song and legend from the middle ages-第19部分

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r　heart's　shine　Our　sun　wide　joy…inspiring；　A　sweet　heart's　love　for　all　that　pine；　For　all　the　sad　a　joyful　shrine；　　　A　spring　divine　For　the　thirsty　and　desiring。

Tr。　by　Kroeger。


CHAPTER　V。　　ITALIAN　LITERATURE。

There　was　no　folk　poetry　and　no　popular　literature　in　Mediaeval　Italy。　There　were　two　reasons　for　this：　（1）　Italian　history；　political　and　intellectual；　attaches　itself　very　closely　to　that　of　Rome。　The　traditions　of　classic　learning　never　died　out。　Hence　the　Italian　nation　was　always　too　learned；　too　literary　to　develop　a　folk　literature。　（2）　Italy　was　for　many　centuries　dominated　by　ecclesiastical　influence；　and　the　people's　minds　were　full　of　matters　of　religious　and　scholastic　philosophy；　which　excluded　art。

The　Italians　translated　and　adapted　some　of　the　epics；　romances；　and　tales　of　other　countries；　during　the　earlier　years　of　the　Middle　Ages；　but　they　were　written　in　Latin；　or　in　a　kind　of　French。　They　produced　none　of　their　own。　There　was　no　literature　written　in　Italian　before　the　thirteenth　century。

In　the　thirteenth　century　（1250）　there　came　the　first　outburst　of　Italian　literaturereligious　songs；　love　songs；　dramas；　and　tales。　In　almost　every　part　of　Italy　men　began　to　write。　But　it　was　in　Tuscany；　in　Florence；　that　the　most　remarkable　literary　development　of　this　period　appeared。　It　was　of　the　nature　chiefly　of　lyric　and　allegoric　poetry。　The　work　of　this　group　of　Tuscan　poets　was　really　the　beginning　of　Italian　literary　art。　Yet　it　was　a　finished　art　product；　not　at　all　like　the　beginnings　of　poetry　in　other　countries。

The　group　numbered　a　dozen　poets　of　considerable　power　and　skill。　The　greatest　of　them　and　the　greatest　of　Italian　poets　was　Dante　Alighieri。　In　Italian　mediaeval　literature　three　names　stand　out　far　above　all　others。　They　are　Dante；　Petrarch；　and　Boccaccio。　So　completely　do　they　overshadow　their　contemporaries；　that　in　making　our　selection　of　Italian　literature　we　shall　confine　ourselves　entirely　to　these　three。

Dante　Alighieri　was　born　at　Florence；　in　May；　1266；　and　died　at　Ravenna　in　September；　1321。　He　had　an　eventful　and　pathetic　life。　He　was　much　in　public　affairs。　He　was　banished　from　his　native　city　in　1302；　and　died　in　exile。　His　literary　work　is　represented　chiefly　by　the　following　titles：　〃Vita　Nuova；　The　New　Life〃；　〃Convito；　The　Banquet〃；　〃De　Monarchia；　A　Treatise　on　Monarchy〃；　〃De　Vulgari　Eloquio；　A　Treatise　on　the　Vulgar　Tongue〃；　and　〃Divina　Commedia〃；　his　masterpiece　and　the　master…work　of　the　Middle　Ages。


FROM　THE　VITA　NUOVA。

The　〃Vita　Nuova〃　is　a　work　of　Dante's　youth；　a　record　of　his　early　life　and　love。　The　title　may　be　translated　either　Early　Life　or　The　New　Life。　From　the　nature　of　the　work　we　may　infer　that　the　latter　translation　conveys　the　poet's　thought。　It　implies　that　after　his　first　sight　of　Beatrice　he　began　a　new　existence。　He　saw　her　first　when　he　was　nine　years　old。　Nine　years　later　she　greeted　him　for　the　first　time。　Inspired　by　this　greeting　he　began　the　〃Vita　Nuova〃。＇1＇　It　is　written　in　prose　interspersed　with　sonnets　and　canzoni。　We　select　for　reproduction　some　of　the　sonnets　from　Rossetti's　translation。

＇1＇　When　Dante　first　saw　Beatrice　she　was　eight　years　old。　From　that　hour　he　says　he　loved　her。　She　was　the　inspiration　of　his　early　poem；　and　afterward；　in　the　Divine　Comedy；　she　became　the　embodiment　of　his　conception　of　divine　wisdom。　She　was　married　quite　young　to　Simon　di　Bardi；　a　citizen　of　Florence。　She　died　in　1290；　when　only　twenty…four　years　old。


