besides incomparable personal beauty, so much charm of nature, such excellent abilities, and such a graceful manner, that he deserved, and still deserves, to be the better loved the more he is known.”  The play of words upon Cavalieri’s name in the last line of the first sonnet, the evidence of Varchi, and the indirect witness of Condivi, together with Michael Angelo’s own letters,[428] are sufficient in my judgment to warrant the explanation I have given above.  Nor do I think that the doubts expressed by Guasti about the intention of the sonnets,[429] or Gotti’s curious theory that the letters, though addressed to Cavalieri, were meant for Vittoria Colonna,[430] are much more honourable to Michael Angelo’s reputation than the garbling process whereby the verses were rendered unintelligible in the edition of 1623.

A CHE PIU DEBB’ IO

    Why should I seek to ease intense desire
      With still more tears and windy words of grief,
      When heaven, or late or soon, sends no relief
    To souls whom love hath robed around with fire? 
    Why need my aching heart to death aspire
      When all must die?  Nay, death beyond belief
      Unto these eyes would be both sweet and brief,
    Since in my sum of woes all joys expire!

    Therefore because I cannot shun the blow
      I rather seek, say who must rule my breast,
      Gliding between her gladness and her woe? 
    If only chains and bands can make me blest,
      No marvel if alone and bare I go
      An armed Knight’s captive and slave confessed.

VEGGIO CO’ BEI VOSTRI OCCHI

    With your fair eyes a charming light I see,
      For which my own blind eyes would peer in vain;
      Stayed by your feet the burden I sustain
    Which my lame feet find all too strong for me;
    Wingless upon your pinions forth I fly;
      Heavenward your spirit stirreth me to strain;
      E’en as you will, I blush and blanch again,
    Freeze in the sun, burn ’neath a frosty sky.

    Your will includes and is the lord of mine;
      Life to my thoughts within your heart is given;
      My words begin to breathe upon your breath: 
    Like to the moon am I, that cannot shine
      Alone; for lo! our eyes see nought in heaven
      Save what the living sun illumineth.

Whether we are justified in assigning the following pair to the Cavalieri series is more doubtful.  They seem, however, to proceed from a similar mood of the poet’s mind.[431]

S’ UN CASTO AMOR

    If love be chaste, if virtue conquer ill,
      If fortune bind both lovers in one bond,
      If either at the other’s grief despond,
    If both be governed by one life, one will;
    If in two bodies one soul triumph still,
      Raising the twain from earth to heaven beyond,
      If love with one blow and one golden wand
    Have power both smitten breasts to pierce and thrill;