Passione 1501

LA PASSIONE DI CHRISTO
HISTORIATA IN RIMA VULGARI
SECONDO CHE RECITA E REPRESENTA DE PAROLA A PAROLA
LA DIGNISSIMA COMPAGNIA DELO CONFALONE DI ROMA
LO VENERDÌ SANTO
IN LUOCHO DICTO COLISEO
COMPOSTA PER PIÙ PERSONE:
PER MISSER IULIANO DATI FLORENTINO
E PER MISSER BERNARDO DI MAESTRO ANTONIO ROMANO
E PER MISSER MARIANO PARTICHAPPA
THE PASSION OF CHRIST
TOLD IN VERNACULAR RHYME
AS IT IS RECITED AND REPRESENTED WORD BY WORD BY
THE MOST WORTHY COMPANY OF THE GONFALONE OF ROME
ON GOOD FRIDAY
IN THE PLACE CALLED THE COLOSSEUM
COMPOSED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE:
MISSER IULIANO DATI FROM FLORENCE
BERNARDO, SON OF MASTER ANTONIO, OF ROME
AND MISSER
MARIANO PARTICAPPA
Edited and translated by Nerida Newbigin
Supplement to the forthcoming study
Barbara Wisch and Nerida Newbigin, Acting on Faith: The Confraternity of the Gonfalone in
Renaissance Rome. Philadelphia: Saint Joseph’s University Press, 2009
Passion ❧ 2
Notes to this edition and translation
The text transcribed and translated here comes from the earliest known edition of the Gonfalone Passion, held in
the Staats- und Stadtbibliothek, Augsburg, and described in Cioni’s Bibliografia.1 This and another edition, in
the Huntingdon Library, San Marino, CA (Cioni XXXVIII.2, which lacks its first folio), were both printed in
Rome by the German printers Andreas Fritag and Johann Besicken in about 1496. Neither copy appears to derive
from the other; it may be necessary to assume a common antecedent, now lost.
The composition of the text is probably associated with the play’s move from the forecourt of the Basilica of
Santa Croce in Gerusalemme to the Colosseum in Easter 1490. The earliest record of a performance at Santa
Croce is c. 1450, but the present text appears to have been almost completely rewritten by the Florentine priest
and and accomplished vernacular poet, Giuliano Dati. Dati was a chaplain of the confraternity and a tenant in
one of its houses, and at the same time a penitentiary at San Giovanni in Laterano. He is the author of a
substantial corpus of cantari.
The four choruses, enclosed in braces but numbered continuously, appear first in the 1501 edition printed in
Rome by Johann Besicken and his new partner Martino da Amsterdam (Cioni XXXVIII.3). It seems plausible that
these choruses were part of a revised text performed with the Stoning and Resurrection plays for the Jubilee of
1500. The chorus immediately become a permanent part of the Gonfalone plays. The play and its authorship,
together with the extensive documentation of performances, are discussed more fully in Chapters 10–12 of
Acting on Faith.
In the transcription, capital letters and punctuation have been introduced, and all contractions have been
expanded. Spelling has not been normalized, but minor interventions have been made to restore the
hendecasyllable. There is a tendency in all popular texts of this period to use a forma plena, that is, to write
signore where the meter requires signor. Often, however, the compositor chooses the wrong vowel, and as a
result introduces a different tense or mood, number or gender to the discourse. The sense however is easily
restored when the meter is restored. A small number of emendations have been necessary.
Notes on the woodcuts
The woodcuts are produced from the Augsburg edition of about 1496, with the generous permission of the
library. The same woodblocks are used in many of the later editions, published by Besicken with Martino da
Amsterdam and later by Silber in an increasingly poor state. Some of these images have been poorly inked, and
paper shrinkage means that many of them are no longer square.
I do not know where the woodblocks originated, but I suspect that they were not made for the Passion. The
woodcut at the beginning of the two Fritag and Besicken editions, of Mary Magdalene washing the feet of Christ
at the house of Simon the Leper, refers to a scene not in the play, even though it is mentioned in prologue.
Translation © Nerida Newbigin 2009. Images © the Staats- und Stadtbibliothek, Augsburg.
The editor welcomes any comments, corrections or suggestions: mailto:[email protected].
1
Alfred Cioni, Bibliografia delle sacre rappresentazioni (Florence: Sansoni Antiquariato, 1961), p. 156 (XXXVIII.1). The anomalous use of
the feminine article with Gonfalone in the title is not found after the 1501 edition.
Passion ❧ 3
INCOMENZA LA PASSIONE DI CHRISTO HISTORIATA IN
A1r
THE PASSION OF CHRIST TOLD IN VERNACULAR RHYME,
RIMA VULGARI SECONDO CHE RECITA E REPRESENTA
DE PAROLA A PAROLA LA DIGNISSIMA COMPAGNIA
DEL CONFALONE DI ROMA LO VENERDÌ SANTO IN
LUOCHO DICTO COLISEO.
AS IT IS RECITED AND REPRESENTED WORD BY WORD BY
THE MOST WORTHY COMPANY OF THE GONFALONE OF
ROME ON GOOD FRIDAY IN THE PLACE CALLED THE
COLOSSEUM.
Dice L’ANGELO:
THE ANGEL says:
FRONTISPIECE WOODCUT 1: ANNUNCIATING ANGEL
INCOMINCIA LA RAPRESENTATIONE DELLA PASSIONE
DE IESÙ CHRISTO REPRESENTATA IN ROMA INEL
LUOGO DICTO COLISEO PER LI O FFICIALI E FRATELLI
DELLA VENERANDA COMPAGNIA DEL CONFALONE
Quel glorioso Idio che ’l tutto regie,
salv’e mantenga el popul adunato
nella suo gloriosa e santa legie
e poi conduca al suo regnio beato.
Però, popul devoto e magnia gregie,
di far silentio ciascun sie pregato.
Se state atenti qui con devotione,
vedrete recitar la Passïone.
A1v
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE REPRESENTATION OF
THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST REPRESENTED IN ROME
IN THE PLACE CALLED THE COLOSSEUM BY THE
OFFICIALS AND BROTHERS OF THE VENERABLE
COMPANY OF THE GONFALONE
8
May that glorious God who rules all things
save and preserve the people gathered
under his glorious and holy law
and then lead them to his blessed kingdom.
Therefore, devout people and great flock,
let each of you please be quiet now.
If you stay attentive here and with devotion,
you will see the Passion recited.
Passion ❧ 4
Qui si recita l’aspro tradimento
fatto da Iuda al nostro Salvatore,
mediante la invidia dell’unguento
che unse Magdalena el suo Signore,
quando sotto la mensa el gran lamento
e le lacryme sparse con dolore,
in chasa di Simone alla gran cena
dove purgata fu la Magdalena.
Vidrete chome Giuda poi si pente
d’essere stato discipul di Christo,
e chome lo vendette poi so‹l›vente
per far di que’ danari el falso aquisto,
come l’abracia e bacia infra la gente,
d’invidia e d’avaritia pieno e misto.
Chome Iesù fu preso voi vedrete,
se con silentio in pace qui starete.
E poi vedrete chome fu mandato
legato streto el nostro Redentore,
al falso Herode dal crudel Pilato,
e chome fu battuto con dolore,
nudo alla colonna flagellato,
coronato di spine el tuo Signore.
Se tu non piangi quando questo vedi,
non so s’a Iesu Christo fermo credi.
Po’ lo vedrete alla croce menare,
nudo dispolïato infra latroni,
e sopra quella in terra chonfichare,
poi elevato sù, se cura poni,
di fel misto d’aceto abeverare
e le parole sua e sua sermoni
e magni segni, e lui di po’ spirato,
e chon la lancia aperto el suo costato.
Sì che, divoti mei fedel christiani,
quando ’l vedrete poi levar di croce,
ciascun divotamente alzi le mani,
rendendo gratie a Dio con la sua voce,
pregandol che vi facci allegri e sani
rimovendo da voi quel che vi nuoce.
Per l’amor di Iesù siate pregati
di far silentio e viver chostumati.
16
Here we recite the cruel act of betrayal
committed by Judas towards our Savior,
because he was jealous of the ointment
with which Magdalene anointed her lord,
when beneath the table she lamented long
and shed tears of sorrow
in the house of Simeon at the great supper
where the Magdalene was purged.
24
You will see how Judas then regrets
having been a disciple of Christ,
and how he sold him then for money,
to use that money for a wrongful purchase,
how he embraces and kisses him in the crowd,
full of a mixture of envy and greed.
You will see how Jesus was taken,
if you stay here in silence and peace.
32
And then you will see how our Redeemer
was tightly bound and sent
to false Herod by cruel Pilate,
and how he was painfully beaten,
scourged naked at the column,
crowned with thorns, your own Lord.
If you do not weep when you see this,
I do not know if you truly believe in Jesus Christ.
40
Then you will see him led to the cross,
stripped naked between thieves,
and nailed upon it on the ground,
then lifted up, if you pay attention,
given gall mixed with vinegar to drink,
and his words and his speeches
and great miracles, and you’ll see him then expire,
and his side opened with the lance.
48
So, my devout and faithful Christians,
when you see him lifted down from the cross,
let each of you raise his hands devoutly
giving thanks to God aloud,
asking him to give you happiness and health,
freeing you from all harm.
For the love of Jesus you are asked
to be silent now and live an orderly life.
Sequita la rapresentatione della Passione de Iesu
Christo.
The Representation of the Passion of Jesus Christ
continues:
{EL PRIMO CHORO:
Delli occulti e gran secreti
de natura se disputa.
Per el volgier de’ pianeti
ogni cosa se remuta;
solo Idio non se muta.
Però lassa ogni altra cosa,
solo in lui te riposa,
creator dell’oniverso.
THE FIRST CHORUS:
There is debate about
the great hidden secrets of nature.
By the movements of the planets
all things are changed;
only God is not changed.
Therefore turn from every other thing
and take your rest in him alone,
creator of the Universe.
56
Passion ❧ 5
EL SECUNDO CHORO:
Questa vita è mar traverso
tempestoso e pien d’affanno.
Felice è chi trova el verso
de salvarse senza danno.
Solo quelli in porto vanno
c’hanno l’ochio a Dio eterno,
bona via e bon governo
per condursi ad salvamento.}
64
THE SECOND CHORUS:
This life is a rough sea,
storm-tossed and full of woe.
Happy is he who finds the way
to save himself without coming to harm.
Only those who fix their eyes on eternal God,
on the true path and on good government
that leads them to salvation,
reach port safely.
A2r WOODCUT 2: MARY MAGDALENE WASHING THE FEET OF JESUS
IUDA dice alli Farisei:
Discipulo son stato di Iesù;
più tempo l’ò seguito ed òmel perso.
Deliberato son nol seguir più
e lla mia vita farla in altro verso.
JUDAS says to the Pharisees:
I was a disciple of Jesus; for a long time
I followed him, and that time I wasted.
I’ve decided not to follow him any more
and to turn my life in a different direction.
Voltasi alli Farisei:
O farisei, che aspectate? Orsù!
Vego che ’l vostro stato è già sommerso.
Fate morir costui che in tre giorni
vol che ’l tempio disfacto in piè ritorni.
He turns to the Pharisees:
O Pharisees, what are you waiting for? Come on!
I can see that your power is failing.
Put to death him who claims that the temple,
once destroyed, will be rebuilt in three days.
72
LI FARISEI a Iuda:
È questo forse el figl‹i›uol di Maria
qual si dice esser nato in Nazarethe,
e seminando va tanta heresia
con mille suo trovati e novellette?
THE PHARISEES to Judas:
Is this perhaps the son of Mary,
who they say was born in Nazareth,
and who goes around sowing such heresy
with a thousand tricks and tales?
IUDA alli Farisei:
Non dite poi, voi siate per la via.
Quest’è quel desso, e voi l’avete detto.
Judas to the Pharisees:
Say no more, for you are in a public place.
This is that man, and you have said it.
LI FARISEI a Iuda:
Se tu cel dai in mano a salvamento,
ci sara’ grato e tocchera’ne argento.
80
THE PHARISEES to Judas:
If you deliver him to us safely,
you will please us, and be paid for it in silver.
84
THE PHARISEES to Judas:
Come with us, let us walk a little,
and explain this plot to us in detail.
If you do it well, he will be despatched,
for the people long to have him killed.
LI FARISEI a Iuda:
Vienne con noi, andiamo un poc’a spasso,
e fa’ ch’intenda a punto questa trama.
Se sapra’ dir, lu’ fia di vita casso
ché di farlo morire el popol brama.
Passion ❧ 6
LI FARISEI a Caifas:
Salviti Idio, magno Caifasso.
Ogi s’aquisterà per te gran fama.
Costui ci accusa Christo e cel tradiscie,
se giusto prezo a lui se gli oferiscie.
88
THE PHARISEES to Caiaphas:
God save you, great Caiaphas.
Today you will attain great fame.
This fellow accuses Christ before us and will betray
him to us if he is offered a fair price.
CAIFAS responde:
Iusto mi par che lo meniate ad Anna
che sapete ch’è ’l primo del Consiglio,
e ditte, Caifas ad te lo manna,
costui che del tuo Dio si fa suo Filio.
CAIAPHAS replies:
I think the right thing is for you to take him to Annas,
who as you know is the head of the Council,
and say: Caiaphas sends to you
him who calls himself the Son of your God.
LI FARISEI ad Anna:
Salviti quel che dé lla santa manna,
o inclyto signore e degnio liglio.
Costui ci darà Christo alle giustitia
aciò che sia purgata sua malitia.
96
THE PHARISEES to Annas:
May he who sent the holy manna save you,
o illustrious lord and worthy lily.
This fellow will consign Christ to our court
in order that his wickedness be purged.
102
ANNAS replies:
I think that everybody should get ready,
quietly, the whole troop.
You, Pharisee, will do the job cleanly
so that people are not deceived.
Judas must be very well paid
and the Great Council summoned quickly.
ANNA risponde:
A me mi par che ’n punto ogniun si metta,
tacitamente, tutta la brigata.
Tu, Fariseo, farai la cosa netta
che non restassi la gente ingannata.
Iuda si debba molto ben pagare
e presto el Gran Consilio radunare.
LO FARISEO a Iuda:
Iuda, vuo’ tu ch’i’ armi in un momento
la gente per pigliare el nazareno?
THE PHARISEE to Judas:
Judas, do you want me to arm everyone
at once to capture the Nazarene?
IUDA risponde:
Armala pur, ma fa’ che ’l mio argento
che m’à’ promesso non mi venga meno.
Sapi che ’l corpo mio ha gran tormento,
cognoscendo di voi tutto el veneno.
Andiano ad Anna e datemi e denari
che tal guadagno se ne trova rari.
A2v
110
JUDAS replies:
Arm them as you wish, but make sure my silver
that you promised me does not fall short.
I tell you, my body is in great torment
knowing the poison that is in you.
Let us go to Annas and give me the money,
for it is rare to find such profit as this.
116
THE PHARISEE mimes a secret conversation with
Annas, and ‹then› as he counts the money out to Judas
‹he says›:
Take the money: one and two and three
and four and five and six and seven and eight
and nine and ten. Now give us the false King,
and ten makes twenty, and thirty: there’s the fee.
If you are happy now with this price,
put the betrayal into action.
EL FARISEO mostra parlare in secreto ad Anna, e
come conta a Iuda e denari:
Piglia danari: e uno e dua e tre
e quatro e cinque e sei e setto e otto
e nove e dieci, or dacci el falso Re,
e dieci a venti e trenta: echo lo schotto.
Si se’ de questo prezo ormai contento,
metti in essecutione el tradimento.
Havuti li denari, IUDA dice alli Farisei:
Once he has the money, JUDAS says to the Pharisees:
Passion ❧ 7
WOODCUT 3: JUDAS BEING PAID BY FIVE HATTED PHARISEES
Venite meco, orsù me seguitate,
po’ che bisogna ancor ch’i’ non m’asconda;
e siate da poi presti, e quel pigliate,
ch’i’ vo’ la cosa al tutto vadi a tonda;
e alle suo parole non guardate
perché la voce sua molto par monda.
Colui ch’i’ baserò nella suo faccia,
presto prendite stretto nelle braccia.
LO FARISEO solo dice alla turba:
Orsù, frategli, ogniun di voi stia attento
che questo falso Re non vi scampassi.
Ciascun di voi attend’al tradimento
perché cholui che ’l piglia non errassi,
e ciasc‹h›edun di voi sie bon compagno,
però che tal pigliar vien con guadagno.
Viene dalla cena CHRISTO e va all’orto dicendo a’
Discipoli:
124
Come with me, follow me now,
for I must not hide myself any more;
and be quick then and seize him,
because I want the whole thing to go smoothly;
and pay no heed to his words
for he is a very smooth talker.
The man that I shall kiss on the face,
seize him tightly in your arms.
