Part II. §§ 18-28.—§ 18. He discourses with certain ladies of his love for Beatrice, and resolves henceforth to devote himself to the theme of her praises.—§ 19. After a period of hesitation, at last one day, while walking beside a stream, his thoughts take shape, and on his return home he composes the canzone: “Donne, ch’ avete l’ intelletto d’ amore” (Canz. i).—§ 20. One of his friends, having become acquainted with the canzone, desires him to expound the nature of love, whereon he composes the sonnet: “Amore e ’l cor gentil sono una cosa “(Son. x.).—§ 21. He describes in the sonnet, “Negli occhi porta la mia donna Amore” (Son. xi.), the effect produced on others by Beatrice.—§ 22. Folco Portinari, the father of Beatrice, dies (31 December, 1289); Dante composes two sonnets: “Voi, che portate la sembianza umile” (Son. xii.), and, “Se’ tu colui, c’ hai trattato sovente” (Son. xiii.), treating of the discourse of certain ladies on the subject of Beatrice’s grief, and of his grief for her.—§ 23. Dante falls ill; he has presentiments of the death of Beatrice, and on the ninth day of his illness he has a fourth vision (he dreams that Beatrice is dead, and that he is taken to see her as she lies on her death-bed)21; on coming to himself again he relates his vision to certain ladies who were at his bedside, and afterwards writes a description of it in the canzone: “Donna pietosa e di novella etate” (Canz. ii.).—§ 24. He has a fifth vision (Love comes to him from the dwelling-place of his lady, and bids him bless the day whereon he was possessed by Love; shortly after Beatrice herself appears to him, preceded by Giovanna, the lady of his friend Guido Cavalcanti), which he describes in the sonnet: “Io mi sentii svegliar dentro allo core” (Son. xiv.).—§ 25. Dante explains his use of figurative language, which is conceded to poets.—§ 26. Beatrice considered a marvel by all who beheld her; Dante’s sonnet on the subject: “Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare” (Son. xv.).—§ 27. The praise and honour of Beatrice is reflected on the ladies about her; as is set forth by Dante in the sonnet: “Vede perfettamente ogni salute” (Son. xvi.).—§ 28. The effects upon him of his devotion to Beatrice intended to be described in a canzone: “Sì lungamente m’ ha tenuto Amore” (Canz, iii.), which was left unfinished.
Part III. §§ 29-35.—§ 29. The composition of Dante’s projected canzone (Canz. iii.) interrupted by the death of Beatrice; of the part played by the number nine in connection with her death.—§ 30. Of the date of the death of Beatrice, which befell on the ninth day, of the ninth month, of the year in which the perfect number (ten) was completed for the ninth time in the century in which she lived, (i.e. 8 June, 1290), according to the Arabian, Syrian and Italian reckonings respectively; of the significance of the number nine, and of its intimate association with Beatrice.—§ 31. Dante in his desolation addresses a letter, beginning “Quomodo sedet sola civitas,” to the chief personages of the city; his reasons for not transcribing the letter.—§ 32. He vents his grief in a canzone: “Gli occhi dolenti per pietâ del core” (Canz. iv.).—§ 33. At the request of a brother of Beatrice, Dante writes the sonnet: “Venite a intender li sospiri miei” (Son. xvii.) on her death.—§ 34. Dissatisfied with the sonnet, he composes two stanzas of a canzone: “Quantunque volte lasso! mi rimembra” (Canz. v.), on the same subject, which he gives with the sonnet to Beatrice’s brother.—§ 35. On the first anniversary of Beatrice’s death, while drawing an angel, he is interrupted by visitors, to whom he addresses a sonnet, to which he made two beginnings: “Era venuta nella mente mia” (Son. xviii.).
