Ecco che già tre volte, Italia mia

Here we are, the third time, my Italy	Ecco che già tre volte, Italia mia
Here we are, the third time, my Italy: he who holds the keys to Heaven's realm sends gladly to great Charles to reason out peace, heal your raw deep aching unscabbed wounds. Having great knowledge, meaning well, he hopes for peace and a return of pleasant days, to end the fear evil chance will again make these wounds bleed profusely as has been common. This is the second vessel Christ has chosen to save his beloved flock perhaps no less strong or wise than the first.* Through you the ancient splendor is renewed and with the light of divine radiance illuminates our world and rectifies wrongs.	Ecco che già tre volte, Italia mia, per sanar le tua piaghe acerbe e gravi quel ch'in governo ha le celesti chiavi lieto con Carlo a ragionar s'invia. Dal gran saper e da la voglia pia spera aver pace, e i giorni tuoi soavi, né temer più che ria fortuna aggravi le belle piagge tue come solia. Questo è 'l vaso secondo eletto a prova da Cristo per salvar l'amato gregge, non men forse del primo e forte e saggio; question l'antica gloria in te rinova, e con la luce del suo santo raggio rischiara il mondo e gli error suoi correge.

Here we are, the third time, my Italy

Here we are, the third time, my Italy:
he who holds the keys to Heaven's realm sends
gladly to great Charles to reason out peace,
heal your raw deep aching unscabbed wounds.

Having great knowledge, meaning well, he hopes
for peace and a return of pleasant days,
to end the fear evil chance will again
make these wounds bleed profusely as has been

common. This is the second vessel Christ
has chosen to save his beloved flock
perhaps no less strong or wise than the first.*

Through you the ancient splendor is renewed
and with the light of divine radiance
illuminates our world and rectifies wrongs.

Ecco che già tre volte, Italia mia,
per sanar le tua piaghe acerbe e gravi
quel ch'in governo ha le celesti chiavi
lieto con Carlo a ragionar s'invia.

Dal gran saper e da la voglia pia
spera aver pace, e i giorni tuoi soavi,
né temer più che ria fortuna aggravi
le belle piagge tue come solia.

Questo è 'l vaso secondo eletto a prova
da Cristo per salvar l'amato gregge,
non men forse del primo e forte e saggio;

question l'antica gloria in te rinova,
e con la luce del suo santo raggio
rischiara il mondo e gli error suoi correge.

Sources:

Rizzardi 9:9; Chiapetti 9:11; 1995 Bullock 61:162-63. Translation Poss. 60. For Key see A Note on the Italian texts

Comments:

To Paul III upon his third meeting with Charles V in an attempt to arrange and keep a peace. See also PBembo's letter to VG in which he has received and comments upon it, June 10, 1543, Chiappetti, XVIII, pp. 337-9. The first line echoes Petrarch's Poem 128 ("Italia mia, ben che 'l parlar sia indarno"). For further contextualization (details) see Chimenti, pp. 63-65.; for variants, further commentary, surrounding circumstances and paraphrase see 1995 Bullock pp. 162-63n.

*Probably a reference to Saint Paul. There may also be a reference to the previous Pope, Clement VII.

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