130
THE PHARISEE by himself says to the crowd:
Come now, brothers, each of you pay attention,
lest this false king escape you.
Each of you keep your eyes on this act of betrayal
so that he who captures him makes no mistake,
and each of you be a good fellow
because a capture like this comes with a reward.
CHRIST comes from the Last Supper and goes to the
Garden saying to the Disciples:
WOODCUT 4: CHRIST AND NINE DISCIPLES
Per observar, figlioli, el nostro usato,
i’ vo’ che noi faciam nostre oratione
In accordance, my sons, with our custom,
I want us to say our prayers,
Passion ❧ 8
prima ch’i’ sia a morte condemnato,
ch’io vogli’al padre dir la mia intentione
e voi, figl‹i›uoli miei, qui resterete
e di fare oration pronti sarete.
CHRISTO dice alli Discipoli:
Pietro e Giovanni e Iacomo verete
apresso a me per farmi compagnia.
CHRISTO camina presso al Monte dicendo:
E quel ch’i’ dico, figli, ascolterete:
sin alla morte è trista l’alma mia
e qui orando insieme voi restate,
acciò ch’en tentation voi non entrate.
CHRISTO inel Monte dice:
O padre mio, benigno omnipotente,
che ’l mondo di nïente tu fondasti,
perché salvassi poi l’umana gente
in terra me, tuo figlio, tu mandasti.
Fa’ sse possibil è, padre mio charo,
che ’l calice non gusti tanto amaro.
136
A3r
before I am condemned to death,
for I want to declare my intention to my Father,
and you, my sons, will stay here
and be diligent in saying your prayers.
CHRIST says to the Disciples:
Peter and John and James, you will come
with me to keep me company.
142
CHRIST walks beside the Mount saying:
And you will listen, my sons, to what I say:
My soul is sorrowful unto death,
and you are to remain here praying together,
so that you do not enter into temptation.
148
CHRIST on the Mount says:
Almighty, merciful father,
who forged the world from nothing,
in order then to save mankind
you sent me, your son, to earth.
If it is possible, dear father, do not
make me taste the cup that is so bitter.
CHRISTO torna alli Discipoli che dormano e dice:
CHRIST returns to the Disciples who are asleep and he
says:
WOODCUT 5: CHRIST PRAYING AND CHRIST RETURNING;
THE WAVY PROFILE OF THE MOUNT DIVIDES THE TWO TEMPI
Son queste, Pietro, le promissione?
Non puo’ cho· mecho un’ora vigilare?
Vigilate, figl‹i›uoli in oratione,
che non usiate in tentatione entrare,
perché s’apressa l’ora di mie morte,
e Giuda ingrato viene, aldacie e forte.
CHRISTO la terza volta ora nel Monte e dice:
Per ben che lla mie carne assai si doglia,
fa’, padre, ciò ch’a tte è in pacimento,
e non guardare a mia humana voglia
la qual vore’ fugir questo tormento,
e llo spirito è pronto a ubidire,
la carne teme forte di morire.
154
Peter, are these the promises you made?
Can’t you keep watch with me for an hour?
Keep watch, my sons, and pray,
lest you fall into the habit of temptation,
for the hour of my death is approaching,
and ungrateful Judas is coming, bold and strong.
160
CHRIST prays for the third time on the Mount and says:
Although my flesh is greatly pained,
do, Father, whatever is your will,
and pay no heed to my human will
which would like to escape this torment.
My spirit is willing to obey,
my flesh is greatly afraid of dying.
Passion ❧ 9
L’ANGELO appare col calice e dice:
Figl‹i›uol di Dio, o sommo creatore,
o Dio e homo qui visibilmente,
el padre eterno vuol questo dolore:
fa’ che tu llo soporti patiente.
E’ no·llo fa se non per grande amore
che porta alla creata humana gente.
Confòrtati, Signore, a ssoferire,
po’ che ’l tuo padre vuole el tuo morire.
IUDA colle turba vien dicendo:
Ciaschedun guardi ben nostro disegno
ch’altri che lui nel petto non si offenda.
Vogliovi dar di lui un vero segno:
collui ch’abraccio e baso, i· quel si prenda.
E’ v’è un altro el qual sì lo somiglia
che questo scamperia se quel se piglia.
CHRISTO dapoi la terza oratione torna alli Discipoli
e dice:
Figli, levate sù, che giunte è ll’ora
che dell’uomo el figliu‹o›lo de’ patire.
In man de’ peccator, vi dico anchora,
non pel suo meritar si de’ tradire.
Levate sù che lla turba s’apressa,
e Iuda traditore vien con essa.
168
THE ANGEL appears with the cup and says:
Son of God, o highest creator,
O God and man, visibly present,
the eternal father wants this pain:
make sure you bear it patiently.
He only does it for the great love
he bears towards his creature, human kind.
Steel your self, Lord, to suffer
since your father desires your death.
174
JUDAS comes with the crowd saying:
Let each of you revise our plan
so that no offence be given to any but him.
I will give you a true sign for him:
the man I embrace and kiss, seize him.
And there’s another who resembles him so greatly
that our man will escape if you seize the other.
180
After the third prayer, CHRIST returns to the Disciples
and says:
Arise, my sons, for the time has come
that the Son of Man must suffer.
Furthermore, I say to you, into the hands of sinners
he is to be betrayed for no sin of his.
Arise, for the crowd approaches,
and the traitor Judas comes with them.
JUDA venendo s’abraccia Christo e dice:
JUDAS, coming up embraces Christ and says:
A3v 6: THE A RREST. SURROUNDED BY JEWS AND GUARDS,
CHRIST REATTACHES THE KNEELING MALCHUS’S EAR,
WHILE PETER HOLDS HIS SWORD
Maestro mio benignio, i’ ti saluto.
Tal pace dono a tte qual m’insegnasti.
Kind master, I greet you. I give you
the very sign of peace that you taught me.
CHRISTO risponde:
Amico mio, a che sse’ tu venuto?
La tua dannatïon non riguardasti?
Iuda, el Figl‹i›uol di Dio è ttu’ fattore:
perché chol baso tradi el tuo Signore?
CHRIST replies:
My friend, what have you come for?
Did you not see your damnation?
Judas, the Son of God is your maker:
why do you betray your lord with a kiss?
186
Passion ❧ 10
CHRISTO adimanda alla turba e dice:
Ditem’, amici, a che ssete venuti
in questo luoco armati e sì forti,
e che cercate, che Dio vi saluti?
E’ par che per gran rabbia siate smorti.
CHRIST asks the crowd and says:
Tell me, friends, why you have come
to this place armed and in such strength,
and what do you seek, in God’s love?
You seem so consumed with rage.
LI FARISEI rispondano:
Cercando andiàm di Giesù nazareno,
che di malitia e fraude è colmo e pieno.
THE PHARISEES reply:
We are searching for Jesus of Nazareth
who is full to overflowing with fraud and malice.
192
CHRISTO risponde a’ Farisei; in questo cascono in
terra:
Quel che cercate inanzi agli ochi avite.
Iesù di Nazarette, i’ son quel desso.
CHRIST replies to the Pharisees, and as he speaks they
fall to the ground:
He whom you seek you have before your eyes.
Jesus of Nazareth, I am he.
CHRISTO un’altra volta adimanda:
Ditemi, amici, a che far qui venite,
e che cerchate sì ferventi e spesso?
CHRIST asks again:
Tell me, my friends, what you are coming to do here
and what you are looking for so fervently and
intensely?
Rispondono LI FARISEI:
Quel che Iesù per nome ciascun chiama,
che di guastar la nostra leggie brama.
198
THE PHARISEES reply:
The man whom everyone calls Jesus,
who wants to destroy our law.
204
CHRIST replies:
I told you already that I am indeed he:
here I am before you if you seek me.
And if you are so keen to get me,
at least leave my disciples
and do with me what you wish
because for now it is within your power.
210
The Pharisees seize Christ and Peter severs Malchus’s
ear, and CHRIST says to Peter:
Peter, listen a moment to what I tell you
and do not break the law.
Put your knife back in its place
for he who offends with it must die.
The man who thus offends his neighbor
is seized and condemned completely by the law.
216
CHRIST turns to the crowd and says:
You have come to me full of rage,
as to a thief, with arms and lanterns.
I have always taught you lovingly,
just as everyone can tell from my speech,
and you never behaved like this to me.
Why has your heavenly father allowed you this?
CHRISTO risponde:
Dissivi già che pur desso son’io:
echomi inanzi a voi si me cerchate.
E sse d’averm’avete gran disio,
almeno e mie discipoli lassate
e di me fate quel che voi volete,
ché per adesso potestà n’avete.
Li Farisei piglian Christo e Pietro taglia l’orechio a
Malcho e CHRISTO dicie a Pietro:
Pietro, quel ch’io ti dico ascolta un poco
e non voler le leggie trasferire.
Converti el tuo choltello inel suo loco
ché chi di quello offende de’ perire.
Quel ch’en tal forma el suo prossimo offende
la legie lo chondanna in tutto e prende.
Voltasi CHRISTO alla turba e dice:
A me com’a un ladro con furore
sete venuti con arme e lanterne.
I’ v’ò segnato sempre con amore,
sì come el mio parlare ognun discerne,
e mai non mi facesti come adesso.
Perché dal sommo padre v’è concesso?
LI FARISEI dicono, menando Christo ad Anna:
Havemo preso, o Anna, el seduttore
che lla presente nocte habbian trovato.
THE PHARISEES say as they lead Christ to Annas:
Annas, we have seized the traitor
that we found this very night.
Passion ❧ 11
A4r WOODCUT 7: CHRIST, LED BOUND BEFORE ANNAS; REPEATED BELOW AS WOODCUT 11
ANNA parla a Christo:
Rispondi un pocho a me, predicatore
con qual doctrine al popol à’ ’nsegnato,
della tuo vita e tuo scientia degna?
Ancor li tuo discipoli m’insegna.
CHRISTO responde ad Anna:
I’ predicai palese sempre al mondo;
la mie doctrina a tutti è manifesta.
Publicamente insegno e non m’ascondo:
perché mi fai tu, Anna, tal richesta?
Domandane cholor chom’ànno udito:
essi ti sapran dir s’i’ t’ò fallito.
222
ANNAS speaks to Christ:
Answer me something, preacher:
with what doctrine, worthy of your life
and of your science, have you taught the people?
And moreover, tell me who your disciples are.
228
CHRIST replies to Annas:
I always preached openly in the world;
my doctrine is clear for all to see.
I teach publicly and do not hide myself:
why, Annas, do you ask me such a thing?
Ask them what they heard:
they will be able to tell you if I have done wrong.
EL SERVO parla a Christo e dàlli una ghuanciata:
Questa risposta al pontifice à’ dato,
huomo senza ragione e intellecto!
THE SERVANT speaks to Christ and slaps him:
So this is the answer you give the high priest,
you stupid, ignorant man.
‹CHRISTO risponde:›
Se delle cose dette ò mal parlato,
pigliane testimonio a tuo dilecto,
ma sse questo parlare è con ragione,
perché mi date tal percossione?
CHRIST replies:
If I have spoken amiss of things said,
find a witness as you wish,
but if I speak with reason,
why do you strike me in this way?
234
WOODCUT 8: IN LEFT TWO-THIRDS, PORTICO SCENE WITH JEWS,
PETER AND A WOMAN AROUND A FIRE; IN RIGHT ONE-THIRD,
Passion ❧ 12
THE W OMAN , P ETER AND THE COCK ON THE MOUNT
Venendo L’ANCILLA, dicie a Pietro:
Audacie vechio, che va’ tu facendo?
Se’ ttu delli seguaci di questo huomo?
Dimmi a verità. Se altro intendo,
farò che saperai el che e ’l chomo.
Tu tti va’ per le corte proferendo
com’un fior vago e delicato pomo.
Dimmi chi sse’, or va’ nella malora.
Or te ne spaccia sanza più dimora.
242
THE MAIDSERVANT comes and says to Peter:
Bold old man, what are you doing?
Are you one of this man’s followers?
Tell me truly. If I hear aught else
I’ll make you know the whys and the wherefores.
You go around the courts hawking yourself
like some fair flower or delicate fruit.
Tell me who you are, or go to hell.
Now get a move on right this minute.
Risponde PIETRO all’Ancilla:
Povero son, giudeo, che vo pel mondo
cercando mia ventura e non ci aspetto.
PETER replies to the Woman:
I am a poor man, a Jew, traveling the world
seeking my fortune and not hoping to find it.
L’ANCILLA a Pietro:
E’ mi par ben che ’l capo giri a ttondo
‹e› t’abbi perso in tutto lo ’ntellecto.
Vechio, farotti metter giù nel fondo,
se tu non mel dirai sanza rispecto.
THE MAIDSERVANT to Peter:
It seems to me that your head is spinning
and you’ve lost your wits altogether.
Old man, I’ll have you thrown into the pit
if you don’t tell me at once.
PIETRO all’Ancilla:
Donna, non so di qual gente si sia
questo Iesù né lla sua compagnia.
A4v
250
LI FARISEI, menando Christo a Caifasso, dichano:
PETER to the Woman:
I do not know who this Jesus is
or who his associates are.
THE PHARISEES say as they lead Christ to Caiaphas:
WOODCUT 9: CHRIST AGAIN BEFORE CAIAPHAS; REPEATED BELOW AS WOODCUTS 13 AND 16
Principe della nostra legie anticha,
pres’è costui che ’l popul subvertia,
el qual à detto con suo bocha iniqua
che ’l nostro tempio ancor disfar volia
e in tre giorni quil redificare.
Vedi di questo detto che tti pare.
256
O Prince of our ancient law, the man
who was subverting our people has been captured.
He said with his own wicked mouth
that he wanted to destroy our temple
and in three days built it up again.
See what you will in these words.
Christo sta in silentio e CAIFASSO dice:
Tu non rispondi a ciò, Christo, niente,
che par ch’abi perduto el tuo ardire.
Christ remains silent and CAIAPHAS says:
You, Christ, have nothing to say to that,
and it seems you have lost your brazenness.
Christo non rispondendo, CAIFASSO sequita:
Si se’ figl‹i›uol di Dio incontenente,
When Christ does not reply, CAIAPHAS continues:
If you are the son of boundless god,
Passion ❧ 13
sì come dice, facel chiaro udire.
as you say, let us hear it clearly.
CHRISTO risponde:
Ch’io desso sia el vostro udir lo sente,
ma resta un’altra cosa a referire,
che lo Figliol de l’Omo andar vedrete
nelle nubil en cielo e nol credete.
CHRIST replies:
That I am he your ears can hear clearly,
but something else remains to be reported,
that you will see the Son of Man enter
heaven in a cloud and you will not believe it.
264
CHAIFAS in superbia si riza im piè e dice alle turbe:
CAIAPHAS stands up arrogantly and says to the crowd:
This man has blasphemed openly
and no witnesses are required for that.
Everyone has heard his blasphemy,
so let each man say what he thinks.
Chostui apertamente à biastimato
che testimoni a ciò non fà mestieri.
La sua bestemia ciascun à scoltato,
sì che ciascun risponda el suo pensieri.
MOLTI FARISEI rispondano:
Costui è degnio di ricever morte
per lo peccato suo sì grave e forte.
270
CAIFAS dice alli Iudei:
MANY PHARISEES reply:
He deserves to be put to death
for his crime, so grave and great.
CAIAPHAS says to the Jews:
WOODCUT 10: CAIAPHAS AND THE SANHEDRIN
Perché a noi fu sempre prohibito
di dar la morte a chiunque sta ’n prigione,
parmi per certo ch’è meglior partito
che di ciò facci el iudicie mentione.
Pigliatel e menatel a Pilato
sì che fie giustamente condemnato.
Menando Christo a Pilato, e Pietro sequitando da
lunga, UN’ALTRA ANCILLA dice:
Costu’ mi par che sia del gran profeta
sequacie e ssettator, per la mia fede,
se llo guardate in faccia, e non lo vieta.
E’ va da llunga e con gran doglia el vede.
Di darti oggi ’l mal dì certo son lieta,
se non confessi quel ch’ognun s’avede:
tu se’ amico, vechio, a questo Christo,
per farti in questo modo afflicto e tristo.
PIETRO risponde all’Ancilla:
I’ ti giuro per Dio che mai l’ho visto,
né voglio esser né son di suo aquisto.
276
A5r
Because we were always prohibited
from putting to death anyone who is in prison,
it seems indeed that a better course of action
is for a judge to do it.
Seize him and send him to Pilate
so that he may be condemned according to the law.
284
As Christ is taken to Pilate, with Peter following far
behind, ANOTHER MAIDSERVANT says:
That man looks to me like a follower of the great
prophet and a member of his sect, upon my faith,
if you look him in the face, and he does not stop you.
He follows far behind, watching him in great sorrow.
