# The Sixth Story explained — The Decameron

> Chapter companion for The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### Emilia

Narrator of the story, speaking after Fiammetta.

### Fiammetta

Previous storyteller whose tale was commended.

## Key lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters/the-sixth-story
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_decameron_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters