Vita Nuova (XXIV) ~ Dante Alighieri

Dante sees Ladies Joan and Beatrice approaching

Evelyn Paul

Vita nuova (XXIV, 1-11)

(1) After this wild dream I happened one day to be sitting in a certain place deep in thought, when I felt a tremor begin in my heart, as if I were in the presence of my lady.

(2) Then a vision of Love came to me, and I seemed to see him coming from that place where my lady dwelt, and he seemed to say joyously from within my heart: "See that you bless the day that I took you captive; it is your duty to do so." And it truly seemed to me that my heart was happy, so happy that it did not seem to be my heart because of this change.

(3) Shortly after my heart had said these words, speaking with the tongue of Love, I saw coming toward me a gentlewoman, noted for her beauty, who had been the much-loved lady of my best friend. Her name was Giovanna, but because of her beauty (as many believed) she had been given the name of Primavera, meaning Spring, and so she came to be called. And, looking behind her, I saw coming the miraculous Beatrice.

(4) These ladies passed close by me, one of them following the other, and it seemed that Love spoke in my heart and said: "The one in front is called Primavera only because of the way she comes today; for I inspired the giver of her name to call her Primavera, meaning 'she will come first' (prima verrà) on the day that Beatrice shows herself after the dream of her faithful one. And if you will also consider her real name, you will see that this too means 'she will come first', since the name Joan (Giovanna) comes from the name of that John (Giovanni) who preceded the True Light, saying: Ego vox clamantis in deserto: parate viam Domini."

(5) After this, Love seemed to speak again and say these words: "Anyone of subtle discernment would call Beatrice Love, because she so greatly resembles me."

(6) Later, thinking this over, I decided to write a poem to my best friend (not mentioning certain things which I thought should not be revealed), whose heart, I believed, still admired the beauty of the radiant Primavera. And I wrote this sonnet which begins: I felt a sleeping spirit.

(7) I felt a sleeping spirit in my heart awake to Love. And then from far away I saw the Lord of love approaching me, and hardly recognized him through his joy. "Think now of nothing but to honor me," I heard him say, and each word was a smile;

(8) and as my master stayed awhile with me, I looked along the way that he had come and saw there Lady Joan and Lady Bice coming toward the place where I was standing: a miracle that led a miracle.

(9) And, as my memory recalls the scene, Love said to me: "The first to come is Spring; the one who is my image is called Love."

(10) This sonnet has many parts. The first tells how I felt the familiar tremor awaken in my heart, and how it seemed that Love, joyful, coming from a far-away place, revealed himself to me in my heart; the second records what Love seemed to say to me in my heart, and how he looked; the third tells how, after he had remained awhile with me, I saw and heard certain things. The second part begins: Think now, the third: and as my master.

(11) The third part divides into two: in the first I tell what I saw, in the second I tell what I heard. The second part begins: Love said to me.