I’m happy to curse you today
if you do not admit what everyone can see:
you are a friend, old man, of this Christ,
if you are so sad and afflicted in this way.
286
PETER replies to the Woman:
I swear to you by God that I’ve never seen him,
nor do I want to be nor am I on his side.
Passion ❧ 14
UN SERVO dicie a Pietro dinanzi a Pilato:
Parmi che di chostor sie certamente
e ’l tuo parlar ti manifesta assai.
A SERVANT says to Peter in front of Pilate:
I think you are one of them for sure,
and the way you speak distinguishes you.
PIETRO risponde e nega con iuramento:
Amico, per lo Dio omnipotente
ti giuro che costui non vidi mai,
e di suo natïon giamai non fui,
suo gente non cognosco e mancho lui.
292
PETER replies and denies with an oath:
Friend, by almighty God
I swear to you that I never saw that man,
and I never belonged to his clan,
I do not know his people and least of all him.
298
THE JEWS speak to Pilate and say:
Pilate, we bring to justice
him who brings down our law.
Just see now how full he is of malice,
refusing to pay tribute to Caesar.
When he talks, you’d think he was king of the Jews,
yet he is the son of Joseph and Mary.
LI IUDEI parlano a Pilato e dicono:
Pilato, noi meniamo alla giusticia
quel che la nostra legie in terra piegha.
Or guarda ben s’egli è pien di malicia
ch’a Ceseri el tributo dar dinegha.
Re de’ Giudei parlando par che sia,
e nato è di Ioseppo e di Maria.
PILATO mena Christo nel pretorio e sì lo domanda:
Quel che dimando a tte non mel negare:
si de’ Giudei se’ re, famene certo.
PILATE leads Christ into the palace and asks him as
follows:
What I ask you do not deny me:
if you are the king of the Jews, tell me clearly.
CHRISTO risponde:
Da te medesmo vien questo parlare,
o vero altri che tte el dà per merto.
CHRIST answers:
These words come from you yourself
or else other people than you say it is the truth.
WOODCUT 11: CHRIST BEFORE PILATE; REPEATS WOODCUT 7
Dice PILATO:
Debbi sapere che io non son giudeo,
ma qui condocto dal popol hebreo.
CHRISTO risponde a Pilato:
Ch’io son re de’ Iudei, Pilato, ài detto,
ma non è ’n questo mondo el regno mio.
Se ’n questo mondo fussi, tie·llo stretto
che lli giudei n’arebon gran disio.
Dalli ministri miei sarei difeso,
sì che dalli Iudei non sare’ preso.
PILATO dice a Christo:
Secondo el modo el qual tu mm’ài parlato,
tu hai sotto di te potere e regnio.
304
PILATE says:
I’ll have you know that I am not a Jew
but brought here by the Hebrew people.
310
CHRIST answers Pilate:
Pilate, you have said that I am king of the Jews,
but my kingdom is not in this world.
If it were in this world, you can be sure
that the Jews would desire it greatly.
I would be defended by my ministers
so that I would not be captured by the Jews.
PILATE says to Christ:
According to the way you speak to me,
you have power and rule at your feet.
Passion ❧ 15
CHRISTO risponde a Pilato:
Tu dici el vero: a cciò propio son nato,
che della verità dimostri segno.
Qualunche verità cognoscie o preza
ode lla voce mia con allegreza.
PILATO dice a Christo:
Che cosa è verita? No·mmel celare.
Parl’e rispondi a mme sanza timore.
Partesi PILATO da Christo e non aspecta che Christo
risponda e dice alli Giudei:
Cagione alcuna non posso trovare
che sia degno di morte o di dolore.
Quest’uomo mi par iusto, a Dio servente.
Certo vo’ l’accusate iniustamente.
LI IUDEI dicono a Pilato:
Costui la nostra leggie à sobvertita,
incominciando dalla Galilea
insin a qui assai gente ’nfinita,
e à tirato a ssé tutta Giudea.
Se non havesse nostra leggie offesa
non ci saremo mossi a questa impresa.
PILATO risponde:
O gente hebrea, voi avete detto
che questo Christo è huomo galileo.
Menatel a Herode presto stretto:
saper dovete ch’io non son iudeo.
Se alle vostre leggie egli à fallito,
datel a llui che ben sarà punito.
Menandosi Christo ad Herode, PIETRO dolendosi
haver negato Christo e ad sé dice:
O Pietro stolto, ischonoscente e ’ngrato,
pien d’ignorantia e di nequitia al tutto,
el tuo charo maestro à’ dinegato
del qual ebbe ciascun sempre buon frutto.
O lasso a me dolente, un gran peccato
io ho chomesso, e sso·mi a questo adtutto,
però mi son disposto el mio errore
piangere eternalmente con dolore.
{CHORUS:
Se dal homo in questa vita
nella fine se pensasse,
non sarebbe chi peccasse
tanto è presta la partita.
Prima è nostra età fugita
ch’al ben viver lo hom convencie,
e ’l piacer mondan ci vencie
et ce offusca l’intellecto.
CHORUS:
Occecato dal dilecto,
cade l’homo in molti mali.
Per li beni temporali
lassa Dio ch’è ben perfecto.
316
A5v
CHRIST replies to Pilate:
You speak the truth: that is what I am born to,
that I may bear witness to the truth.
Any man who knows and values truth
hears my voice with joy.
PILATE says to Christ:
What is truth? Do not hide it from me.
Speak and answer me without fear.
322
PILATE leaves and does not wait for Christ to reply,
and says to the Jews:
I can find no cause
to make him deserve death or suffering.
This man seems just to me, and god-serving.
To be sure you accuse him unjustly.
328
THE JEWS say to Pilate:
That man has subverted our law,
beginning in Galilee
and as far as here, countless people,
and he has drawn the whole of Judea to him.
If he had not offended against our law
we would not have moved on this matter.
334
PILATE replies:
O Hebrew people, you have said
that this Christ is a Galilean.
Take him straight to Herod:
you must know that I am not Jewish.
If he has broken your laws,
give him to Herod and he will be punished properly.
342
As Christ is taken to Herod, PETER laments having
denied Christ and says to himself:
O foolish Peter, unknowing and ungrateful,
quite full of ignorance and wickedness,
you have denied your dear master
from whom everybody always received goodness.
O alas, woe is me, I have committed
a great sin, and I am brought to this,
therefore I have resolved to weep
in sorrow for my error forever.
350
{CHORUS:
If man thought about
his end during his life,
nobody would sin
because the end is so soon.
Our time flies before
man is convinced to live well,
and worldly delight captivates us
and clouds our minds.
CHORUS:
Blinded by delight
man falls into many sins.
For worldly goods he turns away
from God who is perfect good.
Passion ❧ 16
Troppo troppo è gran difecto
per un brieve e van piacere,
contra Dio, contra el dovere,
damnar l’alma sua in inferno.
358
Cantato lo Choro}
Damning his soul to hell
on account some fleeting, empty pleasure,
against God and against duty,
is too, too great a sin.
When the Chorus has sung}
WOODCUT 12: LEFT TWO-THIRDS: EIGHT JEWS CONFERRING;
RIGHT THIRD : FARISEE BEFORE PILATE; REPEATED BELOW AS WOODCUT 23
Menandosi Christo ad Herode, LI FARISEI dicono:
Herode, re di Galilea invitto,
echo nelle tuo mani un malfattore,
che sé figliuol di Dio esser à detto
et è de tutto ’l popol gabbatore.
Tu ’l punirai secondo la g‹i›usticia,
tal che purgata sia la sua malitia.
HERODE dice a Christo:
Io son contento et ò grand’allegreza
di vedermitti inanzi, o Iesu Christo.
Desiderato ò sempre in mie vechiezza
e prima ch’io morissi averti visto,
perch’ò udito che fa’ molti segni
che son di prezzo e di gran fama degni.
Sequita:
Tu vedi ben che io ò potestate
poterti dalla morte liberare.
Priegoti inanzi alla mia degnitate
qualche segno, Iesù benigno, fare
perch’io n’ò ’vuto sempre gran disio
che ffacci un segno inel conspecto mio.
Sequita:
Tu non rispondi e non so la chagione.
Parmi che mi disprezi chome stolto.
I’ ò sopra di te giurisditione
e non mi guardi ’n facza o nel mie volto.
Fa’ qualche segno sanza più tardare,
ché dalla morte te posso salvare.
364
THE PHARISEES take Christ to Herod and say:
Herod, unconquered king of Galilee,
we place in your hands a wrongdoer
who has said that he is the son of God,
and he has been deceiving all the people.
You will punish him according to the law,
so that his wickedness is purged.
370
HEROD says to Christ:
I am pleased and very delighted
to see you here before me, o Jesus Christ.
I have always wanted to have seen you
in my old age and before I died,
because I have heard that you do many miracles
that are worthy and deserve great fame.
376
HEROD continues:
You can see indeed that I have it in my power
to be able to release you from death.
I beg you, in my royal dignity
to do some miracle, kind Jesus,
because I have always very much wanted
you to do a miracle before my eyes.
A6r
382
HEROD continues:
You do not answer, and I don’t know why.
You seem to despise me as a fool.
I have authority over you,
and you do not look me in the face or in the eye.
Do some miracle without delay,
because I can save you from death.
Passion ❧ 17
Sequita:
Dinanzi lo merrete al gran Pilato,
ringratiandolo assai da parte mia,
e prima sia de porpor adornato
perch’ò provato la suo gran pazia,
e ll’odio antico avuto con Pilato
per questa humanità mi ss’è scordato.
388
HEROD continues [to the Pharisees]:
Take him to great Pilate,
and thank him on my behalf,
and first let him be dressed in red
because I have experienced his great madness,
and the old feud I had with Pilate
I have forgotten on account of this act of courtesy.
WOODCUT 13: CHRIST BEFORE PILATE; REPEATED AS WOODCUTS 9 AND 16
Menando LI FARISEI Christo a Pilato dicono:
A· re Herode Christo abiàn mandato.
Guarda, Pilato, s’è digno di morte:
sappi che lui l’à molto disprezato.
E’ vuol che questa vesta in segno porte,
e perché nanzi e’ tt’era gran nimico,
con teco pace e’ vuol sì come i’ dico.
PILATO risponde:
Quest’uomo el qual a me voi aducesti,
dicendo ch’è del popol sobvertente,
examina’lo assai come vedesti.
Nulla cagion li truovo certamente.
Per questo credo a mme l’à rimandato:
perché non trova in lui colpa o peccato.
394
As THE PHARISEES take Christ to Pilate they say:
We took Christ to King Herod.
See, Pilate, whether he deserves to die:
you must know that he showed him great contempt.
He wants him to wear this robe as evidence of it,
and because he was your great enemy before
now he wants to make peace with you.
400
PILATE replies:
This man whom you brought to me,
saying that he is a seducer of the people,
I examined him in depth as you saw.
I certainly find no fault in him.
I believe that’s why he has sent him back to me:
because he finds no guilt or sin in him.
Sequita:
El nostro consueto, o figl‹i›uol mei,
è di lassar la Pasqua qualchun preso,
se ’l re lassar volete de’ Giudei,
o Barabàs, el qual v’à tanto offeso.
PILATE continues:
It is our custom, o my sons,
to release at Passover one of the prisoners,
if you want to release the king of the Jews,
or Barrabas who has done you so much harm.
LI FARISEI rispondono:
Vogliàn che Barrabàs sia lassato,
e Iesu Christo a morte condemnato.
THE PHARISEES reply:
We want Barrabas to be released,
and Jesus Christ condemned to death.
406
UNO GIUDEO va alla prigioni a Barrabàs e dice:
Che mi guadagno a dirti miglior nova
che mai udissi in tempo di tuo vita?
A JEW goes to Barrabas in prison and says:
What will I get for telling you the best news
that you ever heard in your life?
BARRABÀS:
Quel che può dar chi nulla non si trova
ed à llo viver suo mess’a uscita.
BARRABAS replies:
Whatever a fellow can give when he has nothing
and has spent all he had to live on.
Passion ❧ 18
LO GIUDEO dice:
Orsù vien fuor, ch’i’ ò fatto gran pruova:
tu ll’à’ a questa volta pur fugita,
e sse’ troppo tenuto al nostro ufitio
che ffa’ purgare ad altri ogni tuo vitio.
BARRABÀS escie fuore e dice:
Ùsiti Idio per me gran cortesia,
fratel, perch’io non posso darti merto,
ma sempre tien nella tuo fantasia
per vero detto, indubitato e certo,
che sempre sarò tuo dovunch’i’ sia
e tutto ’l mio potere vi sia offerto
al preside e a tte e a costoro
ch’i’ nonn ò modo a darvi altro ristoro.
BARRABÀS a Pilato:
Signor mio caro, i’ non son già bastante
a ringratiar la vostra humanitate.
Povero, miserabile, ignorante,
e pien d’affanno e di chalamitate,
ma ssempre a voi sarrò ferm’e costante
a ubidire a cciò che comandate,
e questa vita che per voi me mostra,
i’ la rinutio e fo’la sempre vostra.
Sequita PILATO alla responsione di sopra
commenzata:
Jesù non pare a me degno di morte,
ma po’ che piace a voi che così sia
chorregiolo amaramente e forte,
e fragellato poi mandiallo via.
Fa’, chavaliero, el mio commandamento,
che fragellato sia con gran tormento.
414
THE JEW says:
Come on out, for I have done great things:
you’ve got off this time too.
You’ve followed our rules too closely
and you’ve got someone else to pay for all your sins.
422
BARRABAS comes out and says:
May God show you great kindness,
brother, because I cannot reward you,
but always keep in your mind
as the very truth, beyond all doubt and certain,
that I will always be yours wherever I am,
and all my strength will be offered to you all,
to the governor and to you and to them,
for I have no way of giving you any other reward.
A6v
430
BARRABAS to Pilate:
My dear lord, I am insufficient
to thank your humanity.
Poor, wretched, ignorant
and full of woe and calamity,
but I shall always be true and constant
in obeying your commands,
and this life of mine that you see before you,
I renounce it and I make it yours.
PILATE continues in the reply that he began before:
436
Jesus does not seem to me to deserve to die,
but because that is what you want
I will chastise him hard and long,
and when he has been whipped we’ll send him off.
Guard, carry out my order,
and have him whipped with great cruelty.
WOODCUT 14: CHRIST AT THE COLUMN, WITH THREE TORMENTORS
Sequita PILATO:
Nudo alla colonna il fa’ legare
e fa’ che sia battuto molto forte.
Acciò ch’ognun si possa contentare,
fate che sia condocto a mala sorte.
PILATE continues:
Have him tied naked to the column
and have him beaten hard.
So that everyone is happy,
let him be led to his sorry fate.
Passion ❧ 19
LO CAVALIERE responde:
Al tuo precepto i’ do ubidientia,
senz’alchuna parola o resistentia.
Dice LO CAVALIERE alli soi famigli:
Prendette sù chostui e ssì ’l menate
alla iusticia chome chondannato.
Alla colonna stretto lo leghate
e si’gli ciascun membro ben tochato.
Orsù la disciplina piglierete
e lla suo charne forte batterete.
Partonsi li ministri de la Giusticia e battono Christo,
e CHRISTO dice al popolo:
Popule meus, in che t’ho contristato?
Quid feci tibi che mmi dai dolore?
I’ sono amaramente flagellato,
o populo d’Egitto, per tuo amore.
Tu sai che de la manna i’ t’ò cibato
quand’eri nel diserto, o peccatore,
e per merito questo ho recevuto.
Michi responde, perché mm’ài battuto?
Posto Christo innella sedia, EL CAVALIERE
deleggiandolo dice:
Trovate una chorona prestamente
ché ’l nostro re vogliamo incoronare,
la qual di spine sia, aspr’e pungente,
e di porpor anchor si debba ornare,
e gli ochi gli coprite cholla benda,
e poi ciaschun di voi diletto prenda.
442
THE GUARD replies:
I obey your wishes
without a word of resistance.
448
THE GUARD says to his men:
Seize him and take him
to the place of execution, like a condemned man.
Tie him fast to the column,
and make sure you get every limb.
Now take the scourges,
and whip his flesh hard.
456
The Servants of the Court go and scourge Christ, and
CHRIST says to the people:
O my people, what have I done to cause you pain?
What did I do to you that you hurt me so?
I am harshly whipped,
o people of Egypt, for my love of you.
You know that I fed you manna
when you were in the desert, o sinner,
and in return I receive this.
Answer me, why have you beaten me?
462
When Christ has been put on the throne, THE GUARD
mocks him saying:
Find a crown, quickly,
for we want to crown our king.
Make it a crown of sharp, piercing thorns,
and let him be decked out in red,
and cover his eyes with a blindfold,
and then each of you can have your fun.
EL CAVALIERE incoronando Christo dice, e un altro
gli dà colla channa:
THE GUARD says to Christ as he crowns him and
another strikes him with the rod:
WOODCUT 15: CHRIST MOCKED WITH FOUR TORMENTORS
Ave, Re de’ Iudei, sommo e potente,
degnio di fama e degni‹o› d’excellenza.
