come in un sogno (vergil, dante, blake)

blending by guido monte

svapna sthāna, as if a dream
(vergil aen. VI, 893-898; dante inf. XXXIV, 139; blake thel, thel’s motto)

like a reflection in a glass,
like shadows in the water like dreams of infants
like a smile upon an infant’s face
sunt geminae Somni portae
quarum altera fertur cornea
quae veris facilis datur exitus umbris
altera candenti
perfecta nitens elephanto
sed falsa ad caelum mittunt
insomnia Manes...
his ubi tum natum Anchises
unaque Sibyllam prosequitur dictis
portaque emittit eburna

two are the ways to Dream;
the horny door lets real shades easily go out
and, through the bright ivory leaf,
Manes send lying dreams to the world…
Still talking, Anchises to the latter leads
his son, Sibyl, and lets them pass.

thereby we went out to see the stars
e quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle