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 -IS 
 
 Cavalcanti, Guido, d. 1300 • 
 
 The sonnets and ballate of Guide Cavalcsoitit 
 with translation and introduction by Ezra Pound.* 
 Boston, Small, Maynard and Co. , rG.1912.T 
 
 xxiv, 119 p# 21 X 16 cm. 
 
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 OF 
 
 Gl IDO C.WALCAXTI 
 
THE SONNETS AND BALL ATE 
 
 OF 
 
 GUIDO CAVALCANTI 
 
 WITH TRAISSLATIO.N A.ND INTRODUCTION 
 
 BY 
 
 EZRA POUND 
 
 AUTHOR OF "PROVEN9A," "THE SPIRIT OF ROMAHCE" 
 "i'ERSOK^,'' "EXULTATIONS,"' "CANZOKI " 
 
 BOSTON 
 SMALL, MAYNARD AND COMPANY 
 
 PUBLISHERS 
 
o 
 
 Q 
 
 
 Copyright, 191 2 
 By Ezrv Poind 
 
 Entered at btatiuners' Hall 
 
 10 
 
 CD 
 
 ■-4I 
 
 -1 
 
 AS MUCH OF THIS BOOK AS IS MINE 
 I SEND TO MY FRIENDS 
 
 VIOLET AISD FORD MADDOX HUEFFER 
 
 
 JUL 
 
 i944 
 
 THE FNIVERSITY PRESS, C\MnRIDGE, U.H A. 
 
-J*»** 
 
 \f 
 
 I have owned service to the deathless dead 
 Grudge not the gold I bear in livery. 
 

 (y 
 
 F 
 B 
 
 D 
 
 o 
 
 c 
 c 
 
 N 
 
 dissi lui, non se tu Oderisi, 
 L onor d' Agobbio, e /' onor di quell' arte 
 Cli alluminare e chiamata in Parisi? 
 
 ^RA TE, diss' egli, piu ridon le carte, 
 Che pennelleggia Franco Bolognese: 
 L onore e tuiio or suo, e mio in parte. 
 
 EN non sare io stato si cortese 
 Mentre cK io vissi, per lo gran disio 
 DeW eccellenza, ove mio core intese. 
 
 tal superbia qui si paga 'Ifio: 
 
 Ed ancor non sarei qui, se non fosse, 
 
 Che, possendo peccar, mi volsi a Dio. 
 
 VAN A GLORIA deW umane posse, 
 Com' poco verde su la cima dura, 
 Se non e giunta dull etati grosse I 
 
 REDETTE Cimabue nella pintura 
 Tener lo campo, ed ora ha Giotto il grido. 
 Si che lafama di colui oscura. 
 
 OSI ha tolto r uno all' altro Guido 
 La gloria delta lingua: e forse e nato 
 Chi I' uno e I' altro caccera di nido. 
 
 ON e il mondan romore altro cK unfiato 
 Di vento, cK or vien quinci ed or vien quindi, 
 E muta nome, perchl muta lato. 
 
 Dante in "Purgatorio," XL 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 Introduction ^* 
 
 Sonnets « 
 
 Madrigale . ' _2 
 
 Ballata _/ 
 
.~.^i ^ ^I'r^ " ' ^ 
 
 '/^ 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 CIMABUE thought that in portraiture 
 He held the field; now Giotto hath the cry 
 And all the former fame is turned obscure; 
 Thus hath one Guido from the other reft 
 The glory of our tongue, and there's perchance 
 One born who shall un-nest both him and him." 
 
 Even the qualification in the last line of this speech 
 which Oderesi, honour of Agobbio, illuminator of fair 
 pages, makes to Dante in the terrace for the purga- 
 tion of Pride, must be balanced by Dante's reply to 
 Guido s father among the burning tombs (Inf. X), sic. 
 
 Cavalcante di Cavalcanti: 
 
 * * If by the height of genius thou dost go 
 Through this blind prison house; where is my son? 
 Why is he not with thee ? " 
 
 Dante: 
 
 ' ' I come not of myself, 
 
 But he, who awaiteth there (i. e. Virgil), doth 
 
 lead me through." 
 
 After these passages from " The Gommedia " there 
 should be small need of my writing introductions to 
 
 [xi] 
 
the poems of Guido Calvacanti, for if he is not among 
 the major prophets, he has at least his place in the 
 canon, in the second book of The Arts, with Sappho 
 and Theocritus ; with all those who have sung, not all 
 ^ the modes of life, but some of them, unsurpassedly; 
 those who in their chosen or fated field have bowed 
 to no one. 
 
 It is conceivable that poetry of a far-ofT time or 
 place requires a translation not only of word and of 
 spirit, but of "accompaniment," that is, that the 
 modern audience must in some measure be made 
 aware of the mental content of the older audience, and 
 of what these others drew from certain fashions of 
 thought and speech. Six centuries of derivative con- 
 vention and loose usage have obscured the exact sig- 
 
 tiie 
 
 o 
 
 f 
 
 nificances of such phrases as : " The death 
 heart," and "The departure of the soul." 
 
 Than Guido Cavalcanti no psychologist of the emo- 
 tions is more keen in his understanding, more precise 
 in his expression; we have in him no rhetoric, but 
 always a true description, whether it be of pain itself, 
 or of the apathy that comes when the emotions and pos- 
 sibilities of emotion are exhausted, or of that stranger 
 state when the feeling by its intensity surpasses our 
 powers of bearing and we seem to stand aside and 
 watch it surging across some thing or being with whom 
 we are no longer identified. 
 
 [xii] 
 
 The relation of certain words in the original to the 
 practice of my translation may require gloze. L'anima 
 and la Morte are feminine, but it is not always expe- 
 ditious to retain this gender in English. Gentile is 
 'noble'; * gentleness' in our current sense would be 
 soavitate. Mente is ' mind, ' * consciousness, ' ' appercep- 
 tion.' The spiriti are the ' senses,' or the ' intelhgences 
 of the senses,' perhaps even *the moods,' when they 
 are considered as 'spirits of the mind.' Valore is 
 'power.' Virtiite, 'virtue,' 'potency,' requires a sep- 
 arate treatise. Pater has explained its meaning in the 
 preface to his "The Renaissance," but in reading a 
 line like 
 
 ( < 
 
 Vedrai la sua virtu nel del salita " 
 
 one must have in mind the connotations alchemical, 
 astrological, metaphysical, which Swedenborg would 
 have called the correspondences. 
 
 The equations of alchemy were apt to be written 
 as women's names and the women so named endowed 
 with the magical powers of the compounds. La virtu 
 is the potency, the efficient property of a substance 
 or person. Thus modern science shows us radium 
 with a noble virtue of energy. Each thing or per- 
 son was held to send forth magnetisms of certain 
 effect; in Sonnet XXXV, the image of his lady has 
 these powers. 
 
 [ xiii ] 
 
 rl 
 
--'-tm^^fi^ ' 
 
 > 
 
 It is a spiritual chemistry, and modern science and 
 modern mysticism are both set to confirm it. 
 
 " Vedrai la sua virit nel del salita.'' 
 
 The heavens were, according to the Ptolemaic sys- 
 tem, clear concentric spheres with the earth as their 
 pivot; they moved more swiftly as they were far- 
 removed from it, each one endowed with its virtue, its 
 property for affecting man and destiny; in each its 
 star, the sign visible to the wise and guiding them. 
 A logical astrology, the star a sort of label of the 
 spiritual force, an indicator of the position and move- 
 ment of that spiritual current. Thus "her" pres- 
 ence, his Lady's, corresponds with the ascendency of 
 the star of that heaven which corresponds to her par- 
 ticular emanation or potency. Likewise, 
 
 ' ' Vedrai la sua virtt nel del saliia.'' 
 
 Thou shalt see the rays of this emanation going up to 
 heaven as a slender pillar of light, or, more strictly in 
 accordance with the stanza preceding: thou shalt see 
 depart from her lips her subtler body, and from that 
 a still subtler form ascends and from that a star, the 
 body of pure flame surrounding the source of the 
 virtu, which will declare its nature. 
 
 I would go so far as to say that 'II Paradiso" and 
 the form of "The Commedia" might date from this 
 line; very much as I think I find in Guido's " Place 
 
 [xiv] 
 
 I 
 
 r 
 
 I 
 
 J 
 
 where I found people whereof each one grieved overly 
 
 InfLno V.''''^' ™^ ' ^'' ''^'™''' ^'"^''^'^ ^^ 
 
 These are lines in the sonnets; is it any wonder that 
 r . ij. IS able to write: 
 
 "His (Guido's) canzone solely on the nature of Love 
 
 was^so celebrated that the rarestitellects, among them 
 
 il beato Egidio Golonna,' set themselves to illusfratin^ 
 
 MaTzucheni"^'"''""'' '"^''^ '^' "^°^* ''''^ ^' *at of 
 
 ' 'E la beltateper sua Dea la mostra." (Sonnet VII, 1 1 ) 
 ' 'Beauty displays her for her goddess. " That is to say 
 as the spint of God became incarnate in the Christ, so is 
 the spirit of the eternal beauty made flesh dwelling 
 amongst us m her. And in the line preceding ^ 
 
 "Ch' a lei s'inchina ogni gentil virtate" , 
 
 means, that -she" acts as a magnet for every 'ffentil 
 
 virtute, • that is the noble spiritu'al powers, th'e i^ 
 
 rating forces of life and beauty bend toward her; not 
 
 "To whom are subject all things virtuous." 
 
 The inchina implies not the homage of an object but 
 the direction of a force. "' 
 
 In the matter of these translations and of my knowl- 
 
 [xv] 
 
 \ 
 
 II 
 
"li- 
 
 / 
 
 /. 
 
 I ! 
 I 
 
 1/ 
 
 """'^ 
 
 I f 
 
 edge of Tuscan poetry, Rossetti is my father and my 
 mother, but no one man can see everything at once. 
 
 The twelfth ballata, being psychological and not 
 metaphysical, needs hardly be explained. Exhausted by 
 a love born of fate and of the emotions, Guido turns to 
 an intellectual sympathy, 
 
 *'Love that is born of loving like delight," 
 and in this new force he is remade, 
 
 ''formando di disio nova persona ' 
 
 yet with some inexplicable lack. His sophistication 
 prevents the complete enthusiasm. This "new per- 
 son" whiv^h is formed about his soul 
 
 ( ( 
 
 amar gia non osa 
 
 knowing "The end of every man's desire." 
 
 The facts of Guido's life, as we know them from other 
 evidence than that of his own and his friends' poems, 
 are aboTit as follows: Born i2 5o (circa), his mother 
 probably of the ContiGuidi. In 1266 or 1267 " Caval- 
 cante di Cavalcanti gave for wife to his son Guido one 
 of the Uberti," i. e., the daughter of Farinata. Thus 
 Yillani . Some speak of it as a " betrothal . " In 1 2 80 he 
 acted as one of the sureties of the peace arranged by 
 Cardinal Latino. We may set 1288 as the date of 
 his reply to Dante's first sonnet. In 1284 he was a 
 member of the grand council with Dino Compagni 
 
 [xvi] 
 
 
 ' 
 
 and Brunetto Latino. In party feuds of Florence 
 Guelf, then a "White" with the Cherci, and most 
 violent against Corso Donati. 1292-96 is the lati- 
 tude given us for the pilgrimage to the holy house 
 of Galicia. Corso, it is said, tried to assassinate him 
 on this pilgrimage. It is more plausible to accept 1292 
 as the date of the feud betw^een the Cavalcanti and 
 the Bundelmonti, dating so the sonnet to Neronne. 
 For upon his return from the pilgrimage which had 
 extended only to Toulouse, Guido attacks Corso in the 
 streets of Florence, and for the general turmoil ensu- 
 ing, the leaders of both factions were exiled. Guido 
 was sent with the "Whites" to Sarzana, where he 
 caught his death fever. Dante at this time (i3oo) 
 being a prior of Florence, was party to decree of exile, 
 and perhaps aided in procuring Cavalcanti's speedv 
 recall. "II nostro Guido" was buried on August 29, 
 whence writes Yillani, "and his death is a great loss, ) 
 for as he was philosopher, so was he man of parts \ 
 in more things, although somewhat punctilious and 
 fiery." Boccaccio considers him "probably" the 
 "other just man, in Dante s statement that there 
 were two in Florence. 
 
 Benevenuto says so positively, ''alter ocidiis Floren- 
 tiae.'' In the Decameron we hear that, "He was of 
 the best logicians in ihe world, a very fine natural 
 philosopher. Thus was he leggiadrisimo,'' and there is 
 
 [ xvii ] 
 
 V 
 
 \ 
 
much in this word with which to confute those who 
 
 I find no irony in his sonnets; ''and habile and a great 
 
 talker." On the "sixth day" (novel nine) the queen 
 
 herself tells how he leapt over an exceeding great tomb 
 
 to escape from that bore Betto Brunelleschi . Other lines 
 
 we have of him as: "nobleandpertinent and better than 
 
 I another at whatever he set his hand to"; among the 
 
 ; critics, Crescimbene notes, ''rohustezza e splcndore'^ ; 
 
 i Cristofore Landiano, ''sobrio e dotio, and surpassed by 
 
 a greater light he became not as the moon to the sun. 
 
 Of Dante and Petrarcha, I speak elsewhere." 
 
 Filippo Villani, with his translator Mazzuchelli, set 
 him above Petrarch, speaking of him as " Guido of 
 the noble Hne of the Cavalcanti, most skilled in the 
 liberal arts, Dante's contemporary and very intimate 
 friend, a man surely diligent and given to speculation, 
 'physicus' ( ? natural philosopher) of authority . . . 
 worthy of laud and honor for his joy in the study of 
 'rhetoric,'^ he brought over the fineness of this art 
 into the rhyming compositions of the common tongue 
 (eleganter tradaxii). For canzoni in vulgar tongue and 
 in the advancement of this art he held second place to 
 Dante, nor hath Petrarch taken it from him." 
 
 Dino Compagni, who knew him, has perhaps left 
 us the most apt description, saying that Guido was 
 
 i "Rhetoric " must not here be understood in the current sense of our 
 own day. "Exact and adequate speech" might be a closer rendering. 
 
 [ xviii ] 
 
 
 might 
 
 ' ' cories e ardito, ma sdcgnoso e soUtario/' at least I would 
 so think of him, '^ courteous, bold, haughty and given 
 to being alone." It is so we find him in the poems 
 themselves." 
 
 Dante's delays in answering the elder Cavalcante's 
 question (Inf. X) ' ' What said you? * He (Guido ) had ? ' 
 Lives he not still, with the sweet light beating upon 
 his eyes?" This delay is, I think, a device for remind- 
 ing the reader of the events of the year 1 3oo. One who 
 had signed a decree of exile against his friend, how- 
 ever much civic virtue was thereby displayed, 
 well delay his answer. 
 
 And if that matchless and poignant ballad, 
 
 ''Perch' io non spero di tornar gia mai' 
 
 had not reached Florence before Dante saw the vision, 
 it was at least written years before he wrote the tenth 
 canto of the Inferno. 
 
 Guido left two children, Andrea and Tancia. Man- 
 detta of Toulouse is an incident. As to the identity of 
 "our own Lady," that Giovanna "presumably'' of 
 w^hom Dante writes in the Vita Nuova, sonnet fourteen, 
 and the prose preceding, weaving his fancy about Prima- 
 vera, the first coming Spring, St. John the Forerunner, 
 with Beatrice following Monna Vanna, as the incarnate 
 love: Again in the sonnet of the enchanted ship. 
 
