Inscripción para el sepulcro
de Domínico Greco


Esta en forma elegante, oh peregrino,
de pórfido luciente dura llave,
el pincel niega al mundo más süave,
que dio espíritu a leño, vida a lino.

Su nombre, aún de mayor aliento dino
que en los clarines de la Fama cabe,
el campo ilustra de ese mármol grave;
venéralo y prosigue tu camino.

Yace el Griego. Heredó Naturaleza
Arte; y el Arte, estudio. Iris, colores.
Febo, luces (si no sombras, Morfeo).

Tanta urna, a pesar de su dureza,
lágrimas beba, y cuantos suda olores
corteza funeral de árbol sabeo.



Inscription for the tomb of Domenico Greco

This in graceful form, oh wanderer,
a solid key of jasper gleaming bright
denies to all the world the softest brush
which ever wood gave soul, or canvas life.

His name, deserving even greater breath
than Fame needs for her clarions to play,
this ground of solemn marble amplifies:
revere it and continue on your way.

Here lies the Greek. To Nature he bequeathed
his Art; to Art, his skill. To rainbows, hues.
To Phoebus, lights (to Morpheus his darks).

May this great urn, despite its hard veneer,
drink tears and all the odors in the sweat
of the Arabian tree's funereal bark. 

                     (©Alix Ingber, 1995)



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E-mail your comments and questions to:

Alix Ingber
Professor of Spanish
Sweet Briar College

ingber@sbc.edu



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