There are things in the breast of mankind which are best
In darkness and secrecy hid;
For you never can tell, when you’ve opened a hell,
How soon you can put back the lid.Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) English writer
“The Sons of the Suburbs” (1916)
(Source)
On bloodthirstiness in war by previously peaceful people.
Originally written for the Christmas 1916 issue of Blighty, a magazine for servicemen. It was rejected, eventually to be published in the Sunday Pictorial (19 Jan 1936). It was never included by Kipling in any of his collections.
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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)]
