Romola · Character

Bernardo del Nero

An old Medicean statesman who loves Romola like a daughter and refuses, even under threat, to forsake the colours he has marched under all his life.

supporting

Also known as Messer Bernardo del Nero, Bernardo, Messer Bernardo, del Nero, Nero

First appearance: V: The Blind Scholar and His Daughter

As a supporting figure in Romola, Bernardo del Nero is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Mentioned by Bardo as a friend who reproaches him for not seeking a fitting marriage for Romola and who tells him that Romola is fair.

In the storyV: The Blind Scholar and His DaughterOpen this moment free

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Bernardo del Nero is Romola's godfather, a veteran of Florentine politics whose loyalty to the Medici is a matter of honour rather than intrigue. When Romola comes to him with warnings she cannot fully explain, he receives her with tenderness but will not be moved from his course. His stubborn integrity — 'I never forsake my colours' — becomes the moral counterweight to Tito's flexibility, and his fate forces Romola to weigh faithfulness against survival.

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Character Web

37 connections

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Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Main characters and associates
Scholars and humanists
Supporting cast and background characters

+32 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

Romola’s repeated reading of the printed Trial marks the emotional and psychological peak because it forces he…

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Relationships

Tito Melema
rivalry · negative
Bernardo distrusts Tito and opposes his influence over Romola, seeing him as a threat. How this plays out →
Tito Melema
rivalry · negative
Bernardo distrusts Tito and opposes his influence over Romola, seeing him as a threat. How this plays out →
Tito Melema
rivalry · negative
Bernardo distrusts Tito and opposes his influence over Romola, seeing him as a threat. How this plays out →

Relationship notes

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See Bernardo del Nero in V: The Blind Scholar and His Daughter

In the story

Bernardo del Nero appears across 15 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

V: The Blind Scholar and His Daughter
Mentioned by Bardo as a friend who reproaches him for not seeking a fitting marriage for Romola and who tells him that Romola is fair.
XII: The Prize Is Nearly Grasped
Mentioned as having warned Bardo about a possible marriage and whose 'keen suspicion' Tito fears will be against him.
XIII: The Shadow of Nemesis
Bernardo del Nero is present in the scene, observing Tito's behavior with contempt, viewing his courtly gestures as those of a 'fawning Greek'.
XIX: The Old Man’s Hope
Reluctantly impressed by Tito's success; advises on financial matters and expresses a subtle caution about Tito's nature.
XX: The Day of the Betrothal
Walks as vanguard in the procession and gives Romola a pearl band as a gift.
XXVII: The Young Wife
Advanced money to secure Bardo's library from creditors, accepting a lien on the collection as security.
XXXI: Fruit Is Seed
Bernardo visits Romola, bringing news of the French departure and sharing memories of Bardo. He reassures Romola about the future and shows his affection.
XXXII: A Revelation
Romola considers going to her godfather for help, but Tito argues that Bernardo cannot reverse the sale.
XXXVII: The Tabernacle Unlocked
Romola writes to her godfather, asking him to protect her memory and to receive her bridal chest.
XLV: At the Barber's Shop
One of the Ten, admires Tito's diplomatic skill but harbors distrust and dislike for him, especially after the library sale.
A Prophetess
Elected Gonfaloniere, Bernardo is the focus of Romola's affection and concern, as she fears he may be involved in a Medici plot.
The Evening and the Morning
Received Romola's warning but dismissed it, determined to stay loyal to his colors.
LVII: Why Tito Was Safe
Target of Valori's animosity; his guilt is to be emphasized in the plot, though he only refrained from betraying it.
LIX: Pleading
Romola's godfather, one of the five condemned men. He is the central subject of Romola's plea, as she argues for his life based on his honesty and the injustice of his condemnation.
LX: The Scaffold
Ascends the scaffold with a slow, firm step, declaring that his fellow-citizens have taken only a short space of his life, and shares a final farewell with Romola.

Chapter companion notes

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See Bernardo del Nero in V: The Blind Scholar and His Daughter