Author: Renato Esposito
Translation: Allison Lindsay Sutherland
During the 16th century, in Italy, most of the central area of the peninsula was under the patronage of the Papal State, which in 1560 entrusted the fiefdom of Bracciano to Paolo Giordano I Orsini. He was the grandson of the illegitimate offspring of two different popes. In that same year Bracciano was proclaimed a dukedom.
The duchy of Bracciano boasted a considerable amount of land, about a thousand square kilometers, which also included, six other areas, Anguillara, Cerveteri, Trevignano, Monterano, Campagnano and Formello.
Paolo Giordano I Orsini belonged to one of the oldest and most illustrious noble families in all of Europe and his wife was of unrivaled pedigree. It was precisely for this reason that their union had been decided on by their respective parents, and stipulated in a marriage contract, which was drawn up when neither of them had even reached the age of twelve.
His wife's name was Isabella and in her veins flowed the powerful blood of the De' Medici family, Lords of Tuscany.
Roses rarely bloom from arranged marriages, and over and above this, the newly elected Duke of Bracciano had defects that far outweighed his qualities. It goes without saying that Isabella did not hesitate to include these amongst her reasons for her dissatisfaction with the marriage.
Paolo Giordano I Orsini was intemperate and spendthrift and when not venting his violent impulses on some or other battle at hand, spent his time in Rome accumulating debts for his unbridled entertainment. In other words, he was perpetually away from his duchy. As if it was not enough that he constantly left Isabella alone, he was the jealous type, and for this reason he sent his cousin Troilo to the castle, tasking him with watching over his wife in his absence.
The same cousin, who perhaps due to being overzealous in carrying out his duties, promptly proceeded to bang Isabella. Instantly the two of them came to an understanding, one not only of a sexual nature but almost sentimental, which grew into complicity.
Often, especially on nice days, Troilo would escort Isabella's carriage on outings beyond the castle walls.
This particular afternoon they had decided on the lake. It only took a few minutes to reach its shores. Thereafter they continued along the pleasant paths that hugged the shoreline, inebriated by the placid calm and sparkling turquoise waters of the lake as the sun followed its descending arc in the sky.
They chose to stop at a point where the gap between the shore and the inland vegetation widened. Troilo dismounted from his horse and took out a bottle of wine and two glasses from his saddlebag. Isabella had descended from her carriage and was waiting upon her maid to finish preparing a seat for her, a carpet with soft silk cushions stuffed with feathers.
As soon as the Duchess had settled in, Troilo approached offering her a glass of Cesanese. Isabella was about to accept the refreshing nectar, flavoured with fruit and berries, when she withdrew her hand, having noticed a fisherman's hut a little further on. It was inappropriate for a noblewoman to drink wine.
Inside the hut, which was more a makeshift shack made of wood and branches, were some shabby individuals dressed in rags untangling fishing nets.
It sounded like a splash. As a young man emerged from the water, a Hercules with sculpted muscles who was completely naked except for a rag tied around his waist. He smiled broadly showing off big beautiful teeth, triumphantly raising his harpoon, on which a fat eel struggled.
Isabella slowly batted her eyelids: she had just spotted her next prey.
Translation: Allison Lindsay Sutherland
During the 16th century, in Italy, most of the central area of the peninsula was under the patronage of the Papal State, which in 1560 entrusted the fiefdom of Bracciano to Paolo Giordano I Orsini. He was the grandson of the illegitimate offspring of two different popes. In that same year Bracciano was proclaimed a dukedom.
The duchy of Bracciano boasted a considerable amount of land, about a thousand square kilometers, which also included, six other areas, Anguillara, Cerveteri, Trevignano, Monterano, Campagnano and Formello.
Paolo Giordano I Orsini belonged to one of the oldest and most illustrious noble families in all of Europe and his wife was of unrivaled pedigree. It was precisely for this reason that their union had been decided on by their respective parents, and stipulated in a marriage contract, which was drawn up when neither of them had even reached the age of twelve.
His wife's name was Isabella and in her veins flowed the powerful blood of the De' Medici family, Lords of Tuscany.
Roses rarely bloom from arranged marriages, and over and above this, the newly elected Duke of Bracciano had defects that far outweighed his qualities. It goes without saying that Isabella did not hesitate to include these amongst her reasons for her dissatisfaction with the marriage.
Paolo Giordano I Orsini was intemperate and spendthrift and when not venting his violent impulses on some or other battle at hand, spent his time in Rome accumulating debts for his unbridled entertainment. In other words, he was perpetually away from his duchy. As if it was not enough that he constantly left Isabella alone, he was the jealous type, and for this reason he sent his cousin Troilo to the castle, tasking him with watching over his wife in his absence.
The same cousin, who perhaps due to being overzealous in carrying out his duties, promptly proceeded to bang Isabella. Instantly the two of them came to an understanding, one not only of a sexual nature but almost sentimental, which grew into complicity.
Often, especially on nice days, Troilo would escort Isabella's carriage on outings beyond the castle walls.
This particular afternoon they had decided on the lake. It only took a few minutes to reach its shores. Thereafter they continued along the pleasant paths that hugged the shoreline, inebriated by the placid calm and sparkling turquoise waters of the lake as the sun followed its descending arc in the sky.
They chose to stop at a point where the gap between the shore and the inland vegetation widened. Troilo dismounted from his horse and took out a bottle of wine and two glasses from his saddlebag. Isabella had descended from her carriage and was waiting upon her maid to finish preparing a seat for her, a carpet with soft silk cushions stuffed with feathers.
As soon as the Duchess had settled in, Troilo approached offering her a glass of Cesanese. Isabella was about to accept the refreshing nectar, flavoured with fruit and berries, when she withdrew her hand, having noticed a fisherman's hut a little further on. It was inappropriate for a noblewoman to drink wine.
Inside the hut, which was more a makeshift shack made of wood and branches, were some shabby individuals dressed in rags untangling fishing nets.
It sounded like a splash. As a young man emerged from the water, a Hercules with sculpted muscles who was completely naked except for a rag tied around his waist. He smiled broadly showing off big beautiful teeth, triumphantly raising his harpoon, on which a fat eel struggled.
Isabella slowly batted her eyelids: she had just spotted her next prey.
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