 Guido vorrei . . ."we find her mentioned in the 
 
 [xix] 
 
 i ( 
 
 t=a^ 
 
r 
 
 11 
 
 ll 
 
 cliosen company. One moclern writ or would have us 
 follow out the parallels between the Commedia and 
 *'Book of Ills \outli," and identify her with the 
 " Matilda " of the Earthly Paradise. By virtue of her 
 position and certain similarities of phrasing in Purga- 
 tory X\\ III and one of the lives of the saint, we 
 kiKjw that Matilda in some way corresponds to or 
 balances John the Baptist. Dante is undoul)te(lly re- 
 minded of his similar equation in the ^ ita Nuova and 
 shows it in his 
 
 '^Tii mi fai rememhrar, dnvc c rjwil era 
 Proserpina, nel tempo cite per dell e 
 La madre lei, ed ella primavera/^ 
 
 Dante's commentators in their endless search for exact 
 correspondences, seem never to suspect him of poeti- 
 cal immendo, of calhng into the spectrum of the 
 reader s mind associated things which form no exact 
 allegory. So far as the personal Matilda is concerned, 
 the great Countess of Tuscany has some claims, and 
 we have nothing to show that Giovanna was dead at 
 the time of the vision. 
 
 As to the actual identity of Guido's lady — granting 
 her to have been one and not several — no one has been 
 rash enough to suggest that il nostra Gnido Avas in love 
 with his own wife, to whom he had been wedded or 
 betrothed at sixteen. True it would have been con- 
 
 [xx] 
 
 trary to the laws of chivalric love, but Guido was nut 
 one to be bound by a convention if the whim had 
 taken him otherwise. The discussion of such details 
 and theories is futile except in so far as it may serve 
 to brinn^ us more intimately in touch with the com- 
 mune of Florence and the year of grace one thousand 
 three hundred. 
 
 As for the verse itself: I believe in an ultimate and 
 absolute rhythm as I believe in an absolute symbol or 
 metaphor. The perception of the intellect is given in 
 the word, that of the emotions in the cadence. It is 
 only, then, in perfect rhythm joined to the perfect 
 word that the two-fold vision can be recorded. 1 would 
 liken Guido's cadence to nothing less powerful than 
 line in Blake s drawing. 
 
 In painting, the color is always finite. It may match 
 the color of the infinite spheres, but it is in a way con- 
 fined within the frame and its appearance is modified by 
 the colors about it. The line is unbounded, it marks 
 the passage of a force, it continues beyond the frame. 
 
 Rodin's belief that energy is beauty holds thus far. 
 namely, that all our ideas of beauty of line are in some 
 way connected with our ideas of swiftness or easv 
 power of motion, and we consider ugly those lines 
 which connote unwieldv slowness in moviner. 
 
 Rhythm is perhaps the most primal of all things 
 known to us. It is basic in poetry and music mutu- 
 
 [xxi] 
 
 lJ^. 
 
 w 
 
 « 
 
ally, their melodies depending on a variation of tone 
 quality and of pitch respectively, as is commonly said, 
 but if we look more closely we will see that music is, 
 by further analysis, pure rhythm; rhythm and noth- 
 ing else, for the variation of pitch is the variation in 
 rhythms of the individual notes, and harmony the 
 blending of these varied rhythms. When we know 
 more of overtones we will see that the tempo of every 
 masterpiece is absolute, and is exactly set by some 
 further law of rhythmic accord. Whence it should 
 be possible to show that any given rhythm im{)lles 
 about it a complete musical form — fugue, sonata, I 
 cannot say what form, but a form, perfect, complete. 
 Ergo, the rhythm set in a line of poetry connotes its 
 symphony, which, had we a little more skill, we could 
 score for orchestra. Sequitiir, or rather inest: the 
 rhythm of any poetic line corresponds to emotion. 
 
 It is the poet's business that this correspondence be 
 exact, i. e., that it be the emotion which surrounds 
 the thought expressed. For which cause I have set 
 here Guido's own words, that those few of vou who 
 care, may read in them the signs of his genius. By 
 the same token, I consider Carducci and Arnone blas- 
 phemous in accepting the reading 
 
 E fa di claritate tremar fare 
 instead of following those mss. which read 
 
 E Ja di clarita laer tremare. 
 [xxli] 
 
 I 
 
 
 I have in my translations tried to bring over the 
 qualities of Guido's rhythm, not line for line, but to 
 embody in the whole of my EngKsh some trace of that 
 power which implies the man. The science of the 
 music of words and the knowledge of their magical 
 powers has fallen away since men invoked Mithra by 
 a sequence of pure vowel sounds. That there might 
 be less interposed between the reader and Guido, it 
 was my first intention to print only his poems and an 
 unrhymed gloze. This has not been practicable. I 
 can not trust the reader to read the Italian for the 
 music after he has read the English for the sense. 
 
 These are no sonnets for an idle hour. It is only \\ 
 when the emotions illumine the perceptive powers M 
 that we see the reality. It is in the light born of this 
 double current that we look upon the face of the mvs- 
 tery unveiled. I have lived with these sonnets and 
 ballate daily month in and month out, and have been 
 daily drawn deeper into them and daily into contem- 
 plation of things that are not of an hour. And I 
 deem, for this, that voi aliri pochi who understand, w ill 
 love me better for my labor in proportion as you read 
 more carefully. 
 
 For the rest, I can but quote an envoi, that of 
 Guido's Canzone ''Donna mi prega'': 
 
 [ xxiii ] 
 
 N 
 
 V^ 
 
 
 
 tf 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 <•> 
 
 I 
 
Thou mayest go assured, my Canzone, 
 Whither thou wilt, for I have so adorned thee 
 That praise shall rise to greet thy reasoning 
 Mid all such folk as have intelligence; 
 To stand with any else, thou 'st no desire. 
 
 Ezra Pound, 
 
 November i5, 1910. 
 
 I i 
 
 THE SONNETS AND BALLATE 
 
 OF 
 
 GUIDO CAVALCANTI 
 
 [xxiv] 
 
 I : 
 
^ 
 
 SONETTO I 
 
 J^^OI, cheper gli occhi miei passaste alcorc, 
 M^ E svegliaste la mente che dormia , 
 GuardateaT angosciosa vita mia, 
 Che sospirando la disirugge Amore, 
 E va tagliando di si gran valore , r ^-^ 
 Che i deboluzzi spiriti van via : 
 Campajigura nova in signoria, ^ ' n^a n 
 E hoceJtspandQmo&tra lo dolor e : aU^^ 
 Questa verihd' Amor, che m ha disfalto, ^ 
 Da vostri occhi geniilpresta si mosse, 
 Lanciaio rn ha d' an dardo entro lofianco ; 
 Si gianse il colpo dritto alprimo tratto, 
 Che r anima tremando si riscosse, 
 Veggendo morto il cor nel lato manco. 
 
 
 oU^f:'.^'7<^ 
 
 
 / 
 
 f^^^t^A.M'^ 
 
 -1 
 
 I I 
 
 y 
 
 f^ Jul 
 
 SONNET I 
 
 YOU who do breach mine eyes and touch the heart 
 And start the mind from her brief reveries , 
 Might pluck my Hfe and agony apart, 
 baw you how love assaileth her with sighs, 
 And lays about him with so brute a might 
 That all my wounded senses turn to flight. 
 There 's a new face upon the seigniory, '^^ ^ ^ 
 
 And new is the voice that maketh loud my grief. '^ -<^f 
 
 Love, who hath drawn me down through devious ways 
 
 Hath from your noble eyes so swiftly come I 
 
 T IS he hath hurled the dart, wherefrom my pain 
 
 1^ irst shot's resultant I and in flanked amaze 
 
 See how my aff^righted soul recoileth from 
 
 That smister side wherein the heart lies slain. 
 
 r t^ ^'^' 
 
 
 ^Ju.- 
 
 r 
 
 
 
ca 
 
 SONETTO II 
 
 /O vidi gli occhi dove A mor si mise, 
 Qaando mifece di se pauroso, 
 Che mi ^guardar come fosse annoioso ; 
 Allora, dico, che il cor si divise ; 
 Ese non fosse, che donna tnirisej 
 lo parlerei di tal guisa doglioso, 
 CK Amor medesmo nefaria cruccioso, 
 Chefe f immaginar, che mi conquise. 
 Dal del si mosse tui spirito in quel p unto, 
 Chequella donna mi degnbguardare, 
 E vennesi aposar nel miopensiero, 
 E Ti mi conta si d amor lo vero, 
 
 Che ogni sua veriii veder mi pare, 
 Si comefossi dentro al suo cor giunto. 
 
 V 
 
 SONNET II 
 
 I SAW the eyes, where Amor took his place 
 When love's might bound me with the fear 
 
 thereof, 
 Look out at me as they were weary of love. 
 I say : The heart rent him as he looked on this, 
 And were 't not that my Lady lit her grace, 
 Smihng upon me with her eyes grown glad. 
 Then were my speech so dolorously clad 
 That Love should mourn amid his victories. 
 
 The instant that she deigned to bend her eyes 
 Toward me, a spirit from high heaven rode 
 And chose my thought the place of his abode 
 W ith such deep parlance of love's verities 
 That all Love's powers did my sight accost 
 As though I 'd won unto his heaxt's mid-most. 
 
lo:^ 
 
 SONETTO U 
 
 /O vidi gli occhi dove Amor si mise, 
 Qiiando mifece di se pauroso, 
 Che mi sguardar come fosse annoioso ; 
 A llora , dico , die il cor si divise ; 
 Ese non fosse, che donna mi rise, 
 lo parlerei di ial cjaisa doglioso, 
 Cli Amor medcsmo nefaria criiccioso, 
 Chefe r immaginar, che mi comjuise. 
 Dal del si mosse un spirito in quelpunto, 
 Cheqaella donna mi degnognardare, 
 E vennesi a posar nel miopensiero, 
 E h mi conta si d amor lo vero, 
 
 Che ogni sua vertii veder mi pare, 
 Si comefossi dentro al sno cor gianto. 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 SONNET II 
 
 SAW the eyes, where Amor took his plaee 
 W hen love s might bound ine with the fear 
 
 thereof, 
 
 Look out at me as they were weary of love. 
 1 say : The heart rent him as he looked on tliis, 
 And werc^ t not that my Lady lit her ^rrace, 
 Smiling upon me witli her eyes grown glad, 
 Then were my speech so dolorously clad 
 That Love should mourn amid his victories. 
 
 The instant that she deigned lo bend her eyes 
 Toward me, a spirit from high heaven rode 
 And chose my thought the place of his abode 
 \\ ith such deep parlance of love's verities 
 That all Love's powers did my sight accost 
 As though I d won unto his heart's mid-most. 
 
 'h 
 
SONETTO III 
 
 O DONNA mia, non vedcsin colai 
 Che su lo core mi ienea la memo. 
 QuamX io ii rispomleafK^'lictlaepumo 
 Per la lemenza de gli colpi sai ? 
 Elf II Amore, che trovamlo vai ^y/ 
 Meco risieiie, che venla lohtano^ 
 A fjnlsad uno arcier presto Soriano, 
 Acconcio sol per ancidere altnii, 
 E Irassepoi degli occhi miei sospiri. 
 
 I quai si gittan da lo cor si forte, a; / C 
 CK io mi partii shigottito fiKjijcndo. 
 Allor mi parse di segair la morte. ^ j ^^ 
 
 Accompagnato di qaelli martiri, 
 Che soglion consumar altrui piangemlo. 
 
 1 Clue, io credo, da Venere. E. P. 
 
 ^ nU 
 
 SONNET III 
 
 OLADY mine, doth not thy sight allege 
 Him who hath set his hand upon my heart, 
 When parched responses from my faint throat 
 
 start 
 
 And shudder for the terror of his edge ? 
 He was Amor, who since he found you , dwells 
 Ever with me, and he w as come from far ; 
 An archer is he as the Scythians are 
 Whose only joy is killing someone else. 
 
 \M 
 
 ^ f 
 
 \ 
 
 ^ 
 '/t*. 
 
 My sobbing eyes are drawn upon his wrack , 
 And such harsh sighs upon my heart he casteth 
 That I depart from that sad me he wasteth, 
 With Death drawn close upon my wavering track, 
 Leading such tortures in his sombre train 
 As , by all custom , wear out other men . 
 
 4^^t 
 
 
 
 */-. 
 
 „ UA>.^C^s 
 
 ~> 
 
X 
 
 K . ' *t^ 
 
 SONETTO IV 
 
 ^y^ lOpriego qaesta donna, chepietate 
 
 ij A on sia nemica del suo cor gentile ; 
 Tu d'lcK io sono sconoscente e vile, 
 Edisperato epien di vanitate, 
 
 Onde ti men si nova crudeltate ? 
 Gia rassomigli a chi ti vede umile, 
 Saggia, eadorna, edaccorta, esottile, 
 Efatta modo disoavitate. 
 
 L anima mia dolente e paurosa 
 
 Piange nei sospiri, che nel cor trova, 
 Si che bagnati dipianto esconfore : 
 
 Allor mi par, ehe ne la mentepiova 
 Lnafigura di donna pensosa, 
 Che vegna per veder morir lo core. 
 
 ^ 
 
 SONNET IV 
 
 IF I should pray this lady pitiless 
 That Mercy to her heart be no more foeman, 
 You 'd call me clownish, vile, and say that 
 
 no man 
 Was so past hope and filled with vanities. 
 
 Where find you now these novel cruelties ? 
 For still you seem humility's true leaven, 
 Wise and adorned, alert and subtle even, 
 And fashioned out in ways of gentleness. 
 
 My soul weeps through her sighs for grievous fear 
 And all those sighs, which in the heart were found. 
 Deep drenched with tears do sobbing thence depart, 
 Then seems that on my mind there rains a clear 
 Image of a lady, thoughtful, bound 
 Hither to keep death-watch upon that heart. 
 
 8 
 
 ,x 
 
SONETTO V 
 
 ^^^Llmieifolli occhi, che 'n prima guardaro 
 
 M -w" Vostrafigura plena divalore, 
 
 Furqueiy chedivoi, donna, m accusaro 
 Neljiero loco, ove iien corte Amove. 
 
 Immantenente avanti a lui mostraro, 
 Cli k) erafatto vostro servitore, 
 Perche sospiri e dolor mipigliaro 
 Vedendo, che temenza avea lo core, 
 
 Menarmi tosto senza riposanza 
 In ana parte la 've trovai genie , 
 Che ciaschedun si dolea d A mor forte. 
 
 Quando mi vider, tatti con pietanza 
 Dissermi : Fatio sei di tal serventc, 
 Che non del mai sperare altro che morte. 
 
 W 
 
 V 
 
 SONNET V 
 
 LADY, my most rash eyes, the first who used 
 To look upon thy face, the power-fraught, 
 Were, Lady, those by whom I was accused 
 In that harsh place where Amor holdeth court. 
 And there before him was their proof adduced, 
 And j udgmen t wrote me down : ' ' Bondslave ' ' to thee , 
 Though still I stay Griefs prisoner, unloosed, 
 And Fear hath lien upon the heart of me. 
 For the which charges, and without respite, 
 They dragged me to a place where a sad horde 
 Of such as love and whom Love tortureth 
 Cried out, all pitying as I met their sight, 
 ' ' Now art thou servant unto such a Lord 
 Thou It have none other one save only Death." 
 
