Монастырская библиотека

53
His [Boccaccio’s] interest in the preservation of ancient manuscripts in general, perhaps even his interest in Tacitus in particular, is illustrated by the story of his visit to Monte Cassino, as told by his pupil Benvenuto in expounding the twenty-second canto of the Paradiso :
¬‘Being eager to see the library, which, he had heard, was very noble, he humbly besought one of the monks to do him the favour of opening it. Pointing to a lofty staircase, the monk answered stiffly: “Go up; it is already open”. Boccaccio stepped up the staircase with delight, only to find the treasure-house of learning destitute of door or any kind of fastening, while the grass was growing on the window-sills and the dust reposing on the books and bookshelves. Turning over the manuscripts, he found many rare and ancient works, with whole sheets torn out, or with the margins ruthlessly clipped. As he left the room, he burst into tears, and, on asking a monk, whom he met in the cloister, to explain the neglect, was told that some of the inmates of the monastery, wishing to gain a few soldi, had torn put whole handfuls of leaves and made them into psalters, which they sold to boys, and had cut off strips, of parchment, which they turned into amulets, to sell to women'.