I found me grasping in my hands the rein Of the realm's government, and so great power The head of mine own offspring was, from whom So long as the great dowry of Provence Out of my blood took not the sense of shame, A victim made of Conradin, and then Thrust Thomas back to heaven, for amends. A time I see, not very distant now, Which draweth forth another Charles from France, Unarmed he goes, and only with the lance That Judas jousted with; and that he thrusts He thence not land, but sin and infamy, Shall gain, so much more grievous to himself As the more light such damage he accounts. The other, now gone forth, ta'en in his ship, See I his daughter sell, and chaffer for her Since thou my blood so to thyself hast drawn, I see him yet another time derided; I see renewed the vinegar and gall, I see the modern Pilate so relentless, This does not sate him, but without decretal By looking on the vengeance which, concealed, What I was saying of that only bride Of the Holy Ghost, and which occasioned thee M So long has been ordained to all our prayers As the day lasts; but when the night comes on, At that time we repeat Pygmalion, Of whom a traitor, thief, and parricide That followed his inordinate demand, The foolish Achan each one then records, And how he stole the spoils; so that the wrath Then we accuse Sapphira with her husband, Here finally is cried: 'O Crassus, tell us, According to desire of speech, that spurs us From him already we departed were, And made endeavour to o'ercome the road 100 105 110 115 120 125 When I perceived, like something that is falling, The mountain tremble, whence a chill seized on me, Certes so violently shook not Delos, 130 Before Latona made her nest therein To give birth to the two eyes of the heaven. Then upon all sides there began a cry, Such that the Master drew himself towards me, "Gloria in excelsis Deo," all Were saying, from what near I comprehended, We paused immovable and in suspense, Even as the shepherds who first heard that song, Then we resumed again our holy path, Watching the shades that lay upon the ground, 735 140 No ignorance ever with so great a strife Nor out of haste to question did I dare, 145 CANTO XXI. THE natural thirst, that ne'er is satisfied Put me in travail, and haste goaded me Along the encumbered path behind my Leader That Christ appeared to two upon the way Thee may the court veracious place in peace, Which this one bears, and which the Angel traces Well shalt thou see he with the good must reign. But because she who spinneth day and night For him had not yet drawn the distaff off, Which Clotho lays for each one and compacts, His soul, which is thy sister and my own, In coming upwards could not come alone, Of Hell to be his guide, and I shall guide him But tell us, if thou knowest, why such a shudder Of my desire, that merely with the hope "Naught is there," he began, "that without order What from itself heaven in itself receiveth Nor dew, nor hoar-frost any higher falls Nor coruscation, nor the daughter of Thaumas, Than to the top of the three steps I spake of, Whereon the Vicar of Peter has his feet. Lower down perchance it trembles less or more, But, for the wind that in the earth is hidden I know not how, up here it never trembled. It trembles here, whenever any soul Feels itself pure, so that it soars, or moves To mount aloft, and such a cry attends it. Of purity the will alone gives proof, Which, being wholly free to change its convent, Takes by surprise the soul, and helps it fly. First it wills well; but the desire permits not, Which divine justice with the self-same will There was to sin, upon the torment sets. And I, who have been lying in this pain Five hundred years and more, but just now felt Therefore thou heardst the earthquake, and the pious Spirits along the mountain rendering praise Unto the Lord, that soon he speed them upwards." So said he to him; and since we enjoy As much in drinking as the thirst is great, That snares you here, and how ye are set free, Now who thou wast be pleased that I may know; And why so many centuries thou hast here Been lying, let me gather from thy words." "In days when the good Titus, with the aid Of the supremest King, avenged the wounds Whence issued forth the blood by Judas sold, Under the name that most endures and honours, Was I on earth," that spirit made reply, Greatly renowned, but not with faith as yet. Me, a Thoulousian, drew unto herself, I sang of Thebes, and then of great Achilles ; Of that celestial flame which heated me, Whereby more than a thousand have been fired; Of the Æneid speak I, which to me A mother was, and was my nurse in song; Virgilius lived, I would accept one sun With looks that in their silence said, "Be silent!" Unto the passion from which each springs forth, Whereat the shade was silent, and it gazed One keeps me silent, one to speak conjures me, Of speaking, but speak out, and say to him But I will have more wonder seize upon thee. |