Dante: DE VULGARI ELOQUENTIA LIBRI DUO

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 prebere primatum), primo secundum quod metricum est ipsum carminemus, ordine pertractantes illo quem in fine primi libri polluximus.

1. Stirring again the celerity of our wit and returning to the pen of a beneficial work, before all we confess that the illustrious Latian vernacular is seemly to be brought forth both prosaically and metrically. But because those prose-writers take it rather from the versifiers, and because what has been versified seems to remain as an exemplar for the prose-writers, and not conversely (which seem to afford a certain primacy), first, inasmuch as it is metrical, let us sing of the same, handling it in that order which at the end of the first book we promised.

2. Queramus igitur prius, utrum omnes versificantes 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.

2. Let us therefore first inquire, whether all who versify in the vernacular ought to use it. And superficially it seems that yes, because everyone who versifies ought to adorn his verses insofar as he can; wherefore, since there is nothing of so great ornamentation as the illustrious vernacular, it seems that any versifier ought to use it.

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.

3. Moreover: what is best in its kind, if it be mixed with its inferiors, not only does it seem to derogate nothing from them, but seems to make them better; wherefore if any versifier, although he versify rudely, should admix it to his rudeness, he not only does well, but it seems proper thus to do: much more there is need of aid for those who can little, than those who can much. And thus it appears that to all who versify it is licit to use it.

4. Sed hoc falsissimum est; quia nec semper excellentissime poetantes debent illud induere, sicut per inferius pertractata perpendi poterit.

4. But this is most false; because those who poetize most excellently ought not always to don it, as can be weighed by the things treated below.

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.

5. Therefore this demands for itself
men similar, just as do other of our customs and attire;
for magnificence demands great powerful men, the purple noble men:
thus this too seeks men excellent in ingenium and science, and
spurns others, as will be evident through the things below.

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.

6. For whatever suits us, suits either by the grace of the genus, or of the species, or of the individual, such as to feel, to laugh, to serve as a soldier. But this does not suit us by the grace of the genus, because it would suit brutes also; nor by the grace of the species, because it would be suitable to all human beings, about which there is no question - for no one will say this is suitable to mountain-folk dealing with rustic matters -; therefore it suits by the grace of the individual.

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, optima dignissimis convenient.

7. But nothing belongs to the individual except through proper dignities, for example to trade, to soldier, and to rule; wherefore if the fittingnesses regard dignities, that is, the worthy—and since some can be worthy, some worthier, some worthiest—it is manifest that good things will be fitting to the worthy, better things to the worthier, best things to the worthiest.

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.

8. And since speech is in no other way a necessary instrument of our conception than a horse is of the soldier, and to the best soldiers the best horses are fitting, as has been said, to the best conceptions the best speech will be fitting. But the best conceptions cannot be unless where science and genius are; therefore the best speech is fitting only to those in whom genius and science are. And thus the best speech will not be fitting to all who versify, since very many versify without science and genius, and consequently neither the best vernacular.

Quapropter, si non omnibus competit, non omnes ipsum debent uti, quia inconvenienter agere nullus debet.

Wherefore, if it does not befit all,
not all ought to use it, because to act unsuitably
no one ought.

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.

9. And when it is said that each person ought to exorn his verses as far as he can, we attest this to be true; but we will not call an ox caparisoned nor a sow belted “adorned,” rather we laugh it to scorn as disfigured: for adornment is the addition of something fitting.

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.

10. As to that where it is said that higher things, when admixed to lower, bring advancement, we say it is true when discretion ceases: suppose if we fuse gold with silver; but if discretion remains, the lower things grow cheap: suppose when beautiful women are mingled with deformed ones. Whence, since the sense of those who versify always remains discretively mixed with words, if it be not the best, when associated with the best vernacular it will appear not better but worse, just as an ugly woman if she be clothed in gold or silk be vested.

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 sunt segregatim ostendere.

1. After we have established that not all versifiers, but only the most excellent, ought to use the illustrious vernacular, it follows to establish whether all things are to be treated by it or not; and, if not all, to show severally which things are worthy of it.

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.

2. Concerning which, first it must be found what we understand by that which we call worthy. And we say that worthy is what has dignity, just as noble is what has nobility; and if, with the possessor known, the possessed is known insofar as such, once dignity is known we shall also know the worthy.

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.

3. For indeed dignity is the effect or terminus of merits: so that, when someone has merited well, we say that he has advanced to the dignity of the good, but when ill, to that of the evil; for example, one who fights well to the dignity of victory, and one who governs well to that of a kingdom, and likewise a liar to the dignity of blushing, and a brigand to that which is of death.

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.

4. But since among those who merit well
comparisons are made, and among others as well, so that certain merit well, certain
better, certain best, certain ill, certain worse, certain worst,
and such comparisons are not made except through
respect to the terminus of merits, which we call dignity (as
has been said), it is manifest that dignities are compared among themselves
according to more and less, so that certain are great, certain greater, certain
greatest; and consequently something worthy, something worthier,
something worthiest is established.

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.

5. And since the comparison of dignities is not made about the same object, but about diverse ones, so that we call more worthy that which is worthy of greater things, most worthy that which is worthy of the greatest things (since nothing can be more worthy than the same), it is manifest that the best are worthy of the best according to the exigency of the things. Whence, since that which we call illustrious is the best of the other vulgars, it is consequent that only the best are worthy to be treated by it, which indeed we denominate the most worthy of things to be treated.

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.

6. Now, however, let us hunt out what these very things are. For the elucidation of which it must be known that, just as man is animated in a threefold way, namely vegetable, animal, and rational, he perambulates a triple path. For insofar as he is something vegetable, he seeks the useful, wherein he communicates with plants; insofar as he is animal, the delectable, wherein with brutes; insofar as he is rational, he seeks the honorable, in which he is alone, or he is associated with the angelic [nature]. On account of these three, whatever we do, we seem to do.

7. Et quia in quolibet istorum quedam sunt maiora, quedam maxima, secundum quod talia, que maxima sunt maxime pertractanda videntur, et per consequens maximo vulgari.

7. And because in each of these
certain things are greater, certain greatest, accordingly such things which
are greatest seem most to be thoroughly treated, and, consequently,
in the greatest vernacular.

8. 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.

