Vita Nuova (XXI) ~ Dante Alighieri

Vita nuova (XXI, 1-8)

(1) After having dealt with Love in the last sonnet, I felt a desire to write more, this time in praise of that most gracious lady, showing how, through her, this Love is awakened, and how she not only awakens him there where he sleeps but also, how she, miraculously working, brings him into existence there where he does not potentially exist. And so I wrote this sonnet which begins: The power of Love.

(2) The power of Love borne in my lady's eyes imparts its grace to all she looks upon. All turn to gaze at her when she walks by, and when she greets a man his heart beats fast, the color leaves his face, he bows his head and sighs to think of all his imperfections. Anger and pride are forced to flee from her. Help me to honor her, most gracious ladies.

(3) Humility and every sweet conception bloom in the heart of those who hear her speak. (Praise to the one who first saw what she was!)

(4) The image of her when she starts to smile dissolves within the mind and melts away, a miracle too rich and strange to hold.

(5) This sonnet has three parts. In the first I tell how this lady actualizes this potentiality by means of her most gracious eyes; in the third I tell how she does the same by means of her most gracious mouth; and between these two parts is a very small part, which is like a beggar asking for help from the preceding and following parts, and it begins: Help me to honor her. The third begins: Humility.

(6) The first part divides into three. In the first I tell how she miraculously makes gracious whatever she looks upon, and this is as much as to say that she brings Love into potential existence there where he does not exist; in the second I tell how she activates Love in the hearts of all those whom she sees; in the third I tell of what she miraculously effects in their hearts. The second part begins: Men turn to gaze, and the third: and when she greets.

(7) Then when I say: Help me to honor, I indicate to whom I wish to speak, calling upon ladies for their assistance in honoring my lady.

(8) Then when I say: Humility, I repeat what I said in the first part, using, this time, two actions of her mouth: the first is her sweet manner of speaking, the second is her miraculous smile. I do not mention the effect of the latter on people's hearts, since the memory is not capable of retaining a smile like hers or its effects.