Sonnets by Juan Boscán

The sonnet was born in Italy between 1230 and 1240. Íñigo López de Mendoza, the Marquis of Santillana, introduced it to the Iberian Peninsula and, thus, to the Castilian language. Almost a century later Juan Boscán recovers it, thanks to his friend Navaggiero, an Italian who realized the affinity between his mother tongue and Spanish. Boscán, then, definitively adapts the sonnet in our language, with simplicity and at the same time elevation of language.

Sonnet 1

Never d’Amor was so happy
let his praise occupy my verses;
nor did I advise anyone to deceive
looking for contentment in love.
This always judged my understanding:5
that every man should keep himself from this evil,
and so, because this law was preserved,
I was sorry to be a lesson to everyone.
Or you who are after my writings!
liking to read sad torments, 10
according to that by loving they are infinite!,
my verses are to say to you, “O blessed ones!
those who of God so great mercy you would have
that of the power of Love you are quitos!”