8. But it must be discoursed which things are greatest. And first in that which is useful: in which, if we shrewdly consider the intent of all who seek utility, we shall find nothing other than salvation. Secondly, in that which is delectable: in which we say that that is most delectable which delights the appetite by the most precious object: this, moreover, is Venus.

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 accensio et directio voluntatis.

Thirdly, in that which is honorable: in which no one doubts that virtue is. Wherefore these three, namely salvation, Venus, and virtue, appear to be those great things that are to be most handled, that is, those which are most ordered toward these, such as the prowess of arms, the kindling of love, and the direction of the will.

9. 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

9. About which alone, if we recall well,
we find illustrious men to have poetized in the vernacular,
namely Bertram de Born on arms, Arnaut Daniel on love,
Gerard de Bornello on rectitude; Cino of Pistoia on love,
his friend on rectitude. For Bertram indeed says

Non posc mudar c'un cantar non exparja.

I cannot change without spreading a song.

Arnaldus:

Arnald:

L'aura amara fal bruol brancuz
clarzir.

The bitter breeze makes
the branchy brushwood
grow clear.

Gerardus:

Gerard:

Per solaz reveillar
che s'es trop endormitz.

For solace to awaken
who has fallen too far asleep.

Cynus:

Cino:

Digno sono eo de morte.

Worthy am I of death.

Amicus eius:

His friend:

Doglia mi reca ne lo core ardire.

Sorrow brings me
boldness into the heart.

10. Arma vero nullum latium adhuc invenio poetasse. Hiis proinde visis, que canenda sint vulgari altissimo innotescunt.

10. But as for arms, I find that no vernacular has yet poetized them. These things therefore being seen, those things which are to be sung in the most lofty vernacular become manifest.

III

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

1. Now, however, in what way we ought to narrow those things
which are worthy of so great a vernacular, let us solicitously
strive to investigate.

2. Volentes igitur modum tradere quo ligari hec digna existant, primo dicimus esse 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.

2. Willing therefore to hand down a method by which these worthy things may be bound, first we say it must be brought back to memory that those poetizing in the vernacular have put forth their poems in many modes: some by songs, some by ballads, some by sounds, some by other illegitimate and irregular modes, as will be shown below.

3. Horum autem modorum cantionum modum excellentissimum esse pensamus; quare si excellentissima excellentissimis digna sunt, ut superius est probatum, illa que excellentissimo sunt digna vulgari, modo excellentissimo digna sunt, et per consequens in cantionibus pertractanda.

3. Of these modes, however, we weigh that the mode of songs is the most excellent; wherefore, if the most excellent things are worthy of the most excellent, as has been proved above, those which are worthy of the most excellent vernacular are worthy of the most excellent mode, and consequently are to be treated in songs.

4. Quod autem modus cantionum sit talis ut dictum est, pluribus potest rationibus indagari. Prima quidem quia, cum quicquid versificamur sit cantio, sole cantiones hoc vocabulum sibi sortite sunt; quod nunquam sine vetusta provisione processit.

4. But that the mode of songs is such as has been said can be investigated by several reasons.
First indeed, because, since whatever we versify is a song, songs alone have allotted to themselves this vocable; which never proceeded without ancient provision.

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 excellant.

5. Further: whatever by itself brings about that for which it was made seems nobler than what needs something extrinsic: but canzoni by themselves accomplish entirely what they ought, which ballate do not: for they need applauders, for whom they are put forth; therefore it follows that canzoni are to be esteemed nobler than ballate, and consequently that their mode is the most noble of the others, since no one doubts that the sounds of ballate excel in nobility.

6. Preterea: 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.

6. Moreover: those things seem
more noble which bring more honor to their author: but
songs confer more upon their authors than ballads; therefore
they are more noble, and consequently their mode the most noble
of the others.

7. Preterea: 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.

7. Furthermore: the things which are most noble are most dearly preserved: but among those things which have been sung, the canzoni are most dearly preserved, as is evident to those visiting the books; therefore the canzoni are most noble, and consequently their mode is most noble.

8. Ad hec: 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.

8. Moreover: in things wrought by art
that is most noble which comprehends the whole art: since therefore
the things that are sung exist as artifacts, and in songs alone
the whole art is comprehended, songs are most noble, and thus the mode
of them is the most noble of others. But that in
songs the art of singing poetically is wholly comprehended is made plain in this: that whatever
of art is found in all the others is found also in songs; but
this is not convertible.

9. Signum autem horum que dicimus promptum in conspectu habetur; nam quicquid de cacuminibus illustrium capitum poetantium profluxit ad labia, in solis cantionibus invenitur.

9. A sign, moreover, of these things which we say is readily in view; for whatever has flowed from the summits of illustrious poetizing heads to the lips is found in songs alone.

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

10. Wherefore, to the purpose, it is patent that those things which are worthy of the most lofty vernacular are to be treated in songs.

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 ballatarurn et sonituum ommictentes, quia illum elucidare intendimus in quarto huius operis, cum de mediocri vulgari tractabimus.

1. Since indeed we have worked through the aporia, disentangling who are worthy of the courtly vernacular and what things are, and likewise the mode which we deem with such honor that it alone is suited to the most high vernacular, before we migrate to other matters, let us enucleate the mode of the canzoni, which many seem to usurp more by chance than by art; and that which up to now has been assumed casually, we shall unbar the workshop of that art, omitting the mode of the ballatas and of the sonnets, because we intend to elucidate that in the fourth of this work, when we shall treat of the mediocre vernacular.

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.

2. Therefore, revisiting the things that
have been said, we recall that we have for the most part called
those who versify in the vernacular poets: which, beyond doubt, we have
presumed to assert reasonably, for they are truly poets, if we rightly
consider poesy; which is nothing other than a rhetorical fiction
composed to music.

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.

3. They differ, however, from the great
poets, that is, the regular ones, because the great have poetized with discourse and with regular art,
whereas these by chance, as has been said. Therefore it happens that,
the closer we imitate them, the more rightly we poetize. Whence
we, aiming at the work of doctrine, ought to emulate their doctrinated poetries.

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.

4. Before all things, therefore, we say
each person ought to equalize the weight of the material to his own shoulders, lest
perhaps, being burdened beyond the strength of the shoulders, it be necessary to stumble into the mire:
this is what our master Horace enjoins, when at the
beginning of the Poetics he says, ‘Take up a material ...’.

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.

