Amico
«A Mala-Bocca vo' primieramente
Che·ttu sì no·gli mostri mal sembiante;
Ma se gli passe o dimore davante,
Umile gli ti mostra ed ubidente.
Di te e del tuo gli sie largo offerente
E faccia di te come di su' fante:
Così vo' che lo 'nganni, quel truante
Che si diletta in dir mal d'ogne gente.
Col braccio al collo sì die on menare
Il su' nemico, insin che si'al giubetto,
Co·le lusinghe, e po' farlo impiccare.
Or metti ben il cuor a·cciò c[h]'ò detto:
Di costù' ti convien così ovrare
Insin ch'e' sia condotto al passo stretto.
|
Friend
"First of all I don't want you to give
Bad Mouth any angry looks,
but when you pass by or stop in front of him,
show yourself to be humble and obedient.
Be generous and offer him your person and possessions,
and let him treat you like his servant.
In this way I want you to deceive that rascal,
who takes pleasure in bad-mouthing everyone.
With your arm around his shoulder and with pleasant words
you must lead your enemy to the gallows,
where then you'll have him hanged.
Now pay attention to what I've said:
with this one you must behave like this
until he has been led to that narrow pass."
|
|
Amico
«Impresso vo' che·ttu ag[g]ie astinenza
Di non andar sovente dal castello,
Né non mostrar che·tti sia guari bello
A riguardar là ov' è Bellacoglienza:
Ché·tti convien aver gran provedenza
Insin che Mala-Boc[c]a t'è ribello,
Ché·ttu sa' ben ch'egli è un mal tranello
Che giorno e notte grida e nogia [e] tenza.
De l'altre guardie non bisogna tanto
Guardar com' e' ti fa di Mala-Boc[c]a,
Ch'elle starian volontier da l'un canto;
Ma quel normando incontanente scoc[c]a
Ciò ched e' sa, ed in piaz[z]a ed a santo,
E contruova di sé e mette in coc[c]a.
|
Friend
"After this I want you to refrain
from going often to the castle,
and do not show that you like
to gaze at the place where Fair Welcome resides.
For you must be very careful,
as long as Bad Mouth is hostile towards you,
since you know that he is a terrible person
who screams and shouts and argues day and night.
You don't have to be as careful with the other guards
as you do with Bad Mouth,
for they would gladly stay off to one side;
but that Norman immediately shoots off his mouth
about everything he knows, both in the squares and in the churches;
he concocts his tales and readies them for delivery."
|
|
Amico
«La Vec[c]hia che Bellacoglienz' à 'n guarda,
Servi ed onora a tutto tu' podere:
Che s'ella vuol, troppo ti può valere,
Chéd ella nonn-è folle né musarda.
A Gelosïa, che mal fuoco l'arda,
Fa 'l somigliante, se·lla puo' vedere:
Largo prometti a tutte de l'avere,
Ma 'l pagamento il più che puo' lo tarda.
E se·llor doni, dona gioeletti,
Be' covriceffi e retie 'nt[r]ecciatoi
E belle ghirlanduz[z]e e ispil[l]etti
E pettini d'avorio e riz[z]atoi,
Coltelli e paternostri e tessutetti:
Ché questi non son doni strug[g]itoi.
|
Friend
"Serve and honor with all your might
the Old Woman who guards Fair Welcome;
if she wishes, she can be very useful to you,
because she is neither silly nor foolish.
With Jealousy --may an evil fire burn her!--
do the same, if you succeed in seeing her.
Promise all of them generous compensation,
but delay payment as much as possible.
And if you give gifts, give jewels,
beautiful hats and bonnets and silk ribbons
and beautiful garlands and pins,
and ivory combs and barrettes,
knives and rosaries and cloths;
for these are inexpensive gifts."
|
|
Amico
«Se non ài che donar, fa gran pro[m]essa
Sì com' i' t'ò contato qui davanti,
Giurando loro Idio e tutti i santi,
Ed anche il sacramento della messa,
Che ciascuna farai gran baronessa,
Tanto darai lor fiorini e bisanti:
Di pianger vo' che faccie gran semb[i]anti,
Dicendo che non puo' viver sanz'essa.
E se·ttu non potessi lagrimare,
Fa che·ttu ag[g]ie sugo di cipolle
O di scalogni, e farànolti fare;
O di scialiva gli oc[c]hi tu·tte 'molle,
S'ad altro tu non puo' ricoverare.
E così vo' che ciascheduna bolle.
|
Friend
"If you have nothing to give, make great promises,
just as I have told you now,
pledging to them by God and all the Saints
and even on the sacrament of the mass,
that you will make each of them a great baroness,
and in the meantime you will give them florins and bisanti,
I want you to pretend to weep,
saying that you cannot live without her.
And if you should be unable to shed any tears,
make sure that you have some juice from onions
or scallions, and this will make you cry;
or dampen your eyes with saliva,
if you cannot find anything else.
And in this way I want you to deceive them all."
|
|
Amico
«Se·ttu non puo' parlar a quella ch'ami,
Sì·lle manda per lettera tu' stato,
Dicendo com' Amor t'à·ssì legato
Ver' lei, che ma' d'amarla non ti sfami.
E le' dirai: 'Per Gesocristo, tra' mi
D'esti pensier', che m'ànno sì gravato!';
Ma guarda che·llo scritto sia mandato
Per tal messag[g]io che non vi difami.
Ma nella lettera non metter nome;
Di lei dirai 'colui', di te 'colei':
Così convien cambiar le pere a pome.
Messag[g]io di garzon' ma' non farei,
Chéd e' v'à gran periglio, ed odi come:
Nonn-à fermez[z]a in lor; perciò son rei.
|
Friend
"If you cannot speak to the one you love,
then let her know your state by letter,
saying how Love has so bound you
to her that you will never get enough of loving her.
And you will say to her: 'In the name of Jesus Christ, free me
from these thoughts that have oppressed me!'
But make sure that the letter is delivered
by a messenger who will not harm your reputation.
But don't use any names in the letter;
for 'her' you will say 'him' and for 'you' 'her':
Thus are pears changed into apples.
I would never use a boy as a messenger,
for there is great danger, and here's why:
there's no constancy in them; thus, they are no good."
|
|
|
