Zibaldone

by Leopardi, Giacomo

This same effect which unhappiness produces is also produced as I have said by the habit of not feeling and not seeing any appearance of happiness ahead, any future sweetness, any pleasure either great or small, any daylong or lasting good fortune, any warmth and flattery from men or things.2 Self-love, if it is never flattered in any way, inevitably detaches itself from things and from men (were it even greatly philanthropic and tender), and the man who is used to seeing in life nothing for himself in the world, gets used to not being interested in it, and when everything becomes indifferent to him, the greatest genius becomes sterile and incapable of even what poorer minds who are naturally inept and imaginatively dry and infertile are capable of. (29 June, Feast of St. Peter, my birthday, 1824.) Which by depriving him more and more of his every illusion and every success for his self-love, confirms in him more and more the habit of indifference, of ineptitude and displeasure. Sad condition of genius, which falls more easily into such a state (which [4108] is not strictly speaking characteristic of anyone but him) the more his self-love from the beginning is more intense, and the more he is therefore greedy for and needs flattery and pleasure and hope, and less able than others to appreciate and to be satisfied by any of those things, and more sensitive to offensive and stinging remarks than ordinary people are. (29 June, Feast of St. Peter, my birthday, 1824.) See p. 4109.

  Φρύσσω or φρύττω–frissonner [to shudder]. Note two things about this verb. Its clear derivation from Greek, and its diminutive or frequentative form. (30 June 1824, anniversary of my Baptism.)

  On the universal language, or rather universal script envisaged by some philosophers, see Thomas, Éloge de Descartes, Oeuvres, Amsterdam 1774, tome 4, p. 72.1 (2 July, Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1824.)

  On how all the faculties of man are acquired through habituation and none innate, even the faculty of making use of the senses from which come all the faculties; in fact, how a man learns to see, and does not have this faculty from birth, although he is never aware of learning it, and naturally believes it is born with him, see among others Thomas, loc. cit. above, pp. 59–60. (2 July, Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1824.)

  “C’est ainsi que les grands Hommes découvrent, comme par inspiration, des vérités que les hommes ordinaires n’entendent quelquefois qu’au bout de cent ans de pratique et d’étude; et celui qui démontre ces vérités après eux, acquiert encore une gloire immortelle” [“That is how great men discover, as if by inspiration, truths that ordinary men sometimes do not understand until a hundred more years of practice and study; and the man who later finds the demonstration for these truths, acquires immortal glory”]. Thomas, [4109] loc. cit. above, p. 37. “Sa géometrie étoit si fort au dessus de son siècle, qu’il n’y avoit réellement que très peu d’hommes en état de l’entendre. C’est ce qui arriva depuis à Newton; c’est ce qui arrive à presque tous les grands hommes. Il faut que leur siècle coure après eux pour les atteindre” [“His geometry was so far ahead of his century, that only a few men were actually able to understand him. That is what happened later to Newton; that is what happens to nearly all great men. Their century has to run after them to keep up with them”].1 Id., ibid., note 22, p. 143. (2 July, Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1824.)

  For p. 2811, margin. And similarly δείδω [to be afraid] probably comes from a preterit of δέω or δέομαι, from δέδια, etc. (2 July, Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1824.)

  For p. 4008, end. Likewise bul to bbi (nebula, nebbia [fog]), etc. In fact generally ul to i, with a doubling of the preceding consonant, if the syllable in Latin is pure as in ne-BU-la, and not impure, as in misculare (mi-SCU-lare), hence the formation mi–SCHI–are [to mix], and not mis–CCHI–are. (3 July 1824.)

  For p. 4108. Just as man is not able to undertake anything unless its purpose in some way or other is himself, so the continual failures in relation to himself, or the continual lack of any success at all for his self-love, naturally discourage him from ever undertaking anything, even sacrificing himself, and makes him unable and incapable of anything because he lacks courage. Discouragement comes easily and properly to great and delicate souls in particular. (3 July 1824.) See the following page.

  Among the Greeks too it was the custom in some parts to stage fights between mercenary combatants. See Lucian, at the end of Toxaris sive de amicitia, Opera, 1687, tome 2, p. 72. Then in Roman times the circuses and gladiatorial games which [4110] were common in Rome were introduced in some Greek cities (in Asia or Europe). Lucian is probably, in fact certainly, referring to such times, since he seems to set the rest of the Dialogue in Roman times. For the rest, see Fusconi, Dissertatio de monomachia, Rome, 1821, p. 9, note 43.1 (4 July, Sunday, 1824, within the octave of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.) See too Lucian, 2, 111.2

  CalcagnA [heels]. (4 July 1824.)

  For the preceding page. Such a man has as much courage to act or to make a decision to act as someone who is certain or almost certain he cannot carry through a particular action. (4 July, Sunday within the octave of the Visitation, 1824.)

