CANTO XV. As much as 'twixt the close of the third hour Was of his course remaining to the sun; Because by us the mount was so encircled, Beneath the splendour far more than at first, Whereat towards the summit of my brow I raised my hands, and made myself the visor The sunbeam leaps unto the opposite side, That it descends, and deviates as far From falling of a stone in line direct, So it appeared to me that by a light Refracted there before me I was smitten; On which account my sight was swift to flee. "What is that, Father sweet, from which I cannot 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 'tis, who comes to invite us upward. Soon will it be, that to behold these things Shall not be grievous, but delightful to thee With joyful voice he said: "Here enter in Behind us sung, “Rejoice, thou that o'ercomest!" My Master and myself, we two alone Were going upward, and I thought, in going, "What did the spirit of Romagna mean, Where by companionship each share is lessened, But if the love of the supernal sphere Should upwardly direct your aspiration, 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 possesses, And more of charity in that cloister burns." "I am more hungering to be satisfied," I said, "than if I had before been silent, And more of doubt within my mind I gather. How can it be, that boon distributed The more possessors can more wealthy make Therein, than if by few it be possessed?" And he to me: "Because thou fixest still Thy mind entirely upon earthly things, Which is above there, runneth unto love, O'er it increases the eternal valour. And the more people thitherward aspire, More are there to love well, and more they love there, 73 And if my reasoning appease thee not, Thou shalt see Beatrice; and she will fully Endeavour, then, that soon may be extinct, As are the two already, the five wounds I saw that I had reached another circle, There it appeared to me that in a vision And in a temple many persons saw; Were seeking for thee;"-and as here she ceased, Adown her cheeks which grief distils whenever For whose name was such strife among the gods, Avenge thyself on those audacious arms That clasped our daughter, O Pisistratus ;" To answer her with aspect temperate : "What shall we do to those who wish us ill, If he who loves us be by us condemned?" Then saw I people hot in fire of wrath, With stones a young man slaying, clamorously 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, My Leader, who could see me bear myself Like to a man that rouses him from sleep, 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, "O my sweet Father, if thou listen to me, I'll tell thee," said I, "what appeared to me, When thus from me my legs were ta'en away." And he: "If thou shouldst have a hundred masks Upon thy face, from me would not be shut Thy cogitations, howsoever small. What thou hast seen was that thou mayst not fail Who only looketh with the eyes that see not But asked it to give vigour to thy feet; Thus must we needs urge on the sluggards, slow Nor was there place to hide one's self therefrom. This of our eyes and the pure air bereft us. 130 135 40 149 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, Lest he should wander, or should strike against So went I through the bitter and foul air, Listening unto my Leader, who said only, Voices I heard, and every one appeared To supplicate for peace and misericord Still "Agnus Dei" their exordium was; 66 One word there was in all, and metre one, 2 "Now who art thou, that cleavest through our smoke, Whereon my Master said: "Do thou reply, To return beautiful to Him who made thee, Thou shalt hear marvels if thou follow me.' "Thee will I follow far as is allowed me," He answered; "and if smoke prevent our seeing, Which death unwindeth am I going upward, And if God in his grace has me infolded, So that he wills that I behold his court But tell it me, and tell me if I go Right for the pass, and be thy words our escort." "Lombard was I, and I was Marco called: The world I knew, and loved that excellence, Thus he made answer, and subjoined: “I pray To do what thou dost ask me; but am bursting By thy opinion, which makes certain to me, 25 30 35 40 45 thee 50 First it was simple, and is now made double 55 Here and elsewhere, that which I couple with it. The world forsooth is utterly deserted 60 By every virtue, as thou tellest me, And with iniquity is big and covered; But I beseech thee point me out the cause, For one in the heavens, and here below one puts it." A sigh profound, that grief forced into Ai! 66 He first sent forth, and then began he: Brother, Ye who are living every cause refer Still upward to the heavens, as if all things 35 |