It’s time to pause my series of ‘Gesture of the Day’ blogs for a moment (yes, don’t worry, there are more to come!) and move from il profano al sacro (from the profane to the sacred) in order to commemorate La Festa della Donna (International Women’s Day), which is celebrated here in Italy and in many other countries around the world on the 8th of March.
Last year I wrote about the origins of this festival and the synonymous tradition of the mimosa flower. Today I’m going to translate for you un bellissimo sonetto (a beautiful sonnet) called Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare (So gentle and so dignified she appears) by that greatest of Italian poets Dante Alighieri. Written around the year 1290, this sensuous sonnet is dedicated to Beatrice, Dante’s Donna Angelicata (angel-like woman), who was the font of inspiration for all of his poetic work, including La Divina Commedia.
Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare
la donna mia quand’ella altrui saluta,
ch’ogne lingua devèn tremando muta,
e li occhi no l’ardiscon di guardare.
Ella si va, sentendosi laudare,
benignamente d’umiltà vestuta;
e par che sia una cosa venuta
da cielo in terra a miracol mostrare.
Mostrasi sì piacente a chi la mira,
che dà per li occhi una dolcezza al core
che ‘ntender no la può chi no la prova:
e par che de la sua labbia si mova
un spirito soave pien d’amore,
che va dicendo a l’anima: Sospira.
So gentle and so dignified appears
my lady when she greets others,
that every trembling tongue becomes dumb,
and their eyes do not dare look upon her.
She walks on, hearing herself praised,
benignly clothed in humility;
and seems to be something arrived
from Heaven as a miracle on Earth.
She appears so pleasant to those who looks upon her,
and through her eyes a sweetness touches the heart,
which cannot be understood by those who feel it not:
and it seems that from her lips emanates
a delicate spirit full of love,
that speaks to the soul: Sigh.
