I Know What I Am

Agostino was dashing and boastful, romantic when he wanted to be, and prone to lashing out aggressively.

Artemisia was fully aware of the probing, lecherous eyes of her father’s friends.

But she didn’t know the extent of Agostino’s messy history.

His sister, Olimpia, was married to Salvatore Bagellis. Salvatore had previously borrowed money from Agostino, who was married to Maria Connodoli.

Salvatore

Agostino

Olimpia

But Agostino had a history of womanizing. He had been taken to court for hanging around prostitutes, and he helped himself to his wife’s fourteen-year-old sister, Costanza.

Maria

A lady’s purity and virginity were the main qualities that would ensure an honorable marriage for her, and thus uphold the family name and social status.

If her chastity were broken out of wedlock, marriage was the only way to salvage what little dignity she had left. So Agostino arranged for the newly pregnant Costanza to be married to his assistant, Filippo Franchini.

Filippo

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Costanza

Meanwhile, his wife, Maria, began her own affair with someone else. After she was caught, she ran away and took with her a large sum of money and jewelry. Agostino exploded in anger and jealousy.

But that didn’t halt Agostino’s power over her, or over Filippo, a young and impressionable apprentice.

I’ll take a turn with costanza now.

Filippo, my friend, you wait here…

He sent Costanza and Filippo to Rome while he spent months searching for Maria and all the money she’d stolen. But it was no use. She was gone. Finally, exhausted and infuriated, he hired hitmen to murder Maria, and met with Costanza and Filippo in Rome.

Still hurting financially upon his arrival, Agostino hunted down his brother-in-law, Salvatore, hoping to be reimbursed for the money he’d loaned him previously.

Salvatore and Olimpia knew about Agostino’s scandalous love triangle. Having sex with one’s sister-in-law was considered incest, a serious offense.

We know you’re upset, agostino, but we just don’t have the money yet.

So Salvatore blackmailed Agostino, forcing him to move away from Costanza and Filippo. But Agostino, always crafty and determined, moved across the street, just far enough to prove that Salvatore’s accusations were false.

Agostino then sued him and had him jailed for debt.

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As for Maria, her assassins brought back papers assuring Agostino that she’d been stabbed numerous times and was surely dead. Agostino was not entirely convinced. He kept the papers with him always, he wanted so badly to believe that his revenge was successful.

Olimpia, abandoned and devastated, from then on harbored a deep resentment toward her brother. She continued to reveal Agostino’s greed and contempt for women as she tried to free her beloved Salvatore.

Looking at Agostino now across the table at Cosimo’s, what were Artemisia’s first impressions of this mysterious character?

Orazio

Cosimo

Tuzia

Agostino

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Costanza

Artemisia

PLEASE EXCUSE ME.

Artemisiaaahhh…

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W-what are you doing?

Cosimo!

L-leave me alone. get back —

I SAID, COME HERE. AHH!

You aren’t virtuous.

You show yourself at the window.

NO!

You give yourself to the men passing below!

Everyone knows it’s true.

NO!

NO! NO, THAT’S NOT TRUE!

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Come here.

I know the truth about you, artemisia.

The evil truth.

I’ve seen you up there, you slut. I know it’s lonely all by youself…

I’LL TELL MY FATHER! YOU THINK HE’LL BELIEVE YOU, YOU SILLY LITTLE CUNT?

MMMGH!

You bitch!

I’ll tell everyone about you!

WHAT?! COME ON.

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This was not the only time Cosimo tried to force himself onto Artemisia.

Something deep inside her was giving way…

transforming, hardening, darkening…

Cosimo’s demanding hands extended beyond reality and found her even in her dreams.

Her body did not belong to her, and under Orazio’s care the danger increased.

When a husband was chosen for her, only then would her body find its rightful place. Left alone, she turned to the church, searching for salvation. Cosimo’s advances threatened her honor. She would have to construct a new armor.

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