The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

Canto XX. PURGATORY. 207 O skies, since we have credence in your sway, To change the aspect of the world below, When will He come, who'll chase this beast away ? " We wended on with niggard steps and slow. And I, the shadows watching, heard them plain, Piteously weeping, there lament their woe. " Sweet Mary !" I at hazard heard the strain Cried out in front of us as if with moan *® Forced from a woman in a labour pain. " You were as poor," it then continued on, ** As ever could be seen, when in these mews You were delivered of your holy son. good Fabricius, you did wisely choose, ^'^ Preferring virtue even with poverty, Than, vice accompanied, great wealth to use." These words such satisfaction gave to me. That I drew onwards, with that spirit sooth To hold relationship, and parlance free. ^ It spake again of the boon, with liberal ruth Which to the maidens Nicholas had made. In the path of honour to preserve their youth. " O spirit, who so very well have said, Tell who you were," I askt, " and why alone ^ Those worthy praises are by you conveyed. Not thankless mil the word to you be known. If I return, the short paths to complete Of life, which to its goal still flies on." And he : " 1*11 tell you, not for comfort sweet *® I look for earthwards, but since grace does grant, Ere you are dead, to you such i^vour great, 1 was the root of that most evil plant, Whose shade o'er all the Christian land so huge is. That hence good fruit one can but gather scant. ** But if the towns of Douai, Ghent, Lisle, Bruges, Possessed the power, such vengeance soon would light. Which at his hands I seek, who all things judges. Upon the earth Hugh Capet was I hight ; From me the Louis and Philippes go down ^ Who recently have ruled o*er France's might. Line 30. The legend of St. Nicholas relates that he dowered three virffins, whose chastity, he learned through an angel, their father was about to sell. Line 43. The speaker is Hugh Capet, and as acutely conjectured by Archdeacon Fisher, ia the notes to Gary's " Dante," the e^ plant is probably not the French monarchy, but Philippe le Bel, who is a peculiar object of the poet's dislike. Fide, inter alia, "Purgatory," Canto Vll. The vengeance looked for from the Flemish towns that Philippe le Bel ravaged during bid war in the Low Countries was gained in the battle of Courtrai.

208 PURGATORY. Cakto XX. I of a Paris butcher was the son. What time the line of ancient monarchs ended. All except one, who the grey garb did don. Into my hands the government descended " Firm in my gripe, with all the power that springs From new-gained wealth, by troops of friends attended, Which to the widowed crown promoted brings The forehead of my son, who from that hour Begins this line of consecrated kings. ^ Ere was acquired the great Proven9al dower Which from my race took honest shame away, It did but little ill through lack of power. There it began with force and fraudful sway Its rapine, seized thereafter in amends, ^ Ponthieu, and Normandy, and G^ascony ; Charles came to Italy, and in amends. His victim Conradino there did slay. And then to Heaven sent Thomas in amends. I see the time not distant from to-day ^" Which draws another Charles from out of France, Himself and his the better to display. Unarmed he goes, or only with the lance That Judas jousted with, and thrusts the same So that to Florence he does burst the paunch. ^* No kingdom there, but only sin and shame Will be his gain, to him more grievous far As such a loss so lightly does he deem. Line 52. Probably aUuding to his father's sanguinary temper, not^his trade. Line 54. The last of the Merovingian kings, Ghilderio III., became a monk. Yentnri conjectnres that Dante confounded this fact with the close of the Carlovingian line, to which Capet succeeded. Line 61. The great Provencal dower, according to Archdeacon Fisher's explanation, is the kingdom of Navarre and Duchy of Champagne, acquired by marriage by Philip le Bel. Line 66. I have not ventured to follow Cary's bold alteration of the text, who reads for Ponthieu and Normandy Poitou and Navarre. Under any explanation of the passage, however, the acquisition of Normandy was long anterior to that of Provence, and there must be an error in the text. Line 67. Charles of Anjou, who having taken Conradino prisoner, out off his head publicly in 1268, and became King of Naples. Saint Thomas of Aquinas was rumoured to have been poisoned by one of Charles's physicians wlule proceeding to the Council at Lyons. Line 71- Charles of Yalois, brother of Philip le Bel. Called in by Pope Boniface, and sent to settle the troubles in Florence, he intrigued with the party of the Neri, and, bribed by them, drove out the Bianchi faction, amongst whom Dante himself was driven from the city.

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Caoto XX. PURGATORY. 209 The other Charles, but now a prisoner, His daughter sells, and makes the bargain sure, ^ As corsairs do with other slaves of war. Avarice, how can you bind us more. Since to yourself you thus have drawn my race On its own flesh to place such little store ? All evil past and future to efface, Into Alagna bursts the fleur-de-lis. And in his vicar, Christ does there disgrace. Again I see him shamed with mockery : I see renewed the vinegar and gall, Him slain 'twixt living thieves once more I see. 1 see the cruel Pilate, with it all Unsatisfied, bear on with lawless heat His greedy sails into the temple hall. O Lord, how long ere I can joy complete In seeing vengeance which You now do hide, Your anger o*er its secret brooding sweet ? That which I spake of the one only bride Of the Holy Spirit, and which drew you near In order that some gloss might be supplied. Thus, amongst all of us is framed the prayer As long as day lasts, but when night draws on A strain all contrary in turns we bear. Then speaks our burden of Pygmalion, Who traitor, robber, and a parricide Through his all-craving lust of gold had grown. And greedy Midas' misery beside. Which followed on his gluttonous demand, And which 'tis fit all after time deride. Then each recalls foolish Achan's end. And how he stole the spoils, so that the ire Of Joshua seems here once more to rend.

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