Edition notes: An edition containing both diplomatoric scores and practical scores for both the four-part version (from: Andrea Antico: Canzoni nove con alcune scelte ..., Roma 1510) and the Soprano and Lute version (from: O. Petrucci, Tenori e contrabassi intabulati... Francisci Bossinensis, Venetia 1509.) The intabulation for lute is printed both in the original Italian tablature, raw transcript to modern notation and French tablature.
Firstpublished:1510 in Canzoni nove con alcune scelte ..., no. 44 Description: A Frottola to lyrics from Petrarcas Canzoniere (Rerum vulgarium fragmenta.
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Original text and translations
Italian text
Occhi miei lassi, mentre ch’io vi giro
nel bel viso di quella che v’à morti,
pregovi siate accorti,
ché già vi sfida Amore, ond’io sospiro.
Morte pò chiuder sola a’ miei penseri5
l’amoroso camin che gli conduce
al dolce porto de la lor salute;
ma puossi a voi celar la vostra luce
per meno obgetto, perché meno interi
siete formati, et di minor virtute.10
Però, dolenti, anzi che sian venute
l’ore del pianto, che son già vicine,
prendete or a la fine
breve conforto a sí lungo martiro.
Edizione: "Il Canzoniere" di Francesco Petrarca
a cura di Gianfranco Contini
Edizione Einaudi, 1964
English translation
My weary eyes, there, while I turn you
towards the lovely face of her who slays you,
I pray you guard yourself
since, already, Love challenges you, so that I sigh.
Only Death can close from my thoughts
the loving path that leads them
to the sweet doorway of their blessing;
but your light can hide itself from you
for less reason, since you are formed
as lesser entities, and of less power.
But, grieve, before the hour of tears
is come, that is already near,
take to the end now
brief comfort from such long suffering.