The Decameron · Chapter
The Sixth Story explained
An honest layman, after being falsely accused by a covetous inquisitor for a thoughtless remark about his wine, cleverly rebukes the monk's hypocrisy by referencing a Gospel verse about receiving a hundredfold, implying the friars will drow
What happens
An honest layman, after being falsely accused by a covetous inquisitor for a thoughtless remark about his wine, cleverly rebukes the monk's hypocrisy by referencing a Gospel verse about receiving a hundredfold, implying the friars will drown in broth from their excess.
Themes in this chapter
Religion and Hypocrisy
The inquisitor's pious facade is exposed by the layman's witty retort, highlighting the gap between religious pretense and actual behavior.
Wit and Cunning
The layman uses a literal interpretation of scripture to cleverly shame the friar, turning the tables on his accuser.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“For every one ye shall receive an hundred and shall possess eternal life.”
Everyone will receive a hundred times what they give and will have eternal life.
The layman uses this Gospel verse to mock the friars' gluttony.
“I have seen give out every day to a multitude of poor folk now one and now two vast great cauldrons of broth, which had been taken away from before yourself and the other brethren of this convent, as superfluous; wherefore, if for each one of these cauldrons of broth there be rendered you an hundred in the world to come, you will have so much thereof that you will assuredly all be drowned therein.”
I have seen you give away large cauldrons of leftover broth to the poor each day. If you receive a hundred times that in the afterlife, you will be drowned in broth.
The layman's clever rebuke exposes the friars' hypocrisy and gluttony.