Middlemarch — Page 1
Who that cares much to know the history of man, and how the mysterious mixture behaves under the varying experiments of Time, has not dwelt, at least briefly, on the life of Saint Theresa, has not smiled with some gentleness at the thought of the little girl walking forth one morning hand-in-hand with her still smaller brother, to go and seek martyrdom in the country of the Moors?
Chi si preoccupa molto di conoscere la storia dell'uomo, e di come il misterioso miscuglio si comporti sotto i vari esperimenti del Tempo, non si è soffermato, almeno brevemente, sulla vita di Santa Teresa, non ha sorriso con una certa dolcezza al pensiero della bambina che si avviava una mattina mano nella mano con il suo fratellino ancora più piccolo, per andare a cercare il martirio nel paese dei Mori?
Out they toddled from rugged Avila, wide-eyed and helpless-looking as two fawns, but with human hearts, already beating to a national idea; until domestic reality met them in the shape of uncles, and turned them back from their great resolve.
Uscirono barcollando dalla scabra Avila, con gli occhi spalancati e dall'aspetto indifeso come due cerbiatti, ma con cuori umani, che già battevano per un ideale nazionale; finché la realtà domestica li incontrò sotto forma di zii, e li fece tornare indietro dal loro grande proposito.
That child-pilgrimage was a fit beginning.
Quel pellegrinaggio infantile fu un inizio appropriato.
Theresa's passionate, ideal nature demanded an epic life: what were many-volumed romances of chivalry and the social conquests of a brilliant girl to her?
La natura appassionata e ideale di Teresa richiedeva una vita epica: cosa erano per lei i romanzi cavallereschi in molti volumi e le conquiste sociali di una ragazza brillante?
Her flame quickly burned up that light fuel; and, fed from within, soared after some illimitable satisfaction, some object which would never justify weariness, which would reconcile self-despair with the rapturous consciousness of life beyond self.
La sua fiamma bruciò rapidamente quel combustibile leggero; e, alimentata dall'interno, si innalzò verso una soddisfazione illimitata, verso qualche oggetto che non avrebbe mai giustificato la stanchezza, che avrebbe riconciliato la disperazione di sé con la rapita consapevolezza di una vita al di là di sé.
She found her epos in the reform of a religious order.
Trovò il suo epos nella riforma di un ordine religioso.
That Spanish woman who lived three hundred years ago, was certainly not the last of her kind.
Quella donna spagnola che visse trecento anni fa, non fu certamente l'ultima della sua specie.
Vocabulary
- Chi
- Who; which person or thing.
- si
- Reflexive pronoun; oneself, himself, herself, itself.
- preoccupa
- Worries; is concerned or anxious about something.
- molto
- Much; very; a great deal or quantity.
- di
- Of; preposition indicating possession or relationship.
- conoscere
- To know; to be acquainted with or familiar.
- la
- The; feminine singular definite article.
- storia
- History; narrative of past events and occurrences.
- uomo
- Man; adult male human being.
- come
- Like; as; in the manner or way.
- il
- The; masculine singular definite article.
- misterioso
- Mysterious; strange or puzzling and obscure.
- comporti
- Involves; carries or entails as consequence.
- sotto
- Under; beneath or below something else.
- vari
- Various; several different kinds or types.
- esperimenti
- Experiments; tests or trials to discover results.
- Tempo
- Time; duration or period of existence.
- non
- Not; negation or denial of statement.
- soffermato
- Dwelt; paused or lingered upon reflection.
- almeno
- At least; minimum amount or degree.
- brevemente
- Briefly; in a short or concise manner.
- vita
- Life; existence or manner of living.
- Santa
- Saint; holy or sacred female person.
- ha
- Has; third person singular of 'avere'.
- sorriso
- Smiled; past tense of 'sorridere'.
- con
- With; accompanied by or in company.
- una
- A; feminine singular indefinite article.
- certa
- Certain; definite or specific kind of.
- dolcezza
- Sweetness; quality of being gentle or kind.
- pensiero
- Thought; idea or mental consideration or reflection.
- bambina
- Girl; female child or young person.
- che
- That; which introduces relative clause.
- avviava
- Set out; started or began journey.
- mattina
- Morning; early part of the day.
- mano
- Hand; body part at end of arm.
- suo
- His; her; its; possessive adjective.
- fratellino
- Little brother; younger or small male sibling.
- ancora
- Still; yet; continuing or persisting.
- più
- More; greater in quantity or degree.
- piccolo
- Small; little; of limited size.
- per
- For; preposition indicating purpose or destination.
- andare
- To go; to travel or move forward.
- cercare
- To seek; to search or look for.
- martirio
- Martyrdom; suffering or death for beliefs.
- paese
- Country; nation or rural region area.
- Uscirono
- They exited; went out from place.
- barcollando
- Staggering; moving unsteadily or with difficulty.
- scabra
- Rough; harsh or rugged in texture.
- gli
- The; masculine plural definite article.
- occhi
- Eyes; organs of sight in head.
- spalancati
- Opened wide; stretched or extended fully.
- aspetto
- Appearance; outward look or seeming of.
- indifeso
- Defenseless; without protection or means of defense.
- due
- Two; number between one and three.
- ma
- But; indicating contrast or alternative.
- cuori
- Hearts; organs that pump blood throughout.
- umani
- Human; relating to people or mankind.
- già
- Already; at or before present time.
- battevano
- Beat; struck repeatedly or throbbed.
- un
- A; masculine singular indefinite article.
- ideale
- Ideal; perfect or most desirable form.
- nazionale
- National; relating to a whole nation.
- finché
- Until; up to the point that.
- realtà
- Reality; state of being real or true.
- domestica
- Domestic; relating to home or family.
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