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,

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,

Mother and son even so
One cross hath laid them low,

in one embrace they rest.

GUIDO GUINIZELLI, 1240-1276

I

[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,

A com

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 propïamente

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

'1

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:

WITHIN the gentle heart abideth Love,

W

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.

lui sembro 'l fango, e 'l sol gentil valore.

Chè non de' dare om fè

che gentilezza sia for di coraggio in degnità di re:

se da vertute non ha gentil core, com' aigua porta raggio,

e 'l ciel riten le stelle e lo splendore.

Splende in l' intelligenza de lo cielo Deo creator più ch' ai nostri occhi il sole ; quella l' intende; i' s'afaita lo cielo.

Lo ciel, vogliando, a lui ubidir tôle, e 'n sè qui ha il primo amore

del giusto Deo, beato compimento. Così adovra al core

la bella donna, po' che 'n gli occhi splende de l' om gentile, talento

che mai de lei ubidir non si disprende.

Donna, Deo mi dirà : "Che presumisti ? " (stando l' anima mia a lui davanti :) "lo ciel passasti e fino a me venisti,

e desti in vano amor me per sembianti, ch' a me convien la laude

e a la reina del reame degno,

per cui cessa ogni fraude."

Dir li potrò: "Tenne d' angel sembianza

che fosse del tuo regno :

non mi fu fallo s' eo le posi amanza.”

GUIDO CAVALCANTI, 1255-1300

RESCA rosa novella,

Fpiscente primavera,

per prata e per rivera

gaiamente cantando,

vostro fin pregio mando-a la verdura.

He, mire, and the sun, gentleness, I hold.
Let no man think that he

May be possessed of gentleness, although
He boast a king's degree,

Unless a gentle heart be found in him :
The water is aglow

With stars, and yet the heavens have not grown dim.

God the Creator in heaven's mind of grace
Shines brighter than before our eyes the sun;
There it is given to see Him face to face,
Whence in their beauty the skies, serving one
Just God, to Him do turn

And the blest end of primal love fulfil.
Thus the truth which doth burn

In my sweet Lady's eyes she should make clear,
Of her own gentle will,

To him who in her service tarries near.

My Lady, God will say: "Didst thou not fear," (When my soul standeth yonder in His sight :) To pass the heavens and seek Me even here, Vain love pursuing with My image dight? To Me doth praise belong

And to the Queen of Heaven, who from her sphere Of glory endeth wrong."

Then I could plead: "Thy angels up above,

O Lord, like her appear;

I did not sin in giving her my love."

Thy virtue rare amid green woods—at leisure.