Appendix 4—
Texts and Translations:
The Rime petrose
Vita nuova 19
De vulgari eloquentia, Book 2

The  Rime Petrose

1

I have come to the point on the wheel where the horizon gives birth at sunset to the twinned heaven,

and the star of love is kept from us by the sun's ray that straddles her so transversely that she is veiled;

and that planet that strengthens the frost shows itself to us entirely, along the great arc where each of the seven casts little shadow: and nonetheless my mind casts off not one of the thoughts of love that burden me, mind harder than stone to hold fast an image of stone.

There arises from the sand of Ethiopia a traveling wind that darkens the air, all because of the sun's sphere that heats it now;

and it crosses the sea and brings us such plenteous cloud that if some other wind does not scatter it, it shuts and solidifies all this hemisphere;

and then it resolves itself and falls in white flakes of cold snow and in harmful rain, and the air becomes all grieving and weeps: and Love, though he take up his spiderwebs on account of the rising wind, does not abandon me, so beautiful a lady is this cruel one given to me as lady.

Every bird that pursues the warmth has fled the lands of Europe, which never once lose the seven cold stars;

and the others have posted a truce to their songs and will not sound them again until the green season, unless it be for some distress;

and all animals that are happy by nature are released from loving, for the cold extinguishes their spirit: and mine bears more love; for sweet thoughts are not taken from me nor given to me by time's turning, but a lady gives them who has lived but a short time.

                                        1
                    Io son venuto al punto de la rota 
              che l'orizzonte, quando il sol si corca, 
              ci partorisce il geminato cielo, 
                 e la stella d'amor ci sta remota 
              per lo raggio lucente che la 'nforca 
  6          sì di traverso che le si fa velo;

                    e quel pianeta che conforta il gelo 
              si mostra tutto a noi per lo grand'arco 
              nel qual ciascun di sette fa poca ombra: 
              e però non disgombra 
              un sol penser d'amore, ond'io son carco, 
              la mente mia ch'è più dura che petra 
13          in tener forte imagine di petra.

                    Levasi de la rena d'Etïopia 
              lo vento peregrin che l'aere turba, 
              per la spera del sol ch'ora la scalda; 
                 e passa il mare, onde conduce copia 
              di nebbia tal che, s'altro non la sturba, 
19          questo emisperio chiude tutto e salda;

                    e poi si solve, e cade in bianca falda 
              di fredda neve ed in noiosa pioggia, 
              onde l'aere s'attrista tutto e piagne: 
              e Amor, che sue ragne 
              ritira in alto pel vento che poggia, 
              non m'abbandona, sì è bella donna 
26          questa crudel che m'è data per donna.

                    Fuggito è ogne augel che 'l caldo segue 
              del paese d'Europa, che non perde 
              le sette stelle gelide unquemai; 
                 e li altri han posto a le lor voci triegue 
              per non sonarle infino al tempo verde, 
32          se ciò non fosse per cagion di guai;
                    e tutti li animali che son gai 
              di lor natura, son d'amor disciolti, 
              però che '1 freddo lor spirito ammorta: 
              e 'l mio più d'amor porta; 
              ché li dolzi pensier' non mi son tolti 
              né mi son dati per volta di tempo, 
39          ma donna li mi dà c'ha picciol tempo.

The leaves have passed their limit, appointed when the power of Aries brought them forth to adorn the world, and the grass is dead;

every branch with green foliage is hidden from us, except in laurel, pine, fir, or other that keeps its verdure;

and the season is so strong and bitter that it has killed the little flowers along the slopes, which cannot endure the frost: and his cruel thorn Love for all that does not draw from my heart, for I am certain to bear it ever while I am alive, though I should live forever.

The veins pour forth smoking waters because of the vapors the earth has in her belly, who draws them up from the abyss;

therefore the path that on a fair day pleased me has now become a river, and will be one as long as the great assault of winter lasts;

it turns the ground into a surface like enamel, and the standing water changes to glass because of the cold that locks it in from without: and I in my war have not turned back one step for all that, nor do I wish to; for if the suffering is sweet, the death must surpass every other sweet.

Song, now what will become of me in that other sweet new season, when love rains down on the earth from all the heavens, if through these freezings love is only in me and not elsewhere? It will be with me as with a man of marble, if in a young girl there is a heart of marble.

                                        2
              To the shortened day and to the great circle of shade 
              I have come, alas! and to the whitening of the hills, 
              when the color is lost from the grass: 
              and my desire still does not lose its green, 
              it is so barbed in the hard stone 
              that speaks and has sensation as if it were a lady.

                    Passato hanno lor termine le fronde 
              che trasse fuor la vertù d'Arïete 
              per adornare il mondo, e morta è l'erba; 
                 ramo di foglia verde a noi s'asconde 
              se non se in lauro, in pino od in abete 
45          o in alcun che sua verdura serba;

                    e tanto è la stagion forte ed acerba 
              c'ha morti li fioretti per le piagge, 
              li quai non poten tolerar la brina: 
              e la crudele spina 
              però Amor di cor non la mi tragge; 
              per ch'io son fermo di portarla sempre 
52          ch'io sarò in vita, s'io vivesse sempre.

                    Versan le vene le fummifere acque 
              per li vapor' che la terra ha nel ventre, 
              che d'abisso li tira suso in alto; 
                 onde cammino al bel giorno mi piacque 
              che ora è fatto rivo, e sarà mentre 
58          che durerà del verno il grande assalto;

                    e la terra fa un suol che par di smalto, 
              e l'acqua morta si converte in vetro 
              per la freddura che di fuor la serra: 
              e io de la mia guerra 
              non son però tornato un passo a retro, 
              né vo' tornar; ché, se '1 martiro è dolce, 
65          la morte de' passare ogni altro dolce.

                    Canzone, or che sarà di me ne l'altro 
              dolce tempo novello, quando piove 
              amore in terra da tutti li cieli, 
              quando per questi geli 
              amore è solo in me, e non altrove? 
              Saranne quello ch'è d'un uom di marmo, 
72          se in pargoletta fia per core un marmo.

                                        2
              Al poco giorno e al gran cerchio d'ombra 
              son giunto, lasso, ed al bianchir de' colli, 
              quando si perde lo color ne l'erba: 
              e 'l mio disio però non cangia il verde, 
              sì è barbato ne la dura petra 
  6          che parla e sente come fosse donna.

              So too this strange lady 
              stands there frozen, like snow in the shade: 
              for she is not moved except as a stone is 
              by the sweet season that warms the hills 
              and turns them from white to green 
              and clothes them with flowers and grass. 

              When she has on her head a garland of leaves 
              she drives from my mind every other lady: 
              because the curling yellow mingles with the green 
              so beautifully that Love comes to stay in the shade there, 
              Love who has locked me among little hills 
              more firmly than mortar locks a stone. 

              Her beauty has more power than a precious stone, 
              and the wound it gives cannot be healed by herbs: 
              for I have fled over plains and over hills 
              to learn to escape from such a lady; 
              and yet from her face there is no shade, 
              not of a hill, or a wall ever, or a green branch. 

              I saw her once dressed in green 
              such that she would have begotten in a stone 
              the love that I feel for her very shadow: 
              and so I have wished to have her in a fine meadow of grass, 
              as much in love as ever lady was, 
              a meadow closed in all around with high hills. 

              But well may the rivers climb the hills 
              before this moist green wood 
              will ever take fire (as ladies do) 
              for me, though I would endure to sleep on stone 
              all my season, and go eating grass, 
              so I might only see where her skirts make a shade. 

              Whenever the hills make blackest shade, 
              under a lovely green the youthful lady 
              makes it disappear, as a man a stone under grass.

                                        3
                     Love, you see perfectly well that this lady 
              cares nothing for your power at any time, 
              though you be accustomed to lord it over other ladies: 
                 and since she has been aware of being my lady 
              because of your light that shines in my face, 
              she has made herself Lady Cruelty, 
                    so that she does not seem to have the heart of a woman 
              but of whatever beast keeps its love coldest: 
              for in the warm weather and in the cold

              Similemente questa nova donna 
              si sta gelata come neve a l'ombra: 
              ché non la move, se non come petra, 
              il dolce tempo che riscalda i colli, 
              e che li fa tornar di bianco in verde 
12          perché li copre di fioretti e d'erba.

              Quand'ella ha in testa una ghirlanda d'erba, 
              trae de la mente nostra ogn'altra donna: 
              perché si mischia il crespo giallo e 'l verde 
              sì bel, ch'Amor lì viene a stare a l'ombra, 
              che m'ha serrato intra piccioli colli 
18          più forte assai che la calcina petra.

              La sua bellezza ha più vertù che petra, 
              e 'l colpo suo non può sanar per erba: 
              ch'io son fuggito per piani e per colli, 
              per potere scampar da cotal donna; 
              e dal suo lume non mi può far ombra 
24          poggio né muro mai né fronda verde.

              Io l'ho veduta già vestita a verde, 
              sì fatta ch' ella avrebbe messo in petra 
              l'amor ch'io porto pur a la sua ombra: 
              ond'io l'ho chesta in un bel prato d'erba, 
              innamorata com'anco fu donna, 
30          e chiuso intorno d'altissimi colli.

              Ma ben ritorneranno i fiumi a' colli 
              prima che questo legno molle e verde 
              s'infiammi, come suol far bella donna, 
              di me; che mi torrei dormire in petra 
              tutto il mio tempo e gir pascendo l'erba, 
36          sol per veder do' suoi panni fanno ombra.

              Quandunque i colli fanno più nera ombra, 
              sotto un bel verde la giovane donna 
39          la fa sparer, com'uom petra sott' erba.

                                        3
                    Amor, tu vedi ben che questa donna 
              la tua vertù non cura in alcun tempo, 
              che suol de l'altre belle farsi donna; 
                 e poi s'accorse ch'ell'era mia donna 
              per lo tuo raggio ch'al volto mi luce, 
  6          d'ogne crudelità si fece donna;
                    sì che non par ch'ell'abbia cor di donna, 
              ma di qual fiera l'ha d'amor più freddo: 
              che per lo tempo caldo e per lo freddo

                 she seems to me exactly like a lady 
              carved from some lovely precious stone 
              by the hand of some master carver of stone. 

                    And I, who am constant (even more than a stone) 
              in obeying you, for the beauty of a lady, 
              I carry hidden away the wound from that stone 
                 with which you struck me as if I had been a stone 
              that had caused you pain for a long time, 
              so that the blow reached my heart, where I have turned to stone. 

                    And never was there found any precious stone 
              that from the brightness of the sun or its own light 
              had so much virtue or light 
                 that it could help me against this stone, 
              that she not lead me with her coldness 
              to a place where I will be dead and cold. 

                    Lord, you know that in the freezing cold 
              water becomes crystalline stone 
              under the mountain wind where the great cold is, 
                 and the air always turns into the cold 
              element there, so that water is queen 
              there, because of the cold. 

                    Just so, before her expression that is all cold, 
              my blood freezes over always, in all weather, 
              and the care that so shortens my time for me 
                 turns everything into fluid cold 
              that issues from me through the lights 
              where her pitiless light came in. 

                    In her, beauty gathers all its light; 
              and so of all cruelty the cold 
              flows to her heart, not reached by your light: 
                 so beautiful into my eyes she shines 
              when I gaze on her, that I see her in stones 
              and in everything else, wherever I turn my sight. 

                    From her eyes comes to me the sweet light 
              that makes me not care about any other lady: 
              would that she were more merciful a lady 
                 toward me, for I call out night and day, 
              only to serve her, for place and time, 
              nor for any other reason do I wish to live a long time. 

                    Therefore, O Power older than time, 
              than motion or visible light, 
              take pity on me in my evil time; 
                 enter her heart now, for it is surely time, 
              and drive out the cold 
              that prevents me from having, like others, my time;

                 mi fa sembiante pur come una donna 
              che fosse fatta d'una bella petra 
12          per man di quei che me' intagliasse in petra.

                    E io, che son costante più che petra 
              in ubidirti per bieltà di donna, 
              porto nascoso il colpo de la petra 
                 con la qual tu mi desti come a petra 
              che t'avesse innoiato lungo tempo, 
18          tal che m'andò al core ov'io son petra.

                    E mai non si scoperse alcuna petra 
              o da splendor di sole o da sua luce, 
              che tanta avesse né vertù né luce 
                 che mi potesse atar da questa petra, 
              sì ch'ella non mi meni col suo freddo 
24          colà dov'io sarò di morte freddo.

                    Segnor, tu sai che per algente freddo 
              l'acqua diventa cristallina petra 
              là sotto tramontana ov'è il gran freddo, 
                 e l'aere sempre in elemento freddo 
              vi si converte, sì che l'acqua è donna 
30          in quella parte per cagion del freddo:

                    così dinanzi al sembiante freddo 
              mi ghiaccia sopra il sangue d'ogne tempo, 
              e quel pensiero che m'accorcia il tempo 
                 mi si converte tutto in corpo freddo, 
              che m'esce poi per mezzo de la luce 
36          là ond'entrò la dispietata luce.

                    In lei s'accoglie d'ogni bieltà luce; 
              così di tutta crudeltate il freddo 
              le corre al core, ove non va tua luce: 
                 per che ne li occhi sì bella mi luce 
              quando la miro, ch'io la veggio in petra, 
42          e po' in ogni altro ov'io volga mia luce.

                    Da li occhi suoi mi ven la dolce luce 
              che mi fa non caler d'ogn'altra donna: 
              così foss'ella più pietosa donna 
                 ver' me, che chiamo di notte e di luce, 
              solo per lei servire, e luogo e tempo, 
48          né per altro disio viver gran tempo.