 I 
 
 f 
 
 lO 
 
 II 
 
T 
 
 SONETTO VI 
 
 ^U m hai si plena di dolor la mente 
 Che /' anima sen bruja dipartire : 
 E di sospir, che manda il cordolente 
 Yxfu^r Dicono agli occhi, che non puon soffrire. 
 Amore, che lo tuo gran valor sente, 
 
 Dice : El mi duol, che ti convien morire 
 Per qiiesta belladonna, che necnte 
 Par, chepietate di te voglia udirc. 
 lofo come colui, cK efuor di vita 
 
 Che mostra a chi lo guarda chcd el sia 
 Fatto di pietra, o di rame, o di legno : 
 -^ E porto nello core unaferita, 
 vJ Che si condaca sol per maestria , 
 
 Che sia, com' egli e morto, aperto segno. 
 
 4 
 
 SONNET VI 
 
 THOU fiU'st my mind with griefs so populous 
 That my soul irks him to be on the road. 
 Mine eyes cry out, ' ' We cannot bear the load 
 Of sighs the grievous heart sends upon us. " 
 Love, sensitive to thy nobility, 
 
 Saith, ' ' Sorrow is mine that thou must take thy death 
 From this fair lady who will hear no breath 
 In argument for aught save pitying thee . ' ' ^^. 
 And I, as one beyond life's compass thrown , 
 Seem but a thing that's fashioned to design, 
 Melted of bronze or carven in tree or stone. 
 A wound I bear within this heart of mine 
 Which by its mastering quality is grown 
 To be of that heart's death an open sign. 
 
 U 
 
 U^' 
 
 »^'^- 
 
 f -fj^ 
 
 •* ^■* 
 
 ^-o 
 
 
 I 
 
 L-i 
 
 A y 
 
 i 
 
 12 
 
 i3 
 
V 
 
 "^>^ 
 
 J^4i^ta- 
 
 
 SONETTO VII 
 
 CHI e questa che vien, cK ogni uom la mira, 
 Che fa di clarita /' aer tremare ! 
 E mena secoAmor, si che parlare 
 Nuir nom nepuote, ma ciascun sospira. 
 Ahi, Dioy che sembra quando gli occhi gira? 
 DicaloAmor, cK io nol saprei contare : 
 Cotantod' umilta donna mi pare, 
 Che ciascun altra in ver di lei chiam' ira. 
 Nonsipotria contar lasuapiacenza, 
 CK a lei s inchina ogni gentil virtute, 
 E la beltate persuaDeala mostra. 
 Nan fa si alta gia la menie nostra, 
 E non si e posta in voi ianta salute, 
 
 hJn 
 
 Che propriamenie n ahbiam conoscenza. 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 SONNET VII 
 
 WHO is she coming, drawing all men's gaze, 
 Who makes the air one trembUng clarity 
 Till none can speak but each sighs piteously 
 Where she leads Love adown her trodden ways ? 
 
 Ah God 1 The thing she 's like when her glance strays , 
 
 Let Amor tell. 'T is no fit speech forme. 
 
 Mistress she seems of such great modesty 
 
 That every other woman were called ' ' Wrath." 
 
 No one could ever tell the charm she hath 
 For toward her all the noble Powers incHne, 
 She being beauty's godhead manifest. 
 
 Our daring ne'er before held such high quest ; 
 But yel There is not in you so much grace ^ 
 That we can understand her rightfully. 
 
 For all the noble powers bend toward her 
 She being beauty's godhead manifest. 
 Our daring ne'er before held such high quest. 
 But ye I There is not so much grace astir 
 In you that we may rightfully regard her. 
 
 l^ 
 
 I 
 
 i5 
 
SONETTO VIII 
 
 PERCHE nonfaro a me gli occhi miei spenti, 
 tolti SI, che de la lor veduia 
 Non fosse ne la mente mia venata 
 A dire : Ascolta se nel cor mi senii ? 
 Unapaara di nuovi tormenti 
 
 i1/' apparve allor si crudele ed acuta, 
 Che f anima chiamo : Donna, or ci aiuta, 
 Che gli occhi, ed io non rimagniani dolenti. 
 Tu gli hai lasciaii si, che venne Amore 
 A pianger sovra lor pieiosamenie 
 Tanto, che s ode una prof onda boce, 
 La qualdasuon: Chi grave penasente 
 Guardi costui, e vedera 7 suo core 
 Che Morte 'I porta in man tagliato in croce. 
 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 SONNET VIII 
 
 AH why ! why were mine eyes not quenched for me, 
 Or stricken so that from their vision none 
 Had ever come within my mind to say 
 * * Listen , dost thou not hear me in thine heart ? " 
 Fear of new torments was then so displayed 
 To me , so cruel and so sharp of edge 
 That my soul cried, ' ' Ah mistress, bringus aid, 
 Lest th' eyes and I remain in grief always . ' ' 
 
 But thou hast left them so that Amor cometh 
 And weepeth over them so piteously 
 That there 's a deep voice heard whose sound in part 
 Turned unto words , is this : ' ' Whoever knoweth 
 Pain's depth, let him look on this man whose heart 
 Death beareth in his hand cut cruciform." 
 
 i6 
 
 A- 
 
€ 
 
 J-v- 
 
 ^^ 
 
 SONETTO IX 
 
 A ME stesso di me gran piela viene 
 j^ Per la dolenie angoscia, cK io mi veggio 
 Di molta debolezza : quand' ioseggio, 
 U animxi sento ricoprir dipene : 
 Tanto mi struggo, perch' io sento hene^ 
 
 Che la mia vita d ogni angoscia ha [Ipeggio : 
 La nova donna, a cui mercede io chieggio, 
 Questa battaglia di dolor mantiene : 
 Perbche quand' io guardo verso lei, 
 Brizzami gli occhi de losuo disdegno 
 Sifieramente che distrugge ilcore : 
 Allor si parte ogni verta da miei ; 
 II cor siferma per vedato segno, 
 Dove si lancia crudeltd d Amore. 
 
 SONNET IX 
 
 I AM reduced at last to self compassion, 
 For the sore anguish that I see me in ; 
 At my great weakness ; that my soul hath been 
 Concealed beneath her wounds in such a fashion : 
 Such mine oppression that I know, in brief, 
 That to my life ill's worst starred ills befall ; 
 And this strange lady on whose grace I call 
 Maintains continuous my stour of grief, 
 For when I look in her direction, 
 She turns upon me her disdeigning eyen 
 So harshly that my waiting heart is rent 
 And all my powers and properties are spent, 
 Till that heart lieth for a sign ill-seen, 
 Where Amor's cruelty hath hurled him down. 
 
 i8 
 
 ^9 
 
SONETTO X 
 
 jr^EH spirti miei, qmndovoimevedite 
 tM^Contantapena, come non mandate 
 Fuor de la mente parole adornate 
 Dipianto dolor ososbigottite ? 
 Deh, voi vedete che 7 core haferite 
 Di sgiiardo, dipiacere e d' umiltate : 
 Deh, io vipriego, che voi 7 consoliate, 
 Che sonda lui le sue verth partite, 
 Io veggio a hi spirito apparire 
 Alto e gentile, e di tanto valore, 
 Che fa le saevertii tiittefaggire, 
 Deh, io vi priego, che deggiate dire 
 A /' alma trista, che park in dolore ; 
 Com^ ellafa, efmsempre d' Amore. 
 
 1 
 
 t 5^; 
 
 SONNET X 
 
 ALAS, my spirits, that ye come to find me 
 So painful, poor, waylaid in wretchedness, 
 Yet send no words adorned with deep distress 
 Forth from my mind to say what sorrows bind me. 
 Alas, ye see how sore my heart is wounded 
 By glance, by fair delight and by her meekness; 
 Xas ! Must I pray ye that ye aid his weakness , 
 Seeing him power-stripped, naked, confounded. 
 
 And now a spirit that is noble and haut 
 Appeareth to that heart with so great might 
 That all th' heart's virtues turn in sudden flight. 
 
 Woe! and I pray you greet my soul as friend, 
 Who tells through all her grief what things were 
 
 wrought 
 On her by Love, and will be to the end. 
 
 ^'z 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 
mmm 
 
 Cf. 
 
 laf. V. 91. 
 
 "Se fosse amico il re del universo.** 
 
 SONETTO XI 
 
 ^yE merce fosse arnica a miei desiri, 
 
 ^\ E 'Imovimentosaofosse dalcore ; 
 
 ^^ Di questa bella donnajl suo valore 
 Mostrasse lavertutea miei mariiri ; 
 
 U angosciosidiletti i miei sospiri, 
 
 Chenascondela mente, ov e Amove; 
 
 E vanno sol rag ionando dolor e, 
 
 E non trovan persona, chegli miri; 
 
 Girienoagliocchicon iania vertate^ 
 
 Che 'I forte, e daro lagrimar, chef anno, 
 Ritornerebbe in allegrezza e 'n gioia ; 
 
 Ma si e al cor dolente tania noia, 
 Ed a I animairista taniodanno, 
 Che per disdegno mm non da lor salute. 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 SONNET XI 
 
 IF Mercy were the friend of my desires, 
 Or Mercy's source of movement were the heart, 
 Then, by this fair, would Mercy show such art 
 And power of healing as my pain requires. 
 From torturing delight my sighs commence, 
 Born of the mind where Love is situate. 
 Go errant forth and naught save grief relate 
 And find no one to give them audience. 
 
 They would return to the eyes in galliard mode, 
 With all harsh tears and their deep bitterness 
 Transmuted into revelry and joy ; 
 Were 't not unto the sad heart such annoy. 
 And to the mournful soul such rathe distress 
 That none doth deign salute them on the road. 
 
 1 Of Guide's relentless ironv, in this case directed against himself, the artistic 
 temperament, and - service"' generally, this sestet may serve as example. 
 
 23 
 
 23 
 
SONETTO XII 
 
 Y TNA giovane donna di Tolosa 
 
 I I Bella e gentiLd' onestalcggiadria, 
 
 ^^ Tanf e diritia, e sunigliantecosa 
 Ne suoi dolci occhi de la donna niia, 
 
 Che (alio ha dentro al cor dcsidcrosa 
 L animaingnisa, chedalnisisria, 
 E vanne a lei ; ma ianio e paarosa, 
 Che non le dice di qml donna sin . 
 
 Quella la mira nel sao dolce sgnardo, 
 iVe lo qualfecerallcgrare Amove. 
 Perche v i dentro la sua donna drdia : 
 
 Poi iornapiena disospir nel core, 
 Ferita a morte d' an tagliente dardo, 
 Che questa donna nel pariir le giiia. 
 
 \ 
 
 SONNET XII 
 
 THE grace of youth in Toulouse ventureth ; 
 She 's noble and fair, with quaint sincerities, 
 Direct she is and is about her eyes 
 Most like to our Lady of sweet memories . 
 So that within my heart desirous 
 Shehath clad the soul in fashions peregrine.^ 
 Pilgrim to her he hath too great chagrin 
 To say what Lady is lord over us . 
 This soul looks deep into tliat look of hers, 
 Wherein he rouseth Love to festival , 
 For deep therein his rightful lady resteth. 
 Then with sad sighing in the heart he stirs, 
 Feelinc: his death-wound as that dart doth fall 
 Which this Tolosan by departure casteth. 
 
 1 Vita Nuova XLI, 46, and sonnet 24 and sonnet V, i. 4 ; " Inguisa che da ial 
 sisvia e vannc a lei.' 
 
 2i 
 
 2D 
 
SONETTO XIII 
 
 PER gli occhifiere un spirito sotiile, 
 Che fa in la mente spirito desiare , 
 Dal qnal si muove spirito d! amare, 
 CK ogn altro spiritel si fa gentile, 
 Sentir non pub di hi spirito vile, 
 Di cotanta vertu spirito appare : 
 Questo e lo spiritel, chefa tremare 
 Lo spiritel, chefa la donna umile. 
 
 E poi da questo spirito si muove ^/ 
 Un altro dolce spirito soave, fL*>' 
 Che segue un spiritello di mercede ; 
 Lo quale spiritel spiriti piove ; 
 
 CK ha di ciascuno spirito la chiave, 
 Perforza d uno spirito, che 7 vede. 
 
 26 
 
 A 
 
 
 Concerning the source, the affects and the progeny of the little spirit of pure 
 love : 
 
 Born of the perception of beauty, he arouseth that power of the mind whence is 
 born that quality of love which ennobleth every sense and every desire ; misunder- 
 standed of base minds who comprehend not his power, he is the cause of that love 
 in woman which teacheth modesty. Thus from him is born that love in woman 
 whence is born Mercy, and from Mercy *' as a gentle rain from heaven " descend 
 those spirits which are the keys of every spirit, perforce of the one spirit which 
 seeth. 
 
 SONNET XIII 
 
 SUBTLE the spirit striking through the eyes 
 Which rouseth up a spirit in the mind 
 Whence moves a spirit unto love inchned 
 Which breeds in other sprites nobihties. 
 No turbid spirit hath the sense which sees 
 How^ greatly empowered a spirit he appeareth ; 
 He is the little breath which that breath feareth, 
 Which breedeth virginal humilities. 
 Yet from this spirit doth another move 
 Wherein such tempered sweetness rightly dwells 
 That Mercy's spirit followeth his ways, 
 And Mercy's spirit as it moves above 
 Rains down those spirits that ope all things else, 
 Perforce of One who seeth all of these. 
 
 27 
 
' 
 
 X 
 
 
 <fV cO 
 
 
 SONETTO XIV 
 
 CERTO non e da /' intelletto accolto 
 Qaelche staman tifcce cUsoncsto: 
 Or come ti mostrd mendico presto 
 II rosso spiritei die apparveal volio, 
 Sarebheforse, die /' avesse sciolto 
 
 Amor da qaella, cK e nel tondo sesto, 
 die vjl rafjciio f avesse ridiieslo 
 Afar ielieto, ov io son tristo molto? 
 Di te mi daole in mepuoi veder qaanto : 
 Che me nefiede mia donna a traverso, 
 Tagliando do, die Amor porta soave, 
 Ancor dinanzi mi e rotta la cliiave, 
 
 Che dddisdegno siio nd mio cor verso : 
 Si che amo I ira, e la trislezza, e Ipianto. 
 
 1 
 
 28 
 
 J- 
 
 s 
 
 SONNET XIV 
 
 URELY thine intellect gives no embrace 
 To him who hath bred this day's dishonestv ; 
 
 How art thou shown for beggared suddenly 
 
 
 y^^^'^}-^ 
 
 B V that red spirit showing in thy face ! 
 
 -<• 
 
 n^ 
 
 \M 
 
 w"^ 
 
 Perhaps it is some love w ithin thee breedeth 
 
 For her who s folly s circumscription, 
 
 Perhaps some baser light doth call thee on iyi^^V^ 
 
 To make thee glad where mine own grief exceedeth. 
 
 Thou art my grief, my grief to such extent "^^ "^ 
 
 That I trust not myself to meet Milady, 
 
 Starving myself of what Love sw eetest lent me 
 
 So that before my face that key 's forbent 
 
 Which her disdeign turned in my heart and made me 
 
 Suitor to wrath and sadness and lamenting. 
 
 «<%^^ 
 
 1% 
 
 
 r 
 
 At 
 
 29 
 
SONETTO XV 
 
 A VETE in voi lifiori, e la verdara, 
 /\ E CIO che lace, o e hello a verier e. 
 
 Risplendepiu.che'lsolvostrafigura, 
 
 Chi voinon vede, mainonpiio valere. 
 In questo mondo nan ha creatara 
 S\ plena di belta , ne di piacere : 
 
 E chi d' Amor temesse, f assicara .. j/v^ 
 
 Vostrobelviso, e nonpuopititemerc, x ' ^^ 
 
 Le donne, che Vifanno conipagnia 
 
 Assai mi piacen per lo vostro amore ; 
 
 Ed io le pregoper lor cortesia, 
 Che qualpiupuoie, pili vifaccia onore, 
 
 Ed aggia cara vostra signoria, 
 
 Percliedi taitesiele la migllorc. 
 
