XX
Donna pietosa e di novella etate
adorna assai di gentilezze umane,
ch'era là 'v'io chiamava spesso Morte,
veggendo li occhi miei pien di pietate,
e ascoltando le parole vane,
si mosse con paura a pianger forte.
E altre donne, che si fuoro accorte
di me per quella che meco piangia,
fecer lei partir via,
e appressarsi per farmi sentire.
Qual dicea: «Non dormire»,
e qual dicea: «Perché sì ti sconforte?»
Allor lassai la nova fantasia,
chiamando il nome de la donna mia.
Era la voce mia sì dolorosa
e rotta sì da l'angoscia del pianto,
ch'io solo intesi il nome nel mio core;
e con tutta la vista vergognosa
ch'era nel viso mio giunta cotanto,
mi fece verso lor volgere Amore.
Elli era tale a veder mio colore,
che facea ragionar di morte altrui:
«Deh, consoliam costui»
pregava l'una l'altra umilemente;
e dicevan sovente:
«Che vedestù, che tu non hai valore?»
E quando un poco confortato fui,
io dissi: «Donne, dicerollo a vui.
Mentr'io pensava la mia frale vita,
e vedea 'l suo durar com'è leggiero,
piansemi Amor nel core, ove dimora;
per che l'anima mia fu sì smarrita,
che sospirando dicea nel pensero:
-- Ben converrà che la mia donna mora --.
Io presi tanto smarrimento allora,
ch'io chiusi li occhi vilmente gravati,
e furon sì smagati
li spirti miei, che ciascun giva errando;
e poscia imaginando,
di caunoscenza e di verità fora,
visi di donne m'apparver crucciati,
che mi dicean pur: -- Morra'ti, morra'ti --.
Poi vidi cose dubitose molte,
nel vano imaginare ov'io entrai;
ed esser mi parea non so in qual loco,
e veder donne andar per via disciolte,
qual lagrimando, e qual traendo guai,
che di tristizia saettavan foco.
Poi mi parve vedere a poco a poco
turbar lo sole e apparir la stella,
e pianger elli ed ella;
cader li augelli volando per l'are,
e la terra tremare;
ed omo apparve scolorito e fioco,
dicendomi: -- Che fai? Non sai novella?
morta è la donna tua, ch'era sì bella --.
Levava li occhi miei bagnati in pianti,
e vedea, che parean pioggia di manna,
li angeli che tornavan suso in cielo,
e una nuvoletta avean davanti,
dopo la qual gridavan tutti: Osanna;
e s'altro avesser detto, a voi dire'lo.
Allor diceva Amor: -- Più nol ti celo;
vieni a veder nostra donna che giace --.
Lo imaginar fallace
mi condusse a veder madonna morta;
e quand'io l'avea scorta,
vedea che donne la covrian d'un velo;
ed avea seco umilità verace,
che parea che dicesse: -- Io sono in pace --.
Io divenia nel dolor sì umile,
veggendo in lei tanta umiltà formata,
ch'io dicea: -- Morte, assai dolce ti tegno;
tu dei omai esser cosa gentile,
poi che tu se' ne la mia donna stata,
e dei aver pietate e non disdegno.
Vedi che sì desideroso vegno
d'esser de' tuoi, ch'io ti somiglio in fede.
Vieni, ché 'l cor te chiede.--
Poi mi partia, consumato ogne duolo;
e quand'io era solo,
dicea, guardando verso l'alto regno:
-- Beato, anima bella, chi te vede! --
Voi mi chiamaste allor, vostra merzede.»
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XX
A lady, tender in heart and young,
much graced with gentle qualities,
who was by me when I was often
calling on Death, seeing my eyes
full of grief and hearing my wild words,
began to weep violently out of fear.
And other women, made aware of me
by her who was weeping beside me,
led her away and themselves drew
near to recall me to myself. One said:
'Sleep no more'; another:
'Why are you so distressed?'
Then I came out of the strange vision,
calling on my lady's name.
So grief-stricken was my voice,
so broken with the stress of sobbing,
that I alone heard that name
in my heart; and, notwithstanding
the shame that had come over my face,
Love turned me towards them.
Such was my colour, it made them
speak of death. 'Ah, let us
comfort him', they gently
begged one another; and repeatedly
they said: 'What was it you saw
that you are left so faint?' And I,
when I had recovered a little, said:
'Ladies, I'll tell you.
'While I was thinking of the frailty
of my life, and seeing how slight is its power
to endure, Love wept in my heart, where he
dwells; at which my soul became so dismayed
that with sighs I said in my thoughts:
"It's true, my lady will have to die."
Then such dismay took hold of me that I closed
my eyes that were weighed down with despondency;
and so distracted were my spirits that each
went his way, not knowing where; and then
in my fantasy, all lost to knowledge
and truth, women's faces loomed
angrily at me, repeating these words:
"You will die! You will die!"
'Then, in the delusive vision I came into
I saw many fearful things; and I seemed
to find myself in a strange place
and to see dishevelled women going by,
some weeping, some uttering laments
that were as fiery arrows of sorrow.
Then I seemed to see little by little
the sun grow dark and the stars come out,
both he and they weeping; the birds
in full flight fall to the ground and
the earth tremble; and a man appeared,
pale and faint, who said to me: "What are
you doing? Don't you know what has happened?
Your lady, who was so beautiful, is dead."
'I raised my eyes, wet with tears,
and saw the angels like a shower
of manna returning on high to heaven;
and a small cloud went before them,
and following it they all cried, "Hosannah!"
--and if they had said more I would tell you.
Then Love said: "I will hide it
from you no longer; come and see
our lady where she lies." So the false vision
led me to see my lady dead; and when
I came in sight of her I saw ladies
covering her with a veil; and with her
was true humility, such that
she seemed to say: "I am in peace."
'In my grief I became so humble,
seeing such great humility take form in her,
that I said: "Death, I hold you very dear:
now you are surely ennobled,
since you have been with my lady;
you are surely merciful and not harsh.
I have become, you see, so full of desire
to be yours that truly I have taken on
your very likeness. Come, for my heart
calls you." Then, all mourning done, I went
away; and when I was alone I said, looking up
towards the high kingdom: "Blessed is he
who sees you, fair soul!" It was then that,
in your kindness, you called me.'
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