Tu nostro re sarai or certamente,
e regnio ti doniàn con reverenza,
e di mia mano a tte lo metto in testa.
Ciascun di noi s’alegri e facci festa.
A7r
468
Hail, King of the Jews, high and mighty,
worthy of fame and worthy of excellence!
You will certainly be our king now,
and we give you your kingdom with great reverence,
and with my own hand I crown you king.
Let each of us be glad and rejoice.
Passion ❧ 20
CHRISTO incoronato dice al popolo:
Popule meus, in che t’ò contristato?
Quid feci tibi che mi dai dolore?
Perché m’ha’ tu di spine inchoronato,
che ’l mio regale iscetro con amore
tu sai con quanta gratia io t’ò donato.
Or mi chondanni e dai tanto dolore,
battendo mi schernite con la channa,
menandom’a Pilato e ora ad Anna.
476
EL CAVALIERE menando Christo a Pilato dice:
Once crowned, CHRIST says to the people:
My people, what have I done to cause you pain?
What did I do to you that you hurt me so?
Why have you crowned me with thorns
when you know how freely I gave you
the royal scepter of my love?
Now you condemn me and you cause me such pain
beating me and mocking me with the rod,
taking me back and forth to Pilate and to Annas.
THE GUARD taking Christ to Pilate says:
WOODCUT 16: CHRIST BEFORE PILATE; REPEAT OF WOODCUTS 9 AND 13
Fatt’è, Pilato, il tuo chomandamento,
che Christo si dovessi fragellare.
Ciascun per certo debb’esser contento
di non cercar di Christo pegio fare.
Guarda s’egli è condutto a mal partito,
che di suo vita par quasi transito.
482
Pilate, your order that Christ
should be whipped has been carried out.
Everybody should certainly be satisfied
and not seek to do worse to him.
See how he’s reduced to a wretched state,
and he seems to be almost dead.
PILATO, mostrando Christo alli Iudei, e dice:
Aciò che cognosciate che chasone
non trov’in lui che sia degnio di morte,
i’ llo presento alle vostre persone:
guardate s’è condoto a male sorte.
PILATE, showing Christ to the Jews, says:
So that you know that I find in him
no reason why he should be put to death,
I present him before you:
behold the wretched state he is in.
LI IUDEI respondano:
Crucifigil, Pilato, prestamente,
ché la legie lo dice e vuol la gente.
THE JEWS reply:
Crucify him Pilate, at once,
for that is our law and what the people want.
488
PILATO dice alli Iudei:
Pigliatel voi e questo offitio fate.
Chagion non trovo in lui che iusta sia.
LI IUDEI rispondano:
Noi abiàn bone leggie. Or ascholtate:
costui merita certo morte ria.
Ciascuna leggie vuol ch’abbia morire
perché figl‹i›uol di Dio s’è fatto dire.
PILATO rimena Christo al pretorio e domandalo:
Dimi presto chi sse’ e di che parte,
PILATE says to the Jews:
You take him and do this thing.
I find in him no lawful reason.
A7v
494
THE JEWS reply:
We have good laws. Listen now:
he deserves a harsh death indeed.
Every law requires him to die
because he called himself the Son of God.
PILATE takes Christ to the Pretorium, and asks him:
Tell me now who you are and what side you are on,
Passion ❧ 21
con grand’ardire e non temer nïente.
Tu sai ch’i’ò potestà di liberarte
e di farti morir qui al presente.
Tu non mi parli e niente rispondi,
e par che de superbia tutto abondi.
CHRISTO risponde a Pilato:
Tu non aristi ’n me tal potestate
se data non ti fussi già di sopra,
ma perché del Superno è voluntate
la tua potentia in me tanto s’adopra.
Però cholor che m’ànno qui menato
ànno commesso più grave peccato.
LI IUDEI chiamano Pilato e dicano:
Pilato, se chostui non muor, ti dicho
che tu sobverti tutta la giustitia.
Ancor sarai di Ceseri nimico,
se di costui non danni la malitia.
Chi re si fa, tu sai che quest’è vero,
che contradice al nostro magno impero.
500
tell me boldly and do not be afraid.
You know that I have the power to free you
and to have you die right now.
You do not speak to me and you say nothing in reply,
and it seems that you are just too proud.
506
CHRIST replies to Pilate:
You would not have such power over me
were it not already given to you from above,
but because it is the will of Him on high,
your power is such over me.
Therefore those who brought me here
have committed the graver sin.
512
THE JEWS call Pilate and say:
Pilate, if he does not die, I tell you
that you are subverting the course of all justice.
Indeed you will be Caesar’s enemy
if you do not condemn this fellow’s wickedness.
He who calls himself king, you know that this is true,
speaks against our great empire.
PILATO, andando per lo tribunale, dice alli G‹i›udei:
Echo ch’i’ vi presento el vostro Re.
Or giudichate voi che se ne faccia.
PILATE, approaching his court, says to the Jews:
Behold, I give you your king.
Now you judge what is to be done with him.
LI FARISEI rispondano:
Pilato, el giudichar s’aspecta a tte:
crucifigilo presto, or te n’ispaccia.
THE PHARISEES reply:
Pilate, it is up to you to judge:
crucify him at once, and hurry up now.
PILATO risponde:
Perché volette in tanto disonore
sie crucifisso el vostro gran Signore?
518
PILATE replies:
Why do you want your great Lord
to be crucified so dishonorably?
524
THE PHARISEES reply:
He was never one of our race,
rather he is a deceiver of all the people.
Pilate, let him and the trouble he causes die
on the cross with pain and suffering.
For our king, and it seems right, we take
the Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar.
LI FARISEI rispondano:
Chostu’ di nostra gente non fu mai,
ma è di tutto ’l popol gabbatore.
Pilato, fa’ che mora con suo guai
sopra lla croce con pen’e dolore.
Per nostro re tegniamo, e parci iusto,
lo ’mperador roman Cesar A‹u›gusto.
PILATO si lava le mani e dice:
PILATE washes his hands and says:
WOODCUT 17: PILATE WASHES HIS HANDS BEFORE THE JEWS, BARABBAS AND CHRIST
Passion ❧ 22
Dinanzi a voi ‹e› al popol tutto quanto
le mani al tutto me ne vo’ lavare.
Del sangue di quest’uomo santo e iusto
son innocente: or fate chi vi pare.
Before you and before all the people
I want to wash my hands altogether.
I am innocent of the blood of this holy
and upright man: now do what you will.
LO FARISEO risponde:
Venga ’l suo sangue e sua amari duoli
sopra di noi e de’ nostri figl‹i›uoli.
530
THE PHARISEE replies:
Let his blood and his bitter woe be
on our heads and on those of our sons.
A8r
536
PILATE replies:
I am now forced to yield
to your cruel and ferocious wishes.
Let everyone depart from here at once
and let Christ die on the cross.
Then each of you will be satisfied:
let him die in great torment between two thieves.
544
THE JEWS reply:
Since you have washed your hands of him
and have given him up into our hands,
it is right that you let us punish him now
so that our people will not believe his lies any more,
and that you permit us to crucify him
so that he does not offend against our law,
and to show that you do it of your own will,
order your guard to do it.
PILATO risponde:
Sono sforzato omai di consentire
a vostra voluntà crud’e feroce.
Presto si debba ogniun di qui partire
e Iesu Christo mora in sulla croce.
Po’ ciaschedun di voi sarà contento:
mora fra dua latron con gran tormento.
LI IUDEI rispondano:
Po’ che tu tt’ài di lui le man lavate
e nelle nostre man l’à’ dato im preda,
iust’è che poi punir ce llo lasiate
che nostra gente al falso più non creda,
e che ’l crucifigiam permettïate
aciò che nostra legie più non lieda;
e per mostrar che ’l fate volenteri,
fatelo fare al vostro chavalieri.
WOODCUT 18: JUDAS RETURNS THE MONEY TO THE JEWS
GIUDA, pentendosi avere traduto Christo, disperato
si parte e va dicendo verso el populo da sé
medesimo:
Dal tristo giorno che nel mondo naqui
né seppi altr’operar che fraude o ’ngani,
e a me stesso d’ogni mal chompiaqui;
chos’i’ò pers’i miei doloros’anni.
Se traditor già fui, questo lo taqui,
e di schompigli, morte e mille danni
più generati n’ò, e questo supera,
che mi dan‹n›’ in eterno e mi vitupera.
GIUDA, andando a restituire li danari alli Iudei, va
dicendo:
552
JUDAS, repenting his betrayal of Christ, departs in
despair and as he goes he says to himself out loud to
the people:
From the wretched day I was born into this world
I knew only fraud and deceit as my trades,
and I delighted in myself with every wickedness,
and thus I wasted my sorry years.
If once I was a traitor, I kept it quiet,
and I have caused more confusion
and death and a thousand woes, but this exceeds them
and forever I am damned and vilified.
JUDAS, going to give the money back to the Jews, says
as he goes:
Passion ❧ 23
Che pegio dir si può che traditore,
orrido nome e di dispecto pieno?
Oimè, celeste e mio divin Signiore,
Iesù Christo, benignio inazareno,
sanza considerar mio tant’errore,
vede che nel pensar divengo meno.
Trenta denari e quali ogi solicito
restituir‹ò› perch’è guadagnio inlicito.
560
What name is worse than that of “traitor”,
a horrid name and full of spite?
Alas, my heavenly and divine Lord,
Jesus Christ, kind Nazarene,
without considering the magnitude of my sin,
see how I am at my wits’ end.
Thirty pence, which I collected today,
I shall give back, because they are ill-gotten gains.
WOODCUT 19: JUDAS HANGED, STILL CLUTCHING HIS PURSE,
WITH THREE WINGED DEVILS, ONE RIPPING HIS SOUL FROM HIS BELLY
IUDA disperato sequita:
Quanto più penso al mio passato excesso
tanto più mi cognoscho esser dannato,
che mai sarà da Dio questo rimesso
né far già si potrà magior pechato.
Però luogo trovare intendo apresso
dove ’l mio corpo mora disperato.
La giusticia di Dio non pò salvarmi:
colle mie proprie man vogl’impicharmi.
IUDA al luogo dove s’à a impichare, aconciando la
schala dice:
Forse quando sarò giù nell’inferno
dove tiene ’l Nimicho sua victoria,
farammi de’ suo primi in sempiterno
tanto ch’in qualche loco arò memoria;
o fors’arò nel suo regnio governo
po’ che privato son di tanta gloria.
Chosì mi privo e la mie vita chasso,
dando l’anim’e ’l chorpo a Setanasso.
568
JUDAS continues in despair:
The more I think of my past excesses
the more I know I am damned,
for this will never be forgiven by God
nor could any greater sin be committed.
Therefore I intend to find a place close by
where my body can die in despair.
God’s justice cannot save me:
I want to hang myself with my own hands.
576
JUDAS goes to the place where he is to hang himself
and says as he sets up the ladder:
Perhaps when I am down in hell
where the Devil holds sway,
he will make me one of his chief men
so that I will be remembered somewhere;
or perhaps I will be a governor in his kingdom
seeing that I am deprived of so much glory.
So I take and destroy my life,
giving my soul and my body to Satan.
A8v
Ora PILATO risponde alli Iudei alla proposta da loro
dinanzi fatta:
I’ nonne intendo altra parola farne
se non c’ogniun di voi ‹si› satisfaccia.
Now PILATE replies to the Jews and to the proposal
they made before:
I do not intend to say anything else
except that every one of you may have what he wants.
LI IUDEI dicono al Cavaliere:
Pigliatel, cavalier, su carne carne,
ché vuol Pilato che così si faccia,
ch’entende ‹d’e›sto iniqu’a satiarne.
Sù, sù, sù, cavalier, sù, spaccia, spaccia,
THE JEWS say to the Guard:
Take him, guard, set flesh on flesh,
for Pilate wants it to be done like this,
for he wants us to sate ourselves on this villain.
Come, come, come, guard, come, hurry, hurry,
Passion ❧ 24
e non potrà costui con sua malicia
far che non si seguischa la iusticia.
LO CAVALIERI risponde:
Se vo’ volete ch’io lo metta in croce,
perché bisogna starne a sindichato?
Fate ch’i’ senta, se si può, la voce
che l‹o› comandi, el preside Pilato,
e vederete poi quanto veloce
io farò più che non m’è commandato,
e fo fintion di star maninconoso
per non parer ch’io sia volontoroso.
LI IUDEI rispondono:
Tu vedi che Pilato n’è chontento
che questo traditor sie ben punito
in questa croce con aspro tormento,
havendo a nostra fé tanto fallito,
benché col fum’e nebia, anzi col vento,
sia stato da qualcun troppo seguito.
Tu vedi che Pilato anchora acepta
con cenni che costu’n croce si metta.
584
and he will not be able to use his wickedness
to stop justice from being carried out.
592
THE GUARD replies:
If you want me to put him on the cross
why do we have to argue the case?
Just let me hear, if possible, the voice
that commands it, of the governor Pilate,
and then you’ll see how fast
I will do even more than has been ordered,
and I am pretending to be sullen
so as not too appear over-enthusiastic.
600
THE JEWS reply:
You can see that Pilate is happy
for this traitor to be well punished
on this cross, with harsh torment,
for having so betrayed our faith,
with smoke and fog and even with wind
even though he has been followed by some people.
You can see that Pilate even accepts
by nodding that he should be put on the cross.
LO CAVALIERE, spogliando Christo, dice alli soi
servi:
THE GUARD says to his servants as he strips Christ:
WOODCUT 20: IN THE FOREGROUND, TWO GUARDS AND TWO JEWS THROW DICE FOR CHRIST’S CLOAK;
IN THE BACKGROUND, THE GUARD GIVES CHRIST VINEGAR BEFORE HE IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
Spogliatel presto, chara mia famiglia,
questo ribaldo, ché Pilato vuole,
benché di no’ si faccia maraviglia
che gli facciamo pegio, anzi li dole.
Chi lo stratii di voi, chi llo scompiglia,
chi straca ’l seduttor di nostre schole.
D’ogni suo fallo el quale arà chomisso
sarà purgato inella croce fisso.
CHRISTO poi ch’è spogliato s’inginochia a piè la
croce e ora:
Altissimo mio padre omnipotente,
i’ son l’agnel che vo al sacrifitio,
sol per salute della humana gente,
608
B1r
Strip him quickly, my dear men,
strip this rogue, because Pilate wants it,
even though he is amazed at us
that we do him more harm, indeed he is grieved.
Some of you torture him, some of you rough him up,
some of you beat up the corrupter of our synagogues.
When he is nailed on the cross he will be purged
of every sin he has committed.
When he has been stripped, CHRIST kneels at the foot
of the cross and prays:
Almighty Father on high,
I am the lamb that goes to the sacrifice
just for the salvation of human kind
Passion ❧ 25
e per purgare el primo malifitio.
I’ sarò sempre a tte, patr‹e›, obediente,
in esequirne e far l’imposto offitio,
da po’ ch’in olocausto io sono offerto,
a stare in croce e non già per mio merto.
616
Dicano LI IUDEI alli Ministri, e loro metteno in croce
Christo:
and to purge the first sin.
I will always be obedient to you, father,
and doing and performing the task I have been given,
since I am offered as a burnt offering
to be crucified, and not because I have earned it.
THE JEWS say to the Guards and they put Christ on the
cross:
WOODCUT 21: CHRIST CRUCIFIED WITH TITULUS, THIEVES,
SUN AND MOON , CROWD OF ROMANS AND JEWS, THE WOMEN
Non li date più tempo di pregare.
Sù, mettitelo in croce, ciascun grida,
e ved’um po’ se con quel suo chiamare
e’ potrà far che morte non l’uccida.
Vorre’si a chi lo segue il simil fare
a ciò ch’acompagniassin la lor guida,
con farli bene intender quant’obstacoli
ci sono a issir santo o far miracoli.
{Quando Iesus se mette in croce, el CHORO DE’
GENTILI canta:
O Dio, quanto giusto sei,
quanta invidia tu hai dato
sol per pena del peccato
de superbia alli Giudei.
Hor ad morte han condempnato
per invidia Iesù sancto,
che cason de grave pianto
li serà tal morte ancora.
CHORUS:
Nolli par sia mai quel hora
che Iesù sia in croce morto,
non pensando el grave torto
né de Dio l’offesa ancora.
Pur che Iesù in croce mora,
non se curan de giustitia.
Iudei pieni di nequitia,
de veneno, d’odio, e rabbia!}
SANTO IOANNE parla e dice:
Oimè dolente, e dove andar poss’io?
624
Don’t give him any more time to pray.
Everyone’s calling out, Come on, put him on the cross.
And then let’s see if he can cry out
and stop death from killing him.