 E lo name dl nuesta donna era Glovanna, salvo che per h sua beltade secondo 
 ch' altre crede, imposio Vera nom^ Pnmavcra : e cosi era chiamata. Uanle, \ ila 
 
 V "Y V F\' 
 
 * ""crPurgatoricXXVIII. ^Qet circa; ref. - Matelda," by Adolpo Borgognoni : 
 pub. S. Lapi, Citta da Castello. 
 
 v-r^ 
 
 •>^ 
 
 SONNET XV 
 
 THOU hast in thee the flower and the green 
 And that which gleameth and is fair of sight, 
 Thy form is more resplendent than sun's sheen; 
 Who sees thee not, can ne'er know worth aright. 
 Nay, in this world there is no creature seen 
 So fashioned fair and full of all delight ; 
 Who fears Amor, and fearing meets thy mien, 
 Thereby assured, he solveth him his fright. 
 
 The ladies of whom thy cortege consisteth 
 Please me in this, that they've thy favour won; 
 I bid them now, as courtesy existeth, 
 Holding most dear thy lordship of their state, 
 To honour thee with powers commensurate, 
 Sith thou art thou, that art sans paragon. 
 
 3o 
 
 3i 
 
!;■<■. i-i-'" "■ 
 
 SONETTO XVI 
 
 A Guido Orlandi 
 
 jr A belladonna, dove Amor si mostra, 
 i J Che tanto e di valor pieno ed adorno, 
 * ^ Tragge lo cor de la persona vostra, 
 
 Eprende vita in far con lei soggiorno. 
 Perclie ha si dolce giiardia la sua chiosira, 
 
 Che ilsente in India ciascum Unicorno: 
 
 E la verth de l\armi a farvi giostra 
 
 Verso di noifacrudel riiorno . ^-^ >^ ^ ^ Jj>j 
 CK ella e per certo di si gran valenza, ' 
 
 Chegia non manca a lei cosa di bene, 
 
 Ma creatura lo creb mortale. -> ^- - ^jj^^"^'^^ 
 Poi mostra, die in cio mise provvidenza; 
 
 Cheal vostro intendimento si conviene 
 
 Far pur conoscer quel, che a lei sia tale. 
 
 
 ri^' f 
 
 A^^ 
 
 / 
 
 SONNET XVI 
 
 To Guido Orlando 
 
 THIS mostllef lady, wheredoth Love display him 
 So full of valour and so vestured bright, 
 Bids thy heart " Out l' ' He goes and none 
 
 gainsay him; 
 
 And he takes H f e with her in long delight . 
 Her cloister's guard is such that should you journey 
 To Ind you 'd see each unicorn obey it; 
 Its armed might against thee in sweet tourney 
 Gruel riposte th, thou canst not withstay it. 
 Though she be surely in her vaUiancies 
 Such that she lacks not now worth's anything 
 )C Still I believe her to be mortal creature; ^ ^ 
 Whence seems it, that (and here some foresight is) 
 If thou wert made aware of this , thou 'Idst bring 
 Her to partake somewhat of some such nature. 
 
 For the final lines Rosselli gives: 
 
 Yet she 's created for a mortal creature ; 
 In her is shown what God's providence is ; 
 Sufficeth she unto thy mind to bring 
 Knowledge of it, seeing it shares her nature. 
 
 
 <? 
 
 4,7-'^' 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 yi^' 
 
 ^ f 
 
 '^^-Afi 
 
 
 # t 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 ^^JL* 
 
 f-^L. 
 
 K^-^, 
 
 Vi~ 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
/ 
 
 SONETTO XVn 
 
 A Bernardo da Bologna 
 
 CIASCUNAfresca, edolcefonlanella 
 Prende insesmchiarezza, everlute, 
 Bernardo amico mio ; e sol da quella, 
 Che ti risposeale lue rimeacuie. 
 Perocche in quella parte ovefavcUa 
 
 Amor de la bellezze, che ha vedate. 
 Dice,chequesiagenlHcscaelclla _ 
 
 Tuite niiove adornezze ha m se compmie, 
 Avvegnache la doglia ioporii grave 
 Per lo sospiro che di me fa lame, 
 Lo coreardendo in la disfatia nave, 
 Mando io a la Pinella iin grandcfinme 
 Pienadilancie, servilo da srhinvc. 
 Belle, ed adorne di gmlU coshime. 
 
 Var. I. 2, ''prende in Liscian. 
 
 i^c h'j 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 Concerning Pinella. he replies to a sonnet by Bernardo da Bologna and 
 explains why they have sweet waters in Galicia (Liscian). 
 
 SONNET XVII 
 
 NOW every cool small spring that springeth 
 sweetly 
 
 Takes clarity and virtue in Liscian climes, 
 Bernard my friend, from one sole source, discretely : 
 'Tis she who answereth thy sharpened rimes. 
 For in that place where Love's reports are laid 
 Concerning all who to his sight are led, 
 He saith that this so gracious and fair maid 
 Hath to herself all graces gathered. 
 
 Whereas my grief in this is grown more grave 
 
 And sighs have turned me to one light and flame, 
 
 I send my burning heart, in her acclaim 
 
 Unto Pinella, upon a magic stream 
 
 Where fairies and their fair attendants gleam, 
 
 In this wrecked barque! where their show is so brave! 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
T 
 
 ■'^r-- 
 
 
 /. 
 
 S/ 0<'-.'^' 
 
 \ 
 
 
 SONETTO XVIII 
 
 T^ELTA di donna, e di saccente core, 
 H\ Ecamlieri armail die sian genii, 
 '^^^ Cantar d' augelli e ragionar d' amore, 
 
 Adorni legni in mar, forii e correnti : 
 Aria Serena, quando appar t albore, 
 E bianca nevescender senza venti, 
 Rivera d acqaa, e prato d! ognifiore, 
 Oro, e argenio, azzurro in ornamenti. 
 Cib ckepno la beltade e la mlenza^ f^^ ^^.^i*^^^ 
 
 
 De la mia Donna in siio gentil coraggio 
 
 . ^. ^ 
 
 Par, che rassembre vile a chi cio gaarda ; 
 E icinto ha pih d^ ogni altra conoscenza 
 Quanio lo cieldi qiiesta terra c maggio, 
 A simildi natura ben nan tarda. 
 
 c "y 
 
 y 
 
 SONNET XVIII 
 
 T) EAUTY of woman, of the knowing heart, 
 
 ^lA^ 
 
 ;^vvvC? 
 
 And courtly knights in bright accoutrement 
 
 And loving speeches and the small birds' art, 
 Adorned swift ships which on high seas are scut, 
 And airs grown calm when white the dawn appeareili 
 And white snow falling where no wind is bent, 
 Brook-marge and mead where every flower flareth, 
 And gold and silver and azure and ornament: , >-, ^j^ 
 
 Effective gainst all these think ye the fairness ' ^ -, ^''^' a'^ 
 And valour of my Lady's lordly daring ? () f^^ 
 
 Yea, she makes all seem base vain gathering, 
 
 And she were known above whome'er you d brnig 
 
 As much as heaven is past earth's comparing; 
 
 Good seeketh out its like with some address. \^ 
 
 36 
 
 37 
 
« 
 
 SONETTO XIX 
 
 Ik TOVELLA ti so dire, odiNerone, 
 / V/ Che i Baondelmonti trieman di paara, 
 E iutii i Fiorentin non gli assicara 
 U^ ' Vedendo che iix hai cor di Hone. 
 Epiutreman di te, che d un dragone, 
 Veggendo la taafaccia, che e si dura 
 Che non lo riterrian ponti, ne mura, 
 Ma SI la iomha del re Faraone. 
 comefai grandissimo peccato, 
 Si alto sangue volver discacciare, 
 Che tutti vanno via senza ritegno ! 
 Ma ben e ver che rallargar lo pegno, 
 Di che potresti /' anima salvare, 
 Se fussi pazienie delmercato. 
 
 I 
 
 Y 
 
 Im-^i^' 
 
 7 
 
 He suggests to his kinsman Nerone that there may be one among all the 
 Buondelmonti of whom they might in time make a man. 
 
 SONNET XIX 
 
 NEWS have I now for thee, so hear, Nerone, 
 How that the Buondelmonti shake with fear, 
 And all the Florentines can not assure them, 
 Seeing thou hast in thee the lion-heart. 
 They fear thee more than they would fear a dragon, 
 Seeing that face of thine, how set it is 
 That neither bridge nor walls could hold against it 
 Lest they were strong as is King Pharo's tomb. 
 Oh how thou dost of smoky sins the greatest 
 In that thou wouldst drive forth such haughty blood 
 Till all be gone, gone forth without retention. . 
 But sooth it is, thou might' st extend the pawn 
 Of one whose soul thou mightest give salvation 
 Wert thou more patient in thine huckstering. 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 ^t0fjm- 
 
Sta 
 
 .^M 
 
 r-<c.^ a Uuu 
 
 SOXETTOXX 
 
 L? AXIMA mm vilmcntc c shifjcdilia 
 De la batlaglia, cli clla senlc al cure : 
 Che se par si avvicina iin poro Amove ^ ^^ia, '^^ 
 Pill presto a lei che mm sorjlhi. ella muore. /] 
 
 a come qiiei, che nan haplu valore, 
 C/r e per temenza dal mio cor pariila : ^[; tl^ 
 E chi vedesse com^ ella v e fjila, -^ /, >-^_^ 
 
 Diria per cerio : questa non ha vita. 
 Per (jli occhi venue la battajlia pria, - — . 
 
 Che ruppe ogni valor immantem^rde, 
 Si che dal colpofier stratta e la mentc. 
 Qua hmqae e quel che piii allegrezza sente, 
 
 S' ei vedesse il mio spirito cjir via. 
 ' Sigrande e la piela che piamjeria. 
 
 I 
 
 SONNET XX 
 
 SO vilely is tills soul of mine confounded 
 By strife grown audible within the heart 
 That if toward her some frail Love but start 
 With unaccustomed speed, she swoons astounded. 
 
 She is as one in whom no power aboundeth; 
 Lo, she forsakes my heart throu^jh fearfulness, 
 And any seeing her, hoAv prone she is, 
 Would deem her one whom death's sure cloak 
 
 surroundeth. 
 
 Through th' eyes, as through the breach in wall, 
 
 her foes 
 Came first to attack and shattered all defense, 
 Then spoiled the mind with their down-rained blow s 
 
 Whoe'er he be who holdeth joy most close 
 Would, should he see my spirit going hence, 
 Weep for the pity and make no pretense. 
 
 Cf. Sonnet I. 
 
 
 ho 
 
 fxx 
 
 i _ 
 
 Ml 
 
 / 
 
 ^gH^gm" 
 
SONETTO XXI 
 
 rEDER potesti, qiiando voiscontrai, 
 Qiiello pauroso spiriio d Amore, 
 Lo qaal suol apparer qiuind uom si more, 
 Che in alira guim non si vede mai. 
 Eglimifuslpresso, cliepensai, 
 
 CK egli ancidesse il mio dolente core, 
 Allor si mise nel morto colore 
 L anima trista in voler traggergaai. 
 Ma poi si tenne quando vide uscire 
 
 Da gli occhi vostri an lame di mcrccde, 
 Cheporse dentro alcor una dolcezza. 
 E quel soiiile spiriio , che vede 
 
 Soccorsegliallri, che credean morire 
 Gravati di angosciosa dcholezza. 
 
 SONNET XXI 
 
 THE DHED SPIRIT 
 
 THOU mayest see, who seest me face to face. 
 That most dred spirit whom Love summoneth 
 To meet with man when a man meets with Death; 
 One never seen in any other case. 
 So close upon me did this presence show 
 That I thought he would slay my heart his dolour 
 And my sad soul clad her in the dead colour 
 That most accords the will and ways of woe. 
 Then he restrained him, seeing in true faith 
 The piteous lights forth-issue from your eyes 
 The which bore to my heart their foreign sweetness, 
 While the perceptive sense with subtle fleetness 
 Rescued those others ^ who had considered death 
 The one sure ending for their miseries. 
 
 1 The senses or the spirits of the senses. 
 
 h 
 
 43 
 
SONETTO XXII 
 
 A Dante AUghieri 
 
 W'T^EDESTIal mioparere ogni valore 
 m/ E tatto gioco, e qimnto bene nam sentc, 
 Se fasti inpruova dclsignor vdlentc, 
 Che siqnoreggia il mondo de f onore ; 
 Pol vive in parte, dove noianmore, 
 E tien ragion ne laphdosa mente ; 
 Si va soave ne sonni a la gente, 
 Che i cor ne porta sanza far dolore. 
 Di voi la cor se ne portb, veggendo, 
 Che vostra donna la niorte chiedca : 
 \odrilla d' esto cor, di cio temendo. 
 Qii.anto f apparve, che sen g\a dogliendo. 
 Fa dolce sonno, ch' allor si rowpiea, 
 Che 1 sao contrario lo venia vinccndo. 
 
 In Vita NunvA III. Dante writes: "Many replied to this=onnct (.1 cias'^nn 
 alfn-i pres'i, f 'i''ntil '-orr ) with varying int('r[)relali()ns ; ani.ui^' those who rc[)lir-(l 
 wa> liP whom 1 call flr-t of my friends; he wrote at that time a sonnet which 
 bcL'an : 
 
 ' I'cdesti al mio parcre ogni valore/ 
 And this was, as it were, the inception of tlie friendship l)etween us, when he 
 learned that I was the one who had sent him this (sonnet)." 
 
 T 
 
 SO.NNET XXII 
 
 To Dante, In answer lo the first sonnet of the Vita Nuova. 
 
 HOU sawest, It seems to me, all things availing. 
 And every joy that ever good man feelelh. ^ 
 Thou wast in proof of that lord valorous 
 
 ♦ U L _1 1 11.. 
 
 ^^ ho through sheer honour lords it o'er the world . 
 ThouHvest in a place where baseness dieth, 
 And holdest reason in the piteous mind: 
 So gently move the people in this sleep 
 That the heart bears it 'thout the feel of ^rief . 
 
 Love bore away thy heart, because in his sight 
 Was Death grown clamorous for one thou lovest, 
 Love fed her with thy heart in dread of this, 
 Then, w hen it seemed to thee he left in sadness, 
 A dear dream was it which was there completed 
 Seemg it contrary came conquering. 
 
 seeot/aSote:''' " "" ''^he true significance of the dream was not then 
 
 k 
 
 ^^ 
 
 45 
 
SONETTO XXm 
 
 Al Medesimo 
 
 /O vengo il giorno a te infinite volte, 
 E trovoti pensar troppo vilmente : 
 Molto mi dnolde la gentil taa mente, 
 Ed' assai tue virtii, che tison tolte. 
 Solevati spiacer persone molte ; 
 Tuttorfuggivi la noiosa gente : 
 Di me parlavi si coralemente, 
 Cite tutte le tue rime avea accolte. 
 Or non mi ardisco, per la vil taa vita. 
 
 Far dimostranza, che I tao dir mipiaccia ; 
 Ae n gima vegno a te che la mi I'cggi. 
 Se l presente sonetto spesso Icggi 
 Lo spirito noioso, che ticaccia, 
 Sipartira da I anima invilita. 
 
 SONNET XXIII 
 
 To Dante, rebuking him for his way of hfe after the death of Beatrice. 
 
 I DAILY come to thee uncounting times 
 And find thee ever thinking over vilely; 
 Much doth it grieve me that thj noble mind 
 And virtue's plenitude are stripped from thee; 
 
 Thou wast so careless in thy fine ofTendinn-, 
 Who from the rabble al way held apart, 
 And spoke of me so straightlj from the'heart 
 That I gave w^elcome to thine every rime. 
 
