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Original Poetry

Translation

Avvenne poi che passando per uno cammino lungo lo quale sen gia uno rivo chiaro molto, a me giunse tanta volontade di dire, che io cominciai a pensare lo modo ch'io tenesse; e pensai che parlare di lei non si convenia che io facesse, se io non parlasse a donne in seconda persona, e non ad ogni donna, ma solamente a coloro che sono gentili e che non sono pure femmine.

Then it happened that while walking along a path beside a very clear stream, I felt such a desire to speak that I began to think of how I should proceed; and I thought that speaking of her was not appropriate unless I addressed women directly, and not all women, but only those who are noble and not just female.

Allora dico che la mia lingua parlò quasi come per se stessa mossa, e disse: Donne ch'avete intelletto d'amore.

Then I say that my tongue spoke almost as if moved by itself, and said: Ladies who understand love.

Queste parole io ripuosi ne la mente con grande letizia, pensando di prenderle per mio cominciamento; onde poi, ritornato a la sopradetta cittade, pensando alquanti die, cominciai una canzone con questo cominciamento, ordinata nel modo che si vedrà di sotto ne la sua divisione. La canzone comincia: Donne ch'avete.

I kept these words in my mind with great joy, thinking of using them as my beginning; so then, having returned to the aforementioned city, after thinking for several days, I began a song with this beginning, arranged in the way that will be seen below in its division. The song begins: Ladies who understand.

Donne ch'avete intelletto d'amore,

Ladies who understand love,

i' vo' con voi de la mia donna dire,

I want to talk to you about my lady,

non perch'io creda sua laude finire,

not because I think her praise can end,

ma ragionar per isfogar la mente.

but to speak to ease my mind.

Io dico che pensando il suo valore,

I say that thinking of her worth,

Amor sì dolce mi si fa sentire,

Love feels so sweet to me,

che s'io allora non perdessi ardire,

that if I did not then lose courage,

farei parlando innamorar la gente.

I would make people fall in love by speaking.

E io non vo' parlar sì altamente,

And I do not wish to speak so highly,

ch'io divenisse per temenza vile;

that I would become cowardly out of fear;

ma tratterò del suo stato gentile

but I will speak of her gentle nature

a respetto di lei leggeramente,

lightly in respect to her,

donne e donzelle amorose, con vui,

loving ladies and maidens, with you,

ché non è cosa da parlarne altrui.

for it is not a matter to speak of to others.

Angelo clama in divino intelletto

An angel cries in divine intellect

e dice: «Sire, nel mondo si vede

and says: "Lord, in the world is seen

maraviglia ne l'atto che procede

a marvel in the act that comes

d'un'anima che 'nfin qua su risplende».

from a soul that shines up to here."

Lo cielo, che non have altro difetto

Heaven, which has no other flaw

che d'aver lei, al suo segnor la chiede,

than having her, asks her of its lord,

e ciascun santo ne grida merzede.

and each saint cries for mercy.

Sola Pietà nostra parte difende,

Only Pity defends our part,

ché parla Dio, che di madonna intende:

for God speaks, who thinks of my lady:

«Diletti miei, or sofferite in pace

"My beloved, now endure in peace

che vostra spene sia quanto me piace

that your hope be as much as pleases me

là 'v' è alcun che perder lei s'attende,

where there is someone who expects to lose her,

e che dirà ne lo inferno: O mal nati,

and who will say in hell: O ill-born,

io vidi la speranza de' beati».

I saw the hope of the blessed."

Madonna è disiata in sommo cielo:

My lady is desired in the highest heaven:

or voi di sua virtù farvi savere.

now you of her virtue make yourselves wise.

Dico, qual vuol gentil donna parere

I say, whoever wants to appear a noble lady

vada con lei, che quando va per via,

go with her, for when she goes along the way,

gitta nei cor villani Amore un gelo,

she casts into the hearts of the base a chill of Love,

per che onne lor pensero agghiaccia e pere;

for which all their thoughts freeze and perish;

e qual soffrisse di starla a vedere

and whoever endured to see her

diverria nobil cosa, o si morria.

would become a noble thing, or would die.

E quando trova alcun che degno sia

And when she finds someone worthy

di veder lei, quei prova sua vertute,

to see her, that one proves her virtue,

ché li avvien, ciò che li dona, in salute,

for it happens to him, what she gives, in health,

e sì l'umilia, ch'ogni offesa oblia.

and so humbles him, that every offense he forgets.

Ancor l'ha Dio per maggior grazia dato

God has also given her for greater grace

che non pò mal finir chi l'ha parlato.

that whoever has spoken to her cannot end badly.

Dice di lei Amor: «Cosa mortale

Love says of her: "How can a mortal thing

come esser pò sì adorna e sì pura?»

be so adorned and so pure?"

Poi la reguarda, e fra se stesso giura

Then he looks at her, and among himself swears

che Dio ne 'ntenda di far cosa nova.

that God intends to make a new thing of her.

Color di perle ha quasi, in forma quale

She has the color of pearls, in the form

convene a donna aver, non for misura:

that befits a lady to have, not beyond measure:

ella è quanto de ben pò far natura;

she is as much as nature can make of good;

per essemplo di lei bieltà si prova.

by her example beauty is proven.

De li occhi suoi, come ch'ella li mova,

From her eyes, however she moves them,

escono spirti d'amore inflammati,

spirits of inflamed love come forth,

che feron li occhi a qual che allor la guati,

that strike the eyes of whoever then looks at her,

e passan sì che 'l cor ciascun retrova:

and pass so that each heart they find:

voi le vedete Amor pinto nel viso,

you see Love painted in her face,

là 've non pote alcun mirarla fiso.

where no one can gaze fixedly.

