Ughetto and His Lover Flee to Rhodes

Ughetto and His Lover Flee to Rhodes is the desperate aftermath of Maddalena’s murder: although Folco killed her and escaped with Ninetta, suspicion falls on Ughetto and his companion. Arrested and threatened with death, they buy their way out of custody and flee to Rhodes, trading their possessions and security for survival.

Accusation After Maddalena’s Murder

When Maddalena is found dead, people who envy and hate Ughetto promptly inform the duke. The duke, who had loved Maddalena deeply, rushes to the house and seizes Ughetto and his lady. They do not know that Folco and Ninetta have departed. The duke forces them to confess that they, together with Folco, are guilty of Maddalena’s death, though Folco is the one who killed her.

Escape by Night

The prospect of death makes the danger immediate. Ughetto and his companion secretly use money they had kept hidden at home for urgent occasions to bribe their custodians. They have no time to gather their other goods. Instead, they embark by night with the guards who had been keeping them, turning their captors into the means of their escape.

Exile and Cost

They reach Rhodes and live there for a short time in poverty and distress. The flight saves them from the duke’s custody, but it does not restore their former security or property. Their escape closes one strand of the story in displacement rather than reunion or vindication. The tale links the misfortunes of Ughetto and others to Restagnone’s reckless love and Ninetta’s rage, showing how the consequences of passion and violence spread beyond their immediate participants.