S' Io Fossi Stato Fermo Alla Spelunca
The poem expresses the speaker's regret for having abandoned a romantic affair with a woman, now lost to him. He reflects on what could have been if he had stayed with her at the Spelunca, a mountainous region in Italy. The speaker laments his decision, realizing too late that he has sacrificed true love and happiness.
By Francesco Petrarca · First published 1344 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Philosophical Poetry, Classical Influence · 169 words
First lines
TO ONE WHO DESIRED LATIN VERSE OF HIM.
Still had I sojourn'd in that Delphic cave / Where young Apollo prophet first became, / Verona, Mantua were not sole in fame, / But Florence, too, her poet now might have: / But since the waters of that spring no more / Enrich my land, needs must that I pursue / Some other planet, and, with sickle new, / Reap from my field of sticks and thorns its store.
Dried is the olive: elsewhere turn'd the stream / Whose source from famed Parnassus was derived.
Whereby of yore it throve in best esteem.
Similar titles
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work is characterized by personal expression and emotional depth, typical of lyric poetry.
- Philosophical Poetry — It explores themes of fate, fortune, and the human condition, reflecting philosophical inquiries.
- Classical Influence — The references to Apollo and Parnassus indicate a strong influence from classical literature and mythology.
- Romanticism — The focus on individual emotion and nature aligns with early romantic themes.
Tags
nature · solitude · reflection · philosophy · meditation · existentialism · human experience · tranquility · beauty · time · memory · self-discovery
What this Textopian page supports
S' Io Fossi Stato Fermo Alla Spelunca is listed on Textopian as a poem by Francesco Petrarca, dated 1344 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Francesco Petrarca
- Date: 1344 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Philosophical Poetry, Classical Influence, Romanticism, Elegiac Poetry
- Length: 169 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for S' Io Fossi Stato Fermo Alla Spelunca by Francesco Petrarca
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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More by Francesco Petrarca
- Fifteen sonnets of Petrarch (1350)
- Voi, Ch' Ascoltate in Rime Sparse Il Suono (1343)
- Per Far Una Leggiadra Sua Vendetta (1343)
- Era 'L Giorno Ch' Al Sol Si Scoloraro (1343)
- Quel Ch' Infinita Providenza Ed Arte (1343)
- Quand' Io Movo I Sospiri a Chiamar Voi (1344)
- Si Traviato E 'L Folle Mio Desio (1343)
- La Gola E 'L Sonno E L' Oziose Piume (1344)
- All works by Francesco Petrarca