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him to us. Though Sapia namā€™d In sapience I excellā€™d not, gladder far Of othersā€™ hurt, than of the good befell me.

That thou mayst own I now deceive thee not, Hear, if my folly were not as I speak it.

When now my years slopā€™d waning down the arch, It so bechancā€™d, my fellow citizens Near Colle met their enemies in the field, And I prayā€™d God to grant what He had willā€™d.

There were they vanquishā€™d, and betook themselves Unto the bitter passages of flight.

I markā€™d the hunt, and waxing out of bounds In gladness, lifted up my shameless brow, And like the merlin cheated by a gleam, Cried, ā€œIt is over. Heavā€™n! I fear thee not.ā€

Upon my verge of life I wishā€™d for peace With God; nor repentance had supplied What I did lack of duty, were it not The hermit Piero, touchā€™d with charity, In his devout orisons thought on me.

But who art thou that questionā€™st of our state, Who goā€™st to my belief, with lids unclosā€™d, And breathest in thy talk?ā€ ā€”ā€œMine eyes,ā€ said I, ā€œMay yet be here taā€™en from me; but not long; For they have not offended grievously With envious glances. But the woe beneath Urges my soul with more exceeding dread.

That nether load already weighs me down.ā€

She thus: ā€œWho then amongst us here aloft Hath brought thee, if thou weenest to return?ā€

ā€œHe,ā€ answerā€™d I, ā€œwho standeth mute beside me.

I live: of me ask therefore, chosen spirit, If thou desire I yonder yet should move For thee my mortal feet.ā€ ā€”ā€œOh!ā€ she replied, ā€œThis is so strange a thing, it is great sign That God doth love thee. Therefore with thy prayer Sometime assist me: and by that I crave, Which most thou covetest, that if thy feet Eā€™er tread on Tuscan soil, thou save my fame Amongst my kindred. Them shalt thou behold With that vain multitude, who set their hope On Telamoneā€™s haven, there to fail Confounded, more shall when the fancied stream They sought of Dian callā€™d: but they who lead Their navies, more than ruinā€™d hopes shall mourn.ā€

 

CANTO XIV

 

ā€œSay who is he around our mountain winds, Or ever death has prunā€™d his wing for flight, That opes his eyes and covers them at will?ā€

ā€œI know not who he is, but know thus much He comes not singly. Do thou ask of him, For thou art nearer to him, and take heed Accost him gently, so that he may speak.ā€

Thus on the right two Spirits bending each Toward the other, talkā€™d of me, then both Addressing me, their faces backward leanā€™d, And thus the one began: ā€œO soul, who yet Pent in the body, tendest towards the sky!

For charity, we pray theeā€™ comfort us, Recounting whence thou comā€™st, and who thou art: For thou dost make us at the favour shown thee Marvel, as at a thing that neā€™er hath been.ā€

ā€œThere stretches through the midst of Tuscany, I straight began: ā€œa brooklet, whose well-head Springs up in Falterona, with his race Not satisfied, when he some hundred miles Hath measurā€™d. From his banks bring, I this frame.

To tell you who I am were words misspent: For yet my name scarce sounds on rumourā€™s lip.ā€

ā€œIf well I do incorpā€™rate with my thought The meaning of thy speech,ā€ said he, who first Addrest me, ā€œthou dost speak of Arnoā€™s wave.ā€

To whom the other: ā€œWhy hath he concealā€™d The title of that river, as a man

Doth of some horrible thing?ā€ The spirit, who Thereof was questionā€™d, did acquit him thus: ā€œI know not: but ā€˜tis fitting well the name Should perish of that vale; for from the source Where teems so plenteously the Alpine steep Maimā€™d of Pelorus, (that doth scarcely pass Beyond that limit,) even to the point Whereunto ocean is restorā€™d, what heaven Drains from thā€™ exhaustless store for all earthā€™s streams, Throughout the space is virtue worried down, As ā€˜twere a snake, by all, for mortal foe, Or through disastrous influence on the place, Or else distortion of misguided wills, That custom goads to evil: whence in those, The dwellers in that miserable vale, Nature is so transformā€™d, it seems as they Had sharā€™d of Circeā€™s feeding. ā€˜Midst brute swine, Worthier of acorns than of other food Created for manā€™s use, he shapeth first His obscure way; then, sloping onward, finds Curs, snarlers more in spite than power, from whom He turns with scorn aside: still journeying down, By how much more the curst and luckless foss Swells out to largeness, eā€™en so much it finds Dogs turning into wolves. Descending still Through yet more hollow eddies, next he meets A race of foxes, so replete with craft, They do not fear that skill can master it.

Nor will I cease because my words are heard By other ears than thine. It shall be well For this man, if he keep in memory What from no erring Spirit I reveal.

Lo! I behold thy grandson, that becomes A hunter of those wolves, upon the shore Of the fierce stream, and cows them all with dread: Their flesh yet living sets he up to sale, Then like an aged beast to slaughter dooms.

Many of life he reaves, himself of worth And goodly estimation. Smearā€™d with gore Mark how he issues from the rueful wood, Leaving such havoc, that in thousand years It spreads not to prime lustihood again.ā€

As one, who tidings hears of woe to come, Changes his looks perturbā€™d, from whateā€™er part The peril grasp him, so beheld I change That spirit, who had turnā€™d to listen, struck With sadness, soon as he had caught the word.

His visage and the otherā€™s speech did raise Desire in me to know the names of both, whereof with meek entreaty I inquirā€™d.

The shade, who late addrest me, thus resumā€™d: ā€œThy wish imports that I vouchsafe to do For thy sake what thou wilt not do for mine.

But since Godā€™s will is that so largely shine His grace in thee, I will be liberal too.

