Giovanni Rucellai

Giovanni di Bernardo Rucellai (20 October 1475 – 3 April 1525) was an Italian writer and poet, and the grandson of the Rucellai family of wool-dyers turned bankers.

L’Oreste

 * La giusta impresa Sempre accompagna il valor delle stelle.
 * Act I (Oreste).
 * Translation: The valour of the stars Doth aye accompany the just emprise."
 * Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 343.


 * I sogni non son altro, che van’ ombre Immaginate dal pensier del giorno.
 * Act I (Olimpia).
 * Translation: Naught else but empty shadows are our dreams, Reflected from the day’s imaginings.
 * Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 421.


 * (Che) chi non ama l’ossa non amava.
 * Act IV (Coro).
 * Translation: Who loveth not the dead, loved them not living.
 * Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 267.


 * È ver quel che si dice Il ben e ’l mal comincia nolle fasce.
 * Act IV (Coro).
 * Translation: Truly the proverb says That in the cradle good and ill begin.
 * Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 366.


 * Quest’ oltraggio è fatto ai Dei, I quai, se non han cura di se stessi, Non vi curate voi di vendicarli.
 * Act V (Coro).
 * Translation: This is an insult offered to the Gods, And if the Gods themselves make light of it. It is not in your hands that vengeance lies.
 * Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 403.

Le Api

 * Ne’ piccioli suggetti è gran fatica, Ma qualunque gli esprime ornati, e chiari, Non picciol frutto del su’ ingegno coglie.
 * P. 39.
 * Translation: Great toil is oft by trifling theme entailed, But whoso clearly sets it forth and well, No trifling fruit he from his skill doth cull.
 * Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 365.


 * La grand’ anima del Mondo Sta come auriga, e ’n questa cieca mole Infusa, muove le stellate sfere.
 * P. 678.
 * Translation: The world’s great soul Doth stand like charioteer, and this blind mass Pervading, doth control the starry spheres.
 * Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 343.