So fully screen my sight that it avail me,” Said I," and seems towards us to be moving? "Marvel thou not, if dazzle thee as yet The family of heaven," he answered me; "An angel 't is, who comes to invite us upward. Soon will it be, that to behold these things Shall not be grievous, but delightful to thee 30 35 Behind us sung, "Rejoice, thou that o'ercomest!" My Master and myself, we two alone Were going upward, and I thought, in going, Mentioning interdict and partnership?" 40 45 Where by companionship each share is lessened, 50 But if the love of the supernal sphere There would not be that fear within your breast; For there, as much the more as one says Our, So much the more of good each one possesseth, Line 56. So much the more of good each one possesses, 55 And more of charity in that cloister burns." "I am more hungering to be satisfied," I said, "than if I had before been silent, The more possessors can more wealthy make Thy mind entirely upon earthly things, Which is above there, runneth unto love, And the more people thitherward aspire, More are there to love well, and more they love there, And, as a mirror, one reflects the other. And if my reasoning appease thee not, Thou shalt see Beatrice; and she will fully Ecstatic on a sudden I was rapt, 60 65 70 75 80 And at the door a woman, with the sweet Why in this manner hast thou dealt with us? 90 Were seeking for thee; " — and as here she ceased, That which appeared at first had disappeared. Then I beheld another with those waters Adown her cheeks which grief distils whenever And saying: "If of that city thou art lord, For whose name was such strife among the gods, And whence doth every science scintillate, Avenge thyself on those audacious arms That clasped our daughter, O Pisistratus ;" If he who loves us be by us condemned? With stones a young man slaying, clamorously Still crying to each other, " Kill him! kill him!" And him I saw bow down, because of death That weighed already on him, to the earth, But of his eyes made ever gates to heaven, Imploring the high Lord, in so great strife, That he would pardon those his persecutors, To things external to it which are true, 95 100 105 115 Exclaimed: "What ails thee, that thou canst not stand? But hast been coming more than half a league Veiling thine eyes, and with thy legs entangled, In guise of one whom wine or sleep subdueth?" “O my sweet Father, if thou listen to me, I'll tell thee," said I, "what appeared to me, What thou hast seen was that thou mayst not fail Who only looketh with the eyes that see not But asked it to give vigor to thy feet; Thus must we needs urge on the sluggards, slow To use their wakefulness when it returns." We passed along, athwart the twilight peering Forward as far as ever eye could stretch Against the sunbeams serotine and lucent; And lo! by slow degrees a smoke approached In our direction, sombre as the night, Nor was there place to hide one's self therefrom. This of our eyes and the pure air bereft us. Line 123. In guise of one whom wine or sleep subdues ?” 120 125 130 135 140 145 CANTO XVI DARKNESS of hell, and of a night deprived As much as may be tenebrous with cloud, As did that smoke which there enveloped us, Whereat mine escort, faithful and sagacious, Drew near to me and offered me his shoulder. E'en as a blind man goes behind his guide, Lest he should wander, or should strike against Aught that may harm or peradventure kill him, So went I through the bitter and foul air, Listening unto my Leader, who said only, "Look that from me thou be not separated." Voices I heard, and every one appeared To supplicate for peace and misericord One word there was in all, and metre one, So that all harmony appeared among them. "Master," I said, "are spirits those I hear?" 5 ΙΟ 15 20 And he to me: "Thou apprehendest truly, And they the knot of anger go unloosing." "Now who art thou, that cleavest through our smoke, And art discoursing of us even as though Thou didst by calends still divide the time?" 26 |