5. Then, in those things which are to be said that occur, we ought to attain discretion, whether they are to be sung tragically, or comically, or elegiacally. Through tragedy we introduce the superior style, through comedy the inferior, through elegy we understand the style of the wretched.

6. Si tragice canenda videntur, tunc assumendum est vulgare illustre, et per consequens cantionem [oportet] 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.

6. If things seem to be sung tragically,
then the illustrious vernacular must be assumed, and consequently [it is fitting] to bind the canzone.
But if comically, then at times let a mediocre, at times a humble vernacular be taken; and the discretion of this we reserve to show in the fourth
of this. But if elegiac, only the humble
vernacular ought we to take.

7. Sed ommittamus 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.

7. But let us omit others, and now, as is fitting, let us thoroughly treat of the tragic style. In the tragic style indeed we seem to use it then, when with the gravity of the sentence both the superbness of the songs and the elation of construction and the excellence of vocables are in concord.

8. Qua[re], si bene recolimus summa summis esse digna iam fuisse probatum, et iste quem tragicum appellamus summus videtur esse stilorum, et illa que summe canenda distinximus isto solo sunt stilo canenda: videlicet salus, amor et virtus et que propter ea concipimus, dum nullo accidente vilescant.

8. Where[fore], if we rightly recollect that the highest things are worthy of the highest has already been proved, and this which we call tragic seems to be the highest of styles, and those things which we have distinguished as to be sung supremely are to be sung by this style alone: namely, salvation, love, and virtue, and the things which on account of them we conceive, provided that by no accident they be cheapened.

9. Caveat ergo quilibet et discernat ea que dicimus; et quando hec tria pure cantare intendit, vel que ad ea directe ac pure secuntur, prius Elicone potatus, tensis fidibus ad supremum, secure plectrum tum movere incipiat.

9. Let each one therefore beware and discern the things that we say; and when he intends to sing these three purely, or those things which follow upon them directly and purely, first, having drunk from Helicon, with the strings stretched to the supreme pitch, let him then securely begin to move the plectrum.

10. Sed cautionem atque discretionem hanc accipere, sicut decet, hic opus et labor est, quoniam nunquam sine strenuitate ingenii et artis assiduitate scientiarumque habitu fieri potest. Et hii sunt quos poeta Eneidorum sexto Dei dilectos et ab ardente virtute sublimatos ad ethera deorumque filios vocat, quanquam figurate loquatur.

10. But to receive this caution and discretion, as is fitting, here is the work and the labor, since it can never be done without the strenuity of genius and the assiduity of art and the habit of the sciences. And these are those whom the poet in the sixth of the Aeneids calls beloved of God and, by burning virtue, raised up to the aethers and sons of the gods, although he speaks figuratively.

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.

11. And therefore let the folly of those be confuted who, immune from art and science, trusting in mere ingenuity alone, burst forth to sing the highest things supremely; and let them desist from so great presumptuousness, and, if they are geese by nature or by sloth, let them not wish to imitate the star-seeking eagle.

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

1. Of the gravity of sentences
we seem either to have said enough, or at least all that pertains to our work:
wherefore let us hasten to the pride of songs.

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.

2. Concerning which it should be known that
our predecessors used diverse songs in their cantiones,
which the moderns also do: but we have not yet found anyone,
in a song by syllabifying, to have transcended the endecasyllable,
nor to have descended below the trisyllabic. And although in the trisyllabic meter and in the endecasyllabic and
in all the intermediates the singers of Latium have been wont to use them, the pentasyllabic and
heptasyllabic and endecasyllabic are held in more frequent use, and
after these the trisyllabic before the others.

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 ubicunque ponderosa multiplicantur, [multiplicatur] et pondus.

3. Of all of which the hendecasyllable seems to be more superb, both by occupation of time and by the capacity of sentence/meaning, of construction, and of vocables; the specimen of all of which is more multiplied in that one, as it plainly appears: for wherever weighty things are multiplied, [is multiplied] the weight too.

4. Et hoc omnes doctores perpendisse videntur, cantiones illustres principiantes ab illo; ut Gerardus de Bornello:

4. And this all the doctors seem to have weighed, beginning illustrious songs from that; as Gerard of Bornello:

Ara ausirez encabalitz cantarz

Now you will hear
interlaced songs

(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).

(which song, although it may seem a decasyllable, according to the truth of the matter is a hendecasyllable: for the two terminal consonants are not of the preceding syllable, and although they do not have their own vowel, nevertheless they do not lose the virtue of a syllable; moreover, the sign is that the rhyme there is completed by a single vowel, which could not be unless by the virtue of the other understood there implicitly).

Rex Navarre:

King of Navarre:

De fin’amor si vient sen et bontÈ,

From fine love there come sense and bounty,

(ubi, si consideretur accentus et eius causa, endecasillabum esse constabit).

(where, if the accent and its cause are considered, it will be established to be a hendecasyllable).

Guido Guinizelli:

Al cor gentil repara sempre amore.

To the gentle heart love always repairs.

Iudex de Columpnis de Messana:

Judge de Columpnis of Messina:

Amor, che lungiamente m'ýi menato.

Love, who for a long time has conducted me.

Renaldus de Aquino:

Renaldus of Aquino:

Per fino amore vo sÏ letamente.

For fine love I go so joyfully.

Cynus Pistoriensis:

Cino of Pistoia:

Non spero che giý mai per mia salute.

I do not hope that
ever at all for my salvation.

amicus eius:

his friend:

Amor, che movi tua vert˜ da cielo.

Love, who move
your virtue from heaven.

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.

5. And although this which has been said
the most celebrated song, as is worthy, seems of all the others, if
it should assume some society with the heptasyllable, provided that it retains the principate,
it seems to shine more clearly and to exult upward the more. But let this
remain to be elucidated further.

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.

6. And we say the heptasyllable follows that which is greatest in celebrity. After this we arrange the pentasyllable, and then the trisyllable. But the enneasyllable, because it seemed a tripled trisyllable, either was never in honor or has become obsolete on account of fastidiousness.

7. Parisillabis vero propter sui ruditatem non utimur nisi raro: retinent enim naturam suorum numerorum, qui numeris imparibus quemadmodum materia forme, subsistunt.

7. With parisyllables, however, on account of their own rudeness we do not use them except rarely: for they retain the nature of their numbers, which, upon odd numbers, just as matter to form, subsist.

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.