  The title of divino [divine] (divinamente [divinely], etc.) usually given in Greek, in Latin, and in modern languages following the usage of the ancient languages, to exceptional, outstanding men and things, etc., even if they were not at all sacred or divine in any way, would certainly never have been initiated by or had any place in Christianity. This usage is a remnant of the ancient opinion which exalted men a little lower than the Gods, etc., mentioned elsewhere in several places [→Z 3494–97, 3544–45, 4048, 4050, 4076, 4094]. (6 July 1824.)

  To what I said elsewhere [→Z 4046, 4083–85, 4099, 4103] about the Latin use similar to the Italian one of employing the dative pronoun sibi [to him, to her, to it] pleonastically, see too Forcellini on mihi, tibi, nobis, and other similar datives of personal pronouns. (7 July, within the octave of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1824.)

  Positivized diminutives. Sommolo [tip]. See the Crusca. (7 July 1824.)

  [4111] Expérimenté (instruit par l’expérience [taught by experience]) inexpérimenté (qui n’a point d’expérience [who has no experience]). (11 July, Sunday, 1824.)

  Positivized diminutives. Myrtus–mortella [myrtle] (if it is the same plant however). See French, Spanish, etc. etc. (11 July, Sunday, 1824.)

  When we say that the soul is spirit, we do not say anything other than that it is not matter, and we actually utter a negation, not an affirmation. Which amounts to saying that spirit is a word without an idea, like so many others. But since we have found this word in a grammatically positive form, we think, as we often do, that we have a positive idea of the nature of the soul expressed by that word. In trying to define this spirit, however, we might well accumulate a thousand negations, visible or hidden, drawn from the ideas and property of matter, which are denied to the spirit, but we could not add anything really affirmative to it, or any positive quality, unless it was drawn from the effects of the senses, and therefore from matter in a manner of speaking (thought, sense, etc.), which we freely ascribe exclusively to this spirit. And what I say about the soul I say about other immaterial beings, including the Supreme Being. (11 July, Sunday, 1824.) —Spiritual amounts to the same as immaterial; the latter is grammatically negative, the former ideologically so.1 (11 July, Sunday, 1824.)

  Greek positivized diminutives. στύπη or στύππη–στυππεῖον or στυπεῖον [tow, oakum]. See Scapula and Lucian, Opera, Amsterdam 1687, tome 2, pp. 98–99, several times. (12 July 1824.)

  [4112] Sensato for sentito or for sensibile [sensible, sensitive] (like invitto for invincibile [invincible], etc., mentioned elsewhere [→Z 4016]) as if it came from a senso as a continuative of sentio sensum [to discern through the sense, to feel], see the Crusca. See too Forcellini, Glossary, etc. (14 July 1824.)

  To what I said elsewhere [→Z 3754] that Latin derivatives are formed from the oblique not the nominative case of the origi
nal noun, add the very evident proof of Jovialis [jovial] and the like from Juppiter Jovis. (There will be other similar examples from similar nouns.) Likewise in Greek Διιὸς [of or belonging to Zeus] from Ζεὺς Διὸς (Plato, in Phaedrus,1 etc.). (14 July 1824.) In Greek too the derivatives are always, if I am not mistaken, from the genitive (known or unknown, either from a dialect or popular form, etc.). φυσικὸς [natural] is not from φύσι-ς (genitive φύσε–ως) [nature] but from φύσι–ος (genitive), or rather it is like μουσικὸς [musical] from μοῦσα [muse], etc. etc. (15 July 1824.)2

  Positivized diminutives. γόνυ–γονάτιον [knee]. (See Lucian, Opera, 1687, 2, 83.) γουνὶς ίδος. Similarly ginocchio is a positivized diminutive of genu [knee]. (14 July 1824.)

  Descansado, who has rested, referring to a person. Cervantes, Novelas exemplares, Milan 1615, p. 580. (15 July 1824.)

  Adultus [adult] either from adolesco [to grow up] or adoleo [to magnify, to burn, to sacrifice] is originally a neuter past participle, of a neuter verb. (15 July 1824.)

  Positivized diminutives. Muscus–muschio [moss].

  Desatentado [inconsiderate]. Cervantes loc. cit. above, p. 605. (16 July 1824.)

  [4113] Entreabrir [to half open], entre oscuro [half dark] (Cervantes loc. cit. before, p. 588) and suchlike (see the Spanish dictionary under entre…) may be added to what I said elsewhere [→Z 1071–72] about the ancient use of inter for fere [almost], etc., retained in modern vernaculars. Likewise in French entrevoir [to glimpse], etc. etc. (16 July 1824.)

  Apercebido [being on one’s guard], mentioned elsewhere [→Z 4005], note that it is a participle of an active not neuter verb, and it is a passive participle. (17 July 1824.)

