The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

U5

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Canto XXXII. PURGATORY. 253 " Turn, Beatrice, turn your holy eyes Upon your faithful one," their song did steal, *' Who to behold you has dared such emprise. Of grace, bestow on us the grace to unveil, Your mouth to him, that he may now discern The spiritual beauties which you do conceal." O splendour of the living light eteme, Whoe'er grows pale beneath Parnassus' shade, "° Or drinks inspiration at its urn, Would not appear to have his mind dismayed, Striving to paint you such as you appeared' st, There where the climbing heavens around you played When you in open air your beauty bared'st ? ^**

CANTO XXXII. The whole procession moves on, followed by Dante, Statins, and Matilda, xmtil they reach the Tree of Life, to which the Gryphon ^tens the car. Dante falls into a slumber, and on hemg ronsed finds that Beatrice, Matilda, apd the cardinal virtues alone remain under the Tree. The History of the Church is then typified to Dante in a vision of changes thai befall the car. So were my eyes there fixed and engrossed, To satisfy the thirst of ten long years. That all my other senses then were lost ; And even to my eyep a wall uprears To heed nought else, so did that holy smile * Draw them towards it with its olden gears. When forcibly was turned my gaze awhile Towards my left hand, by those Goddesses, Whom I heard say too fiit a gaze were ill. The dazed condition that is seen in eyes That have but just been dazzled by the sun, Unto my own awhile their sight denies : But when my sight a moderate light could con, Moderate I call it with respect to the bright Marvel, from which with violence 'twas won, ^* I saw them turned around upon their right. That glorious troop of spirits, with their gaze Turned to the sun, and those seven flames of light. As 'neath the shields they for protection raise, Turns a troop, and wheels to the sign. Ere the whole army can be changed in place ;

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Line 2. The ten years that had elapsed since the death of Beatrice in 1290.

254 PURGATORY. Cahto XXXH. So that Militia of the realms divine Which led the van, in circuit wholly wheels Before the chariot's pole began to incline. Then turned around the ladies at the wheels ^ And moved the Gryphon the aye-blessed car, Whilst not one trembling plume the load reveals. Who drew me o'er the stream, that lady fair, Statins and I, upon that wheel reverted Which makes its orbit with less circuit there, ^ So passing through the lofty wood, deserted Through fault of her who trusted in the snake, Our steps with Angel singing were concerted. Haply such distance as three flights would make Of loosened arrow had we travelled o'er, ^ When Beatrix her station did forsake. I heard them all 'gainst Adam murmur sore : Then go in circle round a tree all bare Of flowers or leaves upon its branches hoar. Its branches, that spread wider as they rear ^ Aloft, would even in the groves of Ind Be gazed at for their height with wonder rare. " Gryphon, blest art you, that ne'er inclined Your beak towards this tree, so sweet to taste, That in the belly leaves such ill behind." ^ So in procession round the tree robust, Cried out they all ; the twice-born beast replied, " So is preserved the seed of every just," And turned towards the pole which he had plied. He drew it to the foot of the widowed tree, ^ And to its trunk, thence fashioned, left it tied. As earthly plants when falls o'er the lea The sun's light, with that starry ray imbued. Which after Pisces' sign in Heaven we see. All pregnant swell, and each is then renewed « With its own coloured foliage, ere as yet in Taurus' star, the steeds of the sun are viewed ; Paler than rose, darker than violet. That plant grew new with leafy colouring, Whose branches had before so bare been set. ^ I understood not, nor on earth they sing The hymn which all that people chanted here. Nor could I bear the whole strange carolling. Line 53. When the snn is in Aries, the constellation next to Pisces.