I Buried My Five Children with My Own Hands

E in questo tempo si cominciò in Siena la grande Mortalità, la maggiore, e la più oscura, e la più horribile, che mai si potesse dire, o immaginare; e così bastò infino all'Ottobre 1348. Ella fo di tanta oscurità, che morivano gli huomini, e le donne quasi di subito. Enfiava l'anguinaja, e 'l ditello, e di subito favellando si morivano.

And at this time began in Siena the great Mortality, the greatest, and the darkest, and the most horrible, that ever could be told, or imagined; and so it lasted until October 1348. It was of such darkness, that men and women died almost at once. The groin swelled, and the armpit, and suddenly while talking they died.

At this time the great mortality began in Siena. It was the greatest, darkest, and most horrible that anyone could ever tell or imagine, and it lasted until October 1348. It was1 so dark that men and women died almost at once. Their groins and armpits swelled,2 and they died suddenly, while they were talking.

1. The edition reads fo, an old form of fu, “was.”
2. The groin and the armpit, where the swellings (buboes) of plague appear.

El Padre a pena stava a vedere il figliuolo; l'uno fratello l'altro fuggiva; la Moglie il Marito abbandonava, perciochè si diceva, che s'appiccava questa malattia nel mirare, e nell'alito; e così fu vero, che morì tante genti del mese di Maggio, di Giugno, e di Luglio, e d'Agosto, che non si trovava chi li volesse sopellire per denari. Parentado, nè Amistà, nè Prete, nè Frate andava con essi, nè Offizio si diceva.

The Father hardly stayed to see the son; one brother fled the other; the Wife abandoned the Husband, because it was said that this sickness caught in looking, and in the breath; and so it was true, that so many people died in the month of May, of June, and of July, and of August, that one did not find anyone who would bury them for money. Kin, nor Friendship, nor Priest, nor Friar went with them, nor was the Office said.

A father would hardly stay to look at his son. Brother fled from brother. Wives abandoned their husbands, because people said this sickness was caught by looking at the sick and by their breath.3 And it was true. So many people died in May, June, July, and August that no one could be found to bury them, even for money. No relative, no friend, no priest or friar went with the dead, and no funeral office4 was said.

3. The belief that disease could pass by sight, or by breath, from the sick to the healthy.
4. The prayers and ceremonies of a church funeral.

Anco colui, a cui moriva l'Attenente, uscito il fiato, sel pigliava o di dì, o di notte, e con due o tre il portavano alla Chiesa; e essi medesimi, dove più tosto potevano, il sotterravano meglio che potevano, e ricoprivano con poca terra, che cani nol mangiassero. E in molti luoghi della Città si fece fosse grandissime di larghezza, e cupe, e poi vi si mettevano dentro i Corpi, gittandoli dentro, e coprivansi con poca terra; e poi vi si mettevano altri corpi assai, e poi si coprivano di terra; e così si faceva a suolo a suolo, tanto che la fossa fusse piena; e da poi si faceva l'altra.

Also he whose Relative died, the breath gone out, took him up himself either by day or by night, and with two or three they carried him to the Church; and they themselves, where they soonest could, buried him as best they could, and covered [him] with a little earth, so that dogs would not eat him. And in many places of the City pits were made very great in width, and deep, and then the Bodies were put in, throwing them in, and they were covered with a little earth; and then many other bodies were put in there, and then they were covered with earth; and so it was done layer upon layer, until the pit was full; and afterward the other was made.

When someone’s relative died, as soon as the breath was gone, he picked up the body himself, by day or by night. With two or three others he carried it to the church. There they buried it themselves, wherever they could do it soonest and as best they could, and covered it with a little earth so the dogs would not eat it. In many parts of the city, very wide and deep pits were dug. The bodies were thrown into them and covered with a little earth. Then many more bodies were put in and covered with earth. This was done layer upon layer until the pit was full, and then another was dug.

E io Agniolo di Tura, detto Grasso, sotterrai cinque miei figliuoli in una fossa con le mie mani; e così fecero molti altri il simile; e anco furon di quelli, che erano sì mal coperti, che' cani ne traevano, e mangiavano di molti corpi per la Città. E non sonavano Campane, e non si piangeva persona, fusse di che danno si volesse, che quasi ogni persona aspettava la morte; e per sì fatto modo andava la cosa, che la gente non credeva, che nissuno ne rimanesse, e molti huomini credevano, e dicevano, questo è fine Mondo.

And I Agniolo di Tura, called Fat, buried five of my sons in one pit with my hands; and so many others did the same; and also there were some who were so badly covered that the dogs dragged them out, and ate of many bodies through the City. And Bells did not ring, and no person was wept for, whatever loss it might be, for almost every person awaited death; and in such a way the thing went, that people did not believe that anyone would remain, and many men believed, and said, this is the end of the World.

And I, Agnolo di Tura, called the Fat, buried five of my children in one pit with my own hands. Many others did the same. Some bodies were covered so poorly that the dogs dragged them out and ate many corpses all over the city. No bells were rung. No one was mourned, whatever the loss, because almost everyone was waiting for death. Things went so far that people did not believe anyone would be left alive. Many men believed it, and said, “This is the end of the world.”

Qui non valeva Medico, nè medicina, nè riparo alcuno; anco chi più argomento pigliava, più tosto pareva che morisse. E in effetto la mortalità fu tanto oscura, grande, e orribile, che non sarebbe penna, che la potesse scrivere; e trovossi, che moriro in Siena, e ne' Borghi dentro alla Città in questo tempo più di LXXX. mila persone.

Here neither Doctor availed, nor medicine, nor any remedy; even whoever took more measures, the sooner it seemed he died. And in effect the mortality was so dark, great, and horrible, that there would be no pen that could write it; and it was found that there died in Siena, and in the suburbs within the City, in this time more than 80 thousand persons.

Here no doctor, no medicine, and no remedy did any good. The more measures people took, the sooner they seemed to die. In truth the mortality was so dark, so great, and so horrible that no pen could write it down. It was found that more than 80,000 people died in Siena and its suburbs at this time.5

5. This is a round figure, not a count. Muratori, who printed the chronicle, notes that another anonymous chronicle of Siena gives a different total.