The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
Cahto XXIII. PURGATORY. 221 And he to me : " So soon has made me know ^ The draft of martyrdom's most bitter sweet. My Nella, with her tears that ever flow. The sighs and prayers she ever doth repeat, From that delaying hill my steps have drawn, And from the other circles freed my feet. "* More dear, and more beloved by God, is known My widowed wife, whom I so loved erewhile.
As in good actions is she more alone : For the Barbagia of Sardinia's isle In female shamelessness is not so bold, ^^ As the Barbagia which I left erewhile. brother dear, what wonldst have further told P A future time already do I see. In which the present day will not be old. When in the Church they'll publish a decree Against the insolent lady Florentines, Not to expose their breasts for all to see.
When were Barbarians seen or Saracens, To whom was needed clothing to enforce, Or spiritual, or other disciplines ? But if the shameless ones could see the course Which Heaven prepareth for them speedily, Now would begin their bowlings of remorse. For if I'm not deceived in what I see. They will have sorrow ere his cheeks have hair Who now is soothed by nurse's lullaby.
Brother, no more conceal thee from my prayer : See, not myself alone, but all my kind With wonder see thee bar the sunshine there. Whence I to him : " If thou recall' st to mind "* What thou to me and I to thee have done. On earth, the memory thou wilt grievous find. There turned me from that life of sin, this one Who goes before me, some few eves ago.
When shone at full his sister ;" and the sun ^^® 1 showed ; " He through the deeps of night below Hath led my steps, amongst the dead in truth, With this true living flesh with which I go. Hence hath he drawn me upwards by his ruth To issue, and to travel round this hill ^^* Which you, with virtue, wreckt on earth, endueth. Line 94. A moantainous tract of savage ooantry, where the inhabitants were sapposed to be naked. Hence Forese applies the name to Florence.
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p. 222Cahto XXIV. He promises to be my comrade still, Until I reach where Beatrix will be, There I must stay without him, Heaven doth will. "Virgil is he, who this has told to me :" ^^ And pointed to him : '' the other is the shade, For whom just now there trembled suddenly Your kingdom, his deliverance to aid."
CANTO XXIV. Forese names some of the other spirits, and amongst the rest Bnonai^anta of Lncca, who afterwards converses with Dan^. When the troop of shadows depart, Forese still linirers with Dante, and foretells to him the death of his political enemy, Corso Donati. Forese then follows his companions, and the poets advance to a second tree, from which issues a voice relating ezamiues of intemperance. After passing the tree, an Angel points ont to them the ascent to the next cornice. Nos motion speech nor speech our motion made More slow, but speaking onwards still we strain, Like to a ship by favouring winds conveyed. The shadows who seem dead once o'er again, In their deep-sunken eyes fresh marvel wake, * Aware that I was there a living man. And I, continuing my parley, spake : " His spirit haply presses on more slow Than it would do, were't not for Virgil's sake. But tell me where's Piccarda, shouldst thou know : Say, if I see here people of renown. Amongst this crowd, who gaze upon me so." '* My sister, who 'twixt jfair and good, unknown The which she was the most, already glad On high Olympus triumphs in her crown." ^* Thus spake he first, and then : '' 'Tis not forbade Each one to name, since here has diet spare All former semblance taken from each shade." With finger pointing, " Buonagiunta's here. Buonagiunta da Lucca ; and that face Thinner than all the rest bevond him there. Possessed the holy Church in his embrace : He came from Tours ; and fasting doth atone The wine-steept eels of famed Bolsena's race.
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Cahto XXIII. PURGATORY. 221 And he to me : " So soon has made me know ^ The draft of martyrdom's most bitter sweet. My Nella, with her tears that ever flow. The sighs and prayers she ever does repeat, From that delaying hill my steps have drawn, And from the other circles freed my feet. "* More dear, and more beloved by God, is known My widowed wife, whom I so loved erewhile. As in good actions is she more alone : For the Barbagia of Sardinia's isle In female shamelessness is not so bold, ^^ As the Barbagia which I left erewhile. brother dear, what wonldst have further told P A future time already do I see. In which the present day will not be old. When in the Church they'll publish a decree Against the insolent lady Florentines, Not to expose their breasts for all to see. When were Barbarians seen or Saracens, To whom was needed clothing to enforce, Or spiritual, or other disciplines ? But if the shameless ones could see the course Which Heaven prepares for them speedily, Now would begin their bowlings of remorse. For if I'm not deceived in what I see. They will have sorrow ere his cheeks have hair Who now is soothed by nurse's lullaby. Brother, no more conceal you from my prayer : See, not myself alone, but all my kind With wonder see you bar the sunshine there." Whence I to him : " If you recall' st to mind "* What you to me and I to you have done. On earth, the memory you will grievous find. There turned me from that life of sin, this one Who goes before me, some few eves ago. When shone at full his sister ;" and the sun ^^® 1 showed ; " He through the deeps of night below Has led my steps, amongst the dead in truth, With this true living flesh with which I go. Hence has he drawn me upwards by his ruth To issue, and to travel round this hill ^^* Which you, with virtue, wreckt on earth, endus. Line 94. A moantainous tract of savage ooantry, where the inhabitants were sapposed to be naked. Hence Forese applies the name to Florence.
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222 PURGATORY. Cahto XXIV. He promises to be my comrade still, Until I reach where Beatrix will be, There I must stay without him, Heaven does will. "Virgil is he, who this has told to me :" ^^ And pointed to him : '' the other is the shade, For whom just now there trembled suddenly Your kingdom, his deliverance to aid."
CANTO XXIV. Forese names some of the other spirits, and amongst the rest Bnonai^anta of Lncca, who afterwards converses with Dan^. When the troop of shadows depart, Forese still linirers with Dante, and foretells to him the death of his political enemy, Corso Donati. Forese then follows his companions, and the poets advance to a second tree, from which issues a voice relating ezamiues of intemperance. After passing the tree, an Angel points ont to them the ascent to the next cornice. Nos motion speech nor speech our motion made More slow, but speaking onwards still we strain, Like to a ship by favouring winds conveyed. The shadows who seem dead once o'er again, In their deep-sunken eyes fresh marvel wake, * Aware that I was there a living man. And I, continuing my parley, spake : " His spirit haply presses on more slow Than it would do, were't not for Virgil's sake. But tell me where's Piccarda, should you know : Say, if I see here people of renown. Amongst this crowd, who gaze upon me so." '* My sister, who 'twixt jfair and good, unknown The which she was the most, already glad On high Olympus triumphs in her crown." ^* Thus spake he first, and then : '' 'Tis not forbade Each one to name, since here has diet spare All former semblance taken from each shade." With finger pointing, " Buonagiunta's here. Buonagiunta da Lucca ; and that face Thinner than all the rest bevond him there. Possessed the holy Church in his embrace : He came from Tours ; and fasting does atone The wine-steept eels of famed Bolsena's race.
p. 10
p. 80
f)
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