Giacomo Leopardi (1798-1837), one of the most brilliant modern Italian writers, poets, philosophers – yet not as known abroad as he deserves – died near Naples in June 1837 in the middle of a terrible cholera epidemic. We don’t know if Leopardi’s death is directly related to the disease, but given that his health was fragile throughout his life it is likely the cholera worsened his condition.

The penultimate and possibly most powerful of his poems, “La ginestra, o il fiore del deserto” (“The Broom, or the Flower of the Wilderness”), written during the first cholera year (1836), tackles the destructive power of Nature and the fragility of life. Specifically, Leopardi evokes the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano which stands over Naples, and which destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii in A. D. 79, but the poem is inspired by a more general sense of hopelessness.

Qui su l’arida schiena

del formidabil monte

sterminator Vesevo,

la qual null’altro allegra arbor nè fiore,

tuoi cespi solitari intorno spargi,

odorata ginestra,

contenta dei deserti. ll. 1-7 Here on the dry flank

of the terrifying mountain,

Vesuvius the destroyer,

which no other tree or flower gladdens,

you spread your solitary thickets,

scented broom,

at home in wild places. (transl. by J. Galassi)

In this poem Leopardi gives a desperate and disquieting message – Nature is evil, humankind is fragile and in danger. Sickness, caducity, pain, death are behind the corner for everyone. However, men and women are delusional and foster dreams of eternal growth, happiness, progress, ease.

Magnanimo animale

non credo io già, ma stolto,

quel che nato a perir, nutrito in pene,

dice a goder son fatto,

e di fetido orgoglio

empie le carte,

eccelsi i fati e nove

felicità, quali il ciel tutto ignora,

non pur quest’orbe, promettendo in terra

a popoli che un’onda

di mar commosso, un fiato

d’aura maligna, un sotterraneo crollo

distrugge sì, che avanza

a gran pena di lor la rimembranza. ll. 98-110 I consider a creature foolish

and not noble who, thought born to die

and raised on pain,

says I was made for pleasure,

and fills pages up

with rank pride, high-flown destinies,

and new joys that the heavens,

and not this planet only, have never heard of,

making promises on earth to men

whom a typhoon from the stormy sea,

a blast of ill wind, or an earthquake

may so destroy that all that’s left

of them is the bare memory. (transl. by J. Galassi, modified).

Leopardi’s words are full of significance today that our normal activities, our wealth, jobs, and purpose are jeopardized by such a small dangerous being as a virus. It makes one think about the lack of perspective of our species which not only has brought the climate and life as we know it on the verge of radical change, but has also made itself more vulnerable to pandemics through pollution and globalization – and yet, several leaders will not stop praising economic growth and consumerism, denying or minimizing the danger.

Leopardi however offers a hopeful perspective to humankind: creating global consensus around the idea that the only one responsible for the evil is Nature itself (to clarify, Leopardi means “nature” as “earthly life”, not as “natural environment”). Viruses, earthquakes, typhoons are caused by Nature directly, and to some extent also our own ambitions for happiness, progress and wealth can be looked as a “natural” disposition, wired into our systems. By blaming Nature as the only enemy, “l’umana compagnia”, men and women, suggests Leopardi, will stop fighting each other and will form a “social chain”, the ultimate desperate bond, and will fight for their survival together.

Nobil natura è quella

che a sollevar s’ardisce

gli occhi mortali incontra

al comun fato, e che con franca lingua,

nulla al ver detraendo,

confessa il mal che ci fu dato in sorte,

e il basso stato e frale […]

[e] dà la colpa a quella

che veramente è rea, che de’mortali

madre è di parto e di voler matrigna,

[…] [E]d ordinata in pria

l’umana compagnia

tutti fra se confederati estima

gli uomini, e tutti abbraccia

con vero amor […]. ll. 111-132. The noble nature is the one

who dares to lift his mortal eyes

to confront our common destiny,

and, with honest words

that subtract nothing from the truth,

admits the pain at is our destiny,

and our poor and feeble state; […]

but assigns responsibility

to the true guilty: she who is

mother of mortals when she gives us birth

stepmother ruling us.

[…] [Once t]he whole human company

arrayed against her […]

considers all men allies from the outset

and embraces all of them

with true love. (Transl. by J. Galassi)

These beliefs, Leopardi argues, will make humans stand by each other and form a “social catena” (“social chain”) protecting each other. Only then, Leopardi argues,

[… ] giustizia e pietade, altra radice

avranno allor che non superbe fole. ll. 153-4 […] right and piety will take root

from something more than vain mythologies. (Transl. by J. Galassi)

These days, paradoxically, we are called to form a “chain” through distance: standing 1-2 metres away from our friends, isolate at home, avoid gatherings. Yet think of the interconnected chain of “networks” (social networks, technology, online learning) that are keeping us together these days. Additionally, we need to take care of each other by telling each other the truth, and protect ourselves from fake news. In Leopardi’s terms, we need to be the noble-natured voices which “with honest words” tell each other correct and measured information on the web and social media. Strange as this may be, this is how we learn that we are all connected, “chained” the one to the other, and that our actions have consequences on each other’s health and fate. To use Leopardi’s words, let’s nurture the new “roots” of global justice on “piety” and solidarity.

Martina Piperno, FWO Senior Postdoc