Notre-Dame de Paris — Page 5

English → It Full Text Level 8/10

le Cardinal de Bourbon, who, for the sake of pleasing the king, had been obliged to assume an amiable mien towards this whole rustic rabble of Flemish burgomasters, and to regale them at his Hôtel de Bourbon, with a very "pretty morality, allegorical satire, and farce," while a driving rain drenched the magnificent tapestries at his door.

il Cardinale di Bourbon, che, pur di compiacere il re, era stato costretto ad assumere un'aria amabile verso tutta questa rozza marmaglia di borgomastri fiamminghi, e a intrattenerli nel suo Hôtel de Bourbon con una «graziosissima moralità, satira allegorica e farsa», mentre una pioggia battente inzuppava i magnifici arazzi davanti alla sua porta.

What put the "whole population of Paris in commotion," as Jehan de Troyes expresses it, on the sixth of January, was the double solemnity, united from time immemorial, of the Epiphany and the Feast of Fools.

Ciò che mise «tutta la popolazione di Parigi in subbuglio», come lo esprime Jehan de Troyes, il sei gennaio, era la doppia solennità, unita da tempo immemorabile, dell'Epifania e della Festa dei Folli.

On that day, there was to be a bonfire on the Place de Grève, a maypole at the Chapelle de Braque, and a mystery at the Palais de Justice.

In quel giorno, doveva esserci un falò in Place de Grève, un albero di maggio alla Chapelle de Braque, e un mistero al Palais de Justice.

It had been cried, to the sound of the trumpet, the preceding evening at all the cross roads, by the provost's men, clad in handsome, short, sleeveless coats of violet camelot, with large white crosses upon their breasts.

Era stato annunciato, al suono della tromba, la sera precedente a tutti i crocicchi, dagli uomini del prevosto, vestiti con eleganti, corti e senza maniche giubbotti di cammellotto violetto, con grandi croci bianche sul petto.

So the crowd of citizens, male and female, having closed their houses and shops, thronged from every direction, at early morn, towards some one of the three spots designated.

Così la folla di cittadini, uomini e donne, avendo chiuso le loro case e botteghe, si riversò da ogni direzione, di buon mattino, verso uno dei tre luoghi designati.

Each had made his choice; one, the bonfire; another, the maypole; another, the mystery play.

Ciascuno aveva fatto la propria scelta: chi il falò, chi l'albero di maggio, chi il mistero.

Vocabulary

Cardinale: High-ranking church official below the Pope.
pur: Adverb meaning 'even though' or 'still'.
compiacere: To please or satisfy someone willingly.
re: Noun meaning 'king', a male monarch.
stato: Past participle of 'essere'; also means 'state'.
costretto: Forced or compelled to do something.
assumere: To take on or adopt a role or attitude.
aria: Air; also demeanor or manner of appearance.
amabile: Amiable, pleasant, or lovable in manner.
verso: Preposition meaning 'toward' or 'towards'.
rozza: Crude, rough, or uncouth in character.
marmaglia: Rabble, riffraff, or disorderly crowd of people.
borgomastri: Plural of 'borgomastro'; mayors or town officials.
fiamminghi: Flemish people or things from Flanders.
intrattenerli: To entertain them; infinitive with clitic pronoun.
graziosissima: Superlative of 'graziosa'; most gracious or charming.
moralità: Morality play; also moral virtue or ethics.
satira: Satire; literary work mocking or criticizing society.
allegorica: Allegorical; using symbolic figures to convey meaning.
farsa: Farce; comedic theatrical performance with absurd situations.
mentre: Conjunction meaning 'while' or 'whereas'.
pioggia: Rain; precipitation falling from the sky.
battente: Beating or pelting, as in heavy driving rain.
inzuppava: Was soaking or drenching something thoroughly with liquid.
magnifici: Magnificent, splendid, or grandiose things or people.
arazzi: Tapestries; decorative woven wall hangings.
davanti: Preposition or adverb meaning 'in front of'.
porta: Door or gate of a building or residence.
Ciò: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'that thing'.
mise: Third person singular past of 'mettere', meaning 'put'.
popolazione: Population; the inhabitants of a city or region.
Parigi: Italian name for the city of Paris, France.
subbuglio: Turmoil, uproar, or state of great agitation.
esprime: Expresses or conveys a thought or feeling.
sei: The number six; sixth.
gennaio: January; the first month of the year.
doppia: Double or dual; feminine of 'doppio'.
solennità: Solemnity; a formal or sacred celebration.
unita: United or joined together; feminine past participle.
tempo: Time; period of duration or weather.
immemorabile: Immemorial; beyond the reach of memory or record.
Epifania: Epiphany; Christian feast celebrated on January sixth.
Festa: Festival, feast, or celebration; a holiday.
Folli: Fools or madmen; plural of 'folle'.
giorno: Day; a twenty-four hour period.
doveva: Was supposed to or had to; imperfect of 'dovere'.
esserci: To be there; infinitive 'essere' with locative 'ci'.
falò: Bonfire; a large outdoor fire for celebration.
albero: Tree; a large woody plant with branches.
maggio: May; also a maypole in festive tradition.
mistero: Mystery play; also mystery or secret.
annunciato: Announced or proclaimed; past participle of 'annunciare'.
suono: Sound; a noise or musical tone.
tromba: Trumpet; a brass musical instrument.
sera: Evening; the later part of the day.
precedente: Previous or preceding; the one before.
crocicchi: Crossroads or street intersections in a town.
uomini: Men; plural of 'uomo'.
prevosto: Provost; a chief municipal or ecclesiastical official.
vestiti: Dressed or clothed; also dresses or outfits.
eleganti: Elegant or stylish in appearance or manner.
corti: Short; also courts; plural masculine adjective.
senza: Preposition meaning 'without'.
maniche: Sleeves; the arm coverings of a garment.
giubbotti: Jackets or vests; short outer garments.
cammellotto: Camlet; a type of durable woven fabric.
violetto: Violet; a purple color or shade.
croci: Crosses; plural of 'croce', a Christian symbol.
bianche: White; feminine plural of 'bianco'.
petto: Chest; the front part of the human torso.
Così: Adverb meaning 'so', 'thus', or 'in this way'.
folla: Crowd; a large group of gathered people.
cittadini: Citizens; inhabitants or residents of a city.
donne: Women; plural of 'donna'.
avendo: Having; gerund of 'avere', expressing prior action.
chiuso: Closed or shut; past participle of 'chiudere'.
case: Houses or homes; plural of 'casa'.
botteghe: Shops or workshops; small commercial establishments.
riversò: Poured or flowed toward; third person singular past.
ogni: Every or each; used before singular nouns.
direzione: Direction; a path or course toward a destination.
mattino: Morning; the early part of the day.
tre: The number three.
luoghi: Places or locations; plural of 'luogo'.
designati: Designated or appointed; past participle of 'designare'.
Ciascuno: Each one or everyone; indefinite pronoun.
fatto: Done or made; past participle of 'fare'.
propria: Own; feminine of 'proprio', meaning one's own.
scelta: Choice or selection; a decision made deliberately.
chi: Pronoun meaning 'who' or 'whoever'.

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