Part IV. §§ 36-39.—§ 36. Dante in deep distress at the thought of the past, beholds a beautiful young lady (“una gentil donna giovane e bella”) regarding him with compassion from a window; he addresses her in a sonnet: “Videro gli occhi miei quanta pietate” (Son. xix.).—§ 37. The “donna gentile” continues to show compassion for him; he addresses a second sonnet to her: “Color d’ amore, e di pietà sembianti” (Son. xx.).—§ 38. He begins to take delight in the sight of the “donna gentile,” and reproaches himself for his inconstancy; he composes a sonnet on the state of his feelings: “L’ amaro lagrimar che voi faceste” (Son. xxi.).—§ 39. In another sonnet he describes the struggle between his heart and his soul as to this new love: “Gentil pensiero, che parla di vui” (Son. xxii.).
Part V. §§ 40-43.—§ 40. While engaged in this struggle Dante has a vision (the sixth) of Beatrice, youthful and clothed in crimson, as when he first saw her, whereon he repents of his inconstancy and devotes himself solely to the thought of her; he records the reconquest of himself, and the effects of the violence of his weeping at the recollection of his past unworthy passion, in a sonnet: “Lasso! per forza de’ molti sospiri” (Son. xxiii.).—§ 41. He addresses a sonnet to certain pilgrims on their way through Florence to visit the Veronica at Rome, whom he assumes to be from a far country, as they show no sign of grief in passing through the grieving city: “Deh peregrini, che pensosi andate” (Son. xxiv.).—§ 42. In response to a request from two ladies for verses of his, he composes a sonnet describing his condition: “Oltre la spera, che più larga gira” (Son. xxv.), which he sends to them, together with the preceding: “Deh peregrini” (Son. xxiv.), and another: “Venite a intender” (Son. xvii.).—§ 43. After composing this sonnet he has a last vision (the seventh), which makes him resolve to speak no more of Beatrice until he shall be able to say of her what was never said of any woman; he concludes with the prayer that his soul may then be permitted to behold the glory of Beatrice in the presence of the Everlasting God.
With the exception of the Latin Eclogues and Letters, the Vita Nuova was the last of Dante’s works to be printed. The editio princeps, which was printed at Florence, together with fifteen of Dante’s canzoni, and Boccaccio’s Vita di Dante, did not appear until 1576, more than a hundred years later than the first edition of the Divina Commedia. It was not reprinted for a hundred and fifty years, when it was included by Anton Maria Biscioni, together with the Convivio, in his Prose di Dante Alighieri e di Messer Gio. Boccacci, published at Florence in 1723. Since that date there have been some five-and-twenty other editions, exclusive of mere reprints. The editio princeps, which was issued with the imprimatur of the Inquisition, contains a mutilated text, many passages or phrases, which were considered offensive to the Church or to religion, having been altered or suppressed.22 A critical edition was published at Florence by Michele Barbi, under the auspices of the Società Dantesca Italiana, in 1907.
Forty manuscripts of the Vita Nuova are known to exist, including three which are incomplete. Of these, eight belong to the fourteenth century, sixteen to the fifteenth, and sixteen to the sixteenth. None of these was executed in Dante’s lifetime, the earliest being assigned to about the year 1350, that is about thirty years after Dante’s death.23
Convivio.—Besides the Vita Nuova Dante wrote in Italian prose the philosophical treatise to which he gave the name of Convivio24 or Banquet. This work consists of a philosophical commentary, which Dante left incomplete, on three of his canzoni. According to the original scheme it was to have been a commentary on fourteen canzoni,25 and would have consisted of fifteen books, the first being introductory.
