Duke Lorenzo de' Medici, nicknamed the Magnificent, never sat at table alone. “Only a dog,” he said, “having obtained a bone, hides in a corner with it and growls at everyone.” And it should be more pleasant for a person to treat friends than to eat himself. In addition, an entertaining conversation is the best seasoning for any dish.
Therefore, scientists, poets, musicians and noble citizens gathered for dinner every evening in Lorenzo’s palace. Some came to listen to smart speeches, others themselves were not averse to talking. People who simply liked to eat deliciously asked to visit him.
On one of these evenings at the table they started talking about the fact that Florence is rich not only in beautiful buildings, fountains and statues, but also in skilled craftsmen.
“The majority of people in our glorious city are clothiers,” said the elderly judge, who always dressed so magnificently that everyone laughed at him.
“Nonsense,” answered the young nobleman, a well-known bully, who barely used his sword, “Florence has the most gunsmiths.”
“Oh, no,” a beautiful lady, all hung with jewelry, intervened in the argument, “mostly goldsmiths.” To get this ring, I visited one hundred and twenty-eight jewelers.
– What do you say, Gonella? – the Duke turned
Lorenzo to his jester, who was sitting next to him on a small bench.
“Florence has the most doctors,” Gonella answered without hesitation.
The Duke was very surprised.
- What you! - he said. – In the lists of the citizens of Florence there are only three doctors: my court physician Antonio Ambrogio and two more for everyone else.
- Ay-ay-ay! How little do rulers know about their subjects! If Messer Ambrogio worries day and night about your health, which is not so bad anyway, it seems to you that the rest of the Florentines are healthy. Meanwhile, all they do is get sick and get treatment. And who treats them? I tell you, Lorenzo, that in Florence every tenth person is a doctor!
The Duke, who laughed more readily when Gonella made fun not of him but of his guests, frowned.
– Your words are not worth much. I would willingly pay a hundred florins if you could back it up with evidence.
- It's coming! - answered Gonella. “I will prove to you that every word I say is worth much more than a florin.” No later than tomorrow evening I will present you with a list of healers.
The Duke unfastened his wallet from his belt, counted out one hundred gold coins and put them in a silver vase.
Gonella stood at his full height on his bench and bowed to those sitting at the table.
“Would you also like to participate in the bet, gentlemen guests?” You fill your bellies so often at the Duke’s table that it doesn’t bother you to pay for the treat at least once, if not to the owner himself, then at least to his jester.
The guests had no choice but to untie their wallets. The silver vase was filled to the brim with coins.
The next morning, Gonella tied a thick woolen scarf around his cheek and left the palace. He had not walked even a hundred steps when he met a rich merchant selling silks.
– What’s wrong with you, Gonella? - asked the merchant.
- Oh, my teeth! - Gonella groaned. “Pepper, molten tin, blazing fire—that’s what’s in my mouth.”
“I will advise you the right remedy,” said the merchant. - On New Year's Eve you must catch a black cat at the intersection of four streets and pull three hairs out of its tail. Burn these hairs and smell the ashes. It will relieve your toothache!
- Thank you, Messer Luciano! It's a pity that we celebrated the New Year two weeks ago. But if my teeth hurt until the New Year, I will follow your advice. In the meantime, allow me to write it down so that I don’t forget.
The second person the jester met was the abbot of the Florentine monastery.
“Ah, holy father,” Gonella spoke, as soon as he saw him, “it’s a sin to utter swear words out loud, but because of these damned teeth I didn’t sleep all night.”
“It’s good that you met me,” said the abbot. - I know the right remedy. Go home and warm up some red wine. Take a mouthful and say a prayer to yourself. When you finish your prayer, swallow the wine. Then take some wine into your mouth again and pray again. . .
“And it’s a lot to swallow.” . . I meant to say, read prayers? – asked Gonella.
“Yes, the more, the better,” answered the abbot.
“I like your advice,” said Gonella. – I really like red wine. I'll go pray.
Gonella added the name of the abbot and his advice to his list and went on his way.
Advice kept pouring in on him. Scientists, poets, musicians, noble townspeople, artisans and peasants - everyone stopped when they saw Gonella, tied with a scarf, groaning. No matter how these people were in a hurry about their business, they spared no time to explain to the jester how to get rid of toothache.
Gonella listened to everyone and wrote everything down. Soon his teeth actually almost hurt.
Towards evening, Gonella, staggering from fatigue, returned to the palace. On the palace stairs he met Duke Lorenzo himself, who was about to ride a horse before dinner.
- My poor Gonella! - exclaimed the Duke. – Do your teeth hurt?
“It’s terrible, Your Majesty,” replied the jester. “I even wanted to ask you for permission to contact your court physician, Messer Antonio Ambrogio.”
– Why do you need Ambrogio? I understand more about such matters than he does, and I will cure you myself. Take sage leaves, brew them stronger and make a hot poultice. It would be nice to infuse chamomile and rinse your mouth. Heated sand in a canvas bag helps a lot. Helpful too. . .
The Duke gave so much advice that Gonella’s legs began to give way while he listened to them.
In the evening, guests gathered at Duke Lorenzo's table again. The Duke sat at the head of the table, and Gonella sat next to him on his bench. He had already taken off the bandage.
“Well, Gonella,” said the Duke, “I don’t see the promised list of doctors.” We will assume that you have lost the argument and will take our deposit back.
Then the Duke pulled the silver vase towards him and saw that it was empty.
“Don’t worry, Your Majesty,” Gonella said calmly, “I exchanged gold florins to prove that I was right.” Here's the list.
With these words, he handed the duke a long scroll. Duke Lorenzo unfolded it and began to read aloud:
- Messer Luciano, Florentine merchant, most enlightened physician. Advises. .., Abbot of the Florentine monastery, Fra Benedetto. . .
The walls of the magnificent hall seemed about to collapse, the Duke and his guests laughed so loudly. The only one who did not laugh was the one whose name the Duke pronounced out loud.
The list contained three hundred names and a thousand pieces of advice from volunteer healers.
The guests were already exhausted with laughter when Lorenzo rolled up the scroll, saying:
- That's all.
- How is everything? - Gonella exclaimed. -You forgot someone!
He grabbed the scroll and read:
– Although last on the list, the first of the first doctors of our glorious city is His Majesty Duke Lorenzo de Medici, nicknamed the Magnificent. It is not for nothing that he bears the surname Medici (The surname Medici actually comes from the word “medics.” The Medici coat of arms contains six circles, very similar to pills. The Fool Gonella is a historical figure, a hero of many legends and stories), which means that there were healers in his family. Lorenzo himself claims that he is a better healer than the court physician Antonio Ambrogio. Yes. and how could it be otherwise, since his coat of arms features six pills. For toothache, the Duke advises. . .
Even the crystal pendants on the chandeliers began to ring. The Duke himself could not help but laugh.
- Well, Gonella, you won! - he exclaimed.
- How could it be otherwise! - answered the jester. “I wouldn’t be a buffoon if I didn’t see right through people.” I already know: the only thing people like to give for free is advice.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru