QVe farai, Pier da Morrone? èi uenuto al paragone
The Weight of the Papal Office
The poet challenges Peter of Morrone to prove the sincerity of his contemplative life under the intense scrutiny of the papal office.
What will you do, Peter of Morrone? You've come to the test.1 We'll see the fruit of what you've contemplated in your cell; if you've deceived the world, a curse will follow. Your fame has risen high and spread far and wide; if you disgrace yourself in the end, you'll be a source of shame among good people. Like a target before an arrow, the whole world has its sights fixed on you; if you don't keep the scales balanced, the appeal will go to God. Whether you're gold, iron, or copper will be proven in this test; whatever thread you have—wool or worsted—will show itself in this action. This court is a forge where good gold is refined; but if it contains any copper, it turns to ash and coal.
The Peril of Ambition
The poet warns against the spiritual danger of finding delight in ecclesiastical power, viewing the acceptance of the office as a tragic burden.
If you find delight in holding office, no sickness is more infectious; and a life is truly cursed when you lose God for such a morsel.23 I felt great sorrow for you when you said "I will," because you placed a yoke around your neck that will be your damnation. When a virtuous man is placed in the midst of a storm, you'll always find him standing firm and holding the banner upright.
The Storm of Governance
The poet describes the turmoil of leadership and the necessity of genuine paternal love to maintain true authority.
Your dignity is great, and the storm is just as great; the turmoil you'll find within your own household is great, too. If you don't have a father's love, the world won't turn in obedience to you, because illegitimate love isn't worthy of holding such high authority. Illicit love receives its payment below the firmament, because its false designs have brought banishment from above.45
A Warning Against Corruption
The poet warns the new Pope against the greed, nepotism, and deceit prevalent among the cardinals and church officials.
The order of cardinals has sunk to a low state; each one is intent on enriching his own relatives. Watch out for those who hold church benefices: you’ll always find them hungry, and their thirst is so great that no amount of drink can quench it.67 Watch out for swindlers who make black look white; if you don't know how to defend yourself well, you'll end up singing a sorry song.
Read the original Latin
QVe farai, Pier da Morrone? èi uenuto al paragone.
Vederimo el lauorato che en cella hai contemplato; se l mondo da te è ngannato, séquita maledictione.
La tua fama alt’è salita, en molte parte n’è gita; se te soczi a la finita, agl buon sirai confusione.
Como segno a sagicta, tutto l mondo a te afficta; se non tien bilanza ricta, a Dio ne ua appellatione.
Se sè auro, ferro o rame, prouerate en esto exame, quegn’ài filo, lana o stame, mostrerate en est’azone.
Questa corte è una fucina che l buon auro se ci afina; se llo tiene altra ramina, torna en cenere & carbone.
Se l’officio te delecta, nulla malsanìa più è nfecta; et ben è uita maledecta perder Dio per tal boccone.
Grande ò auto en te cordoglio co te uscìo de bocca: uoglio; che t’ài posto iogo en coglio che t’è tua dannatione.
Quando l’uomo uirtuoso è posto en luoco tempestoso, sempre el troui uigoroso a portar ricto el gonfalone.
Grand’è la tua degnitate, non è meno la tempestate; grand’è la uarietate che trouerai en tua magione.
Se non ài amor paterno, lo mondo non gira obedenno; ch’amor bastardo non è denno d’auer tal prelatione.
Amor bastardo ha l pagamento de sotto dal fermamento; ché l suo falso entendemento de sopre à facto sbandegione.
L’ordene cardenalato posto è en basso stato; ciaschedun suo parentato d’ariccar ha ententione.
Guàrdate dagl prebendate, ché sempre i trouera’ afamate; et tant’è la lor siccitate, che non ne ua per potagione.
Guardate dagl barattere che l ner per bianco fon uedere; se non te sai ben schirmere, canterai mala canzone.
Notes
- 1 ↩Here “paragone” means a test or proving ground: Peter of Morrone’s conduct will now reveal his true worth.
- 2 ↩Here “the office” means the papal office, not the daily cycle of prayer.
- 3 ↩Literally “morsel”: a contemptuous image for the office as a small worldly prize.
- 4 ↩Literally “bastard love”: here, illegitimate or corrupt love, contrasted with the paternal love in the preceding section.
- 5 ↩The verse contrasts earthly recompense beneath the firmament with banishment from heaven above.
- 6 ↩Refers to clergy or other officeholders supported by ecclesiastical benefices.
- 7 ↩Rendered idiomatically as an insatiable thirst that drinking cannot quench; the medieval wording is difficult.
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