The millstones of Montisci
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
They produce flour of themselves, whence the proverb, "Grace comes from God, but millstones from Montisci." (Boccaccio: Decameron, day viii, novel 3.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The millstones of Montisci” mean?
They produce flour of themselves, whence the proverb, "Grace comes from God, but millstones from Montisci." (Boccaccio: Decameron, day viii, novel 3.
Is “The millstones of Montisci” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.