Purgatorio: Canto XXIV

Nor motion made our speech, nor speech our tread
One whit more slow, but talking, on went we.
Like ships whose sails before fair winds are spread;

And spirits, who as twice dead were to see.
From hollow pits of eyes showed wonder great,
When they perceived a living form in me.

And I, continuing speech I held of late,
Said: 'He, perchance, more slowly mounts on high
Than else he would, for others' sake to wait;

But tell me, if thou knowest, where doth lie
Piccarda, and if any of renown
Among this gazing crowd I may descry."

My sister, good as she was fair— I own
Which she was most I know not — now hath won
On high Olympus her triumphal crown.""

So said he first, and then: " Reason is none
To hinder naming each, so worn and marred
By our hard fare is each complexion.

This Buonagiunta is," then looking hard.
And pointing finger, "he of Lucca named;"
And yonder face, beyond all others scarred.

The holy Church as his own spouse hath claimed:
From Tours was he, and doth by fast atone,
Bolsena's eels, Vernaccia's vintage famed."

And many others named he one by one,"
And all at being named seemed well content,
So that I nowhere saw one gloomy frown.

I saw, as grinding teeth that foodless Went,
Ubaldin della Pil', and Boniface,
Whose shepherd's staff o'er many a flock was bent;

I saw Messer Marchese, who found place
Of yore to drink at Forli, then less dry.
While yet his thirst insatiate grew apace.

But e'en as he who looks and passes by
This one for that, so Lucca's citizen,
Who most did seem to know me, drew mine eye.

He murmured, and I know not if I then
Gentucca " heard, where wrung him the sharp pain
Of that just doom that leaves them bare and lean.

"O soul," said I, " whom strong wish doth constrain,
'Twould seem, to speak with me, let me hear thee,
And let thy speech to thee and me bring gain."

A maiden fair is born there," answered he,
"Unveiled as yet, who'll make my city dear
To thee, though on it men cast obloquy;

Thou wilt speed on with this prevision clear.
If in my murmuring thou didst error find,
Through living facts the truth shall soon appear:

But tell me if I see here him whose mind
Gave birth to new-framed rhymes which thus began,
'O ye who know what love is, ladies kind?"

And I to him: 'Behold in me a man,
Who, when love breathes, marks, striving to collect
What it dictates, and sings it as he can."

Now brother! " spake he, " see I that defect"
Which me, the Notary, and Guittone barred
From that style new and sweet thou didst affect.

Well do I now perceive how thy wings hard
After that sweet dictator upward rose,
Flight which to us the fates did not award;

He who to please outside this limit goes,
Indifferently looks on either style."
Then, as content, he brought his speech to close.

E'en as the birds that winter by the Nile
Awhile in ordered squadron take their flight,
Then flit in haste, and move in single file,

So all the crowd who came within our sight,
Turning their face, from us sped on apace
At once by leanness and by keen wish light;

And as the man who, tired of trotting pace,
Lets his companions pass till he allay
The panting of his lungs a little space.

So all that holy flock in long array
Forese let pass by, and with me went
Behind, and said: "When com'st again this way?"

"How long a span of life to me is lent,
I know not," said I, " but on greater speed
For that return my wishes will be bent.

Seeing that the place where 'twas for me decreed
To live, of good is day by day stript bare,
And seems to shameful ruin to proceed."

Go now," said he, " for him with largest share
Of guilt, I see at tail of beast dragged on,
'Towards the vale where no sins cleansed are.

At every step that beast more speed hath won,
Increasing, till it deal its mortal wound.
And leave his corpse to death most foully done.

Not long have yonder spheres to go their round,"
He raised his eyes to Heaven: " ere clear to thee
Shall be what speech no clearer may expound.

Now stay thou here; so precious moments be
Here in this kingdom that too much I lose,
In walking on with thee. so equally."

As oft a knight his headlong course pursues,
And gallops on in front of all the rest,
And honour in the light's first onset woos.

So he with paces longer from us pressed.
And I with those same two behind remained.
Who o'er the world such marshalship possessed.

And when he had so far the distance gained,
That mine eyes followed on his form to gaze,
As did my mind on what his words contained,

Behold, another tree its boughs displays
Fruit-laden, full of life, not distant too,
For only then we thither turned our ways.

Raising their hands a people came in view
Beneath it, and towards its leaves they cried,
I know not what, as eager fond boys do.

Who pray, what he they pray to hath denied.
But, as to make their wishes yet more keen,"
Holds up the longed-for prize and doth not hide.

Then went they on, as though the trick were seen.
And we now came towards that lofty tree.
Which to such tears and prayers so deaf had been.

"Pass on your way, nor nearer draw; the tree"
Whereof Eve ate the fruit is found more high,
And this from that draws its nativity."

Thus one I knew not from the boughs did cry;
So Virgil, Statius, I, our course pursued.
Where the hill upward slopes, in company.

Remember," then he said, " the curs brood.
Of clouds begotten, who, with wine o'erspent.
With twy-form breasts had Theseus fain subdued:

Those Hebrews also who to drink low bent.
Whom Gideon spurned as comrades in the fight,
When he to Midian down the hill-side went."

So keeping still one margin near in sight
We onward went; and heard of crimes of sense,
I On which there followed gain of wretched plight.

Then on the lonely road with free course thence,
A thousand steps or more we took our way.
Without a word, each plunged in thought intense.

Why do ye three alone thus pensive stray?"
A voice said on the sudden, and I turned,
As horses do, when smitten with dismay.

I raised my head, that so might be discerned
Who it was spake, and never furnace fire,
Or glass, or metals, with such red glow burned.

As I saw one who said, "If ye desire
Upward to pass, ye needs must turn this way;"
This is his path who doth to peace aspire."

His aspect dread had ta'en my sight away.
Wherefore I turned to those my teachers wise.
As one who, as he heareth, on doth stray;

And e'en as comes, proclaiming day's clear rise,
The breeze of May, with odours fresh and sweet
Impregnate, that from grass and flowers arise.

So felt I then the breath of Zephyr meet
My brow, and heard of wings the rustling sound,
Wafting ambrosial gales the sense to greet,

And heard it say, " Blest are they who abound
In light of grace, that so their appetite
Rouse no desire within, o'erpassing bound.

Hungering within the limits of the right."