Guido Guinicelli (c. 1230-1276?). Of His Lady. Samuel Waddington, comp. 1888. The Sonnets of Europe

Verse > Anthologies > Samuel Waddington, ed. > The Sonnets of Europe

CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Samuel Waddington, comp. The Sonnets of Europe. 1888.

Of His Lady

By Guido Guinicelli (c. 1230–1276?)


Translated by Henry Francis Cary I WOULD 1 from truth my lady’s praise supply,
Resembling her to lily and to rose;
Brighter than morning’s lucid star she shows,
And fair as that which fairest is on high.
To the blue wave, I liken her, and sky,	5
All colour that with pink and crimson glows,
Gold, silver, and rich stones: nay, lovelier grows
E’en Love itself, when she is standing by.
She passeth on so gracious and so mild,
One’s pride is quenched, and one, if sick, is well:	10
And they believe, who from the faith did err;
And none may near her come by harm defiled:
A mightier virtue have I yet to tell,—
No man may think of evil seeing her.

Note 1. Guido Guinicelli, of Bologna, also flourished about the middle of the thirteenth century. His sonnets have the charm of the most graceful and mellifluous verse, and he is justly regarded as the best of the Italian poets that preceded Dante, by whom he is very highly praised. [back]

CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Click here to shop the Bartleby Bookstore.

Shakespeare · Bible · Saints · Anatomy · Harvard Classics · Lit. History · Quotations · Poetry