DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0416
ITALY'S LAMENT
841
arranged between our Madonna Margherita and a
Count of Correggio, who is noble, youthful, rich, and
handsome. . .
This description of the elaborate stage scenery
employed, of the singers and orchestra kept out of
sight, and the hall hung with garlands and lustres,
is curiously modern, and might almost refer to
the Baireuth performances of recent years. As in
Wagner's music-dramas, all the arts were combined in
these Renaissance comedies, and the whole show
ended in a glorification of ideal love. But the
patriotic note introduced on this occasion was plainly
due to Castiglione. In his modesty the Count omits
all reference to the composed by him for
Niccolb Grassi's comedy, and repeated on the last
day of carnival, when the children's play was given.
Veterani tells us how Italy appeared in the figure
of a sad and weary woman, with dishevelled locks and
raiment, torn by the hands of barbarians, and so much
oppressed with the burden of her sorrow that she
could hardly utter the words of her complaint, and
paused repeatedly, as if overwhelmed by grief. In
pathetic language she lamented the ravages of Time
and the vanity of human glory, and recalled the days
when she was queen of the whole world, and captive
kings and nations knelt at her feet. Now she was poor
and miserable, shorn of all her splendour, and reduced
to weep in solitude and chains over her lamentable fall.
' Hor vilipesa, serva, abbandonata.
Mi trovo aiHitta, misera et meschina,
Poverella mendica et sconsolata,
Piango la mia crudel alta ruina.'
Vainly she called on the heroes of old, on Cassar,
Fabius, Scipio, and all the pale ghosts of heroes who
841
arranged between our Madonna Margherita and a
Count of Correggio, who is noble, youthful, rich, and
handsome. . .
This description of the elaborate stage scenery
employed, of the singers and orchestra kept out of
sight, and the hall hung with garlands and lustres,
is curiously modern, and might almost refer to
the Baireuth performances of recent years. As in
Wagner's music-dramas, all the arts were combined in
these Renaissance comedies, and the whole show
ended in a glorification of ideal love. But the
patriotic note introduced on this occasion was plainly
due to Castiglione. In his modesty the Count omits
all reference to the composed by him for
Niccolb Grassi's comedy, and repeated on the last
day of carnival, when the children's play was given.
Veterani tells us how Italy appeared in the figure
of a sad and weary woman, with dishevelled locks and
raiment, torn by the hands of barbarians, and so much
oppressed with the burden of her sorrow that she
could hardly utter the words of her complaint, and
paused repeatedly, as if overwhelmed by grief. In
pathetic language she lamented the ravages of Time
and the vanity of human glory, and recalled the days
when she was queen of the whole world, and captive
kings and nations knelt at her feet. Now she was poor
and miserable, shorn of all her splendour, and reduced
to weep in solitude and chains over her lamentable fall.
' Hor vilipesa, serva, abbandonata.
Mi trovo aiHitta, misera et meschina,
Poverella mendica et sconsolata,
Piango la mia crudel alta ruina.'
Vainly she called on the heroes of old, on Cassar,
Fabius, Scipio, and all the pale ghosts of heroes who