XCIX  
  DANTE A MESSER BRUNO BRUNELLESCHI 
   
  Messer Brunetto, questa pulzelletta 
    con esso voi si ven la pasqua a fare: 
    non intendete pasqua di mangiare, 
    ch'ella non mangia, anzi vuol esser letta. 
    La sua sentenzia non richiede fretta, 
    né luogo di romor né da giullare; 
    anzi si vuol più volte lusingare 
    prima che 'n intelletto altrui si metta. 
  Se voi non la intendete in questa guisa, 
    in vostra gente ha molti frati Alberti 
    da intender ciò ch'è posto loro in mano. 
    Con lor vi restringete sanza risa; 
    e se li altri de' dubbi non son certi, 
    ricorrete a la fine a messer Giano. 
   
   
  

XCIX
  DANTE TO BETTO BRUNELLESCHI 

   Messer Brunetto, this young girl comes 
to keep Easter with you; not, you understand, 
an eating Easter, for she doesn't eat, she is 
meant to be read. Her meaning doesn't call 
for hasty reading, or a place that's noisy, 
or where players perform; in fact she'll require 
to be coaxed more than once before 
she'll enter a man's understanding. 
   And if you don't understand her in this way, 
there are many brother Alberts in your company 
to understand whatever's put into their hands. 
Get together with them, but without laughing; 
and if none of them are clear about the 
difficult bits, in the last resort go and ask 
Messer Giano.