8. And thus, recollecting the aforesaid, the hendecasyllable seems to be the most superb song: and this is what we were seeking. Now, however, it remains to be investigated concerning elevated constructions and fastigiate vocables; and at length, with staves and twist-bands prepared, we shall instruct in what way one ought to wreathe the promised bundle, that is, the song.

1. Quia circa vulgare illustre nostra versatur intentio, quod nobilissimum est aliorum, et ea que digna sunt illo cantari discrevimus, que tria nobilissima 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 atque carmen, nunc de constructione agamus.

1. Since our intention is occupied around the illustrious vernacular,
which is the most noble of the others, and we have distinguished the things that are worthy to be sung in it, which are the three most noble,
as has been established above, and we have selected for them the canzone‑mode, as the summit of the other modes, and, that we may teach it more perfectly,
we have already prepared certain things, namely the style and the poem; now let us deal with construction.

2. Est enim sciendum quod constructionem vocamus regulatam compaginem dictionum, utAristotiles phylosophatus est tempore Alexandri. Sunt enim quinque hic dictiones compacte regulariter, et unam faciunt constructionem.

2. For it must be known that
we call construction the regulated compagination of words, as in Aristotle
philosophized in the time of Alexander. For there are here five
words compacted regularly, and they make one construction.

3. Circa hanc quidem prius considerandum est quod constructionum alia congrua est, alia vero incongrua. Et quia, si primordium bene discretionis nostre recolimus, sola suprema 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.

3. Concerning this, indeed, first
it must be considered that of constructions one is congruous, another indeed
incongruous. And because, if we recollect well the beginning of our discrimination,
we hunt only the supreme things, the incongruous has no place in our hunt,
since it has not even merited the lower grade of goodness. Let it shame, therefore, let it shame idiots to dare so far henceforth as to
burst forth into songs: whom we mock no otherwise than a blind man
distinguishing colors.

Est ut videtur congrua quam sectamur.

It is, as it appears, the congruous one that we pursue.

4. Sed non minoris difficultatis accedit discretio priusquam quam querimus actingamus, videlicet urbanitate plenissimam. Sunt etenim gradus constructionum quamplures: videlicet insipidus, qui est rudium, utPetrus amat multum dominam Bertam.

4. But a discernment of no lesser difficulty presents itself before we attain that which we seek, namely one most full of urbanity. For there are indeed several grades of constructions: namely the insipid, which is of the rude, asPeter loves Lady Berta very much.

5. Est et pure sapidus, qui est rigidorum scolarium vel magistrorum, utPiget 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 illum 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 Totila secundus adivit.

5. There is also the purely sapid style, which is of rigid scholars or masters, asIt irks me, I being greater than all in piety, whoever, wasting away in exile, revisit their fatherland only by dreaming; and there is the sapid and venust style, which is of certain who, only on the surface, gild themselves with rhetoric, as The laudable discretion of the marquis of Este, and his prepared magnificence, makes him to be beloved by all; and there is the sapid and venust and even exalted style, which belongs to illustrious dictatores, as With the greatest part of the flowers cast out from your bosom, Florence, in vain did a second Totila go to Trinacria.

6. Hunc gradum constructionis excellentissimum nominamus, et hic est quem querimus cum suprema venemur, ut dictum est.

6. We name this grade of construction most excellent, and this is the one we seek when we hunt after the supreme, as has been said.

Hoc solum illustres cantiones inveniuntur contexte, ut Gerardus:

In this alone illustrious songs are found woven, as Gerardus:

Si per mon Sobretots non fos.

If throughout the world
there were no overlords.

Folquetus de Marsilia:

Folquetus of Marseilles:

Tan m'abellis l'amoros pensamen.

So much delights me the amorous thought.

Arnaldus Danielis:

Arnaut Daniel:

Sols sui che sai lo sobraffan chem sorz.

I alone am he who knows
the overabundance that arises in me.

Namericus de Belnui:

Namericus of Belnui:

Nuls hom non pot complir addrechamen.

No man can accomplish rectification.

Namericus de Peculiano:

Namericus of Peculian:

Si com l'arbres che per sobrecarcar.

As the trees
that, from overloading.

Rex Navarre:

King of Navarre:

Ire d'amor que en mon cor repaire.

Ire of love that
in my heart makes its lair.

Iudex de Messana:

Judge of Messina:

Anchor che l'aigua per lo foco lassi.

Even though
the water is wearied by the fire.

Guido GuinizeIli:

Guido Guinizelli:

Tegno de folle ’mpresa a lo ver dire.

I deem it a mad enterprise to tell the truth.

Guido Cavalcanti:

Poi che de doglia cor conven ch'io porti.

Since of sorrow a heart it is fitting that I bear.

Cynus de Pistorio:

Cino of Pistoia:

Avegna che io aggia pi˜ per tempo.

Although I have earlier had more.

Amicus eius:

His friend:

Amor che ne la mente mi ragiona.

Love, who within my
mind reasons with me.

7. Nec mireris, lector, de tot reductis autoribus ad memoriam: non enim hanc quam supremam vocamus constructionem nisi per huiusmodi exempla possumus indicare. Et fortassis utilissimum foret ad illam habituandam regulatos vidisse poetas, Virgilium videlicet, Ovidium Metamorfoseos, 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.

7. Do not marvel, reader, at so many
authors recalled to memory: for this which we call supreme
construction we cannot indicate except through examples of this sort.
And perhaps it would be most useful, for habituating to that,
to have seen regulated poets, namely Virgil, Ovid
of the Metamorphoses, Statius and also Lucan, and likewise others who have used
the loftiest prose, such as Titus Livius, Pliny, Frontinus, Paulus
Orosius, and many others whom friendly solicitude invites us to visit
to visit.

8. Subsistant igitur ignorantie sectatores Guictonem Aretinum et quosdam alios extollentes, nunquam in vocabulis atque constructione plebescere desuetos.

8. Let, therefore, the followers of ignorance,
extolling Guittone of Arezzo and certain others, desist,
never unaccustomed to become plebeian in vocabulary and in construction.

VII

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

1. That grandiose words alone are worthy to stand under
a preeminent style, the successive presence of our progression
demands to be made clear.