                    Però, vertù che se' prima che tempo, 
              prima che moto o che sensibil luce, 
              increscati di me, c'ho sì mal tempo; 
                 entrale in core omai, ché ben n'è tempo, 
              si che per te se n'esca fuor lo freddo 
54          che non mi lascia aver, com'altri, tempo:

                    for if your strong season 
              comes upon me in this state, she, noble stone, 
              will see me lie down in little stone 
                 not to rise again until the end of time, 
              when I shall see if there was ever a lady 
              in the world as beautiful as this cruel lady. 

                    Song, I carry in my mind a lady 
              such that, though to me she be stone, 
              still she gives me boldness where all other men seem cold: 
                 so that I dare to make in this cold 
              the newness that lights up your form, 
              that was never thought before in any time.

4

So in my speech I would be harsh as is in her acts this beautiful stone, who more and more achieves greater hardness and crueler nature,

and she clothes her person with a crystal so hard that—whether because of it or because she dodges—no arrow from any quiver finds her naked, ever.

And she kills, and it avails no man to shield himself or gain distance from her mortal blows, which, as if they had wings, reach you and shatter any armor, and I neither know how nor have the power to defend myself against her.

I find no shield that she may not shatter nor place that may hide me from her face, but, as a flower the tip of a plant, so of my mind she holds the summit.

About my sufferings she seems to care as much as a ship about a sea without waves; and the weight that is sinking me is such that no rhyme can equal it.

Ah, rasping pitiless file, silently wearing away my life, why are you not as afraid to gnaw so at my heart, layer by layer, as I am to tell who gives you your power?

For my heart, whenever I think of her in any place where others send their eyes, for fear that my care may shine through and be discovered, trembles more

                    ché se mi giunge lo tuo forte tempo 
              in tale stato, questa gentil petra 
              mi vedrà coricare in poca petra, 
                 per non levarmi se non dopo il tempo 
              quando vedrò se mai fu bella donna 
60          nel mondo come questa acerba donna.

                    Canzone, io porto ne la mente donna 
              tal che, con tutto ch'ella mi sia petra, 
              mi dà baldanza, ond'ogni uom mi par freddo: 
                 sì ch'io ardisco a far per questo freddo 
              la novità che per tua forma luce, 
66          che non fu mai pensata in alcun tempo.

                                        4
                    Così nel mio parlar voglio esser aspro 
              com' è ne li atti questa bella petra, 
              la quale ognora impetra 
              maggior durezza e più natura cruda, 
                 e veste sua persona d'un dìaspro 
              tal che per lui, o perch'ella s'arretra, 
              non esce di faretra 
8          saetta che già mai la colga ignuda;
                    ed ella ancide, e non val ch'om si chiuda 
              né si dilunghi da' colpi mortali 
              che, com'avesser ali, 
              giungono altrui e spezzan ciascun'arme: 
13          si ch'io non so da lei né posso atarme.

                    Non trovo scudo ch'ella non mi spezzi 
              né loco che dal suo viso m'asconda: 
              ché, come fior di fronda, 
              Così de la mia mente tien la cima. 

                    Cotanto del mio mal par che si prezzi 
              quanto legno di mar che non lieva onda; 
              e 'l peso che m'affonda 
21          è tal che non potrebbe adequar rima.

                    Ahi, angosciosa e dispietata lima 
              che sordamente la mia vita scemi, 
              perché non ti ritemi 
              sì di rodermi il core a scorza a scorza 
26          com'io di dire altrui chi ti dà forza?

                    Ché più mi triema il cor qualora io penso 
              di lei in parte ov'altri li occhi induca, 
              per tema non traluca 
              lo mio penser di fuor sì che si scopra,

than I do at the death that already chews on my every sense with the teeth that Love gives it: that is, my care wears down my powers and slows their work.

He has thrown me to the ground and stands over me with the sword with which he killed Dido—he, Love—to whom I cry out calling for mercy and humbly I beg him, and he seems set to deny all mercy.

Now and again he raises his hand and defies my weak life, this perverse one, and holds me on the ground stretched out and supine, too tired to wriggle any longer:
then in my mind shrieks arise, and my blood that is dispersed through my veins rushes toward my heart, which calls it, and I turn white.

He strikes me under the left arm so fiercely that the pain rebounds into my heart; then I say: "If he lifts his arm another time, Death will have shut me up before the blow can descend."

Would I might see him split her cruel heart right down the middle, for she is quartering mine! Then death would not be black for me, where I run because of her beauty.

For she shoots as much into the sun as into the shade, this murderous thieving gangster. Ah me, why is she not barking for me, as I for her, in the hot pit?
For soon I'd shout: "I'll help you!" and I would, too, gladly, and into her blond hair, which Love curls and gilds to destroy me, I'd put my hand, and then I would please her.

If I had her blond braids grasped in my hand, that to me are become a scourge and a whip, taking hold before tierce I'd pass vespers and the compline bell with them:
and I would not be pitying or courteous, I would be like a bear when it plays, and if Love whips me with them, I would take vengeance more than a thousand times.

              ch'io non fo de la morte, che ogni senso 
              co li denti d'Amor già mi manduca: 
              ciò è che 'l pensier bruca 
34          la lor vertù, sì che n'allenta l'opra.

                    E' m'ha percosso in terra e stammi sopra 
              con quella spada ond'elli ancise Dido, 
              Amore, a cui io grido 
              merzé chiamando, e umilmente il priego: 
39          ed el d'ogni merzé par messo al niego.

                    Egli alza ad ora ad or la mano, e sfida 
              la debole mia vita, esto perverso, 
              che disteso a riverso 
              mi tiene in terra d'ogni guizzo stanco: 
                 allor mi surgon ne la mente strida; 
              e 'l sangue, ch'è per le vene disperso, 
              fuggendo corre verso 
47          lo cor, che 'l chiama; ond'io rimango bianco.

                    Elli mi fiede sotto il braccio manco 
              sì forte che 'l dolor nel cor rimbalza; 
              allor dico: "S'elli alza 
              un'altra volta, Morte m'avrà chiuso 
52          prima che 'l colpo sia disceso giuso."

                    Così vedess'io lui fender per mezzo 
              lo core a la crudele che 'l mio squatra; 
              poi non mi sarebb' atra 
              la morte, ov'io per sua bellezza corro: 
                 ché tanto dà nel sol quanto nel rezzo 
              questa scherana micidiale e latra. 
              Omè, perché non latra 
60          per me, com'io per lei, nel caldo borro? 
                    ché tosto griderei: "Io vi soccorro!" 
              e fare' 'l volentier, sì come quelli 
              che ne' biondi capelli 
              ch'Amor per consumarmi increspa e dora 
65          metterei mano, e piacere'le allora.

                    S'io avessi le belle trecce prese, 
              che fatte son per me scudiscio e ferza, 
              pigliandole anzi terza, 
              con esse passerei vespero e squille: 

                 e non sarei pietoso né cortese, 
              anzi farei com'orso quando scherza; 
              e se Amor me ne sferza, 
73          io mi vendicherei di più di mille.

And into her eyes, whence the sparks come forth that inflame and kill my heart, I would look from up close, fixedly, to avenge the fleeing she has done. And then I would give her lovingly the kiss of peace.

Song, go straight to that lady who has wounded my heart but steals away from me what I am most greedy for: and strike her through the heart with an arrow, for lovely honor is acquired by taking vengeance.

                    Ancor ne li occhi, ond'escon le faville 
              che m'infiammano il cor, ch'io porto anciso, 
              guarderei presso e fiso 
              per vendicar lo fuggir che mi face; 
78          e poi le renderei con amor pace.
                    Canzon, vattene dritto a quella donna 
              che m'ha ferito il core e che m'invola 
              quello ond'io ho più gola, 
              e dàlle per lo cor d'una saetta: 
83          ché bell'onor s'acquista in far vendetta.

Vita Nuova 19

It happened then that as I was passing along a road beside which there ran a very clear stream, there came upon me so great a desire to compose, that I began to consider the manner I might follow; and I considered that I ought not to speak to her except addressing ladies in the second person, and not every lady, only those who are noble and not merely women. Then, I say, my tongue spoke as if moved by itself, and said: Ladies who have intellect of love. These words I stored in my memory with great joy, thinking to make them my beginning; and later, having returned to the city mentioned above, meditating for several days, I began a canzone with this beginning, structured as will be seen below in its division. The canzone begins: Ladies who have.

Ladies who have intellect of love, I wish to speak to you of my lady, not because I believe I can complete her praise, but to speak in order to vent my mind.

I say that when I consider her worth, Love makes himself felt so sweetly, that if I did not lose daring then, I would fill people with love by speaking.

And I do not wish to speak so exaltedly that I should become low because of my fear; but I will treat of her noble state
lightly in relation to her, ladies and amorous damsels, with you, for it is not something of which to speak to others.

An angel cries out in the divine intellect and says: "Lord, in the world is seen a marvel in the act that proceeds from a soul that shines back as far as up here."

Heaven, which has no other lack, requests her from its lord, and every saint begs for the boon of her. Only Mercy defends our part,
for God speaks, referring to milady: "My beloved, now suffer in peace that your hope may be as long as I please
there where there is one who will lose her, and who will say in Hell: O ill-born ones, I have seen the hope of the blessed."

Milady is desired in the highest Heaven: now I wish to tell you of her power. I say, whoever wishes to appear a noble lady, let her walk with her, for when she goes through the street
she casts into ignoble hearts a chill that freezes and kills their every thought; and whichever of them could endure to stay to see her would become a noble thing or would die.

Avvenne poi che passando per uno cammino lungo lo quale sen gia uno rivo chiaro molto, a me giunse tanta volontade di dire, che io cominciai a pensare lo modo ch'io tenesse; e pensai che parlare di lei non si convenia che io facesse, se io non parlasse a donne in seconda persona, e non ad ogni donna, ma solamente a coloro che sono gentili e che non sono pure femmine. Allora dico che la mia lingua parlò quasi come per sé stessa mossa, e disse: Donne ch'avete intelletto d'amore. Queste parole io ripuosi ne la mente con grande letizia, pensando di prenderle per mio cominciamento; onde poi, ritornato a la sopradetta cittade, pensando alquanti die, cominciai una canzone con questo cominciamento, ordinata nel modo che si vedrà di sotto ne la sua divisione. La canzone comincia: Donne ch'avete.

                    Donne ch'avete intelletto d'amore, 
              i' vo' con voi de la mia donna dire, 
              non perch'io creda sua laude finire, 
              ma ragionar per isfogar la mente. 
                 Io dico che pensando il suo valore, 
              Amor sì dolce mi si fa sentire, 
              che s'io allora non perdessi ardire,  
  8          farei parlando innamorar la gente.
                    E io non vo' parlar sì altamente, 
              ch'io divenisse per temenza vile; 
              ma tratterò del suo stato gentile 
                 a respetto di lei leggeramente, 
              donne e donzelle amorose, con vui, 
14          ché non è cosa da parlarne altrui.
                    Angelo clama in divino intelletto 
              e dice: "Sire, nel mondo si vede 
              maraviglia ne I'atto che procede 
              d'un'anima che 'nfin qua su risplende." 
                 Lo cielo, che non have altro difetto 
              che d'aver lei, al suo segnor la chiede, 
              e ciascun santo ne grida merzede.
22          Sola Pietà nostra parte difende,
                    che parla Dio, che di madonna intende: 
              "Diletti miei, or sofferite in pace 
              che vostra spene sia quanto me piace 
                 Ià 'v'è alcun che perder lei s'attende, 
              e che dirà ne lo inferno: O mal nati, 
28          io vidi la speranza de' beati."
                    Madonna è disiata in sommo cielo: 
              or voi di sua virtù farvi savere. 
              Dico, qual vuol gentil donna parere 
              vada con lei, che quando va per via, 
                 gitta nei cor villani Amore un gelo, 
              per che onne lor pensero agghiaccia e pere; 
              e qual soffrisse di starla a vedere 
36          diverria nobil cosa, o si morria.

And when she finds someone who is worthy to see her, he experiences her power, for whatever she gives him is for his good,
and she so humbles him that he forgets all offenses done to him. More, God has given her as a greater grace that he cannot finish ill who has spoken with her.

Love says of her: "How can a mortal thing be so beautiful and so pure?" Then he gazes at her, and within himself he swears that God intends to make of her some new thing.
She has almost the color of pearl, in a form such as befits a lady, not out of measure: she is whatever good can be made by Nature; by her example beauty is tested.
From her eyes, wherever she may move them, there come forth flaming spirits of love, which strike the eyes of whoever gazes on her,
and they pass within so that each one finds the heart: you see Love portrayed in her face, where no one can gaze fixedly.

Canzone, I know that you will go speaking to many ladies, when I have brought you forward. Now I admonish you, for I have brought you up to be a young and gentle daughter of Love,
that wherever you go you say, requesting: "Show me the way, for I am sent to her whose praise adorns me." And if you do not wish to go about like a vain one,
do not stay where there are ignoble folk: contrive, if you can, to be seen only with ladies or with a courteous man,
for they will lead you there by a quick road. You will find Love with her; commend me to him as you should.

This canzone, so that it may be better understood, I will divide more carefully than the others above. And so first I make three parts of it: the first part is a proem to the following words; the second is the matter treated; the third is as it were a servant of the preceding words. The second begins here: An angel cries out; the third here: Canzone, I know that. The first part is divided into four: in the first I say to whom I wish to speak of my lady, and why; in the second I say how I seem to be when I consider her worth, and how I would speak if I did not lose daring; in the third I say how I intend to speak of her, so that I will not be impeded by cowardice; in the fourth, saying again to whom I wish to speak, I say the reason why I speak to them. The second begins here: I say; the third here: And I do not wish to speak; the fourth: ladies and amorous damsels.