It would be good to do the same to his followers
so that they could accompany their guide,
and make him understand how many pitfalls
there are to being a saint or working miracles.
632
When Jesus is put on the cross, the CHORUS OF
GENTILES sings:
O God, how just you are,
what envy you have given
to the Jews just as punishment
for their sin of pride.
Now in their envy they have condemned
holy Jesus to death,
and this death will be for them
a cause of lamentation forever.
640
CHORUS:
They think the time will never come
for Jesus to die on the cross,
They give no thought to the great wrong
nor to the harm they do to God.
As long as Jesus dies on the cross
they don’t care about justice.
O Jews, full of wickedness,
of venom, of hatred and rage.
ST JOHN speaks and says:
Alas, woe, and where can I go?
Passion ❧ 26
Che posso far po’ ch’ogni bene ò perso?
Po’ ch’è preso Iesù, maestro mio,
ogni piacere in pianto m’è converso.
Misericordia, omnipotente Iddio!
Misericordia, o re dell’universo!
Non posso soff‹e›rir sì gran martoro;
porgim’aiuto, Iddio, se non ch’i’ moro.
Sequita:
Oimè, oimè, perché non son io morto?
O‹h›, non fossi nel mondo almanco nato!
Miser anme che crudelmente in ll’orto
visto ò menare il mie Iesù legato,
e poi de spine incoronato a torto
l’ànno que’ cani a morte condemnato.
Tutti cridano insieme ad alta voce:
«Sia Iesu crucifixo in su la croce!»
Sequita:
O quanto male, oimè, che cosa forte,
ché par Iesù dal padre abandonato,
e crudelmente stracinato a morte,
fra dua latroni in croce chiavellato.
O quanto son crudel quest’aspre sorte,
che porti pene per l’altrui peccato!
Abbi piatà del tuo figl‹i›uolo, o padre,
di noi mischini e sua dolente matre.
Sequita:
O cieli, o terra, o stelle, o sole, o luna,
ben siate ingrati al vostro creatore!
Patite voi che senza culpa alcuna
sie morto in croce el vostro e mio Signore?
Quant’è la vita mia dolente e bruna,
o trist’a me, che mi si stringie el core,
pensando alla suo madre tapinella.
Come sarà di sè trista novella?
Sequita:
Oimè, dolente a me, non so s’anchora
questa novella alla suo madre è ditta.
Quando l’a‹l›dirà mai che non si mora,
tant’à ’ restar di questa cosa afflicta.
Povera matre, omè, fors’a quest’ora
del suo Figl‹i›uolo sta la croce ritta;
ma pur questa novella i’ lle vo’ dare
che non si possa di me lamentare.
Le Marie cerchando Christo, comenza LA N OSTRA
DONNA e dice:
Èci nisun di voi, gente piatosa,
che abbi visto ’l mio figl‹i›uol diletto,
che s’i’ nol trovo, i’ non arò ma’ posa,
po’ che l’ànno battuto con dispecto,
senza trovar in lui colpa né cosa
da tormentarlo o nullo mal concetto.
Se ’n c’è fra voi chi ne sappi nïente,
per Dio, lo ’nsegni a me, matre dolente.
648
What can I do now that all goodness is lost?
Because Jesus, my master, has been captured,
all my joy is turned to sorrow.
Have mercy, almighty God!
Have mercy, O king of the universe!
I cannot stand such great torment;
help me, God, or I will die.
656
He continues:
Alas, alas, why am I not dead?
Oh, if only I had not been born into the world!
Woe is me, for in the garden
I saw my Jesus cruelly being lead away bound,
and then crowned wrongfully with thorns,
he was condemned by those dogs to death.
All of them cry out aloud together:
Let Jesus be crucified on the cross!
664
672
B1v
680
688
He continues:
Oh, what wickedness, alas, what an overwhelming
thing,
for Jesus seems to be abandoned by the Father,
and most cruelly dragged to his to death,
and nailed to the cross between two thieves.
O how cruel this harsh fate is,
that he should pay the price for another’s sin!
Have mercy on your son, O Father,
on us wretches and his sorrowing mother.
He continues:
O heavens, O earth, O stars, O sun, O moon,
you show no gratitude to your creator!
Do you suffer no guilt at all
that your lord and mine should die on the cross?
How wretched and black my life is,
O woe is me, my heart aches
when I think of his wretched mother.
How will she be at such at news?
He continues:
Alas, woe is me, I do not know whether
this news has been given to his Mother yet.
Will she hear the news without dying,
she will be so smitten by this thing.
Poor Mother, alas, perhaps already
her Son’s cross is already erected.
But yet, I want to give her this news
so that she cannot reproach me.
As the Maries go looking for Christ, OUR LADY begins
and says:
Have none of you, o merciful people,
seen my beloved son?
Unless I find him I will never rest,
because they have beaten him spitefully,
without finding any sin in him, nor any reason
to torment him, nor any wrong ideas.
If there is anyone among you who knows anything
about him,
for God’s sake, tell me, his sorrowing mother.
Passion ❧ 27
Santo Ioanni, andando verso LA NOSTRA DONNA, lei
li dice:
Oimè, ch’i’ sento riserrarmi el cuore
e nelle vene el sangue mi s’aghiaccia.
Ènne chagione el tuo grave dolore
dalla pallida tua turbata faccia.
Dov’è Iesù? Dov’è ’l mio charo amore?
Dimi se l’hai lassato, omai ti spaccia,
e se ’n c’è qualche male intervenuto,
dimel e porgi a me del tuo aiuto.
Sequita MARIA:
Or averanno fine li mie giorni!
Che farò sola? Ov’è chi m’achompagni?
Dimi, Ioanni, oimè, tu non rispondi!
Perché non parli, e pur t’afflig’e piagni?
Perché da mme ti guardi e ti m’aschondi?
Dimi quel ch’è de’ tua dolci chompagni.
Parla, figl‹i›uol! Per quanto amor ti porto,
dimi se ’l mio figl‹i›uol è vivo o morto.
SANTO IOANNI risponde a Maria, e lei con dolore
ascolta:
Con quanta doglia, angoscia, e quant’affanno
questa novella sì crudel ti porto.
El tuo figl‹i›uolo preso e legatt’ànno
li chan iudei in questa notte all’orto,
e crudelmente armati in frotta vanno
afinché ’n croce sia confitto e morto.
Oimè, che l’àn chondotto a mal partito
per Iuda traditor, che ll’ha tradito.
La Nostra Donna tramortisse. LE MARIE dicano
insieme:
Che cruda cosa e che novella rea
è stata questa a sua matre dolente!
Chi llo pensava ben no· l‹o› credea
sentir ch’è preso, e di ciò innocente,
da questa crudellaccia gente ebrea,
che non prezan le legie o ver niente.
L’omnipotente Idio soccorra ad ora
che la sua matre afflicta non si mora.
SANTO IOANNI dice, e lle Marie ascholtano
mostrando assai dolore:
Oimè, che sanza colpa e suo difetto
l’ànno battuto tutta questa notte.
Legat’alla cholonna, inudo e stretto,
battuto l’ànno, e dato di gran botte,
di spine coronato, e po’ ’n effetto
tutte le charni suo straciata e rotte,
e chi guanciate e chi pugnia gli dava,
chi nella santa faccia gli sputava.
Sequita SANTO IOANNI:
Po’ con un panno agli ochi suoi legato
lo tormentorno con gran pena atroce
«Profetisa», dicendo, «chi t’à dato»,
As St John goes towards OUR LADY she says to him:
696
704
Alas, I feel my heart stop beating,
and my blood freeze in my veins.
Your grave sorrow the cause of it,
and the pallor of your troubled face.
Where is Jesus? Where is my dear love?
Tell me if you left him, hurry up now,
and if some harm has come to him
tell me and give me your help.
MARY continues:
Now my life will come to an end!
What will I do alone? Where is there someone to stay
with me?
Tell me, John! Alas, you do not reply!!
Why don’t you speak, and yet you weep in despair!
Why do you avoid me and hide from me?
Tell me what has happened to your sweet companions.
Speak, my son! For the love I bear you,
tell me if my son is alive or dead.
ST JOHN answers Mary, and she listens sorrowfully:
712
With what pain, anguish and grief
I bring you this cruel news.
Tonight in the garden, the Jewish dogs seized him and
bound him,
and they are going in a cruelly armed band
to have him crucified and killed.
Alas, they have brought him to this
by means of Judas, who betrayed him.
Our Lady swoons. THE MARIES say together:
B1v,
720
728
What cruelty and what wicked news
this has been for his sorrowing mother!
Anyone who thought it would never have believed it,
to hear that he has been captured, and innocent,
by these cruel Jews,
who have no respect for the law or for anything.
Almighty God, lend your aid now
lest his grieving Mother die.
ST JOHN speaks, and the Maries listen, showing great
sorrow:
Alas, though he was without sin and without fault
they beat him all this night.
Tied to the column, naked and bound,
they beat him, and hit him hard.
They crowned him with thorns, and then in effect,
they tore all his flesh and broke it;
and some slapped his face, and some buffeted him,
and some spat in his holy face.
ST JOHN continues:
Then with his eyes bound by a cloth
they tormented him with atrocious pain,
saying, “Prophesy who did it,”
Passion ❧ 28
con molti scorni e beffe ad alta voce.
Po’ sopra ’l Monte fuor l’ànno menato
per chonficharlo vivo in sulla croce,
e vivo, matre, non lo vederemo
se troppo a lamentarci noi staremo.
SANTA MARIA, aiutata dalle Marie, si riza e dice:
Figliol mio dolce, omè, figliol mio caro,
sola speranza, o mio conforto e bene,
quant’è ’l dolor, quant’è mie pianto amaro
per te, figl‹i›uolo, in tanta amara pene!
Figl‹i›uol, po’ che per te non c’è riparo,
morir con techo certo mi conviene.
Andiàn là presto, perch’io son disposta
esser con lui in sulla croce posta.
Sequita SANTA MARIA:
Misera mme, che delli miei mallanni
e del mie pianto è g‹i›unto el tempo e l’ora.
Vien presto, oimè, non mi lassar, Giovanni!
Se m’abandoni qua, convien ch’io mora;
porgim’aiuto in tanti acerbi affanni.
E tu, diletta Magdalena, anchora
chammina presto, per l’amor di Dio,
a ciò ch’i’ truovi vivo el figl‹i›uol mio.
Sequita chaminando:
Vedova sconsolata, a che dolore
m’à riservata la mie dura sorte
del mie figl‹i›uolo, in tanto disonore
pres’e menato a l’aspra e dura morte,
sanza suo fallo e sanza alcuno errore?
Non sia nissuna più che me chonforte,
di voi sorelle tutte, e Magdalena?
La vita mia non è altro che pena.
Sequita:
Non è per me più creatura alcuna.
Non è piatà qua giù, ché ’n cielo è spenta.
Non luchon più per me stelle né luna.
Nonnè chi del mie mal se curi o senta.
Nonnè per me se no‹n› impia fortuna,
Nonnè chi vega el mio figl‹i›uol che stenta.
Non è chi doni aiuto al mio figliolo,
battuto e stracho, in tanto affanno e dolo.
LE MARIE si voltano a Nostra Donna e dichano:
Madonna, nonnè buono a disperarsi,
ma priega Idio di sù che ti proveda,
ch’a molti tribulati sempre aparsi
s’egli è chi speri in lui e fermo creda;
ché di clementia mai su‹o›le scordarsi,
bench’abi dato el figlio a questi in preda
a chomportar questo grave martoro,
di che si può sperar grato ristoro.
MARIA risponde:
O ciel, perché non t’apri e non soccorri
al mie figl‹i›uol che pate tanto stratio?
736
with scorn and mocking out loud.
Then they led him out onto the Mount
to nail him alive to the cross,
and alive we will not see him, Mother,
if we stay and lament too long.
744
ST MARY, helped by the Maries, gets up and says:
My sweet son, alas, my dear son,
my only hope, my comfort and well-being,
how great is the sorrow, how bitter is my lament,
for you, my son, in such bitter suffering!
My son, since there is no escape for you
I must certainly die with you.
Let us hurry there, because I have resolved
to be placed with him on the cross.
752
ST MARY continues:
Woe is me, for the time and the hour
has come for my trouble and woe.
Come quickly, ah, do not leave me, John.
If you abandon me here, I will surely die;
give me your help amid such bitter woes.
And you too, beloved Magdalene,
walk quickly for the love of God,
so that I may find my son alive.
760
She continues as she walks:
Widowed and disconsolate, what sorrow
does my cruel fate have in store for me,
with my son so dishonorably
been seized and led away to a cruel and harsh death,
on the basis of no fault and no sin of his own?
Is there no one any more to comfort me?
Not one of all you sisters, or Magdalene?
My life is nothing but suffering.
768
She continues:
For me no creatures exist any more.
There is no mercy down here, for it has died in heaven.
The moon and the stars shine for me no more.
There is no one who cares for or feels my woe.
For me there is only wicked fortune.
Nobody sees my son struggle.
Nobody helps my son,
beaten and exhausted, in such suffering and pain.
B2r
776
The MARIES turn to Our Lady and say:
Madonna, it is not good to despair.
Instead, pray to God on high that he provide for you.
He has appeared to many of those in trouble,
provided there is someone who hopes in him and truly
believes.
For he never forgets in his mercy,
in spite of having let his son fall prey to these people
to suffer this grave terrible torment, for which we can
hope for great reward.
MARY replies:
O heaven, who don’t you open and help
my son who is suffering such torment?
Passion ❧ 29
O popul dispiatato, perché corri
a farli nuovo oltragio e non se’ satio?
Ira del ciel, ruina chass’e torri
sopra di mme e non mi dare ispatio,
per pace a mme, ch’a llui non fare’ danno,
ché la mie pena a llui è grande afanno.
Sequita:
Figl‹i›uolo in odio a questa gente ebrea,
che t’ànno flagellato e crucifisso,
tu no· facesti a lor mai chosa rea:
tristo merito n’ài d’esser ben visso.
Figlio, meschino a mme ch’io non credea
ch’aprissi con tuo morte el grande abisso.
Già non credea vederti in tante angoscie,
ch’a pena chi ti vede ti conoscie.
Sequita MARIA:
Figl‹i›uol, come tu stai confitto in croce,
chosì l’anima mia sta ’n croce fitta,
sì che mi mancha e sensi e poi la voce
talché per doglia i’ non mi rego ritta,
e questa gente ria più sta feroce
contra di te e me, tu’ matre afflicta.
Figl‹i›uol, non so né posso darti aiuto:
si’ el patre tuo che facci el suo dovuto.
CHRISTO dice e fa oratione:
Patre benigno e summo creatore,
perdona a questi benché abian peccato.
Non guardar, padre, al lor grave errore,
che mi ànno in su la croce confichato.
A questo, patre mio, non guardare,
perché non sanno lor quel che si fare.
Dice MALCHA MINISTRO e piglia la veste de Christo:
Dalla matina mustra la giornata
se esser debbia perdita o guadagnio.
Più volte questa regula ho provata,
ch’un dì son stat’assuto e l’altro a bagnio.
Per oge questa veste ho guadagniata
solo io, senza partirla con compagnio,
perché io fui el primo a despogliarte
però non voglio ad altrui farne parte.
GETA risponde ad Malcha:
Malcha, compagnio, tua rason non vale,
ché tutti siàn venuti in compagnia
e esser debbe comune el bene e ’l male.
Questo mi pare assai più iusto sia:
sparti li vestimenti in parte equale
e pigliar‹ai› la più secura via,
‹e› ciaschedun contento se ne vada,
se non che el parteremo con la spada.
CHIMEL dice a Malcha:
Non voler, Malcha, che io ancor esorti:
resta contento de Geta el parere,
e, se vi pare, mettiamoli a sorti
a fin che ciaschuno habbia el dovere.
784
O pitiless people, why do you rush
to do him more outrage, and you are not sated?
Wrath of heaven, bring down the houses and towers
upon me and close me in
just for my own peace, for I would do him no harm,
and my pain to him seems great suffering.
792
She continues:
Son so hated by this Hebrew race
that they have scourged and crucified you,
you never did them any wickedness.
A poor reward you have for having lived well.
Son, woe is me for not believing
that with your death you would open the great abyss.
I never believed I would see you in such anguish
that anyone who sees you barely recognizes you.
800
She continues:
Son, just as you are there nailed on the cross
so my soul to the cross is fixed,
so that my senses fail me and then my voice,
such that I cannot stand up for the pain,
and these wicked people are more ferocious
against you and me, your sorrowing mother.
Son, I do not know how to, nor can I help you:
let it be your father who does what is necessary.
806
CHRIST prays saying:
Loving father and supreme creator,
forgive these men even though they have sinned.
Look not, father, at their great error
in that they have nailed me to the cross.
At this, my father, do not look,
for they know not what they do.