 And now I care not, sith thy life is baseness 
 
 To give the sign that thy speech pleaseth me, 
 
 Nor come I to thee in guise visible, 
 
 Yet if thou 'It read this sonnet many a time, 
 
 That malign spirit which so hunteth thee 
 
 Will sound forloyn ' and spare thy affrighted soul. 
 
 » The recall of the hounds. 
 
 46 
 
 47 
 
s 
 
 
 
 SOXETTO XXIV 
 
 A I Medesimo 
 
 fEvedlAmore, assaitiprego, Dante, 
 In parte , la ' I'c Lappa sia presen te , 
 Che nan ti gravi dipor 67 la mente, 
 Che mi riscrivi, s^ egli il chlama amante : 
 * E se la donna g U sern bra aitan tc , .^.^ . /-< 
 
 L <xJ^ i^ ^AS^^^'^^l(^di parer screcnlc : 
 Che moltefiate cosifatta gente 
 Saolper gravezza d'Amorfar senihiante : 
 Tu sai che ne la carte, la ove re ana 
 \ Aonpuoservireuonio, che sia vile ^ 
 A donna, che la denlro sia iterdata : , , J^^J^'^stL 
 be la soffrenza lo servente aiuta, 
 
 Paoi di leggier conoscer nostra stile ^ 
 Lo qaale porta di mercede insajna. 
 
 ^ 
 
 48 
 
 \i 
 
 SONNET XXIV 
 
 DANTE, I pray thee, if thou Love discover 
 In any place w^here Lappo Gianni is, — 
 If 't irk thee not to move thy mind in this, 
 Write me these answered: Doth he style him 
 
 "Lover?"; 
 And , " Doth the lady seem as one approvin ^ ? " ; 
 And, ' 'xMakes he show of service with fair skill ?'" 
 For many a time folk made as he is, will 
 
 To assume importance, make a show of lovin 
 
 < 
 
 
 ^ 1 
 
 y<J^ 
 
 
 Thou know'st that in that court where Love puts on 
 
 His royal robes, no vile man can be servant 
 
 To any lady who were lost therein; 
 
 If servant's sufFring doth assistance win, 
 
 Our siTle„couId show unto the least observant, 
 
 It beareth mercy for a gonfalon. 
 
 49 
 
cy t * 
 
 SONETTO XXV 
 
 ^^^UARDAy Manetto, quella sgrignidazza, 
 M jr Epon ben mente com e sfigurata, 
 E come brutiamente e divisata, 
 
 E quel che par, quarter ella si raggruzza. 
 Esella fosse vestita d' un uzza 
 
 Con cappellina e di vel soggolata , 
 
 E apparisse di di accompagnata 
 
 U alcuna bella donna gentiluzza, 
 Tu non avresti iniquita s\ forte, 
 
 Ne tania angoscia, o tormento d' amore, 
 
 Ne SI rinvolto di malinconia, 
 Che tu nonfossi a rischio de la morte 
 
 Di tanto rider, che aprirebbe it core, 
 
 tu morresti, ofuggiresti via. 
 
 He is in part parodvlng Guido Guinicelll's technically questionable sonnet, 
 Chi vedesse a Lucia un var capuzzo.'^ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 5o 
 
 nl 
 
 SONNET XXV 
 
 "Hoot Zah 111" 
 
 GOME, come Manetto, look upon this scarecrow 
 And setjour mind upon its deformations, 
 Compute th' extent of its sad aberrations , 
 Say what it looks like where she scarcely dare go! 
 
 Nay, were she in a cloak most well concealed 
 And snugly hooded and most tightly veiled 
 If, by her, daylight should once be assailed 
 Though by some noble woman partly healed, 
 
 Still you could not be so sin-laden or quite 
 
 So bound by anguish or by love's abstractions 
 
 Nor so enwrapped in naked melancholy 
 
 But you were brought to deathly danger, solely 
 
 By laughter, till your sturdy sides grew fractions, 
 
 ' Struth you were dead, or sought your hfe in flight, 
 
 % 
 % 
 
 I 
 
 ■ I 
 
 'i 
 
 «|r 
 
 5i 
 
(y(M 
 
 SOXETTO XXVI 
 
 V IMAGIN MOHTA 
 
 CERTO mie rime a te mandar vogllendo 
 Del grave stato quale il mio cor porta, 
 Amor m' apparve in an imagin morta, 
 Edisse : Xon mandar, cK io ii rispendo. 
 Pero che se /' amico e quel, cJi io infendo, 
 E'non avra gia si la mente accorta, 
 CKudendo la ingiuriosa cosa, e torta, 
 Cfi io iifo sojjrir tntiora ardendo, 
 Temo nonprenda talc smarrimcnto, 
 
 Che avanti, che udiio abbia taapcsanza, 
 Xon si diparta da la vita it core. 
 Etu conosci ben, cli io sono Amorc, 
 E cK io ti lascio qaesta mia semlnnnza, 
 Eportone ciascan tiiopcnsaniento. 
 
 Note : To liim who understands it this is the most terrihle of all the sonnets. 
 
 ^ 
 
 SONNET XXVI 
 
 OF LOVE m A DEAD VISION 
 
 NAY, when I would have sent my verses to ihee 
 1 o saj how harshly my heart is oppressed, 
 Love m an ashen vision manifest 
 Appeared and spake : ' ' Say not that I foredo thee, 
 
 For though thy friend he he I understand 
 
 He will not yet have his mind so enured 
 
 But that to hear of all thou hast endured, 
 
 Of that hlare flame that hath thee 'neath its hand, 
 
 Would hlear his mind out. Verily heforc ! 
 
 lea he were dead, heart, life, ere he should hear 
 
 1 o the last meaning of the portent wrought. 
 
 And thou ; thou knowest well I am Amor 
 \\ ho leave with thee mine ashen likeness here 
 And hear away from thee thine every thought " 
 
 03 
 
 53 
 
SONETTO XXVII 
 
 ry) lOfossi qixello, che d Amor fa degno, 
 ^\ Del qml non trovo sol che rimenibranza, 
 ^^^ E la donna tenesse altra sembianza, 
 
 Assai mi piaceria sifaito segno. 
 Eta, che se de I amoroso regno 
 La onde di merce nasce speranza, 
 Bigaarda, se 7 mio spirito ha pesanza, 
 CJi an presto arcier di lui ha f alio segno ; 
 E tragge I arco. che li tese Amore 
 S\ lieiamenie. che la saa persona 
 Par che di giaoco porti signoria. 
 Or odi maraviglia. ch' ellafia, 
 Lo spirito fedito liperdona 
 Vedendo^che listrugge ilsao valor e. 
 
 SONNET XXVII 
 
 WERE I that I that once was worthy of Love 
 (Of whom I find naught now save the 
 
 remembrance) 
 And if the lady had another semblance, 
 Then would this sort of sign please me enough. 
 
 Do thou, who art from Love's clear realm returned, 
 V^ here Mercy giveth birth to hopefulness, 
 Judge as thou canst from my dim mood's distress 
 What bowman and what target are concerned. 
 
 Straining his arc, behold Amor the bowman 
 
 Draweth so gaily that to see his face 
 
 You 'd say he held his rule for merriment, 
 
 Yet hear what's marvelous in all intent : 
 
 The smitten spirit pardoneth his foeman 
 
 W hich pardon doth that foeman's power debase. 
 
 Anyone who can, from the text as it stands, discern what happens to whom in 
 the final lines of this sonnet, is at liberty to emend my translation. 
 
 o\ 
 
 f< 
 
 00 
 
 / 
 
►?<T3- 
 
 , rn^v^'i:^^-- 
 
 %1 
 
 .^ft-^ 
 
 SONETTO XXVIH 
 
 TT TN amoroso sgnardo spiritale " 
 
 / / M' harinovato Amor ianto piaccnte, 
 
 7^ Che asscd piu che non siwlc uomo, m' asscdc, 
 
 E\l apeftsctr mi stringe coralmcnte 
 Ver la mia donna, verso cm non vale 
 
 Merce, nepieta, ne esscr soffrcnie, 
 
 Chesovenf oremi dapena Ode, 
 
 Che ^npoca parte U cor la vda senie. 
 Ma qwindo senio, che si dolce sijiiardo 
 
 Per mezzo cjli occhipassh deniro al core, 
 
 E posevi imo spirito di jioia , 
 Difarnc a lei merce giammai non tarda ; 
 
 Cosl pregata fosse ella (/' Amore 
 
 Che unpo di pieta nonfusse noia. 
 
 ■^■-^ 
 
 SONNET XXYIII 
 
 A LOVE-LIT glance with living powers fraught 
 Renewed within me love's extreme delight, 
 So love assails me with unwonted might, 
 And cordially he driveth me in thought 
 Towards mj lady with whom vaileth not 
 Mercy nor pity nor the suffering wrought, 
 So oft and great, her torments on me fall 
 That my heart scarce can feel his life at all. 
 
 Rut when I feel that her so sweet regard 
 Passeth mine eyes and to the heart attaineth 
 Setting to rest therein spirits of joy, 
 Then do I give her thanks and without retard ; 
 Love asked her to do this, and that explaineth 
 Why this first pity doth no annoy. 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 57 
 
1/ 
 
 SONETTO XXIX 
 
 A Dante Alighieri 
 
 T^ANTE, un sospiro messagger del core 
 JrJ Sabitamente m assali dormendo ; 
 Ed io mi disvegliai allor temendo, 
 
 Ched egli foss e in compagnia d' Amore : 
 Poi mi girai, e mdi ilservitore 
 
 Di Mom Lagia, che veniadicendo, 
 
 Aiatimipietd, si che dicendo 
 
 Io presi dipieta tanto mlore. 
 CK io giunsi Amore, che ajfilava i dardi : 
 
 Allor Io domandai del sno tormento, 
 
 Ed elli mi rispose in questa guisa : 
 Di alservente, che la donna e presa, 
 
 E tengola per far sno piacimento, 
 
 Ese crede, di che agti occhigmirdi. 
 
 A> 
 
 .'^"^X 
 
 SONNET XXIX 
 
 DANTE, a sigh, that's the heart's messenger 
 Assailed me suddenly as I lay sleeping, 
 Aroused, I fell straightway into fear's keeping, 
 For Love came with that sigh as curator. 
 
 And I turned straight and saw the servitor 
 Of Monna Lagia, who came there a-crying, 
 ' ' Ah pity ! Aid me ! " and at this his sighing 
 I took from Pity this much power and more. 
 
 That I found Love a-filing javelins 
 And asked him of both torment and solution, 
 And in this fashion came that Lord's replies : 
 ' ' Say to the servant that his service wins . 
 He holds the Lady to his pleasure won . 
 If he d believe it, let him watch her eyes." 
 
 rvt-^^^ 
 
 J 
 
 >V7"/r X 
 
 58 
 
 59 
 
l/' 
 
 SONETTO XXX 
 
 /O temo, che la mia disaiwentara 
 Xonfacciasl cli io dica : lo mi dispero : 
 Perb cli io sento nel cor an pensiero, 
 Che fa tremar la mentc dipaara. 
 Epar cli' ei dica : Amor non ( assicura 
 In fjaisa die ta possa di lecpjiero 
 A la iwi donna si contare il vero,^ 
 Che morte non ti powja in saajijura. 
 De la (jran doglia, che i anima senle. 
 Si park da lo core an hd sospiro, 
 Che vadicendo : Spiriieijwjifde^ 
 Alhr naif aonu che sia pietosa, miro, 
 Che consolasse mia vitadolente, 
 Dicendo: Spiritei, nonvipartUe. 
 
 A. C. S. Triumph of Time. Cf. stanza 3o, 1. 7-8. 
 
 (^ CA^ 
 
 I 
 
 SONNET XXX 
 
 I FEAR me lest unfortune's counter thrust 
 Pierce through my throat and rip out my despair. 
 I feel my heart and that thought shaking there 
 Which shakes the aspen mind with his distrust, 
 Seeming to say, ' 'Love doth not give thee ease 
 So that thou canst, as of a little thing, 
 Speak to thy Lady with full verities, 
 For fear Death set thee in his reckonins- 
 
 By the chagrin that here assails my soul 
 My heart 's partured of a sigh so great 
 It cryeth to the spirits : ' ' Get ye gone ! " 
 And of all piteous folk I come on none 
 Who seeing me so in my grief's control 
 Will aid hy saying e'en : ' ' Nay, Spirits, wait ! ' 
 
 4 
 
 /> 
 
 y 
 
 r-* 
 
 lA 
 
 JP 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 60 
 
 61 
 
) 
 
 SOXETTO XXXI 
 
 OTUchepnrti nc fjl'i occhi sovente 
 Amor tenendo ire saelte in mtino, 
 Qiiesio mio spirto, die vicn di lontano 
 Ti raccoDianda I anima dolcnte: 
 La final ha giajernta nc la mcnle 
 Di due saette /' arcier soriano, 
 Ea la ierza apre f area, ma s) piano. 
 Che non ni aipjinnfie, essendotipresente 
 Perrhe saria de f ahnn hi salute, 
 
 Che quasi (jiace infra le membra morta 
 Di due saette, che fan treferafe. 
 La prima dapiacere e disconforta, 
 E la seconda desui la virtale 
 De la gran gioia, che la terza porta. 
 
 A c<^ 
 
 62 
 
 SONNET XXXI 
 
 YOU, who within your eyes so often carry 
 That Love who holdeth in his hand three arrows. 
 Behold my spirit, by his far-brought sorrows. 
 Commends to you a soul whom hot griefs harry. 
 
 A mind thrice wounded she ^ already hath. 
 By this keen archer's Syrian shafts twice shot. 
 The third, less tautly drawn, hath reached me not, 
 Seeing your presence is my shield 'gainst wratli. 
 
 let this third shot had made more safe my soul, 
 
 \^'ho almost dead beneath her members lies ; 
 
 For these two arrows give three wounds in all : ^ 
 
 The first : delight, which payeth pain his toll ; 
 
 The second brings desire for the prize 
 
 Of that great joy which with the third doth i'^all. 
 
 ^ ' i.e. TheSoul. Ihavekepttheltaliangenderlnthosefewsonnctsvvherethore 
 IS no danger of confusing -her," the soul, with the subjects of other feminine 
 pronouns. 
 
 C3 
 
 Zm&Z 
 
J 
 
 SONETTO XXXII 
 
 ^yE non a caggia la tna Santalena 
 ^\ Gia per lo colto tra le dure zolle, 
 
 E venga a man di qaalche villanjolk, 
 
 Che la stropicci e rendalati appena ; 
 Dimmi, se 'Ifruito die la terra mena, 
 
 Xasce di secco, di caldo o di molle : 
 
 E quale 'Ivento, cite fammorta, e iolle ; 
 
 E di che nebbia la tempesta e plena? 
 Ese a place, qwindo la mattina 
 
 Odi la voce del lamraiore, 
 
 E 7 iramazzar delt alira suafamigUa? 
 lo hopercerlo, die se la Deliina 
 
 Porta soave spirito nel core, 
 
 Del naovo acqaisio spesso ii riplglia. 
 
 SONNET XXXII 
 
 * Tc» Cecco 
 
 IF Santalena does not come unto you 
 Down in the plow-Iands where \he clods are hard, 
 But falls into the hands of some hot clod-pole 
 Who '11 wear her out and hardly then return her ; 
 Then tell me if the fruit which this land beareth 
 Is born of drought or heat or from the dampness , 
 And say what wind it is doth blight and wither 
 And which doth bring the tempest and the mist. 
 
