CANTO XXXI. "O THOU who art beyond the sacred river,” “Say, say if this be true; to such a charge, My faculties were in so great confusion, That the voice moved, but sooner was extinct Awhile she waited; then she said: “What thinkest? In thee not yet are by the waters injured.” Forced such a Yes! from out my mouth, that sight Too tensely drawn the bowstring and the bow, Outpouring in a torrent tears and sighs, Which led thee to the loving of that good, 5 10 15 20 What trenches lying traverse or what chains 25 Didst thou discover, that of passing onward Thou shouldst have thus despoiled thee of the hope? And what allurements or what vantages Upon the forehead of the others showed, That thou shouldst turn thy footsteps unto them?” 30 After the heaving of a bitter sigh, Hardly had I the voice to make response, Weeping I said: “The things that present were With their false pleasure turned aside my steps, 35 And she: “Shouldst thou be silent, or deny But when from one's own cheeks comes bursting forth For thy transgression, and another time So shalt thou hear, how in an opposite way Pleasure so great as the fair limbs wherein By reason of my death, what mortal thing Of things fallacious to have risen up Thou oughtest not to have stooped thy pinions downward The callow birdlet waits for two or three, Stand listening with their eyes upon the ground, So was I standing; and she said: "If thou In hearing sufferest pain, lift up thy beard And thou shalt feel a greater pain in seeing." With less resistance is a robust holm Uprooted, either by a native wind Or else by that from regions of Iarbas, And when she by the beard the face demanded, And as my countenance was lifted up, Mine eye perceived those creatures beautiful And, still but little reassured, mine eyes Saw Beatrice turned round towards the monster, Beneath her veil, beyond the margent green, To excel, than others here, when she was here. So pricked me then the thorn of penitence, That of all other things the one which turned me O'erpowered I fell, and what I then became I saw, and she was saying, “Hold me, hold me.” Up to my throat she in the stream had drawn me, And, dragging me behind her, she was moving Upon the water lightly as a shuttle. When I was near unto the blessed shore, "Asperges me," I heard so sweetly sung, Remember it I cannot, much less write it. The beautiful lady opened wide her arms, Embraced my head, and plunged me underneath, Then forth she drew me, and all dripping brought And each one with her arm did cover me. "We here are Nymphs, and in the Heaven are stars; Thus singing they began; and afterwards Unto the Griffin's breast they led me with them, Where Beatrice was standing, turned towards us. "See that thou dost not spare thine eyes," they said; “Before the emeralds have we stationed thee, A thousand longings, hotter than the flame, Fastened mine eyes upon those eyes relucent, As in a glass the sun, not otherwise Within them was the twofold monster shining, My soul was tasting of the food, that while Themselves revealing of the highest rank 66 Thy face to him, so that he may discern O splendour of the living light eternal! Who underneath the shadow of Parnassus 130 135 140 145 CANTO XXXII. So steadfast and attentive were mine eyes Walls of indifference, so the holy smile 66 Towards my left hand by those goddesses, Because I heard from them a Too intently!" And that condition of the sight which is In eyes but lately smitten by the sun I say the less in reference to the greater I saw upon its right wing wheeled about The glorious host, returning with the sun As underneath its shields, to save itself, A squadron turns, and with its banner wheels, That soldiery of the celestial kingdom Which marched in the advance had wholly passed us 5 ΤΟ 15 20 Then to the wheels the maidens turned themselves, Followed with Statius and myself the wheel By fault of her who in the serpent trusted, An arrow loosened from the string o'erpassed, Then circled they about a tree despoiled As higher they ascend, had been by Indians Among their forests marvelled at for height. "Blessed art thou, O Griffin, who dost not Pluck with thy beak these branches sweet to taste, The others shouted; and the twofold creature : "Thus is preserved the seed of all the just.” And turning to the pole which he had dragged, He drew it close beneath the widowed bough, In the same manner as our trees (when downward Begin to swell, and then renew themselves, Each one with its own colour, ere the Sun Less than of rose and more than violet A hue disclosing, was renewed the tree I never heard, nor here below is sung, The hymn which afterward that people sang, Had I the power to paint how fell asleep Those eyes compassionless, of Syrinx hearing, Even as a painter who from model paints I would portray how I was lulled asleep ; 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 бо 65 |