Purgatorio: Canto XXIX

At the end of her words, singing like an enamoured lady, she continued: “Beati, quorum tecta sunt peccata”

And, as nymphs who used to wend alone through the woodland shades, one desiring to see, another to flee the sun,

she then advanced against the stream, walking on the bank, and I abreast of her, little step answering with little step.

Not a hundred were her steps with mine, when both banks alike made a bend in such wise that I turned me to the east.

Nor yet was our way thus very far, when the lady turned her full round to me, saying, “Brother mine, look and hearken.”

And lo, a sudden brightness flooded on all sides the great forest, such that it set me in doubt if ’twere lightning.

But since lightning ceases even as it cometh, and that enduring, brighter and brighter shone, in my mind I said: “What thing is this?”

And a sweet melody ran through the luminous air; wherefore righteous zeal made me reprove Eve’s daring,

who, there where heaven and earth obeyed, a woman alone and but then formed, did not bear to remain under any veil,

under which, if she had been devout, I should have tasted those ineffable joys ere this, and for a longer time.

While I was going amid so many first-fruits of the eternal pleasance, all enrapt and still yearning for more joys,

the air in front of us under the green boughs, became even as a flaming fire to us, and the sweet sound was heard as a chant.

O holy, holy, Virgins, if e’er for you I have endured fastings, cold, or vigils, occasion spurs me to crave my reward.

Now ’tis meet that Helicon for me stream forth and Urania aid me with her choir to set in verse things hard to conceive.

A little farther on, a delusive semblance of seven trees of gold was caused by the long space that was yet between us and them;

but when I had drawn so nigh to them that the general similitude of things, which deceives the senses, lost not by distance any of its features,

the faculty which prepares material for reason distinguished them as candlesticks, even as they were, and in the words of the chant, “Hosannah.”

Above, the fair pageant was flaming forth, brighter far than the moon in clear midnight sky in her mid month.

Full of wonderment I turned me to the good Virgil, and he answered me with a face not less charged with amazement.

Then I turned my countenance back to the sublime things, which moved towards us so slowly, that they would be vanquished by new-wedded brides.

The lady cried to me: “Wherefore art thou so ardent only for the vision of these bright lights, and heedest not that which comes after them?”

Then I beheld people, clad in white, following as after their leaders; and whiteness so pure here never was with us.

Bright shone the water on my left flank, and reflected to me my left side, if I gazed therein, even as a mirror.

When I was so placed on my bank that the river alone kept me distant, to see better I gave halt to my steps,

and I saw the flames advance, leaving the air behind them painted, and of trailing pennants they had the semblance;

so that the air above remained streaked with seven bands, all in those colours whereof the sun makes his bow, and Delia her girdle.

These banners streamed to the rearward far beyond my sight, and as I might judge, the outermost were ten paces apart.

Beneath so fair a sky, as I describe, came four and twenty elders, two by two, crowned with flower-de-luce.

All were singing: “Blessed thou among the daughters of Adam, and blessed to all eternity be thy beauties.”

When the flowers and the other tender herbs opposite to me on the other bank, were free from those chosen people,

even as star follows star in the heavens, four creatures came after them, each one crowned with green leaves.

Everyone was plumed with six wings, the plumes full of eyes; and the eyes of Argus, were they living, would be such.

To describe their form, reader, I spill no more rhymes; for other charges bind me so, that herein I cannot be lavish.

But read Ezekiel who depicts them as he saw them coming from the cold region, with whirlwind, with cloud, and with fire;

and as thou shalt find them in his pages, such were they here, save that in the pinions John is with me, and differs from him.

The space within the four of them contained a car triumphal, upon two wheels, which came drawn at the neck of a grifon.

And he stretched upwards one wing and the other, between the middle and the three and three bands, so that he did hurt to none by cleaving.

So high they rose that they were not seen; his members had he of gold, so far as he was a bird, and the others white mingled with vermilion,

Not only Africanus, nor in sooth, Augustus, e’er rejoiced Rome with a car so fair, but that of the sun would be poor beside it,

that of the sun, which straying was consumed at the devout prayer of the earth, when Jove was mysteriously just.

Three ladies came dancing in a round by the right wheel; one so red that hardly would she be noted in the fire;

the next was as if her flesh and bone had been made of emerald; the third seemed new fallen snow;

and now seemed they led by the white, now by the red, and from the song of her the others took measure slow and quick.

By the left wheel, four clad in purple, made festival, following the lead of one of them, who had three eyes in her head.

After all the group described, I saw two aged men, unlike in raiment, but like in bearing, and venerable and grave:

one showed him to be of the familiars of that highest Hippocrates whom nature made for the creatures she holds most dear;

the other showed, the contrary care, with a sword glittering and sharp, such that on this side the stream it made me afeard.

Then saw I four of lowly semblance; and behind all, an old man solitary, coming in a trance, with visage keen.

And these seven were arrayed as the first company; but of lilies around their heads no garland had they,

rather of roses and of other red flowers; one who viewed from short distance would have sworn that all were aflame above the eyes.

And when the car was opposite to me, a thunder clap was heard; and those worthy folk seemed to have their further march forbidden, and halted there with the first ensigns.