Journal of Italian Translation

Joseph Tusiani/Ugo Foscolo
and, reverent and hesitant, then sprinkled
her still-perspiring face and virgin breast
which her long-streaming hair, tossed by the wind,
protected from man’s gaze. But nevermore
was he to watch the chariot of the Sun
golden above his native Helicon
nor would he through Coronis’ poplar trees
lead youngsters any longer to the game
or Amphionian maidens to the dance.
Through the Boeotian valleys rams and deer
roamed safely ever since, for nevermore
did his dart whistle straight up in the air:
heeding the might of her omnipotence,
Athena’s godly wrath had then and there
bandaged the hunter’s eyes with endless night.
Such is the Fates’ decree. Through tears alone
must man behold celestial beauty here,
III
There is an island in mid-ocean, right
where its most rounded waves rise to the stars –
according to old tales a boundless land
one day inhabited by men and blessed
with everlasting vegetation. Now,
although invoking stars of either pole,
the seaman cannot see it any more;
only, if still deluded by desire,
from far away he scans its whitened peak
and, therefore trying to outspeed the winds,
he calls Atlantis what Apollo named
Heaven of Pallas, for it was Minerva
who, fully angered by those dwellers made
by wealthy soil and most lascivious love
thankless to Jove and heedless of the arts,
expelled them all into the Asian woods,
girding our golden planet with a sky
accessible to Deities alone.
Therefore, whenever thirst for bloodshed makes
these mortal creatures one another fight
or when to heavenly freedom they lift up
unholy hosts of blood or for a price
yield soul and sword to wrath of foreign kings
or follow in ferocious enterprises
a greedy tyrant eager to enchain
innocent nations and oppress his own:
283