Purgatorio: Canto XII

With even pace, like oxen at the plough,
I went with that soul in his sore distress,
As long as my sweet Tutor would allow;

But when he said, " Leave him, and onward press;
For here 'tis good our barque, with sail and oar,'
To push with all the strength which we possess,"

Then, as when men move onward, I once more
Rose up in body, though my thoughts were still
Downcast and humble, as they were before.

I had moved on, and followed with good will
The steps of my dear Master, and we twain
Showed how alert we were to climb the hill.

When he said to me, Look thou down again;
Good will it be, to speed thee on thy way.
To see what bed doth now thy feet sustain.

As oft, that they in memory may stay,
Over the buried dead their tombs on earth
What they aforetime were, in form portray.

Whence ofttimes to our weeping comes new birth.
Through the sharp sting of poignant memory,
Which spurs on none but souls of loving worth;

So saw I there, but clearer to the eye,
According to the Artist's skill designed,
Whatever of path-rim up the mount did lie.

There I saw him, whom we created find"
Noblest of creatures, falling down from heaven.
On one side, as though lightning flash had shined:

I saw Briareus, by the sharp dart riven
Celestial, lie upon the other side.
And in cold death his weight to earth was driven.

Thymbraeus, Pallas, Mars, I saw beside.
Armed as of yore around their sire divine,
Gaze on the limbs of giants far and wide:

At foot of his great work these eyes of mine
Saw Nimrod dazed, and looking on the host
Whose pride in Shinar did with his combine:

And thee too, Niobe, on that drear coast
I saw depicted, with thy dolorous eyes.
With children seven and seven on each side lost!

There, on thine own sword fallen, thy form lies,
O Saul! as when in death on Gilboa's height,
That never more knew rain nor dewy skies!

O mad Arachne, thou didst meet my sight,
Half spider now, sad mid the tangled rows
Of that famed work which wrought thine evil plight!

O Rehoboam, there thy likeness shows
No threatening aspect, but, overcome with dread,
A chariot bears thee, e'er pursued by foes.

There the hard pavement that our feet did tread
Showed how Alcmaeon made his mother know
How dear the luckless gauds for which she bled.

'Twas shown how traitorous sons themselves did throw
Upon Sennacherib, who in worship stood,
And left him there, as he in death lay low;

It showed the carnage and the example crude"
In Tomyris, when she to Cyrus said,
"For blood thou thirsted'st, thee I glut with blood."

There too it showed how those Assyrians fled.
In foul defeat, when Holofernes fell,
And all the remnant in that slaughter dread.

In dust and caves I saw Troy's citadel;
O Ilion, how humbled did appear
Thy form and features there ensculptured well!

What master of the brush and style was there,
Who traced out every lineament and mien
Which subtlest genius, wondering, would revere?

Alive the living, dead the dead were seen:
Who sees the truth no better sees than I
Saw, while my gaze towards the ground did lean.

Now wax ye proud, and walk with haughty eye,
Ye sons of Eve, and never bend your head.
So as to see how ill your path doth lie.

O'er more than half the hill had passed our tread,
And more by far the Sun his course had spent
Than we with mind engrossed had reckoned,

When he who walked before me all intent.
Began: " Now lift thy head; no time indeed
Have we to go; on meditation bent.

See there an angel who doth quicker speed
To come towards us; see, how now doth turn
The day's sixth handmaid, from her service freed.

Due reverence let thine acts and features learn,
That it may please him upward us to guide:
Think this day's brightness never will return."

Well knew I now that counsel oft applied"
To lose no time: in matter such as this
His words for me no meaning dark could hide.

Then came to us that Being bright with bliss
Arrayed in white, a glory in his face
Tremulous as a star at daybreak is.

He oped his arms, he oped his wings in space.
And said, "Come hither, lo! the steps are near;
With nimble feet ye now may mount apace.

But few are they who this my summons hear.
O race of mortals, born on high to soar,
Why fall ye down before a little air?"

He led us where the rock made open door,
And there he beat his wings my brow upon;
Then promised me full safe a journey o'er.

As on the right, up to the hill, whereon"
Is set the church commanding from on high
The well-ruled city, easily is won.

O'er Rubaconte, on the steep slope nigh.
By means of steps constructed long ago,
When registers and standards safe might lie,

So with more ease our steps did upward go
On the steep bank which from the next round fell.
But the high rock on each side close did show:

There, as we turned our bodies, with sweet spell
Beati pauperes spiritu did flow,'"
By voices sung in mode ineffable.

Ah me! how diverse do these passes show
From those of Hell; for here with anthems clear
Men enter, there with wailing and with woe.

Up by the holy steps we then did bear,
And far more easy seemed it then to me
Than on the plain it did before appear.

I therefore: " Master, say what burdens flee
Away from off me, that no weariness
Comes on me from our prompt activity? ""

He answered: "When the P's that yet do press
Thy brow, as half-obliterated shown,
Like this wiped out, shall one by one grow less,

Thy feet, to good-will so obedient grown,.
Not only shall fatigue no longer know,
But their delight in pressing on shall own."

Then did I act as men who onward go
With something on their heads they know not what,
Save that the nods of friends suspicion sow;

Wherefore their hands help, searching out the spot,
And seek and find, nor will that task forego.
For which the eyesight's power sufficeth not;

And, with my right hand's fingers stretched out, lo!
I found but six the letters that erewhile
The great Key-bearer on my brow traced so:

My Master looked and met me with a smile.