Quotes from work
Il Canzoniere

Il Canzoniere , also known as the Rime Sparse , but originally titled Rerum vulgarium fragmenta , is a collection of poems by the Italian humanist, poet, and writer Petrarch.


Francesco Petrarca photo

“Song, if you find a man at peace with love,
say: 'Die while you're happy,
since early death is no grief, but a refuge:
and he who can die well, should not delay.”

Canzon, s'uom trovi in suo amor viver queto,
di': Muor' mentre se' lieto,
ché morte al tempo è non duol, ma refugio;
et chi ben pò morir, non cerchi indugio.
Canzone 331, st. 6 ( tr. A. S. Kline http://petrarch.petersadlon.com/canzoniere.html?poem=331)
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Death

Francesco Petrarca photo

“Ché bel fin fa chi ben amando more.”

For he makes a good end who dies loving well.
Canzone 140, last line
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo
Francesco Petrarca photo

“I shall be what I have been, shall live as I have lived.”

Sarò qual fui, vivrò com'io son visso.
Canzone 145, st. 4
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“Ah new people, haughty beyond measure, irreverent to so great a mother!”

Canzone 53, st. 6
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“Resembles herself and no other.”

Sol se stessa, et nulla altra, simiglia.
Canzone 160, line 4
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“True is the proverb, one's hair will change before one's habits.”

Vero è 'l proverbio, ch'altri cangia il pelo
anzi che 'l vezzo.
Canzone 122, st. 2
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“I am she who gave you so much war and completed my day before evening.”

I' so' colei che ti die' tanta guerra,
et compie' mia giornata inanzi sera.
Canzone 302, st. 2
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Death

Francesco Petrarca photo

“Hidden beauty is sweetest.”

Una chiusa bellezza è piú soave.
Canzone 105, st. 4
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“If it is not love, what then is it that I feel? But if it is love, before God, what kind of thing is it? If it is good, whence comes this bitter mortal effect? If it is evil, why is each torment so sweet?”

S'amor non è, che dunque è quel ch'io sento?
Ma s'egli è amor, perdio, che cosa et quale?
Se bona, onde l'effecto aspro mortale?
Se ria, onde sí dolce ogni tormento?
Canzone 132, st. 1
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“To obey Nature in all is best.”

Obedir a Natura in tutto è il meglio.
Canzone 361, st. 2
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Death

Francesco Petrarca photo

“For no human defense avails against Heaven.”

Canzone 270, st. 6
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Death

Francesco Petrarca photo

“Understand me who can, for I understand myself.”

Canzone 105, st. 2
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“One goes many miles to be at ease.”

Per bene star si scende molte miglia.
Canzone 105, st. 4
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“I am speaking to tell the truth, not from hatred or scorn of anyone.”

Io parlo per ver dire,
non per odio d'altrui, né per disprezzo.
Canzone 128, st. 4
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“One falls in love through fame.”

Canzone 53, st. 8
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“A thing seems a great marvel but then is despised.”

Tal par gran meraviglia, et poi si sprezza.
Canzone 105, st. 4
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“And so on earth
our destiny is with us from our birth.”

Cosí nel mondo
sua ventura à ciascun dal dí che nasce.
Canzone 303, st. 4 (tr. Mark Musa)
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Death

Francesco Petrarca photo

“Cities are hateful to me, friendly the woods.”

Le città son nemiche, amici i boschi.
Canzone 237, st. 5
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Life

Francesco Petrarca photo

“There is no heart so hard that by weeping, praying, loving, it may not at some time be moved, nor will so cold that it cannot be warmed.”

Non è sí duro cor che, lagrimando,
pregando, amando, talor non si smova,
né sí freddo voler, che non si scalde.
Canzone 265, st. 4
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Death

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