| PER MIRAR POLICLETO A ....................PROVA FISO ... |
POLYCLITUS GAZING FIXEDLY A ......................THOUSAND YEARS ... | |
| Francesco Petrarca | tr. A. S. Kline | |
|
Per mirar Policleto a prova fiso con gli altri ch'ebber fama di quell'arte mill'anni, non vedrian la minor parte de la beltà che m'ave il cor conquiso. Ma certo il mio Simon fu in paradiso (onde questa gentil donna si parte), ivi la vide, et la ritrasse in carte per far fede qua giú del suo bel viso. L'opra fu ben di quelle che nel cielo si ponno imaginar, non qui tra noi, ove le membra fanno a l'alma velo. Cortesia fe'; né la potea far poi che fu disceso a provar caldo et gielo, et del mortal sentiron gli occchi suoi. |
Polyclitus gazing fixedly a thousand years with the others who were famous in his art, would not have seen the least part of the beauty that has vanquished my heart. But Simone must have been in Paradise (from where this gentle lady came) saw her there, and portrayed her in paint, to give us proof here of such loveliness. This work is truly one of those that might be conceived in heaven, not among us here, where we have bodies that conceal the soul. Grace made it: he could work on it no further when he'd descended to our heat and cold, where his eyes had only mortal seeing. |
Note: Polyclitus was the Greek artist of the fifth century BC.
Trans. Copyright © A. S. Kline 2003