And as he finished uttering these words,. A voice close by us sounded: “ Peradventure Thou wilt have need of sitting down ere that." At sound thereof each one of us turned round, And saw upon the left hand a great rock, Which neither I nor he before had noticed. Thither we drew; and there were persons there Who in the shadow stood behind the rock, As one through indolence is wont to stand. And one of them, who seemed to me fatigued, Was sitting down, and both his knees embraced, That still a little did my breathing quicken, My going to him hindered not; and after I came to him he hardly raised his head, Saying: "Hast thou seen clearly how the sun His sluggish attitude and his curt words A little unto laughter moved my lips; 66 For thee henceforth; but tell me, wherefore seated Which rises from a heart that lives in grace ; Meanwhile the Poet was before me mounting, And saying: "Come now; see the sun has touched Covers already with her foot Morocco." CANTO V. I HAD already from those shades departed, The sunshine on the left of him below, "Why doth thy mind so occupy itself,” 5 10 The Master said, "that thou thy pace dost slacken? Come after me, and let the people talk ; Stand like a steadfast tower, that never wags Its top for all the blowing of the winds; 15 For evermore the man in whom is springing Thought upon thought, removes from him the mark, What could I say in answer but "I come "? They changed their song into a long, hoarse " Oh !” And two of them, in form of messengers, Ran forth to meet us, and demanded of us, “Of your condition make us cognisant.” And said my Master: "Ye can go your way And carry back again to those who sent you, At early nightfall cleave the air serene, 30 35 PURGATORIO, v. But upward they returned in briefer time, And, on arriving, with the others wheeled "This folk that presses unto us is great, And cometh to implore thee," said the Poet; "O soul that goest to beatitude With the same members wherewith thou wast born," Look, if thou e'er hast any of us seen, So that o'er yonder thou bear news of him; Ah, why dost thou go on? Ah, why not stay? Long since we all were slain by violence, And sinners even to the latest hour; From life we issued reconciled to God, No one I recognize; but if may please you 40 45 50 55 бо Speak ye, and I will do it, by that peace Which, following the feet of such a Guide, From world to world makes itself sought by me." 65 And one began: "Each one has confidence Thou be so courteous to me of thy prayers In Fano, that they pray for me devoutly, That I may purge away my grave offences. Issued the blood wherein I had my seat, From thence was I; but the deep wounds, through which Were dealt me in bosom of the Antenori, There where I thought to be the most secure ; But if towards the Mira I had fled, When I was overtaken at Oriaco, I still should be o'er yonder where men breathe. I ran to the lagoon, and reeds and mire Did so entangle me I fell, and saw there A lake made from my veins upon the ground." Then said another: "Ah, be that desire Fulfilled that draws thee to the lofty mountain, I was of Montefeltro, and am Buonconte; Giovanna, nor none other cares for me; A river crosses named Archiano, born There where the name thereof becometh void Did I arrive, pierced through and through the throat, There my sight lost I, and my utterance Ceased in the name of Mary, and thereat Truth will I speak, repeat it to the living; God's Angel took me up, and he of hell Shouted: O thou from heaven, why dost thou rob me? 105 Thou bearest away the eternal part of him, For one poor little tear, that takes him from me; That humid vapour which to water turns, To intellect, and moved the mist and wind From Pratomagno to the great yoke covered Down fell the rain, and to the gullies came And as it mingled with the mighty torrents, Towards the royal river with such speed My frozen body near unto its outlet The robust Archian found, and into Arno I made of me, when agony o'ercame me; It rolled me on the banks and on the bottom; 115 120 125 Ah, when thou hast returned unto the world, And rested thee from thy long journeying," After the second followed the third spirit, "Do thou remember me who am the Pia ; Siena made me, unmade me Maremma; He knoweth it, who had encircled first, Espousing me, my finger with his gem." 130 135 CANTO VI. WHENE'ER is broken up the game of Zara, He who has lost remains behind despondent, The people with the other all depart ; One goes in front, and one behind doth pluck him, He pauses not, and this and that one hears; They crowd no more to whom his hand he stretches, Even such was I in that dense multitude, Turning to them this way and that my face, There was the Aretine, who from the arms Untamed of Ghin di Tacco had his death, By hatred and by envy from its body, While still on earth the Lady of Brabant, As soon as I was free from all those shades Who only prayed that some one else may pray, Began I: "It appears that thou deniest, O light of mine, expressly in some text, Might then their expectation bootless be? |