GUIDO, I' VORREI CHE TU E LAPO ED IO ...	GUIDO, I WOULD THAT LAPPO, THOU AND I ...
Dante Alghieri	tr. Charles Lyell
Guido, i' vorrei che tu e Lapo ed io	Guido, I would that Lappo, thou, and I,
Fossimo presi per incantamento,	Were carried by some sweet enchantment hence,
E messi in un vascel, chad ogni vento	And placed within a bark upon the sea,
Per mare andasse a voler vostro e mio;	Where wind and wave our bidding should obey;
Sicchè fortuna, od altro tempo rio,	Where never storm, or other adverse weather,
Non ci potesse dare impedimento,	To interrupt our course shouid have the power;
Anzi, vivendo sempre in un talento,	But wishes ne'er to part should still increase
Di stare insieme crescesse il disio.	By ever living in one mind together.
E monna Vanna e monna Lagia poi,	And might the good enchanter set beside us,
Con quella ch'è sul numer delle trenta,	Our Beatrice, and Vanna, and the lady
Con noi ponesse il buono incantatore:	Whose place in beauty's list is number thirty;
E quivi ragionar sempre d'amore,	And there, discoursing ever upon love,
E ciascuna di lor fosse contenta,	I trust that each of them would be content,
Siccome io credo che saremmo noi.	As I am confident that we should be.

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Trans. Copyright: J.M.Dent 1998 - publ. J.M.Dent (Everyman's Poetry)

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