"Virgilius, O Virgilius! who is this?" Rending her garments, and her belly showed me; Were all the circles of the Sacred Mountain, Like unto one who has it laden with thought, Upward he turned us who thus spake to us, For they shall have their souls with comfort filled. "What aileth thee, that aye to earth thou gazest ? To me my Guide began to say, we both Somewhat beyond the Angel having mounted. And I: "With such misgiving makes me go A vision new, which bends me to itself, 30 34 40 45 50 55 So that I cannot from the thought withdraw me." "Didst thou behold," he said, "that old enchantress, Who sole above us henceforth is lamented? Didst thou behold how man is freed from her? Suffice it thee, and smite earth with thy heels, Thine eyes lift upward to the lure, that whirls The Eternal King with revolutions vast." Even as the hawk, that first his feet surveys, 60 64 Then turns him to the call and stretches forward, Through the desire of food that draws him thither, Such I became, and such, far as is cleft The rock to give a way to him who mounts, Went on to where the circling doth begin. On the fifth circle when I had come forth, 70 People I saw upon it who were weeping, Stretched prone upon the ground, all downward turned. "Adhaesit pavimento anima mea," I heard them say with sighings so profound, That hardly could the words be understood. "O ye elect of God, whose sufferings Justice and Hope both render less severe, Whence he assented with a cheerful sign Line 67. Such I became, and such, as far as cleaves 75 80 85 Whose words before had caused me to take note, Saying: "O Spirit, in whom weeping ripens That without which to God we cannot turn, 91 Who wast thou, and why are your backs turned upwards, Tell me, and if thou wouldst that I procure thee Anything there whence living I departed.” And he to me: "Wherefore our backs the heaven Turns to itself, know shalt thou; but beforehand Scias quod ego fui successor Petri. Between Siestri and Chiaveri descends A river beautiful, and of its name The title of my blood its summit makes. A month and little more essayed I how 96 100 Weighs the great cloak on him from mire who keeps it; For all the other burdens seem a feather. Tardy, ah woe is me! was my conversion; I saw that there the heart was not at rest, From God was I, and wholly avaricious; In the purgation of these souls converted, Line 115. What avarice does is here made manifest 105 115 Even as our eye did not uplift itself Aloft, being fastened upon earthly things, So justice here has merged it in the earth. As avarice had extinguished our affection For every good, whereby was action lost, I on my knees had fallen, and wished to speak; Only by listening, of my reverence, 120 125 "What cause," he said, " has downward bent thee thus?" And I to him: «For your own dignity, 130 Standing, my conscience stung me with remorse.' "Straighten thy legs, and upward raise thee, brother," He answered: "Err not, fellow-servant am I With thee and with the others to one power. If e'er that holy, evangelic sound, Which sayeth neque nubent, thou hast heard, Well canst thou see why in this wise I speak. Now go; no longer will I have thee linger, 135 Because thy stay doth incommode my weeping, 140 With which I ripen that which thou hast said. On earth I have a grandchild named Alagia, Good in herself, unless indeed our house Malevolent may make her by example, And she alone remains to me on earth." 145 CANTO XX ILL strives the will against a better will; Therefore, to pleasure him, against my pleasure That more than all the other beasts hast prey O heaven, in whose gyrations some appear 16 To think conditions here below are changed, When will he come through whom she shall depart? Onward we went with footsteps slow and scarce, And I attentive to the shades I heard Piteously weeping and bemoaning them; And I by peradventure heard “Sweet Mary! Uttered in front of us amid the weeping Even as a woman doth who is in child-birth; And in continuance: "How poor thou wast Is manifested by that hostelry Where thou didst lay thy sacred burden down." Thereafterward I heard: "O good Fabricius, Virtue with poverty didst thou prefer Line 21. Even as a woman does who is in child-birth; 20 25 |