The Plague in Europe

Accounting for the Plague

I have never seen anything like this before, in all my life. In fact, I have never heard of anything like this and, before witnessing what I saw over the last couple of days, I did not even think anything remotely like this was possible.

There is some sort of plague that has overcome Florence during the last several days. I am not sure how it has arrived. Moreover, I am not certain how it will end or even if it will. People are dying at a frighteningly alarming rate. It is difficult to pinpoint which fact is more terrifying -- the sheer number of people who are health one day and then dead soon after, or the rapidity with which previously salutary men and women are vanquished. Even worse, this accursed plague knows no forms of discrimination. Whether livestock, dogs, or any other form of pet, whatever it is that has taken hold of them kills thoroughly, swiftly, and leaves nothing but a trail of carcasses to be buried.

The decimation is so pervasive and swift, that many people have simply given up hope. Such a disavowal in the faith of human life takes many forms. There are a number of people for whom the procuring of proper care is virtually impossible. People will claim that they are sending for the doctor, and then will simply never return (Marchione). Even worse, the most time honored and previously revered relationships show little ability to withstand this plague. There are women, including daughters and wives, that are willingly leaving their husbands and fathers (Marchione). There are some people who are even afraid to go in public or near others because they are scared of contracting whatever sort of illness that this is. As such, those that do become ill are left to a lonely existence (albeit short), and the most underserving of deaths.

Abandoned by family and friends, in most instances the sick people never get a true chance to get healed. Many of them never get to see a doctor. Furthermore, after they do die, they are oftentimes abandoned. None of the traditional religious rites that have long been regarded as critical to life in Florence are bestowed upon them. The fear of somehow catching whatever illness that killed them is too great. People would rather fend for their own lives by running than stay to properly honor the deceased. Again, what is so staggering about these occurrences is that the deceased are abandoned by the very people that formerly gave their lives importance. Again, I have never heard of anything like this before, let alone witnessed such things. People say this plague originated in Asia somewhere (Frith).