Canzone, io so che tu girai parlando

Song, I know that you will go speaking

a donne assai, quand'io t'avrò avanzata.

to many ladies, when I have sent you forth.

Or t'ammonisco, perch'io t'ho allevata

Now I warn you, for I have raised you

per figliuola d'Amor giovane e piana,

as a daughter of young and plain Love,

che là 've giugni tu diche pregando:

that wherever you reach you say praying:

«Insegnatemi gir, ch'io son mandata

"Teach me to go, for I am sent

a quella di cui laude so' adornata».

to her whose praise I am adorned with."

E se non vuoli andar sì come vana,

And if you do not want to go as a vain thing,

non restare ove sia gente villana:

do not stay where there are base people:

ingegnati, se puoi, d'esser palese

strive, if you can, to be known

solo con donne o con omo cortese,

only with ladies or with courteous men,

che ti merranno là per via tostana.

who will take you there by a quick way.

Tu troverai Amor con esso lei;

You will find Love with her;

raccomandami a lui come tu dei.

commend me to him as you should.

Explanation

Dante Alighieri's poem 'Donne ch'avete intelletto d'amore' is a profound exploration of love, directed towards women who understand its true essence. The poem opens with Dante's desire to speak about his lady, Beatrice, whose virtues he wishes to extol not to all, but to those noble women who can comprehend love's intellect. The poem is structured as a canzone, a lyrical form that allows Dante to express his deep admiration and philosophical reflections on love.

Dante begins by addressing the women with 'intelletto d'amore', emphasizing their capacity to understand the complexities of love. He describes how thinking of Beatrice fills him with a sweet sensation of love, so powerful that it could inspire others to fall in love. The poem then shifts to a divine perspective, where an angel marvels at Beatrice's soul, and heaven itself desires her presence. This elevates Beatrice to a celestial status, highlighting her purity and the divine love she embodies.

Emotionally, the poem moves from a personal longing to a universal admiration, capturing a tone of reverence and awe. Dante's portrayal of Beatrice as a figure who can ennoble those who see her, and whose presence is desired by heaven, reflects his deep veneration and the transformative power of love.

Dante employs literary devices such as personification and metaphor, with Love depicted as a force that can chill the hearts of the base and ennoble the worthy. The imagery of Beatrice's eyes emitting 'spirits of inflamed love' that strike the hearts of onlookers is particularly striking, illustrating the profound impact of her presence.

The poem is significant as it reflects the ideals of the Dolce Stil Novo, a literary movement that emphasized the spiritual and ennobling aspects of love. It also showcases Dante's ability to blend personal emotion with philosophical and theological themes, making it a cornerstone of his work in 'Vita Nova' and a testament to his literary genius.

Word Dictionary52

Word	In Italian	In English	Pron.
Avvenne	Successe	Happened	Av-ven-ne
poi	dopo	then	po-i
che	il quale	who	ke
passando	attraversando	passing	pas-san-do
per	attraverso	through	per
uno	un	a	u-no
cammino	strada	path	cam-mi-no
lungo	vicino	along	lun-go
lo	il	the	lo
quale	che	which	qua-le
sen	andava	went	sen
gia	già	already	ja
rivo	torrente	stream	ri-vo
chiaro	limpido	clear	kia-ro
molto	tanto	very	mol-to
a	verso	to	a
me	a me	me	me
giunse	arrivò	came	giun-se
tanta	molta	such	tan-ta
volontade	desiderio	desire	vo-lon-ta-de
di	di	of	di
dire	parlare	to speak	di-re
io	me stesso	I	io
cominciai	iniziai	began	co-min-chai
pensare	riflettere	to think	pen-sa-re
modo	maniera	way	mo-do
ch'io	che io	that I	kio
tenesse	tenessi	should hold	te-nes-se
e	e	and	e
pensai	riflettei	thought	pen-sai
parlare	discutere	speaking	par-la-re
lei	essa	her	lei
non	non	not	non
si	si	it	si
convenia	conveniva	was appropriate	con-ve-nia
facesse	facessi	should do	fa-ces-se
se	se	if	se
parlasse	parlassi	spoke	par-las-se
donne	signore	ladies	don-ne
in	dentro	in	in
seconda	secondaria	second	se-con-da
persona	individuo	person	per-so-na
ad	a	to	ad
ogni	tutte	every	o-gni
donna	signora	woman	don-na
ma	ma	but	ma
solamente	solo	only	so-la-men-te
coloro	quelli	those	co-lo-ro
sono	esistono	are	so-no
gentili	nobili	noble	gen-ti-li
pure	soltanto	merely	pu-re
femmine	donne	females	fem-mi-ne

Poet & Context

PoetDante Alighieri

EraLate Middle Ages

Dante Alighieri, born c. 1265, was an Italian poet, writer, and philosopher known for his epic poem 'The Divine Comedy'. He is considered one of the most important figures in Western literature and is often referred to as the 'father' of the Italian language.

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WhenLate 13th century

WhyThis poem is part of Dante's 'Vita Nova', a collection that explores his love for Beatrice and the philosophical and spiritual dimensions of love.

FormCanzone

Themes & More

Themes

LoveAdmirationDivine BeautyNobility

Literary devices

Personification: Love is depicted as an active force with the ability to influence hearts.Metaphor: Beatrice's presence is likened to a divine marvel.Imagery: Vivid descriptions of Beatrice's eyes and their effect on onlookers.