{ Chapter Nineteen }
Erected in central Naples in 1279, it was a royal seat for kings of Naples, Aragon, and Spain until 1815.
Castel Nuovo
So named for his ability to move in water, the legend dates back to the twelfth century. In the Palermo version Cola (Nicola) was the son of a Messina fisherman; he told marvelous stories of the seabed and the treasures that lay there. His fame reached the ear of the king, who wanted to test his ability to find objects in the sea by throwing precious things from a boat: in the first two attempts Cola managed to find the objects and bring them back. His third attempt was fatal, but his feat became famous. AC, 161.
Colapesce
An ancient name for the public official representing the sovereign in affairs of the state. Some later English accounts translate this as “attorney general” however, this translation has kept the Italian since it is not equivalent to the Attorney General in the U.S.
The situation of Avvocato Fiscale, or solicitor general to the grand court, is one of extensive patronage and influence, he is particularly charged with the prosecution of the banditti, who infest the interior. Edward Blaquiere, Letters from the Mediterranean, 287.
avvocato fiscale
The Christian knight in Ariosto’s epic poem, Orlando Furioso.