Divine Comedy: Purgatory | Page 8

by turns.
"Why are thy thoughts
thus riveted?" my guide
Exclaim'd, "that thou hast slack'd thy pace?
or how
Imports it thee, what thing is whisper'd here?
Come after me,
and to their babblings leave
The crowd. Be as a tower, that, firmly set,

Shakes not its top for any blast that blows!
He, in whose bosom
thought on thought shoots out,
Still of his aim is wide, in that the one

Sicklies and wastes to nought the other's strength."
What other could I answer save "I come?"
I said it, somewhat with
that colour ting'd
Which ofttimes pardon meriteth for man.
Meanwhile traverse along the hill there came,
A little way before us,
some who sang
The "Miserere" in responsive Strains.
When they
perceiv'd that through my body I
Gave way not for the rays to pass,
their song
Straight to a long and hoarse exclaim they chang'd;
And
two of them, in guise of messengers,
Ran on to meet us, and inquiring
ask'd:
Of your condition we would gladly learn."
To them my guide. "Ye may return, and bear
Tidings to them who
sent you, that his frame
Is real flesh. If, as I deem, to view
His
shade they paus'd, enough is answer'd them.
Him let them honour,
they may prize him well."
Ne'er saw I fiery vapours with such speed
Cut through the serene air
at fall of night,
Nor August's clouds athwart the setting sun,
That
upward these did not in shorter space
Return; and, there arriving, with
the rest
Wheel back on us, as with loose rein a troop.

"Many," exclaim'd the bard, "are these, who throng
Around us: to
petition thee they come.
Go therefore on, and listen as thou go'st."
"O spirit! who go'st on to blessedness
With the same limbs, that clad
thee at thy birth."
Shouting they came, "a little rest thy step.
Look if
thou any one amongst our tribe
Hast e'er beheld, that tidings of him
there
Thou mayst report. Ah, wherefore go'st thou on?
Ah
wherefore tarriest thou not? We all
By violence died, and to our latest
hour
Were sinners, but then warn'd by light from heav'n,
So that,
repenting and forgiving, we
Did issue out of life at peace with God,

Who with desire to see him fills our heart."
Then I: "The visages of all I scan
Yet none of ye remember. But if
aught,
That I can do, may please you, gentle spirits!
Speak; and I
will perform it, by that peace,
Which on the steps of guide so
excellent
Following from world to world intent I seek."
In answer he began: "None here distrusts
Thy kindness, though not
promis'd with an oath;
So as the will fail not for want of power.

Whence I, who sole before the others speak,
Entreat thee, if thou ever
see that land,
Which lies between Romagna and the realm
Of
Charles, that of thy courtesy thou pray
Those who inhabit Fano, that
for me
Their adorations duly be put up,
By which I may purge off
my grievous sins.
From thence I came. But the deep passages,

Whence issued out the blood wherein I dwelt,
Upon my bosom in
Antenor's land
Were made, where to be more secure I thought.
The
author of the deed was Este's prince,
Who, more than right could
warrant, with his wrath
Pursued me. Had I towards Mira fled,
When
overta'en at Oriaco, still
Might I have breath'd. But to the marsh I
sped,
And in the mire and rushes tangled there
Fell, and beheld my
life-blood float the plain."
Then said another: "Ah! so may the wish,
That takes thee o'er the
mountain, be fulfill'd,
As thou shalt graciously give aid to mine.
Of

Montefeltro I; Buonconte I:
Giovanna nor none else have care for me,

Sorrowing with these I therefore go." I thus:
"From Campaldino's
field what force or chance
Drew thee, that ne'er thy sepulture was
known?"
"Oh!" answer'd he, "at Casentino's foot
A stream there courseth,
nam'd Archiano, sprung
In Apennine above the Hermit's seat.
E'en
where its name is cancel'd, there came I,
Pierc'd in the heart, fleeing
away on foot,
And bloodying the plain. Here sight and speech
Fail'd
me, and finishing with Mary's name
I fell, and tenantless my flesh
remain'd.
I will report the truth; which thou again0
Tell to the living.
Me God's angel took,
Whilst he of hell exclaim'd: "O thou from
heav'n!
Say wherefore hast thou robb'd me? Thou of him
Th' eternal
portion bear'st with thee away
For one poor tear that he deprives me
of.
But of the other, other rule I make."
"Thou knowest how in the atmosphere collects
That vapour dank,
returning into water,
Soon as it mounts where cold condenses it.

That evil will, which in his intellect
Still follows evil, came, and
rais'd the wind
And smoky mist, by virtue of the power
Given by
his nature. Thence the valley, soon
As day was spent, he cover'd o'er
with cloud
From Pratomagno to the mountain range,
And stretch'd
the sky above, so that the air
Impregnate chang'd to water. Fell the
rain,
And to the fosses came all that the land
Contain'd not; and, as
mightiest streams are wont,
To the great river with such headlong
sweep
Rush'd, that nought stay'd its course. My stiffen'd frame
Laid
at his mouth the fell Archiano found,
And dash'd it into Arno,