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“Introduction to Part II” (in Early Italian Poets)
212-217
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Lanza, ed., Rime. Cecco Angiolieri, 52-53
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Massera, ed., Sonetti Burleschi e Realistici, I. 84
This collection contains 10 texts and images, including:
Early Italian Poets text
Scholarly Commentary
Introduction
Owing to the extreme corruption of DGR's source text in Raccolta di Rime Antiche Toscane (II. 161), DGR's translation varies wildly from the sonnet that Cecco originally wrote. (For a reliable text see Lanza, pages 52-53). The last line's variance from the authoritative text produces a remarkable piece of English poetry, however. DGR's text reads “rubalda” for the received reading “rubaldo” (meaning “impoverished, in rags”). DGR thus decides that the feminine word signals a dialectal form suggesting wantonness—probably because Cecco's treatment of love is regularly coarse and earthy.
For further general information about Cecco and his work see the commentary for “Dante Alighieri, Cecco, your good friend”).
Textual History: Composition
As we may judge from the existence of DGR's manuscript copy of the sonnet by Cecco, this is a late translation, perhaps 1859 or 1860.
Printing History
The translation was first published in 1861 in The Early Italian Poets; it was reprinted in 1874 in Dante and his Circle.