                    E quando trova alcun che degno sia 
              di veder lei, quei prova sua vertute, 
              ché li avvien, ciò che li dona, in salute, 
                 e sì l'umilia, ch'ogni offesa oblia. 
              Ancor l'ha Dio per maggior grazia dato 
42          che non pò mal finir chi l'ha parlato.

                    Dice di lei Amor: "Cosa mortale 
              come esser pò sì adorna e sì pura?" 
              Poi la reguarda, e fra se stesso giura 
              che Dio ne 'ntenda di far cosa nova. 
                 Color di perle ha quasi, in forma quale 
              convene a donna aver, non for misura: 
              ella è quanto de ben pò far natura; 
50          per essemplo di lei bieltà si prova.

                    De li occhi suoi, come ch'ella li mova, 
              escono spirti d'amore inflammati, 
              che feron li occhi a qual che allor la guati, 
                 e passan sì che 'l cor ciascun retrova: 
              voi le vedete Amor pinto nel viso, 
56          là 've non pote alcun mirarla fiso.

                    Canzone, io so che tu girai parlando 
              a donne assai, quand'io t'avrò avanzata. 
              Or t'ammonisco, perch'io t'ho allevata 
              per figliuola d'Amor giovane e piana, 
                 che là 've giugni tu diche pregando: 
              "Insegnatemi gir, ch'io son mandata 
              a quella di cui laude so' adornata." 
64          E se non vuoli andar sì come vana,

                    non restare ove sia gente villana: 
              ingegnati, se puoi, d'esser palese 
              solo con donne o con omo cortese, 
                 che ti merranno là per via tostana. 
              Tu troverai Amor con esso lei; 
70          raccomandami a lui come tu dei.

Questa canzone, acciò che sia meglio intesa, la dividerò più artificiosamente che l'altre cose di sopra. E però prima ne fo tre parti: la prima parte è proemio de le sequenti parole; la seconda è lo intento trattato; la terza è quasi una serviziale de le precedenti parole. La seconda comincia quivi: Angelo clama; la terza quivi: Canzone, io so che. La prima parte si divide in quattro: ne la prima dico a cu' io dicer voglio de la mia donna, e perché io voglio dire; ne la seconda dico quale me pare avere a me stesso quand'io penso lo suo valore, e com'io direi s'io non perdessi l'ardimento; ne la terza dico come credo dire di lei, acciò ch'io non sia impedito da viltà; ne la quarta, ridicendo anche a cui ne intenda dire, dico la cagione per che dico a loro. La seconda comincia quivi: Io dico; la terza quivi: E io non vo'parlar; la quarta: donne e donzelle.

Then when I say An angel cries out, I begin to treat of this lady. And this part is divided in two: in the first I say what is understood of her in Heaven; in the second I say what is understood of her on earth, here: Milady is desired. This second part is divided in two: for in the first I speak of her in terms of the nobility of her soul, narrating some of her effective powers, which proceed from her soul; in the second I speak of her according to the nobility of her body, narrating some of its beauties, here: Love says of her. This second part is divided in two; for in the first [part] I speak of some beauties that are according to her entire person; in the second I speak of beauties that are according to determined parts of her person, here: From her eyes. This second part is divided in two: for in one I speak of her eyes, which are the beginning of love; in the second I speak of her mouth, which is the goal of love. And so that any vicious thought may be avoided here, be remembered what is written above, that the greeting of this lady, which was among the operations of her mouth, was the goal of my desires as long as I could receive it.

Then when I say: Canzone, I know that you, I add a stanza as it were like a maid-servant to the others, in which I say what I desire of this canzone of mine; and because this last part is easy to understand, I labor in no more divisions.

I do say that in order to open further the meaning of this canzone one would have to use further minute divisions; but in any case, whoever has not sufficient wit that he can understand it by these that have been made, it will not displease me if he let it stand, for certainly I fear that I have communicated its meaning to too many by these divisions, if it should happen that many could hear and heed them.

Poscia quando dico: Angelo clama, comincio a trattare di questa donna. E dividesi questa parte in due: ne la prima dico che di lei si comprende in cielo; ne la seconda dico che di lei si comprende in terra, quivi: Madonna è disiata. Questa seconda parte si divide in due; che ne la prima dico di lei quanto da la parte de la nobilitade de la sua anima, narrando alquanto de le sue vertudi effettive che de la sua anima procedeano; ne la seconda dico di lei quanto da la parte de la nobilitade del suo corpo, narrando alquanto de le sue bellezze, quivi: Dice di lei Amor. Questa seconda parte si divide in due; che ne la prima dico d'alquante bellezze che sono secondo tutta la persona; ne la seconda dico d'alquante bellezze che sono secondo diterminata parte de la persona, quivi: De li occhi. Questa seconda parte si divide in due: che ne l'una dico de li occhi, li quali sono principio d'amore; ne la seconda dico de la bocca, la quale è fine d'amore. E acciò che quinci si lievi ogni vizioso pensiero, ricordisi chi ci legge, che di sopra è scritto che lo saluto di questa donna, lo quale era de le operazioni de la bocca sua, fue fine de li miei desiderii mentre ch'io lo potei ricevere.

Poscia quando dico: Canzone, io so che tu, aggiungo una stanza quasi come ancella de l'altre, ne la quale dico quello che di questa mia canzone desidero; e però che questa ultima parte è lieve a intendere, non mi travaglio in più divisioni.

Dico bene che, a più aprire lo intendimento di questa canzone, si converrebbe usare di più minute divisioni; ma tuttavia chi non è di tanto ingegno che per queste che sono fatte la possa intendere, a me non dispiace se la mi lascia stare, ché certo io temo d'avere a troppi comunicato lo suo intendimento pur per queste divisioni che fatte sono, s'elli avvenisse che molti le potessero audire. (Dante 1980 114–132)

De Vulgari Eloquentia, Book 2

i.1. Soliciting again the celerity of our wit, and returning to pen this profitable work, first of all we say that the illustrious Italian vernacular is suited for both prose and verse. But because prose writers more frequently adopt language from poets and because poetry stands as an example for prose and not vice versa—facts that give it a certain primacy—we will first treat eloquence in verse, as we promised at the end of the first book.

2. Let us ask first, then, whether all those writing verse in the vernacular ought to use the illustrious vernacular. And superficially it seems so, because everyone who writes verse ought to adorn his verses as much as he can: therefore since nothing is so great an adornment as the illustrious vernacular, it seems that every versifier should use it. 3. Besides, if what is best in its kind is mixed with its inferiors, it seems not to be worsened by them at all but rather to improve them: therefore if some versifier, though he write verse crudely, mingles the illustrious vernacular with his crudities, he not only does well, but it seems that he ought to do so: those who have little ability need help much more than those who have great ability. And so it appears that it is permitted to all versifiers to use the illustrious vernacular.

4. But this is most false, for not even those who are best at writing poetry ought always to clothe themselves with it, as will appear from what is said below. 5. The illustrious vernacular, then, demands men similar to itself, like our other mores and manners: for magnificence demands men who can do great things, and purple demands men who are noble. So also the illustrious vernacular demands men excellent in wit and knowledge, and it spurns others, as will appear below. 6. For whatever befits us does so either because of our genus or our species or our individual nature: as, to feel, to laugh, to make war. But the illustrious vernacular does not befit us because of our genus, for then it would befit beasts also; nor because of our species, for then it would befit all men, which is out of the question—for no one will say it befits mountain folk discussing rustic things—: therefore it is fitting or not according to the individual. 7. But nothing is fitting for the individual except on account of his individual worth, for instance to sell, to be a knight, and to reign. Therefore, since the fitting is a correlate of worth, that is, of worthy persons, and some are worthy, some worthier, and some worthiest, it is manifest that good things befit the worthy, better things the worthier, and best things the worthiest. 8. And since language is the necessary instrument of our conceptions, no otherwise than a horse is to a knight, and since the best knights deserve the best horses, as has been said, the best conceptions deserve the best language. But the best conceptions cannot exist except where there is knowledge and wit: therefore the best language only befits those who possess wit and knowledge. And therefore, since many write verses without knowledge or wit, the best language is not suited to all versifiers, and therefore not the best vernacular either. Therefore if it is not suited to all, not all should use it, for no one should act unfittingly.

i.1. Sollicitantes iterum celeritatem ingenii nostri et ad calamum frugi operis redeuntes, ante omnia confitemur latium vulgare illustre tam prosayce quam metrice decere proferri. Sed quia ipsum prosaycantes ab avientibus magis accipiunt et quia quod avietum est prosaycantibus permanere videtur exemplar, et non e converso—que quendam videntur praebere primatum—, primo secundum quod metricum est ipsum carminemus, ordine pertractantes illo quem in fine primi libri polluximus.

2. Queramus igitur prius utrum versificantibus omnes vulgariter debeant illud uti. Et superficietenus videtur quod sic, quia omnis qui versificatur suos versus exornare debet in quantum potest: quare, cum nullum sit tam grandis exornationis quam vulgare illustre, videtur quod quisquis versificator debeat ipsum uti. 3. Preterea, quod optimum est in genere suo, si suis inferioribus misceatur, non solum nil derogare videtur eis, sed ea meliorare videtur: quare si quis versificator, quanquam rude versificetur, ipsum sue ruditati admisceat, non solum bene facit, sed ipsum sic facere oportere videtur: multo magis opus est adiutorio illis qui pauca quam qui multa possunt. Et sic apparet quod omnibus versificantibus liceat ipsum uti.

4. Sed hoc falsissimum est, quia nec semper excellentissime poetantes debent illud induere, sicut per inferius pertractata perpendi potert. 5. Exigit ergo istud sibi consimiles viros, quemadmodum alii nostri mores et habitus: exigit enim magnificentia magna potentes, purpura viros nobiles; sic et hoc excellentes ingenio et scientia querit, et alios aspernatur, ut per inferiora patebit. 6. Nam quicquid nobis convenit, vel gratia generis, vel speciei, vel individui convenit, ut sentire, ridere, militare. Sed hoc non convenit nobis gratia generis, quia etiam brutis conveniret; nec gratia speciei, quia cunctis hominibus esset conveniens, de quo nulla questio est—nemo enim montaninis rusticana tractantibus hoc dicet esse conveniens—: convenit ergo individui gratia. 7. Sed nichil individuo convenit nisi per proprias dignitates, puta mercari, militare ac regere. Quare si convenientia respiciunt dignitates, hoc est dignos, et quidam digni, quidam digniores, quidam dignissimi esse possunt, manifestum est quod bona dignis, meliora dignioribus, et optima dignissimis convenient. 8. Et cum loquela non aliter sit necessarium instrumentum nostre conceptionis quam equus militis, et optimis militibus optimi conveniant equi, ut dictum est, optimis conceptionibus optima loquela conveniet. Sed optime conceptiones non possunt esse nisi ubi scientia et ingenium est: ergo optima loquela non convenit nisi illis in quibus ingenium et scientia est. Et sic non omnibus versificantibus optima loquela conveniet, cum plerique sine scientia et ingenio versificentur, et per consequens nec optimum vulgare. Quapropter, si non omnibus competit, non omnes ipsum debent uti, quia inconvenienter agere nullus debet.

9. And where it is said that anyone ought to adorn his verses as much as he can, we agree that this is true; but we do not say that an ox in horse's trappings is adorned, nor a pig in a breastplate, rather we deride them as defaced; for adornment is the addition of something fitting. 10. And where it is said that higher things mixed with lower bring a perfection to the lower things, we say that this is true when the distinction between them is lost: for instance when we fuse gold with silver; but if the distinction remains, the lower things seem more base: for instance when beautiful women join a group of ugly ones. Hence, since the thought of the versifier is always mixed with his words in such a way that the distinction between them remains, if the best vernacular should be associated with thoughts that are not the best, the thoughts will appear worse, not better, like an ugly woman dressed in gold or silk.

ii.1. Now that we have shown that not all versifiers, but only the best, should use the illustrious vernacular, the next is to show whether all subjects are to be treated in it or not; and if not all, to show specifically which are worthy of it.

2. First we must ask what we mean by the term worthy. And we say that something is worthy if it possesses worth, as what is noble has nobility; thus if when we know the condition we know the conditioned thing, then if we know what worth is we will also know who or what is worthy. 3. Now, worth is the effect of merit or its goal; as when we say that someone has deserved well, we say that he is worthy of good, if badly, of ill: for example, we say that someone who fights well deserves victory, one who rules well is worthy of a kingdom, and we say that a liar deserves to blush, a thief to die. 4. But since comparisons are made among those who deserve well and others, for some deserve well, others better, and others best, and some deserve ill, others worse, and others worst, and since these comparisons cannot be made except by reference to a standard of merit, which we call worth, as has been said, it is manifest that worths themselves are to be compared according to greater and less, and that some are great, some greater, and others greatest; and consequently it is clear that some things are worthy, others worthier, others worthiest. 5. And when the comparison of worth does not concern the same object but different ones, as when we say that what is worthy of the greater is worthier and what is worthy of the greatest is worthiest (for nothing can be worthier than that), it is manifest that in the nature of things the best are worthy of the best. Therefore, since what we call the illustrious is the best of all vernacular styles, it follows that only the best things are worthy to be treated in it, and these we call the worthiest subjects.^[1]

6. Now let us inquire what they may be. To see this clearly, one must understand that just as man's spirit is triple, namely vegetative, animal, and rational, so he walks on a triple path. For insofar as he is something vegetative he seeks the useful, in which he is with the plants; insofar as he is animal he seeks the pleasurable, in which he is with the beasts; insofar as he is rational, he seeks what is virtuous, in which he is alone or with the angels. Whatever we do, we do for the sake of these three; and since in each of these categories some things are greater and others greatest, by this distinction the things that are greatest

9. Et ubi dicitur quod quilibet suos versus exornare debet in quantum potest, verum esse testamur; sed nec bovem epiphiatum nec balteatum suem dicemus ornatum, immo potius deturpatum ridemus illum: est enim exornatio alicuius convenientis additio. 10. Ad illud ubi dicitur quod superiora inferioribus admixta profectum adducunt, dicimus verum esse quando cesset discretio: puta si aurum cum argento conflemus; sed si discretio remanet, inferiora vilescunt: puta cum formose mulieres deformibus admiscentur. Unde cum sententia versificantium semper verbis discretive mixta remaneat, si non fuerit optima, optimo sociata vulgari non melior sed deterior apparebit, quemadmodum turpis mulier si auro vel serico vestiatur.

ii.1. Postquam non omnes versificantes sed tantum excellentissimos illustre uti vulgare debere astruximus, consequens est astruere utrum omnia ipso tractanda sint aut non; et si non omnia, que ipso digna sint segregatim ostendere.

