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Virgin

O son, O my solace,

who quenched life in Thy breast?
carried my heart away,

I must lament apace,
O son, tender of face,
Better indeed had they
Nailed to the cross to-day

Christ

I should have been more blessed!

deadly thy hurt I fear! of thine doth pierce my breast!

Mother, whence art thou here?
O sorely every tear

Virgin

I weep, for they have ta'en
Whose stroke doth deal Thee pain?

Christ

Mother, why dost complain?
To soothe my comrades' pain,

Virgin

son, father, spouse again;
Art stripped at whose behest?

Here in the world remain
those whom I have caressed.

for I would die with Thee,

Son, say not so to me,
For I would go with Thee,
O let the grave be one,
Dead mother with her son,

Christ

while life is in my breast! sad mother with her son, gathered to the same rest!

between thy hands is laid,
John whom I loved the best!
in mercy her enfold,
for her heart is distressed!

Mother, my heart dismayed
Let son of thine be made,
Thy mother, John, behold,
Pity in thee be bold,

Virgin

O son, Thy soul is flown,
Hers who is lost and lone,

a frenzied woman's own,
son of a heart distressed!

figlio bianco e vermiglio,
figlio, a chi m' appiglio?
O figlio bianco e biondo,
figlio, perchè t' ha el mondo,
figlio dolce e piacente,
figlio, hatte la gente
Ioanne, fi' novello,
sentito aggio 'l coltello

figlio senza simiglio,
figlio, pur m' hai lassato !
figlio, volto iocondo,

figlio, cusì sprezzato ?

figlio de la dolente, malamente trattato !

morto è lo tuo fratello,

che fo' profetizzato.

Che morto ha figlio e mate, de dura morte afferrate;

trovarse abbraccecate

mate e figlio a un cruciato.

GUIDO GUINIZELLI, 1240-1276

VOGLIO del ver la mia donna laudare,

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et assembrargli la rosa e lo giglio : come la stella Diana splende e pare, e ciò ch'è lassù bello, a lei somiglio. Verde rivera a lei rassembro e l' a' re, tutti colori e fior, giallo e vermiglio, oro e argento e ricche gio' preclare ; medesmo Amor per lei raffina miglio.

Passa per via sì adorna e sì gentile, ch'abassa orgoglio a cui dona salute: e fal di nostro fè se non la crede. E non le può appressar om che sia vile : ancor ve ne dirò maggior virtute :

null' om può mal pensar fin che la vede

whose equal no man knows,

since Thou art gone, heart's best? whose face was once so bright,

O son, O white and rose,
Where shall I find repose,
O son so fair and white,
Why did the whole world's spite
O sweet and kind Thou art,
O with what cruel art,
John, son new-fashioned,
The sword, as it was said,

Mother and son even so

so sorely Thee molest?

son of this sorry heart,
son, hast Thou been oppressed!
now is thy brother dead,
I feel piercing my breast!

one cruel death do know,
in one embrace they rest.

One cross hath laid them low,

GUIDO GUINIZELLI, 1240-1276

N verity I'd sing my lady's praise,
With rose and lily-flower her face compare :
Like to the morning star her beauty's rays,
Like to a saint in heaven, ah, wond'rous fair!
Green shades are like her and the breeze as well,
All hues, all blossoms, flushed and pale, beside
Silver and gold and rare stones' lustrous spell;
Even Love himself in her is glorified.

She goes her way so gentle and so sweet,
Pride falls in whomsoever she doth meet,
Worthless the heart which scorneth such delight!
Ungentle folk may not endure her sight,
And a still greater virtue I aver:

No man thinks ill hath he but looked on her.

L cor gentil ripara sempre amore,

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com' a la selva augello in la verdura, nè fe' amore avanti gentil core,

nè gentil core avanti amor natura ;

ch' adesso che fue il sole

si tosto lo splendore fue lucente, nè fue avanti il sole;

e prende amor in gentilezza loco così propiamente

come clarore in clarità di foco.

Foco d'amore in gentil cor s' apprende, come vertute in pietra prezïosa;

chè da la stella valor non discende avanti 'l sol la faccia gentil cosa. Poi che n' ha tratto fuore

per sua forza lo sol ciò che lì è vile, la stella 'i dà valore:

così lo cor, ch'è fatto da natura schietto, puro e gentile,

donna, a guisa di stella, lo inamora.

Amor per tal ragion sta in cor gentile per qual lo foco in cima del doppiero splende a lo suo diletto, chiar, sottile : non li staria altrimenti, tant' è fero. Però prava natura

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rincontra amor como fa l' acqua 'l foco, caldo per la freddura:

amor in gentil cor prende rivera

per suo consimil loco

com' adamas del ferro in la minera.

Fere lo sole il fango tutto 'l giorno,

vile riman, ne 'l sol perde calore:

dice om altier: "Gentil per schiatta torno ";

WITHIN the gentle heart abideth Love,

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As doth a bird within green forest glade,
Neither before the gentle heart was Love,
Nor Love ere gentle heart by Nature made.
Created was the sun,

And lo, his radiance everywhere held sway,
Nor was before the sun;

Love doth unto all gentleness aspire,
And in the self-same way

Doth clarity unto clear flame of fire.

Love's fire is kindled in the gentle heart,
As virtue is within the precious stone;
From out the star no glory doth depart
Until made gentle by the sun alone.
When the sun hath drawn forth

By his own strength all that which is not meet,
The star doth prove its worth.

Thus to the heart, by Nature fashioned so
Gentle and pure and sweet,

The love of woman like a star doth go.

The reason Love in gentle heart doth stay
Is why the fire unto the torch-head flies,
Burning as he doth fancy, bright and gay,
And were too proud to do so otherwise.
But Nature's cruel scheme

Contrasteth Love as water, flame; as heat,
Quelled by the cooling stream.

In gentle heart doth Love his bower divine,
Since like with like must meet,

Thus diamonds in the iron of the mine.

Upon the mire the sun sheds his bright rays, That is still vile, nor doth the sun turn cold: "Gentle am I by birth," the proud man says.

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