LXXXVI 
   
  Due donne in cima de la mente mia 
    venute sono a ragionar d'amore: 
    l'una ha in sé cortesia e valore, 
    prudenza e onestà in compagnia; 
    l'altra ha bellezza e vaga leggiadria, 
    adorna gentilezza le fa onore: 
    e io, merzé del dolce mio signore, 
    mi sto a piè de la lor signoria. 
  Parlan bellezza e virtù a l'intelletto, 
    e fan quistion come un cor puote stare 
    intra due donne con amor perfetto. 
    Risponde il fonte del gentil parlare 
    ch'amar si può bellezza per diletto, 
    e puossi amar virtù per operare. 
   
   
  

LXXXVI

   Two women have come to the summit 
of my mind to speak of love. One is 
accompanied by courtesy and goodness, 
moral wisdom and decorum; the other 
has beauty and lovely charm, 
and fair nobility does her honour. 
And I --thanks to my dear Lord-- 
I kneel at their ladyships' feet. 
   Beauty and Virtue speak to my intellect, 
debating the question how a heart can 
be divided between two ladies with perfect 
love. The source of noble speech pronounces 
thus: beauty can be loved for delight 
and virtue for the sake of action.