Maurice Scève – Délie, emblems of desireMaurice Scève – Délie, emblemi del desiderio

I lived at liberty in the April of my life,
My mouth exempt from every care,
When my eye, unschooled in strife,
Was cought by that presence fair
Which by its deep, & devine excellence
So stunned my Soul, & common sense
That the cruel archer of her eyes
Took my freedom as his prize:
And from that day on, without cease,
In her beauty lies my death, & life.

[original version]

Libre vivais en l’Avril de mon âge,
De cure exempt sous celle adolescence,
Où l’œil, encor non expert de dommage,
Se vit surpris de la douce présence,
Qui par sa haute, et divine excellence
M’étonna l’Âme, et le sens tellement,
Que de mes yeux l’archer tout bellement
Ma liberté lui a toute asservie :
Et dès ce jour continuellement
En sa beauté gît ma mort, et ma vie.

In libertá vivevo nel mio aprile
Senza preoccupazioni, adolescente,
dagli occhi ignari del danno incombente
Pronti a stupirsi per la dolce presenza
Che con l’alta, divina sua eccellenza
Abbaglió l’alma ed i sensi talmente
Che dei suoi occhi l’arcier, semplicemente,
La mia volontá tutta ha asservita
E da quel dì, oramai continuamente
In sua beltá giacciono morte e vita.

[originale]

Libre vivais en l’Avril de mon âge,
De cure exempt sous celle adolescence,
Où l’œil, encor non expert de dommage,
Se vit surpris de la douce présence,
Qui par sa haute, et divine excellence
M’étonna l’Âme, et le sens tellement,
Que de mes yeux l’archer tout bellement
Ma liberté lui a toute asservie :
Et dès ce jour continuellement
En sa beauté gît ma mort, et ma vie.

[eng. translation]

I lived at liberty in the April of my life,
My mouth exempt from every care,
When my eye, unschooled in strife,
Was cought by that presence fair
Which by its deep, & devine excellence
So stunned my Soul, & common sense
That the cruel archer of her eyes
Took my freedom as his prize:
And from that day on, without cease,
In her beauty lies my death, & life.

fonte trad. italiano

fonte foto