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

2. We testify, then, at the beginning, that it is no small work for reason to have a discrimination of words, since we see that very many manners of them can be found. For certain words are boyish, certain womanly, certain virile; and of these, certain are sylvan, certain urban; and of those which we call urban, we perceive certain to be combed and lubricous, certain hirsute and burred. Among which indeed, combed and hirsute are those which we call grandiose; but lubricous and burred we call those which sound to superfluity; just as, in great works, certain are works of magnanimity, certain of smoke: where, although on the surface a certain ascent is observed, from the point at which the bounded line of virtue is transgressed, for sound reason it will consist not in ascent but in a ruin down the opposite slopes.

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.

3. Therefore look upon, reader,
attentively, as regards the heightening of outstanding words, how you must sift:
for if you consider the illustrious vernacular, which the vernacular tragic poets
ought to use, as was said above, whom we intend to inform, you will take care that only
the most noble vocables remain in your sieve.

4. In quorum numero nec puerilia propter sui simplicitatem, utmamma 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.

4. Among whose number neither the puerile on account of their simplicity, likemamma and babbo, mate and pate, nor the muliebral on account of their softness, like dolciada and placevole, nor the sylvan on account of austerity, like greggia and cetra, nor the urban lubric and burry, like femina and corpo, will you be able in any way to place. For you will see that only the combed and hirsute urban [words] remain to you, which are most noble and members of the illustrious vernacular.

5. Et pexa vocamus illa que, trisillaba vel vicinissima trisillabitati, sine aspiratione, sine accentu acuto vel circumflexo, sinez 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.

5. And we call “combed” those which, trisyllabic or very close to trisyllabicity, without aspiration, without acute or circumflex accent, withoutz or x doubles, without the doubling of the two liquids or their placement immediately after a mute, as if planed, leave the speaker with a certain suavity: such as amore, donna, disio, virtute, donare, letitia, salute, securtate, defensa.

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, utsi, no, me, te, sÈ, ý, Ë, i’, Ú, 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, impossibilitý, impossibilitate, benaventuratissimo, inanimatissimamente, disaventuratissimamente, sovramagnificentissimamente, quod endecasillabum est.

6. We also call hirsute all things, except these, which either seem necessary or ornamental to the illustrious vernacular. And we call necessary those which we cannot evade, such as certain monosyllables, assi, no, me, te, sÈ, ý, Ë, i’, Ú, u’, interjections, and many others. Ornamental, indeed, we call all polysyllables which, mixed with the combed, make a fair harmony of the structure, although they have a roughness of aspiration and accent and doubles and liquids and prolixity: as terra, honore, speranza, gravitate, alleviato, impossibilitý, impossibilitate, benaventuratissimo, inanimatissimamente, disaventuratissimamente, sovramagnificentissimamente, which is an hendecasyllable.

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.

It would still be possible to find a vocable or word of more syllables, but because it surpasses the capacity of all our poems, it does not seem subject to the present reasoning, as is that honorificabilitudinitate, which is completed at 12 syllables in the vernacular, and in grammar is completed at 13 in two oblique cases.

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

7. But how the hirsute words are to be harmonized with the combed ones
of this sort by meters, we leave to be instructed below.
And let what has already been said about the fastigiosity of vocables
suffice for ingenuous discretion.

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.

1. With the clubs and twisted cords prepared for the bundle, now the time for bundling presses. But since the cognition of any work ought to precede the operation—just as a signal before the release of an arrow or a javelin—first and principally let us see what this bundle is which we intend to bind.

2. Fascis iste igitur, si bene comminiscimur omnia prelibata, cantio est. Quapropter quid sit cantio videamus, et quid intelligimus cum dicimus cantionem.

2. This bundle, therefore, if we well piece together all the aforementioned, is the canzone. Wherefore let us see what a canzone is, and what we understand when we say “canzone.”

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.

3. For a song, according to
the true signification of the name, is the very act or passion of singing, just as
a lection is the passion or act of reading. But let us divaricate what has been said,
namely, whether this be a song insofar as it is an act, or insofar as it is
a passion.

4. Et circa hoc considerandum est quod cantio dupliciter accipi potest: uno modo secundum quod fabricatur ab autore suo, et sic est actio - et secundum istum modum Virgilius primo Eneidorum dicitArma 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.

4. And concerning this, it must be considered that a cantion can be taken in a twofold way: in one way, according as it is fabricated by its own author, and thus it is an action — and according to this mode Virgil in the first of the Aeneid saysI sing of arms and of the man —; in another way, according as, once fabricated, it is brought forth either by the author or by another whoever he may be, whether it be uttered with a modulation of sound or not: and thus it is a passion. For then it is acted upon; at another time, indeed, it seems to act upon another, and thus it is then someone’s action, and at another time likewise it seems someone’s passion. And because it is itself acted upon before it acts, it seems more, nay, rather altogether, to be denominated from that by which it is acted upon (and is the action of someone), than from that by which it acts upon others.

Signum autem huius est quod nunquam dicimus ‘Hec est cantio Petri’ eo quod ipsam proferat, sed eo quod fabricaverit illam.

But a sign of this is that we never
say ‘This is Peter’s song’ because he utters it,
but because he has fashioned it.

5. Preterea disserendum est utrum cantio dicatur fabricatio verborum armonizatorum, vel ipsa modulatio. Ad quod dicimus, quod nunquam modulatio dicitur cantio, sed sonus, vel tonus, 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.

5. Furthermore, it must be discussed whether “song” is called the fabrication of harmonized words, or the modulation itself. To which we say that modulation is never called “song,” but sound, or tone, or note, or melos. For no tibicen, or organist, or citharist calls his melody a “song,” unless in so far as it is married to some song; but harmonizers of words call their works “songs,” and we also call such words lying on little sheets without a proferer “songs.”

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 vuigariter et regulariter, cantiones esse dicemus.

6. And therefore a canzone seems to be nothing else
than the completed act of a speaker whose words are harmonized to a modulation:
wherefore both the canzoni which we are now treating, and
ballads and sonnets and all words of whatever mode that are
harmonized in the vernacular and according to rule, we shall call canzoni.

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.

7. But because we ventilate only the vernaculars, leaving the regulated, we say that among vernacular poems there is one supreme, which by super-excellence we call a song: and that the song is, however, the supreme thing, is proved in the third chapter of this book. And since what has been defined seems general to many, resuming the term already defined as general, let us, through certain differences, distinguish only what we seek.