2. Circa quod primo reperiendum est id quod intelligimus per illud quod dicimus dignum. Et dicimus dignum esse quod dignitatem habet, sicut nobile quod nobilitatem; et si cognito habituante habituatum cognoscitur in quantum huiusmodi, cognita dignitate cognoscemus et dignum. 3. Est etenim dignitas meritorum effectus sive terminus; ut, cum quis bene meruit, ad boni dignitatem profectum esse dicimus, cum male vero, ad mali: puta bene militantem ad victorie dignitatem, bene autem regentem ad regni, nec non mendacem ad ruboris dignitatem, et latronem ad eam que est mortis. 4. Sed cum in bene merentibus fiant comparationes, et in aliis etiam, ut quidam bene quidam melius quidam optime, quidam male quidam peius quidam pessime mereantur, et huiusmodi comparationes non fiant nisi per respectum ad terminum meritorum, quem dignitatem dicimus, ut dictum est, manifestum est ut dignitates inter se comparentur secundum magis et minus, ut quedam magne, quedam maiores, quedam maxime sint; et per consequens aliquid dignum, aliquid dignius, aliquid dignissimum esse constat. 5. Et cum comparatio dignitatum non fiat circa idem obiectum, sed circa diversa, ut dignius dicamus quod maioribus, dignissimum quod maximis dignum est (quia nichil eodem dignius esse potest), manifestum est quod optima optimis secundum rerum exigentiam digna sunt. Unde cum hoc quod dicimus illustre sit optimum aliorum vulgarium, consequens est ut sola optima digna sint ipso tractari, que quidem tractandorum dignissima nuncupamus.

6. Nunc autem que sint ipsa venemur. Ad quorum evidentiam sciendum est quod sicut homo tripliciter spirituatus est, videlicet vegetabili, animali, et rationali, triplex iter perambulat. Nam secundum quod vegetabile quid est, utile querit, in quo cum plantis comunicat; secundum quod animale, delectabile, in quo cum brutis; secundum quod rationale, honestum querit, in quo solus est, vel angelice sociatur [nature]. Propter hec tria quicquid agimus agere videmur; et quia in quolibet istorum quedam sunt maiora quedam maxima, secundum

should be written of in the highest manner, and consequently in the noblest vernacular.

7. But we must consider what these greatest things may be. And first in the category of the useful: if we consider carefully what is desired by all those who seek the useful, we will find that it is nothing other than health.^[2] Second, in the pleasurable: we say that what is most pleasant is that which appetite affects as its most desirable object, and that is beauty. Third, in the virtuous: no one doubts that it is moral virtue. Wherefore these three, that is, safety, beauty, and moral virtue, are those greatest things that are to be written of in the highest manner, that is, the things which pertain to them, as: valor in arms, the ardor of love, and the direction of the will. 8. If we reflect carefully we will find that the illustrious have written poetry in the vernacular only about these three things, as Bertran de Born about arms, Arnaut Daniel about love, Giraut de Bornelh about rectitude, Cino da Pistoia about love, his friend [Dante] about rectitude. For Bertran says

I cannot prevent myself from bringing forth a song;

Arnaut:

The bitter air makes the branched thicket brighten;

Giraut:

To awaken joy that has been too much asleep;

Cino:

I am worthy of death;

his friend [Dante]:

Grief lends daring to my heart.

But I find as yet no Italian who has written poetry about arms.

9. These things considered, it becomes clear what subjects are to be sung in the noblest vernacular.

iii.1. Now let us carefully investigate in what form we should bind together the things that are worthy of so noble a vernacular.

2. Wishing therefore to explain the form in which these things deserve to be bound, we say first that it should be remembered that writers of poetry in the vernacular have brought forth their poems in many forms; some as canzoni, some as ballate, some as sonnets, some in other irregular forms, not governed by rules, as will be shown below. 3. Now, of these forms we hold that of the canzone to be the most excellent: thus, if the best things are worthy of the best, as has been proved above, those subjects that are worthy of the noblest vernacular are worthy of the best poetic form, and therefore should be treated in canzoni.

4. Now, that the form of the canzone is as we have said can be proved by various arguments. And first because, although everything in verse is a song

quod talia, que maxima sunt maxime pertractanda videntur, et per consequens maximo vulgari.

7. Sed disserendum est que maxima sint. Et primo in eo quod est utile: in quo, si callide consideremus intentum omnium querentium utilitatem, nil aliud quam salutem inveniemus. Secundo in eo quod est delectabile: in quo dicimus illud esse maxime delectabile quod per pretiosissimum obiectum appetitus delectat: hoc autem venus est. Tertio in eo quod est honestum: in quo nemo dubitat esse virtutem. Quare hec tria, salus videlicet, venus et virtus, apparent esse illa magnalia que sint maxime pertractanda, hoc est ea que maxime sunt ad ista, ut armorum probitas, amoris incensio, et directio voluntatis. 8. Circa que sola, si bene recolimus, illustres viros invenimus vulgariter poetasse, scilicet Bertramum de Bornio arma, Arnaldum Danielem amorem, Gerardum de Bornello rectitudinem; Cynum Pistoriensem amorem, amicum eius rectitudinem. Bertramus etenim ait

Non posc mudar c'un cantar non exparia;

Arnaldus:

L'aura amara fa•l bruol brancuz clarzir;

Gerardus:

Per solaz reveilar che s'es trop endormis;

Cynus:

Digno sono eo di morte;

amicus eius:

Doglia mi reca ne lo core ardire.

Arma vero nullum latium adhuc invenio poetasse.

9. Hiis proinde visis, que canenda sint vulgari altissimo innotescunt.

iii.1. Nunc autem quo modo ea coartare debemus que tanto sunt digna vulgari, sollicite investigare conemur.

2. Volentes igitur modum tradere quo ligari hec digna existant, primo esse dicimus ad memoriam reducendum quod vulgariter poetantes sua poemata multimode protulerunt, quidam per cantiones, quidam per ballatas, quidam per sonitus, quidam per alios inlegitimos et inregulares modos, ut inferius ostendetur. 3. Horum autem modorum cantionum modum excellentissimum esse putamus: quare si excellentissima excellentissimis digna sunt, ut superius est probatum, illa quae excellentissimo sunt digna vulgari, modo excellentissimo digna sunt, et per consequens in cantionibus pertractanda.

4. Quod autem modus cantionum sit talis ut dictum est, pluribus potest rationibus indagari. Prima quidem quia, cum quicquid versificamur sit cantio,

[cantio ], only to canzoni has this term been allotted: which would never have taken place without a preference of very long standing. 5. Again: whatever by itself fulfills the function for which it is made, is nobler than what has need of something else; but canzoni do all they are meant to do alone, which ballate do not—for ballate need the dancers for whom they are written; therefore it follows that canzoni are to be held nobler than ballate, and consequently that their form is nobler than all other forms, since no one doubts that ballate excel sonnets in nobility of form. 6. Further: those things are nobler which bring more honor to their makers; but canzoni bring more honor to their makers than do ballate: therefore they are nobler, and consequently their form is nobler than the others. 7. Further: noblest things are kept in the most precious containers; but among things sung canzoni are so kept, as can be seen when one examines books of canzoni: therefore canzoni are noblest, and consequently so is their form. 8. Again: among things fashioned by art the noblest is that which comprehends the entirety of the art; now since things sung are fashioned by art, and since the entire art is contained only in canzoni, canzoni are the noblest, and so also their form. That the entire art of lyric poetry is comprehended in the canzone can be seen in this, that whatever artifice is found in all other forms is also found in canzoni, but not conversely. 9. And there is a ready sign of what we have said: for whatever has flowed from the very summit of the heads of illustrious poets to their lips, is found only in canzoni.

10. Therefore it is clear that the subjects that are worthy of the most illustrious vernacular should be treated in canzoni.

iv.1. Now that we have labored to make plain what poets and what subjects are worthy of the courtly vernacular, as well as the poetic form to which we attribute the honor of being the only one worthy of the noblest vernacular, before we move on to other things let us explain the form of the canzone, which we see many usurping and using more haphazardly than by art; and let us open wide the workshop of the canzone, which we have up to now casually mentioned, omitting the form of ballate and sonnets, since we intend to explain them in the fourth book of this work, when we discuss the middle level of the vernacular.

2. Looking back over what has been said, we recall that we have repeatedly

called those who write verse in the vernacular poets, a term we have assumed with good reason, for they are poets, if we rightly understand the nature of poetry, which is nothing other than a fiction set forth with rhetoric and music. 3. But these differ from the great poets, that is, the poets in Greek and Latin, for the great wrote in languages governed by rule and they wrote by the rule of art, but the vernacular poets write without method, as has been said. Thus it happens, that the closer we imitate the regular poets, the more correctly we shall write poetry. We therefore, aware of the need of doctrine, should imitate their learned methods of composition.^[3]

4. First of all we say that each should suit the weight of the subject matter to his own shoulders, lest if he take on too heavy a load he fall into the mud: this is the advice of our master Horace when at the beginning of the Ars poetica he says: "Sumite materiam."^[4]

sole cantiones hoc vocabulum sibi sortite sunt: quod nunquam sine vetusta provisione processit. 5. Adhuc: quicquid per se ipsum efficit illud ad quod factum est, nobilius esse videtur quam quod extrinseco indiget; sed cantiones per se totum quod debent efficiunt, quod ballate non faciunt—indigent enim plausoribus, ad quos edite sunt: ergo cantiones nobiliores ballatis esse sequitur extimandas, et per consequens nobilissimum aliorum esse modum illarum, cum nemo dubitet quin ballate sonitus nobilitate modi excellant. 6. Praeterea: illa videntur nobiliora esse que conditori suo magis honoris afferunt; sed cantiones magis deferunt suis conditoribus quam ballate: igitur nobiliores sunt, et per consequens modus earum nobilissimus aliorum. 7. Praeterea: que nobilissima sunt carissime conservantur; sed inter ea que cantata sunt, cantiones carissime conservantur, ut constat visitantibus libros: ergo cantiones nobilissime sunt, et per consequens modus earum nobilissimus est. 8. Ad hoc: in artificiatis illud est nobilissimum quod totam comprehendit artem; cum igitur ea que cantantur artificiata existant, et in solis cantionibus ars tota comprehendatur, cantiones nobilissime sunt, et sic modus earum nobilissimus aliorum. Quod autem tota comprehendatur in cantionibus ars cantandi poetice, in hoc palatur, quod quicquid artis reperitur in omnibus aliis et in cantionibus reperitur, sed non convertitur hoc. 9. Signum autem horum que dicimus promptum in conspectu habetur: nam quicquid de cacuminibus illustrium capitum poetantium profluxit ad labia, in solis cantionibus invenitur.

10. Quare ad propositum patet quod ea que digna sunt vulgari altissimo in cantionibus tractanda sunt.

iv.1. Quando quidem aporiavimus extricantes qui sint aulico digni vulgari et que, nec non modum quem tanto dignamur honore ut solus altissimo vulgari conveniat, antequam migremus ad alia modum cantionum, quem casu magis quam arte multi usurpare videntur, enucleemus; et qui hucusque casualiter est assumptus, illius artis ergasterium reseremus, modum ballatarum et sonituum ommictentes, quia illum elucidare intendimus in quarto huius operis, cum de mediocri vulgari tractabimus.

2. Revisentes igitur ea que dicta sunt, recolimus nos eos qui vulgariter versificantur plerunque vocasse poetas: quod procul dubio rationabiliter eructare presumpsimus, quia prorsus poete sunt, si poesim recte consideremus: que nichil aliud est quam fictio rethorica musicaque poita. 3. Differunt tamen a magnis poetis, hoc est regularibus, quia magni sermone et arte regulari poetati sunt, hii vero casu, ut dictum est. Idcirco accidit ut, quantum illos proximius imitemur, tantum rectius poetemur. Unde nos doctrine operi intendentes doctrinatas eorum poetrias emulari oportet.

4. Ante omnia ergo dicimus unumquenque debere materie pondus propriis humeris coequare, ne forte humerorum nimio gravata virtute in cenum cespitare necesse sit: hoc est quod Magister noster Oratius precipit cum in principio Poetrie "Sumite materiam" dicit.

5. Next, about the possible subject matters of poetry we must have the judgment to understand whether they are to be written about in tragedy, comedy, or elegy. By tragedy we mean to refer to the high style, by comedy to the low style, by elegy to the style of lamentations. 6. If they are to be sung tragically, then the illustrious vernacular is to be used, and consequently a canzone must be constructed. Or, if comically, then sometimes the middle level of the vernacular, sometimes the low: and we reserve this distinction for discussion in the fourth book of this work. If elegiacally, then we must use only the low.

7. But let us omit the others and now, as is fitting, discuss the tragic style. It is clear that tragic style consists in the harmony of serious content and noble verses, elevated syntax, and elevated vocabulary. 8. Therefore, if we remember that it has been proved that the highest subjects are worthy of the highest style, and if the tragic style is the highest style, then those subjects we have identified as highest should be written of only in this style: namely safety, beauty, and virtue, and what we conceive on account of them, as long as it is not lowered by anything merely adventitious.

