Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave — Page 8
" Admitting this to have been an extraordinary case of mental deterioration, it proves at least that the white slave can sink as low in the scale of humanity as the black one.
"Ammettendo che questo sia stato un caso straordinario di deterioramento mentale, dimostra almeno che lo schiavo bianco può sprofondare altrettanto in basso nella scala dell'umanità quanto quello nero.
_Mr. Douglass_ has very properly chosen to write his own Narrative, in his own style, and according to the best of his ability, rather than to employ some one else.
Il signor Douglass ha giustamente scelto di scrivere la propria Narrativa, nel proprio stile, e secondo le sue migliori capacità, piuttosto che affidare il compito a qualcun altro.
It is, therefore, entirely his own production; and, considering how long and dark was the career he had to run as a slave,—how few have been his opportunities to improve his mind since he broke his iron fetters,—it is, in my judgment, highly creditable to his head and heart.
È, quindi, interamente opera sua; e, considerando quanto lunga e oscura fosse la vita che ha dovuto condurre come schiavo, — quanto scarse siano state le sue opportunità di migliorare la propria mente da quando ha spezzato le sue catene di ferro, — è, a mio giudizio, di grande onore per la sua intelligenza e il suo cuore.
He who can peruse it without a tearful eye, a heaving breast, an afflicted spirit,—without being filled with an unutterable abhorrence of slavery and all its abettors, and animated with a determination to seek the immediate overthrow of that execrable system,—without trembling for the fate of this country in the hands of a righteous God, who is ever on the side of the oppressed, and whose arm is not shortened that it cannot save,—must have a flinty heart, and be qualified to act the part of a trafficker "in slaves and the souls of men.
Colui che può leggerlo senza un occhio in lacrime, un petto ansante, uno spirito afflitto, — senza essere colmato da un'orrore indicibile per la schiavitù e per tutti i suoi complici, e animato dalla determinazione di cercare l'immediato abbattimento di quell'esecrabile sistema, — senza tremare per il destino di questo paese nelle mani di un Dio giusto, che è sempre dalla parte degli oppressi e il cui braccio non è così corto da non poter salvare, — deve avere un cuore di pietra ed essere adatto a recitare la parte di un trafficante "di schiavi e delle anime degli uomini.
Vocabulary
- Ammettendo
- Admitting, granting that something is true
- che
- That, which, who; common conjunction and pronoun
- questo
- This; demonstrative pronoun or adjective
- sia
- May be; subjunctive form of 'essere'
- stato
- Been; past participle of 'essere', also 'state'
- un
- A, an; indefinite article masculine singular
- caso
- Case, instance, situation, or chance event
- straordinario
- Extraordinary, exceptional, remarkable, unusual
- di
- Of, from; extremely common Italian preposition
- deterioramento
- Deterioration, worsening of a condition over time
- mentale
- Mental, relating to the mind or intellect
- dimostra
- Demonstrates, proves, shows clearly
- almeno
- At least; used to indicate a minimum
- lo
- Him, it; masculine singular definite article or pronoun
- schiavo
- Slave; a person owned and forced to work
- bianco
- White; color or adjective describing pale skin
- può
- Can, is able to; third person singular of 'potere'
- sprofondare
- To sink deeply, plunge down, descend to depths
- altrettanto
- Just as much, equally, the same amount
- in
- In, into; very common Italian preposition
- basso
- Low, bottom; opposite of high
- nella
- In the; contraction of 'in' and 'la'
- scala
- Scale, ladder, staircase, hierarchy
- umanità
- Humanity, humankind, human nature or condition
- quanto
- As much as, how much; comparison word
- quello
- That one; demonstrative pronoun or adjective
- nero
- Black; color adjective, can refer to dark skin
- Il
- The; masculine singular definite article
- signor
- Mr., Mister; title of respect for a man
- ha
- Has; third person singular present of 'avere'
- giustamente
- Rightly, justly, correctly, appropriately
- scelto
- Chosen; past participle of 'scegliere'
- scrivere
- To write; common infinitive verb
- la
- The; feminine singular definite article or pronoun
- propria
- Own; feminine form of possessive adjective 'proprio'
- Narrativa
- Narrative, fiction, story, account
- nel
- In the; contraction of 'in' and 'il'
- proprio
- Own, one's own; possessive adjective or adverb
- stile
- Style, manner of writing or expression
- e
- And; basic coordinating conjunction
- secondo
- According to; also means second
- le
- The; feminine plural article or indirect pronoun
- sue
- His, her, its; feminine plural possessive adjective
- migliori
- Best, better; plural comparative of 'buono'
- capacità
- Ability, capability, capacity, skill
- piuttosto
- Rather, instead, somewhat; expresses preference
- affidare
- To entrust, to assign a task to someone
