Purgatorio: Canto XXX

When the wain of the first heaven which setting nor rising never knew, nor veil of other mist than of sin,

and which made there each one aware of his duty, even as the lower wain guides him who turns the helm to come into port,

had stopped still, the people of truth, who had first come between the grifon and it, turned them to the car as to their peace;

and one of them as if sent from heaven “Veni sponsa de Libano” did shout thrice in song, and all the others after him.

As the saints at the last trump shall rise ready each one from his tomb, with re-clad voice singing Halleluiah,

such on the divine chariot rose up a hundred ad vocem tanti senis, ministers and messengers of life eternal.

All were saying: “Benedictus qui venis”; and, strewing flowers above and around, “Manibus o date lilia plenis.”

Ere now have I seen, at dawn of day, the eastern part all rosy red, and the rest of heaven adorned with fair clear sky,

and the face of the sun rise shadowed, so that by the tempering of the mists the eye long time endured him:

so within a cloud of flowers, which rose from the angelic hands and fell down again within and without,

olive-crowned over a white veil, a lady appeared to me, clad, under a green mantle, with hue of living flame.

And my spirit, that now so long a time had passed, since, trembling in her presence, it had been broken down with awe,

without having further knowledge by mine eyes through hidden virtue which went out from her, felt the mighty power of ancient love.

Soon as on my sight the lofty virtue smote, which already had pierced me ere I was out of my boyhood,

I turned me to the left with the trust with which the little child runs to his mother when he is frightened or when he is afflicted,

to say to Virgil: “Less than a drachm of blood is left in me that trembleth not; I recognise the tokens of the ancient flame.”

But Virgil had left us bereft of himself, Virgil sweetest Father, Virgil to whom for my weal I gave me up;

nor did all that our ancient mother lost, avail to keep my dew-washed cheeks from turning dark again with tears.

“Dante, for that Virgil goeth away, weep not yet, weep not yet, for thou must weep for other sword.”

Even as an admiral, who at stern and at bow, comes to see the folk that man the other ships, and heartens them to brave deeds,

so on the left side of the car, when I turned me at sound of my name, which of necessity here is recorded,

I saw the lady, who first appeared to me veiled beneath the angelic festival, directing her eyes to me on this side the stream.

Albeit the veil which fell from her head, crowned with Minerva’s leaves, did not let her appear manifest,

queenlike, in bearing yet stern, she continued, like one who speaks and holdeth back the hottest words till the last:

“Look at me well; verily am I, verily am I Beatrice. How didst thou deign to draw nigh the mount? knewest thou not that here man is happy?”

Mine eyes drooped down to the clear fount; but beholding me therein, I drew them back to the grass, so great a shame weighed down my brow.

So doth the mother seem stern to her child, as she seemed to me; for the savour of harsh pity tasteth of bitterness.

She was silent, and straightway the angels sang: “In te, Domine, speravi;” but beyond “pedes meos” they passed not.

As the snow amid the living rafters along Italia’s back is frozen under blast and stress of Slavonian winds,

then melted trickles down through itself, if but the land that loseth shade do breathe, so that it seems fire melting the candle,

so without tears or sighs was I before the song of those who ever accord their notes after the melodies of the eternal spheres.

But when I heard in their sweet harmonies their compassion on me, more than if they had said “Lady, why dost thou so shame him?”

the ice which had closed about my heart became breath and water, and with anguish through mouth and eyes issued from my breast.

She, standing yet fixed on the said side of the car, then turned her words to the pitying angels thus:

“Ye watch in the everlasting day, so that nor night nor sleep stealeth from you one step which the world may take along its ways;

wherefore my answer is with greater care, that he who yon side doth weep may understand me, so that sin and sorrow be of one measure.

Not only by operation of the mighty spheres that direct each seed to some end, according as the stars are its companions,

but by the bounty of graces divine, which have for their rain vapours so high that our eyes reach not nigh them,

this man was such in his new life potentially, that every good talent would have made wondrous increase in him.

But so much the more rank and wild the ground becomes with evil seed and until led, the more it hath of good strength of soil.

Some time I sustained him with my countenance; showing my youthful eyes to him I led him with me turned to the right goal.

So soon as I was on the threshold of my second age, and I changed life, he forsook me, and gave him to others.

When I was risen from flesh to spirit, and beauty and virtue were increased within me, I was less precious and less pleasing to him;

and he did turn his steps by a way not true, pursuing false visions of good, that pay back no promise entire.

Nor did it avail me to gain inspirations, with which in dream and otherwise, I called him back; so little recked he of them.

So low sank he, that all means for his salvation were already short, save showing him the lost people.

For this I visited the portal of the dead, and to him who has guided him up hither, weeping my prayers were borne.

God’s high decree would be broken, if Lethe were passed, and such viands were tasted, without some scot of penitence that may shed tears.”