Antonio Gallo's Key Ideas from Canti
by Giacomo Leopardi

The poems collected in "Canti" are Leopardi's best-loved work, and in the eyes of many make him the greatest Italian poet after Dante. He also published the "Operette Morali", a collection of philosophical dialogues and essays that is considered one of the fundamental books in Italian literature, as well as numerous translations, critical editions, and other texts. His prodigious, immense "Zibaldone", or notebook of literary and philosophical speculations, remained unpublished until the beginning of 20th century.

Leopardi's poetry is notoriously difficult to translate, and he has been less well known to English language readers than his central significance for his own culture might suggest. Now Jonathan Galassi ha produced a strong, ftrsh, direct version of this great poet that offers English language readers a new approach to Leopardi. Galassi has contributed an informative introduction and notes that provide a sense of the Poet's sources and ideas. This is an essential book for anyone who wants to understand the roots of modern lyric poetry.

Now you’ll rest forever

my weary heart. The last illusion has died

I thought eternal. Died. I feel, in truth,

not only hope, but desire

for dear illusion has vanished.

Rest forever. You’ve laboured

enough. Not a single thing is worth

your beating: the earth’s nworthy

of your sighs. Bitter and tedious,

life is, nothing more: and the world is mud.

Be silent now. Despair

for the last time. To our race Fate

gave only death. Now scorn Nature,

that brute force

that secretly governs the common hurt,

and the infinite emptiness of all.