Guido of Duca know then that I am.

Envy so parchā€™d my blood, that had I seen A fellow man made joyous, thou hadst markā€™d A livid paleness overspread my cheek.

Such harvest reap I of the seed I sowā€™d.

O man, why place thy heart where there doth need Exclusion of participants in good?

This is Rinieriā€™s spirit, this the boast And honour of the house of Calboli, Where of his worth no heritage remains.

Nor his the only blood, that hath been stript (ā€˜twixt Po, the mount, the Reno, and the shore,) Of all that truth or fancy asks for bliss; But in those limits such a growth has sprung Of rank and venomā€™d roots, as long would mock Slow cultureā€™s toil. Where is good Lizio? where Manardi, Traversalo, and Carpigna?

O bastard slips of old Romagnaā€™s line!

When in Bologna the low artisan,

And in Faenza yon Bernardin sprouts, A gentle cyon from ignoble stem.

Wonder not, Tuscan, if thou see me weep, When I recall to mind those once lovā€™d names, Guido of Prata, and of Azzo him

That dwelt with you; Tignoso and his troop, With Traversaroā€™s house and Anastagio s, (Each race disherited) and beside these, The ladies and the knights, the toils and ease, That witchā€™d us into love and courtesy; Where now such malice reigns in recreant hearts.

O Brettinoro! wherefore tarriest still, Since forth of thee thy family hath gone, And many, hating evil, joinā€™d their steps?

Well doeth he, that bids his lineage cease, Bagnacavallo; Castracaro ill,

And Conio worse, who care to propagate A race of Counties from such blood as theirs.

Well shall ye also do, Pagani, then When from amongst you tries your demon child.

Not so, howeā€™er, that henceforth there remain True proof of what ye were. O Hugolin!

Thou sprung of Fantoliniā€™s line! thy name Is safe, since none is lookā€™d for after thee To cloud its lustre, warping from thy stock.

But, Tuscan, go thy ways; for now I take Far more delight in weeping than in words.

Such pity for your sakes hath wrung my heart.ā€

We knew those gentle spirits at parting heard Our steps. Their silence therefore of our way Assurā€™d us. Soon as we had quitted them, Advancing onward, lo! a voice that seemā€™d Like vollied lightā€™ning, when it rives the air, Met us, and shouted, ā€œWhosoever finds Will slay me,ā€ then fled from us, as the bolt Lancā€™d sudden from a downward-rushing cloud.

When it had givā€™n short truce unto our hearing, Behold the other with a crash as loud As the quick-following thunder: ā€œMark in me Aglauros turnā€™d to rock.ā€ I at the sound Retreating drew more closely to my guide.

Now in mute stillness rested all the air: And thus he spake: ā€œThere was the galling bit.

But your old enemy so baits his hook, He drags you eager to him. Hence nor curb Avails you, nor reclaiming call. Heavā€™n calls And round about you wheeling courts your gaze With everlasting beauties. Yet your eye Turns with fond doting still upon the earth.

Therefore He smites you who discerneth all.ā€

 

CANTO XV

 

As much as ā€˜twixt the third hourā€™s close and dawn, Appeareth of heavā€™nā€™s sphere, that ever whirls As restless as an infant in his play, So much appearā€™d remaining to the sun Of his slope journey towards the western goal.

Evening was there, and here the noon of night; and full upon our forehead smote the beams.

For round the mountain, circling, so our path Had led us, that toward the sun-set now Direct we journeyā€™d: when I felt a weight Of more exceeding splendour, than before, Press on my front. The cause unknown, amaze Possessā€™d me, and both hands against my brow Lifting, I interposā€™d them, as a screen, That of its gorgeous superflux of light Clippā€™d the diminishā€™d orb. As when the ray, Striking On water or the surface clear Of mirror, leaps unto the opposite part, Ascending at a glance, eā€™en as it fell, (And so much differs from the stone, that falls Through equal space, as practice skill hath shown; Thus with refracted light before me seemed The ground there smitten; whence in sudden haste My sight recoilā€™d. ā€œWhat is this, sire belovā€™d!

ā€˜Gainst which I strive to shield the sight in vain?ā€

Cried I, ā€œand which towards us moving seems?ā€

ā€œMarvel not, if the family of heavā€™n,ā€

He answerā€™d, ā€œyet with dazzling radiance dim Thy sense it is a messenger who comes, Inviting manā€™s ascent. Such sights ere long, Not grievous, shall impart to thee delight, As thy perception is by nature wrought Up to their pitch.ā€ The blessed angel, soon As we had reachā€™d him, hailā€™d us with glad voice: ā€œHere enter on a ladder far less steep Than ye have yet encounterā€™d.ā€ We forthwith Ascending, heard behind us chanted sweet, ā€œBlessed the merciful,ā€ and ā€œhappy thou!

That conquerā€™st.ā€ Lonely each, my guide and I Pursued our upward way; and as we went, Some profit from his words I hopā€™d to win, And thus of him inquiring, framā€™d my speech: ā€œWhat meant Romagnaā€™s spirit, when he spake Of bliss exclusive with no partner sharā€™d?ā€

He straight replied: ā€œNo wonder, since he knows, What sorrow waits on his own worst defect, If he chide others, that they less may mourn.

Because ye point your wishes at a mark, Where, by communion of possessors, part Is lessenā€™d, envy bloweth up the sighs of men.

No fear of that might touch ye, if the love Of higher sphere exalted your desire.

For there, by how much more they call it ours, So much propriety of each in good

Increases more, and heightenā€™d charity Wraps that fair cloister in a brighter flame.ā€

ā€œNow lack I satisfaction more,ā€ said I, ā€œThan if thou hadst

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