The Adventures of Roderick Random — Page 3

English → It APOLOGUE Level 8/10

In vain the astonished painter declared that he had no intention to give offence, or to characterise particular persons: they affirmed the resemblance was too palpable to be overlooked; they taxed him with insolence, malice, and ingratitude; and their clamours being overheard by the public, the captain was a bear, the doctor an ass, and the senator an owl, to his dying day.

Invano il pittore stupito dichiarò di non aver avuto alcuna intenzione di offendere, né di caratterizzare persone particolari: essi affermarono che la somiglianza era troppo palese per essere ignorata; lo accusarono di insolenza, malizia e ingratitudine; e poiché le loro proteste furono udite dal pubblico, il capitano rimase un orso, il dottore un asino e il senatore un gufo, fino al giorno della sua morte.

Christian reader, I beseech thee, in the bowels of the Lord, remember this example "while thou art employed in the perusal of the following sheets; and seek not to appropriate to thyself that which equally belongs to five hundred different people.

Lettore cristiano, ti supplico, nelle viscere del Signore, di ricordare questo esempio mentre sei impegnato nella lettura dei fogli seguenti; e non cercare di appropriarti di ciò che appartiene ugualmente a cinquecento persone diverse.

If thou shouldst meet with a character that reflects thee in some ungracious particular, keep thy own counsel; consider that one feature makes not a face, and that though thou art, perhaps, distinguished by a bottle nose, twenty of thy neighbours may be in the same predicament.

Se dovessi imbatterti in un personaggio che ti rispecchia in qualche particolare poco lusinghiero, tieni il tuo segreto; considera che un solo tratto non fa un volto, e che sebbene tu sia, forse, contraddistinto da un naso a bottiglia, venti dei tuoi vicini potrebbero trovarsi nella stessa situazione.

