# Bruno — The Decameron character guide

> Bruno in The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Quoth Bruno

**First appearance:** 0008-the-fifth-story

## Snapshot

A painter whose chief art is the long con, and whose favorite canvas is his friend Calandrino's bottomless credulity.

## Who they are

Bruno is the mastermind of the painterly trio that torments Calandrino, a man who can spin a lie so elaborate it takes days to unfold. He is not cruel — his pranks are born of wit and boredom — but he is relentless, and his pleasure in watching Calandrino believe the impossible is the engine of the Decameron's funniest sequences. He matters because he shows how intelligence without malice can still be merciless, and because his schemes give the book its purest comedy.

## Relationships

### [Calandrino](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/characters/calandrino)

_psychological_

Bruno constantly plays cruel pranks on the gullible Calandrino, manipulating him for amusement and personal gain.

### [Calandrino](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/characters/calandrino)

_psychological_

Bruno constantly plays cruel pranks on the gullible Calandrino, manipulating him for amusement and personal gain.

### [Calandrino](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/characters/calandrino)

_psychological_

Bruno constantly plays cruel pranks on the gullible Calandrino, manipulating him for amusement and personal gain.

## In the story

### [The Third Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters/the-third-story)

A shrewd painter and companion of Calandrino who participates in the trick and later feigns ignorance.

### [The Fifth Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters/the-fifth-story)

One of Maso's comrades; participates in the distraction by arguing loudly about saddlebags.

### [The Sixth Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters/the-sixth-story)

One of the tricksters who devises the plan to steal the pig and later the ordeal with ginger boluses.

### [The Ninth Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters/the-ninth-story)

A painter who deceives Master Simone with tales of the roving company and orchestrates the prank.

### [The Third Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters/the-third-story)

One of the tricksters who orchestrates the deception and collects money from Calandrino.

### [The Fifth Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters/the-fifth-story)

Plays a central role in orchestrating the trick on Calandrino, coordinating with Filippo and Niccolosa.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/characters/bruno
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/characters