Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
PIER DELLE VIGNE 1190? - 1249 AGE : 59?<br />
PLACE./.LANGUAGE ETC<br />
BORN AT CAPUA IN THE PROVINCE OF CASERTA. HE WAS BORN POOR SO IS MORE LIKELY TO HAVE SPOKEN A<br />
DIALECT. EDUCATED SPEECH.<br />
DESCRIPTION<br />
VOICE ONLY.<br />
112<br />
PIER DELLE VIGNE: CHANCELLOR OF THE TWO SICILIES & MINISTER TO THE EMPEROR FREDERICK II. HE RECAST THE LAWS<br />
& WAS IN FREDERICK’S CONFIDENCE UNTIL 1247, WHEN HE WAS ACCUSED OF PLOTTING WITH POPE INNOCENT IV, WAS<br />
BLINDED & IMPRISONED, SUBSEQUENTLY COMMITTING SUICIDE. HE WAS BORN IN POVERTY IN CAPUA. HE WAS A POET & SAID<br />
TO HAVE COMPOSED THE FIRST ITALIAN SONNET. HE WAS COMPARED, AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS POWER, TO ST PETER, HOLDING<br />
THE KEYS OF PUNISHMENT & MERCY.<br />
TRUNK / PIER DELLE VIGNE (VOICE):<br />
INF C13 34-36 / DANTE INF C13 34-36 / KLINE<br />
Da che fatto fu poi di sangue bruno, And when it had grown dark with blood, it began<br />
ricominciò a dir: «Perché mi scerpi?» to cry out again: Perché mi scerpi?...Why do you<br />
non hai tu spirto di pietade alcuno? splinter me? Have you no breath of pity?<br />
INF C13 37-39 / DANTE<br />
Uomini fummo, e or siam fatti sterpi: Uomini fummo…We were men, and we are<br />
ben dovrebb' esser la tua man più pia, changed to trees: truly, your hand would be more<br />
se state fossimo anime di serpi». merciful, if we were merely the souls of snakes.<br />
INF C13 40-45 / KLINE<br />
Just as a green branch, burning at one end, spits and hisses with escaping air at the other, so from that broken wood,<br />
blood and words came out together: at which I let the branch fall, and stood, like a man afraid.<br />
DANTE, HORRIFIED, RETREATS OUT OF SIGHT. VIRGIL ADDRESSES THE TRUNK./.PIER DELLE VIGNE.<br />
VIRGIL:<br />
INF C13 46-48 / DANTE INF C13 46-8 / KLINE<br />
«S'elli avesse potuto creder prima», My wise sage replied: Wounded spirit,<br />
rispuose 'l savio mio, «anima lesa, if he had only believed, before,<br />
ciò c'ha veduto pur con la mia rima, what he had read in my verse<br />
VIRGIL: & VIRGIL:<br />
AENEID 3 25-29 / VIRGIL AENEID 3 25-29 / KLINE<br />
conatus, ramis tegerem ut frondentibus aras, to decorate the altar with leafy branches, I saw<br />
horrendum et dictu uideo mirabile monstrum. a wonder, dreadful and marvellous to tell of.<br />
nam quae prima solo ruptis radicibus arbos From the first bush, its broken roots<br />
uellitur, huic atro liquuntur sanguine guttae torn from the ground, drops of dark blood dripped,<br />
et terram tabo maculant. mihi frigidus horror and stained the earth with fluid.<br />
INF C13 49-51 / DANTE INF C13 49-51 / KLINE<br />
non averebbe in te la man distesa; he would not have lifted his hand to you,<br />
ma la cosa incredibile mi fece but the incredible nature of the thing<br />
indurlo ad ovra ch'a me stesso pesa. made me urge him to do what grieves me.<br />
VIRGIL CONTINUES AS DANTE RETURNS.<br />
VIRGIL:<br />
INF C13 52-54 / DANTE INF C13 52-54 / KLINE<br />
Ma dilli chi tu fosti, sì che 'n vece But tell him who you were, so that he might<br />
d'alcun' ammenda tua fama rinfreschi make you some amends, and renew your fame<br />
nel mondo sù, dove tornar li lece». up in the world, to which he is allowed to return.<br />
TRUNK./.PIER DELLE VIGNE SPEAKS AND DANTE HOLDS HIS NERVE.