Said to me: "This transfixed one, whom thou seest, As thou perceivest; and he needs must feel, And thereupon I saw Virgilius marvel O'er him who was extended on the cross So vilely in eternal banishment. Then he directed to the Friar this voice: "Be not displeased, if granted thee, to tell us Without constraining some of the black angels Save that at this 't is broken, and does not bridge it; 115 120 125 130 135 The Leader stood awhile with head bowed down; Once heard I at Bologna, and among them, Thereat my Leader with great strides went on, Somewhat disturbed with anger in his looks; Whence from the heavy-laden I departed After the prints of his beloved feet. 140 145 CANTO XXIV. N that part of the youthful year wherein IN The Sun his locks beneath Aquarius tempers, The outward semblance of her sister white, Rises, and looks, and seeth the champaign All gleaming white, whereat he beats his flank, Like a poor wretch, who knows not what to do; When I beheld his forehead so disturbed, For as we came unto the ruined bridge, The Leader turned to me with that sweet look Which at the mountain's foot I first beheld. His arms he opened, after some advisement Within himself elected, looking first Well at the ruin, and laid hold of me. And even as he who acts and meditates, For aye it seems that he provides beforehand, Of a huge rock, he scanned another crag, Saying: "To that one grapple afterwards, For hardly we, he light, and I pushed upward, And had it not been, that upon that precinct But because Malebolge tow'rds the mouth Of the profoundest well is all inclining, That one bank rises and the other sinks. Still we arrived at length upon the point 20 25 30 35 40 The breath was from my lungs so milked away, When I was up, that I could go no farther, Nay, I sat down upon my first arrival. "Now it behoves thee thus to put off sloth," My Master said; "for sitting upon down, Such vestige leaveth of himself on earth, If with its heavy body it sink not. A longer stairway it behoves thee mount; "T is not enough from these to have departed; Let it avail thee, if thou understand me." Then I uprose, showing myself provided 45 50 55 Better with breath than I did feel myself, And said: "Go on, for I am strong and bold." 60 Upward we took our way along the crag, Which jagged was, and narrow, and difficult, And more precipitous far than that before. Speaking I went, not to appear exhausted; Whereat a voice from the next moat came forth, 65 |