It trembles here, whenever any soul Feels itself pure, so that it soars, or moves To mount aloft, and such a cry attends it. Of purity the will alone gives proof, Which, being wholly free to change its convent, Five hundred years and more, but just now felt 60 65 71 Therefore thou heardst the earthquake, and the pious So said he to him; and since we enjoy As much in drinking as the thirst is great, I could not say how much it did me good. And the wise Leader: "Now I see the net That snares you here, and how ye are set free, Of the supremest King, avenged the wounds 75 80 85 Where I deserved to deck my brows with myrtle. Statius the people name me still on earth; I sang of Thebes, and then of great Achilles; But on the way fell with my second burden. The seeds unto my ardor were the sparks Of that celestial flame which heated me, Whereby more than a thousand have been fired; Of the Æneid speak I, which to me A mother was, and was my nurse in song; Without this weighed I not a drachma's weight. And to have lived upon the earth what time Virgilius lived, I would accept one sun. 91 95 100 With looks that in their silence said, " Be silent!" But yet the power that wills cannot do all things; For tears and laughter are such pursuivants Unto the passion from which each springs forth, Whereat the shade was silent, and it gazed One keeps me silent, one to speak conjures me, Wherefore I sigh, and I am understood. "Speak," said my Master, "and be not afraid Of speaking, but speak out, and say to him What he demands with such solicitude." Whence I "Thou peradventure marvellest, 106 115 120 O antique spirit, at the smile I gave; But I will have more wonder seize upon thee. 125 Those words which thou hast spoken concerning him." Already he was stooping to embrace 130 My Teacher's feet; but he said to him: "Brother, Do not; for shade thou art, and shade beholdest." And he uprising: "Now canst thou the sum Of love which warms me to thee comprehend, 135 CANTO XXII ALREADY was the Angel left behind us, The Angel who to the sixth round had turned us, Having erased one mark from off my face; And those who have in justice their desire Had said to us, "Beati," in their voices, With "sitio," and without more ended it. And I, more light than through the other passes, Went onward So, that without any labor I followed upward the swift-footed spirits; When thus Virgilius began: "The love Kindled by virtue aye another kindles, Provided outwardly its flame appear. Hence from the hour that Juvenal descended Among us into the infernal Limbo, Who made apparent to me thy affection, My kindliness towards thee was as great As ever bound one to an unseen person, But tell me, and forgive me as a friend, If too great confidence let loose the rein, For avarice to find place, 'mid so much wisdom As thou wast filled with by thy diligence?" These words excited Statius at first Somewhat to laughter; afterward he answered: "Each word of thine is love's dear sign to me. 5 ΙΟ 20 25 Verily oftentimes do things appear Which give fallacious matter to our doubts, It may be from the circle where I was; Because of ignorance, which from this sin Cuts off repentance living and in death! And know that the transgression which rebuts By direct opposition any sin Together with it here its verdure dries. Which mourns its avarice, to purify me, Line 54. Line 55. For its opposite has this befallen me." 30 35 40 45 50 55 |