And the small-nosed, who close in council seems Father and father-in-law of France's Pest Are they, and know his vicious life and lewd, He who appears so stalwart, and chimes in, Singing, with that one of the manly nose, And if as King had after him remained The stripling who in rear of him is sitting, Which cannot of the other heirs be said. Frederick and Jacomo possess the realms, But none the better heritage possesses. Not oftentimes upriseth through the branches The probity of man; and this He wills Who gives it, so that we may ask of Him. Eke to the large-nosed reach my words, no less Than to the other, Pier, who with him sings; Whence Provence and Apulia grieve already The plant is as inferior to its seed, As more than Beatrice and Margaret Harry of England, sitting there alone; He who the lowest on the ground among them 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 CANTO VIII. 'Twas now the hour that turneth back desire In those who sail the sea, and melts the heart, If he doth hear from far away a bell When I began to make of no avail My hearing, and to watch one of the souls As if it said to God, "Naught else I care for." "Te lucis ante" so devoutly issued Forth from its mouth, and with such dulcet notes, Accompanied it through all the hymn entire, I saw that army of the gentle-born Thereafterward in silence upward gaze, Green as the little leaflets just now born Their garments were, which, by their verdant pinions One just above us came to take his station, And one descended to the opposite bank, So that the people were contained between them. Clearly in them discerned I the blond head; But in their faces was the eye bewildered, "From Mary's bosom both of them have come," Turned round about, and closely drew myself, And once again Sordello: "Now descend we 'Mid the grand shades, and we will speak to them; 45 Only three steps I think that I descended, And was below, and saw one who was looking Already now the air was growing dark, But not so that between his eyes and mine 50 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, One to Virgilius, and the other turned To one who sat there, crying, "Up, Currado! Come and behold what God in grace has willed!" Then, turned to me: "By that especial grace Thou owest unto Him, who so conceals His own first wherefore, that it has no ford, When thou shalt be beyond the waters wide, Tell my Giovanna that she pray for me, Since she has laid aside her wimple white, Through her full easily is comprehended How long in woman lasts the fire of love, The Viper marshalling the Milanese 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 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 ou. Aaversary!" 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 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 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 100 105 110 "So may the light that leadeth thee on high Find in thine own free-will as much of wax As needful is up to the highest azure," 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; To mine I bore the love which here refineth.” “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." 115 120 125 130 135 CANTO IX. THE Concubine of old Tithonus now Gleamed white upon the eastern balcony, 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, |