- il
- The; masculine singular definite article
- compito
- Task, assignment, duty, homework
- a
- To, at; very common Italian preposition
- qualcun
- Someone, somebody; indefinite pronoun before 'altro'
- altro
- Other, another, else; common adjective or pronoun
- È
- Is; third person singular present of 'essere'
- quindi
- Therefore, so, thus; logical consequence marker
- interamente
- Entirely, completely, wholly
- opera
- Work, opus, creation; also opera musical form
- sua
- His, her, its; feminine singular possessive adjective
- considerando
- Considering, taking into account
- lunga
- Long; feminine adjective referring to duration or length
- oscura
- Dark, obscure, gloomy; feminine adjective
- fosse
- Was, were; imperfect subjunctive of 'essere'
- vita
- Life; one of the most common Italian nouns
- dovuto
- Had to, owed; past participle of 'dovere'
- condurre
- To lead, conduct, carry out, live (a life)
- come
- How, like, as; very common Italian adverb
- scarse
- Scarce, few, limited; feminine plural adjective
- siano
- Are; third person plural subjunctive of 'essere'
- state
- Been; feminine plural past participle of 'essere'
- opportunità
- Opportunities, chances, favorable circumstances
- migliorare
- To improve, to get better, to enhance
- mente
- Mind, intellect; also suffix forming adverbs
- da
- From, by, since; very common Italian preposition
- quando
- When; temporal conjunction or adverb
- spezzato
- Broken, shattered; past participle of 'spezzare'
- catene
- Chains; plural noun, literal or figurative bonds
- ferro
- Iron; metal, also used metaphorically for strength
- è
- Is; third person singular present of 'essere'
- mio
- My; masculine singular first person possessive adjective
- giudizio
- Judgment, opinion, verdict, assessment
- grande
- Great, large, big; common Italian adjective
- onore
- Honor, distinction, credit, respect
- per
- For, in order to, through; common preposition
- intelligenza
- Intelligence, intellect, mental ability
- suo
- His, her, its; masculine singular possessive adjective
- cuore
- Heart; organ or symbol of emotion and courage
- Colui
- He who, the one who; formal demonstrative pronoun
- leggerlo
- To read it; infinitive 'leggere' with pronoun attached
- senza
- Without; common preposition indicating absence
- occhio
- Eye; organ of sight, singular form
- lacrime
- Tears; drops of water from crying
- petto
- Chest, breast; front part of the torso
- ansante
- Panting, heaving, breathless with emotion
- uno
- One, a; number or masculine indefinite article
- spirito
- Spirit, soul, mind, ghost
- afflitto
- Afflicted, distressed, grieved, tormented
- essere
- To be; fundamental Italian infinitive verb
- colmato
- Filled, brimmed, overwhelmed; past participle of 'colmare'
- orrore
- Horror, dread, terror, extreme disgust
- indicibile
- Unspeakable, indescribable, inexpressible
- schiavitù
- Slavery, bondage, servitude, enslavement
- tutti
- All, everyone, everybody; plural adjective or pronoun
- i
- The; masculine plural definite article
- suoi
- His, her, its; masculine plural possessive adjective
- complici
- Accomplices, collaborators, those complicit in wrongdoing
- animato
- Animated, driven, filled with energy or resolve
- dalla
- From the, by the; contraction of 'da' and 'la'
- determinazione
- Determination, resolve, firm decision to act
- cercare
- To seek, search for, look for
- immediato
- Immediate, instant, without delay
- abbattimento
- Demolition, overthrow, bringing down a system
- esecrabile
- Execrable, abominable, utterly detestable
- sistema
- System, organized structure or set of rules
- tremare
- To tremble, shake with fear or emotion
- destino
- Destiny, fate, future outcome
- paese
- Country, nation; also village or town
- nelle
- In the; contraction of 'in' and 'le'
- mani
- Hands; plural of 'mano'
- Dio
- God; the supreme divine being
- giusto
- Just, righteous, fair, correct
- sempre
- Always, ever, constantly
- parte
- Part, side, role; also 'on the side of'
- degli
- Of the; contraction of 'di' and 'gli'
- oppressi
- Oppressed; those who are suppressed or exploited
- cui
- Whose, whom, which; relative pronoun
- braccio
- Arm; part of the body or metaphor for power
- non
- Not; basic Italian negation word
- così
- So, thus, in this way; common adverb
- corto
- Short, brief; adjective of length
- poter
- To be able to; truncated infinitive of 'potere'
- salvare
- To save, rescue, deliver from danger
- deve
- Must, has to; third person singular of 'dovere'
- avere
- To have; fundamental Italian infinitive verb
- pietra
- Stone, rock; hard mineral material
- ed
- And; variant of 'e' used before vowels
- adatto
- Suited, fit, appropriate for a purpose
- recitare
- To act, perform, recite; play a role
- trafficante
- Trafficker, dealer, trader in illicit goods or people
- schiavi
- Slaves; plural of 'schiavo'
- anime
- Souls; plural of 'anima', spiritual essence of persons
- uomini
- Men, human beings; plural of 'uomo'
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