Pietro Nelli

Pietro Nelli (29 June 1672 – 1740) was an Italian poet and painter.

Quotes

• Come a comprar in piazza il poponi,
  Ne tagliarete cento e fra cotanti
  A pena due ne treverete bueni,
  Così hoggidì, fra lingue tante e tante
  Che fanno bel veder di fuora via
  Due per cento rispendene al sembiante.
  • Satire, II., IX. — "A Benedetto Barbarigo."
  • Translation: As when you melons in the market buy.
    You’ll cut a hundred, and, amongst the pile,
    ’Tis hard if you two good ones shall espy.
    So, in our day, of all the tongues we deem,
    From outward showing, free from every guile,
    But two per cent, are really what they seem.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 277.

• Di tre cose fa il diavolo insalata,
  Di lingue d’Avvocati, e delle dite
  De’ Notari, la terza è riservata.
  • Satire, I., IX. — "Peccadigli degli Avvocati."
  • Translation: When he mixes a salad, the Devil, I’ve heard.
    Three ingredients uses; first advocates’ tongues.
    Next notaries’ fingers; I’ll not name the third.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 288.

• L’esser d’ un’ avvocato, chi ben pensa,
  E un molino, ove a macinar concorre
  D’ogni sorte di genti copia immensa.
  • Satire, I., IX. — "Peccadigli degli Avvocati."
  • Translation: A lawyer’s office is, I’m sure you’ll find,
    Just like a mill, whereto for grinding come
    A crowd of folk of every sort and kind.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 334.

• Un litigante è di vincer si ingordo,
  Che non dà a se, o altrui pace o riposo,
  Ma ad ogni altro piacer è cieco e sordo.
  • Satire, II., IX. — "Peccadigli degli Avvocati."
  • Translation: A litigant to winning so devotes his energies
    That he never gives his neighbours or himself a moment’s rest,
    But for every other pleasure he has neither ears nor eyes.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 432.

• Usanza sola è quella
  Che infinite pazzie copre e difende.
  • Satire, I., V. — "A Sansedonio."
  • Translation: Custom ’tis alone
    That countless follies covers and defends.
  • Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 435.