Collected Poetical Works of Francesco Petrarch
Page 99
Is not this, it may be asked, a proof that Petrarch is not so genuine a poet as Homer and Dante, since his charm depends upon the delicacies of diction that evaporate in the transfer from tongue to tongue, more than on hardy thoughts that will take root in any language to which they are transplanted? In a general view, I agree with this proposition; yet, what we call felicitous diction can never have a potent charm without refined thoughts, which, like essential odours, may be too impalpable to bear transfusion. Burns has the happiest imaginable Scottish diction; yet, what true Scotsman would bear to see him done into French? And, with the exception of German, what language has done justice to Shakespeare?
The reader must be a true Petrarchist who is unconscious of a general similarity in the character of his sonnets, which, in the long perusal of them, amounts to monotony. At the same time, it must be said that this monotonous similarity impresses the mind of Petrarch’s reader exactly in proportion to the slenderness of his acquaintance with the poet. Does he approach Petrarch’s sonnets for the first time, they will probably appear to him all as like to each other as the sheep of a flock; but, when he becomes more familiar with them, he will perceive an interesting individuality in every sonnet, and will discriminate their individual character as precisely as the shepherd can distinguish every single sheep of his flock by its voice and face. It would be rather tedious to pull out, one by one, all the sheep and lambs of our poet’s flock of sonnets, and to enumerate the varieties of their bleat; and though, by studying the subject half his lifetime, a man might classify them by their main characteristics, he would find they defy a perfect classification, as they often blend different qualities. Some of them have a uniform expression of calm and beautiful feeling. Others breathe ardent and almost hopeful passion. Others again show him jealous, despondent, despairing; sometimes gloomily, and sometimes with touching resignation. But a great many of them have a mixed character, where, in the space of a line, he passes from one mood of mind to another.
As an example of pleasing and calm reflection, I would cite the first of his sonnets, according to the order in which they are usually printed. It is singular to find it confessing the poet’s shame at the retrospect of so many years spent.
Voi ch’ ascoltate in rime sparse il suono.
Ye who shall hear amidst my scatter’d lays The sighs with which I fann’d and fed my heart. When, young and glowing, I was but in part The man I am become in later days; Ye who have mark’d the changes of my style From vain despondency to hope as vain, From him among you, who has felt love’s pain, I hope for pardon, ay, and pity’s smile, Though conscious, now, my passion was a theme, Long, idly dwelt on by the public tongue, I blush for all the vanities I’ve sung, And find the world’s applause a fleeting dream.
The following sonnet (cxxvi.) is such a gem of Petrarchan and Platonic homage to beauty that I subjoin my translation of it with the most sincere avowal of my conscious inability to do it justice.
In what ideal world or part of heaven Did Nature find the model of that face And form, so fraught with loveliness and grace, In which, to our creation, she has given Her prime proof of creative power above? What fountain nymph or goddess ever let Such lovely tresses float of gold refined Upon the breeze, or in a single mind, Where have so many virtues ever met, E’en though those charms have slain my bosom’s weal? He knows not love who has not seen her eyes Turn when she sweetly speaks, or smiles, or sighs, Or how the power of love can hurt or heal.
Sonnet lxix. is remarkable for the fineness of its closing thought.
Time was her tresses by the breathing air Were wreathed to many a ringlet golden bright, Time was her eyes diffused unmeasured light, Though now their lovely beams are waxing rare, Her face methought that in its blushes show’d Compassion, her angelic shape and walk, Her voice that seem’d with Heaven’s own speech to talk; At these, what wonder that my bosom glow’d! A living sun she seem’d — a spirit of heaven. Those charms decline: but does my passion? No! I love not less — the slackening of the bow Assuages not the wound its shaft has given.
