The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
p. 214Cahto XXH. Now am I straitened on each side : the one ^ Commands my silence, and the one conjures That I should speak : I sigh, and I am known. "Speak," with a word my master reassures, " Fear not to speak out, and to tell him all Which his request so eagerly procures." ^^ Whence I ; " Perchance on thee did marvel fall, ancient spirit, when that smile did rise : 1 will, that more of wonder thee befall.
This one, who guides on high my mortal eyes. Is Virgil, from the whom thou leam'dst of old ^^* To sing so high of men and deities. If other reason for my smile didst hold. Leave it as. £Eblse, and this the true cause weet, The words which thou concerning him hast told. Already he bent down to embrace the feet ^ Of my dear teacher : but he said, " Forbear, brother ; thou a shade, a shade dost greet.
And he arising : " Now thou art aware Of the great love, which towards thee me doth warm, When I forget we are but empty air, ^^ Treating a shadow like a solid form."
CANTO XXII. The poets ascend to the sixth circle, in which the sin of Gluttony is pnrged. As they monnt the stairs, Statins informs Virgil that he nad been a prodigal in his life, which sin, and not avarice, he had cleansed in the preceding circle. As they advance ronnd the sixth cornice, they find a tree covered with odorous fruits, from which issues a voice, recording brilliant examples of Temperance. Already was the Angel left behind To the sixth circle who had shown our way, And from my brow another sin refined : And those, whose hope alone in justice lay. Had cried Beati, as we left their site, * And Sitio, and therewith they closed their lay. And I, than in the other straits, more light, Without a trace of labour went above. Following those rapid spirits* upward flight : When Virgil Statius thus addressed : ** The love By virtue kindled, be there apprehended Its outward flame, like passion aye will move. Line 4u " Beati qui esuriunt, et sitiunt justitiam." Matthew v. 6.
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Cawto XXII. PURGATORY. 215 Whence from the hour that Juvenal descended Amongst us into Limbo, Hell's first court, And thy affection unto me extended, " Towards thee my good will was of such a sort, As ne'er before to one unseen did tend, - So that thy presence makes this staircase short.
Now say, and as a friend thy pardon lend, If too great freedom loosens now my rein, ^ And henceforth parley with me as a friend : How wert thou able in thy breast to gain A place for ayarice, 'mid so great a mine Of intellect, thy zeal had stored amain P" These words of Virgil, Statins did incline ^ Somewhat to laughter first, then he replied : ^* All thou hast said, of love is dearest sign.
Oftentimes truly things appear outside Wrongly creating cause for doubt to be. Since something from us the true causes hide. ^ Thy question shows that thou believest me Sunk in the other life, in the vice of greed. Haply through reason of the place I flee.
Too far from avarice^ thou must now aread, That I was severed, and to that excess ^ Thousands of moons have been awarded meed, And were it not that when I read that place, My zeal was quickened, in the which thou'st told. As 'twere in anger with the human race.
To what lengths, O thou cursed thirst of gold, ** Dost thou not rule the mortal appetite P Whirling in Hell, the wretched weights I'd rolled Then I perceived that with too wild a flight The hands can scatter wealth, and I repented Of that, as of all other evil plight. ** How many with shorn hair will rise demented. Who from repenting, even at the last. Their ignorance that this was crime, prevented !
And know, that whatsoever sin is placed Directly opposite to some other sin. Doth, with it here, its green luxuriance waste. If 'mongst the people therefore I have been Who wail their avarice, my soul to clear. Through the opposite vice that sentence did I win. Line 40. " Quid non mortalia peotora oogis Aon sacra fames P" ^n., lib. iii., v. 67. Lines 42 and 46. See Canto YII. of the " Inferno."
214 PURGATORY. Cahto XXH. Now am I straitened on each side : the one ^ Commands my silence, and the one conjures That I should speak : I sigh, and I am known. "Speak," with a word my master reassures, " Fear not to speak out, and to tell him all Which his request so eagerly procures." ^^ Whence I ; " Perchance on you did marvel fall, ancient spirit, when that smile did rise : 1 will, that more of wonder you befall. This one, who guides on high my mortal eyes. Is Virgil, from the whom you leam'dst of old ^^* To sing so high of men and deities. If other reason for my smile did hold. Leave it as. £Eblse, and this the true cause weet, The words which you concerning him have told." Already he bent down to embrace the feet ^ Of my dear teacher : but he said, " Forbear, brother ; you a shade, a shade do greet." And he arising : " Now you are aware Of the great love, which towards you me does warm, When I forget we are but empty air, ^^ Treating a shadow like a solid form."
CANTO XXII. The poets ascend to the sixth circle, in which the sin of Gluttony is pnrged. As they monnt the stairs, Statins informs Virgil that he nad been a prodigal in his life, which sin, and not avarice, he had cleansed in the preceding circle. As they advance ronnd the sixth cornice, they find a tree covered with odorous fruits, from which issues a voice, recording brilliant examples of Temperance. Already was the Angel left behind To the sixth circle who had shown our way, And from my brow another sin refined : And those, whose hope alone in justice lay. Had cried Beati, as we left their site, * And Sitio, and therewith they closed their lay. And I, than in the other straits, more light, Without a trace of labour went above. Following those rapid spirits* upward flight : When Virgil Statius thus addressed : ** The love By virtue kindled, be there apprehended Its outward flame, like passion aye will move. Line 4u " Beati qui esuriunt, et sitiunt justitiam." Matthew v. 6.
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Cawto XXII. PURGATORY. 215 Whence from the hour that Juvenal descended Amongst us into Limbo, Hell's first court, And your affection unto me extended, " Towards you my good will was of such a sort, As ne'er before to one unseen did tend, - So that your presence makes this staircase short. Now say, and as a friend your pardon lend, If too great freedom loosens now my rein, ^ And henceforth parley with me as a friend : How were you able in your breast to gain A place for ayarice, 'mid so great a mine Of intellect, your zeal had stored amain P" These words of Virgil, Statins did incline ^ Somewhat to laughter first, then he replied : ^* All you have said, of love is dearest sign. Oftentimes truly things appear outside Wrongly creating cause for doubt to be. Since something from us the true causes hide. ^ Your question shows that you believest me Sunk in the other life, in the vice of greed. Haply through reason of the place I flee. Too far from avarice^ you must now aread, That I was severed, and to that excess ^ Thousands of moons have been awarded meed, And were it not that when I read that place, My zeal was quickened, in the which you'st told. As 'twere in anger with the human race. To what lengths, O you cursed thirst of gold, ** Dost you not rule the mortal appetite P Whirling in Hell, the wretched weights I'd rolled Then I perceived that with too wild a flight The hands can scatter wealth, and I repented Of that, as of all other evil plight. ** How many with shorn hair will rise demented. Who from repenting, even at the last. Their ignorance that this was crime, prevented ! And know, that whatsoever sin is placed Directly opposite to some other sin. Does, with it here, its green luxuriance waste. If 'mongst the people therefore I have been Who wail their avarice, my soul to clear. Through the opposite vice that sentence did I win." Line 40. " Quid non mortalia peotora oogis Aon sacra fames P" ^n., lib. iii., v. 67. Lines 42 and 46. See Canto YII. of the " Inferno."
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