Petrarch. QuickTime™ and a

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Era il giorno ch’al sol si scoloraroper la pietà del suo fattore i rai; quando i’fui preso, e non me ne guardai, ché I be’vostr’occhi, Donna, mi legaro.

Tempo non mi parea da far riparoContr’a’colpi d’Amor; però m’andaiSecur, senza sospetto; onde I miei guaiNel comune dolor s’incominciaro.

Trovommi Amor del tutto disarmato, Et aperta la via per gli occhi al core, Che di lagrime son fatti uscio e varco.

Però, al mio parer, non li fu onoreFerir me de saetta in quello stato, A voi armata non monstrar pur l’arco.

Petrarch (1304-1374), from The Canzoniere

III. Era il giorno ch'al sol si scoloraro

It was the day when the sun's heavy raysGrew pale in pity of his suffering Lord,When I fell captive, lady, to the gazeOf your fair eyes, fast bound in love's strong cord.No time had I wherein to make defenseOr seek a shelter from Love's sudden blows;I walked secure, no harm perceiving, whenceMy griefs began amid the general woes.Love found me all disarmed, and through my eyesWhere tears are wont to flow, he saw the wayWide open to my heart. His arrow fliesAnd strikes the mark where it must ever stay.Scant honor his to wound me thus, nor showTo you, well armed against him, even his bow!