Petrarch, Il Canzoniere, #7

NAVIGATION:

Lecture Topics:

Self evaluation
The dark ages

1     Greed and sleep and slothful beds
2     have banished every virtue from the world,
3     so that, overcome by habit,
4     our nature has almost lost its way.

5     And all the benign lights of heaven,
6     that inform human life, are so spent,
7     that he who wishes to bring down a stream
8     from Helicon is pointed out as a wonder.

9     Such desire for laurel, and for myrtle?
10     'Poor and naked goes philosophy',
11     say the crowd intent on base profit.

12     You'll have poor company on that other road:
13     So much the more I beg you, gentle spirit,
14     not to turn from your great undertaking.

8: "Helicon": — A mountain celebrated because it is the location of two springs sacred to the Muses.
9: "Such desire for laurel, and for myrtle?": — "In ancient Greece [laurel] wreaths were awarded to victors, both in athletic competitions, including the ancient Olympics, and in poetic meets; in Rome they were symbols of martial victory, crowning a successful commander during his triumph" (Laurel wreath). On April 8, 1341 Petrarch was crowned poet laureate, and is therefore most often depicted wearing a laurel wreath. The myrtle was associated with Venus, goddess of love.
10: 'Poor and naked goes philosophy': "Philosophy" here refers to all kinds of advanced knowledge. The phrase 'Poor and naked goes philosophy' is a mockery, along the lines of "If you're so smart, why aren't you rich?"