814
MALCHUS THE SERVANT takes Christ’s robe and says:
From the morning we know the day,
and whether it is to bring loss or gain.
I have proved this rule more than once
and one day I have been dry, and another drenched.
Today I earned this robe,
all to myself, without sharing it with a comrade,
because I was the first to strip you, and
that’s why I don’t want to share it with anyone else.
822
GETA replies to Malcha:
Malcha, comrade, you reasoning does not hold,
because we all came together
and good and ill must be shared.
I think this is much fairer:
divide the robe into equal parts
and you’ll be safer,
and each of us will go off happy,
unless we divide it with the sword.
B2v
CHIMEL says to Malcha:
Malcha, don’t make me plead too:
accept Geta’s view happily
and, if you like, let’s commit them to chance
so that each of us has his due.
Passion ❧ 30
Iusta cosa è che ogniuno se nne porti
quil che per sorte li pò concadere.
Vegnian li dati e voi tenete a cura
ched ogni tempo aquista chi ha ventura.
EL FARISEO CONVERSO dice:
O ignorante, ingrata e ciecha gente,
non cognoscete el figl‹i›uol di Maria?
Non cognoscete Christo omnipotente?
Echo ch’è pien la sancta prophetia
che Davitte parlo‹e› certamente.
Questi di chi parlò, quest’è ’l Messia.
Così parlò, se ben me ne ramenta:
Et diviserunt sibi vestimenta.
«E sopra le mie veste missan sorte».
Non le vedete qui, ché quisti cani
l’ànno giucate, omè, misera morte.
Come non pigli el ferro inelle mani
e conducim’al fin delle toe porte?
Po’ che secuti son e casi istrani,
vostra lege renuntio e vestra setta,
perché tal prophetie più volte ò letta.
Poi che hanno giocato, pigliano la veste di Christo e
UNO DI LORO dice:
Tempo non è ormai de star più fitto.
El suo avantagio ciascun de’ pigliare,
che sempre tal proverbio fu dicto:
Afferra quanto pòi, e non lassare.
La roba è bona a torto e al dritto:
Paz’è cholui che non vuol guadagnare;
ma per ‹non› tornar via con le man vòte,
ogniun prende sua parte e quel che pòte.
830
It is fair that everyone should receive
what can fall to him by chance.
Let the dice be brought, and you take care
for he who is lucky always wins.
838
THE CONVERTED PHARISEE says:
O ignorant, ungrateful, blind people,
don’t you recognize the son of Mary?
Don’t you recognize almighty Christ?
See how his prophecy is fulfilled,
for David spoke truly.
This is the man of whom he spoke, this is the Messiah.
Thus he spoke, if I recall well:
Et diviserunt sibi vestimenta.
846
“And upon my raiment they cast lots.”
You cannot see them here, because these dogs
have cast lots, ah, wretched death.
Why don’t you take your sword in your hands
and lead me to your gates?
Since such strange things have happened,
I renounce your law and your sect
because I have often read the prophecies of this.
854
When they have cast lots, they take Christ’s robe and
ONE OF THEM says:
Now’s not the time to stay rooted to the spot.
Everybody should take what they’ve won
because as the saying always went,
Grab as much as you can and leave nothing.
It’s good stuff, inside and out.
A man’s crazy if he does not want to make money.
But so as not to go back empty-handed,
everyone take his share and whatever he can.
Mo LI GIUDEI dicono a Pilato:
Pilato, quel ch’è scritto non è iusto,
che lui sia scritto «Re de‹gli› Iudei»,
ché nostro rege è Cesar‹e› Agusto,
de chi son tributarii li ebrei.
Now THE JEWS say to Pilate:
What is written is not right,
that he should be called “King of the Jews,”
because our king is august Caesar
and the Hebrews are his tributaries.
PILATO risponde:
Quel ch’è scritto una volta sia scritto:
tornar non voglio indrieto ‹e›l mio dicto.
860
PILATE replies:
That which is once written is written:
I do not wish to go back on my word.
868
THE JEWS look at Christ and mock him saying:
He has freed many people
and cured many from illness,
now let him save himself this time,
if he is the son of God the true creator.
He has kept it until the last day,
to ask for some help, and until this time,
and if it does not come to him when he calls for it,
he loses his life and his credit and his reputation.
LI IUDEI guardano a Christo e dicono deleggiandolo:
Costui de molta gente à liberata
e à sanati molti da langore,
or salvi sé medesmo esta fiata,
se l’è figliol di Dio ver creatore.
Se l’à serbata all’ultima giornata
d’invocar qualche aiuto e a quest’ore,
el qual se non li vien quanno che ’l chiama
perde la vita e ’l credito e la fama.
MARIA dice allo cavalieri:
O degnio cavalieri, in cortesia
quel ch’io domando non me lo negare,
ch’a Iesù Christo, la speranza mia,
mel poss’un poco a mio modo tochare.
MARY says to the guards:
O worthy knight, in courtesy
do not refuse me what I ask,
that I may touch him, Jesus Christ, my hope,
just for a moment, in my own way.
Passion ❧ 31
‹Da› po’ che sta là sù in tanta agonia,
li vorria almen alcun raffiata dare
poiché non è remaso altro conforto
essendo in croce posto a sì gran torto.
LO CAVALIERE risponde:
Donna, si vòi honor, non ti accostare
che si vuol satisfar alla iusticia.
Se lui nostro re facea chiamare
degnia cosa è che purgi soa malitia,
e iustamente so ch’avete odito
che vuol Pilato che sia ben punito.
Responde Maria:
Fattemi almeno, se si può, un piacere:
che nanti li pogniate questo panno
con che ti piace volerlo coprire,
ch’io so che di tal cosa pate affanno,
per esser vergonioso, e questo è certo,
ch’almen, se spira, si vega coperto.
Mo LO CAVALIERI piglia con ira lo panno e voltase a
Pilato e dice:
Vogliatemi una gratia concedere
ch’io possa a llui questo nanzi parare
ch’a questa, ch’è sua matre, i’ ’l possa credere
ch’e’ si sòl fra la gente vergogniare.
Vòlse parare el panno per escudo
e ’l resto de lo corpo rest’ innudo.
PILATO se volta e dice:
Andate, siali facta questa gratia,
che possa la onestà sua salvare.
O gente ebrea, ormai quasi che satia
de farlo in croce conficto stentare,
poi che li havete dato tanto affanno,
non vi rincresca cegnerli sto panno.
LO LATRONE CATTIVO dice a Christo quando se gli
cegnie lo panno:
Se sei figliol di Dio, come tu hai dicto,
e sei venuto per ognun salvare,
noi siam‹o› posti qui, quasi a dispecto.
Libera te e noi, se lo pòi fare.
Se questo tu farrai‹e› con effecto,
che tu sei Dio non poterò negare.
Sì che si tu sei ver figliol de Dio,
salvi te e noi, e poi crederò io.
LO LATRONE BONO responde:
E tu, perché non temi Dio ancora?
Certo, te nne andarai a damnatione.
Noi meritamo questo e pegio ogni ora
e ogni cosa abiamo per ragione.
Questo per noi salvar tal pena dura,
e per aprire l’infernal pregione.
Quistui nel mondo mai non fe’ peccato,
e ora iniustamente è tormentato.
876
Because he is up there in such agony,
would you at least give him some decency
because no other comfort is left,
now that he’s been so wrongly put on the cross.
882
THE GUARD replies:
Woman, upon your honor, do not approach
for the law must be satisfied.
If he had himself called our king
it is right that his wickedness be purged,
and I know that you have heard lawfully
that Pilate wants him to be punished properly.
888
MARY replies:
At least do me a favour, if it is possible:
put this cloth in front of him,
and please be so kind as to cover him with it
because I know that such a thing makes him suffer
because he is very modest, and that’s for sure,
so that at least, if he dies, he is seen covered.
894
Then THE GUARD takes the cloth angrily and turns to
Pilate and says:
Be so kind as to grant me a favor,
that I may arrange this in front of him.
According to this woman, his mother, I can believe it,
he is always very modest in front of people.
This cloth is to be arranged to protect him
and the rest of the body can be left naked.
900
PILATE turns and says:
Go, and let this favor be granted him,
that his honor might be saved.
O Hebrew people, now almost sated
with having made him suffer nailed on the cross,
because you have given him such suffering,
do not be sorry to wrap this cloth around him.
908
THE BAD THIEF says to Christ as the cloth is wrapped
around him:
If you are the son of God as you have said,
and you have come to save everybody,
we are up here, almost out of spite.
Free yourself and us, if you can do it.
If you really do this
I will not be able to deny that you are God.
So if you are the true son of God,
save yourself and us, and then I’ll believe.
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THE GOOD THIEF replies:
And you, why don’t you fear God yet?
To be sure, you are heading for damnation.
We deserve this and worse still,
and everything we have for a reason.
This man is suffering such pain to save us,
to open the infernal prison.
This man never sinned in the world,
and now he is unjustly tortured.
B3r
Passion ❧ 32
Sequita LO LATRONE BUONO:
Per ben che di tal gratia non sia degno
ricòrdate di me, dolce Signore,
quando serrai nel tuo santo regnio,
con gloria exaltato e con honore.
THE GOOD THIEF continues:
Even though I am not worthy of such grace,
remember me, sweet Lord,
when you are in your kingdom,
exalted in glory and honor.
CHRISTO dice:
Hogi non serrai da me mai diviso,
fin che siamo insieme in paradiso.
922
CHRIST says:
Today you will never be separated from me
until we are together in paradise.
930
THE MARIES say to Christ:
Master, like widows you leave us
who used to be so happy with you.
You are the knife that passes through our hearts
as we see you up there, against all right.
We did not think that your father would allow
you to die for the wickedness of others,
with such anguish and such fierce pain,
with our sorrow and your grieving mother’s.
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THE MARIES turn to Mary saying:
Just as trouble is shared, o dear Mother,
so too sorrow must be shared.
So take heart in such bitter pain
because if he did not so will, it would not be,
for the help that will come to him from heaven
will free him from all adversity,
but for universal salvation
he has subjected himself to such suffering.
LE MARIE ad Christo dicono:
Maestro, come vedove ce lassi
che solevimo aver de ti leticia.
Tu sei el choltello che lo cor ci passi,
vedendo te la sù contra iusticia.
Non credam che ’l tuo padre el comportassi
che tu morissi per l’altrui nequitia,
con tanto affanno e tanta pena dura,
con doglia nostra, e de toa matre scura.
LE MARIE se voltano a Madonna dicendo:
Come è commune el danno, o matre cara,
così anche ’l dolor convien che sia.
Pur ti conforta in tanta pena amara
ché se lui non volessi, non serria,
ché d’ognie adversitate lo scampara
lo aiuto che dal cielo li verria,
ma per l’universal salvatione
se è sottoposto ad tanta passione.
LE MARIE sequitano:
Pensate un pocho quand’a tanta gloria
da qui ad tre dì serrà resuscitato.
Allora ce uscirà della memoria
lo grave pianto e tormento passato,
vedendolo tornar con tal victoria
come più volte ci à profetizato.
Dunche comporta sta doglia mortale
ch’al vostro pianto radoppia lo male.
MARIA parla a Christo molto a dolore:
Figliol, quando nel viso te riguardo
per lo dolore io credo trapassare,
e dintro mi consumo, rodo e ardo
non ti possendo alcun soccorso dare,
ché da’ Iudei so· stata prohibita,
a tal che ce vorria lassar la vita.
CHRISTO responde:
O donna che di me lamenti forte,
eccho Ioanni: serrà el tuo figliolo,
e vo’ che tu, discipol, la conforte,
che sia to madre, e frena ’l suo gran dolo.
E sei in mio luocho ad lei obedïente,
e tiene el mio resurger sempr’a mente.
MARIA dice a Christo:
Figliolo, quando io sento el tuo parlare
un coltello mi passa mezo al core.
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946
952
958
THE MARIES continue:
Think a moment about the time when he will be
raised
to such glory, three days hence.
Then our grave lamentation and the torment suffered
will slip from our memories,
when we see him return with such victory
as he has often prophesied to us.
So bear this mortal pain
which doubles the suffering of your weeping.
MARY speaks to Christ very sorrowfully:
My son, when I look you in the face
I think I am going to die of pain,
and I am consumed and eaten away and on fire within,
because I cannot give you any help,
because I have been prevented by the Jews,
so that I wish I could die for it.
CHRIST replies:
O woman who laments so loudly for me,
behold John: he will be your son,
and I want you, my disciple, to comfort her
and let her be your mother, and restrain her great
sorrow.
And obey her in my place
and always keep my resurrection in your mind.
MARY says to Christ:
My son, when I hear you speak
a knife passes through my heart.
Passion ❧ 33
Oimè, non ti porria apresso stare,
conficta innella croce ad tal dolore?
Figliol, perché non «Matre» m’ài chiamata?
Figliol, non fussi mai nel mondo nata.
SANCTO IOANNI responde a Christo:
Signior, farrò quanto m’ài commandato,
sol nel mio cuor sostegnio gran dolore,
che abimi per Maria così cambiato
e posto un servo vil per te, Signiore.
Pur sempre li sarrò obedïente,
da fedel servo, omè tristo e dolente.
LA NOSTRA DONNA ad Christo quando vede che
muta lo capo là e in qua:
Figlio, non c’è animal né altro ucello
che non abia un nido da posarsi.
El capo tuo nel mondo solo è quello
che non à stantia o luocho a reposarsi,
che lo vego disfacto, e fu sì bello,
vagar fra venti e ’n là e ’n qua portarsi,
de spine involto e ficto in crudi modi,
le mani e i piè a tuo reposo in chiodi.
964
Ah, couldn’t I stay next to you,
nailed on the cross in such sorrow?
My son, why didn’t you call me “Mother”?
My son, would that I had never been born into the
world.
970
ST JOHN replies to Christ:
Lord, I will do what you have commanded,
only I suffer great pain in my heart
that for Mary you have exchanged me
and put a humble servant in your place, Lord.
But I will always be obedient to her,
like a faithful servant, ah, sad and sorrowful.
978
OUR LADY, when she sees Christ moving his head
from side to side, says:
Son, there is no animal or any bird
that does not have a nest to rest in.
Your head is the only one in the world
that has no room or place to rest,
for I see it ruined, and it was so beautiful,
waving the breeze, and moving back and forth,
crowned with thorns, and cruelly nailed,
your hands and feet at rest on nails.
Mo dice CHRISTO «Sitio Pater».
Then CHRIST says “Father, I thirst.”
LI IUDEI dicono:
Aiùtati, homo falso, iniquo e rio!
Deh, non morire sì miseramente
d’un pocha d’aqua, e volevi esser Dio,
fingendo d’ogni mal star patiente.
Tu sai che Moÿses, benigno e pio,
satïò d’acqua e manna tanta gente,
così se guadagniò la fede nostra,
ché chi è divino in ogni opre lo mostra.
986
THE JEWS say:
Help yourself, false, wicked rogue.
Come on, don’t die so wretchedly
for a bit of water, and you wanted to be God,
pretending to suffer all ill patiently.
You know that Moses, kind and holy,
fed all the people with water and manna.
So if he earned our faith,
for he who is divine shows it in all his works.
992
THE GUARD:
I want to give our king something to drink
because with his own mouth he has asked for it.
Let a container be fetched here
of gall well mixed with vinegar,
and let it be given to him to drink with a sponge,
so that he dies with greater shame.
1000
MARY says:
O cruel people, have you no pity
to grant this, his last request?
You can see my son is dying of thirst:
his voice is hoarse and already failing and wavering.
Give him my blood to drink, without delay,
if there is among you anyone moved by pity,
since my divine son cannot find
in all his anguish water or wine.
LO CAVALIERI:
Voglio che al nostro re noi damo a bere
poiché di boccha sua l’à domandato.
Un vaso tosto qui si debbia avere
con felle e aceto ben‹e› miscolato,
e diasi a bere a lui con una spognia,
a ciò che mora con magior vergogna.
MARIA dice:
O cruda gente, pietà non avete
de exaudir questa sua prece extrema?
Vedete el mio figliol morir de sete:
la voce è rocha e già li mancha e trema.
Dateli el sangue mio, non dimorete,
a ber, se c’è tra voi chi pietà prema,
poi non si trova el mio figliol divino
in tanta angoscia sua acqua né vino.
Mo se li dà a bevere con la spognia, e CHRISTO dice,
«Consumatum est».
Now they give him something to drink with the sponge,
and CHRIST says “Consummatum est.”
LI IUDEI dicono:
Pur ti cognosci d’esser consumato
THE JEWS say:
Now you know that you are finished
Passion ❧ 34
per tua perfidia dalla pena atroce.
Noce tal volta star troppo obstinato
e vedi che ’l confessi ad alta voce.
Ma tu ài quisto e pegio meritato,
ché ’l tuo fallire vorria altro che croce,
ché chi se sforz’a inducer novo rito,
sòle da chi governa esser punito.
