Lo Dio d'Amore
Amor rispuose: «A me sì piace assai
Che l'oste avete bene istabulita;
Ma·ttu, Ric[c]hez[z]a, c[h]'or mi se' fallita,
Sed i' potrò, tu·tte ne penterai.
S'uomini ric[c]hi i' posso tener mai,
Non poss' io già star un giorno in vita,
S'avanti che da me facciar partita
Non recherò a poco il loro assai.
Uomini pover' fatt' ànno lor sire
Di me, e ciaschedun m'à dato il core:
Per ch'a tal don mi deg[g]io ben sofrire.
Se di ric[c]hez[z]a sì come d'amore
I' fosse dio, non possa io ben sentire
Sed i' no·gli mettesse in gran riccore».
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The God of Love
Love answered: "It pleases me greatly
that you have organized the army so well;
but you, Wealth, since you have failed me,
If I'm able, you'll regret your action.
If I'm ever able to have rich men in my control,
may I not live one more day,
if I don't diminish their possessions from great to small
before they take their leave from me.
Poor men have taken me as their Lord,
and each one has given me his heart;
thus I must be content with such a gift.
If I were the god of riches as I am of love,
I would be unhappy
if I could not make them extremely rich."
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La risposta de la baronia
«S'uomini ric[c]hi vi fanno damag[g]io,
Vo' avete ben chi ne farà vendetta:
Non fate forza s'ella non s'afretta,
Ché no' la pagherén ben de l'oltrag[g]io.
Le donne e le pulzelle al chiar visag[g]io
Gli metteranno ancor a tal distretta,
Ma' che ciascuna largo si prometta,
Che strutto ne sarà que' ch'è 'l più sag[g]io.
Ma Falsembiante trametter non s'osa
Di questi fatti, né sua compagnia,
Ché gra·mmal gli volete: ciò ci posa.
Sì vi priega tutta la baronia
Che·riceviate, e [a]menderà la cosa».
«Da po' che vo' volete, e così sia».
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The Response of the Barons
"If rich men do you harm,
you certainly have those who will avenge you.
Don't worry if this does not come rapidly,
because we'll pay her back for her offence.
Women and young ladies with radiant faces
will put the wealthy in such distress,
that even the most savvy of them will be destroyed,
provided that each woman exacts extravagant promises for herself.
But False Seeming and his friend
will not dare to take part in these matters,
because you despise them: this displeases us.
Therefore, the assembled barony asks
you to welcome them, and the situation will be put right."
"Since you wish it, so it will be done."
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Amore
Amor sì disse: «Per cotal convento,
Falso-Sembiante, i·mmia corte enter[r]ai,
Che tutti i nostri amici avanzerai
E metterai i nemici in bassamento.
E sì·tti do per buon cominciamento
Che re de' barattier' tu sì sarai:
Ché pez[z]' à che 'n capitolo il fermai,
Ch' i' conoscëa ben tu' tradimento.
Or sì vo' che·cci dichi in audïenza,
Pe·ritrovarti se n'avrén mestiere,
I·luogo dove tu·ffai residenza,
Né di che servi, né di che mestiere.
Fa che n'ag[g]iàn verace conoscenza;
Ma no'l farai, sì·sse' mal barattiere».
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Love
Thus Love said: "False Seeming,
on this condition you will enter my court:
you will assist all of our allies
and put our enemies down.
And to begin this business, I confer on you
the title of king of deceivers;
I decided this some time ago in council,
for I was well acquainted with your treacherous ways.
Now I want you to tell us in this hearing
where you dwell
in case we have to find you,
and tell us what you do and how you do it.
Make sure we understand these things well,
and if you don't, you're truly an evil cheat."
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Falsembiante
«Po' ch'e' vi piace, ed i' sì 'l vi diròe»,
Diss' alor Falsembiante: «or ascoltate,
Chéd i' sì vi dirò la veritate
De·luogo dov'io uso e dov'i' stoe.
Alcuna volta per lo secol voe,
Ma dentro a' chiostri fug[g]o in salvitate,
Ché quivi poss' io dar le gran ghignate
E tuttor santo tenuto saròe.
Il fatto a' secolari è troppo aperto:
Lo star guari co·lor no·mmi bisogna,
C[h]'a me convien giucar troppo coperto.
Perch' i' la mia malizia mi ripogna,
Vest' io la roba del buon frate Alberto:
Chi tal rob' àe, non teme mai vergogna.
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False Seeming
"Since it is your pleasure, I'll tell you all you want,"
False Seeming said then. "Now listen,
for I'll tell you the truth
about the place I frequent and where I stay.
Sometimes I mix with the laity,
but I flee to the cloisters for safety,
for there I can be a great mocker
and will always be regarded as a saint.
Lay brothers' work is way too open:
I don't need to associate with them a lot,
for I have to play my game in great secrecy.
In order to hide my wickedness,
I don the habit of the good brother Albert.
Whoever wears that garb never fears shame."
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Falsembiante
«I' sì mi sto con que' religïosi,
Religïosi no, se non in vista,
Che·ffan la ciera lor pensosa e trista
Per parer a le genti più pietosi;
E sì si mostran molto sofrettosi
E 'n tapinando ciaschedun a[c]quista:
Sì che perciò mi piace lor amista,
C[h]'a barattar son tutti curïosi.
Po' vanno procacciando l'acontanze
Di ric[c]he genti, e van[n]ole seguendo,
E sì voglion mangiar le gran pietanze,
E' prezïosi vin' vanno bevendo:
E queste son le lor grandi astinanze;
Po' van la povertà altrui abellendo.
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False Seeming
"So I pass my time with those religious--
well, religious only in appearance--
those who make their face seem sad and anguished,
in order to appear more pious to the people.
And they show themselves to be in need,
and through begging each one reaps and profits:
therefore, I like their friendship,
for they are all very eager to deceive.
Then they go seeking friendship
with wealthy people and follow after them,
because they want to eat great delicacies
and drink high-quality wines.
This is the way they practice great abstinence!
And then they go about praising poverty to others."
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