On this day… 20th July, 1304 – Petrarch born.
Francesco Petrarca (July 20, 1304 – July 19, 1374), commonly anglicized as Petrarch was an Italian scholar and poet in Renaissance Italy, and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch’s rediscovery of Cicero’s letters is often credited for initiating the 14th-century Renaissance. Petrarch is often called the “Father of Humanism”. In the 16th century, Pietro Bembo created the model for the modern Italian language based on Petrarch’s works.
About the Writing
Petrarch is best known for his Italian poetry, notably the 
Canzoniere (“Songbook”) and the Trionfi (“Triumphs”). However, Petrarch was an enthusiastic Latin scholar and did most of his writing in this language.
Sonnet 227
English Translation by A. S. Kline
Breeze, blowing that blonde curling hair,
stirring it, and being softly stirred in turn,
scattering that sweet gold about, then
gathering it, in a lovely knot of curls again,
you linger around bright eyes whose loving sting
pierces me so, till I feel it and weep,
and I wander searching for my treasure,
like a creature that often shies and kicks:
now I seem to find her, now I realise
she’s far away, now I’m comforted, now despair,
now longing for her, now truly seeing her.
Happy air, remain here with your
living rays: and you, clear running stream,
why can’t I exchange my path for yours?
Did You Know?..
Petrarch was the first to characterise the Middle Ages as a period of darkness.
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