8. Dicimus ergo quod cantio, in quantum per superexcellentiam dicitur, ut et nos querimus, est equalium stantiarum sine responsorio ad unam sententiam tragica coniugatio, ut nos ostendimus cum dicimus

8. We therefore say that the canzone, in
asmuch as it is said by way of super-excellence, as we too seek, is a
tragic conjunction of equal stanzas without responsory to one sententia,
as we show when we say

Donne che avete intelletto d'amore.

Ladies who have understanding of love.

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

But what we call ‘tragic conjunction’ is because, when this conjunction is done comically, we call it a cantilena by diminution: about which in the fourth of this we intend to treat.

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

9. And thus it is evident what a canzone is, both as it is taken generally and as by super-excellence we call it. It also seems sufficiently evident what we understand when we call it a canzone, and consequently what that bundle is which we are striving to bind.

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.

1. Because, as has been said, the canzone is a conjunction of stanzas, with it unknown what a stanza is it is necessary to be ignorant of the canzone: for from the cognition of the defining terms the cognition of the defined results; and therefore it must consequently be treated of the stanza, namely that we investigate what it itself is and what by it we wish to understand.

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 quemadmodum cantio est gremium totius sententie, sic stantia totam artem ingremiat; nec licet aliquid artis sequentibus arrogare, sed solam artem antecedentis induere.

2. And concerning this it should be known that this vocable was invented with regard to art alone, namely, that that in which the whole art of the canzone would be contained should be called the stanza, that is, a capacious dwelling or receptacle of the whole art. For just as the canzone is the bosom of the whole sentence/meaning, so the stanza enbosoms the whole art; nor is it permitted to the following ones to arrogate anything of the art, but only to put on the art of the antecedent.

3. Per quod patet quod ipsa de qua loquimur erit congregatio sive compages omnium eorum que cantio sumit ab arte: quibus divaricatis, quam querimus descriptio innotescet.

3. Through which it is evident that the very thing of
which we speak will be the congregation or compages of all those things which
the canzone takes from art: these having been set apart, the description we seek
will become known.

4. Tota igitur, scilicet ars cantionis, circa tria videtur consistere: primo circa cantus divisionem, secundo circa partium habitudinem, tertio circa numerum carminum et sillabarum.

4. The whole, therefore, namely the art
of the canzone, seems to consist around three things: first around the division of the song,
second around the habitude of the parts, third around the
number of verses and syllables.

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’.

5. Of rhyme indeed we make no mention, because it is not of the proper art of the canzone. For it is permitted in any stanza to innovate rhymes and to reiterate the same at will: which, if rhyme were of the proper art of the canzone, would by no means be permitted: as has been said. If there is anything of rhyme to be observed that pertains to this which is the art, it is comprehended there when we say ‘the relation of the parts’.

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

6. Wherefore thus we can gather from the aforesaid, defining, and say that the stanza is under a fixed chant and habitude, limited, a structure of songs and syllables structure.WhereforeWherefore

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 sapientum in principio Physicorum testatur. Igitur ad habendam cantionis cognitionem quam inhiamus, nunc diffinientia suum diffiniens sub compendio ventilemus, et primo de cantu, deinde de habitudine, et postmodum de carminibus et sillabis percontemur.

1. Knowing that the rational animal is man and that an animal is a sensitive soul and body, and being ignorant about this soul what it is, or about the body itself, we cannot have perfect cognition of man: because the perfection of cognition of each thing is terminated at the ultimate elements, as the master of the wise at the beginning of the Physics testifies. Therefore, to have the cognition of the song which we aspire to, now let us, in brief, winnow the definiens with its definiendum, and first about song, then about habitude, and afterward let us inquire about the poems and syllables.

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 - 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

2. We say, then, that every stanza is harmonized for receiving a certain ode. But they seem to be diversified in modes. For some are under one continuous ode all the way to the end progressively, that is, without iteration of any modulation and without a diesis—by diesis we mean a deduction verging from one ode into another (this we call a volta, when we address the common folk)—; and Arnaut Daniel used a stanza of this sort in almost all his songs, and we followed him when we said

Al poco giorno e al gran cerchio d'ombra.

To the brief day and to the great circle of shadow.

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.

3. Some indeed are diesis tolerant: and a diesis cannot exist, according to what we call it, unless a reiteration of one ode be made, either before the diesis, or after, or on both sides.

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.

4. If the repetition be made before the diesis we say the stanza has feet; and it is fitting for it to have two, although at times three be made, yet very rarely. If the repetition be made after the diesis, then we say the stanza has verses. If before it be not made, the repetition, we say the stanza has a front.

Si post non fiat, dicimus habere sirma, sive caudam.

If it is not made afterward, we say it has a sirma, or tail.

5. Vide igitur, 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 auctoritatis dignitate sola quod dicimus esse concessum.

5. See therefore, reader, how great a license has been given to those poetizing songs, and consider of which thing
the cause that usage has claimed to itself so broad a discretion; and if by the straight path
reason shall have led you, you will see that by the dignity of authority alone that which
we say has been conceded.

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

6. From this it can be sufficiently evident how the art of the canzone consists around the division of the song; and therefore let us proceed to the habitude.

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.

1. It seems to us that this which we call habitude is the greatest part of that which belongs to the art; for this consists in the division of chant and the contexture of songs and the relation of rhythms; wherefore it seems to be treated most diligently.

2. Incipientes igitur dicimus quod frons cum versibus, pedes cum cauda vel sirmate, nec non pedes cum versibus, in stantia se diversimode habere possunt.

2. Beginning therefore we say that the front with the verses, the feet with the tail or sirmate, and likewise the feet with the verses, can be arranged in diverse ways in the stanza.

3. Nam quandoque frons versus excedit in sillabis et carminibus, vel excedere potest; et dicimus ‘potest’ quoniam habitudinem hanc adhuc non vidimus.

3. For sometimes the front exceeds the verses in syllables and in lines, or can exceed; and we say 'can' because we have not yet seen this configuration.

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.

4. Sometimes in the poems
it can exceed, and in syllables be surpassed, as if the front were
pentameter and each verse were dimeter, and the meters of the front
were heptasyllabic and the verses hendecasyllabic.

5. Quandoque versus frontem superant sillabis et carminibus, ut in illa quam dicimus,

5. Sometimes the verses surpass the front
in syllables and in songs, as in that which we mention,

Tragemi de la mente Amor la stiva.

Love draws the tiller from my mind.

