# Il Zima — The Decameron character guide

> Il Zima in The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Zima

**First appearance:** 0070-the-seventh-story

## Snapshot

A young man of ready tongue and readier nerve, he wins the lady he loves by the sheer audacity of a well-turned speech.

## Who they are

Il Zima moves in the world of Florentine gallantry, where desire must be negotiated through wit rather than force. His story, framed by Filostrato's meditation on how love rewards the bold in gentle hearts, turns on a single clever address to a husband that transforms rivalry into permission. He matters because he embodies the Decameron's faith that eloquence, not fortune alone, can deliver what a lover wants.

## In the story

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

A young, wealthy man known for his elegant dress and cunning; he uses a palfrey to gain access to his beloved.

## Links

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