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| Ferdinando Russo (November 25, 1866 – January 30, 1927) |
Translated and annotated by Cav. Avv. Charles Sant’Elia
[In this installment of Meridiunalata/ Southernade, a bilingual offering of Duosiciliano poetry, we are publishing Ferdinando Russo's epic poem ‘O Luciano d’’o Re - The King’s Luciano in its original Neapolitan and for the first time ever in English. Due to space considerations, we are posting the masterpiece in three parts. – Il Regno]
See parts IV-VI, VII-IX
Translator’s Preface
Ferdinando Russo, the great Neapolitan poet, himself wrote an introduction and explanatory notes to his great historic and patriotic poem, ‘O Luciano d’’o Re. Here, for the sake of brevity, I have simplified Russo’s notes about places, names, traditions and local practices. I have added additional annotations regarding the language and names and places for further clarity to a non-Neapolitan audience and these are indicated as translator’s notes. I have omitted Russo’s notes on certain Neapolitan words, having translated them directly in the poem. Certain famous foods and traditions which are widely known to a global audience, such as “capunata” and “tagliuline,” while spelled in the Neapolitan manner, have been left in italics without adding to the already numerous footnotes. In the joint interests of accuracy and flow, no attempt at recreating the rhyme scheme in English has been made.
In the hope of bringing more attention to Russo and his work, as well as to the specific history and culture that is the subject of this masterpiece, we offer the following translation and encourage the reader to refer to Russo’s vast body of work. Volumes could be written about the history and the many now lost places and traditions catalogued in this poem, which captures the longing, melancholy and anger of the seafaring Neapolitan people. The epic narration of this particular poem evocatively summarizes the invasion and downfall of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1860 and the subsequent tribulations of the Neapolitan people who suffered greatly during the military occupation and demise of a city which was a European capital for centuries, in constant direct dialogue with all of the great European powers and cultural movements abroad. Russo captures the feeling and spirit of the disillusioned Neapolitan, through the proverbial figure of the loyal people from Santa Lucia, the quintessentially Neapolitan borough, comprised of honest hardworking men and women, loyal to their Country and to their King, with whom they actually frequently interacted. While volumes could be written about the rich history and the many people and places mentioned in this epic poem, we leave such important tasks to the specialists who have so amply written about them elsewhere. The reader is recommended Raffaele De Cesare’s classic La Fine di un Regno (Città di Castello, 1908) which contains numerous accounts of the events recalled in Russo’s poem, and which the great Russo himself recommended. -CS
‘O Luciano d’’o Re
1.ª
-Addò se vere cchiù, Santa Lucia?!
Addò sentite cchiù l’addore ‘e mare?
Nce hanno luvato ‘o mmeglio, ‘e chesta via!
N’hanno cacciato anfino ‘e marenare!
E pure, te facea tant’allegria,
cu chelli bbancarelle ‘e ll’ustricare!
‘O munno vota sempe e vota ‘ntutto!
Se scarta ‘o bello, e se ncuraggia ‘o brutto!
Addò sentite cchiù l’addore ‘e mare?
Nce hanno luvato ‘o mmeglio, ‘e chesta via!
N’hanno cacciato anfino ‘e marenare!
E pure, te facea tant’allegria,
cu chelli bbancarelle ‘e ll’ustricare!
‘O munno vota sempe e vota ‘ntutto!
Se scarta ‘o bello, e se ncuraggia ‘o brutto!
2.ª
Ah, comme tutto cagna! A tiempo ‘e tata,
ccà se tuccava ‘o mare cu nu rito!
Mò ncopp”o mare passa n’ata strata,
tutto va caro, e niente è sapurito!
Santa Lucia m’ha prutiggiuto sempe!
M’ha rata ‘a vista ‘e ll’uocchie, pe veré
ca l’ommo cagna comme cagna ‘o tiempe,
e ca chi sa che vène, appriesso a me!
ccà se tuccava ‘o mare cu nu rito!
Mò ncopp”o mare passa n’ata strata,
tutto va caro, e niente è sapurito!
Santa Lucia m’ha prutiggiuto sempe!