Three of these projected books are specifically referred to by Dante, viz. the seventh, in which he was to have treated of temperance 26; the fourteenth, in which he proposed to treat of justice27 and allegory28; and the fifteenth, in which liberality was to have been treated of.29
Various attempts have been made to identify the remaining eleven canzoni, which were to have been the subject of commentary in the unwritten books, but none of these is wholly satisfactory.30
In its unfinished state the Convivio consists of four books, which show a tendency to become more and more prolix as the work proceeds, the fourth book containing thirty chapters, while the first, second, and third contain respectively thirteen, sixteen, and fifteen. The division of the books into chapters was made by Dante himself.31
Giovanni Villani in his Florentine chronicle says of this book:—
“Dante commenced a commentary on four
teen of his moral canzoni in the vulgar tongue, which is incomplete, save as regards three of them, in consequence of his death. This commentary, to judge by what we have of it, would have been a lofty, beautiful, subtle, and very great work, inasmuch as it is adorned by lofty style, and fine philosophical and astrological discussions.”32
Boccaccio says:—
“Dante also composed a commentary in prose in the Florentine vulgar tongue on three of his canzoni at full length; he appears to have intended, when he began, to write a commentary upon all of them, but whether he afterwards changed his mind, or never had time to carry out his intention, at any rate he did not write the commentary on more than these three. This book, which he entitled Convivio, is a very beautiful and praiseworthy little work.”33
The Convivio was written some time after the Vita Nuova, but before the Divina Commedia, in which Dante sometimes corrects opinions he had expressed in the Convivio, such as his theories as to the spots on the moon,34 and the arrangement of the celestial hierarchies.35 From the references to the Emperor Albert I (iv. 3, 1. 42) and to Gherardo da Cammino (iv. 14, 11. 114 ff.) it would appear to have been composed (perhaps at Bologna) between April, 1306 (Gherardo having died on 26 March, 1306) and 1 May, 1308 (the date of Albert’s death).36 It was certainly written after Dante’s exile from Florence, as at the beginning of the work there is a most pathetic reference to the miseries he endured during his wanderings as an outcast from his native city.37
Dante explains in the first book, which is introductory, the meaning of the title, the aim of the work, and the difference between it and the Vita Nuova; he himself, he says, as the author, represents the servants at an actual banquet (convivio); he then points out that the book is of the nature of a commentary, and is written in a lofty style in order to give it an air of gravity and authority, and to counterbalance the objection of its being in Italian; he next gives his reasons for writing it in the vulgar tongue instead of in Latin, in which respect it differs from other commentaries; he further explains that the commentary stands in the same relation to the canzoni as a servant does to his master; and he concludes by declaring that in this work is made manifest the great excellence of the Italian language—that language which he was destined to bring to the highest degree of perfection in the Divina Commedia.
Analysis of the Convivio38:—
Book I.—Chap. 1. Introductory. The work undertaken in order to justify the universal desire for knowledge spoken of by Aristotle. Causes whereby men may be prevented from acquiring the highest knowledge. Happy those who sit at the table where the bread of angels is eaten. Dante himself sits not at the table, but gathers up the fragments which fall from it. Moved with pity for his kind, he reserves a part of his store, both bread and meat, to make a feast (convivio) for them. The meat will be served in fourteen canzoni, the bread will be served in the commentary which will give first the literal, then the allegorical interpretation of the canzoni. The author explains the reason for the difference in style between the present work and the Vita Nuova.—Chap. 2. As bread served at a banquet is freed from impurity by the servants, so must the commentary be freed from objection. Two objections may be urged, viz. that the author has to speak of himself, and that the commentary is difficult to understand. Teachers of rhetoric forbid a man to speak of himself, but it is allowable in exceptional cases, as in self-defence, and for the edification of others. Dante pleads both these reasons in the present instance: he wishes to defend himself from the charge of having yielded to passion in his canzoni, and to instruct others in the writing and understanding of allegory.—Chap. 3. As to the difficulty of the commentary, this is intentional, in order to counteract certain disadvantages under which the author labours. He has been exiled from his beloved Florence, and has wandered in poverty all over Italy, thus becoming known and despised in every quarter. Report magnifies, and personal knowledge diminishes, a man’s good and evil qualities. Good report is magnified as it passes from one to another; so too is evil report.