I。　Sonnets　telling　to　other　ladies　the　praise　of　Beatrice。

　　　Ladies　that　have　intelligence　in　love　　　　Of　mine　own　lady　I　would　speak　with　you；　　　　Not　that　I　hope　to　count　her　praises　through；　　　　But　telling　what　I　may　to　ease　my　mind。　And　I　declare　that　when　I　speak　thereof　Love　sheds　such　perfect　sweetness　over　me　That　if　my　courage　failed　not；　certainly　　　　To　him　my　listeners　must　be　all　resign'd。　　　　Wherefore　I　will　not　speak　in　such　large　kind　That　mine　own　speech　should　foil　me；　which　were　base；　But　only　will　discourse　of　her　high　grace　　　In　these　poor　words；　the　best　that　I　can　find；　With　you　alone　dear　dames　and　damozels：　'Twere　ill　to　speak　thereof　with　any　else。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　My　lady　is　desired　in　the　high　Heaven；　　　　WHEREFORE；　it　now　behoveth　me　to　tell；　saying：　　　　Let　any　maid　that　would　be　well　　　　Esteemed；　keep　with　her；　for　as　she　goes　by；　Into　foul　hearts　a　deadly　chill　is　driven　By　Love；　that　makes　ill　thoughts　to　perish　there；　While　any　who　endures　to　gaze　on　her　　　　Must　either　be　ennobled；　or　else　die。　　　　When　one　deserving　to　be　raised　so　high　Is　found；　It　is　then　her　power　attains　its　proof；　Making　his　heart　strong　for　his　soul's　behoof　　　　With　the　full　strength　of　meek　humility。　Also　this　virtue　owns　she；　by　God's　will：　Who　speaks　with　her　can　never　come　to　ill。

II。　On　the　death　of　Beatrice。

When　mine　eyes　had　wept　for　some　while　until　they　were　so　weary　with　weeping　that　I　could　no　longer　through　them　give　ease　to　my　sorrow；　I　bethought　me　that　a　few　mournful　words　might　stand　me　instead　of　tears。　And　therefore　I　proposed　to　make　a　poem；　that　weeping　I　might　speak　therein　of　her　for　whom　so　much　sorrow　had　destroyed　my　spirit；　and　I　then　began：

The　eyes　that　weep　for　pity　of　the　heart　Have　wept　so　long　that　their　grief　languisheth；　And　they　have　no　more　tears　to　weep　withal：　　　　And　now　if　I　would　ease　me　of　a　part　Of　what；　little　by　little；　leads　to　death；　It　must　be　done　by　speech；　or　not　at　all；　And　because　often；　thinking　I　recall　　　　How　it　was　pleasant　ere　she　went　afar；　　　　To　talk　of　her　with　you；　kind　damozels；　I　talk　with　no　one　else；　But　only　with　such　hearts　as　women's　are。　　　　And　I　will　say；still　sobbing　as　speech　fails；　That　she　hath　gone　to　Heaven　suddenly；　And　hath　left　Love　below；　to　mourn　with　me。


III。

〃Dante　once　prepared　to　paint　an　angel。〃　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　〃You　and　I　would　rather　see　that　angel　Painted　by　the　tenderness　of　Dante；　Would　we　not？than　read　a　fresh　Inferno。〃

Browning's　〃One　Word　More〃。

On　that　day　which　fulfilled　the　year　since　my　lady　had　been　made　of　the　citizens　of　eternal　life；　remembering　me　of　her　as　I　sat　alone；　I　betook　myself　to　draw　the　resemblance　of　an　angel　upon　certain　tablets。　And　while　I　did　thus；　chancing　to　turn　my　head；　I　perceived　that　some　were　standing　beside　me　to　whom　I　should　have　given　courteous　welcome；　and　that　they　were　observing　what　I　did；　also　I　learned　afterwards　that　they　had　been　there　a　while　before　I　perceived　them。　Perceiving　whom；　I　arose　for　salutation　and　said：　〃Another　was　with　me。〃

Afterwards；　when　they　had　left　me；　I　set　myself　again　to　mine　occupation；　to　wit；　to　the　drawing　figures　of　angels；　in　doing　which；　I　conceived　to　write　of　this　matter　in　rhyme；　as　for　her　anniversary；　and　to　address　my　rhymes　unto　those　who　had　just　left　me。　It　was　then　that　I　wrote　the　sonnet　which　saith　〃That　Lady〃：

