Tercína

První verše Božské komedie:

Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita (a)

mi ritrovai per una selva oscura (b)

ché la diritta via era smarrita. (a)

Ahi quanto a dir qual era è cosa dura (b)

esta selva selvaggia e aspra e forte (c)

che nel pensier rinova la paura! (b)

Tant'è amara che poco è più morte; (c)

ma per trattar del ben ch'i' vi trovai, (d)

dirò de l'altre cose ch'i' v'ho scorte. (c)

Io non so ben ridir com'i' v'intrai, (d)

tant'era pien di sonno a quel punto (e)

che la verace via abbandonai. (d)

Robert Frost: Acquainted With the Night

I have been one acquainted with the night. (a)

I have walked out in rain—and back in rain. (b)

I have outwalked the furthest city light. (a)

I have looked down the saddest city lane. (b)

I have passed by the watchman on his beat (c)

And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain. (b)

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet (c)

When far away an interrupted cry (d)

Came over houses from another street, (c)

But not to call me back or say good-by; (d)

And further still at an unearthly height (a)

One luminary clock against the sky (d)

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. (a)

I have been one acquainted with the night. (a)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Im ernsten Beinhaus war's:

Im ernsten Beinhaus war's, wo ich beschaute

Wie Schädel Schädeln angeordnet paßten;

Die alte Zeit gedacht' ich, die ergraute.

Sie stehn in Reih' geklemmt' die sonst sich haßten,

Und derbe Knochen, die sich tödlich schlugen,

Sie liegen kreuzweis, zahm allhier zu rasten.

Entrenkte Schulterblätter! was sie trugen

Fragt niemand mehr, und zierlich tät'ge Glieder,

Die Hand, der Fuß, zerstreut aus Lebensfugen.

• VLAŠÍN, Štěpán, a kol. Slovník literární teorie. Praha: Čs. spisovatel, 1984. S. 383.