The theme of day three of the Decameron is erotic desire in various illicit forms. As a backdrop, the stories on this day pick up after a two-day hiatus, during which the group arrives at an estate, rests, and, on Saturday, bathes. The setting provides a perfect backdrop for the erotic, as it filled with sweetly singing birds, fountains, and gardens. Ironically, however, day three is a Sunday—and the day begins with a story of lusty nuns who manage to get their needs satisfied despite their vows of chastity.
In going over these stories, a chief thought that comes to mind is that forbidden fruit is the most desirable. A handsome young man is not satisfied with the girls he can get, but wants to work at a convent, where he can have access to those who are most forbidden to him. A good-looking groom goes to lengths—and takes risks—to sleep with a married queen. A dissatisfied wife, who doesn't think her rich tradesman husband is good enough for her, communicates through her friar to find a lover. And so it goes.
A second thought that occurs is that not much has changed today: we tend to want what we are not supposed to have. Eros and desire are closely connected. We have the strongest erotic wish for what appears out of reach.
The main theme of Day Three is the power of lust and its ability to supersede the moral nature. Most of the ten stories deal with human sexuality in some form or other; they highlight the fact that both clergy and commoner alike are susceptible to the dictates of lust. One gets the idea that Boccaccio is satirizing the counterfeit righteousness displayed by Roman Catholic clergy, the merchant classes, and the working classes in everyday life.
For example, in the first story, Masetto pretends to be mute and becomes a gigolo of sorts to a gaggle of nuns and their Abbess. All the women enjoy their nightly trysts with him, and the Abbess eventually makes Masetto the bailiff, retaining his sexual services for a lifetime. In this story, the entire female religious order collaborates to fulfill the dictates of their lusts.
Another story (the sixth story of Day Three) relates how one man satisfies his lust for a beautiful woman by resorting to trickery. Accordingly, Ricciardo (himself a married man) falls in love with Catella. He wants to bed Catella, but the woman is so infatuated with her husband (Filippello) that she refuses to sleep with him. Ricciardo then resorts to trickery; he informs Catella that her husband is having an affair with his (Ricciardo's) wife. Then, the wily trickster suggests that Filippello intends to take his pleasure with his (Ricciardo's) wife at a bagnio (or brothel). Catella falls for the ruse and ends up sleeping with Ricciardo instead (who she thinks is her husband, Filippello). When she discovers her mistake, Catella is furious. However, Ricciardo calms her down with his sweet words and gentle ways. In the end, Catella decides to continue her extramarital relationship with Ricciardo, "having thus learned how much more savoury were the lover's kisses than those of the husband..."
Yet another story on the third day testifies to the power of lust and its ability to corrupt a once impeccable character. In the tenth story, Alibech is an innocent girl who wishes to know how she can fulfill the dictates of the Christian faith. So, she decides to search for a religious mentor, and in her travels, comes across Rustico, a religious hermit. For his part, Rustico is sexually aroused by the nubile young girl. So he sets out to trick her into losing her virginity by using spiritual language to describe the sexual act as a transformative exorcism of sorts. He calls it "putting the devil (back) in Hell." This story is said to be one of the most bawdy stories in the Decameron. One thing is for sure: It reinforces the power of lust and how even respected figures can fall prey to its power.
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