Purgatorio: Canto XXIX

Singing like lady fair whom love doth sway.
She carried on the close of her discourse —
"Quorum peccata tecta blest are they."

And e'en as nymphs who take their lonely course
Through forest glades, desiring, this to shun,
And that to. see, the full sun in his force,

So then against the stream her steps went on
Along the bank, and I, with equal pace,
Following her dainty footsteps one by one.

'Twixt us were not a hundred footsteps' space,
When both the banks with equal turn bent round,
So that towards the east I turned my face.

Nor had we thus passed o'er much length of ground,
When that fair lady wholly turned to me,
And said, " My brother, look, and hear that sound."

And lo! a brightness shot all suddenly
On every side throughout the forest vast.
Such that I thought it lightning well might be;

But because lightning comes and then is past.
And this, continuing, brightened more and more,
"What then is this? " said I in thought at last.

And through the luminous air the breezes bore
Melodious sweetness, and a righteous zeal
Made me the hardihood of Eve deplore.

Who, while the heavens and earth obedient wheel,
A woman, by herself, but newly made.
Could not endure a veil should aught conceal;

Beneath which veil had she devoutly stayed,
Full well might I those joys ineffable
Long since, and through long ages, mine have made.

And, as my steps among such first-fruits fell
Of joys eternal, all my soul amazed.
And eager still the sum of joys to swell,

Before us, like a fire that brightly blazed,
The whole air glowed beneath the branches green,
And the sweet sound to song distinct was raised.

O holy virgins, if or hunger keen
Or cold night-watch for you were borne by me,
Strong cause have I my wage to claim, I ween.

Now is it meet that Helicon more free
For me should flow, Urania lend her song,
Things hard for thought, to clothe in poesy.

A little farther on, through distance long
That lay between our feet and where they were,
Seven trees of gold mocked us with semblance wrong;

But when I came so near that what they share
In common, and so cheat the erring sense,
Lost not through distance any mark it bare.

The power which feeds the mind's intelligence,
Perceived that they seven candelabra were,
And that the strain " Hosanna!" floated thence.

Above them flamed their goodly order fair,
More clear than is the moon in sky serene,
In her mid month and in the midnight air.

Then, full of wonder great at what was seen,"
I to good Virgil turned, and he replied,
With face as much amazed as mine had been.

Then back I looked, and those high wonders eyed.
Which moved towards us so exceeding slow,
That they outstripped had been by new-made bride.

The lady chid me: "Why this eager glow
Only for those clear lamps of living light,
And look'st thou not at what behind doth go?"

And then I saw a troop arrayed in white
Come after these, as guides that led them on,
And never whiteness here was seen so bright.

On my left flank the stream in glory shone.
And my left side it mirrored back again.
If I looked on it, as a glass had done.

When on my bank I did such post attain
That now the river only did us part.
For better view I did my steps refrain,

And I beheld the flamelets forward start,
And o'er the air behind their colours shed;
Like pennons seemed they, floating each apart,

So that the air was still marked overhead
With seven broad bands, the same as those in hue
Whence the sun's bow and Delia's zone are made.

The streamers rearward stretched beyond my view,
And far as I could distance estimate,
Ten paces came between the farthest two.

Under a heaven thus fair as I narrate
Did four and twenty elders slowly move.
In pairs, with fleur-de-lys incoronate,

And they all sang, " Oh, blessed thou above
All Adam's daughters, blessed too for aye
Be all thy glorious beauties that we love!"

And, when the flowers and other verdure gay.
That on the other bank grew opposite.
Of those elect ones no more felt the sway.

As in the heaven there follows light on light,
Four living creatures after them drew nigh.
Each wearing crown of leafage green and bright.

Plumed with six wings were all that company;
Of eyes their plumes were full, and Argus' eyes,"
Were they yet living, might with those eyes vie.

To tell their forms no rhymes my store supplies,
O Reader, for new wants bring new constraint.
So that in this I must economise.

But in Ezekiel read how he doth paint
What he saw coming from the region cold.
With wind, and cloud, and fire together blent,

And, as thou'lt find them in his pages old.
So were they there, except that as to wings,
St. John with me, and not with him doth hold.

The space within the four a car enrings,
That on two wheels in triumph moveth on,
Which harnessed to his neck a Gryphon brings.

And his two wings, on this and that side one,
Are stretched midway, three bands on either side,"
So that by cleaving he wrought harm to none.

In vain the eye their height to follow tried;
So far as he was bird, all gold his frame,
And white the rest, with vermeil modified.

Not merely never car so glorious came
In Rome for Scipio's or Augustus' joy.
But e'en the sun's to it were poor in fame —

The sun's, which swerving, fire must needs destroy,
When earth in prayer made her devout appeal
And Jove his secret justice did employ.

Three maidens on the right, around the wheel.
Came dancing, one of them so fiery red,
Background of flame would scarce her form reveal;

The second, as if she were fashioned.
Both flesh and bones, of emerald bright and green;
The third, like snow but newly scattered.

Now by the white one they led on were seen,
Now by the red, and at the latter's song
They moved, or quick, or with sedater mien.

Upon the left four made a festal throng,
All clothed in purple, following as their guide
One of themselves to whom three eyes belong.

And on this group close following I descried
Two aged men in different garb arrayed,
But like in mien, each grave and dignified.

And one the habits of the tribe displayed
Who own as master great Hippocrates,
Whom Nature for her dearest creatures made;

The second showed far other thoughts than these,
With sword that was so sharp and lucent seen,"
That e'en across the stream fear marred my ease.

Then four I looked on, all of humble mien,
And behind all an aged man did tread
Alone, asleep, yet with a face full keen.

And all these seven were so apparelled"
As that first group, yet not with lilies they
Around their heads for wreaths were garlanded,

But roses and all flowers with vermeil gay;
At some small distance sight might well have sworn
That flames above the brows of each did play.

And as the car in front of me was borne,
Thunder was heard, and then that worthy band
Seemed as if onward step must be forborne.

And with the former ensigns took their stand.