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.

this front was tetrameter, woven of three hendecasyllables and one heptasyllable; for indeed it could not be divided into feet, since equality of lines and of syllables is required in the feet among themselves, and also in the verses among themselves.

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.

6. And just as we say about
the front, we say also about the verses. For indeed the verses could surpass the front
in metra, and be surpassed in syllables, for example if there were two verses
and each were trimeter, and the metra heptasyllabic, and the front were
pentameter, composed of two hendecasyllables and three heptasyllables
woven together.

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

7. At times, however, the feet surpass the tail in meters and in syllables, as in that one which we mentioned

Amor, che movi tua virt˜ da cielo.

Love, who move
your virtue from heaven.

8. Quandoque pedes a sirmate superantur in toto, ut in illa quam diximus

8. Sometimes the feet are surpassed by the sirma entirely, as in that which we mentioned

Donna pietosa e di novella etate.

A compassionate lady and
of youthful age.

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

9. And just as we have said that the front can surpass in verses, while being surpassed in syllables (and conversely), so we say regarding the sirma.

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.

10. Feet too surpass verses in number and are surpassed by these: for indeed there can be in an instance three feet and two verses, and three verses and two feet; nor are we limited by this number, but it is permitted to weave more both feet and verses together at once.

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.

11. And just as about the victory
of songs and of syllables we have said among other things, now likewise with respect to feet
and verses we say; for in the same way they can be conquered and conquer.

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.

12. Nor must it be passed over
that we, on the contrary, accept feet differently from the rule-governed poets, because they
say that the poem consists of feet, whereas we say that a foot consists of poems,
as is quite evident.

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.

13. Nor must it be passed over
that we again assert that feet necessarily receive from one another the equality and
habitude of poems and syllables, because otherwise
the repetition of chant could not be effected. We maintain that this same thing must be
observed in verses.

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.

1. There is also, as was said above, a certain habitude which in weaving together songs we ought to consider: and therefore let us make a rationale about that, repeating accordingly the things which we said above about songs.

2. In usu nostro maxime tria carmina frequentando prerogativam habere videntur, endecasillabum scilicet, eptasillabum et pentasillabum; que trisillabum ante alia sequi astruximus.

2. In our usage, most of all three songs seem to have a prerogative by being most frequently employed, namely the hendecasyllable, the heptasyllable, and the pentasyllable; which we have asserted to follow the trisyllable before the others.

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

3. Of these indeed, when we strive to poetize tragically, the hendecasyllable, on account of a certain excellence, earns the privilege of prevailing in the context. For there is a certain stanza which rejoices to be woven of only hendecasyllables, as that of Guido of Florence

Donna me prega, perch'io volgl[i]o dire;

A lady entreats me, wherefore I wish to speak;

et etiam nos dicimus

and we also say

Donne ch'avete intelletto d'amore.

Ladies who have the intellect of love.

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

This too the Spaniards have used - and I mean the Spaniards who have poetized in the vernacular oc: Namericus of Belnui,

Nuls hom non pot complir adrechamen.

No man can complete it aright.

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.

4. There is a certain kind in which only a single heptasyllable is woven in: and this cannot be except where there is a front or a tail, since, as has been said, in feet and in verses the equality of the songs and of the syllables is observed.

5. Propter quod etiam nec numerus impar carminum potest esse ubi frons vel cauda non est; sed ubi hec sunt, vel altera sola, pari et impari numero in carminibus licet uti ad libitum.

5. Therefore also neither can an odd number of songs be where a front or a tail is not; but where these are, or either one alone, it is permitted to use in songs either an even or an odd number at will.

6. Et sicut quedam stantia est uno solo eptasillabo conformata, sic duobus, tribus, quatuor, quinque videtur posse contexi, dummodo in tragico vincat endecasillabum et principiet. Verumtamen quosdam ab eptasillabo tragice principiasse invenimus, videlicet [Guidonem Guinizelli], Guidonem de Ghisileriis et Fabrutium Bononienses:

6. And just as a certain stanza is
fashioned by a single heptasyllable alone, so it seems able to be woven with two, three, four,
five, provided that in the tragic style the hendecasyllable prevail
and begin. Nevertheless we have found that certain men have in tragic style begun from the heptasyllable,
namely [Guido Guinizelli],
Guido of the Ghisilieri and Fabrutius, Bolognese:

Di fermo sofferire,

Of firm suffering,

and

Donna, lo fermo core,

Lady, the firm
heart,

and

Lo meo lontano gire;

My distant going;

et quosdam alios. Sed si ad eorum sensum subtiliter intrare velimus, non sine quodam elegie umbraculo hec tragedia processisse videbitur.

and certain others. But if we should wish to enter subtly into their sense, this tragedy will seem to have proceeded not without a certain little shade of elegy.

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.

7. Concerning the pentasyllable as well, we do not concede thus: in grand composition it suffices for a single pentasyllable to be interwoven in the whole stanza, or at most two [in the feet]; and I say ‘feet’ on account of the necessity by which it is sung with feet and with verses.

8. Minime autem trisillabum in tragico videtur esse sumendum per se subsistens: et dico ‘per se subsistens’ quia per quandam rithimorum repercussionem frequenter videtur assumptum, sicut inveniri potest in illa Guidonis Florentini,

8. Least of all, however, does a trisyllable in
the tragic seem to be taken, subsisting by itself: and I say
‘subsisting by itself’ because through a certain repercussion of
rhymes it is frequently seen to be assumed, as can be found
in that piece of Guido the Florentine,

Donna me prega,

A lady asks me,

et in illa quam diximus,

and in that which we have mentioned,

Poscia ch'Amor del tutto m’ha lasciato.

After that Love has altogether left me.

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

Nor is there there a poem in itself at all, but only a part of a hendecasyllable, responding like an echo to the rhythm of the preceding poem.

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.

9. This also especially is to be attended to concerning the habitude of songs, that, if a heptasyllable be interserted in the first foot, the situs which it there receives, let it resume the same in the other: for instance, if a trimeter foot has the first and last poem hendecasyllabic and the middle, that is the second, heptasyllabic, [and the other foot have the second heptasyllabic] and the extremes hendecasyllabic: otherwise the ingemination of the chant could not be effected, for the sake of which the feet are made, as was said; and consequently the feet would not be able to be.

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.

