Niccolò Forteguerri
Niccolò Forteguerri (1674 – 1735) was an Italian academic, satiric poet and presbyter.
Quotes
[edit]Ricciardetto
[edit]- Libertà
Libertade è quella
Che noi dispoglia d’ogni cura amara :
Ella sol basta a fare in ogni stato
Un uom d’afflitto e misero beato.- I, 39.
- Translation: Liberty is that
Which strippeth from us every biting care;
Alone she doth suffice, in every state,
To make him happy who erst moaned his fate. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 355.
- Poca uva fa la vigna pampinosa;
E il dire e il far non son la stessa cosa.- III, 42.
- Translation: The leafy vine few grapes to ripeness brings;
Saying and doing are quite ditterent things. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 394.
- Che il pel si cangia, e’l costume non mai.
- III, 54.
- Translation: The hair grows grey, the nature changes never.
- Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 247.
- (Che) il cercar di sapere
saper quel che saputo
Accresce duolo, non m’è mai piaciuto.- V, 87.
- Translation: Seeking to know what but augments our pain
When it is known, aye seems to me insane. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 312.
- La Fortuna è una Dea senza cervello,
E però tutto il giorno fa pazzie.- VIII, 1.
- Translation: Fortune’s a goddess without brains, and so
The whole day long she’s doing foolish things. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 342.
- (Che) non torri superbi e forti mura,
Non larghe fosse, non fiumi vicini
Fan da’ nimici una città sicura,
Ma la fede e il Valore
valor de’ cittadini.- VIII, 17.
- Translation: Not frowning battlement nor lofty tower,
Not trenches wide nor river running by-
Shall save a city from her foeman’s power,
But her sons’ valour and fidelity. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 380.
- Natura è gran maestra, e mai non erra.
- VIII, 20.
- Translation: Nature’s a mighty teacher, and ne’er errs.
- Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 363.
- Chi pecca per amore, io non riprendo.
- VIII, 80.
- Translation: I blame not him who for love’s sake doth sin.
- Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 269.
- Che la Fortuna ajuta i coraggiosi.
- VIII, 84.
- Translation: For fortune ever favoureth the brave.
- Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 342.
- Son ciance e be’ trovati
Di romanzieri pazzi e spiritati.- X, 34.
- Translation: These tales as nonsense stand confessed,
And fond imaginings of scribes possessed. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 412.
- Rimembrar il ben perduto
Fa più meschino lo presente stato.- XI, 83.
- Translation: The memory of the blessings we have lost
Doth make our present state more pitiful. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 368.
- In somma, in fuor che non è sì gentile,
L’uomo, là, in tutto a femmina è simile.- XII, 47.
- Translation: In fine, save only that he’s not so fair,
Woman and man are very much a pair. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 325.
- La meraviglia
maraviglia nasce da ignoranza.- XIII, 1.
- Translation: Wonder the daughter is of ignorance.
- Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 344.
- Donna che sia pregata non sta forte.
- XIII, 107.
- Translation: She stands not firm that giveth ear to prayers.
- Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 290.
- Quei che aggiunge sapere, aggiunge affanno;
E men si dolgon quelli che men sanno.- XV, 6.
- Translation: Who gathers knowledge, also gathers woe,
And least they sorrow feel who least do know. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 312.
- Tra i benefizi che ci ha fatto Iddio,
Non è mica il minor quelle del vino.- XVII, 1.
- Translation: Mongst the good things by God on man bestowed,
By no means least I count the gift of wine. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 428.
- (Ma) vince Amore
amor di padre ogni altro amore.- XVIII, 64.
- Translation: A father’s love all other love outshines.
- Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 438.
- (Che) nodo mai si forte non si stringe
Che sciolto e rotto a lungo andar non sia.- XX, 25.
- Translation: For never shall so firm a knot be tied
But at the last shall burst and broken be. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 370.
- Che perduto il buon nome, una fanciulla,
Per bella ch’ella sia, non val più nulla.- XX, 51.
- Translation: If once a maiden strays from virtue’s path,
Though she have beauty, yet she nothing hath. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 331.
- Nessuno sa quel sia, che termin abbia
La divina pietà verso di noi;
Perchè ella è immensa, e men si può peccare
Di quelle ch’ella possa perdonare.- XX, 107.
- Translation: None knows how deep, how far beyond all bounds
The pity that by God on man is showered;
For ’tis immeasurable, and its power
To pardon far exceeds our power to sin. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 369.
- (Ma) così sono tutte le ragazze;
Le più savie al di fuor son le più pazze.- XXII, 60.
- Translation: But this is aye the nature of a maid:
The wildest is the one that seems most staid. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 283.
- Chi semina del male, e poi si crede
Raccor del bene, è temerario e stolto.- XXVI, 1.
- Translation: Chi semina del male, e poi si crede Raccor del bene, è temerario e stolto.
- Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 271.
- (Che) la natura umana è fatta in guisa
Che si mantien di lagrime e di risa.- XXVI, 80.
- Translation: For human nature so is fashioned,
That upon teais and laughter it is fed. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 345.
- (Che) catena, fratello, di Moglie
mogliera
Fa un zucchero sembrare la galera.- XXVII, 8.
- Translation: The chain that binds us when we take a wife,
Makes e’en the galleys seem a pleasant life. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 259.
- (Che) rinsanisce alcun pazzo talora,
Ma il cervel de l’amante ognor peggiora.- XXVIII, 3.
- Translation: A madman now and then his wits regains
But aye from bad to worse go lovers’ brains. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 407.
- Ne le guerre d’Amore
Amor (proverbio è trito,)
Vince chi fugge, e non chi si cimenta.- XXVIII, 27.
- Translation: In love’s engagements (sure the proverb’s trite)
He wins who flies, not he who stays to fight. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 379.
- (Ma) l’animo gentile
gentil sempre pon mente
Al buon cuor di chi dà, non al presente.- XXX, 107.
- Translation: The noble soul aye to the gift far less
Gives heed, than to the giver’s kindliness. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 332.
Rime piacevoli
[edit]- La moglie è vita, o coltello e capresto,
Conforme vuoi.- Chapter I.
- Translation: Your wife is life to you, or rope and knife.
Just as you will. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 344.
- Ogni stato ha i suoi guai; e chi desia,
Mutando il suo, trovarne un più giocondo,
Cadde in una grandissima pazzia.- Chapter IV.
- Translation: Its troubles each condition has, and they
Who change their own a pleasanter to find.
Do but the starkest lunacy display. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 386.
- Ciascun si stima di gran senno, e crede
Dovizia aver di cio ch’ei più mendica;
E dà del matto e del malenso altrui.- Chapter V.
- Translation: Men count them wondrous wise, and think themselves
Wealthy in that wherein they are but beggars,
Calling all others fools and simpletons. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 275.
- L’uomo saggio sopra del suo dosso
Non deve portar peso che lo sfianchi,
Onde dica piangendo : io non lo posso.- Chapter XI.
- Translation: Let no man on his back, if he be wise,
A burden bind that is beyond his strength,
Whence, weeping, he ’I cannot bear it’ cries. - Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 338.