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Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri Quotes

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Famous Dante Alighieri Quotes

“Amor, ch'al cor gentile ratto s'apprende prese costui de la bella persona che mi fu tolta; e 'l modo ancor m'offende. Amor, che a nullo amato amar perdona, Mi prese del costui piacer sì forte, Che, come vedi, ancor non m'abbandona..." "Love, which quickly arrests the gentle heart, Seized him with my beautiful form That was taken from me, in a manner which still grieves me. Love, which pardons no beloved from loving, took me so strongly with delight in him That, as you see, it still abandons me not...”

“Many a time the thought returns to me: What sad conditions Love on me bestows! And moved by Pity I say frequently: 'Can there be anyone who my state knows?' For Love takes hold of me so suddenly My vital spirits I am near to lose. One only of them all survives in me, Staying to speak of you, as Love allows. To aid me then my forces I renew And pallid, all my courage drained long since, I come to you to remedy my plight; But if I raise my eyes to look at you So vast a tremor in my heart begins My beating pulses put my soul to flight.”

“So long have I been subject to Love's sway And grown accustomed to his mastery That where at first his rule seemed harsh to me Sweet is his presence in my heart today. Thus when all fortitude he takes away, So that my frail spirits seem to flee, Then I am lost in sweetness utterly And pallid looks my fainting soul display. Love marshals then against me all his might;Routed, my spirits wander, murmuring, And to my lady bring Petition for new solace in my plight. Thus by her merest glance I am unmanned, And pride so humbled, none could understand.”

“For certain he hath seen all perfectness For certain he hath seen all perfectness. Who among other ladies hath seen mine: They that go with her humbly should combine To thank their God for such peculiar grace. So perfect is the beauty of her face That it begets in no wise any sign Of envy, but draws round her a clear line Of love, and blessed faith, and gentleness. Merely the sight of her inakes all things bow: Not she herself alone is holier Than all: but hers, through her, are raised above. From all her acts such lovely graces flow That truly one may never think of her Without a passion of exceeding love.”

“No greater grief than to remember days Of joy, when misery is at hand. That kens Thy learn’d instructor. Yet so eagerly 120 If thou art bent to know the primal root, From whence our love gat being, I will do As one, who weeps and tells his tale. One day, For our delight we read of Lancelot, 4 How him love thrall’d. Alone we were, and no 125 Suspicion near us. Oft-times by that reading Our eyes were drawn together, and the hue Fled from our alter’d cheek. But at one point Alone we fell. When of that smile we read, The wished smile so raptorously kiss’d 130 By one so deep in love, then he, who ne’er From me shall separate, at once my lips All trembling kiss’d. The book and writer both Were love’s purveyors. In its leaves that day We read no more.”

“I say most truly that at that moment the spirit of life, which hath its dwelling in the secretest chamber of the heart, began to tremble so violently that the least pulses of my body shook therewith; and in trembling it said these words: Ecce deus fortior me, qui veniens dominabitur mihi, (“Here is a deity stronger than I ; who, coming, shall rule over me.”)”