M’ha rata ‘a vista ‘e ll’uocchie, pe veré
ca l’ommo cagna comme cagna ‘o tiempe,
e ca chi sa che vène, appriesso a me!
3.ª
Io, quacche vota, quanno sto nfuscato
e me straporto a quann’ero guaglione,
me crero ca so’ muorto e sutterrato
sott”a muntagna ‘e chisto Sciatamone!
Pare n’ato paese! È n’ata cosa!
Tu nce cammine e nun te truove cchiù…
E pure, è certo, era accussì spassosa,
Santa Lucia d”a primma giuventù!
e me straporto a quann’ero guaglione,
me crero ca so’ muorto e sutterrato
sott”a muntagna ‘e chisto Sciatamone!
Pare n’ato paese! È n’ata cosa!
Tu nce cammine e nun te truove cchiù…
E pure, è certo, era accussì spassosa,
Santa Lucia d”a primma giuventù!
4.ª
Arbanno juorno, dint”e vuzze, a mmare,
c’addore ‘e scoglie e d’ostreche zucose!
Verive ‘e bbancarelle ‘e ll’ustricare
cu tutt”o bbene ‘e Ddio, càrreche e nfose!
E chelli ttarantelle int”a staggione!
Femmene assai cchiù belle ‘e chelle ‘e mo’!
Uocchie ‘e velluto, vocche ‘e passione,
lazziette d’oro e perne, int”e cummò!
c’addore ‘e scoglie e d’ostreche zucose!
Verive ‘e bbancarelle ‘e ll’ustricare
cu tutt”o bbene ‘e Ddio, càrreche e nfose!
E chelli ttarantelle int”a staggione!
Femmene assai cchiù belle ‘e chelle ‘e mo’!
Uocchie ‘e velluto, vocche ‘e passione,
lazziette d’oro e perne, int”e cummò!
5.ª
Tutt”e ccanzone t”e ppurtava ‘o mare,
p”a festa r”a Maronna r”a Catena,
cu ‘a bbona pesca, ‘e cuoppe r”e renare,
e ‘a cantina ‘e Cient’anne sempe chiena!
Mò… che ne cacce? Cca s’è fravecato!
Tutto è prucresso, pe puté arrunzà!
Si’ marenaro? E, quanno ‘e faticato,
fai ll’uocchie chine… e ‘a rezza nun t”o ddà!
p”a festa r”a Maronna r”a Catena,
cu ‘a bbona pesca, ‘e cuoppe r”e renare,
e ‘a cantina ‘e Cient’anne sempe chiena!
Mò… che ne cacce? Cca s’è fravecato!
Tutto è prucresso, pe puté arrunzà!
Si’ marenaro? E, quanno ‘e faticato,
fai ll’uocchie chine… e ‘a rezza nun t”o ddà!
II
6.ª
Quanta ricorde! Quanta cose belle!
N’arena d’oro e n’abbundanza ‘e ciele!
Treglie e merluzze, vive, int”e spaselle,
e ‘o mare tutto cummigliato ‘e vele!
Veneva ‘a voce, da li pparanzelle:
“Aonna, ‘o mare! Aonna!…„ E li ccannele
s’appicciavano nnanza a li Ssant’Anne,
p”a pruvverenzia “ch’è venuta aguanne!„
N’arena d’oro e n’abbundanza ‘e ciele!
Treglie e merluzze, vive, int”e spaselle,
e ‘o mare tutto cummigliato ‘e vele!
Veneva ‘a voce, da li pparanzelle:
“Aonna, ‘o mare! Aonna!…„ E li ccannele
s’appicciavano nnanza a li Ssant’Anne,
p”a pruvverenzia “ch’è venuta aguanne!„
7.ª
Te redevano ll’uocchie comm”o sole!
Tenive mmocca ‘o ddoce d’ogne mmèle!
Nfra l’anno ‘mmaretàvemo ‘e ffigliole
cu uno ‘e tutto, ‘e musulline e tele!
N’appicceco? Era justo ‘e tre pparole!
