Buondì.
Today we have the third in the Anselmo trilogy, plus a few items sent in by club members.
In fact, I think I’ll do those first…
Manju sent in this photo from Saturday’s anti-Brexit march. The cheerful-looking protestor is clearly a Dante fan, as well as a remainer.
The caption at the top (sorry the image is so small) says.
“Donald Tusk was right (and so was Dante). There is a special place in hell for the Brexiteers”
And there they all are, at the bottom of the drawing on the placard: “seducers, false prophets, corrupt politicians and hypocrites”
The greeny-yellow fluorescent badges on the chap’s coat (it must have been a chilly autumn day in London) declare “Bollocks to Brexit”, which pretty much sums up the feeling here at the clubhouse.
My eldest daughter, who’s studying at a Scottish university, tells me of her disappointment that UK students will no longer be eligible to spend six months of their college courses at another European university.
We get loads of these ‘Erasmus’ students coming to Bologna university, for example. Which is unquestionably a GOOD THING! Further linguistic and cultural isolation from what Boris calls ‘our European friends’ is just what the United Kingdom doesn’t need, I should have thought.
Still he’s OK: the current UK Prime Minister spent some of his youth in Brussels. And then there’s Nigel Farage, arch-Brexiteer, still cashing his salary as member of the European Parliament and with a nice pension to look forward to once the deed is done. Apparently, two of his children have German passports and so will continue to enjoy the benefits Europe extends to its younger citizens.
Dante and Virgilio will be able to look up both of these gentlemen, I’m sure. Which brings me to item two. Robert sent in his own translation of the Dante passage we looked at last week (the others are here.)
“Raphel may amech zabi almi,”
He started to yell those senseless words
from his prideful mouth
which could no longer utter sweet sounds.
And my guide said to him, “Ignorant soul,
Hold on to your horn and disburden yourself with it
and whatever ire and other passion is assaulting you.
Look to your neck and you will find
the leash that is keeping you tied up,
confused soul, and you will see that
which is fastening down your big chest.”
Then he said to me, “He is blaming himself.
That is (King) Nimrod because of whose action
a single language is not spoken by the world.
Let us go and choose not to speak further to him
because like his language to someone else,
he will not understand anything.
Robert adds, “Took a long time to translate. A compelling reason why teachers of contemporary Italian should not subject students to Dante’s Comedy in the original.”
Which I totally agree with. There are obviously more suitable things for learners to read…
And so to the day’s main business!
We have another new ‘easy’ Italian reader ebook. It’s written in MODERN Italian and has a narrative structure that should be more familiar to you. 
Anselmo e l’avvelenamento del Papa is the final volume in our trilogy of mystery stories featuring the Borgia-era apothecary cum fixer.
Check out the free sample chapter (.pdf) to get an idea of the level and format of the material.
There’s a link to the audio for the entire story at the top of Chapter 1 of the free sample chapter (.pdf). The audio is available to listen to online with no purchase required.
If you want the whole text, rather than just the first few pages, this week it’ll cost you just £5.99.
With the sad state of the British pound due to this Brexit fiasco, that’s not so much for eight chapters of original study material.
The launch offer ends on Sunday, after which the price will be £7.99, like the other two: (vol. 1) Anselmo e l’omicidio di Giovanni Borgia and (vol. 2) Anselmo e la moglie spagnola.
N.b. There are plenty of lower-level ebooks in our online shop. Check out the Catalog page to see everything listed by type and level.
A mercoledì, allora!
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Anselmo, once known as Rome’s go-to man for unsolvable probems (see the two previous volumes in this trilogy: Anselmo e l’omicidio di Giovanni Borgia and Anselmo e la moglie spagnola), has made a new life with his twin brother Paolo in Belgium, far to the north of the intrigues and dangers of the Papal court.
Life is good and both Anselmo and Paolo are successful men. But they can’t help following the news and gossip from Rome: Cesare Borgia has had notable military success at the head of the French armies so it now seems that his father, Pope Alessandro VI, is in an unassailable position of power and wealth.
Then one day a letter arrives: Cesare’s syphilis has reoccurred and he once more needs Anselmo’s help.
Paolo, Anselmo’s identical twin, is concerned. But then an idea occurs – accompanying his brother to Rome would be an unmissable chance to see court life at first hand!
(Volume 1 of the Anselmo trilogy is ‘Anselmo e l’omicidio di Giovanni Borgia‘, volume 2 is Anselmo e la moglie spagnola). This is Volume 3.)
- .pdf e-book (+ audio available free online)
- .mobi (Kindle-compatible) and .epub (other ebook readers) available on request at no extra charge – just add a note to the order form or email us
- 8 chapters to read and listen to
- Comprehension questions to check your understanding
- Italian/Italian glossary of ‘difficult’ terms for the level (NO English!)
- Suitable for students at intermediate or advanced levels
- Download your Free Sample Chapter (.pdf)
Your e-book will be e-mailed to you within 24 hours of purchase.
P.S.
Saturday’s bulletin of ‘Easy’ Italian News has an interesting article on graffiti artists. Read/listen to it for free.