9. Therefore, let each be cautious and carefully consider all this, and when he intends to sing of these three themes in their purity, or of things that directly follow from them, first drinking from Helicon and tightening the strings of his lyre to the maximum, let him confidently begin to move his plectrum. 10. But to acquire this skill and this discernment as they should be acquired, this is the work and the labor,^[5] for it cannot be achieved without great effort of mind, assiduous practice, and secure knowledge. And such poets are those whom Virgil in the sixth book of the Aeneid calls beloved of God, raised up by their burning virtue to the sky, and sons of the gods, though he is speaking figuratively. II. And let this confound the foolishness of those who, lacking all art and knowledge, relying exclusively on their native wit, presume to sing of the highest things, though they are to be sung in the highest style; and let them abandon such presumptuousness, and if nature and inactivity have made them geese, let them not try to emulate the eagle that flies to the stars.

v.1. About the weightiness of content we seem to have said enough or at least what is needful here: therefore let us hasten on to the question of the nobility of verses.

2. One should know that our predecessors used various verses in their canzoni, as modern poets do: but we have found no one who in the count of syllables exceeded eleven or used fewer than three. And although Italian poets have used the trisyllable and the hendecasyllable and all the verse lengths in between, the five-syllable line [Italian: quinario ], the seven-syllable line [Italian: settenario ], and the eleven-syllable line have been used most frequently, and after them the three-syllable line.

3. Of all these, the hendecasyllable is the most magnificent, both because of the time it occupies and because of its capaciousness for thought, constructions, and words; the beauty of all of which is more greatly magnified in it, as is manifest: for where weighty things are multiplied, the weight is multiplied also.

5. Deinde in hiis que dicenda occurrunt debemus discretione potiri, utrum tragice, sive comice, sive elegiace sint canenda. Per tragediam superiorem stilum inducimus, per comediam inferiorem, per elegiam stilum intelligimus miserorum. 6. Si tragice canenda videntur, tunc assumendum est vulgare illustre, et per consequens cantionem ligare. Si vero comice, tunc quandoque mediocre quandoque humile vulgare sumatur: et huius discretionem in quarto huius reservamus ostendere. Si autem elegiace, solum humile oportet nos sumere.

7. Sed ommictamus alios, et nunc, ut conveniens est, de stilo tragico pertractemus. Stilo equidem tragico tunc uti videmur quando cum gravitate sententie tam superbia carminum quam constructionis elatio et excellentia vocabulorum concordat. 8. Quare, si bene recolimus summa summis esse digna iam fuisse probatum, et iste quem tragicum appellamus summus videtur esse stilorum, illa que summa canenda distinximus isto solo sunt stilo canenda: videlicet salus, amor et virtus et que propter ea concipimus, dum nullo accidente vilescant.

9. Caveat igitur quilibet et discernat ea que dicimus, et quando pure hec tria cantare intendit, vel ea que ad ea directe ac pure secuntur, prius Elicone potatus, tensis fidibus ad supremum, secure plectrum tum movere incipiat. 10. Sed cautionem atque discretionem hanc accipere, sicut decet, hic opus et labor est, quoniam nunquam sine strenuitate ingenii et artis assiduitate scientiarumque habitus fieri potest. Et hii sunt quos Poeta Eneidorum sexto Dei dilectos et ab ardente virtute sublimatos ad ethera deorumque filios vocat, quanquam figurate loquatur. 11. Et ideo confutetur illorum stultitia qui, arte scientiaque immunes, de solo ingenio confidentes, ad summa summe canenda prorumpunt; et a tanta presumptuositate desistant, et si anseres natura vel desidia sunt, nolint astripetam aquilam imitari.

v.1. De gravitate sententiarum vel satis dixisse videmur vel saltim totum quod operis est nostri: quapropter ad superbiam carminum festincmus.

2. Circa quod sciendum quod predecessores nostri diversis carminibus usi sunt in cantionibus suis, quod et moderni faciunt: sed nullum adhuc invenimus in carmen sillabicando endecadem transcendisse, nec a trisillabo descendisse. Et licet trisillabo carmine atque endecasillabo et omnibus intermediis cantores latii usi sint, pentasillabum et eptasillabum et endecasillabum in usu frequentiori habentur, et post hec trisillabum ante alia.

3. Quorum omnium endecasillabum videtur esse superbius, tam temporis occupatione quam capacitate sententie, constructionis et vocabulorum; quorum omnium specimen magis multiplicatur in illo, ut manifeste apparet: nam ubicumque ponderosa multiplicantur, [multiplicatur] et pondus. 4. Et hoc om-

4. And this all the learned poets can be seen to have understood, beginning their noblest canzoni with the hendecasyllable; as Giraut de B[ornelh]:

Now you will hear perfect songs

(this verse, though it seems to be a ten-syllable one, is actually an eleven-syllable one: for the last two consonants do not belong to the preceding syllable, and although they have not a vowel of their own, they do not for that reason lose the virtue of a syllable; and the sign is that the rhyme there is completed with one vowel, which could not be except by virtue of another vowel understood as there);^[6] the King of Navarre:

From noble love comes wisdom and goodness

(where, if one considers the accent and its reason, it will turn out to be a hendecasyllable); Guido Guinizelli:

To the noble heart love always repairs;

Judge [Guido] delle Colonne of Messina:

Love, who has led me long;

Rinaldo d'Aquino:

Because of refined love I am so joyous;

Cino da Pistoia:

I do not hope that ever for my health;

his friend [Dante]:

Love, who move your power from heaven.

5. And although the hendecasyllable is more celebrated than all the others, as it deserves to be, still if it enters into a kind of association with the settenario it seems to rise upward even more nobly and to shine more brightly, as long as it retains predominance. But let this remain to be explained further on. 6. And we say that after the hendecasyllable the settenario is the most celebrated. The nine-syllable line, however, because it seemed a trisyllable tripled, either was never prized or quickly fell out of use because of its annoying quality. 7. Evensyllabled lines, on the other hand, because of their rusticity, we use but rarely: for they retain the nature of their numbers, which are subject to odd numbers as matter is to form.^[7]

8. And so, summing up the aforesaid, the hendecasyllable is the noblest verse: and this is what we were seeking. Now it remains to consider the elevation of syntax and the magnificence of vocabulary; and finally, having prepared sticks and cords, we will show how someone should bind together the promised bundle, that is, the canzone.

vi.1. Since we are concerned with the illustrious vernacular, which is nobler than the others, and have distinguished the subjects that are worthy of being

nes doctores perpendisse videntur, cantiones illustres principiantes ab illo; ut Gerardus de B:

Ara ausirez encabalitz cantarz

(quod carmen, licet decasillabum videatur, secundum rei veritatem endecasillabum est: nam due consonantes extreme non sunt de sillaba precedente, et licet propriam vocalem non habeant, virtutem sillabe non tamen ammictunt; signum autem est quod rithimus ibi una vocali perficitur, quod esse non posset nisi virtute alterius ibi subintellecte); Rex Navarre:

De fin amor si vient sen et bonté

(ubi, si consideretur accentus et eius causa, endecasillabum esse constabit); Guido Guinizelli:

Al cor gentil repara sempre amore;

Iudex de Columpnis de Messana:

Amor, che lungiamente m'hai menato;

Renaldus de Aquino:

Per fino amore vo sì letamente;

Cynus Pistoriensis:

Non spero che giamai per mia salute;

amicus eius:

Amor, che movi tua virtù da cielo.

5. Et licet hoc quod dictum est celeberrimum carmen, ut dignum est, videatur omnium aliorum, si eptasillabi aliqualem societatem assumat, dummodo principatum obtineat, clarius magisque sursum superbire videtur. Sed hoc ulterius elucidandum remaneat. 6. Et dicimus eptasillabum sequi illud quod maximum est in celebritate. Post hoc pentasillabum et deinde trisillabum ordinamus. Neasillabum vero, quia triplicatum trisillabum videbatur, vel nunquam in honore fuit vel propter fastidium absolevit. 7. Parisillabis vero propter sui ruditatem non utimur nisi raro: retinent enim naturam suorum numerorum, qui numeris imparibus quemadmodum materia forme subsistunt.

8. Et sic, recolligentes predicta, endecasillabum videtur esse superbissimum carmen: et hoc est quod querebamus. Nunc autem restat investigandum de constructionibus elatis et fastigiosis vocabulis; et demum, fustibus torquibusque paratis, promissum fascem, hoc est cantionem, quo modo viere quis debeat instruemus.

vi.1. Quia circa vulgare illustre nostra versatur intentio, quod nobilissimum est aliorum, et ea que digna sunt illo cantari discrevimus, que tria nobilissima

sung in it, as is set forth above, and have selected for it the form of the canzone as the noblest of forms, and, to better explain it, have discussed the style and the verse, now let us discuss syntactical constructions.

2. For one should know that construction is what we call an organic unit of words united according to rule, as "Aristotiles phylosophatus est tempori Alexandri" ("Aristotle practiced philosophy in the age of Alexander"). Here five words are joined together by grammatical rule to form a single construction. 3. Now, it is to be considered first that some constructions are congruous [grammatical], some incongruous. And since, if we recall the beginning of our distinctions, we seek the highest, the incongruous can have no place in our search, for it has not reached even the lowest level of worth. Let the ignorant be ashamed, then, let them be ashamed henceforth to presume to write canzoni: we deride them as like blind men trying to judge of colors. It is the congruous we seek, as is plain.

4. But there is a discrimination of no less difficulty that must be made before we attain what we seek, namely of the construction that has the fullest urbanity. For there are numerous levels of construction: namely the insipid, used by the uneducated, as "Petrus amat multum dominam Bertam" ("Peter loves lady Bertha very much"); and there is the salty, used by stiff students and teachers, as "Piget me cunctis pietate maiorem, quicunque in exilio tabescentes patriam tantum sompniando revisunt" ("I am pained, being more compassionate than anyone else, by the case of those who, languishing in exile, can see their fatherland again only in dreams");^[8] and there are constructions that are both salty and graceful, peculiar to certain people who have a superficial acquaintance with the art of rhetoric, as "Laudabilis discretio marchionis Estensis, et sua magnificentia preparata, cunctis illum facit esse dilectum" ("The praiseworthy discretion of the marchese of Este, and the magnificences he pours forth, make him beloved of all");^[9] and some constructions are salty and graceful and also elevated, and they are used by the illustrious masters, as "Eiecta maxima parte florum de sino tuo, Florentia, nequicquam Trinacriam Totilus secundus adivit" ("Having cast out of your bosom the greater part of your flowers, Florence, in vain the second Totila attacked Sicily").^[10] 5. This level of construction we call the most excellent, and this is the one we are seeking, since we are seeking the highest, as has been said.

6. Illustrious canzoni use only this type of construction, as Giraut [de Borelh]:

If it were not for my Above-all;

Folquet de Marseilh:

So much pleases me my amorous thought;

Arnaut Daniel:

I alone know the excess of pain that is allotted me;

sunt, ut superius est astructum, et modum cantionarium selegimus illis, tanquam aliorum modorum summum, et, ut ipsum perfectius edocere possimus, quedam iam preparavimus, stilum videlicet et carmen, nunc de constructione agamus.

2. Est enim sciendum quod constructionem vocamus regulatam compaginem dictionum, ut "Aristotiles phylosophatus est tempori Alexandri." Sunt enim quinque hic dictiones compacte regulariter, et unam faciunt constructionem. 3. Circa hanc quidem prius considerandum est quod constructionum alia congrua est, alia vero incongrua. Et quia, si primordium bene discretionis nostre recolimus, sola supprema venamur, nullum in nostra venatione locum habet incongrua, quia nec inferiorem gradum bonitatis promeruit. Pudeat ergo, pudeat ydiotas tantum audere deinceps ut ad cantiones prorumpant: quos non aliter deridemus quam cecum de coloribus distinguentem. Est ut videtur congrua quam sectamur.

4. Sed non minoris difficultatis accedit discretio priusquam quam querimus actingamus, videlicet urbanitate plenissimam. Sunt enim gradus constructionum quamplures: videlicet insipidus, qui est rudium, ut "Petrus amat multum dominam Bertam"; est et pure sapidus, qui est rigidorum scolarium vel magistrorum, ut "Piget me cunctis pietate maiorem, quicunque in exilio tabescentes patriam tantum sompniando revisunt"; est et sapidus et venustus, qui est quorundam superficietenus rethoricam aurientium, ut "Laudabilis discretio marchionis Estensis, et sua magnificentia preparata, cunctis ilium facit esse dilectum"; est et sapidus et venustus etiam et excelsus, qui est dictatorum illustrium, ut "Eiecta maxima parte florum de sinu tuo, Florentia, nequicquam Trinacriam Totilus secundus adivit." 5. Hunc gradum constructionis excellentissimum nominamus, et hic est quem querimus cum suprema venemur, ut dictum est.

6. Hoc solum illustres cantiones inveniuntur contexte, ut Gerardus:

Si per mos Sobretos non fos;

Folquetus de Marsilia:

Tan m'abellis l'amoros pensamen;

Arnaldus Danielis:

Sols sui che sai lo sobraffan che•m sorz;

Aimeric de Belenoi:

No man can fulfill completely;

Aimeric de Pegulhan:

Like the tree, which overburdened;

the King of Navarre [actually Gace Brulé]:

Grief of love that dwells in my heart;

the Judge of Messina [Guido delle Colonne]:

Although water depart because of fire;

Guido Guinizelli:

I hold it truly a madman's enterprise;

Guido Cavalcanti:

Since I must bear a grieving heart;

Cino da Pistoia:

Although I have earlier;

his friend [Dante]:

Love that discourses in my mind.

