Guelfi, per fare scudo delle reni

Folgore da San Geminiano

General Description

Date: 1316
Rhyme: abbaabbacdcdcd
Meter: hendecasyllabics
Genre: sonnet

Bibliography

“Table of Poets” in Early Italian Poets vol. 1, xxviii.

◦ Contini, Poeti de duecento vol. 1, 403-404.

Scholarly Commentary

Introduction

Giacomo da San Gemiano (called “Folgore”, or “the splendid one”) was a contemporary of Dante. DGR seems to have been somewhat confused on this point since he dates his work “1250” in the “Table of Poets” of The Early Italian Poets) even though it's clear that the date of the events referenced in this sonnet is 1316. Folgore was dead by 1332 and while not much is known of his life, he was active in public affairs. His worldly interests are clearly reflected in his two most famous works, the sonnet sequences for the months and for the days of the week.

DGR's source was Poeti del primo secolo (II. 195). For further commentary see commentary for DGR's translation.

Electronic Archive Edition: 1