 Say if it please you when at break of morning 
 You hear the farmer's workman bawlin<>- out 
 And all his family meddling in the noise?^ 
 
 Egad ! I think that if your sweet Bettina 
 
 Beareth a mellow spirit in her heart 
 
 She 11 rescue you once more from your last choice. 
 
 6/i 
 
 6, 
 
\ 
 
 ; 
 
 SOXETTO XXXIII 
 
 MORTE cjeniil rimedio de caftivi 
 Mercc, merci\ a man giunte ti rliiefjrjio,^ 
 ]'u'mmia vedcre, oprend'uni, cite peg gio 
 Mi face Amor, die mieispirili vivi 
 Son constiimati e spend, si cfie (jiuih, 
 Dov 10 stava fjioioso , orain avveggio 
 In parte lasso la, dov h) passeggio, 
 Pene, e dolor, e ^npianto vnol ch arrivi 
 E molto maggior mal, a esser pin pnote 
 Morie or e il tempo, ehe valer mi puoi 
 Di tor mi da le man di tal nimico. 
 Aime lasso, qnante volte dico : 
 
 Amor, perche fai mal sol pare a tnoi, 
 Coni fa qael de I' inferno, che percaote? 
 
 SONNET XXXIII 
 
 WITH DEATH 
 
 DEATH who art hau <?ht, the wretched's remedy 
 Orace! (irace! hands joined I do beseech it thee, 
 
 ^ ^o^ye, see and conquer for worse thhi-s on me 
 
 Are launched hy love. My senses that did hve, 
 
 Consumed are and quenched, and e'en in this place 
 
 VV here I was galliard, now I see that I am 
 
 Fallen away, and where my steps I misplace, 
 
 r all pam and grief ; to open tears I nigh am. 
 
 And greater ills He 'd send if greater may be. 
 
 Sweet Death, now is the time thou may st avail me 
 
 And snatch me from His hand's hostility. 
 
 Ah woe ! how oft I cry ' ' Love tell me now : 
 
 \S hy dost thou ill only unto thine own, 
 
 Like him of hell who maketh the damned groan ? " 
 
 66 
 
 67 
 
 a^jat .iEMi.'-^^.^-'^. -^sM^Ji:- . 
 
) 
 
 SOXETTO XXXIV 
 
 A MORE, e Mona L(uji(i, c Guido, ed io 
 
 j^ Possiam ben rinrjraziare an Ser cosUdy 
 Che n ha partiti sapete da cat ? 
 Xol I'o' contarper averh in oblio. 
 
 Poi qacsti tre piii non v' hanno disio ; 
 C/t' eranserventi dital (jaisa in lid, 
 Che veraniente pill di lor non fid, 
 Immaginando, cK elli fosse Iddio. 
 
 Sia ringraziato Amor, die se ne accorse 
 Primieramenle, poi la donna saggia, 
 Che in quel panto li riiolse ilcore. 
 
 E Guido ancor, che n e del taiiofire, 
 Ed io ancor, che 'n saa viriate caggia ; 
 Sepoi mipiacqae, non si credef)rse. 
 
 10 
 
 SONNET XXXIV 
 
 A MORE and Mona Lagla and Guido and I 
 Can give true thanks unto Ser Such-a-onu 
 \^ ho hath now ridded us of Know-you-vvho ? 
 1 11 name no name for I 'd have it forgotten. 
 And these three people have no vvisif for it 
 Though thej were servants to him in such wise 
 That they, in sooth, could not have served him more 
 Had thej mistaken him for God himself. 
 
 Let Love he thanked who was first made aware. 
 
 And then give thanks unto the prudent ladv 
 
 VV ho at Love's instance hath called back her heart ; 
 
 Then thanks to Guido' w ho 's not here concerned 
 
 And to me too who drove him back to virtue, 
 
 If then he please me, think it not perchance. 
 
 ^ i. e. Guido Orlando. 
 
 68 
 
 69 
 
h 
 
 ) 
 
 SOXETTO WW 
 
 'AVI figura de la donna mia 
 S' adora Gaido, a San Michele in Orto, 
 Che d'l bellasenibianza, oncsta c pia, 
 De peccatori e refugio e conforlo : 
 
 U 
 
 E quale a lei divoto s' ainilia 
 
 Chi pill languisce, piu n ha di conforlo : 
 Gf infermisana. i demon caccia via, 
 Egli occhi orbatifa vedere scorto. 
 
 Sana inpiibblico loco gran langiiori: 
 Con reverenza la genie i inchina ; 
 Due luminara f adornan dijaori. 
 
 La voceva per lontane cammina ; 
 
 Ma dicon, cK e idolatra, i Era }rinori. 
 Per invidia, che non e lor vicina. 
 
 SONNET XXXV 
 
 To Guido Orlando 
 in "geTuf '' '^"' '^'"""^"' '^ '^'' '"'^^"""^ '^ ^' S^° ^^^^^^^^' ^y telling ^v hose 
 
 MY Lady's face it is they worship there. 
 At Sail Michele in Orto, Guido mine, 
 Near her fair semhlance that is clear and holy 
 Smners take refuge and get consolation. 
 Whoso hefore her kneeleth reverently 
 No longer wasteth but is comforted -/ • 
 
 The sick are healed and devils driven forth, 
 And those with crooked eyes see straightway straight. 
 Great dls she cureth in an open place, 
 W ith reverence the folk all kneel unto her, 
 And two lamps shed the glow abouther form. 
 Her voice is borne out through far-lying ways 
 Till brothers minor cry : " Idolatry " 
 For envy of her precious neighborhood. 
 
 70 
 
i 
 
 MADRIGALB 
 
 OClECOmondo. di Insinghc piciuK 
 Mortal velcfio c cinscnn tiio dilvih>, 
 Fallare e iiwn d^ in'janni e cun Si>sinll< 
 Folic e adiu cite it addrizzn dfrcno, 
 Qiiandopcr men die wdla ^//a'/ henjierde. 
 Che sovra (Xjii alira Amor luce e sta verdc. 
 Pero fjia mai di te colnl non ciiri , ^ 
 Che 'Ifralto viioUjnsiar didolcifmri. 
 
 MADFIK^AL 
 
 O WORLD .rone Lliml and full of fal^e deceits. 
 Deadly 's the poison with thyjovs conneried, 
 IreaelieiTMis thou, and guileful and suspected 
 Snro lie is mad w ho for th v checks retreats 
 
 And for scant nothinir looseth that 
 
 \\ hicli over-gleans all other lovel 
 
 I green prize 
 
 mess : 
 
 ^^ herefore the wise man scorns thee at all hours 
 W hen lie would taste the fruit of pleasant flowers. 
 
 7'^ 
 
 73 
 

 [I! 
 
 i 
 
 fl 
 
 ) 
 
 , ( 
 
 *1 
 
 BALL AT A I 
 
 POICHE di doglia cor convicn cli lo porti, 
 E senta di piacere ardcntcfoco, 
 Che di virtu mi irwjrje a si ml loco ; 
 Diro come hoperduto ogni mlorc. 
 lo dico, die miei spiriti son morii, 
 E 7 cor, cfi ha tanta giierra e vitapoco: 
 E se non fosse che 7 morir m' e gioco, 
 Fare' ne di pietd piangere Amore : 
 Ma per lofolle tempo, che m' ha giimto, 
 Mi cangio di miaferma opinione 
 In altrai condizione; 
 
 Si cK io non mostro, qiianf i sento ajjanno, 
 La ond' io ricevo inganno : 
 Chedentroda lor cor mipassaamanza, 
 Che se ne porta tutta mia speranza . 
 
 / 
 
 J 
 
 tA 
 
 BALLATA I 
 
 SITU need hath bound my heart in hands n( <:vu^{\ 
 _ bith I turn flame in pleasure's safTVon lire, "^ 
 I snig h(3w I lost a treasure by desire 
 And left all virtue and am low descended. 
 
 I tell, with senses dead, what scant relief 
 My heart from war hath in his life's small might. 
 Nay ! were not death turned pleasure in m v slight 
 Then Love would weep to see me so offended.^ 
 
 Yet, fori 'm come upon a madder season, 
 
 The firm opinion which I held of late 
 
 Stands in a changed state, 
 
 And I show not how much my soul is grieved 
 
 There w here I am deceived 
 
 Smce through my heart midway a mistress w ent 
 
 And in her passage all mine hopes were spent. 
 
 r 
 
 \ji.^ 
 
 Note : This is not rcaily a ballata but is the first stanza of a lost canzon. one 
 mentioned by Dante in the D.V.E. u^eu., one 
 
 
 .o 
 
 \' 
 
 c^ 
 
BALL AT A II 
 
 /O vidi donne con hi donna mia : 
 Xon die ninna mi scnibnisse donna ; 
 Ma sirn'ujliavan sol la sua onibria. 
 Old wm la lodo, se non perrli' e 7 vcro 
 E non biasimo allra'i, sc m' inlendctc : 
 Ma ratjionando niaovesi un pensicro 
 A dir : Tosto, miei spiriti, morrdc, 
 Crade'u se me veggendo non pianfjetc ; 
 Che siando nelpenslcr gli occlii fan via 
 A lagrime del cor, che non la oblia. 
 
 L 
 
 BALLATA II 
 
 ADIES Isa>v a-passing where she passed 
 ^ot that they seemed as ladies to mv ^isi„n 
 
 \\ ho were hke nothing save her shadow 
 
 cast 
 
 I praise her in no cause save verity's 
 
 None other dispraise, if ye comprehend me 
 
 A spirit moveth speaking prophecies 
 
 toretelhng: Spirits mine, swift death shall end ve 
 
 t-rue ! if seeing me no tears forelend ye ' ' 
 
 b.th hut the being in thought sets wide mine eves 
 
 1- or sobbmg out my heart's full memories " ' 
 
 i 
 
 76 
 
 77 
 
BALL AT A in 
 
 C^E ni haidel tutto obliato mercedc, 
 J ^ Gia perofede il cor noAi abhandona ; 
 
 Anzi nujiona diservire a (jnilo 
 Al dispiet(do core, . .^!* 
 
 E qnalclh sente^similme nan crcde, 
 Ma clii tal cede ? certo non persona : 
 Cli Amor mi dona iino spirito in sao stato, 
 Che fhjurato more : 
 
 Clie'piando (piel placer mi stringc ianio. 
 Cite lo sospir si mova, 
 Par, che nel cor mi piova 
 L'n dolce Amors} haono, 
 Cli' io dico: Donna, lutlo vostro sono. 
 
 BALLATA III 
 
 THO' all thy piteous mercy fall away 
 Not for thy failing shall my laith so (nil, 
 1 hat f aith speaks on of services unpaid 
 1 o the unpitied heart. 
 
 What that heart feeleth ? Ye believe me not 
 H ho sees such things? Surely no one at all, 
 tor Love me gives a spirit on his part 
 Who dieth if portrayed. 
 
 Thence when that pleasure so assaileth me, 
 
 And tJie sighmg faileth me, 
 
 Within my heart a rain of love descendeth 
 
 bo fragrantly, so purely 
 
 That I cry out, ' ' Lady, thou hold'st me surely ! " 
 
 h\ 
 
 73 
 
 9 
 
 
fi^ 
 
 BALLATA IV 
 
 r'EDETE. cli 10 son iiru cite vo piancjcndo, 
 E (lunostnindo il giiidhio if Aniorc ; 
 E <jia Jvni Irovo s} incioso core , 
 Che me ijiuirdnndo una volla sosfdri. 
 iKoveda ({n'jlia m e nelcov vcnnfa, 
 La qaal niifa (hdere e inawjer forte ; 
 Es[>esse volte avvien, clie misalata 
 Tanlo d' apjjresso f anijosciosa morte, 
 Che fa in quel panto le persone accorte, 
 Che dirono infra lor : Qnesti ha dolore ; 
 E (jia secondo che ne par difore, 
 Dovrebhc dent ro aver naovi martiri. 
 
 Ones la pesanza di e nel cor disc esa, 
 Ila cerli spiritei gia consaniati, 
 
 I quail eran venati per difesa 
 
 Del cor dolenfe. che (jli area chiamati : 
 Qnesti lasciaro gli occhiabbandonati, 
 Qnando passb ne la menle an ronwre, 
 
 II qaal dicea: Dentro bilta, che more; 
 Macjiiarda, che bilta non vi si miri. 
 
 So 
 
 W 
 
 BALLATA IV 
 
 EEPIXG yc see me, in Griefs compaiiy, 
 One sliovvfng forth Love's jurisdiction.' 
 01 pity-slirouded liearts I lind not one 
 
 _ ^^ iio siglietlj , seeing me disconsolate. 
 
 New is the grief tliat 's come upon my heart, 
 And mournful is the press of mj deep si"hs, 
 And oft Deatli greeleth me, hy tricksome art 
 Drawn close upon me with his agonies, 
 lea close, drau n close till everj dullard sees ; 
 I hear their murmuring, "How grief hath bent 
 " Ihis man! And we from the apparent testament, 
 ' ' Deem stranger torments in him sublimate. " 
 
 Wit^hin my Iieart this grievous weight descended 
 Math slam that band of spirits which was bent 
 Heartward. that th' heart might by them be defended 
 V\_hcn the sad heart had summoned them ihev 'dleft 
 Mme eyes of every other guard bereft 
 Till Rimiour, courier through the mind, ran cryln-^ 
 ' 'Beauty within, Oyez ! Within, is dying, " ^ ' 
 
 "On guard lest Beauty see your present stale ! '" 
 
 8 
 
 )! 
 
 j. 
 
 ^ i 
 
 s ' 
 
 1 
 
 •* ; 
 
 ..*! 
 
/ 
 
 ./ 
 
 / 
 
 BALL AT A V 
 
 FEGGIO ne gli occhi de la donna mm 
 in lame pien di spiriti d' A more, 
 Che portano an placer novo nelcore, 
 Si che vi desia d allegrezza vikt. 
 
 Cosa m' aiwien, qaand io lesonpresenie, 
 Cli I non laposso a lo ^nteUetto dire : 
 Veder mi par de le sue labbia iiscire 
 Una SI bella donna, che la mentc 
 Comprender non la pad che ^mmantenente 
 Ne nasce an altra di bellezza nova : 
 Da la qaal par, cli ana slella si mova, 
 E dica : Taa salale e dipartila . 
 
 La dove qaesta bella donna appare 
 5' ode ana voce, che le vien davanti, 
 Epar, che d umilta Usao nomecanti 
 S\ dolcemente, che s io 7 I'o' contare, 
 Sento che 7 sao valor mi fa tremare ; 
 E movonsi ne I' anima sospiri, 
 Che dicon : Gaarda , se ta costei miri, 
 Vedrai la saa virtu ncl del salita. 
 
 82 
 
 BALLATA V 
 
 LIG HT do I see within my Lady's eyes 
 And lovnig spirits in its plenisphere 
 
 Till T ^^'''"^'^r^^'lf ^"S^ delight on my h 
 1 ill Joj s awakened from that sepulchre: 
 
 That which befalls me in my Lady's presence 
 liars explanations mtellectual, 
 I seem to see a lady wonderful' 
 Forth issue from Her lips, one whom no sense 
 Lan fully tell the mind of and one whence 
 Another fair, swift born, moves marvelous 
 1^ rom whom a star goes forth and speaketh thus • 
 ' Lo, thy salvation is gone forth from thee. " 
 
 There where this Lady's loveliness appeareth, 
 There s heard a voice which goes before her wa vs 
 And seems to smg her name with such sweet praise 
 Ihat my mouth fears to speak what name she beareth 
 
 Andmyhearttremblesforthegracesheweareth, ' 
 V\ tu le far in my soul's deep the sighs astir 
 
 bpeak thus : -Look well ! For if thou look on her 
 1 lien stialt thou see her virtue risen in heaven , ' ' 
 
 Vid. Introduction. 
 