Muglièreta? Nu scuoglio! Era fedele!
Ncapace ‘e niente, a chillo tiempe bello,
c’ogne cazetta era nu carusiello!
Tenive mmocca ‘o ddoce d’ogne mmèle!
Nfra l’anno ‘mmaretàvemo ‘e ffigliole
cu uno ‘e tutto, ‘e musulline e tele!
N’appicceco? Era justo ‘e tre pparole!
Muglièreta? Nu scuoglio! Era fedele!
Ncapace ‘e niente, a chillo tiempe bello,
c’ogne cazetta era nu carusiello!
8.ª
‘E state, tuorno tuorno all’ustricare,
muntagne ‘e freselline e tarallucce.
L’addore ‘e purpetielle e fasulare
faceva addeventà pisce ‘e cannucce!
E nterra ‘a rena sciascïava ‘o mare;
e, appriesso, ‘o ballo d”e ttarantellucce;
e nu suono e chitarra e tammuriello,
e na magnata d’ostreche ‘o Castiello.
muntagne ‘e freselline e tarallucce.
L’addore ‘e purpetielle e fasulare
faceva addeventà pisce ‘e cannucce!
E nterra ‘a rena sciascïava ‘o mare;
e, appriesso, ‘o ballo d”e ttarantellucce;
e nu suono e chitarra e tammuriello,
e na magnata d’ostreche ‘o Castiello.
9.ª
Facèvamo ‘Accarèmia ‘e ll’ova tosta,
a chi se mmucava a doi pe morza!
Scummessa fatta, s’accetta ‘a pruposta,
e n’agliuttive tre, cu tutt”a scorza!
E ‘a coppa, vino niro comm”a gnosta,
e danne quanto vuò ca cchiù se sorza!
E ‘o bello nun cadèvamo malate!
Robba sincera, e stuòmmece pruvate!
a chi se mmucava a doi pe morza!
Scummessa fatta, s’accetta ‘a pruposta,
e n’agliuttive tre, cu tutt”a scorza!
E ‘a coppa, vino niro comm”a gnosta,
e danne quanto vuò ca cchiù se sorza!
E ‘o bello nun cadèvamo malate!
Robba sincera, e stuòmmece pruvate!
10.ª
‘E ffeste p”a Maronna ‘e miez’Austo!
‘A nzegna pe ncignà l’àbbete nuove!
Te nce spassave e nce pruvave gusto,
pecché ‘o pputive fa! Tenive ‘e chiuove!
Mo’, vai p’assaggià vino, e siente musto,
te vonno dà ‘e mellune senza prove,
e, comm’a chillo, sfurtunato ‘ntunno,
si mine ‘o sciato a mare, te va ‘nfunno…
‘A nzegna pe ncignà l’àbbete nuove!
Te nce spassave e nce pruvave gusto,
pecché ‘o pputive fa! Tenive ‘e chiuove!
Mo’, vai p’assaggià vino, e siente musto,
te vonno dà ‘e mellune senza prove,
e, comm’a chillo, sfurtunato ‘ntunno,
si mine ‘o sciato a mare, te va ‘nfunno…
11.ª
‘A nzegna ne chiammava folla ‘e gente!
D’uommene e nenne friccecava ‘o mare.
Sott”o sole, cu amice e cu pariente,
tu quanto te spassave, a summuzzare!
‘O furastiero, nun sapenno niente,
si se fermava a riva pe guardare,
se sentea piglià pèsole: e ched’è?
Mm”o carrïavo a mmare appriesso a me!
D’uommene e nenne friccecava ‘o mare.
Sott”o sole, cu amice e cu pariente,
tu quanto te spassave, a summuzzare!
‘O furastiero, nun sapenno niente,
si se fermava a riva pe guardare,
se sentea piglià pèsole: e ched’è?
Mm”o carrïavo a mmare appriesso a me!
12.ª
E che vedive, llà! Strille e resate,
e chillo ca n’aveva calatune!
Doppo: “Signò, scusate e perdunate!
