“Love which by gentle heart is quickly learned.”

For other definitions of Love as understood by the Italian poets of the trecento, see Guido Cavalcanti’s most famous and most obscure Canzone, Donna mi priega; the sonnet (No. xlii.) falsely ascribed to Dante, Molti volendo dir che fosse Amore; the sonnet by Jacopo da Lentino, Amore e un desio che vien dal core; and many others.]

Another sonnet follows upon this, telling how this Love was awakened by Beatrice and beginning with the exquisite praise,

  “Within her eyes my lady beareth Love,
  So that who looks on her is gentle made."[P]

[Footnote P:  Compare with this Sonnet xl.,—­

“Dagli occhi della mia donna si muove.”
]

Not many days after this, the father of Beatrice died.[Q] “And inasmuch as it is the custom in the above-mentioned city for ladies to assemble with ladies, and men with men, in such affliction, many ladies assembled at the house where Beatrice was weeping piteously.  And seeing certain of them returning from her, I heard them speak of this most gentle lady, how she was lamenting....  When these ladies had passed, I remained in such grief that tears began to fall, and, putting my hands before my eyes, I covered my face.  And if it had not been that I expected to hear further of her, for I stood near by where most of the ladies who came from her passed, I should have hidden myself as soon as the tears assailed me.  While I still delayed, more ladies passed by, talking together and saying, ’Who of us should ever be joyful after hearing this lady speak so piteously?’ After these others passed, who said, as they went by, ’This one who is here weeps neither more nor less than if he had seen her as we have.’  And then others said of me, ’See! so overcome is he, that he seems not himself.’  And thus these ladies passing by, I heard speech of her and of myself.”  And going away, after this, he wrote two sonnets, telling of what he had seen and heard.[R]

[Footnote Q:  Folco Portinari died December 31, 1289.]

[Footnote R:  Compare with this passage Sonnet xlvi., which seems to have been written on this occasion;—­

  “Voi, donne, che pietoso atto mostrate,”

and Sonnet xlvii.,—­

“Onde venite voi, cosi pensose?”
]

It happened not long after this time that Dante was seized with grievous illness, which reduced him to such a state of weakness that he lay as one unable to move.  And on the ninth day, suffering greatly, he thought of his lady, and, reflecting on the frailty of life even at its best, the thought struck him that even the most gentle Beatrice must at some time die.  And upon this, such consternation seized him that his fancy began to wander, and, he says, “It seemed to me that I saw ladies, with hair dishevelled, and marvellously sad, pass weeping by, and that I saw the sun grow dark, so that the stars showed themselves