 83 
 
 n 
 
 
 =i'' 
 
 
 1 
 
 
i 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 BALL AT A VI 
 
 f A forte, e nova m'la disavvcntara 
 g J \L ha disfatto nel core 
 
 (Jijni dolcepensier, cli^ /' avca r/' Amore 
 
 Dlsfaita m ha (jia ianto dc la vita, 
 Che la gentilpiaeevol donna niia 
 Da r anima distrulta 5' e partita : 
 Si cK io non veggio ll , dov ella sia : 
 Non e rimasa in me tanta balla, 
 CK iodelosaovaJore 
 Possa comprender ne la nientefiore . 
 
 Men, che m' uccide an si gentil pensiero, 
 Che par, che dica, cJi io mai non la veggia, 
 Qaesto tormento dispieiato efiero , 
 Che straggendo ni incende ed amareggia : 
 Trovar nonposso, a cuipietate chieggia, 
 Mercediquelsignore, 
 Che gira la f or tana del dolor e. 
 
 Pien dogni angoscia in loco di panra 
 Lo spirito dal cor dolentc giace, 
 Per lafortana,che di me non cnra, 
 CK ha vdlta morte dove assai nu spiace ; 
 
 [Eda 
 
 a 
 
 8i 
 
 T 
 
 BALLATA M 
 
 IIE harshness of my strange and new mJsvenfuro 
 liath HI my mmd distrau^dit 
 The wonted fragrance of love's everj thought. 
 
 Already is my hfe in such part shaken 
 1 hat she, my gracious lady of dehght, 
 Hath lelt mj soul most desolate forsaken 
 And e'en the place she was, is gone from sight • 
 And there rests not within me so much mi^ht ' 
 That my mmd can reach forth ^ 
 
 To comprehend the llower of her worth. 
 
 This noble thought is come well winged with death, 
 
 iNamely, that I shall ne'er see her a>>-ain, 
 
 And this harsh torment, with no pi?j frau^rht, 
 
 Increaseth bitterness and in its strain ^ 
 
 I cry, and (ifuI none to attend my pain 
 
 While for the flame I feel, 
 
 I thank thatlord who turns griefs fortune wheel. 
 
 Full of all anguish and within Fear's gates 
 The spirit of my heart lies sorrowfulfy, 
 Thanks to that Fortune who my fortune hates, 
 \^ ho 'th spun death's lot where'it most irketh me 
 
 I 
 
 [And 
 
 85 
 
 . 4 
 
 l*K5SS5SaCE53d 
 
'^IRSBSSBSSSSftM 
 
 / 
 
 Eda speranza cK c statafallacc. 
 Xel tempo, die si nu^re, 
 3/' ha faiio perder dilettevoli ore. 
 Parole mie disfaiie e paurose, 
 Dove digir vi place ve n andate. 
 Ma sempre sospirando, e verfjorjnose 
 Lo nome de la mia donna cliiamate : 
 lo pur rmamp in tanta avversit(de, 
 Che qaal mira di fore 
 Vede la morte soiio 7 mio colore. 
 
 And given hope that 's ta'en in treachery, 
 
 Which ere it (hed aright 
 
 Had robbed me of mine hours of deho-ht. 
 
 words of mine foredone and full of terror, 
 
 Whither it please ye, go forth and proclaim ' 
 
 Grief. Throughout all your wayfare, in your error 
 
 Make ye soft clamour of my Lady's name,'^ 
 
 While 1 downcast and fallen upon shame 
 
 Keep scant shields over me. 
 
 To whomso runs, death's colours cover me. 
 
 8G 
 
 \ 
 
 8; 
 
 11 
 
 Ai 
 
 j; 
 
 i J, 
 
■^wHWWWJ i I *"«i w i ' """ '■» - 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 i, 
 
 >l^ 
 
 L 
 
 /<- 
 
 y^ 
 
 C/ 
 
 BMJATA Ml 
 
 TJIBA inpensienf Amnr. qnnwl' m Im^^'n 
 Ml J Due forosfttc norc: 
 
 Gioc<>'f Aniore in niii. 
 
 Kni la vista hjr tnnJo snavf^ 
 Tanto (juieta, coriese ed lunilc 
 Cliiodissilor: Voi porlaldnchiave 
 Dicinscnnavirhdeiilfv^i'ijcniilc: 
 
 iJtdiforoseite, iwn mi aijifude a vdc : 
 Perlocolpo,chAoporto. 
 Qaestocorrnifa rnnrto, 
 Poiclicdi Tolosafid. 
 
 EUe con (jli occhi lor si volscr tanfo, 
 Che vider come 1 core era ferito: 
 E come un spiritel nato di pninlo 
 Era per mezzo de lo adpo iisrifo. 
 Poiche mi vider cosi sbinolldo, 
 Disse I una, die rise; 
 Guarda, comecompuse 
 GioiadWmor cosiiii. 
 
 Molto cortesemenic mi rispose 
 Qiiella, che di me prima avcra riso. 
 
 88 
 
 Disse 
 
 \ 
 
 B 
 
 BALLATA Vil 
 
 EIXGnithourrhtofl, 
 
 5^^- ^» ^ove I came upon 
 1 wo damsels strange 
 
 Who sang, " TI] 
 
 ^ .. 'HV|ovous rams 
 
 01 love descend within us. " 
 
 So quiet in their modest courtesies 
 Their aspect coming softly on my vision 
 Made me reply, ' ' Surely ye hold the keys 
 0' the virtues noble, high, without omission. 
 Ah, httle maids, hold me not in derision, 
 For the wound I bear within me 
 And this heart o' mine ha' slain me. 
 I was in Toulouse lately." 
 
 And then toward me they so turned their eyes 
 That they could see my wounded heart's ill ease, 
 And how a little spirit born of sighs 
 Had issued forth from out the cicatrice. 
 Perceiving so the depth of my distress, 
 She who was smiling, said, 
 * * Love's joy hath vanquished 
 This man. Behold how greatly ! " 
 
 Then she who had first mocked me, in better part 
 Gave me all courtesy in her replies. 
 
 [81 
 
 le 
 
 ^9 
 
 •t- 
 
 • i' 
 ^ 1 1 
 
 i 
 
 {if 
 
KMl^ 
 
 MAMMMniKWmKM 
 
 f^ 
 
 Disse : La donna che nel cor ti pnsc 
 
 Con laforza d' Amor tnitod sun visa, 
 
 Dentroper gli occhi ti mirb sijiso, 
 
 CJi\imorfeceapparire: 
 
 Sef e grave ilsojjrire, 
 
 Baccomandali a lai. 
 
 Laltra pleiosa plena di mercede, 
 
 Faita di gioco iajignra d' Amore 
 
 Disse : Ilcuo colpo, che nel cor si vede, 
 
 Fa iraiio d occhi di troppo valore ; 
 
 Che dentrovi lassaro uno splendor e, 
 
 CK I nol posso mirare : 
 
 Dinimi,sericordare 
 
 Diqnegli occhi tipaoi? 
 t A la dura qaisdone. e paurosa, 
 
 La qaal mi fere qucsia foroseiia , 
 lodissi : F mi ricorda che 'n Tolosa 
 Donna ni apparve accordellata e siretla, 
 La qaal Amor chiamava Lci Mandeiia: 
 Gianse si prestae forte, 
 Che ^nfin dentro alia morte 
 Mi colpir gli occhi sai. 
 
 > 
 
 ]anne 
 
 9 
 
 o 
 
 bho saK • • That Lady, who upon thi„o },eart 
 Cut her ulh„la,,a^ clear, by Loves ckn ire, 
 llalh looked so hvedly in ihrou-di thine eyes 
 1 liat she s made Loye appear there ; 
 li thou great paiu or fear boar 
 Kccomnieud thee unto him! " 
 
 Then the other piteous, full of misencorde 
 
 t ashioned for pleasure in loye's fashionin-r' 
 
 ' ' His heart's apparent wound. I giye my word 
 
 Has gat from ejes whose power "s an o'er great thing, 
 
 _H hich eyes have left in his a glittering 
 
 1 hat mine can not endure. 
 
 Tellme, hast thou a sure 
 
 Memory of those ejes? " 
 
 To her drcd question with such fears attended 
 ' Maid o the wood," I said, • ' my memories render 
 
 1 olosa and the dusk and these things blended • 
 
 A iadj m a corded bodice, slender 
 
 — Mandetta is the name Love's spirits lend her — 
 
 A lightening swift to fall. 
 
 And naught within recall 
 
 Save, Death ! My wounds ! Her eves ! " 
 
 i (Etnoi^ 
 
 91 
 
 il 
 IP 
 
 Iff. 
 
*'*'"''*''^^^^'***-aai«aSB«i 
 
 I 'anne a Tolosa, Bdllaietia mia r 
 E'l entra quietamente a la dorata 
 Ed ivi chiama.cbeper cortesia 
 LY alcana belta donna sia menata 
 Dinanzi a qaella, di cai t^ hopregata ; 
 Es ellatiriceve, 
 Dille con voce leve: 
 Per merce vegno a vui. 
 
 (Envoi) 
 
 Speed Ballalet' unto Tolosacitv 
 And go in softly neath the golden roof 
 And there cry out, ' ^ Will courtesy or pity 
 Of any most fair lady, put to pro Jf, 
 Lead nie to her with whom is my behoof? "' 
 1 hen if thou get her choice 
 Say, with a lowered voice, 
 * ' It is thy grace I seek here. " 
 
 9 
 
 93 
 
 
BALL AT A VIII 
 
 ^^ Llocchi di quella fjcntil f arose t la 
 ■ TT Hanno distretta si Id mente inin 
 
 Cli altro non chiama, rite lei, iie disia 
 
 Ella mifiere s\, quando la sguanlo, 
 CK I senlo lo sospir Ireinar nel core. 
 Esce da cjli occhi saoi, la and io ardo, 
 In cjenlilello spiriio d' Arnore, 
 Lo quale e pieno di lanto valore, 
 Che, quando giagne, f aninia va via, 
 Come colei, che soffrir nolporria. 
 
 Io senlo poi girfnor gli miei sospiri, 
 Quando la mente di lei mi ragiona : 
 E veggio piover per f aer martiri, 
 Che Iraggon di dolor la mia persona, 
 Si che ciasciina virtli m' ahbandona 
 In guisa, ch^ i non so la ov i mi sia: 
 Sol par, che morte m' aggia in sua balia. 
 
 Si mi senlo disfatlo, che mercede 
 Gia non ardisco nelpensier chiamare: 
 CW I Iruovo Ar.ior, che dice: Ella si vede 
 Tantogeniil,che non pub 'mmaginare, 
 
 [Ch' 
 
 T 
 
 BALLATA VIII 
 
 IJE eyes of this gentle maid of the forest 
 Have set my mind in such bewilderment 
 Ihat all my wistful thoughts on her are bcil . 
 
 So doth she pierce me when mine eyes regard her 
 I hat I hear sighs a-trembling in miVie heart 
 As from her ejes aye sources of mine ardour 
 Ihequamt small spirits of Amor forth-dart 
 From which small sprites such greater powers start 
 Ihat when they reach me my faint soul is sent 
 Exhausted forth to swoon in banishment. 
 
 I feel how from mine eyes the sighs forth-fare 
 When my mind reasoneth with me of her, 
 Tdl I see torments raining through the air 
 Draggled by griefs, which I by these incur! 
 Mme every strength turns mine abandoner, 
 And I know not what place I am toward, 
 Save that Death hath me in his castle-yard. 
 
 And I am so outworn that now for mercy 
 
 I am not bold to crj out even in thourrht, 
 
 And I lind Love, who speaking saith of her, "See, 
 
 She is not one whose image could be wrought. 
 
 [Unto 
 
 ( '■: 
 
 ; 1* 
 f i 
 
 
 9'4 
 
 95 
 
 ' 
 
Cli^ uom d csto mondo f ardisca mirare, 
 Che non convenga lid tremare in pria : 
 Ed io, s' I la giiardcissi, ne morrla. 
 
 Ballata , qaando in sarai presenie ^ 
 
 A geniil donna, so die hi dirai > o<^.^ 
 De k~mia^ angoscia dolorosamente : ^, 
 D'l: Qaegli.che me manda a voi, irae gnai; 
 Perb che dice, che non spera mai 
 Trovarpieta di ianta coriesm, 
 CK a la sua donna faccia compagnia. 
 
 Unto her presence no man could be brought 
 \^ ho did not well to tremble for the darin<^" 
 And I? Would swoon if I should meet herlarinij 
 
 cr 
 
 (Envoi) 
 
 Go! Ballad mine, and when thy journey has won 
 
 Unto mj Lady's presence wonderful, 
 
 Speak of mine anguish in some fitting fashion, 
 
 Sorrowfully thus, ' My sender is sorrowful, 
 
 Lo, how he saith, he hath no hope at all 
 
 Of drawing pity from such Courtesy 
 
 As keeps his Lady's gracious company. '* 
 
 } 
 
 96 
 
 97 
 
 4 
 it 
 
BALL AT A IX 
 
 /N un boschetto trovai pctstorella 
 Pill die la stella bella al mioparere, 
 Capegliavea biondetti e ricciutcUi, 
 E gli occhi pien d' amor, cera rosata ; 
 Con sua verghetta pasturava agnelli ; 
 E scalza, e di rugiada era bagnata : 
 Cantava come fosse innamorata, 
 Era adornaia di iutio placer e. 
 
 U Amor la sahiiai ' mmanienenie , 
 E domamlai, s avesse compagnla : 
 Ed elk mi rispose dolcemente, 
 Che sola sola per lo bosco gia : 
 Edisse: Sappi quando F angel pia, 
 Allor disia lo mio cor dradoavere. 
 
 Poiche mi disse di sua condizione, 
 Eper lo bosco augelli udw cantare, 
 Era me stesso dicea : Or e stagione 
 Di quesia pastorella giof pigliare ; 
 Merce le chiesi. sol chedi baciare, 
 Ed' abbracciare fosse Isao volere. 
 
 [Per 
 
 I 
 
 (T 
 
 BALLATA IX 
 
 N wood-way found I once a shepherdess, 
 More fair than stars are was she to mv seemin 
 
 Her hah^ was wavy somewhat, hke dull gold. 
 Eyes ? Love-worn, and her face like some pale rose 
 V\ ith a small twig she kept her lamhs in hold. 
 And bare her feet were bar the dew-drop's ^doze ; 
 She sang as one whom mad love holdeth close, 
 And joy was on her for an ornament. 
 
 I greeted her in love without delaying : 
 *' Hast thou companion in thy solitude.^" 
 And she replied to me most sweetly, sayino-, 
 ' ' Nay, I am quite alone in all this wood, 
 But when the birds 'gin singing in their coverts 
 My heart is fain that time to find a lover. " 
 
 As she was speaking thus of her condition 
 
 I heard the bird-song neath the forest shade 
 
 And thought me how 't was but the time's provision 
 
 To gather joy of this small shepherd maid. 
 
 Favour I asked her, but for kisses only, 
 
 And then I felt her pleasant arms upon me. 
 
 [Sh. 
 
 9*^ 
 
 99 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
Per man miprese d' amorosa voglia, 
 E disse, die donato m avea 7 core : 
 Menommi sotto unafreschettafoglia, 
 Lit dov io vidifior c/' ogni colore ; 
 E tanto vi sentio gioi e dolzore, 
 Che Dio d' Amor miparve ivi vedere. 
 
