From one small spark can come a mighty blaze.
[Poca favilla gran fiamma seconda.]Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) Italian poet
The Divine Comedy [Divina Commedia], Book 3 “Paradiso,” Canto 1, l. 34 (1.34) (1320) [tr. Musa (1984)]
(Source)
Dante, in a metaphorical prayer to Apollo, hoping his meager efforts describing Paradise will inspire better ones from future poets. The phrase has become proverbial in Italy.
(Source (Italian)). Alternate translations:
From a small spark
Great flame hath risen.
[tr. Cary (1814)]
The spark comes first, and then a mighty flame.
[tr. Bannerman (1850)]
A little spark is followed by great flame.
[tr. Longfellow (1867)]
A mighty flame follows a little spark.
[tr. Butler (1885)]
Great flame may follow from a spark but brief.
[tr. Minchin (1885)]
Great flame follows a little spark.
[tr. Norton (1892)]
A mighty flame followeth a tiny spark.
[tr. Wicksteed (1899)]
A great flame follows a little spark.
[tr. Sinclair (1939)]
A small spark kindles a great flame beyond.
[tr. Binyon (1943)]
From one small spark springs up a mighty flare.
[tr. Sayers/Reynolds (1962)]
Great flames are kindled where the small sparks fly.
[tr. Ciardi (1970)]
A great flame follows a little spark.
[tr. Singleton (1975)]
A little spark brings a great flame after it.
[tr. Sisson (1981)]
Great fire can follow a small spark.
[tr. Mandelbaum (1984)]
A tiny spark can result in a great flame.
[tr. Durling (2011)]
A great flame follows a tiny spark
[tr. Kline (2002)]
A minute spark precedes a towering flame.
[tr. Kirkpatrick (2007)]
Great fire leaps from the smallest spark.
[tr. Hollander/Hollander (2007)]
Tiny sparks can produce a noble flame.
[tr. Raffel (2010)]
A little spark, later a great flame.
[tr. Bang (2021)]
Quotations about:
spark
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