by Francesco Petrarca (1304 - 1374)
Translation by Leo Lanckoroński (1884 - 1967)

Son animali al mondo de sí altera
Language: Italian (Italiano) 
Son animali al mondo de sí altera
vista che ’ncontra ’l sol pur si difende;
altri, però che ’l gran lume gli offende,
non escon fuor se non verso la sera;

et altri, col desio folle che spera5
gioir forse nel foco, perché splende,
provan l’altra vertú, quella che ’ncende:
lasso, e ’l mio loco è ’n questa ultima schera.

Ch’i’ non son forte ad aspectar la luce
di questa donna, et non so fare schermi10
di luoghi tenebrosi, o d’ ore tarde:

però con gli occhi lagrimosi e ’nfermi
mio destino a vederla mi conduce;
et so ben ch’i’ vo dietro a quel che m’arde.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Francesco Petrarca, Canzoniere, testo critico e introduzione di Gianfranco Contini, annotazioni di Daniele Ponchiroli, Torino : Giulio Einaudi editore, 1964, p.41


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

    [ None yet in the database ]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):


Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2026-03-14
Line count: 14
Word count: 106

Von Licht getroffen ahnt der Falter zwar
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Italian (Italiano) 
Von Licht getroffen ahnt der Falter zwar, 
Daß er nicht taugt, das Feuer zu ertragen;
Doch treibt's ihn in die Flamme. Mit Behagen
Bringt blind dem Zauber er sein Leben dar.

Mein Los, du armer Falter, gleicht dem deinen:
Zu schwach bin ich; es zieht mich mächtig fort.
O, könnt' ich still im Schutz des Dunkels weinen!

About the headline (FAQ)

Excerpts from a translation of Lanckoroński


Text Authorship:

Based on:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

    [ None yet in the database ]


Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2026-03-14
Line count: 7
Word count: 57