GIULIO NUTI OF BORGO

SAN SEPOLCRO,

TO THE AUTHOR.

Decorative woodcut initial 'S' depicting floral and vine motifs within a square frame.
Celestial spirit, who teaches us
How the deeply hidden deceptions
Of the infernal ones—which cause
Grave damage among us—may be fled
By wretched mortals:

You, with gravity, and with swift wings,
Have descended down to the Tartarean thrones;original: "tartarei scanni." In Renaissance literature, "Tartarean" refers to Tartarus, the deepest abyss of Hades in Greek mythology, here used to describe the seats or realms of Hell.
And the filthy, wicked tyrants have well seen
How much you can do, how much you know, and what you are worth.

A clear sign appears to us, that all of them united
Have not turned you away from such a noble undertaking,
Which teaches us fully the way to avoid them.

How can the flesh and the world put up a fight,
If the wicked spirits flee in terror
From your work, which I revere and praise?