A short while after these words which my heart spoke to me with the tongue of Love, I saw coming towards me a certain lady who was very famous for her beauty, and of whom that friend whom I have already called the first among my friends had long been enamoured. This lady’s right name was Joan; but because of her comeliness (or at least it was so imagined) she was called of many _Primavera_ (Spring), and went by that name among them. Then looking again, I perceived that the most noble Beatrice followed after her. And when both these ladies had passed by me, it seemed to me that Love spake again in my heart, saying: “She that came first was called Spring, only because of that which was to happen on this day. And it was I myself who caused that name to be given her; seeing that as the Spring cometh first in the year, so should she come first on this day,[21] when Beatrice was to show herself after the vision of her servant. And even if thou go about to consider her right name, it is also as one should say, ‘She shall come first;’ inasmuch as her name, Joan, is taken from that John who went before the True Light, saying: ‘_Ego vox clamantis in deserto: Parate viam Domini._’”[22] And also it seemed to me that he added other words, to wit: “He who should inquire delicately touching this matter, could not but call Beatrice by mine own name, which is to say, Love; beholding her so like unto me.” [21] There is a play in the original upon the words _Primavera_ (Spring) and _prima verrà_ (she shall come first), to which I have given as near an equivalent as I could. [22] “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord.’” Then I, having thought of this, imagined to write it with rhymes and send it unto my chief friend; but setting aside certain words[23] which seemed proper to be set aside, because I believed that his heart still regarded the beauty of her that was called Spring. [23] That is (as I understand it), suppressing, from delicacy towards his friend, the words in which Love describes Joan as merely the forerunner of Beatrice. And perhaps in the latter part of this sentence a reproach is gently conveyed to the fickle Guido Cavalcanti, who may already have transferred his homage (though Dante had not then learned it) from Joan to Mandetta. And I wrote this sonnet:—