È festa, e nun s’affènneno nisciune…„
Cchiù de na vota nce se so’ truvate
‘a Riggina c”o Rre, sott”e Burbune…
E ‘o Rre, ca tuttuquante nce sapeva,
quanta belle resate se faceva!…
e chillo ca n’aveva calatune!
Doppo: “Signò, scusate e perdunate!
È festa, e nun s’affènneno nisciune…„
Cchiù de na vota nce se so’ truvate
‘a Riggina c”o Rre, sott”e Burbune…
E ‘o Rre, ca tuttuquante nce sapeva,
quanta belle resate se faceva!…
III
13.ª
Io mo’ so’ bbiecchio, tengo sittant’anne,
‘a sbentura mm’ha fatto ‘o core tuosto,
embè, affruntasse pure ati malanne
pe vedé ancora ‘a faccia d”o Rre nuosto!
Ferdinando Sicondo!… E che ne sanno?!
Còppola ‘nterra! N”o ttengo annascuosto!
E nce penzo, e me sento n’ato ttanto!
So’ stato muzzo, a buordo ‘o Furminanto!
‘a sbentura mm’ha fatto ‘o core tuosto,
embè, affruntasse pure ati malanne
pe vedé ancora ‘a faccia d”o Rre nuosto!
Ferdinando Sicondo!… E che ne sanno?!
Còppola ‘nterra! N”o ttengo annascuosto!
E nce penzo, e me sento n’ato ttanto!
So’ stato muzzo, a buordo ‘o Furminanto!
14.ª
‘O Rre me canusceva e me sapeva!
Cchiù de na vota, (còppola e denocchie!)
m’ha fatto capì chello che vuleva!
E me sàglieno ‘e llacreme int’ all’uocchie!
‘A mano ncopp”a spalla me metteva:
“Tu nun si’ pennarulo e nun t’arruocchie!
Va ccà! Va llà! Fa chesto! Arape ‘a mano!„
E parlava accussì: napulitano!
Cchiù de na vota, (còppola e denocchie!)
m’ha fatto capì chello che vuleva!
E me sàglieno ‘e llacreme int’ all’uocchie!
‘A mano ncopp”a spalla me metteva:
“Tu nun si’ pennarulo e nun t’arruocchie!
Va ccà! Va llà! Fa chesto! Arape ‘a mano!„
E parlava accussì: napulitano!
15.ª
Quanno veneva a buordo! Ma che vita!
Trattava a tuttuquante comm’a frato!
Sapeva tutt”e nomme: Calamita,
Mucchietiello, Scialone, ‘o Carpecato…
Èramo gente ‘e core! E sempe aunita!
“Murimmo, quann”o Rre l’ha cumannato!„
Mo’ che nce resta, pe nce sazzià?
Ah!… Me scurdavo ‘o mmeglio!… ‘A libbertà!
Trattava a tuttuquante comm’a frato!
Sapeva tutt”e nomme: Calamita,
Mucchietiello, Scialone, ‘o Carpecato…
Èramo gente ‘e core! E sempe aunita!
“Murimmo, quann”o Rre l’ha cumannato!„
Mo’ che nce resta, pe nce sazzià?
Ah!… Me scurdavo ‘o mmeglio!… ‘A libbertà!
16.ª
‘A libbertà! Chesta Mmalora nera
ca nce ha arredute senza pelle ‘ncuolle!…
‘A libbertà!.. ‘Sta fàuza puntunera
ca te fa tanta cìcere e nnammuolle!…
Po’ quanno t’ha spugliato, bonasera!
Sempe ‘a varca cammina e ‘a fava volle,
e tu, spurpato comm’a n’uosso ‘e cane,
rummane cu na vranca ‘e mosche mmane!…
ca nce ha arredute senza pelle ‘ncuolle!…
‘A libbertà!.. ‘Sta fàuza puntunera
ca te fa tanta cìcere e nnammuolle!…
Po’ quanno t’ha spugliato, bonasera!
Sempe ‘a varca cammina e ‘a fava volle,
e tu, spurpato comm’a n’uosso ‘e cane,
rummane cu na vranca ‘e mosche mmane!…
17.ª
‘A libbertà! Mannaggia chi v’è nato!