The following sonnet is remarkable for its last four lines having puzzled all the poet’s commentators to explain what he meant by the words “Al man ond’ io scrivo è fatta arnica, a questo volta.” I agree with De Sade in conjecturing that Laura in receiving some of his verses had touched the hand that presented them, in token of her gratitude.[O]
In solitudes I’ve ever loved to abide By woods and streams, and shunn’d the evil-hearted, Who from the path of heaven are foully parted; Sweet Tuscany has been to me denied, Whose sunny realms I would have gladly haunted, Yet still the Sorgue his beauteous hills among Has lent auxiliar murmurs to my song, And echoed to the plaints my love has chanted. Here triumph’d, too, the poet’s hand that wrote These lines — the power of love has witness’d this. Delicious victory! I know my bliss, She knows it too — the saint on whom I dote.
Of Petrarch’s poetry that is not amatory, Ugo Foscolo says with justice, that his three political canzoni, exquisite as they are in versification and style, do not breathe that enthusiasm which opened to Pindar’s grasp all the wealth of imagination, all the treasures of historic lore and moral truth, to illustrate and dignify his strain. Yet the vigour, the arrangement, and the perspicuity of the ideas in these canzoni of Petrarch, the tone of conviction and melancholy in which the patriot upbraids and mourns over his country, strike the heart with such force, as to atone for the absence of grand and exuberant imagery, and of the irresistible impetus which peculiarly belongs to the ode.
Petrarch’s principal Italian poem that is not thrown into the shape of the sonnet is his Trionfi, or Triumphs, in five parts. Though not consisting of sonnets, however, it has the same amatory and constant allusions to Laura as the greater part of his poetry. Here, as elsewhere, he recurs from time to time to the history of his passion, its rise, its progress, and its end. For this purpose, he describes human life in its successive stages, omitting no opportunity of introducing his mistress and himself.
1. Man in his youthful state is the slave of love. 2. As he advances in age, he feels the inconveniences of his amatory propensities, and endeavours to conquer them by chastity. 3. Amidst the victory which he obtains over himself, Death steps in, and levels alike the victor and the vanquished. 4. But Fame arrives after death, and makes man as it were live again after death, and survive it for ages by his fame. 5. But man even by fame cannot live for ever, if God has not granted him a happy existence throughout eternity. Thus Love triumphs over Man; Chastity triumphs over Love; Death triumphs over both; Fame triumphs over Death; Time triumphs over Fame; and Eternity triumphs over Time.
The subordinate parts and imagery of the Trionfi have a beauty rather arabesque than classical, and resembling the florid tracery of the later oriental Gothic architecture. But the whole effect of the poem is pleasing, from the general grandeur of its design.
In summing up Petrarch’s character, moral, political, and poetical, I should not stint myself to the equivocal phrase used by Tacitus respecting Agricola: Bonum virum facile dixeris, magnum libenter, but should at once claim for his memory the title both of great and good. A restorer of ancient learning, a rescuer of its treasures from oblivion, a despiser of many contemporary superstitions, a man, who, though no reformer himself, certainly contributed to the Reformation, an Italian patriot who was above provincial partialities, a poet who still lives in the hearts of his country, and who is shielded from oblivion by more generations than there were hides in the sevenfold shield of Ajax — if this was not a great man, many who are so called must bear the title unworthily. He was a faithful friend, and a devoted lover, and appears to have been one of the most fascinating beings that ever existed. Even when his failings were admitted, it must still be said that even his failings leaned to virtue’s side, and, altogether we may pronounce that
His life was gentle, and the elements So mix’d in him that Nature might stand up And say to all the world, “This was a man!”
LA
URA.
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY OF PETRARCH’S LIFE.
A.D.
1304.
Born at Arezzo, the 20th of July.
1305.
Is taken to Incisa at the age of seven months, where he remains seven years.
1312.
Is removed to Pisa, where he remains seven months.
1313.
Accompanies his parents to Avignon.
1315.
Goes to live at Carpentras.
1319.
Is sent to Montpelier.
1323.
