A Daily Countdown to 700 Years with the “colpi d’Amor”
“Benedetto sia ‘l giorno, et ‘l mese, et l’anno, / et la stagione, e’l tempo, et l’ora, e ‘l punto…” — Rvf 61
“Blessed be the day, and the month, and the year, and the season, and the time, and the hour, and the moment…”(Kline).
Orso, al vostro destrier si pò ben porre
un fren, che di suo corso indietro il volga;
ma ‘l cor chi legherà, che non si sciolga,
se brama honore, e ‘l suo contrario abhorre?
Non sospirate: a lui non si pò tôrre
suo pregio, perch’a voi l’andar si tolga;
ché, come fama publica divolga,
egli è già là, ché null’altro il precorre.
Basti che si ritrove in mezzo ‘l campo
al destinato dí, sotto quell’arme
che gli dà il tempo, amor, vertute e ‘l sangue,
gridando: D’un gentil desire avampo
col signor mio, che non pò seguitarme,
et del non esser qui si strugge et langue.
Orso, you can easily bridle your warhorse,
so that you can restrain his course again:
but who can tie your heart, so it can’t break free,
if you love honour and loathe its contrary?
Don’t sigh: no one can take your worth
from you, even if you’re prevented from going:
since as public knowledge is aware,
your heart’s there, and no other’s before it.
Enough that it will be found in the field
on the appointed day, beneath the armour
that time, love, virtue and blood have given,
calling out: ‘I’m filled with noble desire
as is my lord, who could not follow me,
and is sick and languishes, not being here.’