The Divine Comedy - Dante Alighieri (well read books .txt) 📗

guardians of the valley
Against the serpent, that will come anon.”
Whereupon I, who knew not by what road,
Turned round about, and closely drew myself,
Utterly frozen, to the faithful shoulders.
And once again Sordello: “Now descend we
’Mid the grand shades, and we will speak to them;
Right pleasant will it be for them to see you.”
Only three steps I think that I descended,
And was below, and saw one who was looking
Only at me, as if he fain would know me.
Already now the air was growing dark,
But not so that between his eyes and mine659
It did not show what it before locked up.
Tow’rds me he moved, and I tow’rds him did move;
Noble Judge Nino! how it me delighted,660
When I beheld thee not among the damned!
No greeting fair was left unsaid between us;
Then asked he: “How long is it since thou camest
O’er the far waters to the mountain’s foot?”
“Oh!” said I to him, “through the dismal places
I came this morn; and am in the first life,
Albeit the other, going thus, I gain.”
And on the instant my reply was heard,
He and Sordello both shrank back from me,
Like people who are suddenly bewildered.
One to Virgilius, and the other turned
To one who sat there, crying, “Up, Currado!
Come and behold what God in grace has willed!”
Then, turned to me: “By that especial grace
Thou owest unto Him, who so conceals
His own first wherefore, that it has no ford,
When thou shalt be beyond the waters wide,
Tell my Giovanna that she pray for me,661
Where answer to the innocent is made.
I do not think her mother loves me more,
Since she has laid aside her wimple white,
Which she, unhappy, needs must wish again.662
Through her full easily is comprehended
How long in woman lasts the fire of love,
If eye or touch do not relight it often.
So fair a hatchment will not make for her663
The Viper marshalling the Milanese664
A-field, as would have made Gallura’s Cock.”665
In this wise spake he, with the stamp impressed
Upon his aspect of that righteous zeal
Which measurably burneth in the heart.
My greedy eyes still wandered up to heaven,
Still to that point where slowest are the stars,
Even as a wheel the nearest to its axle.
And my Conductor: “Son, what dost thou gaze at
Up there?” And I to him: “At those three torches666
With which this hither pole is all on fire.”
And he to me: “The four resplendent stars
Thou sawest this morning are down yonder low,
And these have mounted up to where those were.”
As he was speaking, to himself Sordello
Drew him, and said, “Lo there our Adversary!”
And pointed with his finger to look thither.
Upon the side on which the little valley
No barrier hath, a serpent was; perchance
The same which gave to Eve the bitter food.
’Twixt grass and flowers came on the evil streak,667
Turning at times its head about, and licking
Its back like to a beast that smoothes itself.
I did not see, and therefore cannot say
How the celestial falcons ’gan to move,
But well I saw that they were both in motion.
Hearing the air cleft by their verdant wings,
The serpent fled, and round the Angels wheeled,
Up to their stations flying back alike.
The shade that to the Judge had near approached
When he had called, throughout that whole assault
Had not a moment loosed its gaze on me.
“So may the light that leadeth thee on high
Find in thine own free-will as much of wax
As needful is up to the highest azure,”668
Began it, “if some true intelligence
Of Valdimagra or its neighborhood669
Thou knowest, tell it me, who once was great there.
Currado Malaspina was I called;670
I’m not the elder, but from him descended;
To mine I bore the love which here refineth.”
“O,” said I unto him, “through your domains
I never passed, but where is there a dwelling
Throughout all Europe, where they are not known?
That fame, which doeth honor to your house,
Proclaims its Signors and proclaims its land,
So that he knows of them who ne’er was there.
And, as I hope for heaven, I swear to you
Your honored family in naught abates
The glory of the purse and of the sword.
It is so privileged by use and nature,
That though a guilty head misguide the world,671
Sole it goes right, and scorns the evil way.”
And he: “Now go; for the sun shall not lie
Seven times upon the pillow which the Ram672
With all his four feet covers and bestrides,
Before that such a courteous opinion
Shall in the middle of thy head be nailed673
With greater nails than of another’s speech,
Unless the course of justice standeth still.”674 Canto IX

Dante’s dream of the eagle⁠—The gate of Purgatory.

The concubine of old Tithonus now675
Gleamed white upon the eastern balcony,676
Forth from the arms of her sweet paramour;
With gems her forehead all relucent was,
Set in the shape of that cold animal677
Which with its tail doth smite amain the nations,
And of the steps, with which she mounts, the Night
Had taken two in that place where we were,678
And now the third was bending down its wings;
When I, who something had of Adam in me,679
Vanquished by sleep, upon the grass reclined,
There were all five of us already sat.680
Just at the hour when her sad lay begins
The little swallow, near unto the morning,681
Perchance in memory of her former woes,
And when the mind of man, a wanderer
More from the flesh, and less by thought