MARIA dice:
Figlio, per te aiuto non si trova.
Figlio, si’ abandonato dal tuo padre.
Figlio, non è chi a pietà si mova
del tuo martire e sei fra gente latre.
Figliol mio, in croce ti vego conficto:
non è chi soccorrà al corpo afflicto.
1008
by terrible pain on account of your perfidy.
Sometimes it hurts to be too stubborn,
and you see that you admit it out loud.
But you have earned this and worse,
because your sin would deserve more than the cross,
because anyone who tries to introduce a new rite
is usually punished by the person in power.
1014
MARY says:
Son, no help is to be found for you.
Son, you are abandoned by your father.
Son, there is nobody who is moved to pity
for your suffering, and you are among thieves.
My son, I see you nailed on the cross:
there is nobody to help your afflicted body.
B4r
CHRISTO dice ad alta voce, «Hely, Hely, lama
zabatani».
CHRIST cries out loud, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani.”
LI IUDEI dicono:
Elia costui pur chiama ad alta voce.
Ogniun stia attento a vedere se viene
a liberarlo e schiodarlo de croce,
e a levarlo e scamparlo di pene.
Or chiami Elia, or pianga, or gridi forte:
vegiam se Elia lo scamparà da morte.
THE JEWS say:
He calls to Elijah out loud.
Everybody keep watch to see if he comes
to free him and unnail him from the cross
and take him away and release him from suffering.
Now he calls Elijah, now he weeps and calls out loud:
let us see if Elijah releases him from death.
1020
WOODCUT 22: THE MOMENT OF CHRIST’S DEATH.
SCENE WITH FOUR FIGURES STANDING IN OPEN TOMBS, TREES SHAKING AND ROCKS FLYING;
IN QUARTER PANEL, TOP RIGHT, THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE RENT FROM BOTTOM TO TOP
CHRISTO dice:
O patre altissimo mio omnipotente,
al tutto è consumato ogni scriptura.
Al tuo voler son stato obediente,
insino al ponto della morte obscura.
Lo spirito mio, stanco e tormentato,
sia, patre, in mano tue recommandato.
Mo Christo spira. Appro·se li monumenti, fannose li
teramoti e tenebre e le montagne t‹r›emano.
Appariscon l’Angeli. LONGINO dice:
Tristo Longino, ciecho sventurato,
1026
CHRIST says:
O supreme almighty father,
all scripture is fulfilled completely.
I have been obedient to your will,
right to the moment of my dark death.
Let my spirit, tired and tormented,
be entrusted into your hands.
Now CHRIST dies. The tombs open, earthquakes and
shadows follow and the mountains tremble. The Angels
Appear. LONGINUS says:
Unhappy Longinus, blind and wretched,
Passion ❧ 35
che satisfar non pòi al tuo volere.
Quest’uomo iusto ch’in croce è chiavato
stenta con pene e non pò morire.
Sol per pietà ch’i’ò del suo dolore
voglio de lancia darli su lo core.
Mo gli da con la lanza e poi dice:
Misericordia, o summo creatore!
Signore, non guardar al mio peccato!
Gratie te rendo, Dio summo signiore,
del sangue con che m’ài ralluminato.
Per toa santa pïetà benignio,
donami parte nel tuo santo regnio.
Sequita e dice alli Iudei:
O ciecha gente, o popolo perverso,
pien di superbia e di falsa heresia,
che ben havete l’intellecto perso
a non cognoscier lo vero Messia,
signor del cielo e re dell’universo,
come à preditta alcuna profetia,
vedete che miracol me à mostrato:
da ciecho vechio vengo alluminato.
L’ANGELI dicono:
O ineffabile e somma sapientia,
o Dio e homo de vergine pura,
che per mostrar la tua sancta clementia,
prender volisti la humana natura,
e per mostrare la tua obedientia,
hai supportati per noi morte dura,
con gran tormenti e con flagelli forte,
sù nella croce la penosa morte.
Sequitano:
Sol per purgar lo debito e la pena
del primo ingrato e scognoscente patre,
fecese dignia tua maestà divina
prender la carne de Maria tua matre.
Mo versi sange d’ognie polso e vena
sol per paghar l’inique colpe latre.
Col sangue precïoso tuo iocundo
tu ài salvato lo universo mondo.
Mo vene MARIA alla croce e abraczandola dice:
O Croce sancta, li toi rami inclina
da poi che ’l mio figliolo in te è morto.
Ogniun è satio ormai darli più pena.
Abassati ch’io tocchi el mio conforto.
O arbor santo sopra ogni altro legnio,
che sustiner Idio si’ stato degnio.
Mo LO CAVALIERI va a Pilato e anuntiali la morte de
Christo:
1032
you cannot satisfy your desire.
This upright man who is nailed on the cross
is suffering in pain and cannot die.
Just for the pity that I feel for his pain
I want to pierce his head with a lance.
1038
Now he pierces him with the lance and then he says:
Have mercy on me, o supreme creator!
Lord, do not look on my sins!
I give you thanks, highest Lord God,
for the blood with which you have restored my sight.
In your kind and holy mercy,
give me a place in your holy kingdom.
1046
He continues and says to the Jews:
O race of blind men, o perverse people,
full of pride and of false heresy,
who have lost the benefits of the intellect
by failing to know the true Messiah,
Lord of heaven and king of the universe,
as was predicted by some of the prophecies,
you see what miracle he has shown me:
from being a blind old man I am now enlightened.
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1054
THE ANGELS say:
O ineffable and supreme wisdom,
o God and man, born of the pure virgin,
who to show your holy mercy
chose to take human nature,
and to show your obedience
you have borne cruel death for us,
and with great torment and fierce scourging,
you have borne painful death up on the cross.
1062
THE ANGELS continue:
Just to expunge the debt and the sentence
of the first thankless and ungrateful father
your divine majesty deigned
to take the flesh of Mary, your mother.
Now you bleed from every pulse and vein
just to pay the price of dark, iniquitous sin.
With your precious and joyful blood
you have saved the whole world.
1068
Now MARY comes to the cross and embraces it saying:
O holy Cross, bow down your branches
for my son has died on you.
Everyone has had enough now of causing him pain.
Bend down so that I can touch my consolation.
O tree that is holy above all other trees,
for you were worthy enough to support God.
Now THE GUARD goes to Pilate and announces
Christ’s death to him:
Passion ❧ 36
WOODCUT 23: LEFT TWO-THIRDS: EIGHT JEWS CONFERRING;
RIGHT THIRD : JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA BEFORE PILATE; REPEAT OF WOODCUT 12
Pilato, quel Iesù che è morto in croce
ci à facti tutti pur maravigliare,
pregando per color tanto feroce
che stavano davanti a straciare,
e poi chiamando Elia con alta voce
venne di questa vita a trapassare.
Turbòsi l’aere con tremoti subito,
con tenebre e tonar tanto ch’io dubito.
Mo IOSEPH AB A RIMATTIA va ad Pilato e dice:
Se ogni odio mortal la morte scioglie,
Pilato, or ce rendete el corpo morto
del bon Iesù ch’a tanta pene e doglie
se retrova conducto a sì mal porto.
Poi che son satisfacte tante voglie
de farli novi oltragi serria torto,
onde ti prego ch’al mio refrigerio
mel doni, che non sia più a vituperio.
PILATO responde:
‹Da› poi che Iesù Christo vostro è morto,
va e fatte de lui quel che vi pare.
Io son ben certo che è morto a torto,
ma contra voglia me l’àn facto fare,
ch’io volentieri l’averria scampato,
se non l’avessi el popolo negato.
IOSEPH dice:
Pilato, summamente te ringratio.
Idio tel possa sempre meritare.
Io son ben certo che ogniuno è satfio
e non cerchan più Christo iniurïare.
Dio te conservi sempre a grande honore,
da poi me ài renduto el mio Signore.
Mo torna IOSEPH verso la croce ad sconfichare lo
corpo de Christo e dice a Nichodemo:
Car Nichodemo, se pietà in te regnia
e mia iusta domanda non disdici,
meco in Calvario oge venir te degnia
con questi toi compagni e cari amici.
1076
Pilate, that Jesus who died on the cross
has made us all wonder indeed,
by praying for those cruel people
who stood before him and tormented him,
and then by calling on Elijah out loud
he came finally arrived at the point of death.
The air suddenly was moved by earthquake
and darkness and thunder, so that I am afraid.
1084
Now JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA goes to Pilate and says:
If death dissolves all mortal hatred,
Pilate, now give us back the dead body
of good Jesus who with such pain and suffering
has been brought to such a wretched pass.
Since such desires have been satisfied
it would be wrong to do him new outrage,
so I beg you that you give him to me
for my safe-keeping, so that he is not further vilified.
1090
PILATE replies:
Since your Jesus Christ is dead,
go and do what you like with him.
I am sure that he has died wrongly
but against my will they made me do it,
because I would willingly have freed him
if the people had not refused it.
1096
JOSEPH says:
Pilate, I give you my profound thanks.
May God always reward you.
I am certain that everything is satisfied
and they are not trying to do Christ further harm.
May God keep you always in great honor
because your have returned to me my Lord.
Now JOSEPH comes back towards the cross to unnail
the body of Christ and he says to Nicodemus:
Dear Nicodemus, if pity reigns within you,
and you do not refuse my just request,
grant that today you will come with me to Calvary
with these your companions and dear friends.
Passion ❧ 37
Inde de croce sconficchar te degnia,
tu e loro et io, per fare in ciel felici,
quel Iesù sancto che con lor vie torte
oge ànno li Iudei dannato a morte.
NICHODEMO E LI COMPAGNI insiemi rispondano a
Ioseph:
Ioseph, degnio è ’l tuo iusto pregare:
volen che espresso sia commandamento,
et grato ce serrà con teco andare
che de servirte ciaschuno è contento,
e perché quel Iesù fu singulare
in sanctità, però di buon talento,
ciaschun s’affanni a quel celeste e pio
qual certo noi tenem figliol de Dio.
Sequita:
Odita abiàn più volte soa doctrina
e la parola sua nel predicare,
onesta, iusta, sancta, anzi divina,
che ben faceva ogniun maravigliare.
È più che raro ‹ch’›el cielo destina
chi possa, qual fe’ lui, tal segni fare,
che morti suscitò et sanò lordi
di lepra, ciechi, attratti, muti e sordi.
NICODEMO solo dice alli soi compagni e a Ioseph
andando:
Quisti Iudei li dier tante battaglie
sens’altro refrigerio né conforto,
per fin che stracïato in gran travaglie
in croce l’àn de vita privo e morto.
Poiché è così, io ho le tenaglie
(le qual‹i› meco sempre tengo e porto)
e so che ogniun verrà, pronto e veloce.
Andemo adunche a torlo giù di croce.
Mo vengono QUATTRO PEREGRINI e adomandano lo
Cavalieri:
O degno cavalier, sì a gran divitia
Idio adimpia ogni tuo desiderio
e scampi te d’altrui fraude e malitia,
perché sapen ch‹e› è vostro misterio,
ditene in cortesia: questa iusticia
com’è facta, e con tanto vituperio,
e chi è quest’uom di mezo in croce messo
e se morto è per alcun grave excesso?
LO CAVALIERI li risponde:
Questo gè morto in croce a tanti scorni
per la sua trista vita e maligne opre,
che struger volev’el tempio, e in tre iorni
refarlo ben che tanto terren copre,
e con certo soa fraude e gesti adorni
subvertia nostra leggie sottosopre.
Ch’era figl‹i›uol de Dio alla gentaglia
dicendo, nostra fé mett‹ea› in travaglia.
B5r
1104
1112
1120
1128
There grant that you will unnail from the cross,
with us all together, to bring happiness to heaven,
that holy Jesus, whom the Jews today
with their devious ways have condemned to death.
NICODEMUS AND HIS COMPANIONS answer Joseph
together:
Joseph, your just request is worthy.
We wish the commandment to be expressed clearly,
and we will be glad to go with you
and each of us is happy to serve you,
and because that Jesus was exceptional
in holiness, so with good talent
let each person exert himself for that celestial and holy
man
whom we hold for certain to be the son of God.
He continues:
We have heard his teaching often
and his words when he preached:
honest, just, holy, or rather divine,
who indeed made all men wonder.
It is more than rare that heaven should send
one who might, as he did, do such miracles,
for he brought the dead back to life and healed men
foul
with leprosy, the blind, the crippled, the dumb and the
deaf.
NICODEMUS alone says to his companions and to
Joseph as they go:
These Jews attacked him so much,
without respite or comfort,
until, tortured and in great torment,
they took his life and killed him on the cross.
Since it is done, I have the pincers
(that I always have and carry with me)
and I know everybody will come, swift and prepared.
We will go now to take him down from the cross.
Now FOUR PILGRIMS come and ask the Guard:
1136
O worthy guard, may God grant
your every desire for great wealth,
and keep you free from the fraud and malice of others,
because we know that it is your business,
tell me if you please: why is this justice
done like this, and with such hatred,
and who is this man in the middle on the cross,
and whether he has died for some grave excess.
1144
THE GUARD answers them:
This man has died on the cross amid such scorn
for his wretched life and wicked deeds.
He wanted to destroy the temple, and in three days
rebuild it, with all the ground it covers,
and with certain tricks of his and fancy gestures
he turned our laws upside down and subverted them.
By telling the crowd that he was the son of God,
he threw our faith into turmoil.
Passion ❧ 38
Sequita:
Però l’abiamo in questa croce posto
che così volsero Anna e Caifasso,
pontifici, e anchor Pilato tosto
volse fussi de vita privo e casso,
che se vedea la fin del mese agosto
la nostra lege in tutto mettea basso
perché facea fra ’l vulgo con ingegni
miraculi fictivi e molti segni.
LI PELEGRINI replicano al Cavalieri:
Pàciate, Cavalieri, ad noi concedere
che dar possiam resposta ’l tuo parlare.
Non era questo santo mai da ledere
che certo era hom divino, a nol celare,
e chiaro e fermo pòi tenere e credere
quel che con verità possiam narrare:
che questa man nel suo trapassar duro
fôr terremoti, troni e ’l sole scuro.
Sequitano:
E caminando noi per pian di fore,
da poi la vision di queste cose,
in aëre sentiemmo un tal romore,
come di voce meste e lachrymose,
tal che misse spavento a tutti in core
affirmando fra noi che Dio dispose
forse tutti cacciar fin a l’abisso,
ma certo è per cagion del crucifisso.
LO CAVALIERI desprezando li Peregrini se parte, e
loro vanno alla croce, ingenochione dicono:
O corpo glorioso, divo e santo,
in questa croce messo ad sì gran torto,
l’aspera tua passion n’afflige tanto
poi che t’abiam qua sù veduto e scorto,
che tutti ne commove a doglia e pianto.
Però, signor, nel tuo securo porto
recevi noi per tua virtù infinita
quando seremo al fin de nostra vita.
1152
1160
THE GUARD continues:
So we put him on this cross,
for that’s what Annas and Caiaphas the High Priest
wanted, and Pilate as well
wanted him to be deprived of his life,
because one could see the end of the month of August
our law had been completely brought down,
because he was doing tricks among the ordinary folk,
and fake miracles and many signs.
THE PILGRIMS answer the Guard:
Grant us, o Guard, if you please
that we may answer your words.
This holy man should never have been harmed
for he was surely a divine man, to reveal the truth,
and you can be sure and believe clearly and surely
what we can tell you in truth:
that this morning, at his cruel passing,
there were earthquakes, lightning bolts and darkened
sun.
B5v
1168
They continue:
And as we walked on the plain outside the city,
after we had seen these things,
we heard in the air such a noise,
like sorrowing, tearful voices,
such that struck terror into the hearts of all,
assuring among us that God intended
to send perhaps all men into the abyss,
but we are sure it is because of him who was crucified.
1176
THE GUARD, scorning the Pilgrims, departs and they
go to the cross and kneeling they say:
O glorious body, divine and holy,
set on this cross so wrongly,
your cruel passion afflicts us so much
because we have seen you up here and understood
and it moves us all to sorrow and weeping.
Therefore, Lord, in your infinite virtue
receive us into your safe port
when we are at the end of our lives.
Mo lo Cavalieri va a Pilato e nuntiali la morte di
Christo. Mo torna Ioseph verso la croce e MADONNA
paurosa dice alle Marie:
Oimè, chi son costor, care sorelle,
che vengon verso me, misera e scura?
Retornan forse queste gente felle
per negar al mio figlio sepultura?
Now the Guard goes to Pilate and announces to him
the death of Christ. Now Joseph returns towards the
cross. THE MADONNA says fearfully to the Maries:
Ah, who are those men, dear sisters
who come towards me, wretched and sad?
Are those pitiless people coming back perhaps
to deny my son burial?
Respondono LE MARIE:
Ioseph ab Armattia non è di quille.