7. Do not marvel, reader, to see so many authors called to memory: for we cannot indicate this type of construction, which we call the highest, except through examples. And perhaps, to acquire the habit of it, it would be most useful to read the regular poets, that is, Virgil, Ovid of the Metamorphoses, Statius, and Lucan, and also those who wrote elevated prose, such as Livy, Pliny, Frontinus, Paulus Orosius, and many others that our admiring solicitude calls us to study. 8. Let the sectaries of ignorance cease to extol Guittone d'Arezzo and certain others who never, in words or constructions, lost the habit of plebeian style.

vii.1. The orderly progression of our exposition requires that we now elucidate the grandiose words that are worthy of the highest style.

2. At the outset we affirm that to distinguish properly among words requires no small skill, since we can discover many different species of them. For some words are childish, some are womanish, and some are manly; of these last some are rustic and some are urbane; and among those we term urbane we find that some are combed, some slippery, some hairy, and some bristling. Now, among these the combed and the hairy are the ones we term grandiose; the slippery and the bristling are those whose sonority is uselessly excessive; as in all undertakings of a certain grandeur, some things are the effect of magnanimity, others of presumption: where, though at first sight there may seem to be ascent, once the

Namericus de Belnui:

Nuls hom non pot complir addreciamen;

Namericus de Peculiano:

Si con l'arbres che per sobrecarcar;

Rex Navarre:

Ire d'amor que en mon cor repaire;

Iudex de Messana:

Ancor che l'aigua per lo foco lassi;

Guido Guinizelli:

Tegno de folle empresa a lo ver dire;

Guido Cavalcantis:

Poi che di doglia cor conven ch'io porti;

Cynus de Pistorio:

Avegna che io aggia più per tempo;

amicus eius:

Amor che ne la mente mi ragiona.

7. Nec mireris, lector, de tot reductis autoribus ad memoriam: non enim hanc quam suppremam vocamus constructionem nisi per huiusmodi exempla possumus indicare. Et fortassis utilissimum foret ad illam habituandam regulatos vidisse poetas, Virgilium videlicet, Ovidium Metamorphoseos, Statium atque Lucanum, nec non alios qui usi sunt altissimas prosas, ut Titum Livium, Plinium, Frontinum, Paulum Orosium, et multos alios quos amica sollicitudo nos visitare invitat. 8. Subsistant igitur ignorantie sectatores Guictonem Aretinum et quosdam alios extollentes, nunquam in vocabulis atque constructione plebescere desuetos.

vii.1. Grandiosa modo vocabula sub prelato stilo digna consistere, successiva nostre progressionis presentia lucidari expostulat.

2. Testamur proinde incipientes non minimum opus esse rationis discretionem vocabulorum habere, quoniam perplures eorum maneries inveniri posse videmus. Nam vocabulorum quedam puerilia, quedam muliebria, quedam virilia; et horum quedam silvestria, quedam urbana; et eorum que urbana vocamus, quedam pexa et lubrica, quedam yrsuta et reburra sentimus. Inter que quidem, pexa atque yrsuta sunt illa que vocamus grandiosa, lubrica vero et reburra vocamus illa que in superfluum sonant; quemadmodum in magnis operibus quedam magnanimitatis sunt opera, quedam fumi: ubi, licet in superficie

sharp line of virtue has been crossed, sound reason will see that there has been a falling down the slope on the other side.

3. Therefore pay careful attention, reader, and sift the mass of words so as to accumulate the best: for if you consider the illustrious vernacular, which, as said above, tragic poets should use—and it is these we wish to form—, you will take care that only the noblest words remain in your sieve. 4. You will not be able to place among them childish words, because of their simplicity, such as mamma and babbo, mate and pate; nor womanish words, because of their softness, such as dolciada and placevole, nor rustic words, because of their harshness, like greggia and cetra, nor among urbane words the slippery or the bristling, such as femina and crpo. You will see that only the combed and hairy among urbane words remain, for they are the noblest and are part of the illustrious vernacular. 5. And we called combed those words which have three syllables, more or less, without aspiration [initial h ], without acute or circumflex accent [both terms seem to refer to accents on the last syllable], without double z or x, without doubled liquids [ll or rr ], and without a liquid following a mute [e.g., cr or pl ]; these combed words are smooth, as it were, and leave the speaker with a certain sweetness, like amore, donna, disio, virtute, donare, letitia, salute, securtate, defesa.

6. We term hairy, on the other hand, all other words, besides the above, that for necessity or ornament are part of the illustrious vernacular. We call necessary those we cannot do without, like certain monosyllables like sì, no, me, te, se, a, e, i, o, u', interjections, and many others. Ornamental we call all polysyllables that, mixed in with the combed words, make a beautiful harmony of combination, although they do have the harshness of aspiration and accent and double consonants and liquids and length: such as terra, honore, speranza, gravitate, alleviato, impossibilità, impossibilitate, benaventuratissimo, inanimatissimamente, disaventuratissimamente, sovramagnificentissimamente, which is a hendecasyllable. One might find words of even greater length, but since they exceed the capacity of all of our verses, they do not enter into this discussion, like the famous honorificabilitudinitate, which has twelve syllables in the vernacular and thirteen in Latin, in two of the oblique cases [i.e., dative and ablative plural].

7. Now, the manner in which combed and hairy words are to be harmonized in meter we leave for discussion below. And what has so far been said about the elevation of words is sufficient for anyone with native discernment.

viii.1. Now that we have prepared the sticks and the cords for our bundle, it is time to tie it together. But because understanding must precede any operation, as one must aim at a target before releasing an arrow or throwing a spear, first and principally let us see what the bundle is that we intend to make.

2. The bundle, then, if we have in mind what has preceded, is the canzone. Therefore, let us see what a canzone is and what we understand by the term.

3. According to the true meaning of the word, a canzone or song [cantio, from cano, to sing] is the act of singing, or else what is sung, as a reading [lectio, from lego, to read] is the act of reading or else what is read. But let us distinguish the two sides of the definition, according as the singing in question is active or passive. 4. And here we must consider that the term canzone can be understood

quidam consideretur ascensus, ex quo limitata virtutis linea prevaricatur, bone rationi non ascensus sed per altera declivia ruina constabit.

3. Intuearis ergo, lector, actente quantum ad exaceranda egregia verba te cribrare oportet: nam si vulgare illustre consideres, quo tragici debent uti poete vulgares, ut superius dictum est, quos informare intendimus, sola vocabula nobilissima in cribro tuo residere curabis. 4. In quorum numero nec puerilia propter sui simplicitatem, ut mamma et babbo, mate et pate, nec muliebria propter sui mollitiem, ut dolciada et placevole, nec silvestria propter austeritatem, ut greggia et cetra, nec urbana lubrica et reburra, ut femina et corpo, ullo modo poteris conlocare. Sola etenim pexa yrsutaque urbana tibi restare videbis, que nobilissima sunt et membra vulgaris illustris. 5. Et pexa vocamus illa que, trisillaba vel vicinissima trisillabitati, sine aspiratione, sine accento acuto vel circumflexo, sine z vel x duplicibus, sine duarum liquidarum geminatione vel positione immediate post mutam, dolata quasi, loquentem cum quadam suavitate relinquunt: ut amore, donna, disio, virtute, donare, letitia, salute, securtate, defesa.

6. Yrsuta quoque dicimus omnia, preter hec, que vel necessaria vel ornativa videntur vulgaris illustris. Et necessaria quidem appellamus que campsare non possumus, ut quedam monosillaba, ut sì, no, me, te, se, a, e, i, o, u', interiectiones et alia multa. Ornativa vero dicimus omnia polisillaba que, mixta cum pexis, pulcram faciunt armoniam compaginis, quamvis asperitatem habeant aspirationis et accentus et duplicium et liquidarum et prolixitatis: ut terra, honore, speranza, gravitate, alleviato, impossibilità, impossibilitate, benaventuratissimo, inanimatissimamente, disaventuratissimamente, sovramagnificentissimamente, quod endecasillabum est. Posset adhuc inveniri plurium sillabarum vocabulum sive verbum, sed quia capacitatem omnium nostrorum carminum superexcedit, rationi presenti non videtur obnoxium, sicut est illud honorificabilitudinitate, quod duodena perficitur sillaba in vulgari et in gramatica tredena perficitur in duobus obliquis.

7. Quomodo autem pexis yrsuta huiusmodi sint armonizanda per metra, inferius instruendum relinquimus. Et que iam dicta sunt de fastigiositate vocabulorum ingenue discretioni sufficiunt.

viii.1. Preparatis fustibus torquibusque ad fascem, nunc fasciandi tempus incumbit. Sed quia cuiuslibet operis cognitio precedere debet operationem, velut signum ante ammissionem sagipte vel iaculi, primo et principaliter qui sit iste fascis quem fasciare intendimus videamus.

2. Fascis iste igitur, si bene comminiscimur omnia prelibata, cantio est. Quapropter quid sit cantio videamus, et quid intelligimus cum dicimus cantionem. 3. Est enim cantio, secundum verum nominis significatum, ipse canendi actus vel passio, sicut lectio passio vel actus legendi. Sed divaricemus quod dictum est, utrum videlicet hec sit cantio prout est actus, vel prout est passio. 4. Et circa hoc considerandum est quod cantio dupliciter accipi potest:

in two ways; in one, according as it is fashioned by its author, and in this mode someone is active—and according to this mode Virgil in the first book of the Aeneid says, "I sing arms and the man"—; in the other, according as it is performed, whether by the author or by another, whoever it may be, whether with or without music; in this mode the singing is passive. For in the first case the author determines the song, in the second the song determines the singing; and thus in the first case the term names someone's action, in the second something undergone by someone. And because the song must be determined before it can determine, it can be seen that the name derives from someone's prior action, rather than from what someone undergoes. And the sign of this is that we never say "This is Peter's song [canzone]" because Peter performs it, but because Peter composed it.^[11]

5. Next we must discuss whether a canzone is the composition of words harmoniously arranged or of the tune itself. On this subject we say that a tune is never called a canzone, but rather a sonus, or a tone, or a note, or a melody. For no wind player or organist or string player calls his melody a canzone except insofar as it is wedded to some canzone; but the harmonizers of words do call their works canzoni, and such words lying on the page in the absence of a performer we still call canzoni. 6. And thus it is clear that a canzone is nothing other than the action, complete in itself, of writing words harmonized with a view to musical setting; for which reason, not only canzoni, which are our present subject, but also ballate and sonnets and all words that are harmonized in this way we call songs [canzoni] in a generic sense. 7. But since we are only discussing things in the vernacular, leaving aside things in Latin, we say that there is one highest among vernacular poems, which we preeminently call the song [canzone]: for that the canzone is the highest form has been proved in the third chapter of this book. And because the definition we have given is common to several [forms], let us distinguish the canzone properly speaking by restating its definition with its differentia. 8. We say, then, that the canzone by preeminence and as we seek it is: a tragic joining together of stanzas, without refrain, on one theme, as we demonstrated when we wrote

Ladies who have intellect of love.

We said "tragic joining together" because, when this joining is done in the comic [less serious] mode, we call it cantilena, with a diminutive: of which we intend to write in the fourth [book] of this treatise.

9. Thus it is clear what the canzone is, in both uses of the term, generic and specific. It is clear what we mean when we call something a canzone, and consequently what the bundle is that we are preparing to tie together.

ix.1. Since, as we have said, a canzone is a joining together of stanzas, if we do not know what a stanza is we do not yet know what a canzone is: for the defined is known by knowing the definientia; consequently we must now speak of the stanza, both what it is and what we mean when we use the term.

2. And here one must know that this term stanza has been chosen for technical reasons exclusively, so that what contains the entire art of the canzone should be called stanza [room], that is, a capacious dwelling or receptacle for

uno modo secundum quod fabricatur ab autore suo, et sic est actio—et secundum istum modum Virgilius primo Eneidorum dicit "Arma virumque cano"—; alio modo secundum quod fabricata profertur vel ab autore vel ab alio quicunque sit, sive cum soni modulatione proferatur, sive non: et sic est passio. Nam tunc agitur, modo vero agere videtur in alium, et sic tunc alicuius actio, modo quoque passio alicuius videtur. Et quia prius agitur ipsa quam agat, magis, immo prorsus denominari videtur ab eo quod agitur, et est actio alicuius, quam ab eo quod agit in alios. Signum autem huius est quod nunquam dicimus "Hec est cantio Petri" eo quod ipsam proferat, sed eo quod fabricaverit illam.

5. Preterea disserendum est utrum cantio dicatur fabricatio verborum armonizatorum, vel ipsa modulatio. Ad quod dicimus quod nunquam modulatio dicitur cantio, sed sonus, vel thonus, vel nota, vel melos. Nullus enim tibicen, vel organista, vel cytharedus melodiam suam cantionem vocat, nisi in quantum nupta est alicui cantioni; sed armonizantes verba opera sua cantiones vocant, et etiam talia verba in cartulis absque prolatore iacentia cantiones vocamus. 6. Et ideo cantio nichil aliud esse videtur quam actio completa dicentis verba modulationi armonizata: quapropter tam cantiones quas nunc tractamus, quam ballatas et sonitus et omnia cuiuscunque modi verba sunt armonizata vulgariter et regulariter, cantiones esse dicemus. 7. Sed quia sola vulgaria ventilamus, regulata linquentes, dicimus vulgarium poematum unum esse suppremum, quod per superexcellentiam cantionem vocamus: quod autem suppremum quid sit cantio, in tertio huius libri capitulo est probatum. Et quoniam quod diffinitum est pluribus generale videtur, resumentes diffinitum iam generale vocabulum per quasdam differentias solum quod petimus distinguamus. 8. Dicimus ergo quod cantio, in quantum per superexcellentiam dicitur, ut et nos querimus, est equaliam stantiarum sine responsorio ad unam sententiam tragica coniugatio, ut nos ostendimus cum dicimus

Donne che avete intelletto d'amore.