—Chap. 4. On the other hand a man’s presence diminishes his apparent worth for three reasons: viz. the proneness of men, like children, to judge by the outside; their envy, which makes them blind to the truth; and the natural imperfection of the person judged. Wherefore a prophet is without honour in his own country. As Dante’s presence has become familiar throughout Italy during his wanderings as an exile, he wishes to counteract the effect of this familiarity by the adoption of a somewhat lofty style for his commentary; hence its difficulty.—Chap. 5. The commentary has been freed from accidental flaws, but one defect is inherent in it, viz. that it is written in Italian, not in Latin. Three reasons for the choice of the vernacular, viz. to avoid disorder, for the sake of liberality, and from natural affection for the mother-tongue. As to the first reason: the best results are obtained when the qualities of the agent are adapted for the end in view. The qualities of a good servant are subjection, intimate acquaintance with his master, and obedience. Latin is devoid of all these qualities. Firstly, it is not subject, but by nature sovereign.—Chap. 6. Secondly, Latin has not the intimate acquaintance with Italian which is needed for a commentary on the canzoni; it has only a general knowledge of Italian, and has no intimacy with its friends; whereas a good servant should have an intimate knowledge both of his master and of his master’s friends.—Chap. 7. Thirdly, Latin could not be obedient. Perfect obedience should be free from bitterness; it should result from a command, not from choice; and it should be duly measured. Latin could not fulfil these conditions. Remarks on the inadequacy of translation.—Chap. 8. The second reason for choosing Italian is its liberality. Perfect liberality gives to many; its gifts are useful; and it gives without being asked. Explanation of these characteristics, which are shown to be essential.—Chap. 9. In the case of Latin, the liberality would not have been perfect, for it does not possess these characteristics. It would not have served many, for it would not have been understood, inasmuch as nobody learns Latin except for gain. It would not have been useful, for few would have used it. It would not have given itself unasked, for every one demands that commentaries should be in Latin.—Chap. 10. The third reason for choosing Italian is the natural affection which a man feels for his mother-tongue. Natural affection prompts a man to magnify its object, to be jealous for it, and to defend it. Dante displays his love for Italian in all these three ways. He magnifies it by displaying it in act, not merely in potentiality. His jealousy for it moved him to write his commentary in Italian, lest if he wrote it in Latin some bungler hereafter should translate it into Italian. He is anxious to defend his mother-tongue against those who disparage it, in favour of Provençal, for instance, and to exhibit it in its native beauty. This is best displayed in prose, as a woman’s beauty is seen best when unadorned.—Chap. 11. Five detestable causes move men to disparage their mother-tongue, viz. lack of discernment, deceitful excuses, love of vainglory, the prompting of envy, and faintheartedness. As to the first, those who lack discernment are like blind men, or senseless sheep. As to the second, the bad workman blames his tools or his materials, not himself. Those who are unskilled in the use of Italian lay the blame on it, and exalt another tongue at its expense. As to the third, vainglory impels a man to seek praise for mastering a tongue other than his own. As to the fourth, those who cannot use Italian envy those who can, and therefore decry it. As to the fifth, a faint-hearted man always thinks meanly of himself and his belongings, and therefore despises his mother-tongue.—Chap. 12. Dante’s affection for his mother-tongue incontestable. Affection is inspired by propinquity and goodness, and increased by benefits conferred, and by common aims and intercourse. A man’s mother-tongue is nearest to him. Also, it displays the characteristic excellence of language, in that it best enables a man to express his meaning.—Chap. 13. The conditions which increase affection are also present. If existence is the greatest boon, then a man’s mother-tongue is to be loved as having given him existence, by bringing his parents together. Further, it led Dante into the way of knowledge by
enabling him to learn Latin. The vernacular, moreover, if it could have a conscious aim, would seek to preserve itself by assuming the most durable shape, namely the poetic. It has been Dante’s aim to give it this shape. All his life he has also had the most familiar intercourse with his mother-tongue. Dante may thus claim to have purged his Italian commentary from all stain, so that the meat may now be served up with this bread, and may be partaken of by the multitude.
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