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Firstpublished:1580 in Il secondo libro de madrigali a 6 voci (Angelo Gardano press, Venice) Description:
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Original text and translations
Italian text
La bella pargoletta,
Che ancor non sente Amore
Nè pur noto ha per fama il suo valore,
Co' begli occhi saetta,
E co'l leggiadro riso,
Nè s'accorge, che l'armi ha nel bel viso.
Qual colpa ha del morire
Della traffitta gente,
Se non sa di ferire?
O bellezza omicida, ed innocente!
Tempo è, c'homai ti mostri
Amor nelle tue piaghe i dolor nostri.
English translation
Translation by Sir John Kingston James
The girl who in her youth's first flower
Has ne'er felt love within her heart,
Nor heard from others of his power,
Still with her lovely eyes will dart,
And all unconscious smile,
Nor knows what arms she has the while.
Say, then, what fault with be found,
If men fall victims to those arms
She never knew would wound?
Oh, innocent and homicidal charms,
Tis tim that you by love were shown
What pain we suffer, in your own.