Tow'rds me he moved, and I tow'rds him did move ; Then asked he: "How long is it since thou camest He and Sordello both shrank back from me, To one who sat there, crying, "Up, Currado! 66 His own first wherefore, that it has no ford, Since she has laid aside her wimple white, How long in woman lasts the fire of love, A-field, as would have made Gallura's Cock." Still to that point where slowest are the stars, And my Conductor: "Son, what dost thou gaze at 59 60 59 。 75 3 & Up there?" And I to him: "At those three torches And he to me: "The four resplendent stars Thou sawest this morning are down yonder low, As he was speaking, to himself Sordello Drew him, and said, "Lo there our Adversary!" 95 Upon the side on which the little valley No barrier hath, a serpent was; perchance The same which gave to Eve the bitter food. "Twixt grass and flowers came on the evil streak, Turning at times its head about, and licking Its back like to a beast that smoothes itself. I did not see, and therefore cannot say ་ How the celestial falcons 'gan to move, But well I saw that they were both in motion. The serpent fled, and round the Angels wheeled, The shade that to the Judge had near approached When he had called, throughout that whole assault "So may the light that leadeth thee on high Began it, "if some true intelligence Of Valdimagra or its neighbourhood Thou knowest, tell it me, who once was great there. Currado Malaspina was I called; I'm not the elder, but from him descended; O," 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 honour to your house, Proclaims its Signors and proclaims its land, Your honoured family in naught abates 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." CANTO IX. THE Concubine of old Tithonus now Gleamed white upon the eastern balcony, Forth from the arms of her sweet paramour; With gems her forehead all relucent was, Set in the shape of that cold animal Which with its tail doth smite amain the nations, Vanquished by sleep, upon the grass reclined, Just at the hour when her sad lay begins The little swallow, near unto the morning, And when the mind of man, a wanderer More from the flesh, and less by thought imprisoned, In dreams it seemed to me I saw suspended An eagle in the sky, with plumes of gold, From habit only here, and from elsewhere Not otherwise Achilles started up, Around him turning his awakened eyes, Carried him sleeping in her arms to Scyros, 19 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 35 60 Than I upstarted, when from off my face Only my Comforter was at my side, And now the sun was more than two hours high, "Be not intimidated," said my Lord, "Be reassured, for all is well with us; Do not restrain, but put forth all thy strength. Thou hast at length arrived at Purgatory; See there the cliff that closes it around; See there the entrance, where it seems disioined. Upon the flowers that deck the land below, Remained; she took thee, and, as day grew bright, And who to confidence his fear doth change, He moved, and I behind him, tow'rd the height. My theme, and therefore if with greater art Nearer approached we, and were in such place, I saw a portal, and three stairs beneath, Diverse in colour, to go up to it, And in his hand he had a naked sword, Which so reflected back the sunbeams tow'rds us, "Tell-it from where you are, what is't you wish ?" "Come forward then unto these stairs of ours.' Thither did we approach; and the first stair Was marble white, so polished and so smooth, Was of a calcined and uneven stone, Porphyry seemed to me, as flaming red The Angel of God, upon the threshold seated, Did my Conductor draw me, saying: “Ask For mercy's sake besought that he would open, Seven P's upon my forehead he described With the sword's point, and, "Take heed that thou wash Ashes, or earth that dry is excavated, Of the same colour were with his attire, One was of gold, and the other was of silver; First with the white, and after with the yellow, "Whenever faileth either of these keys So that it turn not rightly in the lock," More art and intellect ere it unlock, |