Il Papa - Introduction

Introduction

Il Papa che i(n)segnia ballar di Balletti a sua scholari
Il Papa who teaches how to dance the Balletti to his students
Considerando io, uirtuossissimi e nobilissimi giouani, con che honore con che pegnio o, co(n) che i(n)dustria io potessi farui conoscere la grande affectione d' lanimo mio uerso di uoi mi e uenuto i(n) animo di farui un bello et honoreuole dono poi che di bellissimi et honoreuolissimi siete degni offerendoui ipassi di balletti i(n)sieme co(n)le parole agiugniendo lordine e uia che d'i(n)segniargli tengo
As I was thinking, most virtuous and noble young people, by means of what honor, what token, or what effort I could make known to you the great affection of my soul for you, it occurred to me to make you a beautiful and honourable gift, since you are worthy of the most beautiful and the most honourable things: to offer you the steps of the balletti, together with the words adding the order and method |I have of teaching them.
Ne ui p(re)se(n)to questo accio da uoi gli possiate i(m)parare ch(e) sarebbe (credete a me) i(m)possibile ma perche ui serua mentre da me gli imparate et anchora se p(er) il no(n) ballare spesso di alcuna cosa ui dime(n)ticassi con u(n) solo squardo in questo mio thesoro di passi subito ui tornera a, memoria ne a me adomandarne ui sara bisognio e cosi ui conseruerete questa nobile e, gentil uirtu
I present to you this [treatise] about these things so that by yourselves you may be able to begin that which would be impossible [without it], believe me, but because this helps you while you begin them with me, and also, if by not dancing often, you should forget something, with a single glance at this, my treasury of steps, suddenly it will return to your memory, nor will it be necessary to you to ask me about them, and thus you will preserve this noble and gentle ability.
Ma p(er)che io e di doctrina e, dingegnio mi sento i(n)feriore acosi grande animo mio et co(n) lento passo lo seguo co(n) leloque(n)tia di dire et eleganza di parlare
But because I, both in teaching and in genius, feel myself inferior to my so great desire, so I follow it with a halting eloquence of saying and elegance of speaking.
no(n) ho nella faculta del mio i(n)gegnio cosa che io possa darui seno(n) una notabile igniorantia et e, dimodo opresso lingegnio mio dallo sdegnio della fortuna mia ch(e) p(er) tal cosa quasi mille uolte so(n) stato tentato tormi da si fatta i(m)presa, pur poi considerando la gentilezza et humanita u(ost)ra ta(n)to ho preso fidanza nelle cortesie u(ost)re che mi sono deliberato seguir limpresa, confidandomi pero che i(n)tutto quello io manchassi quelle scusandomi sempre atutto suplischino
I do not have within my power of invention a single thing that I might give you – unless it be a glaring ignorance. And it is with my invention so oppressed in this way, by the scorn of my ill-fortune, that because of this, almost a thousand times, I have been tempted to turn from the undertaking thus begun; but when I consider your gentility and humanity, I have found such confidence in your courtesies that I decided to carry on, trusting that in everything, that courtesy would plead and excuse me for everything I might lack.
Ne e dubio ueruno no(n) habiate da tener' caro che io ue i(n)segni, e cerchi co(n) lopera mia tenerui amemoria lartificio de balli fuor di modo grato alle fanciulle et, agliama(n)ti,
There is no doubt at all that you will not appreciate what I am teaching you, nor seek to memorize the craft of dance, except inasmuch as it pleases the damsels and the lovers.
ne p(er) picciola cosa li hauete da tenere p(er)ch(e) da de piu saui antichi furano aprezzati
But don’t esteem them too little; they were appreciated by the wisest of the ancients.
Socrate anchegli che fu giudicato delloracolo il piu sauio di tutti glihuomini essendo gia attempato no(n) si uergognio i(m)paragli anzi co(n) grandissime lodi i(n)alzo questo bello artificio numerandolo fra le dicipline [sic] graui et alui parue cosa assai piu graue di quello che ragionare si possa si come quella che era nata tutta diuina i(n)sieme con la generatione del mondo e, uenuta i(n) luce con' amore antichissimo iddio
Socrates, even he who was judged by the Oracle to be the wisest of all men, although he was already old, did not feel ashamed to begin them. Thus with great praises, I elevate this beautiful craft, numbering it among the serious disciplines, this small thing, rather more serious than that which can be reasoned, just as she who was born wholly divine in light at the same time as the world, came in the light with the most ancient god of love.
estata lodata anchora questa arte del ballare da assaissimi greci scrittori et anno detto che iprincipii di queste danze divinamente derivarono dagli andame(n)ti delle stelle e de pianeti dal loro andare et tornare cogniaungime(n)to et ordine quasi da una certa da(n)za armonicha delle cose caelesti i(n)sieme co(n)la generatione del mondo(.)
This art of dance was praised by very many Greek writers, and they said that the principles of these dances derived divinely from the movements of the stars and the planets, from their goings and their returnings, conjunction and order, as if in a certain harmonic dance of the celestial objects, together with the generation of the world.
Alcuni dicano che la fu i(n)ventione de satiri et affermano anchora che lo iddio bacco co(n) questa acte vinse e foschani gli Indi e Hi(n)di popoli bellicosissimi Di q[uei] finalme(n)te questa saltatione fu ridotta i(n) religione e i(n) Delo no(n) compivano sacrificii dove no(n) si ballassi ne mai ui furano celebrate feste ne cerimonie senza la saltatione e cosi ballando la honoravano. Orpheo et Museo ottimi Saltatori la ordinarono agli egitii et per assai- tempo l'honorarono
Some say that it was the invention of satyrs, and also affirm that the god Bacchus came with this art and [touched] the warlike Indian and Hindu peoples with it. From [these] this dancing was at last reduced to a religion, and in Delos, no sacrifices were carried out where there was not dancing, nor were feasts ever celebrated without dancing, and thus they honoured them with dancing. Orpheus and Museus, the best dancers, ordered the Egyptians to do so, and for a long time, they would honor them.
