The New Life (La vita nuova)

MP3 Audio CD. The New Life (La vita nuova)

In that part of the book of my memory before the which is little that
can be read, there is a rubric, saying, Incipit Vita Nova.[4] Under
such rubric I find written many things; and among them the words which
I purpose to copy into this little book; if not all of them, at the
least their substance.

[4] “Here beginneth the new life.”

Nine times already since my birth had the heaven of light returned to
the selfsame point almost, as concerns its own revolution, when first
the glorious Lady of my mind was made manifest to mine eyes; even she
who was called Beatrice by many who knew not wherefore. She had
already been in this life for so long as that, within her time, the
starry heaven had moved towards the Eastern quarter one of the twelve
parts of a degree; so that she appeared to me at the beginning of her
ninth year almost, and I saw her almost at the end of my ninth year.
Her dress, on that day, was of a most noble colour, a subdued and
goodly crimson, girdled and adorned in such sort as best suited with
her very tender age. At that moment, I say most truly that the spirit
of life, which hath its dwelling in the secretest chamber of the heart,
began to tremble so violently that the least pulses of my body shook
therewith; and in trembling it said these words: Ecce deus fortior
me, qui veniens dominabitur mihi. At that moment the animate
spirit, which dwelleth in the lofty chamber whither all the senses
carry their perceptions, was filled with wonder, and speaking more
especially unto the spirits of the eyes, said these words: Apparuit
jam beatitudo vestra. At that moment the natural spirit, which
dwelleth there where our nourishment is administered, began to weep,
and in weeping said these words: Heu miser! quia frequenter impeditus