Marco Girolamo Vida

Marco Girolamo Vida or Marcus Hieronymus Vida (1485 – September 27, 1566) was an Italian humanist, bishop and poet.

De Arte Poetica (1527)

 * Vida's Art of Poetry, translated into English verse by Christopher Pitt (1725)

Suspensum, incertumque dia qui denique rerum Eventus maneant.'' 'Tis your chief task to keep us in suspense.
 * ''Primus at ille labor versu tenuisse legentem
 * As yet unfold the event on no pretense,
 * Book I, line 98

Prodere conveniet manifesto: semper opertis Indiciis, longe et verborum ambage petita Significant, umbraque obducunt: inde tamen, ceu Sublustri e nebula, rerum tralucet imago Clarius, et certis datur omnia cernere signis. Hinc si dura mihi passus dicendus Ulysses, Non ilium vero memorabo nomine, sed qui Et mores hominum multorum vidit et urbes Naufragus, eversae post saeva incendia Trojae, Addam alia, angustis complectens omnia dictis.'' In its own colors and its genuine name; Let it by distant tokens be conveyed, And wrapped in other words, and covered in their shade. At last the subject from the friendly shroud Bursts out, and shines the brighter from the cloud; Then the dissolving darkness breaks away, And every object glares in open day. Thus great Ulysses' toils were I to choose For the main theme that should employ my Muse, By his long labors of immortal fame Should shine my hero, but conceal his name; As one who, lost at sea, had nations seen, And marked their towns, their manners, and their men, Since Troy was leveled to the dust by Greece— Till a few lines epitomized the piece.
 * ''Jam vero cum rem propones, nomine nunquam
 * But ne'er the subject of your work proclaim
 * Book II, line 40

Permiscere aliquid breviter, mortalia corda Quod moveat, tangens humanae commoda vitae, Qodque olim jubeant natos meminisse parentes.'' Some grave instructive sentences with care, That touch on life, some moral good pursue, And give us virtue in a transient view; Rules, which the future sire may make his own, And point the golden precepts to his son.
 * ''Saepe etiam memorandum inter ludicra memento,
 * With gay descriptions sprinkle here and there
 * Book II, line 278

Naturam nisi ut assimulet, propiusque sequatur. Hanc unam vates sibi proposuere magistram: Quicquid agunt, hujus semper vestigia servant.'' To copy nature is the task of art. The noblest poets own her sovereign sway, And ever follow where she leads the way.
 * ''Praeterea haud lateat te nil conarier artem,
 * Be sure, from nature never to depart;
 * Book II, line 455

Suspensus lustrare, et vestigare legendo, Sicubi se quaedam forte inter commoda versu Dicta meo ostendant, quae mox melioribus ipse Auspiciis proprios possim mihi vertere in usus, Detersa prorsus prisca rubigine scabra.'' To read sometimes a rude unpolished bard, Among whose labours I may find a line, Which from unsightly rust I may refine, And, with a better grace, adopt it into mine.
 * ''Nec dubitem versus hirsuti saepe poetae
 * Nor would I scruple, with a due regard,
 * Book III, line 196

Nomina dura nimis dictu, atque asperrima cultu, Illa aliqui, nunc addentes, nunc inde putantes Pauca minutatim, levant, ac mollia reddunt.'' Names, whose unpolished sounds offend the ear, We add, or lop some branches which abound, Till the harsh accents are with smoothness crowned That mellows every word, and softens every sound.
 * ''Idcirco si quando ducum referenda virumque
 * Thus when the names of heroes we declare,
 * Book III, line 320

Numina concessere homini, cui carmina curae, Ipse Deum genitor divinam noluit artem Omnibus expositam vulgo, immeritisque patere: Atque ideo, turbam quo longe arceret inertem, Angustam esse viam voluit, paucisque licere.'' To hold by verse an intercourse with Heaven, Unwilling that the immortal art should lie Cheap, and exposed to every vulgar eye, Great Jove, to drive away the groveling crowd, To narrow bounds confined the glorious road, For more exalted spirits to pursue, And left it open to the sacred few.
 * ''Principio quoniam magni commercia coeli
 * When first to man the privilege was given
 * Book III, line 358

Et res verborum propria vi reddere claras; Omnia sed numeris vocum concordibus aptant, Atque sono, quaecunque canunt, imitantur.'' In measure, numbers, or determined feet; Or render things, by clear expression, bright, And set each object in a proper light: To all, proportioned terms he must dispense, And make the sound a picture of the sense. The sound must seem an echo to the sense.
 * ''Haud satis est illis utcunque claudere versum,
 * 'Tis not enough his verses to complete,
 * Book III, line 365. Compare:
 * 'Tis not enough no harshness gives offense;
 * Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism, Part II, line 164

Incipiunt agitata tumescere: littore fluctus Illidunt rauco.'' Dashed from the strand, the flying waters roar. The hoarse rough verse should like the torrent roar.
 * ''Tunc longe sale saxa sonant, tunc et freta ventis
 * While the hoarse ocean beats the sounding shore,
 * Book III, line 388. Compare:
 * But when loud surges lash the sounding shore,
 * Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism, Part II, line 168

Succedet, nomenque tuum sinus ultimus orbis Audiet, ac nullo diffusum abolebitur aevo.'' No years, no ages shall obscure thy fame, And Earth's last ends shall hear thy darling name.
 * ''Gratantes plausu excipient: tua gloria coelo
 * The vast applause shall reach the starry frame,
 * Book III, line 522

Aonas ad montes, longeque ostendere Musas Plaudentes celsae choreas in vertice rupis.'' The panting youth to steep Parnassus' head, And showed the tuneful Muses from afar, Mixed in a solemn choir and dancing there.
 * ''Ipse viam tantum potui docuisse repertam
 * I only pointed out the paths that lead
 * Book III, line 533

Scacchia Ludus (1527)
Praelia, buxo acies fictas, et ludicra regna, Ut gemini inter se reges albusque, nigerque Pro laude oppositi certent bicoloribus armis.'' Armies of ivory, and a mock campaign; How two bold kings in different armour veil'd, One black, one white, for conquest fought the field. And guiltless war in pleasing form display'd; When two bold kings contend with vain alarms, In ivory this, and that in ebon arms.
 * ''Ludimus effigiem belli, simulataque veris
 * I sing the form of war, the bloodless plain,
 * Vida's Game of Chess, opening lines
 * Compare:
 * Of armies on the chequer'd field array'd,
 * William Jones, Caïssa; Or, The Game of Chess.

Quotes about Vida
A Raphael painted, and a Vida sung! Immortal Vida! on whose honoured brow The poet's bays and critic's ivy grow: Cremona now shall ever boast thy name, As next in place to Mantua, next in fame!
 * With sweeter notes each rising temple rung;
 * Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism (1711), Part II, lines 144–149, pp. 40–41.