‘A chiammàsteve tanto, ca venette!
Ne songo morte gente! S’è ghiettato
a llave, ‘o sango, sott”e bbaiunette!…
Mo’, vulesse veré risuscitato
a ‘o Rre ca n”a vuleva e n”a vulette!
E isso, ca passai pe ttraritore,
se ne facesse resatune ‘e core!
‘A chiammàsteve tanto, ca venette!
Ne songo morte gente! S’è ghiettato
a llave, ‘o sango, sott”e bbaiunette!…
Mo’, vulesse veré risuscitato
a ‘o Rre ca n”a vuleva e n”a vulette!
E isso, ca passai pe ttraritore,
se ne facesse resatune ‘e core!
The King’s Luciano(1)
1.ª
-Where does one see anymore, Santa Lucia?!
Where do you smell the odor of the sea?
They’ve taken away the best, of this avenue!
They’ve even chased out the sailors!
And yet, it used to make you so much merriment,
with those little stands of the oyster man!
The world always turns and turns in everything!
One discards the beautiful, and one encourages the ugly!
Where do you smell the odor of the sea?
They’ve taken away the best, of this avenue!
They’ve even chased out the sailors!
And yet, it used to make you so much merriment,
with those little stands of the oyster man!
The world always turns and turns in everything!
One discards the beautiful, and one encourages the ugly!
2.ª
Ah, how everything changes! In dad’s time,
you used to touch the sea with a finger!
Now over the sea passes another street,
everything is expensive, and nothing is tasty!
Santa Lucia always protected me!
It gave me the sight of my eyes, to see
that man changes as time changes,
and who knows what comes, after me!
you used to touch the sea with a finger!
Now over the sea passes another street,
everything is expensive, and nothing is tasty!
Santa Lucia always protected me!
It gave me the sight of my eyes, to see
that man changes as time changes,
and who knows what comes, after me!
3.ª
I, some times, when I’m perplexed
and I transport myself to when I was a kid,
I think I’m dead and buried
under the mountain of this Sciatamone!(2)
It seems like another country! It’s another thing!
You walk there and you don’t find yourself anymore…
And yet, it is true, it was so fun,
Santa Lucia of one’s early youth!
and I transport myself to when I was a kid,
I think I’m dead and buried
under the mountain of this Sciatamone!(2)
It seems like another country! It’s another thing!
You walk there and you don’t find yourself anymore…
And yet, it is true, it was so fun,
Santa Lucia of one’s early youth!
4.ª
The day dawning, in the fishing boats, at sea,
with the smell of reefs and juicy oysters!
You’d see the oyster man’s little stands
with all the Lord’s bounty, full and wet!
And those tarantellas in the summer!
Women much more beautiful than those of now!
Velvet eyes, mouths of passion,
gold straps and pearls, in the trunks!
with the smell of reefs and juicy oysters!
You’d see the oyster man’s little stands
with all the Lord’s bounty, full and wet!
And those tarantellas in the summer!
Women much more beautiful than those of now!
Velvet eyes, mouths of passion,
gold straps and pearls, in the trunks!
5.ª
The sea brought you all the songs,
for the feast of Our Lady of the Chain,(3)
with good fishing, containers of cash,
and the tavern of Cient’anne(4) always full!
Now… what do you get? Here is built up!
Everything is progress, to slap things together!
You’re a sailor? And, when you’ve worked,
Wide-eyed… and the net doesn’t yield anything!
for the feast of Our Lady of the Chain,(3)
with good fishing, containers of cash,
and the tavern of Cient’anne(4) always full!
Now… what do you get? Here is built up!
Everything is progress, to slap things together!
You’re a sailor? And, when you’ve worked,
Wide-eyed… and the net doesn’t yield anything!
II
6.ª
How many memories! How many beautiful things!
Golden sand and an abundance of sky!
Mullet and cod, live, in the wicker baskets,
and the sea all covered in sails!
The chant would come, from the little crews:
“It’s swelling, the sea! It’s swelling!…” and the candles
and candles were lit before Saint Anne,
for providence “that came this year!”
