DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61902#0046
24
THE MAKERS OF FLORENCE.
what end are we come among these ladies?” he had said.
“ To the end that they may be worthily served,” said the
other, Guido perhaps, for the words are full of chivalrous
grace. It is supposed by many commentators that this was
one of the feastings which celebrated the marriage of
Beatrice herself, and that this fact accounts for Dante’s
extraordinary emotion, his confusion of mind, and the
tears which he was unable to conceal. But if it is so it is
the only reference in the whole mystical record to that
event which, had his love been an ordinary love, would
have involved the very bitterness of death to so true a
lover. But while this is passed over, the fact that Beatrice,
hearing, it is supposed, evil tales of him, withdrew from
her habit of recognizing Dante when she met him, as fully
recorded, with all the grievous solemnity which befits
such an event. Here is a curious little scene displaying
the disconsolate lover among his sympathizers, which
is full of the characteristic atmosphere of the story:
“ As by the mere sight of me many persons had understood my
secret, certain ladies who were in the habit of meeting, in conse-
quence of the great delight they took in each other’s society, knew
well my heart, for some of them had been present at my misfortunes.
And I, musing near them (for so fortune arranged it), was called by
one of these gentle ladies. The lady who called me was very ani-
mated in conversation; so that when I came to this group and per-
ceived that my own most gentle lady was not among them, I was
emboldened, and, saluting her, asked, ‘ What is your pleasure ? ’
There were many ladies present, and some of them laughed among
themselves; but others looked at me, waiting for what I should say,
and others again talked with each other. Then one, turning her
eyes toward me, called me by name and said these words: ‘ To what
end lovest thou this thy lady, since thou canst not endure her pres-
ence ? for certainly the end of such a love must be a great novelty.’
And when she had said this, not only she but all the others began to
look at me, waiting for my answer. Then I said, ‘ Madonna, the
end of my love was heretofore the greeting of that lady, perhaps, of
whom you speak; and in this was all my happiness, the object of all
THE MAKERS OF FLORENCE.
what end are we come among these ladies?” he had said.
“ To the end that they may be worthily served,” said the
other, Guido perhaps, for the words are full of chivalrous
grace. It is supposed by many commentators that this was
one of the feastings which celebrated the marriage of
Beatrice herself, and that this fact accounts for Dante’s
extraordinary emotion, his confusion of mind, and the
tears which he was unable to conceal. But if it is so it is
the only reference in the whole mystical record to that
event which, had his love been an ordinary love, would
have involved the very bitterness of death to so true a
lover. But while this is passed over, the fact that Beatrice,
hearing, it is supposed, evil tales of him, withdrew from
her habit of recognizing Dante when she met him, as fully
recorded, with all the grievous solemnity which befits
such an event. Here is a curious little scene displaying
the disconsolate lover among his sympathizers, which
is full of the characteristic atmosphere of the story:
“ As by the mere sight of me many persons had understood my
secret, certain ladies who were in the habit of meeting, in conse-
quence of the great delight they took in each other’s society, knew
well my heart, for some of them had been present at my misfortunes.
And I, musing near them (for so fortune arranged it), was called by
one of these gentle ladies. The lady who called me was very ani-
mated in conversation; so that when I came to this group and per-
ceived that my own most gentle lady was not among them, I was
emboldened, and, saluting her, asked, ‘ What is your pleasure ? ’
There were many ladies present, and some of them laughed among
themselves; but others looked at me, waiting for what I should say,
and others again talked with each other. Then one, turning her
eyes toward me, called me by name and said these words: ‘ To what
end lovest thou this thy lady, since thou canst not endure her pres-
ence ? for certainly the end of such a love must be a great novelty.’
And when she had said this, not only she but all the others began to
look at me, waiting for my answer. Then I said, ‘ Madonna, the
end of my love was heretofore the greeting of that lady, perhaps, of
whom you speak; and in this was all my happiness, the object of all