neighbours, knew each other very well, it was
easy to make up this match; and each of them thought
that he had arranged his affairs extremely well. First
of all these two good old souls agreed to the alliance;
then they commenced to discuss the dowry; and there
arose between them a certain amount of friendly dispute,
for Andrea said to Stefano: "Giovanni my son is the
most brilliant youth both in Florence and in all Italy,
and if I had desired to find him a wife before this, I
could have had one with a larger dowry than they give
in Florence in our rank ; " and Stefano said: "You have a
thousand reasons, but I have my five girls with as many
other children, so that when I reckon up my accounts,
this is as much as I can afford." Giovanni was standing
a little way off listening, hidden from them, and, coming
upon them suddenly, he said: "My father, I have de-
sired and loved that girl, and not the money. Woe to
those who wish to repair their fortunes out of the
dowries of their wives. Truly! how can you boast that
I am so clever, if I do not know how to provide the
expenses of my wife, and to satisfy her wants with some
sum of money less than you desire? Now I want you
to understand that the wife is my share, and that I wish
the dowry to be yours." At this, though Andrea Cellini,
who was somewhat passionate, was rather indignant,
within a few days Giovanni took home his wife, and
never asked for any other dowry. They enjoyed their
youth and their holy love for eighteen years, with, how-
ever, a great desire to have children; since in eighteen
these said damsels, who bore the name of Elisabetta;
and so much did she please him that he asked for her
as his wife; and since both their fathers, from being
such near neighbours, knew each other very well, it was
easy to make up this match; and each of them thought
that he had arranged his affairs extremely well. First
of all these two good old souls agreed to the alliance;
then they commenced to discuss the dowry; and there
arose between them a certain amount of friendly dispute,
for Andrea said to Stefano: "Giovanni my son is the
most brilliant youth both in Florence and in all Italy,
and if I had desired to find him a wife before this, I
could have had one with a larger dowry than they give
in Florence in our rank ; " and Stefano said: "You have a
thousand reasons, but I have my five girls with as many
other children, so that when I reckon up my accounts,
this is as much as I can afford." Giovanni was standing
a little way off listening, hidden from them, and, coming
upon them suddenly, he said: "My father, I have de-
sired and loved that girl, and not the money. Woe to
those who wish to repair their fortunes out of the
dowries of their wives. Truly! how can you boast that
I am so clever, if I do not know how to provide the
expenses of my wife, and to satisfy her wants with some
sum of money less than you desire? Now I want you
to understand that the wife is my share, and that I wish
the dowry to be yours." At this, though Andrea Cellini,
who was somewhat passionate, was rather indignant,
within a few days Giovanni took home his wife, and
never asked for any other dowry. They enjoyed their
youth and their holy love for eighteen years, with, how-
ever, a great desire to have children; since in eighteen