CANTO VIII 'T WAS now the hour that turneth back desire And the new pilgrim penetrates with love, My hearing, and to watch one of the souls Uprisen, that begged attention with its hand. It joined and lifted upward both its palms, Fixing its eyes upon the orient, As if it said to God, “Naught else I care for.” "Te lucis ante" so devoutly issued Forth from its mouth, and with such dulcet notes, It made me issue forth from my own mind. And then the others, sweetly and devoutly, Accompanied it through all the hymn entire, Having their eyes on the supernal wheels. Here, Reader, fix thine eyes well on the truth, For now indeed so subtile is the veil, Surely to penetrate within is easy. I saw that army of the gentle-born Thereafterward in silence upward gaze, And from on high come forth and down descend 5 15 20 25 Truncated and deprived of their points. Green as the little leaflets just now born Their garments were, which, by their verdant pinions Beaten and blown abroad, they trailed behind. So that the people were contained between them. Clearly in them discerned I the blond head; But in their faces was the eye bewildered, "From Mary's bosom both of them have come," 30 35 40 45 And once again Sordello: "Now descend we 50 But not so that between his eyes and mine It did not show what it before locked up. Tow'rds me he moved, and I tow'rds him did move; Noble Judge Nino! how it me delighted, When I beheld thee not among the damned! No greeting fair was left unsaid between us; 55 Then asked he: "How long is it since thou camest O'er the far waters to the mountain's foot? " "Oh!" said I to him, " through the dismal places I came this morn; and am in the first life, Albeit the other, going thus, I gain." And on the instant my reply was heard, He and Sordello both shrank back from me, Like people who are suddenly bewildered. One to Virgilius, and the other turned To one who sat there, crying, "Up, Currado! Come and behold what God in grace has willed! Then, turned to me: "By that especial grace Thou owest unto Him, who so concealeth Since she has laid aside her wimple white, How long in woman lasts the fire of love, So fair a hatchment will not make for her A-field, as would have made Gallura's Cock." Line 68. Thou owest unto Him, who so conceals Line 69. His own first wherefore, that it has no ford, 6c 65 "" 70 75 80 85 And my Conductor: "Son, what dost thou gaze at Up there?" And I to him: "At those three torches With which this hither pole is all on fire." And he to me: "The four resplendent stars 90 Thou sawest this morning are down yonder low, And these have mounted up to where those were." As he was speaking, to himself Sordello Drew him, and said, "Lo there our Adversary!" No barrier hath, a serpent was; perchance How the celestial falcons 'gan to move, 96 100 But well I saw that they were both in motion. 105 Hearing the air cleft by their verdant wings, The serpent fled, and round the Angels wheeled, The shade that to the Judge had near approached As needful is up to the highest azure," Began it, "if some true intelligence Of Valdimagra or its neighborhood 115 Thou knowest, tell it me, who once was great there. Currado Malaspina was I called; 120 I'm not the elder, but from him descended; To mine I bore the love which here refineth." “Oh," said I unto him, " through your domains I never passed, but where is there a dwelling Throughout all Europe, where they are not known? That fame, which doeth honor to your house, Proclaims its Signors and proclaims its land, So that he knows of them who ne'er was there. And, as I hope for heaven, I swear to you Your honored family in naught abates The glory of the purse and of the sword. It is so privileged by use and nature, That though a guilty head misguide the world, Sole it goes right, and scorns the evil way." And he: "Now go; for the sun shall not lie Seven times upon the pillow which the Ram With all his four feet covers and bestrides, Before that such a courteous opinion Shall in the middle of thy head be nailed With greater nails than of another's speech, Unless the course of justice standeth still." 125 130 135 |