Thou hast appeased, my son, within this light Who to this lofty flight with plumage clothed thee. Thou thinkest that to me thy thought doth pass 55 And why I seem more joyous unto thee 60 Thou think'st the truth; because the small and great Of this existence look into the mirror Wherein, before thou think'st, thy thought thou showest. But that the sacred love, in which I watch With sight perpetual, and which makes me thirst With sweet desire, may better be fulfilled, Now let thy voice secure and frank and glad Proclaim the wishes, the desire proclaim, To which my answer is decreed already.” To Beatrice I turned me, and she heard 65 70 Before I spake, and smiled to me a sign, With heat and radiance, they so equal are, But among mortals will and argument, 75 80 Diversely feathered in their pinions are. Set in this precious jewel as a gem, That thou wilt satisfy me with thy name." "O leaf of mine, in whom I pleasure took 66 85 90 E'en while awaiting, I was thine own root! Such a beginning he in answer made me. Then said to me: "That one from whom is named Thy race, and who a hundred years and more Has circled round the mount on the first cornice, A son of mine and thy great-grandsire was; 95 Well it behoves thee that the long fatigue Thou shouldst for him make shorter with thy works. Florence, within the ancient boundary From which she taketh still her tierce and nones, Abode in quiet, temperate and chaste. No golden chain she had, nor coronal, Nor ladies shod with sandal shoon, nor girdle That caught the eye more than the person did. Not yet the daughter at her birth struck fear Into the father, for the time and dower 100 Did not o'errun this side or that the measure. 105 No houses had she void of families, Not yet had thither come Sardanapalus 110 115 With leather and with bone, and from the mirror His dame depart without a painted face; And him of Nerli saw, and him of Vecchio, Contented with their simple suits of buff, And with the spindle and the flax their dames. O fortunate women! and each one was certain Of her own burial-place, and none as yet For sake of France was in her bed deserted. One o'er the cradle kept her studious watch, 120 And in her lullaby the language used Told o'er among her family the tales Life of the citizen, to such a safe From Val di Pado came to me my wife, So much I pleased him with my noble deeds. I followed in his train against that law's Iniquity, whose people doth usurp 125 130 135 146 Your just possession, through your Pastor's fault. There by that execrable race was I 145 Released from bonds of the fallacious world, CANTO XVI. O thou our poor nobility of blood, If thou dost make the people glory in thee Down here where our affection languisheth, A marvellous thing it ne'er will be to me; For there where appetite is not perverted, I say in Heaven, of thee I made a boast! Truly thou art a cloak that quickly shortens, So that unless we piece thee day by day Time goeth round about thee with his shears! With You, which Rome was first to tolerate, (Wherein her family less perseveres,) Yet once again my words beginning made; Whence Beatrice, who stood somewhat apart, Smiling, appeared like unto her who coughed At the first failing writ of Guenever. And I began: "You are my ancestor, You give to me all hardihood to speak, You lift me so that I am more than I. 10 15 So many rivulets with gladness fill My mind, that of itself it makes a joy 20 Then tell me, my beloved root ancestral, Who were your ancestors, and what the years That in your boyhood chronicled themselves? Tell me about the sheepfold of Saint John, 25 As at the blowing of the winds a coal Quickens to flame, so I beheld that light Become resplendent at my blandishments. And as unto mine eyes it grew more fair, With voice more sweet and tender, but not in This modern dialect, it said to me: "From uttering of the Ave, till the birth In which my mother, who is now a saint, Of me was lightened who had been her burden, Unto its Lion had this fire returned Five hundred fifty times and thirty more, My ancestors and I our birthplace had Where first is found the last ward of the city By him who runneth in your annual game. Suffice it of my elders to hear this ; 30 35 40 45 But who they were, and whence they thither came, With Campi and Certaldo and Figghine, Oh how much better 't were to have as neighbors Line 57. Who has sharp eyes for trickery already. 50 55 |