  On how external beauty is relative see a famous passage in Cicero, De natura deorum 1, 27–29.1 (19 July 1824.)

  Positivized Greek diminutives. σάκχαρ–σακχάριον [sugar] (20 July 1824.)

  Frequentative. Tâter–tâtonner [to touch, to grope] with its derivatives. (20 July 1824.)

  Positivized diminutives. Capella, capretta [goat] with their derivatives, metaphors, etc. Likewise oveja (ovicula) for ovis [sheep]. Likewise ouaille, etc. Likewise vitello for vitulus [calf]. Likewise agnello, agneau for agnus [lamb]. Likewise mulet for mulus [mule]. Likewise asellus for asinus [ass]. Likewise femelle for femina [female] of animals (see Forcellini under Femella). Likewise catellus for catulus [puppy]. Likewise uccello, augello, etc., oiseau, for avis [bird]. Likewise poulet for pullus [chicken]. Likewise our muletto, muletta [mule]. (See the Crusca.) Likewise usignolo, rosignuolo, etc. French rossignol (see the Spanish dictionaries and Forcellini under Lusciniola) for luscinia [nightingale]. Likewise cardellino, cardelletto, calderugio, calderino, calderello (see the Spanish and French dictionaries) for carduelis [goldfinch]. Likewise poisson for piscis [fish]. Likewise taureau for taurus [bull] (see if there is anything on this subject in the Crusca under torello), etc. etc. (22 July 1824.) Likewise chiocciola [snail], etc. Likewise allodola, lodola, etc. (see Spanish and French), for alauda [lark]. Likewise ποίμνιον, προβάτιον [livestock],2 etc. Likewise hirondelle [swallow], pecchia, abeille [bee], etc., struzzolo [ostrich], passereau, passerculus, στρουθίον [sparrow], etc. [4114] Likewise perhaps the names of plants, like bietola [beetroot], etc., and other kinds of natural, everyday things, etc. (22 July 1824.) See p. 4115.

  Positivized Greek diminutives. κάλως–καλώδιον [rope]. See Scapula. (22 July 1824.)

  To what was said elsewhere [→Z 3622–24, 3632–33] on purples, etc., on the subject of vermiglio [vermilion], add κάλχη [purple limpet] which is what one makes the color with, like vermis and the diminutive κάλχιον, which is what gives the color, like vermiglio. See Scapula. (22 July 1824.)

  Coltare, coltato from colo–cultum [to cultivate]. See the Crusca and the Glossary, Forcellini, French and Spanish dictionaries. (23 July 1824.)

  Immensus, smisurato, etc., for immensurabile [immeasurable]. (24 July 1824.)

  Frequentative amaricare [to make bitter] after the Latin manner, like fodicare [to prod, to dig], etc. See Crusca, Forcellini, etc. etc. (24 July 1824, Eve of St. James the Apostle.)

  Positivized Greek diminutives. Κὼς or κῶας or κῶος κωΐδιον or κῴδιον, κωδάριον [fleece]. See the Lexicons, and Lucian Opera, 1687, beginning of Gallus, tome 2, p. 158, end.1 (24 July 1824, Vigil of St. James the Apostle, my namesake.)

  “Εν ἀρχῇ εὐθὺς τοῦ” [“right at the beginning of”], etc. Lucian, ibid., p. 165. (24 July 1824, Vigil of St. James the Apostle.)

  Absortar from absorbeo [to swallow]. Cervantes, Novelas exemplares, Milan 1615, p. 733. (27 July 1824.)

  Diminutive verb. Rado–rasum–raschiare [to scrape]. (27 July 1824.)

  Positivized diminutives. Chorea, carola, caroletta as it were choreola [dance]. See Forcellini and the etymologists, and note that carola is strictly speaking a round dance, as was the one of the cori [choruses], hence χορεία, χορεύειν [choral dance, to dance in chorus], and chorea, etc. (27 July 1824.)

  [4115] A notable example of a continuative verb used with a continuative sense, etc., see Cicero, De natura deorum 2, 49, end:1 “ut in pastu circumspectent” [“the way they look around when they are feeding”]. (29 July 1824.)

  For p. 4114, beginning. Likewise cornacchia, corneille, etc., for cornix [crow]; araneola, araneolus (see the Spanish) for aranea, araneus [spider] ἀράχνιον; ranocchio, grenouille, etc., for rana [frog]. (29 July 1824.)

  “Τοσοῦτον ἄρα ἐδέησάν με … ἀπαλλάξαι, ὥστε καὶ … ἐνέβαλον” [“they were so far from being able to free me that instead they plunged me back in”]. Lucian, Opera, 1687, tome 2, p. 189, end.2 (29 July 1824.)