Vocabulary

Invano: In vain; without success or result.
il: Masculine singular definite article: 'the'.
pittore: A painter; an artist who creates paintings.
stupito: Astonished, amazed, or greatly surprised.
dichiarò: He/she declared or formally stated something.
di: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'.
non: Negation word meaning 'not' or 'no'.
aver: Infinitive auxiliary verb 'to have' (truncated).
avuto: Past participle of 'avere': 'had'.
alcuna: Feminine form of 'any' or 'no' (negative context).
intenzione: Intention; a deliberate plan or purpose.
offendere: To offend or insult someone.
né: Conjunction meaning 'nor' or 'neither'.
caratterizzare: To characterize or portray someone or something.
persone: People; plural of 'persona' (person).
particolari: Particular, specific individuals or details.
essi: Third person plural pronoun: 'they'.
affermarono: They affirmed or asserted something strongly.
che: Conjunction or relative pronoun meaning 'that/which'.
la: Feminine singular definite article: 'the'.
somiglianza: Resemblance or similarity between two things.
era: Third person singular imperfect of 'essere': 'was'.
troppo: Too much; excessively.
palese: Evident, obvious, or clear to see.
per: Preposition meaning 'for', 'by', or 'through'.
essere: To be; fundamental Italian auxiliary verb.
ignorata: Ignored; overlooked or disregarded (feminine past participle).
lo: Masculine singular direct object pronoun: 'him/it'.
accusarono: They accused someone of wrongdoing.
insolenza: Insolence; rude or disrespectful behavior.
malizia: Malice; ill intent or cunning wickedness.
e: Conjunction meaning 'and'.
ingratitudine: Ingratitude; failure to appreciate kindness received.
poiché: Conjunction meaning 'since', 'because', or 'as'.
le: Feminine plural definite article or indirect pronoun.
loro: Their; third person plural possessive or pronoun.
proteste: Protests; expressions of objection or complaint.
furono: Third person plural past (passato remoto) of 'essere': 'were'.
udite: Heard; past participle of 'udire' (feminine plural).
dal: Contraction of 'da' + 'il': 'by the' or 'from the'.
pubblico: The public; the general audience or community.
capitano: Captain; a military or civil leader or commander.
rimase: He/she remained or stayed (passato remoto of 'rimanere').
un: Masculine indefinite article: 'a' or 'an'.
orso: A bear; also used metaphorically for a gruff person.
dottore: A doctor or learned scholar.
asino: A donkey; also used to mean a foolish person.
senatore: A senator; a member of a senate or council.
gufo: An owl; also slang for a gloomy, unsociable person.
fino: Until, up to, or as far as.
al: Contraction of 'a' + 'il': 'to the' or 'at the'.
giorno: Day; a 24-hour period.
della: Contraction of 'di' + 'la': 'of the' (feminine).
sua: His, her, or its (feminine possessive adjective).
morte: Death; the end of life.
Lettore: Reader; a person who reads a text.
cristiano: Christian; a follower of Christianity.
ti: Second person singular reflexive or direct object pronoun: 'you'.
supplico: I implore or beg (first person singular of 'supplicare').
nelle: Contraction of 'in' + 'le': 'in the' (feminine plural).
viscere: Entrails, bowels; figuratively the deepest feelings.
del: Contraction of 'di' + 'il': 'of the' (masculine).
Signore: Lord or God; also a formal address meaning 'sir'.
ricordare: To remember or to remind someone of something.
questo: This; masculine singular demonstrative pronoun or adjective.
esempio: Example; an illustrative instance or model.
mentre: While; during the time that something occurs.
sei: You are (second person singular of 'essere').
impegnato: Engaged, busy, or committed to an activity.
nella: Contraction of 'in' + 'la': 'in the' (feminine singular).
lettura: Reading; the act of reading a text.
dei: Contraction of 'di' + 'i': 'of the' (masculine plural).
fogli: Sheets or pages of paper; leaves.
seguenti: Following; the ones that come next.
cercare: To look for, seek, or try to find something.
appropriarti: To appropriate or apply something to yourself (reflexive).
ciò: That which; this/that thing (demonstrative pronoun).
appartiene: Belongs to; is the property of someone.
ugualmente: Equally; in the same manner or degree.
a: Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
cinquecento: Five hundred; also refers to the 16th century.
diverse: Different, various, or several (feminine plural).
Se: If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis.
dovessi: Should or ought to (conditional of 'dovere').
imbatterti: To come across or stumble upon something (reflexive).
in: Preposition meaning 'in', 'into', or 'at'.
personaggio: A character or notable figure in a story.
rispecchia: Reflects or mirrors a quality or characteristic.
qualche: Some, any, or a few (indefinite adjective).
particolare: A detail or particular aspect; specific trait.
poco: Little, few, or not much.
lusinghiero: Flattering; portraying someone in a favorable light.
tieni: Keep or hold (imperative of 'tenere').
tuo: Your (masculine singular possessive adjective).
segreto: Secret; something kept hidden or confidential.
considera: Consider or regard something carefully (imperative).
solo: Only, alone, or just one.
tratto: A trait, feature, or characteristic of a person.
fa: Makes or does (third person singular of 'fare').
volto: Face; the front part of a person's head.
sebbene: Although; even though (concessive conjunction).
tu: You (second person singular subject pronoun).
sia: Be (present subjunctive of 'essere').
forse: Perhaps, maybe, or possibly.
contraddistinto: Distinguished or marked by a particular feature.
da: Preposition meaning 'by', 'from', or 'since'.
naso: Nose; the organ of smell on a person's face.
bottiglia: A bottle; a glass or plastic container for liquids.
venti: Twenty; the number 20.
tuoi: Your (masculine plural possessive adjective).
vicini: Neighbors; people living nearby.
potrebbero: They could or might (conditional of 'potere').
trovarsi: To find oneself; to be in a situation (reflexive).
stessa: Same (feminine singular); the very same one.
situazione: Situation; a set of circumstances or conditions.

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