← Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus

Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 9

English → It Preface Level 7/10

The master is a person of an excellent disposition and is remarkable in the ship for his gentleness and the mildness of his discipline.

Il comandante è una persona di ottima indole ed è notevole sulla nave per la sua gentilezza e la mitezza della sua disciplina.

This circumstance, added to his well-known integrity and dauntless courage, made me very desirous to engage him.

Questa circostanza, aggiunta alla sua ben nota integrità e al suo coraggio intrepido, mi ha reso molto desideroso di ingaggiarlo.

A youth passed in solitude, my best years spent under your gentle and feminine fosterage, has so refined the groundwork of my character that I cannot overcome an intense distaste to the usual brutality exercised on board ship: I have never believed it to be necessary, and when I heard of a mariner equally noted for his kindliness of heart and the respect and obedience paid to him by his crew, I felt myself peculiarly fortunate in being able to secure his services.

Una giovinezza trascorsa in solitudine, i miei anni migliori spesi sotto la tua dolce e femminile tutela, ha così raffinato le fondamenta del mio carattere che non riesco a superare un'intensa avversione per la consueta brutalità esercitata a bordo delle navi: non ho mai creduto che fosse necessaria, e quando ho sentito parlare di un marinaio ugualmente noto per la bontà del suo cuore e per il rispetto e l'obbedienza che il suo equipaggio gli tributava, mi sono sentito particolarmente fortunato di poterne assicurare i servizi.

I heard of him first in rather a romantic manner, from a lady who owes to him the happiness of her life.

Ho sentito parlare di lui per la prima volta in modo piuttosto romantico, da una signora che gli deve la felicità della sua vita.

This, briefly, is his story.

Questa, in breve, è la sua storia.

Some years ago he loved a young Russian lady of moderate fortune, and having amassed a considerable sum in prize-money, the father of the girl consented to the match.

Alcuni anni fa amava una giovane signora russa di modesta fortuna, e avendo accumulato una considerevole somma in denaro di preda, il padre della ragazza acconsentì al matrimonio.

He saw his mistress once before the destined ceremony; but she was bathed in tears, and throwing herself at his feet, entreated him to spare her, confessing at the same time that she loved another, but that he was poor, and that her father would never consent to the union.

Vide la sua amata una volta prima della cerimonia destinata; ma lei era in lacrime, e gettandosi ai suoi piedi, lo supplicò di risparmiarla, confessando allo stesso tempo che ne amava un altro, ma che era povero, e che suo padre non avrebbe mai acconsentito all'unione.

My generous friend reassured the suppliant, and on being informed of the name of her lover, instantly abandoned his pursuit.

Il mio generoso amico rassicurò la supplice, e venuto a conoscenza del nome del suo amante, abbandonò immediatamente il suo corteggiamento.

Vocabulary

comandante
Commander; captain of a ship or military unit
persona
Person; individual human being
ottima
Excellent; of the highest quality or standard
indole
Nature; character or natural disposition of person
notevole
Notable; worthy of attention or remarkable
nave
Ship; large vessel for sea travel
gentilezza
Kindness; quality of being gentle and courteous
mitezza
Mildness; quality of being mild or gentle
disciplina
Discipline; system of rules and training
circostanza
Circumstance; condition or factor in situation
aggiunta
Added; joined or combined with something else
ben
Well; in good manner or to good degree
nota
Known; familiar or recognized by people
integrità
Integrity; honesty and moral uprightness
coraggio
Courage; bravery in facing difficulty or danger
intrepido
Intrepid; fearless and adventurous in behavior
reso
Made; rendered or caused to become
molto
Very, much; adverb of degree or intensity
desideroso
Desirous; eager or keen to have something
ingaggiarlo
To hire him; to employ or engage someone
giovinezza
Youth; period of being young and youthful
trascorsa
Spent, passed; having gone by in time
solitudine
Solitude; state of being alone and isolated
anni
Years; plural of anno, units of time
migliori
Better, best; comparative or superlative adjective
spesi
Spent; used up or expended completely
sotto
Under; preposition indicating position below something
dolce
Sweet, gentle; pleasant or mild in manner
femminile
Feminine; relating to women or female gender
tutela
Guardianship, protection; care and legal responsibility
così
So, thus; in this manner or way
raffinato
Refined; elegant and cultured in manner
fondamenta
Foundations; basis or groundwork of something
carattere
Character; nature or personality of person
riesco
Manage, succeed; first person singular of riuscire
superare
To overcome; to go beyond or surpass
intensa
Intense; very strong in degree or feeling
avversione
Aversion; strong dislike or opposition to something
consueta
Customary, usual; done according to habit
brutalità
Brutality; cruel and savage quality of behavior
esercitata
Exercised, practiced; carried out or performed habitually
bordo
Board; edge or side of ship
navi
Ships; plural of nave, large sea vessels
mai
Never; at no time or not ever
creduto
Believed; thought or supposed to be true
necessaria
Necessary; required or needed for something
quando
When; at what time or on occasion
sentito
Heard; perceived by ear or felt
parlare
To speak; to communicate with words
marinaio
Sailor; person who works on ship
ugualmente
Equally; in the same manner or degree
noto
Known; famous or well-known to people
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