10. And just as about feet,
we speak also about verses: for we see that feet and verses differ in nothing
except in position, because these are named before, those after the diaeresis
of the stanza. And likewise, as we assert must be observed about the trimeter
foot, so about all the others; and as we say about one heptasyllable, so about
several, and about the pentasyllable and every other.

Satis hinc, lector, elicere sufficienter potes [qua] qualit[ate] tibi carminum habituanda sit stantia habitudinem[que] circa carmina consideranda[m] videre.

Enough from here, reader, you can sufficiently elicit of [what] qual[ity] the stanza of songs ought to be habited for you,
and see the stanza [and] the habitude to be consider[ed] around songs.

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.

1. Let us also devote ourselves to the relation of the rhythms, treating nothing of rhythm in itself for the moment; for we defer their proper treatment to the future, when we shall direct our intention concerning the mediocre poem.

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:

2 Therefore at the beginning of this chapter certain things seem to be pruned away. One is the stanza without rhyme, in which no habitude of rhymes is attended to; and such stanzas were used by Arnaut Daniel most frequently, as there:

Sem fos Amor de joi donar;

If Love were to give me joy;

et nos dicimus

and we say

Al poco giorno.

To the short day.

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

Another kind is the stanza in which all the lines render the same rhyme, in which it is evident that to seek a habitude is superfluous. Thus accordingly it remains that upon mixed rhymes one ought to insist.

3. Et primo sciendum est quod in hoc amplissimam sibi licentiam fere omnes assumunt, et ex hoc maxime totius armonie dulcedo intenditur.

3. And first it must be known that in this almost all assume for themselves the amplest license, and from this especially the sweetness of the whole harmony is intended.

4. Sunt etenim 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.

4. For there are certain men who sometimes do not rhyme all the endings of the verses in the same stanza, but repeat them or rhyme them in others, just as there was Gotto of Mantua, who intimated to us many and good songs of his by word of mouth. He would always weave in a stanza one unaccompanied verse, which he called the key; and just as it is permitted with one, it is permitted also with two, and perhaps with more.

5. Quidam alii sunt, et fere omnes cantionum inventores, qui nullum in stantia carmen incomitatum relinquunt quin sibi rithimi concrepantiam reddant, vel unius vel plurium.

5. There are certain others, and almost all inventors of songs, who leave no song in the stanza unaccompanied without rendering to it the consonance of rhyme, whether of one or of several.

6. 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 que est priorum posterioris; quod non aliud esse videtur quam quedam ipsius stantie. concatenatio pulcra.

6. And certain men make the rhymes of those verses which are after the diesis to be different from the rhymes of those which are before; but some not thus, but weave in, among the following verses, the desinences of the earlier stanza, bringing them back. Very often, however, this is done in the desinence of the first of the subsequent ones, which most rhyme to that which is the latter of the former; which seems to be nothing other than a certain fair concatenation of the stanza itself.

7. 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.

7. On the arrangement of rhymes too insofar as they are at the front or at the tail, it seems that every desired license is to be conceded; most beautifully, however, the desinences of the last verses conduct themselves if they fall with rhyme into silence.

8. 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 eco respondet.

8. In the feet, indeed, care must be taken; and we have found that a certain habitude has been kept. And, making a distinction, we say that a foot is completed either by an even or an odd meter; and in both cases an accompanied and an unaccompanied ending can exist; for in an even meter no one doubts; but in the other, if anyone is doubtful, let him recall the things which we said in the immediately preceding chapter about the trisyllable, when a portion of the hendecasyllable responds like an echo.

9. 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.

9. And if in one of the feet it happens that the ending is devoid of rhyme, in every way let restoration be made for it in the other. But if any ending in the one foot has the consortium of rhyme, in the other it is permitted, as one pleases, to bring back or to innovate endings, either totally or in part, provided only that the order of the precedents be preserved in its entirety; suppose, if the extreme endings of the trimeter, that is, the first and the last, shall ring together in the first foot, so it is fitting that the extremes of the second should ring together; and whatever the middle shows itself to be in the first—accompanied indeed or unaccompanied—such let it re-emerge in the second; and thus for the other feet it is to be observed.

10. 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.

10. In verses also we almost always make use of this law; and we say ‘almost’ because
on account of the aforesaid concatenation and the combination of the ultimate desinences
it sometimes happens that the order already said is overturned.

11. 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.

11. Moreover, it seems to us to fit well that the things to be avoided concerning rhythms we append to this
chapter, since in this book we intend to touch nothing further of the doctrine of rhythms.

12. 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 preroget; ut nascentis militie dies, qui cum nulla prerogativa suam indignatur preferire dietam: hoc etenim nos tacere nisi sumus ibi,

12. Three, then, are the things which it ill befits one poetizing courtly-wise to employ concerning the placement of rhymes: namely, an excessive repercussion of the same rhyme, unless perhaps some new and unattempted thing of the art should arrogate this prerogative to itself; as the day of a nascent knighthood, which, since it has no prerogative, is indignant to advance its own day in preference: for this, indeed, we keep silent about unless we are there,

Amor, tu vedi ben che questa donna;

Love, you see well that this lady;

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.

the second, indeed, is the very useless
equivocation, which always seems to derogate somewhat from the sense; and
the third is the asperity of rhymes, unless perhaps it be mixed with lenity:
for by a mixture of smooth and rough rhymes
tragedy itself shines.

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

13. And these things about the art, in so far as it regards habitude,
let thus much suffice.

XIV

1. Ex quo duo que sunt artis in cantione satis [sufficienter] tractavimus, nunc de tertio videtur esse tractandum, videlicet de numero carminum et sillabarum. Et primo secundum totam stantiam videre oportet aliquid; deinde secundum partes eius videbimus.

1. Since we have treated enough [sufficiently] the two things that belong to the art in the canzone, now the third seems to need to be treated, namely the number of the verses and of the syllables. And
first we ought to consider something with respect to the whole stanza; then
we will consider according to its parts.

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 ...

2. Therefore it concerns us first to make a distinction among the things that present themselves to be sung, because certain stanzas seem to crave prolixity, certain not. For since whatever things we say, we sing them all either about something on the right-hand or on the left-hand - as it sometimes befalls to sing persuasively, sometimes dissuasively, sometimes congratulatorily, sometimes ironically, sometimes laudably, sometimes contemptuously -, let the words that are about left-hand matters always hasten to the end, and let the others, with seemly prolixity, come here and there to the end ...