Vita Nova (XIX) ~ Dante Alighieri

Vita nuova (XIX, 1-22)

(1) Then it happened that while walking down a path along which ran a very clear stream, I suddenly felt a great desire to write a poem, and I began to think how I would go about it. It seemed to me that to speak of my lady would not be becoming unless I were to address my words to ladies, and not just to any ladies, but only to those who are worthy, not merely to women.

(2) Then, I must tell you, my tongue, as if moved of its own accord, spoke and said: Ladies who have intelligence of love.

(3) With great delight I decided to keep these words in mind and to use them as the beginning of my poem. Later, after returning to the aforementioned city and reflecting for several days, I began writing a canzone, using this beginning, and I constructed it in a way that will appear below in its divisions. The canzone begins: Ladies who have.

(4) Ladies who have intelligence of love, I wish to speak to you about my lady, not thinking to complete her litany, but to talk in order to relieve my heart.

(5) I tell you, when I think of her perfection, Love lets me feel the sweetness of his presence, and if at that point I could still feel bold, my words could make all mankind fall in love.

(6) I do not want to choose a tone too lofty, for fear that such ambition make me timid; instead I shall discuss her graciousness, defectively, to measure by her merit, with you, ladies and maidens whom Love knows, for such a theme is only fit for you.

(7) The mind of God receives an angel's prayer: "My Lord, there appears to be upon your earth a living miracle, proceeding from a radiant soul whose light reaches us here." Heaven, that lacks its full perfection only in lacking her, pleads for her to the Lord, and every saint is begging for this favor.

(8) Compassion for His creatures still remains, for God, who knows they are speaking of my lady, says: "Chosen ones, now suffer happily that she, your hope, live her appointed time for the sake of one down there who fears her loss, and who shall say unto the damned in Hell: 'I have beheld the hope of Heaven's blest.'"

(9) My lady is desired in highest Heaven. Now let me tell you something of her power. A lady who aspires to graciousness should seek her company, for where she goes Love drives a killing frost into vile hearts that freezes and destroys what they are thinking; should such a one insist on looking at her, he is changed to something noble or he dies.

(10) And if she finds one worthy to behold her, that man will feel her power for salvation when she accords to him her salutation, which humbles him till he forgets all wrongs. God has graced her with an even greater gift: whoever speaks with her shall speak with Him.

(11) Love says of her: "How can a mortal body achieve such beauty and such purity?" He looks again and swears it must be true: God does have something new in mind for earth. Her color is the pallor of the pearl, a paleness perfect for a gracious lady; she is the best that Nature can achieve and by her mold all beauty tests itself;

(12) her eyes, wherever she may choose to look, send forth their spirits radiant with love to strike the eyes of anyone they meet, and penetrate until they find the heart. You will see Love depicted on her face, there where no one dares hold his gaze too long.

(13) My song, I know that you will go and speak to many ladies when I bid you leave, and since I brought you up as Love's true child, ingenuous and plain, let me advise you to beg of anybody you may meet: "Please help me find my way; I have been sent to the lady with whose praise I am adorned."

(14) And so that you may not have gone in vain, do not waste time with any vulgar people; do what you can to show your meaning only to ladies, or to men who may be worthy; they will direct you by the quickest path. You will find Love and with him find our lady. Speak well of me to Love, it is your duty.

(15) In order that this canzone may be better understood I shall divide it more carefully than the previous poems. I first divide it into three parts: the first part is an introduction to the words that follow; the second continues the theme treated; the third is, as it were, a servant to the words that precede it. The second part begins: The mind of God, the third: My song, I know.

(16) Now the first part falls into four subdivisions. In the first I tell to whom I wish to write; in the second I tell about the condition in which I find myself whenever I think of her perfection, and how I would write if I did not lose courage; in the third I mention the way in which I intend to write about her in order not to be intimidated; in the fourth, referring again to those to whom I mean to write, I give the reason why I have chosen them. The second begins: I tell you; the third: I do not want; the fourth: with you, ladies.

(17) Then, when I say: The mind of God, I begin to talk about my lady, and this part falls into two subdivisions. In the first I tell how she is thought of in Heaven; in the second I tell how she is thought of on earth: My lady is desired.

(18) This second part, in turn, is divided into two. In the first I describe the nobility of her soul, telling about the effective powers that proceed from it; in the second I describe the nobility of her body, telling about some of its beautiful qualities: Love says of her.

(19) The second part is in turn divided into two. In the first I speak of certain beautiful qualities involving particular parts of her body: her eyes, wherever.

(20) This is again divided in two. First I speak of her eyes, which are the initiators of love; then I speak of her mouth, which is the supreme desire of my love. So that here and now any perverse thought may be dispelled, let him who reads this remember what has been previously said about this lady's greeting, which was an action of her mouth, and which was the goal of all my desires so long as I was allowed to receive it.

(21) Then when I say, My song, I know that you, I am adding a stanza as a sort of handmaiden to the others. In this stanza I tell what I want my song to do; because this last part is easy to understand, I do not bother to divide it further.

(22) Certainly, to make the meaning of this canzone still clearer, I should have to make the divisions even more minute; however, if anyone is not intelligent enough to understand it from the divisions already made, I would not mind in the least if he would simply leave my poem alone. As it is, I am afraid I may have shared its meaning with too many readers because of these divisions I have already made - if it should happen that many would bother to read them.