Golden sand and an abundance of sky!
Mullet and cod, live, in the wicker baskets,
and the sea all covered in sails!
The chant would come, from the little crews:
“It’s swelling, the sea! It’s swelling!…” and the candles
and candles were lit before Saint Anne,
for providence “that came this year!”
7.ª
Your eyes would smile like the sun!
You’d have the sweetness of every honey in your mouth!
In a year we’d marry the girls
with one of each, the muslins and cloths!
A fight? It was just three words!
Your wife? A rock! She was faithful!
Incapable of nothing, in those good times,
every stocking was a piggy bank!
You’d have the sweetness of every honey in your mouth!
In a year we’d marry the girls
with one of each, the muslins and cloths!
A fight? It was just three words!
Your wife? A rock! She was faithful!
Incapable of nothing, in those good times,
every stocking was a piggy bank!
8.ª
In the summer, all around the oyster man,
mountains of freselline and tarallucce.(5)
The smell of little octopuses and whelks
made your mouth water!
And yonder on the beach the sea delighted itself;
and, after, the dance of the little tarantellas;
and the guitar and tambourine playing,
and a feasting on Castle oysters.(6)
mountains of freselline and tarallucce.(5)
The smell of little octopuses and whelks
made your mouth water!
And yonder on the beach the sea delighted itself;
and, after, the dance of the little tarantellas;
and the guitar and tambourine playing,
and a feasting on Castle oysters.(6)
9.ª
We’d play the Hard-boiled Egg Academy,(7)
swallowing two with a single bite!
Bet placed, the proposal was accepted,
and you’d inhale three, with the whole shell!
And on top of that, wine black as ink,
and they give as much as you want to sip!
And the best was we’d never fall sick!
True stuff, and tried and true stomachs!
swallowing two with a single bite!
Bet placed, the proposal was accepted,
and you’d inhale three, with the whole shell!
And on top of that, wine black as ink,
and they give as much as you want to sip!
And the best was we’d never fall sick!
True stuff, and tried and true stomachs!
10.ª
The feasts for Our Lady in mid August!
The Nzegna(8) to don new suits!
You’d have fun and truly enjoy it,
because you could! You had cash!
Now, you go to try wine, and you taste only must,
they want to give you melons without samples,
and, like that man, completely unfortunate,
if you caste your breath to the sea, right down it goes…
The Nzegna(8) to don new suits!
You’d have fun and truly enjoy it,
because you could! You had cash!
Now, you go to try wine, and you taste only must,
they want to give you melons without samples,
and, like that man, completely unfortunate,
if you caste your breath to the sea, right down it goes…
11.ª
The Nzegna summoned a crowd of people!
The sea was a flutter with men and maidens.
Under the sun, with friends and with relatives,
how you’d enjoy yourself, diving under!
A foreigner, not knowing anything,
if he stopped to watch,
he’d feel himself picked right up: and what’s that?
I’d carry him down to the sea after me!
The sea was a flutter with men and maidens.
Under the sun, with friends and with relatives,
how you’d enjoy yourself, diving under!
A foreigner, not knowing anything,
if he stopped to watch,
he’d feel himself picked right up: and what’s that?
I’d carry him down to the sea after me!
12.ª
And what you’d see, there! Shouts and laughter,
and those who had some good dunks!
Afterwards: “Sir, excuse and forgive!
It’s a feast, and nobody gets offended…„
More than one occasion were found there
the Queen with the King, under the Bourbons…
And the King, who everybody knew,
how many beautiful laughs one had!…
and those who had some good dunks!
Afterwards: “Sir, excuse and forgive!
It’s a feast, and nobody gets offended…„
More than one occasion were found there
the Queen with the King, under the Bourbons…
And the King, who everybody knew,
how many beautiful laughs one had!…
III
13.ª
Now I’m old, I’m sixty years old,
misadventure has made my heart hard,
however, I’d yet face these hardships
to see the face of our King again!
Ferdinando the Second!… And what do they know about it?!
Hats off! I don’t hide it!
And I think about it, and I feel just as much!