 ■ Jf'^'f '■*■ :'^?2S'*2 "t "■'-■:^r'»''^r^^* 
 
 r-^-^S^-^^^-sraBS^wl 
 
 She held to me with a dear willfulness 
 paying her heart had gone into mv bosom, 
 &he drew me on to a cool leafy place 
 
 r A 2 ^ ^ff^^l ^^ ^''^'y '^'^'^"'••^d blossom , 
 And there I drank m so much summer sweetness 
 Meseemed Love s god connived at its completeness 
 
 1 rl 
 
 100 
 
 lOI 
 
 i f 
 
 ( « 
 
/ 
 
 BALL AT A X 
 
 POSSO de gli occhi miei novella dire, 
 La quale e tai chepiacc si al core, 
 Che didolcezza nesospira Anufre. 
 Qaesto novopiacer, che Imio cor sente, 
 Fa tratto sol (C ana donna vedata 
 La quale e si gentile ed cwvenente, 
 E tanto adorna, che 7 cor la saluia : 
 Non e la Sim biliaie conosciiita 
 Da gente vile : che lo suo colore 
 Chiania intelletio di troppo valore. 
 
 lo veggio, che ne gli occhi suoi risplende 
 Una virtu d amor tanto gentile, 
 C/r ogni dolce piacer vi si comprende : 
 E maove allora an anima sottile, 
 Rispetto de la quale ogni ultra e vile ; 
 E non si pah di lei giudicarfore 
 Altro che dir, qaesf e nuovo splendore. 
 Va Ballatetta, e la mia donna trova: 
 E tanto la dimanda di mercede, 
 Che gli occhi di pieta verso te mova 
 
 [Per 
 
 N 
 
 BALLATA X 
 
 JOW can I tell jou tidings of mine eyes, 
 
 News which such pleasure to my heart supplveth 
 That Love hlmsclfforglorj of it'sigheth. 
 
 This new deh'ght which mj heart drinketh In 
 Was drawn from nothing save a woman seen 
 Who hath such charm and a so courtley mien 
 And such fair fashion that the heart is fain 
 To greet her beauty, which nor base nor mean 
 Can know, because its hue and quahties demand 
 Inteihgence in him who would understand. 
 
 I see Love grow resplendent in her eyes 
 
 With such great power and such noble thought 
 
 As hold therein all gracious ecstacies, 
 
 From them there moves a soul so subtly wrought 
 
 That all compared thereto are set at naught 
 
 And judgment of her speaks no truth save this: 
 
 • ' A splendour strange and unforseen she is. " 
 
 (Envoi) 
 
 Go, Ballatetta. forth and find my Lady, 
 Ask if she have it this much of mercy ready, 
 This namely, that she turn her eyes^oward thee ? 
 
 Ask 
 
 102 
 
 io3 
 
 

 Per quel, che 'n lei ha fidla !<i su<ifedt: 
 E s elln 'iiiesla <jra:ia li mnrede, 
 Manda una voce d' alleijrezza fore 
 Che mosiri gaello che f hafaiio onure. 
 
 Ask in his name whosewhoie f^iitli rests in lier, 
 And if slicgracisius, this mucli grace accord thee, 
 Offer glad-voiced incense of sweet savour 
 Proclaiming of whom thou receiv'st such favour. 
 
 lO-i 
 
 ICO 
 
 <j 
 
M 
 
 (^ 
 
 (j^^' 
 
 BALL AT A XI 
 
 FERCH 'io nonspero dilornar gia mai, 
 Ballatetta, in Toscana, 
 Va in leggier a epiana 
 Dritta a la donna mia, 
 Che per sua coriesia 
 Tifara molio onore. 
 
 Ta porterai novelle de' sosptri ; 
 Piene di doglia, e di moliapaura ; 
 Ma gaarda che persona non ti miri, 
 Che sia nimica di gentil natura ; 
 Che certoper la mia disavventara 
 Til saresti contesa, 
 Tanto da lei ripresa, 
 Che mi sarebbe angoscia ; 
 Doppo la morteposcia 
 Pianto e novel dolore. 
 
 Tasenti Ballaieita, che la morte 
 Mi stringe si, che vita m' abbandona ; 
 Esenti, come ' I cor si sbatie forte 
 Per quel, che ciascun spirito ragiona ; 
 Tanf e disireiia gia la mia persona, 
 CK I non posso soffrire : 
 Se tu mi vuoi servire 
 Mena F anima teco ; 
 
 ■t 
 
 BECALSE no hope is left me, BailateUa, 
 Of relurii to Tuscany, 
 Light-foot go thou some fleet way 
 Unto mj Lady straiglitway, 
 And out of her courtesy 
 Great honour will she do thee. 
 
 Tidings thou bearest with thee sorrow-fain 
 Full of all grieving, overcast with fear. 
 On guard ! Lest any one see thee or hear, 
 Any who holds high nature in disdeign, 
 For sure if so , to my increase of pain , 
 Thou wert made prisoner 
 And held afar from her, 
 Herebv new harms w ere c^iven 
 Me, and after death even 
 Dolour and griefs renewed. 
 
 Thou knowest, Ballatetta, that Death layeth 
 His hand upon me whom hath Life forsaken; 
 Thou knowest w ell how great a tumult swayeth 
 My heart at sound of her whom each sense cryeth 
 Till all my mournful body is so shaken 
 That I can not endure here, 
 
 [Molto 
 
 [Would st 
 
 io6 
 
 10' 
 
Midtn di cu) fi preen, 
 UiKindo iiseira del eore. 
 
 Dell iJaltatetta a la tua amistdte 
 Quest' anuria, eke triema, raeeomawh^ : 
 Menala ieeo ne la sua pieiaie 
 1 'I net la bella donna, a cui ti mawlo : 
 Dell Ballaietia, dille sosyirando, 
 Qaando le se presente : 
 Qaesta vostra servente 
 I ien f)er istar con vui, 
 Partita da colai, 
 Che fu servo d' Amore. 
 
 Tu voce sbigottita, e debolelta, 
 CK esci piangendo de lo cor dolente, 
 Con /' anima, e con questa Ballaietta 
 I a ragionando de la strutta mente. 
 \ oi troverete una donna piacente 
 Di si dolce intelletto, 
 Che visara diletto 
 Starle davanti ognora : 
 Anima, e tuF adora 
 Sempre nel iuo valor e. 
 
 io8 
 
 v\ oukl st tlioii make service sure liere? 
 
 Lead forth my soul Avith thee 
 
 (I pray thee earnestly) 
 
 When it parts from iiij heart here. 
 
 Ah, Ballatetta, to tfiy friendhness, 
 
 1 do giveo'er this tremhhng soul's poor case. 
 
 Bring thou it there where her dear pity is, 
 
 And when thou hast found that Lady of all grace 
 
 Speak through thy sighs, my Ballad, with tin lace 
 
 Low bowed, thy words in sum: 
 
 ' ' Behold, thy servant is come, 
 
 This soul who would dwell with thee, 
 
 Assundered suddenly 
 
 From Him, Love's servitor. 
 
 smothered voice and weak that tak'st the road 
 
 Out from the weeping heart and dolorous 
 
 Go crying out my most sad mind's alarm 
 
 Forth with my soul and this song piteous 
 
 L- ntil thou find a lady of such charm , 
 
 So sweetly intelligent 
 
 That e'en thy sorrow is rent. 
 
 Take thy fast place before her. 
 
 And thou, Soul mine, adore her 
 
 Al way , with all thy might . 
 
 109 
 
 ^ 
 
-tmmti *«im'ati*mm 
 
 BALL AT A XII 
 
 QUA^DO di morfe mi convien trar vita, 
 E di gravezza gioia, 
 Come di tanta noia, 
 Lo spirito (/' Amor rf' (wuir m' invita? 
 
 Come m' invita lo mio cor d' amare ? 
 Lasso, cli e pien didoglia, 
 Eda sospirsi d ogni parte priso, 
 Che quasi sol merce nonpiio chiamare ; 
 E di virtu lo spoglia 
 
 L ajjanno che m' ha gia quasi conquiso ; 
 Canto, piacer con beninanza e riso, 
 Mi son dog lie e sospiri ; 
 Guardiciascuno e miri, 
 Che morte m' e nel viso gia salita. 
 
 Amor, che nasce di simil piacer e , 
 Dentro dalcorsiposa, 
 Formando di desio nova persona, 
 Ma fa la sua virtii n vizio cadere ; 
 Si cK amar gia non osa 
 Qualsente, come servir guiderdona : 
 Dunque a amar perche meco ragiona? 
 Credo sol, perche vede, 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 BALLATA XII 
 
 F all my life be but some deathly moviii" 
 
 Joy dragged from heaviness ; 
 
 Seeing my deep distress 
 How doth Love's spirit call me unto lovinn^ ? 
 
 How sunimon up my heart for dalHance? 
 
 When 'tis so sorrowful 
 
 And manacled by sighs so mournfully 
 
 That e'en the will for grace dare not advance? 
 
 Weariness over all 
 
 Spoileth that heart of power, despoiling me. 
 
 And song, sweet laughter and benignity 
 
 Are grown three grievous sighs, 
 
 Till all men's careless eyes 
 
 May see Death risen to my countenance. 
 
 Love that is born of loving hke delight, 
 
 Within my heart sojourneth 
 
 And fashions a new person from desire 
 
 Yet toppleth down to vileness all his might, 
 
 So all Love's daring spurneth 
 
 That man who knoweth service and its hire. 
 
 For Love, then why doth he of me inquire.^ 
 
 Onlj because he sees 
 
 I lO 
 
 [Ch' 
 
 III 
 
 [M. 
 
mmmmm 
 
 ■■• lllliLIt! 
 
 1 
 
 Ch' io dimando mercede 
 A morte, cK a ciascun dolor m addita. 
 Io mi posso biasmar di granpesanza, 
 Piu che nessun giammai : 
 Che morte dentro al cor mi tragge un core, 
 Che vaparlando di crudele amanza, 
 Che ne mieiforti guai, 
 ^^ affanna ; laond' ioperdo ogni valore, 
 Quelpunto maladetto sia, cK Amore 
 Nacque di tal maniera, 
 Che la mia vitafiera 
 Glifu di talpiacere a lui gradita. 
 
 ! 
 
 Me cry on Death for ease , 
 
 While Death doth point me on toward all mi schance . 
 
 And I can cry for Grief so heavily 
 
 As hath man never, 
 
 For Death drags to my heart a heart so bent 
 
 With w^andering speech of her, who cruely 
 
 Outwearieth me ever .... 
 
 Mistress spoiler of my good intent. 
 
 Accursed be the hour when Amor 
 
 Was born in such a wise 
 
 That my life in his eyes 
 
 Grew matter of pleasure and acceptable ! 
 
 i 
 
 s 
 
 iia 
 
 i3 
 
BALLATA XIII 
 
 ^iOLperpieta ti prego, giovinezza, 
 i ^ Che la dischiesta di merci ti caglia, 
 
 Poi che la morte ha mosso la battaglia. 
 
 Questa dischiesta anima mia si trova 
 S\ sbigottita per lo spirto torto, 
 Che tu non cari, anzi seifattapruova, 
 E mostri bene sconoscenza scorto . 
 Tu sei nimico, ond' or prego colui, 
 CK ogni durezza muove, vince e taglia, 
 Ch' anzi a la fine mia mostri che vaglia. 
 
 Tu vedi ben, che /' aspra condizione 
 Ne colpi di colei, che ha in odio vita, 
 Mistringeinparte, ove umilta si pone ; 
 Sicheveggendo /' anima, ch' e in vita 
 Di dolenti sospir dicendo volta, 
 Ch' io veggio ben, com' il valor si scaglia, 
 Deh prendati merce si, che in te saglia. 
 
 i m i Mm ^ ii w. ii ;^ 't^ ^ ^^ « i ^ilwm. i 
 
 . »..,„..-,—■ »..rf,»»». 
 
 • m 1 11 I I II I W i gKl M 
 
 
 F 
 
 BALLATA XIII 
 
 OR naught save pity do I pray thy youth 
 That thou have care for Mercy's cast-away ; 
 Lo, Death s upon me in his battle array I 
 
 And my soul finds him in his decadence 
 
 So over-wearied by that spirit wried 
 
 (For whom thou car'st not till his ways be tried, 
 
 Showing thyself thus wise in ignorance 
 
 To hold him hostile) that I pray that mover 
 
 And victor and slayer of every hard-wrought thing 
 
 That ere mine end he show him conquering, 
 
 Sith at his blows, who holds life in despite, 
 
 Thou seest clear how in my barbed distress 
 
 He wounds me there where dwells mine humbleness, 
 
 Till my soul living turneth in my sight 
 
 To speech, in words that grievous sighs o'ercover. 
 
 Till mine eyes see worth's self wavering 
 
 Grant me thy mercies for my covering ! 
 
 ii4 
 
 I ID 
 
BALLATA XIV 
 
 /O priego vol che di dolor parlate, 
 Che per virtate di naova pietate , 
 Non disdegnate la miapena udire. 
 
 Davanti agli occhi miei vcggio lo core, 
 E r anima dolente, che s ancide, 
 E muor d' un colpo che le diede Amore, 
 Entro Vi quel panto, che madonna vide. 
 II sao gentile spirito, che ride 
 Qaesti e colui che mi si fa sentire : 
 Qaesti mi dice: E ti convien morire. 
 
 Se voisentiste, come I cor si dole, 
 Dentro del vostro cor voi tremereste ; 
 Cfi Amor mi dice si dolci parole, 
 Che sospirando pieta chiamereste , 
 E solamente voi lo ' ntendereste , 
 CK altro cor nolporria pensar, ne dire 
 Qaant' e 'I dolor, che mi convien soffrire . 
 
 Lagrime scendon da la mente mia, 
 S\ tosto come questa donna sente ; 
 E van facendo per gli occhi una via, 
 
 I 
 
 BALLATA XIV 
 
 PRAY ye gentles, ye who speak of grief, 
 Out of new clemency, for my relief 
 That ye disdeign not to attend my pain. 
 
 I see my heart stand up before mine eyes 
 
 W hile my self-slaying mournful soul receiveth 
 
 Love's mortal stroke and in that moment dies, 
 
 lea, in the very instant he perceiveth 
 
 Milady, and yet that smihng sprite who cleaveth 
 
 To her in joy, this very one is he 
 
 Who sets the seal of my mortality. 
 
 But should ye hear my sad heart's lamentation 
 
 Then would a trembling reach your heart's mid-most. 
 
 For Love holds with me such sweet conversation 
 
 That Pity, by your sighs , ye w ould accost. 
 
 To all less keen than ye the sense were lost. 
 
 Nor other hearts could think soft nor speak loudly 
 
 How dire the throng of sorrows that enshroud me. 
 
 Yea from my mind behold what tears arise 
 
 As soon as it hath news of Her, Milady, 
 
 Forth move they making passage through the eyes 
 
 ii6 
 
 1 1 
 
 [Wherethrough 
 
Per la qual passa unspirilo dolcnie; 
 Eniraper f aria s\ debolemente, 
 CJi oltra nonpaote color discovrire, 
 Ne imnuujinar, 5' i neporriamorire. 
 
 t- 
 
 ^1 
 
 / 
 
 rf >. 
 
 /ryi- 
 
 I i 
 
 115 
 
 Wherethrough there goes a spirit sorrowing, 
 Which entereth the air so weak a thing 
 That no man else its place discovercth 
 Or deems it such an almoner of Death. 
 
 y^\ 
 
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 119 
 
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 >iif!l!|lli|i 
 
 0032209541 
 
 b-^' 
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