Niccolò Forteguerri

Niccolò Forteguerri (1674 – 1735) was an Italian academic, satiric poet and presbyter.

Niccolò Forteguerri

Quotes

Ricciardetto

• Libertà
  Libertade è quella
  Che noi dispoglia d’ogni cura amara :
  Ella sol basta a fare in ogni stato
  Un uom d’afflitto e misero beato.
  • I, 39.
  • Translation: Liberty is that
    Which strippeth from us every biting care;
    Alone she doth suffice, in every state,
    To make him happy who erst moaned his fate.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 355.

• Poca uva fa la vigna pampinosa;
  E il dire e il far non son la stessa cosa.
  • III, 42.
  • Translation: The leafy vine few grapes to ripeness brings;
    Saying and doing are quite ditterent things.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 394.

• Che il pel si cangia, e’l costume non mai.
  • III, 54.
  • Translation: The hair grows grey, the nature changes never.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 247.

• (Che) il cercar di sapere
  saper quel che saputo
  Accresce duolo, non m’è mai piaciuto.
  • V, 87.
  • Translation: Seeking to know what but augments our pain
    When it is known, aye seems to me insane.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 312.

• La Fortuna è una Dea senza cervello,
  E però tutto il giorno fa pazzie.
  • VIII, 1.
  • Translation: Fortune’s a goddess without brains, and so
    The whole day long she’s doing foolish things.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 342.

• (Che) non torri superbi e forti mura,
  Non larghe fosse, non fiumi vicini
  Fan da’ nimici una città sicura,
  Ma la fede e il Valore
  valor de’ cittadini.
  • VIII, 17.
  • Translation: Not frowning battlement nor lofty tower,
    Not trenches wide nor river running by-
    Shall save a city from her foeman’s power,
    But her sons’ valour and fidelity.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 380.

• Natura è gran maestra, e mai non erra.
  • VIII, 20.
  • Translation: Nature’s a mighty teacher, and ne’er errs.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 363.

• Chi pecca per amore, io non riprendo.
  • VIII, 80.
  • Translation: I blame not him who for love’s sake doth sin.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 269.

• Che la Fortuna ajuta i coraggiosi.
  • VIII, 84.
  • Translation: For fortune ever favoureth the brave.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 342.

• Son ciance e be’ trovati
  Di romanzieri pazzi e spiritati.
  • X, 34.
  • Translation: These tales as nonsense stand confessed,
    And fond imaginings of scribes possessed.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 412.

• Rimembrar il ben perduto
  Fa più meschino lo presente stato.
  • XI, 83.
  • Translation: The memory of the blessings we have lost
    Doth make our present state more pitiful.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 368.

• In somma, in fuor che non è sì gentile,
  L’uomo, là, in tutto a femmina è simile.
  • XII, 47.
  • Translation: In fine, save only that he’s not so fair,
    Woman and man are very much a pair.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 325.

• La meraviglia
  maraviglia nasce da ignoranza.
  • XIII, 1.
  • Translation: Wonder the daughter is of ignorance.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 344.

• Donna che sia pregata non sta forte.
  • XIII, 107.
  • Translation: She stands not firm that giveth ear to prayers.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 290.

• Quei che aggiunge sapere, aggiunge affanno;
  E men si dolgon quelli che men sanno.
  • XV, 6.
  • Translation: Who gathers knowledge, also gathers woe,
    And least they sorrow feel who least do know.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 312.

• Tra i benefizi che ci ha fatto Iddio,
  Non è mica il minor quelle del vino.
  • XVII, 1.
  • Translation: Mongst the good things by God on man bestowed,
    By no means least I count the gift of wine.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 428.

• (Ma) vince Amore
  amor di padre ogni altro amore.
  • XVIII, 64.
  • Translation: A father’s love all other love outshines.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 438.

• (Che) nodo mai si forte non si stringe
  Che sciolto e rotto a lungo andar non sia.
  • XX, 25.
  • Translation: For never shall so firm a knot be tied
    But at the last shall burst and broken be.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 370.

• Che perduto il buon nome, una fanciulla,
  Per bella ch’ella sia, non val più nulla.
  • XX, 51.
  • Translation: If once a maiden strays from virtue’s path,
    Though she have beauty, yet she nothing hath.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 331.

• Nessuno sa quel sia, che termin abbia
  La divina pietà verso di noi;
  Perchè ella è immensa, e men si può peccare
  Di quelle ch’ella possa perdonare.
  • XX, 107.
  • Translation: None knows how deep, how far beyond all bounds
    The pity that by God on man is showered;
    For ’tis immeasurable, and its power
    To pardon far exceeds our power to sin.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 369.

• (Ma) così sono tutte le ragazze;
  Le più savie al di fuor son le più pazze.
  • XXII, 60.
  • Translation: But this is aye the nature of a maid:
    The wildest is the one that seems most staid.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 283.

• Chi semina del male, e poi si crede
  Raccor del bene, è temerario e stolto.
  • XXVI, 1.
  • Translation: Chi semina del male, e poi si crede Raccor del bene, è temerario e stolto.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 271.

• (Che) la natura umana è fatta in guisa
  Che si mantien di lagrime e di risa.
  • XXVI, 80.
  • Translation: For human nature so is fashioned,
    That upon teais and laughter it is fed.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 345.

• (Che) catena, fratello, di Moglie
  mogliera
  Fa un zucchero sembrare la galera.
  • XXVII, 8.
  • Translation: The chain that binds us when we take a wife,
    Makes e’en the galleys seem a pleasant life.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 259.

• (Che) rinsanisce alcun pazzo talora,
  Ma il cervel de l’amante ognor peggiora.
  • XXVIII, 3.
  • Translation: A madman now and then his wits regains
    But aye from bad to worse go lovers’ brains.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 407.

• Ne le guerre d’Amore
  Amor (proverbio è trito,)
  Vince chi fugge, e non chi si cimenta.
  • XXVIII, 27.
  • Translation: In love’s engagements (sure the proverb’s trite)
    He wins who flies, not he who stays to fight.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 379.

• (Ma) l’animo gentile
  gentil sempre pon mente
  Al buon cuor di chi dà, non al presente.
  • XXX, 107.
  • Translation: The noble soul aye to the gift far less
    Gives heed, than to the giver’s kindliness.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 332.

Rime piacevoli

• La moglie è vita, o coltello e capresto,
  Conforme vuoi.
  • Chapter I.
  • Translation: Your wife is life to you, or rope and knife.
    Just as you will.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 344.

• Ogni stato ha i suoi guai; e chi desia,
  Mutando il suo, trovarne un più giocondo,
  Cadde in una grandissima pazzia.
  • Chapter IV.
  • Translation: Its troubles each condition has, and they
    Who change their own a pleasanter to find.
    Do but the starkest lunacy display.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 386.

• Ciascun si stima di gran senno, e crede
  Dovizia aver di cio ch’ei più mendica;
  E dà del matto e del malenso altrui.
  • Chapter V.
  • Translation: Men count them wondrous wise, and think themselves
    Wealthy in that wherein they are but beggars,
    Calling all others fools and simpletons.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 275.

• L’uomo saggio sopra del suo dosso
  Non deve portar peso che lo sfianchi,
  Onde dica piangendo : io non lo posso.
  • Chapter XI.
  • Translation: Let no man on his back, if he be wise,
    A burden bind that is beyond his strength,
    Whence, weeping, he ’I cannot bear it’ cries.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle’s Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 338.