Is removed to Bologna.
1326.
Returns to Avignon — loses his parents — contracts a friendship with James Colonna.
1327.
Falls in love with Laura.
1330.
Goes to Lombes with James Colonna — forms acquaintance with Socrates and Lælius — and returns to Avignon to live in the house of Cardinal Colonna.
1331.
Travels to Paris — travels through Flanders and Brabant, and visits a part of Germany.
1333.
His first journey to Rome — his long navigation as far as the coast of England — his return to Avignon.
1337.
Birth of his son John — he retires to Vaucluse.
1339.
Commences writing his epic poem, “Africa.”
1340.
Receives an invitation from Rome to come and be crowned as Laureate — and another invitation, to the same effect, from Paris.
1341.
Goes to Naples, and thence to Rome, where he is crowned in the Capitol — repairs to Parma — death of Tommaso da Messina and James Colonna.
1342.
Goes as orator of the Roman people to Clement VI. at Avignon — Studies the Greek language under Barlaamo.
1343.
Birth of his daughter Francesca — he writes his dialogues “De secreto conflictu curarum suarum” — is sent to Naples by Clement VI. and Cardinal Colonna — goes to Rome for a third and a fourth time — returns from Naples to Parma.
1344.
Continues to reside in Parma.
1345.
Leaves Parma, goes to Bologna, and thence to Verona — returns to Avignon.
1346.
Continues to live at Avignon — is elected canon of Parma.
1347.
Revolution at Rome — Petrarch’s connection with the Tribune — takes his fifth journey to Italy — repairs to Parma.
1348.
Goes to Verona — death of Laura — he returns again to Parma — his autograph memorandum in the Milan copy of Virgil — visits Manfredi, Lord of Carpi, and James Carrara at Padua.
1349.
Goes from Parma to Mantua and Ferrara — returns to Padua, and receives, probably in this year, a canonicate in Padua.
1350.
Is raised to the Archdeaconry of Parma — writes to the Emperor Charles IV. — goes to Rome, and, in going and returning, stops at Florence.
1351.
Writes to Andrea Dandolo with a view to reconcile the Venetians and Florentines — the Florentines decree the restoration of his paternal property, and send John Boccaccio to recall him to his country — he returns, for the sixth time, to Avignon — is consulted by the four Cardinals, who had been deputed to reform the government of Rome.
1352.
Writes to Clement VI. the letter which excites against him the enmity of the medical tribe — begins writing his treatise “De Vita Solitaria.”
1353.
Visits his brother in the Carthusian monastery of Monte Rivo — writes his treatise “De Otio Religiosorum” — returns to Italy — takes up his abode with the Visconti — is sent by the Archbishop Visconti to Venice, to negotiate a peace between the Venetians and Genoese.
1354.
Visits the Emperor at Mantua.
1355.
His embassy to the Emperor — publishes his “Invective against a Physician.”
1360.
His embassy to John, King of France.
1361.
Leaves Milan and settles at Venice — gives his library to the Venetians.
1364.
Writes for Lucchino del Verme his treatise “De Officio et Virtutibus Imperatoris.”
1366.
Writes to Urban V. imploring him to remove the Papal residence to Rome — finishes his treatise “De Remediis utriusque Fortunæ.”
1368.
Quits Venice — four young Venetians, either in this year or the preceding, promulgate a critical judgment against Petrarch — repairs to Pavia to negotiate peace between the Pope’s Legate and the Visconti.
1370.
Sets out to visit the Pontiff — is taken ill at Ferrara — retires to Arquà among the Euganean hills.
1371.
Writes his “Invectiva contra Gallum,” and his “Epistle to Posterity.”
1372.
Writes for Francesco da Carrara his essay “De Republica optime administranda.”
1373.
Is sent to Venice by Francesco da Carrara.
1374.
Translates the Griseldis of Boccaccio — dies on the 18th of July in the same year.
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