Quod autem dicimus "tragica coniugatio" est quia, cum comice fiat hec coniugatio, cantilenam vocamus per diminutionem: de qua in quarto huius tractare intendimus.

9. Et sic patet quid cantio sit, et prout accipitur generaliter et prout per superexcellentiam vocamus earn. Satis etiam patere videtur quid intelligimus cum cantionem vocamus, et per consequens quid sit ille fascis quem ligare molimur.

ix.1. Quia, ut dictum est, cantio est coniugatio stantiarum, ignorato quid sit stantia necesse est cantionem ignorare: nam ex diffinientium cognitione diffiniti resultat cognitio; et ideo consequenter de stantia est agendum, ut scilicet investigemus quid ipsa sit et quid per eam intelligere volumus.

2. Et circa hoc sciendum est quod hoc vocabulum per solius artis respectum inventum est, videlicet ut in quo tota cantionis ars esset contenta, illud diceretur stantia, hoc est mansio capax sive receptaculum totius artis. Nam quemad-

the entire craft. For just as the canzone is the container [literally, lap or womb] of the entire thought, so the stanza enfolds its entire technique; and successive stanzas are not permitted to introduce any new technical devices, but must clothe themselves in the devices set by the preceding. 3. By this it is clear that the stanza will be the enfolding [literally, enwombing] or weaving together of all those things which the canzone takes from technique: when we have set them forth, the description that we seek will be clear.

4. The entire technique of the canzone can be seen to consist in three things: first the division of the melody, second the arrangement of the parts, third the number of lines and of syllables. 5. Of rhyme we make no mention, because it is not part of the art specific to the canzone. For it is permissible to change or repeat rhymes in the stanza as one pleases: which would not be the case if rhyme were part of the specific art of the canzone, as has been said. But if we desire to keep some aspect of rhyme that is specific to the canzone, it will be included under what we have called "the arrangement of the parts."

6. Thus we can gather together out of the foregoing that the stanza is a weaving together of lines and syllables under a definite melody and in a definite arrangement.

x.1. If we know that man is a rational animal and that an animal has a sensible soul and a body, but do not know what a soul or a body is, we cannot have full knowledge of what a man is: for the full knowledge of anything is reached only with [knowledge of] its last elements, as the Master of the Wise [Aristotle] testifies at the beginning of the Physics. Therefore to have the knowledge of the canzone which we desire, let us give a summary of its elements, and first of the melody, then of the arrangement [of parts], and last of lines and syllables.

2. We say, then, that every [canzone] stanza is harmonized with a view to receiving some melody. But it is clear that they have different modes. For some are governed by one melody progressively from beginning to end, and this without repetition of any musical phrase and without diesis—diesis is the name we give to the passage from one melody to another (which we call volta when speaking to the unlearned). Arnaut Daniel used this type of stanza in almost all of his canzoni, and we followed him when we wrote

To the shortened day and to the great circle of shade.

3. Others, however, involve diesis: and there cannot be diesis, as we use the term, without the repetition of a melody, whether before the diesis, or after it, or both. 4. If there is repetition before the diesis, we say that the stanza has pedes [feet]; and it is fitting for it to have two pedes, though occasionally it is given three, very rarely however. If repetition occurs after the diesis, then we say that the stanza has versus [turnings]. If there is none before, we say the stanza has a frons [forehead]. If there is none after, we say it has a sirma, or tail.

5. See, therefore, reader, how much freedom is allowed to those who write canzoni, and consider for what reason custom has assigned to itself such large choice; and if reason leads you along the right path, you will see that it is only on account of the dignity of authorship that this freedom has been granted.

modum cantio est gremium totius sententie, sic stantia totam artem ingremiat; nec licet aliquid artis sequentibus arrogare, sed solam artem antecedentis induere. 3. Per quod patet quod ipsa de qua loquimur erit congremiatio sive compages omnium eorum que cantio sumit ab arte: quibus divaricatis, quam querimus descriptio innotescet.

4. Tota igitur scilicet ars cantionis circa tria videtur consistere: primo circa cantus divisionem, secundo circa partium habitudinem, tertio circa numerum carminum et sillabarum. 5. De rithimo vero mentionem non facimus, quia de propria cantionis arte non est. Licet enim in qualibet stantia rithimos innovare et eosdem reiterare ad libitum: quod, si de propria cantionis arte rithimus esset, minime liceret—quod dictum est. Si quid autem rithimi servare interest huius quod est ars, illud comprehenditur ibi cum dicimus "partium habitudinem."

6. Quare sic colligere possumus ex predictis diffinientes et dicere stantiam esse sub certo cantu et habitudine limitata carminum et sillabarum compagem.

x.1. Scientes quia rationale animal homo est et quia sensibilis anima et corpus est animal, et ignorantes de hac anima quid ea sit, vel de ipso corpore, perfectam hominis cognitionem habere non possumus: quia cognitionis perfectio uniuscuiusque terminatur ad ultima elementa, sicut Magister Sapientium in principio Physicorum testatur. Igitur ad habendam cantionis cognitionem quam inhyamus, nunc diffinientia suum diffiniens sub compendio ventilemus, et primo de cantu, deinde de habitudine, et postmodum de carminibus et sillabis percontemur.

2. Dicimus ergo quod omnis stantia ad quandam odam recipiendam armonizata est. Sed in modis diversificari videntur. Quia quedam sunt sub una oda continua usque ad ultimum progressive, hoc est sine iteratione modulationis cuiusquam et sine diesi—et diesim dicimus deductionem vergentem de una oda in aliam (hanc voltam vocamus, cum vulgus alloquimur)—: et huiusmodi stantia usus est fere in omnibus cantionibus suis Arnaldus Danielis, et nos eum secuti sumus cum diximus

Al poco giorno e al gran cerchio d'ombra.

3. Quedam vero sunt diesim patientes: et diesis esse non potest, secundum quod eam appellamus, nisi reiteratio unius ode fiat, vel ante diesim, vel post, vel undique. 4. Si ante diesim repetitio fiat, stantiam dicimus habere pedes; et duos habere decet, licet quandoque tres fiant, rarissime tamen. Si repetitio fiat post diesim, tunc dicimus stantiam habere versus. Si ante non fiat repetitio, stantiam dicimus habere frontem. Si post non fiat, dicimus habere sirma, sive caudam.

5. Vide ergo, lector, quanta licentia data sit cantiones poetantibus, et considera cuius rei causa tam largum arbitrium usus sibi asciverit; et si recto calle ratio te duxerit, videbis autoritatis dignitate sola quod dicimus esse concessum.

6. The part of the technique of the canzone that consists in the division of the melody can be clearly enough seen from this; and so we proceed to the arrangement of the parts.

xi.1. It seems to us that what we call the arrangement of the parts is the most important aspect of the technique of the canzone. For this consists in the division of the melody and the constructing of the verses and the relation of the rhymes: therefore it is to be discussed most diligently.

2. To begin with, we say that the relation of the frons to the versus, or the pedes to the sirma, or the pedes to the versus can be very different.^[12] 3. For sometimes the frons exceeds the versus in number of syllables and of lines, or can exceed it—and we say "can" because up to now we have not seen such an arrangement. 4. Sometimes the frons can be greater in number of lines but smaller in number of syllables, as when the frons has five lines and each versus has two lines, but the lines of the frons have seven syllables each and those of the versus eleven syllables. 5. Sometimes the versus are greater than the frons both in syllables and in number of lines, as in the one which we wrote

Love holds the tiller of my mind:

this^[13] had a frons with four lines, made up of three hendecasyllables and one settenario; it could not be divided into pedes, since pedes must have equal numbers of lines and syllables, as versus must also. 6. And as we say ofthe frons, so also we say of versus: the versus also can be greater in number of lines but less in syllables, for instance if the versus are two, each consisting of three settenarii, and the frons has five lines, two hendecasyllables and three settenarii.

7. Sometimes indeed the pedes are greater in both number of lines and syllables, as in the one we wrote

Love, who move your power from the heavens.

8. Sometimes the pedes are surpassed by the sirma altogether, as in the one we wrote

A lady compassionate and young in age.

9. And just as we said a frons can be greater in number of lines but smaller in number of syllables (and conversely), so we say of the sirma.

10. The pedes also can be greater or lesser in number than the versus: for there can be in a stanza three pedes and two versus or three versus and two pedes, nor are we limited to this number, for it is permissible to join together a greater number of both pedes and versus. 11 . And just as we have spoken of the preponderance of lines and syllables in the others, so we say of the pedes and versus: for in the same manner either can exceed or be exceeded.

12. Nor should we omit the fact that we use the term pedes in the opposite way from poets writing in Latin, for they say that lines consist of feet, but we say that a pes consists of lines, as must be obvious. 13. And we must not omit to say that pedes must have the same number and arrangement of lines and syllables, for otherwise there cannot be a repetition of the melody. And the same is to be observed in versus.

6. Satis hinc innotescere potest quomodo cantionis ars circa cantus divisionem consistat; et ideo ad habitudinem procedamus.

xi.1. Videtur nobis hec quam habitudinem dicimus maxima pars eius quod artis est. Hec etenim circa cantus divisionem atque contextum carminum et rithimorum relationem consistit: quapropter diligentissime videtur esse tractanda.

2. Incipientes igitur dicimus quod frons cum versibus, pedes cum cauda vel sirmate, nec non pedes cum versibus, in stantia se diversimode habere possunt. 3. Nam quandoque frons versus excedit in sillabis et carminibus, vel excedere potest—et dicimus "potest" quoniam habitudinem hanc adhuc non vidimus. 4. Quandoque in carminibus excedere et in sillabis superari potest, ut si frons esset pentametra et quilibet versus esset dimeter, et metra frontis eptasillaba et versus endecasillaba essent. 5. Quandoque versus frontem superant sillabis et carminibus, ut in illa quam dicimus

Traggemi de la mente amor la stiva:

fuit hec tetrametra frons, tribus endecasillabis et uno eptasillabo contexta; non etenim potuit in pedes dividi, cum equalitas carminum et sillabarum requiratur in pedibus inter se, et etiam in versibus inter se. 6. Et quemadmodum dicimus de fronte, dicimus et de versibus: possent etenim versus frontem superare carminibus, et sillabis superari, puta si versus duo essent et uterque trimeter, et eptasillaba metra, et frons esset pentametra, duobus endecasillabis et tribus eptasillabis contexta.

7. Quandoque vero pedes caudam superant carminibus et sillabis, ut in illa quam diximus

Amor, che movi tua virtù da cielo.

8. Quandoque pedes a sirmate superantur in toto, ut in illa quam diximus Donna pietosa e di novella etate.

9. Et quemadmodum diximus frontem posse superare carminibus, sillabis superatam (et e converso), sic de sirmate dicimus.

10. Pedes quoque versus in numero superant et superantur ab hiis: possunt enim esse in stantia tres pedes et duo versus, et tres versus et duo pedes; nec hoc numero limitamur, quin liceat plures et pedes et versus simul contexere. 11. Et quemadmodum de victoria carminum et sillabarum diximus inter alia, nunc etiam inter pedes et versus dicimus: nam eodem modo vinci et vincere possunt.

12. Nec pretermictendum est quod nos e contrario regulatis poetis pedes accipimus, quia illi carmen ex pedibus, nos vero ex carminibus pedem constare dicimus, ut satis evidenter apparet. 13. Nec etiam pretermictendum est quin iterum asseramus pedes ab invicem necessario carminum et sillabarum equalitatem et habitudinem accipere, quia non aliter cantus repetitio fieri posset. Hoc idem in versibus esse servandum astruimus.

xii.1. We must also consider, as has been said above, the arrangement by which we weave verses together, and therefore let us give an account of it, repeating some of what we have already said about verses.

2. In our usage three verses or lines seem to have the privilege of being used most frequently, namely the hendecasyllable, the settenario, and the quinario; for we have already shown that the trisyllable is used less frequently. 3. Of these then, when we are seeking to write poetry in tragic style, the hendecasyllable, because of its excellence, merits the privilege of predominating in the weave of the stanza. For there are stanzas that rejoice to be woven exclusively of hendecasyllables, like that one by Guido [Cavalcanti] of Florence

A lady begs me, so I will say;

and we also have written

Ladies who have intellect of love.

The Hispani also have used this [verse]—and I call Hispani those who have written in lingua d'oc—: Aimeric de Belenoi:

No man can fulfill completely.

4. There is a type of stanza into which only one settenario is woven: and this can only be where there is a frons or a sirma, for, as has been said, in pedes or versus there must be an equality of verses and syllables. For this reason there cannot be an uneven number of verses where there is neither frons nor sirma; but where both are found,^[14] or either alone, one may use an even or odd number of verses at one's pleasure. 5. And as there is a certain type of stanza fashioned with only one settenario, so there can be two, three, four, or five, as long as, in the tragic style, the hendecasyllable predominates. 6. Indeed, we find some who in the tragic style begin with a settenario, namely Guido Guinizelli, Guido de' Ghislieri, and Fabruzzo, all of Bologna:

Of steady suffering,

and

Lady, my steady heart,

and

My going far away;

and certain others. But if we examine the sense of these openings more subtly, this tragic style can be seen to set forth with a certain shading of elegy. 7. We do not concede the same license to the quinario: in a poem in the high manner it is enough to interweave one quinario in the entire stanza, or two at the most if there are pedes —and I say in the pedes because of the necessity of melodic equality in pedes or versus. 8. A trisyllable should never stand by itself in the tragic style; and I say "stand by itself" because we often see it exist by virtue of a

xii.1. Est etiam, ut superius dictum est, habitudo quedam quam carmina contexendo considerare debemus: et ideo rationem faciamus de illa, repetentes proinde que superius de carminibus diximus.

