So upon that celestial chariot A hundred rose ad vocem tanti senis, Ere now have I beheld, as day began, The eastern hemisphere all tinged with rose, And the sun's face, uprising, overshadowed So that by tempering influence of vapours Which from those hands angelical ascended, So long a time had been, that in her presence Through occult virtue that from her proceeded Sublime, that had already pierced me through With which the little child runs to his mother, To say unto Virgilius: "Not a drachm Of blood remains in me, that does not tremble; But us Virgilius of himself deprived Had left, Virgilius, sweetest of all fathers, Nor whatsoever lost the ancient mother Availed my cheeks now purified from dew, That weeping they should not again be darkened. "Dante, because Virgilius has departed Do not weep yet, do not weep yet awhile; Comes to behold the people that are working Upon the left hand border of the car, When at the sound I turned of my own name, I saw the Lady, who erewhile appeared In attitude still royally majestic Continued she, like unto one who speaks, And keeps his warmest utterance in reserve : "Look at me well; in sooth I'm Beatrice! How didst thou deign to come unto the Mountain ? As to the son the mother seems superb, So she appeared to me; for somewhat bitter Tasteth the savour of severe compassion. Silent became she, and the Angels sang Suddenly, "In te, Domine, speravi:" But beyond pedes meos did not pass. Even as the snow among the living rafters Upon the back of Italy congeals, Blown on and drifted by Sclavonian winds, And then, dissolving, trickles through itself Whene'er the land that loses shadow breathes, Before the song of those who sing for ever But when I heard in their sweet melodies Compassion for me, more than had they said, 95 "O wherefore, lady, dost thou thus upbraid him?” The ice, that was about my heart congealed, To air and water changed, and in my anguish Through mouth and eyes came gushing from my breast. She, on the right-hand border of the car 100 Still firmly standing, to those holy beings. Thus her discourse directed afterwards: "Ye keep your watch in the eternal day, So that nor night nor sleep can steal from you 105 Therefore my answer is with greater care, That he may hear me who is weeping yonder, Which have such lofty vapours for their rain Potentially, that every righteous habit Would have made admirable proof in him; But so much more malignant and more savage Becomes the land untilled and with bad seed, The more good earthly vigour it possesses. Some time did I sustain him with my look ; Revealing unto him my youthful eyes, I led him with me turned in the right way. As soon as ever of my second age I was upon the threshold and changed life, And beauty and virtue were in me increased, Nor prayer for inspiration me availed, By means of which in dreams and otherwise So low he fell, that all appliances 110 115 120 125 130 I called him back, so little did he heed them. 135 For his salvation were already short, Save showing him the people of perdition. For this I visited the gates of death, And unto him, who so far up has led him, God's lofty fiat would be violated, If Lethe should be passed, and if such viands 140 345 CANTO XXXI. 'O THOU who art beyond the sacred river," 66 Say, say if this be true; to such a charge, My faculties were in so great confusion, That the voice moved, but sooner was extinct Awhile she waited; then she said: "What thinkest? In thee not yet are by the waters injured.” Forced such a Yes! from out my mouth, that sight Too tensely drawn the bowstring and the bow, Outpouring in a torrent tears and sighs, What trenches lying traverse or what chains Didst thou discover, that of passing onward Thou shouldst have thus despoiled thee of the hope? And what allurements or what vantages Upon the forehead of the others showed, That thou shouldst turn thy footsteps unto them?" After the heaving of a bitter sigh, Hardly had I the voice to make response, And with fatigue my lips did fashion it. 5 ΤΟ 15 20 25 309 35 But when from one's own cheeks comes bursting forth For thy transgression, and another time So shalt thou hear, how in an opposite way Pleasure so great as the fair limbs wherein By reason of my death, what mortal thing Of things fallacious to have risen up Thou oughtest not to have stooped thy pinions downward The callow birdlet waits for two or three, Even as children silent in their shame Stand listening with their eyes upon the ground, So was I standing; and she said: "If thou In hearing sufferest pain, lift up thy beard And thou shalt feel a greater pain in seeing." With less resistance is a robust holm Uprooted, either by a native wind Or else by that from regions of Iarbas, And when she by the beard the face demanded, And as my countenance was lifted up, Mine eye perceived those creatures beautiful And, still but little reassured, mine eyes Saw Beatrice turned round towards the monster, Beneath her veil, beyond the margent green, She seemed to me far more her ancient self |