L'Amante
I' le dissi: «Ragion, or sie certana,
Po' che Natura diletto vi mise,
In quel lavor, ched ella no'l v'asise
Già per nïente, ché non è sì vana,
Ma per continüar la forma umana;
Sì vuol ch'uon si diletti in tutte guise
Per volontier tornar a quelle asise,
Ché 'n dilettando sua semenza grana.
Tu va' dicendo ch'i' no·mi diletti,
Mad i' per me non posso già vedere
Che sanza dilettar uon vi s'asetti,
A quel lavor, per ch'io ferm' ò volere
Di dilettar col fior no·me ne getti.
Faccia Dio po' del fiore su' piacere!».
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Lover
I said to her: "Reason, since Nature placed
delight in that labor, you may be sure
that she did not put it there
for no reason at all, for she is not so foolish,
but in order that the human race continue;
indeed, Nature wants man to take delight in many ways
in order to return gladly to these encounters,
for it's through pleasure that his seed produces fruit.
You keep saying that I should not take my pleasure,
but I cannot for the life of me understand
why anyone would undertake that labor
without pleasure; thus, I am resolute in my desire.
Don't dissuade me from taking pleasure with the Flower!
Then let God do what he wishes with the Flower!"
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Ragione
«Del dilettar non vo' chiti tua parte»,
Disse Ragion, «né che sie sanz'amanza,
Ma vo' che prendi me per tua 'ntendanza:
Ché·ttu non troverai i·nulla parte
Di me più bella (e n'ag[g]ie mille carte),
Né che·tti doni più di dilettanza.
Degna sarei d'esser reina in Franza;
Sì fa' follïa, s' tu mi getti a parte:
Ch'i' ti farò più ric[c]o che Ric[c]hez[z]a,
Sanza pregiar mai rota di Fortuna,
Ch'ella ti possa mettere in distrez[z]a.
Se be·mi guardi, i·me nonn-à nes[s]una
Faz[z]on che non sia fior d'ogne bellez[z]a:
Più chiara son che nonn-è sol né luna».
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Reason
"I don't want you to give up your pleasure,"
said Reason, "nor for you to be without a lover,
but I want you to take me for your lady;
for you will not find anywhere
a woman more beautiful than I (even if you search in many books),
or one who will give you more pleasure.
I would be worthy to be the Queen of France;
thus, you would be foolish to toss me aside,
for I will make you richer than Wealth herself,
without concern that the wheel of Fortune
may put you in a sorry state.
If you look at me clearly, you will not find in me any
feature that is not the best of every beauty;
I am more radiant than the sun and the moon."
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L'Amante
«Ragion, tu sì mi fai larga proferta
Del tu' amor e di te, ma i' son dato
Del tutto al fior, il qual non fia cambiato
Per me ad altr' amor: di ciò sie certa.
Né non ti vo' parlar sotto coverta:
Che s'i' mi fosse al tutto a·tte gradato,
Certana sie ch'i' ti verrè' fallato,
Che ch'i' dovesse aver, o prode o perta.
Allora avrè' fallato a·llui e te,
E sì sarei provato traditore,
Ched i' gli ò fatto saramento e fé.
Di questo fatto non far più sentore,
Ché 'l Die d'Amor m'à·ssì legato a·ssé
Che·tte non pregio e lui tengo a signore».
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Lover
"Reason, you make me such a generous offer
of your love and yourself, but I am totally
committed to the Flower, which I will not exchange
for another love: of this you may be certain.
Nor do I want to speak with you in unclear terms:
if I were everything you wanted,
then you may be sure that I would not be loyal to you,
no matter what I would have in return, either gain or loss.
Then I would have deceived both him and you,
and I would be a traitor for sure,
because I swore and pledged him loyalty.
Of this matter don't say another word,
because the God of Love has so bound me to him
that you I value very little and him I consider as my lord."
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Ragione
«Amico, guarda s' tu fai cortesia
Di scondir del tu' amor tal damigella
Chente son io, che son sì chiara e bella
Che nulla falta i·me si troveria.
Nel mi' visag[g]io l'uon si spec[c]hieria,
Sì non son troppo grossa né tro' grella,
Né troppo grande né tro' pic[c]iolella:
Gran gioia avrai se m'ài in tua balia.
Ched i' sì·tti farò questo vantag[g]io,
Ch'i' ti terrò tuttor in ricco stato,
Sanz'aver mai dolor nel tu' corag[g]io.
E così tenni Socrato beato;
Ma mi credette e amò come sag[g]io,
Di che sarà di lui sempre parlato.
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Reason
"Consider, my friend, if you're acting courteously
by refusing to love a woman
such as myself, who am so resplendent and beautiful
that no flaw can be found in me!
One could see his reflection in my face,
and I am neither too fat nor too thin,
neither too big nor too small:
you will have great joy if you have me in your power.
For I will grant you this favor:
I will keep you always in a prosperous state,
and you will never have any pain in your heart.
In this matter I kept Socrates in a blessed state;
but he, as a wise man, believed and loved me,
for which reason he will always be remembered."
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Ragione
«Quel Socrato dond' i' ti vo parlando,
Sì fu fontana piena di salute,
Della qual derivò ogne salute,
Po' ched e' fu del tutto al me' comando.
Né mai Fortuna no'l gì tormentando:
Non pregiò sue levate né cadute;
Suo' gioie e noie per lui fur ricevute,
Né ma' su' viso nonn-andò cambiando.
E bene e mal mettea in una bilanza
E tutto la facea igual pesare,
Sanza prenderne gioia né pesanza.
Per Dio, ched e' ti piaccia riguardare
Al tu' profitto, e prendim' ad amanza!
Più alto non ti puo' tu imparentare.
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Reason
"That Socrates of whom I speak to you
was a veritable fountain of happiness,
from which all happiness has derived,
after he was completely under my command.
Fortune never tormented him;
he gave no heed to her ups and downs.
He accepted her joys and troubles,
and never did his face change expression.
On a scale he put both good and evil,
and since he gave them equal weight,
he had no joy or sadness.
In the name of God, please reconsider
for your profit, and take me as your lover!
You can affiliate with no one more noble than I."
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