[Footnote 2: The most celebrated work of this world-famous poet (1265–1321) is the Divina Commedia which is divided into three parts,—Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso. In the first of these, in Canto v, occurs the episode of Paolo and Francesca da Rimini, which is imitated in this poem. See p. 124, note 1.]
[Footnote 3: Comprendes ... en un verso? The meaning of this phrase becomes clear when we compare it with the Italian original.
Quel giorno più non vi leggemmo avante. That day we read in it no farther.
XXX[1]
Asomaba á sus ojos una lágrima
Y á mi labio una frase de perdón;
Habló el orgullo y se enjugó su llanto,
Y la frase en mis labios expiró.
Yo voy por un camino, ella por otro;
Pero al pensar en nuestro mutuo amor,
Yo digo aún: ¿Por qué callé aquel día?
Y ella dirá: ¿por qué no lloré yo?
[Footnote 1: This poem is composed of hendecasyllabic verses of both classes. The even verses are agudos and have the same assonance throughout. Note the esdrújulo ending the lst verse. The thought of the poem is very similar to that of Heine's Wann zwei van einander scheiden:
Often when two are parting,
Each grasps a hand as friend;
And then begins a weeping
And a sighing without end.
We did not sigh when parting;
No tears between us fell;
The weeping and the sighing
Came after our farewell.
Lyrical Intermezzo, No. 55, translated by Chas. G. Leland.]
XXXI[1]
Nuestra pasión fué un trágico sainete
En cuya absurda fábula
Lo cómico y lo grave confundidos
Risas y llanto arrancan.
¡Pero fué lo peor de aquella historia
Que al fin de la jornada,
Á ella tocaron lágrimas y risas,
Y á mí sólo las lágrimas!