Petrarch, Il Canzoniere, #3.
Lecture Topics:
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1 It was on that day when the sun's ray
2 was darkened in pity for its Maker,
3 that I was
captured, and did not defend myself,
4 because your lovely
eyes had bound me, Lady.
5 It did not seem to
me to be a time to guard myself
6 against Love's
blows: so I went on
7 confident,
unsuspecting; from that, my troubles
8 started, amongst
the public sorrows.
9 Love discovered me
all weaponless,
10 and opened the way
to the heart through the eyes,
11 which are made the
passageways and doors of tears:
12 so that it seems to
me it does him little honour
13 to wound me with
his arrow, in that state,
14 he not showing his
bow at all to you who are armed.
1: "that day": — Petrarch gives the day as April 6, 1327, a Good Friday. See On the death of Laura.