Cara Madonna, non aver paura,
che lo nostro Iesù, patre benignio,
per pietà viene ad schonfichar de’ legnio.
THE MARIES reply:
Joseph of Arimathea is not one of them.
Dear Madonna, do not be afraid,
for he is coming in pity to unnail
Jesus, our kind father, from the tree.
MARIA dice ad Ioseph:
Ioseph, in carità e per dovere,
rendimi, s’esser pò, lo corpo morto.
1184
MARY says to Joseph:
Joseph, in charity and in duty,
return to me, if it is possible, the dead body.
Passion ❧ 39
Se pigli affanno del mio despiacere
e cerchi darmi aiuto o ver conforto,
io so che devi intendere e vedere,
quanto m’affliga el recevuto torto,
unde te prego che ’l ben che m’è tolto
el vega per toe mani oge sepulto.
IOSEPH responde:
Madre, domandai pur mo a Pilato,
lo quale al fin me ll’à dat’e concesso,
e vuol che sia de croce sconfichato
dove per li Iudei prima era messo.
Dogliome certo che non sia mandato
dal cielo in suo favore votivo messo
ad conservarlo per virtù di sopra,
o in mio loco a far questa sancta opra.
1192
If you are moved by my unhappiness
and seek to give me help or even comfort,
I know that you must understand and see
how much this wrong I have suffered afflicts me,
wherefore I beg you that I may see the good that
has been taken from me buried today by your hands.
1200
JOSEPH replies:
Mother, I asked Pilate just now
and in the end he gave and granted this to me,
and he wishes him to be taken down from the cross
where the Jews put him before.
I am indeed grieved that no votive messenger
was sent from Heaven in his aid,
to preserve him for supreme virtue,
or to do this holy deed in my place.
1208
Now JOSEPH climbs up to the cross and unnails Christ
saying:
I know well, Lord, that I am not worthy
to touch your most holy body,
being an unworthy sinner, made of clay,
but pity forces me to do it,
just to lift you down from this cruel tree
and provide burial for your divine body.
But it must have been destined or judged on high
that today I deprive the angel of this craft and office.
Mo IOSEPH salle in croce e schiodando Christo dice:
Io vego ben, signor, che non son degnio
lo tuo corpo sanctissimo tocchare,
sendo di terra peccatore indegnio,
ma la pietà sì mi constringe a fare
sol per levarti d’esto duro legno,
e sepultura al divin corpo dare.
Ma non senza destino o gran iudicio,
lev’ogi a l’angel l’arte e questo officio.
WOODCUT 24: THE DESCENT FROM THE CROSS
{QUARTUS CHORUS:
O Giudei, el grande errore
ch’ogi havete perpetrato
mai ve fia perdonato
da Dio, eterno creatore.
THE FOURTH CHORUS:
O Jews, the great sin
that you have perpetrated today
will never be forgiven you
by God, the eternal creator.
CHORUS:
S’aspectate el salvatore
in la lege ad voi promesso,
certo Iesù era quel desso
de virtuti exempio e norma.
CHORUS:
If you await the saviour
promised to you in the Law,
certainly Jesus was he,
example and norm of virtue.
Responsio CHORUS:
Iesù e Dio tra noi in forma
1216
Responsio CHORUS:
Jesus and God among us came to earth
Passion ❧ 40
del vil servo in terra è stato.
Al sepulchro morto è andato;
stima che ’l tre giorni dorma.
Prenderà poi nova forma
e ’l suo corpo precioso,
triumphant’e glorioso,
ce aprerà la via del cielo.}
Mo MADONNA receve da Ioseph lo corpo de Christo
in braczo e dice:
Figliol, la carne tua ch’era di neve
or è cambiata e fatt’oscura tutta.
Figlio, lo sangue iusto già non deve
l’erba macchiare e far la terra brutta,
la qual lo sangue tuo iusto si beve
di tuo persona ch’è guasta e destrutta.
Figlio, le man con che tutti formasti
l’àn perforate a spregio e li piè guasti.
Sequita:
Figlio, quanto acresciesti a la mia pena
quando sì alto domandasti a bere!
Te detti tutto ’l sangue d’ogni vena
perché de l’acqua non potei avere,
a tal che mi manchò lo polso e lena
tanta ne presi doglia e dispiacere.
Figliol, pegio mi fece quella voce
che ’l tuo tormento di terr’e di croce.
Dicono LE MARIE:
Dov’è, maestro, la tua sanctitade?
Dove son l’altre tue opre bone,
li tuoi moral precepti e le bontade
di ch’abundavi, più ch’altre persone?
Son tutte spente a gran crudelitate
in cruce, a cruda morte e passione,
da questi can iudei, senza peccato.
Ch’almen t’aviss’un solo homo aiutato.
Sequitano:
Mutato s’è, maestro, el chiaro viso,
le man pietose e gli ochi pari al sole,
che ci facevan fé del paradiso,
e niun del tuo male si cura o duole,
che t’hanno da noi orfane diviso,
dannato a morte con aspre parole,
per colpe d’esti ebrei, non per tuo merito,
delli excessi del tempo pretèrito.
Sequitano:
Vorriase or soccorrere a Maria,
che per tanto dolor non si desperi,
ch’in tanta doglia e gran malanconia
sta in mezo a questi can perfid’e fieri,
misera, afflicta più ch’altri che sia,
per questi pochi giorni obscuri e neri,
sì che s’è morto lo comune padre,
almanch’è viva la dogliosa madre.
1224
B6r
1232
in the form of a humble servant.
He died and went to the tomb;
it is believed that he sleeps for three days.
Then he will take new form
and his precious body,
triumphant and glorious,
will open the way for us to heaven.
Now MARY receives from Joseph the body of Christ
into her arms and says:
My son, your flesh that was all snow-white
is now changed and has become all dark.
My son, your just blood must not now
stain the grass and make ugly the earth
that drinks up your just blood
from your body which is ravaged and destroyed.
My son, the hands with which you shaped all things
they have pierced through in contempt, and ravaged
your feet.
1240
She continues:
My son, how you increased my suffering
when you asked so loudly for something to drink!
I have given you all my blood from every vein
because I could not have any water,
so that my pulse and my breath failed me,
I was so pained and sorrowed by it.
My son, that voice hurt me more
than your torment on the ground and on the cross.
1248
THE MARIES say:
Where, master, is your healing?
Where are your other good works,
your moral precepts and the goodnesses
in which you abounded, more than other people?
They have all been extinguished most cruelly
on the cross, in your cruel death and passion,
by these Jewish dogs, and for no sin.
If only one single man had helped you!
1256
1264
They continue:
Master, your radiant face has changed,
your merciful hands and your eye like the sun
that gave us proof of paradise,
and nobody cares or sorrows for your suffering,
for they separated you from us orphans,
condemned you to death with bitter words,
because of those Hebrews, not because you deserved
it,
for the transgressions of time past.
They continue:
Would someone now help Mary
so that she does not despair in her sorrow,
because she is in such pain and melancholy
standing amid these cruel, perfidious dogs,
wretched, afflicted more than anyone else in the world.
for these few, dark, black days,
so that even if our mutual father is dead
at least his sorrowing mother is alive.
Passion ❧ 41
Mo se voltano a Maria dicendo:
Madonna, se per pianger ritornassi,
o sospirar el nostro signor morto,
diriamo che de pianger mai restassi
per raquistare lo comun conforto;
ma se ogniuna de noi se desperassi
non ce relevaria de tanto torto.
Tollera, madre, questa passïone,
con fede della soa resurrectione.
LO CENTURIONE dice a Pilato:
Pilato, a che ragion questa iustitia
concessa ài de Iesù alla gente ebrea,
piena de inganni, fraude con nequitia,
cattiva, atroce, cruda, impia e rea?
Tu cognoscevi pur che per malicia
dicean che sempre Christo l’offendeva,
e condemnato l’ài senza ragione,
per mia gran doglia e tua dannatione.
Sequita:
Non l’ài lassato per soa sanctitate,
per sue degnie opere e preciosi doni,
né per li soi miraculi e bontade
né l’altre soe abstinentie e deiuni,
che ad tanta inaudita crudeltade
non l’abbi facto star fra doi latroni,
a voto d’esta gente maledecta
ch’ancor n’aspectan loro e tu’ vendecta.
Sequita:
Io so che tu n’hai visto ’l ciel obscuro
con terremoti orrendi e spissi toni,
come presago d’alcun mal futuro
e segni che per te già non son boni.
Ben si’ stat’obstinato, scioccho e duro
a questa volta, e vo’ chi mi perdoni,
a non notare quand’el ciel s’obscura
o el mondo mancha o pate la natura.
PILATO responde:
Tu de’ saper che lo pigliâr costoro
da lor medesmi e poi l’àn qui menato
ch’io lo vedessi, e con grave martoro
vole‹a›n che da mi fussi condemnato,
e poi con mia licentia e da loro
l’ànno battuto, e senz’alcun peccato.
Ver’è che pel soperchio loro insistere
ne lo lassai e non potei resistere.
LO CENTURIONE:
Questa è pur cosa mai più non udita
né per mutatïon di stati o regni,
per guerre o risse o signoria tradita,
d’apparer questi mai più visti segni,
ma son conformi a quella sancta vita
de Iesù Christo e proprio a lui degni,
a ponto come vol la prophetia
che parla dell’advento del Messia.
1272
Now they turn to Mary saying:
Madonna, if for our crying our dead Lord
would return, or for our sighing,
we would say that you should never stop crying,
that we might have our common consolation again;
but if every one of us despaired,
it would not relieve us of such wrong.
Mother, bear this passion
with faith in his resurrection.
1280
THE CENTURION says to Pilate:
Pilate, why did you allow this judgement on Jesus
to be passed by the Jews,
full of deceit, fraud and wickedness,
bad, atrocious, cruel wicked and wrong?
You knew indeed that they spoke out of malice,
saying that Christ was always offending them,
and you have condemned him without reason,
to my great sorrow and your damnation.
1288
He continues:
You did not spare him for his sanctity,
his worthy deeds and precious gifts,
nor for his miracles and goodness,
nor for his other abstinences and fasts,
from being set between two thieves
in an act of unprecedented cruelty
on the vote of this accursed race, who now await
vengeance on themselves and on you for it.
1296
He continues:
I know that you have seen the sky darken,
with terrible earthquakes and masses of thunder,
as an omen of some future evil
and miraculous signs that for you are just not good.
You have indeed been obstinate, foolish and hard
this time, and I beg your pardon,
not to notice when the sky goes dark
that either the world is ending or nature is suffering.
1304
PILATE replies:
I must tell you that they seized him
on their own and then they brought him
for me to see him, and with cruel torture
they wanted him to be condemned by me,
and then with my permission and by themselves
they beat him, and without any sin.
It is true that because they insisted excessively
I left him to them and I could not resist.
1312
THE CENTURION:
This is something absolutely unheard of,
the appearance of never before witnessed signs,
to mark the transformation of states or realms,
or wars or battles or signory betrayed,
but they conform to the sainted life
of Jesus Christ, and of him in particular they are worth,
exactly as the prophecy says
that speaks of the coming of the Messiah.
B6v
Passion ❧ 42
Sequita:
Adunche chiar si vede che l’è desso
come più volte s’è manifestato
innelli templi a questa gente spesso,
da’ quali è stato poì sì mal tractato.
Entendo che pregava che remosso
fussi dal patre alli Iude’ ’l peccato,
che s’io ’l sapeva a tempo o me n’a‹n›dava
o tutti eravam morti o lo scampava.
LO CAVALIERI dice allo Centurione:
Io stava a recontarlo ora a Pilato
come tremò la terra e l’altri segni,
le tenebre, la luna e ’l sol scurato,
e tanti alti prodigii magni e degni,
a tal che mi rincresce esserne stato
veduto, quant’el ciel ci à mostri segni,
adunche par che sia più che possibile
ch’anchor ritorni e facciasi visibile.
LO CENTURIONE risponde allo Cavalieri:
S’io questi segni e li prodigii indago,
‹e’› non è quel che dice sta canaglia,
che fussi un subductor, malvase mago.
Perché l’àn facta sì fiera battaglia?
Ma tengansi a mente un tal presago,
quanta li dee seguir per ciò travaglia
a lloro, a’ figli e al paese tutto,
che guasto ne serrà, ars’e destructo.
1320
He continues:
So it can be seen clearly that he is the one
as has been shown so many times
in the temples often to these people,
by whom he was so ill treated.
I hear that he prayed that his father
liberate the Jews from their sin.
If I had known in time, either I would have gone away
or we would all have died or he would have escaped.
1328
THE GUARD says to the Centurion:
I was just telling Pilate
how the earth trembled and the other miraculous signs,
the darkness, the moon and the darkened sun,
and so many other prodigies, great and worthy,
so that I am sorry that I was
seen when the sky showed such signs,
so it seems that it is more than possible
that he return and make himself visible.
1336
THE CENTURION replies to the Guard:
If I consider these miraculous signs and prodigies
he is not what this pack of dogs says,
that he was a seducer, and an evil wizard.
Why have they waged such a fierce battle?
But let them keep such prophecy in mind,
of how much travail will result,
for them, their children and the whole country,
because it will be ruined, burnt and destroyed.
FINIS
FINIS
WOODCUT 25: THE ENTOMBMENT
FINITA LA RAPRESENTATIONE DELLA PASSIONE
COMPOSTA PER PIÙ PERSONE: PER MISSER IULIANO
DATI FLORENTINO, E PER MISSER BERNARDO DI
MAESTRO ANTONIO ROMANO , E PER MISSER
MARIANO PARTICHAPPA.
THE END OF THE PLAY OF THE PASSION COMPOSED BY
SEVERAL PEOPLE: MISSER IULIANO DATI FROM
FLORENCE, BERNARDO, SON OF MASTER ANTONIO, OF
ROME, AND MISSER MARIANO PARTICAPPA.
A[NDREAS] F[RITAG]
A[NDREAS] F[RITAG]
J[OHANN] B[ ESICKEN]
J[OHANN] B[ ESICKEN]
Passion ❧ 43
Apparatus
Incipit dela Co(n)falone 8 vederete 17 uierete 33 vederete 49-64 not in A; interpolated from 1501 edition 65
sono 67 souo nol 83 dire 89 pare 95 alle 97 pare 105 pure 112 setto e e otto 118 a(n)cora 130 pigliare
131 obseruare 132 faciamo 134 dire 140 lalmiamia 142 chente(n)tatione 163 vuole 171 dare 177 peccatori
178 meritare 191 andiamo 203 quello 227 choloro 240 co(m)nun 284 mo(n)do 286 sono 287 chostoro 288
parlare 291 natione 301 medesimo 341 sono 342-358 did. not in A; interpolated from 1501 edition 361 che
siefigliuol 394 euuole 398 cagione 401 figluoli 409 dar(e) 419 doun(n)chi 424 ringratiare 459 aspere
pungente 460 anchora 467 intesto 476 probably a misreading of: Pilato, Herode, ed Anna 480 cherchar 493
vuole 523 re regniamo 524 romano 557 co(n)siderare 579 caualiere 598 qualcuno 619 vedumpoi 625-640
not in A; interpolated from 1501 edition 651 inllorto 656 mora Iesu 672 fara di se 673 dolce a me 677
questoro 695 aspero 726 straciata e 739 dolore 780 statio 788 merito mai 791 credeua 794 lanimo mia 806
loro 815 rasone 844 sono 847 stare 848 ciascuno 849 tu dicto 853 p(er) tornare via 867 viene 870
domanda 874 alcuno 877 honore 878 vuole 879 faceua 894 resto in nudo 900 questo panno 900 did.
Lotrone 907 vero 913 saluare 922 did. dice 923 vedove 924 auere 927 creda(m)mo 939 quanadtanta 943
tornare 945 adu(n)che 955 discipolo 958 resurgere 966 core 978 e le pie 980 mistramente 993 gente che
pieta 994 exaudire 995 vedere el mio figliolo 997 datelilo sangue 998 bere 999 troua pel mio 1007 cha chi
inducere 1008 gouerno 1014 soccurrera 1016 ogniuno 1128 satisfare 10231 solo 1045 miracolo 1050
prendere 1055 purgare 1068 idio tu si 1076 tonare 1084 no(n) sera piu 1112 tenemo 1121 diero 1126 qual
meco 1128 did. vengeno 1133 diteue 1135 uomo 1139 voleuel 1141 certo 1149 vedeua 1150 metteua 1151
faceua con ingan(n)i 1154 dare 1159 mane 1177 costoro 1181 abaromattia 1195 vuuole 1198 fauore 1200
fare 1201 signore 1203 essendo 1229 quale 1131 mani 1253 da orfane noi 1258 dolore 1267 piangere
1276 acroce 1278 diceuan 1286 stare 128 ancora 1295 cielo 1297 sapere 1313 chiaro 1325 esserene 1327
pare 1334 deue