  Inauditus for qui non audit [who does not hear]. See Forcellini. Odorus, inodorus for qui odoratur [one who sniffs], etc. (odorus, etc., is the same as odoratus [sweet-smelling], etc.), in a habitual sense. See Forcellini. (2 August, second day of the Pardon of Assisi, 1824.)

  Θαρρῶ τι ποιεῖν—mi rincuoro, mi assicuro, etc., di fare una cosa, that is confido di poterla fare [I trust in my ability to do something]. See Lucian, Opera, 1687, 2, p. 226, Scapula, etc.3 Another Italianism, see ibid., p. 884, end, where I am sure “ἐπὶ κεφαλαίῳ τῶν πόνων” is the correct reading, and the interpretation by Graevius is quite wrong, and I maintain it means al cabo de los trabajos [at the end of the work], as we say in capo a or di, that is in termine, alla fine di. (5 Aug. 1824.)

  Percussare [to strike]. Crusca. (6 August 1824.)

  For p. 4089. Clepo–cleptum, from which comes clepso is [to steal], could well be the origin of the Greek κλέπτω instead of vice versa, like apo [to attach] from ἅπτω. Or if we do not accept that in the case of clepo, then nor can we in apo, although of the latter in Latin we do have the continuative apto, whereas clepto, hence κλέπτω would not have been preserved by the Latins. [4116] Moreover clepso is could be an anomalous continuative of clepo from clepsum for cleptum, like vexo [to shake] from vexum for vectum, etc., mentioned elsewhere [→Z 2928–30, 3733–34]. (10 Aug. 1824.)

  On the love old people have for life see chapter 118 of Stobaeus (ed. Gessner), “Laus vitae,” and especially the passage about Lycophron.1 (10 Aug., Feast of St. Lawrence the Martyr, 1824.)

  “Καὶ τὸ δῆγμα λαθραῖον, ὅσῳ” (insofar as, that is since ἐπεὶ) “καὶ γελῶν ἅμα ἔδακνε” [“and the bite was hidden, insofar as he bit laughing”]. Lucian, Opera, 1687, tome 2, p. 236. (10 August, Feast of St. Lawrence the Martyr.)

  Vinciturus [being about to win]. Forcellini under Vinco, end. (12 August 1824.)

  Dissimulatus [disguised] in an active sense. Forcellini. (12 August 1824.)

  Reconocido for riconoscente [grateful]. Omisso for que omite, trascurato [negligent, careless]. Note that the participle of omitir, if this verb exists in Spanish, is omitido. I
dea de un principe politico christiano representada en cien empresas by Diego de Saavedra Fajardo, Amsterdam, Jan Jansson the Younger, 1659, p. 115, line 23. Trascurato, straccurato, etc., for che suol trascurare, negligente [negligent], etc. (13 August 1824.)

  Πωγώνιον positivized diminutive for πώγων [beard]. Lucian, Opera, 1687, p. 263, tome 2. In fact it is added to the adjective μακρὸν [long]. Perhaps it has a pejorative sense though, and that is how, or as a positive diminutive of θώραξ [brazen breastplate], on the preceding page toward the end I understand the word θωράκιον, rather than in the distinct sense Scapula attributes to it, which must only be used by military Writers, if in Scapula lorica [leather cuirass, parapet] stands for a man’s military equipment, and not for a defensive wall, etc. Look it up. Πωγώνιον [beard] is not in Scapula or Tusanus, Budé, Schrevel.2 (13 August 1824.) Σωμάτιον [body]. See Scapula, Longinus, § 9, p. 24, and Toup, p. 174,3 etc. (14 Aug., Vigil of the Assumption, 1824.)

  [4117] “῞Ομηρος γάρ μοι δοκεῖ … τοὺς μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν ᾿Ιλιακῶν ἀνθρώπους, ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ δυνάμει, θεοὺς πεποιηκέναι, τοὺς θεοὺς δὲ ἀνθρώπους” [“It seems to me that Homer, before the walls of Troy, had transformed—in relation to physical force—men into gods and gods into men”]. Longinus, § 9, ed. Toup, Oxford 1778, p. 32.1 (14 August, Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1824.)

  S’enquérir (inquirere) [to inquire]. To what I said [→Z 2200–204, 2893–95, 2991–94] about quaerito. (17 Aug. 1824.)

  Vermiglione, vermillon. To what I said [→Z 3622–24, 3632–33] about vermiglio [vermilion].

  Diminutive or frequentative verb. Trembloter [to quiver]. (17 Aug. 1824.)

  Καταρχὰς εὐθὺς [having begun immediately]. Lucian, at the beginning of the book De gymnasiis.2 (17 Aug. 1824.) εὐθὺς ἐν ἀρχῇ [right from the beginning], tome 2, p. 536.