Volume 1

Eminent literary and scientific men of Italy, Spain, and Portugal / [Anon].

Date:
1835-1837
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Eminent literary and scientific men of Italy, Spain, and Portugal / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    62/332 (page 48)
    In all their acts so mad against my race?’ — ‘The slaughter and discomfiture,’ said I, ‘ That turn’d the river red at Mont-Aperto, Have caused such dire proscriptions in our temples.’ ‘¢ He shook his head, deep-sighing, then rejoin’d,— ‘T was not there alone; nor without cause Engaged with others; but I was alone, And stood in her defence with open brow, When all our council, with one voice, decreed That Florence should be razed from her foundation.’ “*¢ So may thy kindred find repose, as thou Shalt loose a knot which hath entangled me!’ Thus I adjured him: — ‘ye foresee what time (If rightly I have heard) will bring to pass, But to the present, otherwise, are blind.’ “6¢ We see, like him who hath an evil eye, Far distant things,’ said he; ‘so highest God Enlightens us: but yet, when they approach, Or when they are, our intellect falls short ; Nor can we know, save by report from others, Aught of the state of man beneath the sun. Hence may’st thou comprehend how all our knowledge Shall cease for ever from the point that shuts The portal of the future.’ * ‘¢ At that moment Compunction smote me for my recent fault, And I cried out — ‘Oh! tell that fallen one, His son is yet among the living. — Say, That if I falter’d to reply at first With that assurance, ’twas because my thoughts Were harass’d by the doubt which thou hast solved.’ ” + * The end of time, when their tombs were to be closed up. + “*O Tosco! che per la citta del foco Vivo ten’ vai cosi parlando onesto Piacciati di restare in questo loco : La tua loquela ti fa manifesto Di quella nobil patria natio, Alla qual forse fui troppo molesto.’ Subitamente questo suono uscio D’una dell’ arche: pero m’accostai, Temendo, un poco pit al duco mio. Ed ei mi disse: ‘ Volgiti, che fai ? Vedi 1a Farinata, che s’é dritto. Dalla cintola ’n su tutto ’] vedrai,’ Tavea gia ’1 mio viso nel suo fitto ; Ed ei s’ergea col petto, e con la fronte, Come avesse lo ’nferno in gran dispitto ; E l’animose man del duca, e pronte, Mi pinser tra le sepolture a lui; Dicendo: ‘ Le parole tue sien conte.’ Tosto ch’ al pié della sua tomba fui, Guardommi un poco, e poi, quasi disdegnoso,