Sovente il rendi all' opere noiose
605
Di noi mortali; e il meritato fleto
In liete feste volgi e dilettose;
E in mille forme già quaggiù il mandasti,
Quand' ora d'una ed or d'altra il pregasti.
[11]. vapour, influence; Ital. Vapor (l. 598).
[15]. The readings in this stanza are settled by the Ital. text. Thus, in ll. 17, 19, 20, read him, not hem. Comeveden, didst move or instigate; agreeing with ye, for which Mod. E. uses thou. 'Thou didst first instigate Jove to those glad effects (influences), through which all things live and exist; and didst make him amorous of mortal things; and, at thy pleasure, didst ever give him, in love, success or trouble; and, in a thousand forms, didst send him down to (gain) love on earth; and he caught those whom it pleased you (he should catch).'
In l. 17 we find Comeveden sometimes turned into Comenden, or even Commodious! The Italian text has Movesti (l. 603).
[22]. Venus was supposed to appease the angry planet Mars; see Compl. of Mars, 36-42.