Works

Aspro core e selvaggio, e cruda voglia.

HOPE ALONE SUPPORTS HIM IN HIS MISERY.


Hard heart and cold, a stern will past belief,
In angel form of gentle sweet allure;...

Signor mio caro, ogni pensier mi tira.

HE LAMENTS HIS ABSENCE FROM LAURA AND COLONNA, THE ONLY OBJECTS OF HIS AFFECTION.


My lord and friend! thoughts, wishes, all inclined...

Io canterei d' Amor s' novamente.

REPLY TO A Sonnet OF JACOPO DA LENTINO.


Ways apt and new to sing of love I'd find,
Forcing from her hard heart full many a sigh,...

S' Amor non ', che dunque ' quel ch' i' sento?

THE CONTRADICTIONS OF LOVE.


If no love is, O God, what fele I so?
And if love is, what thing and which is he?...

Amor m' ha posto come segno a strale.

LOVE'S ARMOURY.


Love makes me as the target for his dart,
As snow in sunshine, or as wax in flame,
Or gale-driven cloud; and, Laura, on thy name...

Pace non trovo, e non ho da far guerra.

LOVE'S INCONSISTENCY.


I fynde no peace and all my warre is done,
I feare and hope, I bourne and freese lyke yse;...

Amor che nel pensier mio vive e regna.

THE COURAGE AND TIMIDITY OF LOVE.


The long Love that in my thought I harbour,
And in my heart doth keep his residence,...

Se 'l dolce sguardo di costei m' ancide.

HE IS CONTINUALLY IN FEAR OF DISPLEASING HER.


If thus the dear glance of my lady slay,
On her sweet sprightly speech if dangers wait,...

Amor, Natura, e la bell' alma umile.

DURING A SERIOUS ILLNESS OF LAURA.


Love, Nature, Laura's gentle self combines,
She where each lofty virtue dwells and reigns,...

Questa Fenice dell' aurata piuma.

HE COMPARES HER TO THE PHOENIX.


This wondrous Phoenix with the golden plumes
Forms without art so rare a ring to deck...

Se Virgilio ed Omero avessin visto.

THE MOST FAMOUS POETS OF ANTIQUITY WOULD HAVE SUNG HER ONLY, HAD THEY SEEN HER.


Had tuneful Maro seen, and Homer old,...

Giunto Alessandro alla famosa tomba.

HE FEARS THAT HE IS INCAPABLE OF WORTHILY CELEBRATING HER.


The son of Philip, when he saw the tomb
Of fierce Achilles, with a sigh, thus said:...

Stiamo, Amor, a veder la gloria nostra.

TO LOVE, ON LAURA WALKING ABROAD.


Here stand we, Love, our glory to behold--
How, passing Nature, lovely, high, and rare!...

Almo Sol, quella fronde ch' io sola amo.

TO THE SUN, WHOSE SETTING HID LAURA'S DWELLING FROM HIS VIEW.


O blessed Sun! that sole sweet leaf I love,
First loved by thee, in its fair seat, alone,...

Passa la nave mia colma d' oblio.

UNDER THE FIGURE OF A TEMPEST-TOSSED VESSEL, HE DESCRIBES HIS OWN SAD STATE.


My bark, deep laden with oblivion, rides...

Una candida cerva sopra l' erba.

THE VISION OF THE FAWN.


Beneath a laurel, two fair streams between,
At early sunrise of the opening year,
A milk-white fawn upon the meadow green,...

Siccome eterna vita ' veder Dio.

ALL HIS HAPPINESS IS IN GAZING UPON HER.


As life eternal is with God to be,
No void left craving, there of all possess'd,...

Pasco la mente d' un s' nobil cibo.

TO SEE AND HEAR HER IS HIS GREATEST BLISS.


I feed my fancy on such noble food,
That Jove I envy not his godlike meal;...

L' aura gentil che rasserena i poggi.

JOURNEYING TO VISIT LAURA, HE FEELS RENEWED ARDOUR AS HE APPROACHES.


The gale, that o'er yon hills flings softer blue,...

Di d' in d' vo cangiando il viso e 'l pelo.

HIS WOUNDS CAN BE HEALED ONLY BY PITY OR DEATH.


I alter day by day in hair and mien,
Yet shun not the old dangerous baits and dear,...