| Samuel Waddington, comp. The Sonnets of Europe. 1888. | | | | “Love hath his throne within my lady’s eyes” | | By Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) |
| | Translated by Sir Theodore Martin
From the “Vita Nuova”
LOVE hath his throne within my lady’s eyes, | |
| Whence all she looks on wears his gracious mien. | |
| All turn to gaze, when she abroad is seen, | |
| And whom she greets from him his colour flies; | |
| With downward gaze he stands abashed, and sighs, | 5 |
| Remembering all his own unworthy blames. | |
| Anger and pride before her fly. Ye Dames, | |
| Lend me your aid her matchless worth to prize! | |
| All gentleness, all thoughts serene and meek, | |
| Grow in the heart of him that hears her voice. | 10 |
| To see her once is ever to rejoice; | |
| Her look, when a faint smile is on her cheek, | |
| Nor tongue can tell, nor memory hold in view, | |
| So winning-gracious is the sight, and new. | | | | |
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