CANTO II. DAY AY was departing, and the embrowned air From their fatigues; and I the only one Both of the way and likewise of the woe, O Muses, O high genius, now assist me! O memory, that didst write down what I saw, And I began: "Poet, who guidest me, Regard my manhood, if it be sufficient, But if the adversary of all evil Was courteous, thinking of the high effect That issue would from him, and who, and what, To men of intellect unmeet it seems not; For he was of great Rome, and of her empire Upon this journey, whence thou givest him vaunt, To bring back comfort thence unto that Faith, Nor I, nor others, think me worthy of it. I fear the coming may be ill-advised; And as he is, who unwills what he willed, And by new thoughts doth his intention change, Such I became, upon that dark hillside, Because, in thinking, I consumed the emprise, 20 25 30 35 40 "If I have well thy language understood," Replied that shade of the Magnanimous, "Thy soul attainted is with cowardice, Which many times a man encumbers so, It turns him back from honored enterprise, As false sight doth a beast, when he is shy. I'll tell thee why I came, and what I heard Among those was I who are in suspense, And a fair, saintly Lady called to me In such wise, I besought her to command me. Her eyes were shining brighter than the Star; And she began to say, gentle and low, Of whom the fame still in the world endures, And Upon the desert slope is so impeded. Upon his way, that he has turned through terror, That I too late have risen to his succor, From that which I have heard of him in Heaven. Bestir thee now, and with thy speech ornate, And with what needful is for his release, Assist him So, that I may be consoled. I come from there, where I would fain return; When I shall be in presence of my Lord, Full often will I praise thee unto him.' So grateful unto me is thy commandment, To obey, if 't were already done, were late; No farther need'st thou ope to me thy wish. But the cause tell me why thou dost not shun The here descending down into this centre, From the vast place thou burnest to return to.' 'Since thou wouldst fain so inwardly discern, Briefly will I relate,' she answered me, Of those things only should one be afraid Which have the power of doing others harm; 90 God in his mercy such created me That misery of yours attains me not, any flame assails me of this burning. A gentle Lady is in Heaven, who grieves At this impediment, to which I send thee, So that stern judgment there above is broken. In her entreaty she besought Lucìa, And said, “Thy faithful one now stands in need Lucìa, foe of all that cruel is, Hastened away, and came unto the place Where I was sitting with the ancient Rachel. "Beatrice," said she, " the true praise of God, Why succorest thou not him, who loved thee so, Dost thou not hear the pity of his plaint? Dost thou not see the death that combats him Never were persons in the world so swift To work their weal and to escape their woe, As I, after such words as these were uttered, Came hither downward from my blessed seat, Confiding in thy dignified discourse, Which honors thee, and those who 've listened to it.' |