Camilla

Also known as: Chloris · Role: wife of Anselmo · First appears: Part 1, Ch. 33.1

At Florence in Part 1, Ch. 33.1, Camilla, also known as Chloris, became Anselmo’s wife after Lothario negotiated the marriage. She was happy with Anselmo and grateful to Lothario, while Lothario avoided most visits to protect their honour. At Anselmo’s urging, however, Lothario agreed to court Camilla as a test of her virtue. When Anselmo left for eight days and ordered her to receive Lothario, she obeyed reluctantly; after three days, Lothario began passionately courting her, and she withdrew without answering him before sending Anselmo a letter. The next day she yielded to Lothario, beginning their secret affair, which Leonela, her childhood companion and attendant, alone knew.

When Lothario later confessed his spying scheme, Camilla devised a performance to convince the concealed Anselmo of her fidelity. With Leonela, she staged an accusation against Lothario, threatened him with a dagger, attacked him, and deliberately gave herself a slight wound, which Leonela treated and bound. Their deception convinced Anselmo, while Camilla and Lothario continued concealing their guilt; as the account puts it, “Camilla yielded, Camilla fell; but what wonder if the friendship of Lothario could not stand firm?” After a few months, the guilt became known and Anselmo died.

That same night, Camilla escaped Anselmo’s house, and Lothario took her to a convent before leaving the city. On learning that Lothario had been killed, Camilla took the veil and shortly afterwards died, “worn out by grief and melancholy.”