Another Roman dialect sonnet about the papal funeral in St. Peter’s

Once again we are privileged to have another sonnet from the 19th c. poet Giuseppe Gioachino Belli… Er Belli. He wrote seriously funny sonnets in the Roman dialect about life in Rome and aimed deadly satire at Rome’s clerics, religious, prelates and popes.

Today, we have…

Le ssequie de leone duodescimosiconno a ssan pietro

Prima, a Ppalazzo, tanti frati neri
La notte e ’r giorno a bbarbottà orazzione!
Pe Rroma, quer mortorio bbuggiarone!
Cqua, tante torce e ttanti cannejjeri!

Messe sú, mmesse ggiú, bbenedizzione,
Bòtti, diasille, prediche, incenzieri,
Sonetti ar catafarco, arme, bbraghieri,
E ssempre Cardinali in priscissione!

Come si er Papa, che cquaggiú è Vvicario
De Crist’in terra, possi fà ppeccati,
E annà a l’inferno lui quant’un zicario!

Li Papi sò ttre vvorte acconzagrati:
E ssi Ccristo sciannò, cciannò ppe svario
A ffà addannà li poveri dannati.

28 novembre 1831

My translation of… 

The funeral rites of Leo XII at St. Peter’s

First, in the Quirinal Palace, so many friars in black robes
muttering prayers by night and by day!
Through the streets of Rome, they showed off that great funeral procession!
Here, in the basilica, so many torches and candelabras making a great illumination.
Masses here, Masses there, blessings,
cannon fire, Dies iraes, thuribles,
inscriptions on the catafalque, armor, belts,
and always cardinals in procession!
It’s like the Pope, who down here on earth is Christ’s
Vicar, could commit sins
and go to hell like any cutthroat!
Popes are consecrated three times: and if Christ rose, then for fun
He descended to drive the damned crazy!