Domenico Starnone

Lacci—serve to close up our shoes, which in turn contain our feet

Cesare Pavese comes to mind; in his short story “Suicidi” (Suicides) he observes, “La vita è tutto un tradimento”—All of life is betrayal.

contenere (to contain) and contentare (to make happy). Allacciare (to lace, tie down) and lasciare (to leave).