Canto V quotes

View Quote Io venni in loco d'ogne luce muto,che mugghia come fa mar per tempesta,se da contrari venti è combattuto.

View Quote I came into a place void of all light, which bellows like the sea in tempest, when it is combated by warring winds.

View Quote Canto V, lines 28–30 (tr. Charles S. Singleton).

View Quote Variant translation (Longfellow):I came into a place mute of all light,⁠Which bellows as the sea does in a tempest,⁠If by opposing winds 't is combated.

View Quote I understood that unto such a torment⁠The carnal malefactors were condemned,⁠Who reason subjugate to appetite.And as the wings of starlings bear them on⁠In the cold season in large band and full,⁠So doth that blast the spirits maledict;It hither, thither, downward, upward, drives them;⁠No hope doth comfort them forevermore,⁠Not of repose, but even of lesser pain.

View Quote lines 37-45 (tr. Longfellow)

View Quote Amor, ch'al cor gentil ratto s'apprende,prese costui de la bella personache mi fu tolta; e 'l modo ancor m'offende.Amor, ch'a nullo amato amar perdona,mi prese del costui piacer sì forte,che, come vedi, ancor non m'abbandona.

View Quote Love, which is quickly kindled in the gentle heart,seized this man for the fair form that wastaken from me, and the manner afflicts me still.Love, which absolves no one beloved from loving,seized me so strongly with his charmthat, as thou seest, it does not leave me yet.

View Quote lines 100–105 (tr. Sinclair). There is no greater sorrowThan to be mindful of the happy timeIn misery.

View Quote Nessun maggior doloreChe ricordarsi del tempo feliceNella miseria.

View Quote There is no greater sorrowThan to be mindful of the happy timeIn misery.

View Quote lines 121–123 (tr. Longfellow). That day we read no more.

View Quote Noi leggiavamo un giorno per dilettodi Lancialotto come amor lo strinse;soli eravamo e sanza alcun sospetto.Per più fïate li occhi ci sospinsequella lettura, e scolorocci il viso;ma solo un punto fu quel che ci vinse.Quando leggemmo il disïato risoesser basciato da cotanto amante,questi, che mai da me non fia diviso,la bocca mi basciò tutto tremante.Galeotto fu 'l libro e chi lo scrisse:quel giorno più non vi leggemmo avante.

View Quote One day, to pass the time away, we readof Lancelot—how love had overcome him.We were alone, and we suspected nothing.And time and time again that reading ledour eyes to meet, and made our faces pale,and yet one point alone defeated us.When we had read how the desired smilewas kissed by one who was so true a lover,this one, who never shall be parted from me,while all his body trembled, kissed my mouth.A Gallehault indeed, that book and hewho wrote it, too; that day we read no more.

View Quote lines 127–138 (tr. Mandelbaum).