And hence, whenever aught is heard or seen And other that which the soul keeps entire ; Of this I had experience positive In hearing and in gazing at that spirit ; The sun, and I had not perceived it, when We came to where those souls with one accord Cried out unto us: "Here is what you ask.” A greater opening ofttimes hedges up With but a little forkful of his thorns The villager, what time the grape imbrowns, Than was the passage-way through which ascended One climbs Sanleo and descends in Noli, And mounts the summit of Bismantova, Of great desire, conducted after him And on each side the border pressed upon us, Of the high bank, out on the open slope, And he to me: "No step of thine descend; Still up the mount behind me win thy way, "O my sweet Father! turn thee and behold Thereon ourselves we seated both of us Turned to the East, from which we had ascended, Then to the sun uplifted them, and wondered Bewildered at the chariot of the light, Together with this mount on earth to stand, So that they both one sole horizon have, And hemispheres diverse; whereby the road Which Phaeton, alas! knew not to drive, Thou'lt see how of necessity must pass This on one side, when that upon the other, Saw I so clearly as I now discern, That the mid-circle of supernal motion, Which in some art is the Equator called, For reason which thou sayest, departeth hence Tow'rds the Septentrion, what time the Hebrews How far we have to go; for the hill rises At the beginning down below 'tis tiresome, There to repose thy panting breath expect; And as he finished uttering these words, A voice close by us sounded: "Peradventure Thou wilt have need of sitting down ere that." At sound thereof each one of us turned round, And saw upon the left hand a great rock, Which neither I nor he before had noticed. Thither we drew; and there were persons there Who in the shadow stood behind the rock, As one through indolence is wont to stand. And one of them, who seemed to me fatigued, Was sitting down, and both his knees embraced, Holding his face low down between them bowed. "O my sweet Lord," I said, "do turn thine eye On him who shows himself more negligent Then knew I who he was; and the distress, That still a little did my breathing quicken, I came to him he hardly raised his head, Saying: "Hast thou seen clearly how the sun His sluggish attitude and his curt words A little unto laughter moved my lips; For thee henceforth; but tell me, wherefore seated In this place art thou? Waitest thou an escort ? Since to my torment would not let me go Since the good sighs I to the end postponed, Unless, e'er that, some prayer may bring me aid 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 Which rises from a heart that lives in grace; Meanwhile the Poet was before me mounting, And saying: "Come now; see the sun has touched Covers already with her foot Morocco." 135 CANTO V. I HAD already from those shades departed, 66 And saw them watching with astonishment The Master said, "that thou thy pace dost slacken? Come after me, and let the people talk ; Stand like a steadfast tower, that never wags Its top for all the blowing of the winds; For evermore the man in whom is springing Thought upon thought, removes from him the mark, What could I say in answer but "I come"? I said it somewhat with that colour tinged Which makes a man of pardon sometimes worthy. Meanwhile along the mountain-side across Came people in advance of us a little, When they became aware I gave no place 25 For passage of the sunshine through my body, They changed their song into a long, hoarse "Oh!" And two of them, in form of messengers, Ran forth to meet us, and demanded of us, "Of your condition make us cognisant." And said my Master: "Ye can go your way And carry back again to those who sent you, At early nightfall cleave the air serene, 30 35 20 15 ΙΟ པ་ But upward they returned in briefer time, And, on arriving, with the others wheeled "This folk that presses unto us is great, And cometh to implore thee," said the Poet; "O soul that goest to beatitude With the same members wherewith thou wast born," 66 Look, if thou e'er hast any of us seen, So that o'er yonder thou bear news of him ; Ah, why not stay? From life we issued reconciled to God, Who with desire to see Him stirs our hearts." No one I recognize; but if may please you Speak ye, and I will do it, by that peace Which, following the feet of such a Guide, And one began: "Each one has confidence Thou be so courteous to me of thy prayers In Fano, that they pray for me devoutly, From thence was I; but the deep wounds, through which Issued the blood wherein I had my seat, There where I thought to be the most secure ; But if towards the Mira I had fled, When I was overtaken at Oriaco, I still should be o'er yonder where men breathe. I ran to the lagoon, and reeds and mire Did so entangle me I fell, and saw there A lake made from my veins upon the ground." T |