Excerpta Cypria; Materials for a History of Cyprus (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: W. VON OLDENBURG. DANTE. W. VON BOLDENSELE. 15 DANTE. Dante Alighieri, in a mystical passage of the Paradiso, xix. 145?148, speaking with the mouth of the Roman Eagle (standing here as the symbol of the justice of the Empire) within the outlines of which he sees gathered the souls of those kings of the earth who did justly and loved mercy, seems to say that, in earnest of that day when injustice and vice shall meet their doom, Nicosia and Famagusta already groan with sorrow and growl with anger at the selfish wickedness of Henry II. of Lusignan (1285?1310), a worthy sty-mate of other bestial kings. Here is the text, Gary's translation, and the comment of Benvenuto da Imola. E creder dee ciascun che gi, per arra Di questo, Nicosia e Famagosta Per la lor bestia si lamenti e garra, Che dal flanco dell' altre non si scosta. In earnest of that day, e'en now are heard Waitings and groans in Famagosta's streets And Nicosia's, grudging at their beast, Who keepeth even footing with the rest. "And everyone ought to believe that by this same token, that is by the token of this prophecy or book, that Nicosia and Famagosta, by which he means to be understood the kingdom of Cyprus?for Nicosia is a city in Cyprus: Famagosta another city, greater and richer, to which there is a general concourse of merchants?laments and groans, that is, is in tumult over their beast, that is their king, who lives as a-beast. Wherefore he says which, that is, which king, does not separate itself from the side of the others, that is, does not differ nor depart from the side of the other beasts, that is, of other vicious kings. And truly he does not separate himself and keep himself apart from the bestial living of others, nay rather o'ertops and exceeds with his Cypriot subjects all rulers ...