Et Iromani anch'essi havevano isacerdotisalii iquali saltauano i(n) honore di Marte Et ILacedemoni che da Castore et Polluce haveano [sic] iballi i(m)parati erano usati di fare ogni cosa co(n) saltationi
And the Romans also had their priestly dancers, who danced in honor of Mars, and the Lacedemonians, who had learned the dances from Castor and Pollux, were in the habit of doing everything with dancing.
I Greci assaissimi libri scrissono de balli ne quali si conteneuano tutte le sorti le qualita e i numeri di q(ue)gli e registra(S?)cono tutti inomi di quegli e di che modo ciaschuno fussi e dachi ritrouato p(er) laqual cosa no(n) parlero pio oltre di loro accio che no(n) tal hora troppo Pittagorizzando all' ultimo io no(n) mi cangiassi i(n) uno asino philosofa(n)te aguisa di luciano e di Appuleio ben' mi pare a me et forse avoi parra il simile che finque io sia stato simile aquello asino del quale si parla nella sacra istoria d(e)lla biblia che gia hebe spirito di profetia quando usci Balaa(m) huomo sauo e profeta p(er) maledire il popolo d'Israel no(n) uidde langelo d(e)l signiore ma ben lasino uidde et co(n) uoce humana parlo a balaa(m) che lo caualcaua et cosi uerame(n)te e che spessissime uolte un'huomo igniorante uede et parla di quelle cose che no(n) puo uedere ne ma(n)cho parlare un dottore scholasticho corrotto nelle humane scientie siche p(er) questo no(n) piglierese marauiglia ueruna se io i(n) cotal modo u'ho scritto lodandoui l'arte mia
The Greeks wrote very many books of dances, in which were contained all the kinds, qualities and numbers, and all their names were set down and what they were like, and by whom they were discovered. For which reason I will speak no more of them, in order that by Pythagorizing too much at this time, I may not end up changing myself into a philosophizing ass, in the manner of Lucian and Apuleius. It seems good to me, and perhaps it will to you as well, that in order that I might be similar to that ass of which the sacred story in the Bible speaks, that already had the spirit of prophecy, when Balaam, that wise and prophetic man, went out to curse the people of Israel, he did not see the angel of the Lord, but the ass did see him, and with a human voice, he spoke to Balaam, who was riding him, and thus truly, very frequently an ignorant man sees and speaks of things that he cannot see, nor does a scholastic doctor, corrupted by human knowledge, fail to speak, so that you should take it as no miracle if I have written in this way in praise of my art.
Ne p(er) q(uesto) dubito da dimolti no(n) hauer' aessere ripreso p(er)che gia mi lisse un' savio huomo che eccettuate le divine lettere no(n) e cosanel mondo tanto accuratame(n)te scritta che no(n) habbia di mestieri di censura et di lima[??] da savi e dotti huomini
Nor do I doubt that I will have to be corrected by many, although a wise man has already read me, so that you [set aside] the divine letters. There is nothing in this world that is written so accurately that there will be no need for censure and refinements by wise and learned men.
ho anchora se(n)tito dire essere anticha usanza p(er)che dicono che Socrate fu ripreso da Platone, Platone d'Aristotile, Aristotile da Averroe et cosi successivame(n)te Hor' se in questi huomini ta(n)to heroici nelle sperationi loro tocco corretioni iquali furo no lume del mondo no(n) e p(er)certo graui cosa che tocchi il medesimo a me sapendo che no(n) fa' cosa alcuna[.] Di mia uolonta io soppongo la' presente opera al parere et examine de saui et uirtuosi in questa arte glialtri che tali no(n) sono richiaggio a contentarsi d'esser' lettori e no(n) giudici no(n) e patienza che sofferi ne legge ch'io p(er)metti ch(e) quelch(e) un i(n)tendente huomo con tutto il suo studio et acortezza scriue la disprezzi p(er) leggerlo solo una volta un idiota et molte uolte so(n) ripresi gli scrittori no(n) da quei che san' coporre ma da quei che no(n) le sanno pur' i(n)tendere ne anchora p(er) auentura leggerle.
I have also heard it said that it was the ancient practice, because they say that Socrates was revised by Plato, Plato by Aristotle, Aristotle by Averroes, and so on in turn. Now if in such men, so heroic in their aspirations, men who were the light of the world, I find corrections, it is certainly no serious thing if I receive the same, knowing that it means nothing. I readily anticipate that the present work will appear and be examined by those knowedgeable and skilled in this art, and the others who are not so sought after to content themselves with reading and not judging it. It is not patience that I allow it to be read, that I permit that any intelligent man with all his diligence and perspicacity may write its shortcomings, so that an idiot should read it only once. And many times the writers are corrected, not by those who are fit to understand, but by those who are not able to understand, nor perhaps even to read it.
Pigliate uoi adunq(ue) i mia cari scholari queste mie fatiche et se uedro che no(n) meno gratamente le accettiate che da mi ui sono liberamente donate p(er)l'avenire ui prometto dar' cosa che da me no(n) u(er)ra gran maraviglia resterete sodisfatti Et i(n) questo mezzo amatemi a usanza et a[tte]ndete a far' buon tempo al solito[.] Il Papa
So take now, my dear pupils, the fruits of my labors, and it will be seen that you do not accept them less gratefully than they are liberally bestowed on you by me. In the future, I promise you to give something that is really not a great marvel from me, and you will be satisfied. And in the meantime, love me, as is your habit, and attempt to make merry as usual. Il Papa