But as a mother to her son benignant,

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Some who turn Florentines, and trade and discount,
Would have gone back again to Simifonte
There where their grandsires went about as
beggars.

At Montemurlo still would be the Counts,
The Cerchi in the parish of Acone,
Perhaps in Valdigrieve the Buondelmonti.
Ever the intermingling of the people

Has been the source of malady in cities,
As in the body food it surfeits on;
And a blind bull more headlong plunges down
Than a blind lamb ; and very
often cuts

Better and more a single sword than five.

If Luni thou regard, and Urbisaglia,

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How they have passed away, and how are passing

Chiusi and Sinigaglia after them,

To hear how races waste themselves away,
Will seem to thee no novel thing nor hard,
Seeing that even cities have an end.
All things of yours have their mortality,

Even as yourselves; but it is hidden in some That a long while endure, and lives are short; And as the turning of the lunar heaven

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Covers and bares the shores without a pause, In the like manner fortune doth with Florence. Therefore should not appear a marvellous thing s What I shall say of the great Florentines Of whom the fame is hidden in the Past.

I saw the Ughi, saw the Catellini,

Filippi, Greci, Ormanni, and Alberichi,

Line 84. In the like manner fortune does with Florence.

Even in their fall illustrious citizens;
And saw, as mighty as they ancient were,
With him of La Sannella him of Arca,
And Soldanier, Ardinghi, and Bostichi.
Near to the gate that is at present laden

With a new felony of so much weight
That soon it shall be jetsam from the bark,
The Ravignani were, from whom descended
The County Guido, and whoe'er the name
Of the great Bellincione since hath taken.
He of La Pressa knew the art of ruling

Already, and already Galigajo

Had hilt and pommel gilded in his house. Mighty already was the Column Vair,

Sacchetti, Giuochi, Fifant, and Barucci,

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And Galli, and they who for the bushel blush. 105 The stock from which were the Calfucci born

Was great already, and already chosen To curule chairs the Sizii and Arrigucci. Oh how beheld I those who are undone

By their own pride! and how the Balls of Gold 110 Florence enflowered in all their mighty deeds! So likewise did the ancestors of those

Who evermore, when vacant is your church,
Fatten by staying in consistory.

The insolent race, that like a dragon follows
Whoever flees, and unto him that shows
His teeth or purse is gentle as a lamb,
Already rising was, but from low people;
So that it pleased not Ubertin Donato

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That his wife's father should make him their

kin.

Already had Caponsacco to the Market

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From Fesole descended, and already
Giuda and Infangato were good burghers.
I'll tell a thing incredible, but true;
One entered the small circuit by a gate
Which from the Della Pera took its name!
Each one that bears the beautiful escutcheon

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Of the great baron whose renown and name The festival of Thomas keepeth fresh, Knighthood and privilege from him received; Though with the populace unites himself To-day the man who binds it with a border. Already were Gualterotti and Importuni; And still more quiet would the Borgo be If with new neighbors it remained unfed. The house from which is born your lamentation, Through just disdain that death among you brought

And put an end unto your joyous life,

Was honored in itself and its companions.

O Buondelmonte, how in evil hour

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Thou fled'st the bridal at another's promptings!

Many would be rejoicing who are sad,

If God had thee surrendered to the Ema

The first time that thou camest to the city.

But it behoved the mutilated stone

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Which guards the bridge, that Florence should provide

A victim in her latest hour of peace.

With all these families, and others with them,
Florence beheld I in so great repose,

That no occasion had she whence to weep;

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With all these families beheld so just

And glorious her people, that the lily

Never upon the spear was placed reversed, Nor by division was vermilion made."

CANTO XVII.

As came to Clymene, to be made certain
Of that which he had heard against himself,
He who makes fathers chary still to children,
Even such was I, and such was I perceived

By Beatrice and by the holy light

That first on my account had changed its place. Therefore my Lady said to me: "Send forth The flame of thy desire, so that it issue Imprinted well with the internal stamp; Not that our knowledge may be greater made By speech of thine, but to accustom thee

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To tell thy thirst, that we may give thee drink." "O my beloved tree, (that so dost lift thee,

That even as minds terrestrial perceive
No triangle containeth two obtuse,
So thou beholdest the contingent things

Ere in themselves they are, fixing thine eyes Upon the point in which all times are present,) While I was with Virgilius conjoined

Upon the mountain that the souls doth heal, And when descending into the dead world, Were spoken to me of my future life

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Some grievous words; although I feel myself
In sooth foursquare against the blows of chance.

On this account my wish would be content

To hear what fortune is approaching me, Because foreseen an arrow comes more slowly."

Thus did I say unto that selfsame light

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That unto me had spoken before; and even As Beatrice willed was my own will confessed. 30 Not in vague phrase, in which the foolish folk

Ensnared themselves of old, ere yet was slain The Lamb of God who taketh sins away, But with clear words and unambiguous

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Language responded that paternal love,
Hid and revealed by its own proper smile:
Contingency, that outside of the volume
Of your materiality extends not,

Is all depicted in the eternal aspect.
Necessity however thence it takes not,

Except as from the eye, in which 't is mirrored, A ship that with the current down descends. From thence, e'en as there cometh to the ear Sweet harmony from an organ, comes in sight To me the time that is preparing for thee. As forth from Athens went Hippolytus,

By reason of his step-dame false and cruel, So thou from Florence must perforce depart. Already this is willed, and this is sought for;

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And soon it shall be done by him who thinks it, Where every day the Christ is bought and sold. The blame shall follow the offended party

In outcry as is usual; but the vengeance Shall witness to the truth that doth dispense it. Thou shalt abandon everything beloved

Most tenderly, and this the arrow is

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Which first the bow of banishment shoots forth. Thou shalt have proof how savoreth of salt The bread of others, and how hard a road The going down and up another's stairs. And that which most shall weigh upon thy shoul

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ders