The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

188 PURGATORY. Casto XV. As when from water, or a mirror keen, Leaps the sunray to the opposite side With equal angle darting up its sheen. To which it fell, that diflPerently does glide To a stone falling from an equal height, ^ As art, and our experience have descried : So did I seem there by reflected light Before me to be smote ; the which to fly Was quite impossible unto my sight. " Sweet father, what is this, which from my eye ^ I cannot banish, whatsoe'er I do," I said, " and which towards us seems to hie ?" " Be not surprised, if dazzles still your view The family of Heaven," he answered me, " A messenger he comes man's heart to sue, ^ 'Twill not be long, ere such as these to see Will not be painful, but will give you zest. As perfect as your nalure can agree." After We'd reached unto that Angel blest. With joyful voice he told us " Enter in ^ On stairs less steep than what you yet have prest." Starting from there, the ascent we now begin, Beati miaericordes then was sung Behind us, and Eejoice, who thus do win. The master and myself alone upsprung ^ The stairs, and as we went, I thought to gain Profit, upon his lips sweet teaching hung : To him I turned me then, demanding fain, " What that Italian spirit wished to say. The while he spake of company and ban." ^ Whence he to me, " The loss he well does weigh. Caused by his greatest fault, so marvel not He blames it, that it be less wept for aye. Because there ever turns your longing thought There, where through company grows less each share, ^ The bellows blow with Envy's sighings hot. But if the love of the eternal sphere Human desire to heavenly aims could turn, There would not linger in your heart that fear. For there the more to say our own, we yearn, ^ So much does each possess increased store, And more of charity does thither bum." I|^e 38. ** Blessed are the meroifnl/* Matt. v. 7. Line 44. Dante demands an explanation of Goido del Brettinoro's remark at line 86 of the preceding Canto.

Cakto XV. PURGATORY. 189 '* Through being contented, I do hunger more Than if you first had silent been/' I said, " And in my mind I gather doubt galore, ^ How can it be that wealth distributed. Numerous possessors can more richly dower, Than if beyond a few it be not spread ?" And he to me : " Because you still do lower Your mind alone upon affairs terrene, ^ With the pure light of truth the shadows scour. That Infinite, ineffable demesne Which is above, so runs love to meet As on the polisht substance strikes the sheen. So much it gives, as it does find of heat : '® So that whatever charity may be The eternal worth above it broods sweet. The greater number can that lore agree, The more there are to love, and more is loved. And glasslike each the other mirrors free. " If by my speech your hunger be not moved, You'lt see your Beatrice ; clearly plain Will every hope of your by her be proved. Only make haste the five wounds that remain To clear away, as two have gone from sight, ®® The which are closed through the healing pain." Wishing to say, " You do content me quite :" I saw that we had reached the higher round. So made me silent my expectant sight. There, on a sudden in ecstatic swound, ^ Appeared to me my spirit to retreat : A group I saw within a temple's bound ; A lady in the entrance with the sweet Action of mother, saying, " Son, ah why Towards us have you done this thing unmeet ? ^ Behold with sorrowing hearts your sire and I Have sought you :" and as here she silent grew Vanished the scene which first I did descry. Then there appeared another with the dew Upon her cheeks, which grief distills down, •* Through anger at the deeds which others do : And said : " If you are master of the town, To name the which 'mongst gods the strife was shared, And whence proceeds every science known, Line 94. This story is told of Pisistratns, tyrant of Athens. Line 98. Minerva and Neptane strove for the honour, which was won by Athene through her gift of the olive.

190 PURGATORY. Cahto XV. Avenge you of those shameless arms that dared, Pisistratus ! our daughter to embrace." And gently and benignantly appeared Her lord to answer her, with grave, calm face, " What shall we do to those who wish us ill, If we doom one who loves us to disgrace ?" Then I saw people with the flaming will Of anger kindled, who a youth did stone, Each crying loudly to the other, kill. And him I witnessed there by death bent down, Which bowed him towards the earth, yet still with life "° For ever in his eyes, Heaven's glories shine : Beseeching his high Lord, in such a strife That to his persecutors he would yield Pardon, his aspect all with pity rife. What time my spirit came back from that field, ""* Unto the things which in themselves are true, I knew no fiction had my dreams revealed. My leader, who might me in actions view Like one who rouses up from slumber deep. Asked me : " What have you, that you totterest so ? ^^ For more than half a league do you thus creep. Closing your eyes, and with your limbs awry, Li guise of one o'ercome by wine, or sleep*" " my sweet father," did I make reply, ** Hear, and I'll tell you, what to me was shown, ^^ The whilst my limbs had lost the power to hie." And he : ''A hundred masks if you had on. Over your face, from me you could not veil Your thoughts, how slight soever be their tone. That which you saw'st, was shown you, not to fail ^^ Your heart to open to the streams of peace, Which from the eternal fountain ever well. I did not ask, what have P like one who sees With mortal eyes alone, which nought can weet What time the body lies all spiritless, ^^ I asked you to give strength unto your feet ; Thus it behoves to stimulate the slow To use their waking vigilance, as meet." 'Twas evening now, and we intent did go, Looking beyond, far as the eye could scan, ^^ Against the westering rays, that shone so low : And lo ! a smoke, little by little 'gan. To gather towards us like the night pbscure, Nor was it possible escape to plan : So it bereft us of the daylight pure. "'^