The little shepherdess
Bare-footed trips along,
Her shepherd's name so dear
Re-echoes in her song;

And he, pursuing Love,

Turns where the voice doth seem, And kisses the chaste Nymph

Beside a limpid stream.

Love hath inflamed the world

To-day with his desire,

And with his merry ways
Doth everything inspire.

To grief of her fond swain
Chloris alone is blind;
All other souls save hers
Are pitiful and kind.

S

WIFTLY the days fly past

Of my beloved state,

Once on the downward slope
The years precipitate.

The Fair, alas, whose tongues

Are nimble in deceit,

This one unwelcome truth

Incessantly repeat;

And with a heedless glance And with cold bearing: "Nay, We are no more for thee," Clearly I hear them say.

They flock and flutter hence To join youth's merry bands,

e rendonvi loquace l'occhio, la mano e il pié.

Che far? degg' io di lagrime bagnar per questo il ciglio ? Ah no, miglior consiglio è di goder ancor.

Se già di mirti teneri colsi mia parte in Gnido, lasciamo che a quel lido vada con altri Amor.

Volgan le spalle candide, volgano a me le belle; ogni piacer con elle non se ne parte alfin.

A Bacco, all' amicizia, sacro i venturi giorni ; cadano i mirti, e s' orni d'ellera il misto crin.

Che fai su questa cetera corda, che amor sonasti ? Male al tenor contrasti del novo mio piacer.

Or di cantar dilettami tra' miei giocondi amici, auguri a lor felici

versando dal bicchier.

Fugge la instabil Venere con la stagion de' fiori; ma tu, Lieo, ristori quando il dicembre uscì!

Amor con l' età fervida convien che si dilegue; ma l'amistà ne segue fino a l'estremo dì.

Loquaciously they ply

Their eyes, their feet and hands.
The remedy? Needs must
I bathe my lids in tears?
Far wiser 'twere to make
The best of these last years.
Of tender myrtles I

In Gnidus culled my share,
Let others now with Love
Unto those regions fare.
Let lovely ladies turn
White shoulders unto me,
O not with them the last
Of all my pleasures flee !

To Bacchus and good friends

My future days I vow;
Ivy, since myrtles fade,
Shall crown my hoary brow.

O harp, wherefore this string
That used to thrill to love?
In my new pleasure's praise
Discordant thou dost prove!
Now I delight to sing
Among my gay friends here,
The while I pour forth wine
And drink to their good cheer.
Let fickle Venus go,

Together with the flowers; Thou, Lyaeus, dost console Through the long winter hours!

With ardent youth 'tis meet That love should pass away, But friendship doth endure Unto our parting day.

Le belle, ch' or s' involano schife da noi lontano, verranci allor pian piano lor brindisi ad offrir;

e noi, compagni amabili, che far con esse allora ? Seco un bicchiere ancora bevere e poi morir !

VITTORIO ALFIERI, 1749-1803

"O

GRAN padre Alighier, se dal ciel miri

me tuo discepol non indegno starmi, dal cor traendo profondi sospiri, prostrato innanzi a' tuoi funerei marmi ; piacciati, deh! proprizio ai be' desiri d'un raggio di tua luce illuminarmi. Uom, che a primiera eterna gloria aspiri,

contro invidia e viltà dee stringer l' armi? "

66 Figlio, io le strinsi, e assai men duol; ch' io diedi

nome in tal guisa a gente tanto bassa

da non pur calpestarsi co' miei piedi.

Se in me fidi, il tuo sguardo a che s'abbassa?

Va, tuona, vinci; e, se fra' piè ti vedi

costor, senza mirar, sovr' essi passa.'

وو

The Fair who now forsake
Us in such high disdain
On tiptoe will return
And drink to us again.

O boon companions, how
Shall we then make reply?
Together we will drain

Just one more glass, then die.

VITTORIO ALFIERI, 1749-1803

G

REAT father Alighier, if from the skies

This thy disciple prostrate thou dost see
Before thy gravestone, shaken with deep sighs,
O turn thou not in wrathfulness from me!
O of thy kindness, favouring pure desires,
Illuminate me with a ray of thine;

Must who to pristine, deathless fame aspires
Take arms 'gainst envy and each fell design?"
I did so, son, to my great sorrow, for
Thereby the names of men too vile to tread
Under my feet are heard for evermore.

If thou dost trust in me, why droop thy head?
Go thunder, triumph, and if thou shouldst chance
To meet with such, pass by nor deign a glance."