The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

Canto XXV. PUaGATOllY. 227 ** If you would call to mind how Meleager Consumed with the consuming of a brand, This would not thus," he said, " your thoughts beleaguer. And if you'dst think how in a mirror scanned ^ Your image trembles to your trembling form, This would not be so hard to understand. But inwardly your wish complete to charm, Statins is here : and him I now beseech To heaJ the wounds of doubt that work you harm." ^ " If the eternal punishment T teach," Statins replied, " whilst you are by me there, Forgive that I can nought refuse your speech." Then he began : " If in your mind with care My words receiving, you do guard my son, ^ Unto your question they will light declare. The perfect blood that is not meant to run Along the thirsty veins, but still remains Like food superfluous when the feast is done. Within the heart informing virtue gains *^ For every human member, thence does pass To make them afterwards, through its own veins. Again prepared, to lower part it draws. Which not to name were best, and germins there, Upon another's blood, in natural vase. *^ The one and the other mix together there Through excellence of the place from whence they're born, The one dispo&ed to act, and one to bear. There joined, begins their operating turn ; Coagulating first, it vivifies ^® That which by its own matter has been bom. Endued with life, the active virtue lies, As of a plant, thus different indeed That one has reached the bourne, one onward hies : Still working, now it moves and takes heed ^* As the sea fungus ; and it there does learn To organise the powers of which 'tis seed. Line 87. The system of generation here described is stated to be that of Averroes. The generating germ is formed from perfect blood in the man's heart, passes in that shape through vessels of its own to the lower organs (1. 43), and passing into the womb joins the perfect blood of the female, which has gone through the same process (1. 45). Line 47. The heart, in which the perfect blood gained informing virtue. Line 52. The foetus goes through the diflPerent stages of vegetable, zoophytic, and animnl life, and when the brain is completely formed God breathes into it a soul.

228 PURGATORY. Canto XXV. Now growetli pliant son, and now does yearn The virtue of the generating heart, In which does Nature every member turn. But how from animal a man does start You seest not yet, and on this point was blind One wiser than yourself in physical art, Who in his doctrine held to be disjoined The intellect receptive from the soul. Because he saw for it no place assigned. Open your breast to the truth I now unroll. And know the instant that articulate The brain in the foetus is evolved a whole, The Primal Cause with gladness turns to it, "^ Over such masterpiece of Nature's art, And breathes a spirit new, with power replete. Which, what it active finds, it does impart To its own substance, and creates a soul. Which lives and feels, reflective and apart. ^'' The wonder my word causes to control. Think of the sun's heat, which creates wine Joined to the liquor from a vine-tree's bole. When Lachesis has no more flax to spin, The soul from flesh is freed, and of its fruit Bears with it both the human and divine : The other powers are altogether mute, Memory, Intelligence, and Will remain, In act far more than e'er before acute. Without a pause, self -moving it does gain One of the shores, miraculously sent : There knowledge of its path does first attain. Soon as within the ambient air 'tis pent. Informing virtue round about it rays. As if with human limbs, its tenement. ®^ And as the air, when full of watery haze, By the sun's light, which is on it reflected, Grows adorned with vari-coloured rays, To the surrounding air has here selected That form which in effect the soul does claim ®^ With its own seal, which is on it reflected. And as the fire aye follows on the flame. There, where is shifted now the spirit's site, Follows upon that spirit the new frame. Line 63. Ayerroes, who is stated to have asserted that there was only a common intellect for the whole hnman race, as he fonnd no special organ assigned to it.

Canto XXV. PURGATORY. 229 Thence afterwards it gains appearance, tight A shadow, and its organs, hence the while Each one attains, even to the sight. Hence is it that we speak, and hence we smile : Hence is it that we break to tears and sighs. Which on the mountain you have seen erewhile. According as the spirit's yearnings rise, And its affections, so is shaped the shade, And this explains the cause of your surprise." There, where the latest torture is essayed. We now had reached, and turning to the right. To other care attention now we paid. There the cliff hurls outwards flamings bright ; And upwards from the ledge a blast does blow Which beats it back, and clears a narrow site. On that closed pathway one is forced to go Singly, and I on this side feared the fire, On that I feared lest I should fall below. My leader spake : " Along this narrow pier A tight curb must be placed upon the eyes, For easily might err the footsteps here." In the bosom of the heat I heard arise Summce Beua clementice, clearly simg. Which made me no]less eagerly devise. And through the flame I saw the spirits throng : On which I looked both at my steps and them, My sight dividing as I went along. When they had closed their holy requiem, All, Virum non cognusco, cried aloud ; Then with low voices recommenced the hymn. Finished once more, they shouted, " To the wood Diana ran, and forth Slice chased, Who'd tasted Venus' poison in her blood." Then to their song they turned : and then of chaste Ladies and married pairs the examples cried, Who virtue and the law of marriage graced. And in this fashion I believe they bide. For all the time that they the burning feel : With such a nourishment and zeal applied. Closes alone that wound, the last to heal. Line 122. " Suihidsb Dene clementiaa." The beginning of the hymn sung on Sunday matins, as it stood in the ancient breviary. Line 128. Luke i. 34. How can this be, seeing that I know not a man ? Line 131. The nymph Oalisto, driven away by Diana for nnchastity, and changed finally into the constellation Elice, or Greater Bear. Ovid's Metam. ii. Line 139. The last of the seven F's, healed on the last cornice.