LXXII 
   
  Un dì si venne a me Malinconia 
    e disse: «Io voglio un poco stare teco»; 
    e parve a me ch'ella menasse seco 
    Dolore e Ira per sua compagnia. 
    E io le dissi: «Partiti, va' via»; 
    ed ella mi rispose come un greco: 
    e ragionando a grande agio meco, 
    guardai e vidi Amore, che venia 
  vestito di novo d'un drappo nero, 
    e nel suo capo portava un cappello; 
    e certo lacrimava pur di vero. 
    Ed eo li dissi: «Che hai, cattivello?». 
    Ed el rispose: «Eo ho guai e pensero, 
    ché nostra donna mor, dolce fratello». 
   
   
  

LXXII

   One day Melancholy came to me and said: 
'I want to stay with you awhile'; 
and it seemed to me she brought 
Sorrow and Wrath with her as companions. 
And I said 'Be off! Away with you!' 
But she answered like a Greek; and while 
she continued speaking with me, perfectly at her 
ease, I looked and saw Love drawing near, 
   dressed in a new black cloak, 
with a hat on his head, and weeping 
real tears. And I said to him: 
'What's the matter, poor fellow?' 
And he replied: 'I'm troubled and sad, 
for our lady is dying, dear brother.'