I’d been a cabin boy, on board the Furminanto!(9)
misadventure has made my heart hard,
however, I’d yet face these hardships
to see the face of our King again!
Ferdinando the Second!… And what do they know about it?!
Hats off! I don’t hide it!
And I think about it, and I feel just as much!
I’d been a cabin boy, on board the Furminanto!(9)
14.ª
The King knew me and knew about me!
More than once, (hats off and a bow!)
he made me understand what he wanted!
And tears well up in my eyes!
He’d put his hand on my shoulder:
“You’re not a scribbler and you don’t go meeting with conspirators!
Go here! Go there! Do this! Open your hand!„
And he talked like that: Neapolitan!
More than once, (hats off and a bow!)
he made me understand what he wanted!
And tears well up in my eyes!
He’d put his hand on my shoulder:
“You’re not a scribbler and you don’t go meeting with conspirators!
Go here! Go there! Do this! Open your hand!„
And he talked like that: Neapolitan!
15.ª
When he’d come on board! But what life!
He used to treat everybody like brothers!
He knew everyone’s name: Calamita,
Mucchietiello, Scialone, ‘o Carpecato…(10)
We were people with a heart! And always united!
“We’ll die, when the King commands it!„
Now what’s left, to satisfy us?
Ah!… I was forgetting the best!… Freedom!
He used to treat everybody like brothers!
He knew everyone’s name: Calamita,
Mucchietiello, Scialone, ‘o Carpecato…(10)
We were people with a heart! And always united!
“We’ll die, when the King commands it!„
Now what’s left, to satisfy us?
Ah!… I was forgetting the best!… Freedom!
16.ª
Freedom! This sad ruination
which reduced us to no skin on our bones!…
Freedom!.. This false harlot
that does so much fake flattery for you!…
Then when it’s stripped you bare, good night!
Inevitably the boat always sails and the bean boils,
and you, picked clean like a dog’s bone,
you’re left with a bunch of flies in your hand!…
which reduced us to no skin on our bones!…
Freedom!.. This false harlot
that does so much fake flattery for you!…
Then when it’s stripped you bare, good night!
Inevitably the boat always sails and the bean boils,
and you, picked clean like a dog’s bone,
you’re left with a bunch of flies in your hand!…
17.ª
Freedom! A curse upon your offspring!
You all called for it so much, that it came!
People died for it! They threw themselves
by torrents, their blood, beneath bayonetes!…
Now, they’d like to see resurrected
the King who didn’t want it!
And he, who passed as a traitor,
would make some heartfelt laughter!
You all called for it so much, that it came!
People died for it! They threw themselves
by torrents, their blood, beneath bayonetes!…
Now, they’d like to see resurrected
the King who didn’t want it!
And he, who passed as a traitor,
would make some heartfelt laughter!
Notes:
(1) Luciano, or Lucïano, from Santa Lucia, an inhabitant of the Santa Lucia neighborhood of Naples, which is the subject of many songs and poems. In Neapolitan lore the inhabitants of this area near the sea represent the figure of the quintessential Neapolitan sailors and fishermen, a people loyal to their King, and many of them had direct contact with His Majesty. To this day, the Luciano is considered among the most Neapolitan of the city’s natives, despite the transformation of area from the second half of the 19th century into the beginning of the 20th century. Trans. Note.
(2) Sciatamone, is a popular variant of Chiatamone (from Greek Platamon, whence its sometime Italianized spelling of Piatamone) Domenico Antonio Parrino and his son Niccolò Parrino mention this variant in their 1725 Nuova Guida de’ Forestieri per ossservare e godere le curiosità più vaghe, e più rare della fedelissima gran Napoli (Naples, Parrino) and it is most likely even more ancient. The Chiatamone is hill which used to be the grottos near the seaside, reknowned since the Renaissance for its tranquil beauty. The variant Sciatamone comes from Neapolitan sciato, or breath, from the sighing of the nearby waves, Parrino states. Trans. Note.