2. In usu nostro maxime tria carmina frequentandi prerogativam habere videntur, endecasillabum scilicet, eptasillabum et pentasillabum; que trisillabum ante alia sequi astruximus. 3. Horum prorsus, cum tragice poetari conamur, endecasillabum propter quandam excellentiam in contextu vincendi privilegium promeretur. Nam quedam stantia est que solis endecasillabis gaudet esse contexta, ut illa Guidonis de Florentia

Donna mi prega, perch'io voglio dire;

et etiam nos dicimus

Donne ch'avete intelletto d'amore.

Hoc etiam Yspani usi sunt—et dico Yspanos qui poetati sunt in vulgari oc: Namericus de Belnui:

Nuls hom non pot complir adrecciamen.

4. Quedam est in qua tantum eptasillabum intexitur unum: et hoc esse non potest nisi ubi frons est vel cauda, quoniam, ut dictum est, in pedibus atque versibus actenditur equalitas carminum et sillabarum. Propter quod etiam nec numerus impar carminum potest esse ubi frons vel cauda non est; sed ubi hee sunt, vel altera sola, pari et impari numero in carminibus licet uti ad libitum. 5. Et sicut quedam stantia est uno solo eptasillabo conformata, sic duobus, tribus, quatuor, quinque videtur posse contexi, dummodo in tragico vincat endecasillabum et principiet. 6. Verumtamen quosdam ab eptasillabo tragice principiasse invenimus, videlicet [Guidonem Guinizelli,] Guidonem de Ghisleriis et Fabrutium Bononienses:

Di fermo sofferire,

et

Donna, lo fermo core,

et

Lo meo lontano gire;

et quosdam alios. Sed si ad eorum sensum subtiliter intrare velimus, non sine quodam elegie umbraculo hec tragedia processisse videbitur. 7. De pentasillabo quoque non sic concedimus: in dictamine magno sufficit enim unicum pentasillabum in tota stantia conseri, vel duo ad plus in pedibus—et dico "pedibus" propter necessitatem qua pedibus, versibusque, cantatur. 8. Minime autem trisillabum in tragicum videtur esse sumendum per se subsistens: et dico

certain repetition of rhyme [within a hendecasyllable], as can be found in that poem by Guido [Cavalcanti] of Florence:

A lady begs me,

and in that one of ours

Since Love has altogether abandoned me.

And the trisyllable does not stand on its own in those poems, but is merely a part of the hendecasyllable, answering the rhyme of the preceding verse like an echo.^[15]

9. Concerning the arrangement of the verses, one must especially take care that, if a settenario has been woven into the first pes, it hold the same position in the second pes as in the first: for example, if a pes of three lines has hendecasyllables for its first and last verses and the middle one, the second, is a settenario, so also the other pes must have as its second verse a settenario, and as its first and last, hendecasyllables: otherwise the repetition of the melody for which the pedes have been constructed cannot take place, and consequently they cannot be pedes. 10. And it is the same for versus as for pedes: for we can see that pedes and versus differ only in position, for they are called pedes when they occur before the diesis and versus when they occur after it. And we say that what we have said about the three-line pes is to be observed in other pedes also; and also what we have said about one or more settenarii and about quinarii and all the rest.

11. From this, reader, you can gather with what verses to construct a stanza

and how to consider their arrangement.

xiii.1. Let us now discuss the arrangement of rhymes, but not rhyme in itself: we postpone a discussion of rhyme in itself until later, when we discuss the poem in middle style.

2. At the beginning of this chapter certain things must be excluded. One of these is the stanza without rhyme, in which there is no arrangement of rhymes to be considered: and Arnaut Daniel used this type of stanza very frequently, as here:

If in giving joy Love were to me

and we have written

To the shortened day.^[16]

3. There is another type of stanza in which all the verses end with the same rhyme, in which it is useless to seek arrangement. Thus it remains to consider mixed rhymes.

4. And first be it known that almost all poets assume very great freedom in rhyme, on which they rely as a chief point of the sweetness of their harmonies. 5. There are some who often do not rhyme all line endings in the same stanza, but repeat them or rhyme them between stanzas, like Gotto of Mantua, who made known to us orally his many fine canzoni: he would always include one verse unrhymed within the stanza, which he called the chiave [key]; and as one may do this with one verse, so also with two, and perhaps with more.

"per se subsistens" quia per quandam rithimorum repercussionem frequenter videtur assumptum, sicut inveniri potest in illa Guidonis Florentini

Donna me prega,

et in illa quam diximus

Poscia ch'Amor del tutto m'ha lasciato.

Nec per se ibi carmen est omnino, sed pars endecasillabi tantum, ad rithimum precedentis carminis velut econ respondens.

9. Hoc etiam precipue actendendum est circa carminum habitudinem, quod, si eptasillabum interseratur in primo pede, quem situm accipit ibi, eundem resumat in altero: puta, si pes trimeter primum et ultimum carmen endecasillabum habet et medium, hoc est secundum, eptasillabum, [et pes alter habeat secundum eptasillabum] et extrema endecasillaba: non aliter ingeminatio cantus fieri posset, ad quam pedes fiunt, ut dictum est, et per consequens pedes esse non possent. 10. Et quemadmodum de pedibus, dicimus et de versibus: in nullo enim pedes et versus differre videmus nisi in situ, quia hii ante, hii post diesim stantie nominantur. Et etiam quemadmodum de trimetro pede, et de omnibus aliis servandum esse asserimus; et sicut de uno eptasillabo, sic de pluribus et de pentasillabo et omni alio dicimus.

11. Satis hinc, lector, elicere sufficienter potes qualiter tibi carminum habituanda sit stantia habitudinemque circa carmina considerandam videre.

xiii.1. Rithimorum quoque relationi vacemus, nichil de rithimo secundum se modo tractantes: proprium enim eorum tractatum in posterum prorogamus, cum de mediocri poemate intendemus.

2. In principio igitur huius capituli quedam resecanda videntur. Unum est stantia sine rithimo, in qua nulla rithimorum habitudo actenditur: et huiusmodi stantiis usus est Arnaldus Danielis frequentissime, velut ibi:

Se•m fos Amor de ioi donar;

et nos dicimus

Al poco giorno.

3. Aliud est stantia cuius omnia carmina eundem rithimum reddunt, in qua superfluum esse constat habitudinem querere. Sic proinde restat circa rithimos mixtos debere insisti.

4. Et primo sciendum est quod in hoc amplissimam sibi licentiam fere omnes assumunt, et ex hoc maxime totius armonie dulcedo intenditur. 5. Sunt enim quidam qui non omnes quandoque desinentias carminum rithimantur in eadem stantia, sed easdem repetunt sive rithimantur in aliis, sicut fuit Gottus Mantuanus, qui suas multas et bonas cantiones nobis oretenus intimavit: hic semper in stantia unum carmen incomitatum texebat, quod clavem vocabat; et sicut de uno licet, licet etiam de duobus, et forte de pluribus.

6. There are certain others, and almost all writers of canzoni, who leave no verse unaccompanied by one or more that rhyme with its ending. 7. And some make the rhymes after the diesis different from those before it; others do not so, but interweave rhymes from the first part of the stanza with those of the second. But this is done most frequently with the first line of the second part, which many rhyme with the last line of the first part: and this seems to be nothing other than a lovely chaining together [concatenation] of the stanza. 8. In the arrangement of the rhymes, whether they occur in the frons or in the sirma, all the freedom one can desire is to be granted; but that of the last [two] lines is most beautiful if they fall into silence with a rhyme.

9. But this freedom is to be used with caution in pedes; and we find that a certain arrangement must be maintained. Making a distinction, we may say that a pes may be complete with either an even or an odd number of verses, and in either case the endings may rhyme or not: no one doubts that this is so for an even number of verses; in the case of an odd number, if any is doubtful, let him remember what we said in the last chapter about the trisyllable, when as part of a hendecasyllable it answers like an echo. 10. And if in the first pes there is an ending to which no rhyme replies, let it by all means be answered in the second pes. But if all the endings in the first pes have companions, in the second pes one may repeat rhymes or bring in new ones, entirely or in part, as long as the order of the first pes is maintained entirely: for example, if the outer endings of a three-verse pes, that is, the first and the last, rhyme in the first pes, so the outer verses of the second must rhyme also; and however the middle verse is treated, rhymed or unrhymed, so let it be in the second also: and this is to be observed in other types of pes as well.^[17] 11. In versus we almost always follow this rule—and we say "almost" because occasionally, because of concatenation or the rhyming together of the last two lines, we have reason to subvert the order we have mentioned.^[18]

12. Finally, it seems fitting that we append to this chapter the things that should be avoided in arranging rhymes, since we do not intend to say anything more about rhyme in this [second] book. 13. There are three things, then, in the disposing of rhymes, which it is not fitting for the courtly poet to do: namely, the excessive repetition of the same rhyme, unless perhaps some new and unprecedented artistic intention demands this, like the day of the birth of a knighthood, which disdains to go by without claiming some prerogative: this we strove to do in:

Love, you see perfectly well that this lady;

and the second is useless equivocation, which always seems to detract from the meaning; and the third is harshness of rhyme, unless it is mixed well with smoothness: for tragedy particularly shines in the mixing of harsh and smooth rhymes.^[19]

14. And let these remarks suffice to describe the craft of the canzone insofar as it concerns the arrangement of rhymes.

xiv.1. Now that we have sufficiently discussed two of the aspects of the craft of the canzone, let us treat the third, namely the number of verses and of syl-

6. Quidam alii sunt, et fere omnes cantionum inventores, qui nullum in stantia carmen incomitatum relinquunt quin sibi rithimi concrepantiam reddant, vel unius vel plurium. 7. Et quidam diversos faciunt esse rithimos eorum que post diesim carmina sunt a rithimis eorum que sunt ante; quidam vero non sic, sed desinentias anterioris stantie inter postera carmina referentes intexunt. Sepissime tamen hoc fit in desinentia primi posteriorum, quam plerique rithimantur ei qui est priorum posterioris: quod non aliud esse videtur quam quedam ipsius stantie concatenatio pulcra. 8. De rithimorum quoque habitudine, prout sunt in fronte vel in cauda videtur omnis optata licentia concedenda; pulcerrime tamen se habent ultimorum carminum desinentie si cum rithimo in silentium cadant.

9. In pedibus vero cavendum est; et habitudinem quandam servatam esse invenimus. Et, discretionem facientes, dicimus quod pes vel pari vel impari metro completur, et utrobique comitata et incomitata desinentia esse potest: nam in pari metro nemo dubitat; in alio vero, si quis dubius est, recordetur ea que diximus in preinmediato capitulo de trisillabo, quando, pars existens endecasillabi, velut econ respondet. 10. Et si in altero pedum exsortem rithimi desinentiam esse contingat, omnimode in altero sibi instauratio fiat. Si vero quelibet desinentia in altero pede rithimi consortium habeat, in altero prout libet referre vel innovare desinentias licet, vel totaliter vel in parte, dumtaxat precedentium ordo servetur in totum: puta, si extreme desinentie trimetri, hoc est prima et ultima, concrepabunt in primo pede, sic secundi extremas desinentias convenit concrepare; et qualem se in primo media videt, comitatam quidem vel incomitatam, talis in secundo resurgat: et sic de aliis pedibus est servandum. 11. In versibus quoque fere semper hac lege perfruimur—et "fere" dicimus quia propter concatenationem prenotatam et combinationem desinentiarum ultimarum quandoque ordinem iam dictum perverti contingit.

12. Preterea nobis bene convenire videtur ut que cavenda sunt circa rithimos huic appendamus capitulo, cum in isto libro nichil ulterius de rithimorum doctrina tangere intendamus. 13. Tria ergo sunt que circa rithimorum positionem potiri dedecet aulice poetantem: nimia scilicet eiusdem rithimi repercussio, nisi forte novum aliquid atque intentatum artis hoc sibi proroget—ut nascentis militie dies, qui cum nulla prerogativa suam indignatur preterire dietam: hoc etenim nos facere nisi sumus ibi:

Amor, tu vedi ben che questa donna;

secundum vero est ipsa inutilis equivocatio, que semper sententie quicquam derogare videtur; et tertium est rithimorum asperitas, nisi forte sit lenitati permixta: nam lenium asperorumque rithimorum mixtura ipsa tragedia nitescit.

14. Et hec de arte, prout habitudinem respicit, tanta sufficiant.

xiv.1. Ex quo [duo] que sunt artis in cantione satis sufficienter tractavimus, nunc de tertio videtur esse tractandum, videlicet de numero carminum et sil-

lables. And first we must look to something that concerns the stanza as a whole; then we will consider it according to its parts.

2. In the first place we must make a distinction concerning the subjects which we may happen to write about, for some of them seem to require a certain prolixity in the stanzas, others not. For, since everything we write is either positive or negative—as sometimes we write to persuade, sometimes to dissuade, sometimes congratulating, sometimes sarcastically, sometimes to praise, sometimes to blame—let the words which are negative always hasten toward the end, but the others with a graceful fullness draw to a close gradually . . .

                        [The treatise ends here.]

labarum. Et primo secundum totam stantiam videre oportet aliquid; deinde secundum partes eius videbimus.

2. Nostra igitur primo refert discretionem facere inter ea que canenda occurrunt, quia quedam stantie prolixitatem videntur appetere, quedam non. Nam cum ea que dicimus cuncta vel circa dextrum aliquid vel sinistrum canamus—ut quandoque persuasorie quandoque dissuasorie, quandoque gratulanter quandoque yronice, quandoque laudabiliter quandoque contemptive canere contingit—, que circa sinistra sunt verba semper ad extremum festinent, et alia decenti prolixitate passim veniant ad extremum . . .

[Cetera desunt]