The Divine Comedy | Page 4

to Italia's plains arise,?For whose fair realm, Camilla, virgin pure,?Nisus, Euryalus, and Turnus fell.?He with incessant chase through every town?Shall worry, until he to hell at length?Restore her, thence by envy first let loose.?I for thy profit pond'ring now devise,?That thou mayst follow me, and I thy guide?Will lead thee hence through an eternal space,?Where thou shalt hear despairing shrieks, and see?Spirits of old tormented, who invoke?A second death; and those next view, who dwell?Content in fire, for that they hope to come,?Whene'er the time may be, among the blest,?Into whose regions if thou then desire?T' ascend, a spirit worthier then I?Must lead thee, in whose charge, when I depart,?Thou shalt be left: for that Almighty King,?Who reigns above, a rebel to his law,?Adjudges me, and therefore hath decreed,?That to his city none through me should come.?He in all parts hath sway; there rules, there holds?His citadel and throne. O happy those,?Whom there he chooses!" I to him in few:?"Bard! by that God, whom thou didst not adore,?I do beseech thee (that this ill and worse?I may escape) to lead me, where thou saidst,?That I Saint Peter's gate may view, and those?Who as thou tell'st, are in such dismal plight."
Onward he mov'd, I close his steps pursu'd.
CANTO II
NOW was the day departing, and the air,?Imbrown'd with shadows, from their toils releas'd?All animals on earth; and I alone?Prepar'd myself the conflict to sustain,?Both of sad pity, and that perilous road,?Which my unerring memory shall retrace.
O Muses! O high genius! now vouchsafe?Your aid! O mind! that all I saw hast kept?Safe in a written record, here thy worth?And eminent endowments come to proof.
I thus began: "Bard! thou who art my guide,?Consider well, if virtue be in me?Sufficient, ere to this high enterprise?Thou trust me. Thou hast told that Silvius' sire,?Yet cloth'd in corruptible flesh, among?Th' immortal tribes had entrance, and was there?Sensible present. Yet if heaven's great Lord,?Almighty foe to ill, such favour shew'd,?In contemplation of the high effect,?Both what and who from him should issue forth,?It seems in reason's judgment well deserv'd:?Sith he of Rome, and of Rome's empire wide,?In heaven's empyreal height was chosen sire:?Both which, if truth be spoken, were ordain'd?And 'stablish'd for the holy place, where sits?Who to great Peter's sacred chair succeeds.?He from this journey, in thy song renown'd,?Learn'd things, that to his victory gave rise?And to the papal robe. In after-times?The chosen vessel also travel'd there,?To bring us back assurance in that faith,?Which is the entrance to salvation's way.?But I, why should I there presume? or who?Permits it? not, Aeneas I nor Paul.?Myself I deem not worthy, and none else?Will deem me. I, if on this voyage then?I venture, fear it will in folly end.?Thou, who art wise, better my meaning know'st,?Than I can speak." As one, who unresolves?What he hath late resolv'd, and with new thoughts?Changes his purpose, from his first intent?Remov'd; e'en such was I on that dun coast,?Wasting in thought my enterprise, at first?So eagerly embrac'd. "If right thy words?I scan," replied that shade magnanimous,?"Thy soul is by vile fear assail'd, which oft?So overcasts a man, that he recoils?From noblest resolution, like a beast?At some false semblance in the twilight gloom.?That from this terror thou mayst free thyself,?I will instruct thee why I came, and what?I heard in that same instant, when for thee?Grief touch'd me first. I was among the tribe,?Who rest suspended, when a dame, so blest?And lovely, I besought her to command,?Call'd me; her eyes were brighter than the star?Of day; and she with gentle voice and soft?Angelically tun'd her speech address'd:?"O courteous shade of Mantua! thou whose fame?Yet lives, and shall live long as nature lasts!?A friend, not of my fortune but myself,?On the wide desert in his road has met?Hindrance so great, that he through fear has turn'd.?Now much I dread lest he past help have stray'd,?And I be ris'n too late for his relief,?From what in heaven of him I heard. Speed now,?And by thy eloquent persuasive tongue,?And by all means for his deliverance meet,?Assist him. So to me will comfort spring.?I who now bid thee on this errand forth?Am Beatrice; from a place I come
(Note: Beatrice. I use this word, as it is?pronounced in the Italian, as consisting of four?syllables, of which the third is a long one.)
Revisited with joy. Love brought me thence,?Who prompts my speech. When in my Master's sight?I stand, thy praise to him I oft will tell."
She then was silent, and I thus began:?"O Lady! by whose influence alone,?Mankind excels whatever is contain'd?Within that heaven which hath the smallest orb,?So thy command delights me, that to obey,?If it were done already, would seem late.?No need hast thou farther to speak thy will;?Yet tell the reason, why thou art not loth?To leave that ample space, where to return?Thou burnest, for this centre here