(3) ‘a Maronna r’’a Catena, Our Lady of the Chain, whose devotion was said to have been introduced from Sicily, based on a 1390 miracle whereby Our Lady broke the chains of three innocent prisoners being held in Palermo. In 1576 the inhabitants of the borough of Santa Lucia had a simple church built and dedicated to Her, which was consecrated in 1579 by the archbishop of Naples, Card. Paolo Burali d’Arezzo. The church was later further adorned in the 16th century. The popular Nzegna feast was traditionally held at this church up until the 1950’s. Trans. Note.
(4) Cantina ‘e Cient’anne, a humble tavern, in existence since the 18th century, named after its owner’s nickname, which means “One Hundred Years”.
(5) Freselline e tarallucce: two typical and common Neapolitan foods. Freselle or freselline are rounded pieces of whole-grain bread toasted twice in the oven and then often soaked in salted water, and are frequently dipped in octopus broth, tripe sauce, or bean dishes, or broken up and served with olives, vegetables and anchovies to make capunata, and were stored and used as food by sailors; tarallucce are baked hard crispy bread rings, made with shortening and often decorated with almonds, pepper or fennel and were and are a common street food found not only in Campania, but also in regions like Puglia. The proverbial expression, to end with tarallucce and wine, means roughly, “all’s well that ends well”, often said ironically when two parties don’t agree by just agree to not debate any longer. In former times the saying was also used to indicate a humble feast, as festive as possible given the scarcity or humble nature of the foods available. Trans. Note.
(6) Ostreche ‘o Castiello: a sought after variety of small oyster, from the area of the Castel dell’Ovo near the sea.
(7) ‘Accarèmia ‘e ll’ova tosta, an old drinking game, whereby the players would challenge each other to eat as many hard-boiled eggs as quickly as possible, without drinking any liquids. Used as a figurative expression, it refers to long-winded debates over useless topics.
(8) Nzegna: a feast said to originate in the late 1300’s, celebrated on Saint Laurence day (10 August), traditionally with a procession from the Pallonetto di Santa Lucia to the Royal Palace, passing the churches of Santa Lucia a Mare and the Madonna delle Catene, with a musical band and many people in costumes. A feast of sailors and fishermen, its true roots may lay in pagan antiquity. In the 19th century a man and woman often dressed as the reigning monarchs. Many celebrants then also would make a purifying dive in the sea with their new clothes (‘o calatone) which was also a symbolic search for the sacred image of the Madonna, and would be pulled aboard boats which were decorated with colorful banners or signs or nzegne. An old out of service boat would also often be burned. In times long past, old clothes were also ceremonially burned. The King and Queen themselves often attended the festivities and cannon shots were fired to honor their presence. As the feast fell into decline after the fall of the Kingdom, Mayor Achille Lauro revived it in 1962. It is interesting to note that other feasts, including those dedicated to Our Lady, involving flags, banners and standards known as nzegne are found also in Puglia and the Marche. Etymologically it comes from Latin insignia, cfr. Old French enseigne and English ensign. Trans. Note.
(9) Furminanto, or Fulminante, a steam motorized frigate ship of the Royal Two Sicilies Navy, built originally in 1848 in London by the Peninsular Steam Ship Navigation Company and called the Bombay. The ship was originally intended as a passenger mercantile ship destined to routes in Asia but was purchased during the revolutionary upheavals by the provisional Two Sicilies government before it was completed and it was converted to military use and called the Ruggero VII. After a legal dispute based on the right of the provisional government to contract etc, it was deemed property of the Two Sicilies government and christened as the Fulminante in 1851. Since it retained many passenger amenities, it became frequently used to transport the Royal Family. The Fulminante saw action during the final siege of Gaeta when the Kingdom fell, and was used to transport Bourbon royalist prisoners to Genoa. Because of its fabled history and connect with the Bourbons it became a symbol of Southern Italian pride and the royalist causes. Trans. Note.
(10) The names are descriptive nicknames, meaning roughly, “Divining rod”/”Magnet”, “Little heap”, “Partyer”, “Pockmarked”/”Spotty”. In the 19th century a well-known man named Mucchietiello, was an oyster vendor. Trans. Note.