That　lady　of　all　gentle　memories　　　　Had　lighted　on　my　soul；　whose　new　abode　　　　Lies　now；　as　it　was　well　ordained　of　God；　Among　the　poor　in　heart　where　Mary　is。　Love；　knowing　that　dear　image　to　be　his；　　　　Woke　up　within　the　sick　heart　sorrow…bowed；　　　　　Unto　the　sighs　which　are　its　weary　load；　Saying；　〃Go　forth。〃　And　they　went　forth；　I　wis　Forth　went　they　from　my　breast　that　throbbed　and　ached；　　　　With　such　a　pang　as　oftentimes　will　bathe　　　　Mine　eyes　with　tears　when　I　am　left　alone。　And　still　those　sighs　which　drew　the　heaviest　breath　Came　whispering　thus：　〃O　noble　intellect！　　　　　It　is　a　year　to…day　that　thou　art　gone。〃


IV。　The　Close　of　the　Vita　Nuova。

Beyond　the　sphere　which　spreads　to　widest　space　　　　Now　soars　the　sigh　that　my　heart　sends　above；　　　　A　new　perception　born　of　grieving　Love　Guideth　it　upward　the　untrodden　ways。　When　it　hath　reached　unto　the　end　and　stays；　　　　It　sees　a　lady　round　whom　splendors　move　　　　In　homage；　till；　by　the　great　light　thereof　Abashed；　the　pilgrim　spirit　stands　at　gaze。　It　sees　her　such；　that　when　it　tells　me　this　　　Which　it　hath　seen；　I　understand　it　not；　　　　It　hath　a　speech　so　subtile　and　so　fine　And　yet　I　know　its　voice　within　my　thought　Often　remembereth　me　of　Beatrice：　　　　So　that　I　understand　it；　ladies　mine。


After　writing　this　sonnet；　it　was　given　unto　me　to　behold　a　very　wonderful　vision；＇1＇　wherein　I　saw　things　which　determined　me　that　I　would　say　nothing　further　of　this　most　blessed　one；　until　such　time　as　I　could　discourse　more　worthily　of　her。　And　to　this　end　I　labor　all　I　can；　as　she　well　knoweth。　Wherefore　if　it　be　His　pleasure　through　whom　is　the　life　of　all　things；　that　my　life　continue　with　me　a　few　years；　it　is　my　hope　that　I　shall　yet　write　concerning　her　what　hath　not　before　been　written　of　any　woman。　After　the　which　may　it　seem　good　unto　Him　who　is　the　Master　of　Grace；　that　my　spirit　should　go　hence　to　behold　the　glory　of　its　lady：　to　wit；　the　blessed　Beatrice；　who　now　gazeth　continually　on　His　countenanc；e　qui　est　per　omnia　soecula　benedictus。　Laus　Deo。＇2＇

＇1＇　This　we　may　believe　to　be　the　vision　of　Hell；　Purgatory；　and　Paradise；　the　vision　which　gave　him　the　argument　of　the　Divine　Comedy。

＇2＇　Who　is　blessed　throughout　all　ages。　Praise　to　God。



FROM　THE　DIVINE　COMEDY。＇1＇

＇1＇　Dante　called　his　poem　a　comedy；　he　says；　for　two　reasons：　because　it　has　a　sad　beginning　and　a　cheerful　ending；　and　because　it　is　written　in　a　〃middle〃　style；　treating　alike　of　lowly　and　lofty　things。　Midway　in　life　the　poet　finds　himself　lost　in　the　forest　of　worldly　cares；　beset　by　the　three　beasts；　Pride；　Avarice；　and　Worldly　Pleasure。　Virgil；　who　is　the　embodiment　of　moral　philosophy；　appears　and　leads　him　through　the　Hell　of　worldly　sin　and　suffering；　through　the　Purgatory　of　repentance；　to　the　calm　of　the　earthly　Paradise。　Mere　philosophy　can　go　no　further。　The　　poet　is　here　taken　under　the　guidance　of　Beatrice；　the　embodiment　of　　divine　wisdom；　who　leads　him　through　Paradise　to　the　throne　of　God。　Such；　in　the　briefest　form；　is　the　argument　of　the　Divine　Comedy；　this　statement　carries　the　actual　story　and　the　allegory　side　by　side。　　The　first　division　of　the　triple　vision　is　the　Inferno。　Dante's　Inferno　is　an　inverted　cone；　having　its　mouth　in　a　deep　rugged　valley；　its　sides　sloping　down　to　the　center　of　the　earth。　When　Lucifer　fell　from　heaven　the　earth　retired　before　him；　making　this　hollow　cone。　This