The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

Canto XXXII. PURGATORY. ^ 255 If I had power in sleep to make appear Those cruel eyes, when heard Siringa's plaint, *^ Those eyes, whose watchfulness cost them so dear ; As by example does an artist paint, I would describe how slumber closed my eyes : Tell it, whoe'er can slumber draw most quaint : But to my wakening my description flies : ^^ I say a splendour rent aside the veil Of slumber, and a cry, ** What do? arise." As flowers of Heaven's own honey dew to hail, Which with their fruit create the Angels' greed, And marriage feasts in Heaven that never fail, ^^ Peter and James, and John were erst decreed, And overcome, awakened at the word. At sound of which far deeper slumbers fled. And saw departed from the band revered Both Moses* and Elias' presence gone, *^ And their own Lord, in human shape averred ; So I awoke, and saw that piteous one Standing above me, who was first the guide Who led my footsteps by that river on : And all in doubt, " Where's Beatrix ?" I cried : ^ And she : ** Behold her seated 'neath the new Foliage upon the roots. In worthy pride The company that troops round her view ; The rest behind the Gryphon soar above, With song more sweet, of mystery deeper too." ®^ Whether her parlance any more did rove, I know not : since upon my eyes there shone She, who all else from my perception drove. She sate upon the naked earth alone. As though left there the guardian of the car, ®^ Which I had seen the two- formed beast bear on. Within their circle, girdled it the fair Seven nymphs, whose hands the holy lights retain, Secure from north wind's or from south wind's blare. " Here will you be a short time denizen, ^^® Then habitant with me, without an end. Of that high Rome where Christ is citizen ; Line 65. The story of Argo, put to sleep by Mercury relating the transformation of the nymph Siringa, and afterwards slain. Ovid's Metam., book i. Line 73. Dante compares his awakening to that of the three Apostles after the Transfiguration, roused by that voice which had power to raise the dead.

266 PURGATORY. Cahto XXXn. But the world's evil habitudes to mend, Oaze on the car, and what you seest write When once again to earth you must descend." ^^ Thus Beatrix, and I whose whole delight To her commands devoutly would incline, As she directed, gave my mind and sight. With such swift motion never did careen The thunderbolt from riven doud above, "® What time it rains in Heaven's most far confine. As I beheld descend the bird of Jove, Through the trees' branches, stripping ofE the bark, While flowers and leaflets all before it drove, And smote the car with all its violence stark : ^^* On which it staggered, as o'er stormy wave To starboard and to larboard rolls the bark, In evil fortune. Then upon the nave Of the triumphal car a fox upclimbs. Which only poisonous food appeared to crave. "® But keenly blaming it its laidly crimes. My lady urged it to as swift a flight As could effect such fleshless bones betimes. Then from the quarter whence it erst did light I saw the eagle glide down o*er the pile ^ O* the car, and leave it with its feathers dight. And as there breaks from heart that grieves still, Such voice there issued from the heavens, that cried, " O Httle bark of mine, what freight of iU !" Then I beheld the earth gape op^n wide 'Twixt both the wheels, and hence a dragon spring. That smote the car with its tail's piercing gride : And as a wasp that draws back its sting. It drew together with its tail malign A part of the car, and then went wandering. That which remained, as o'er rich earth does twine The weedy grass, with the feathers' offered store, G-iven haply with intention thus benign, Line 112. The Roman Emperors, who at the first persecnted the infant Church. Line 119. The fox represents the spirit of heresy which was rife in the Church after the early persecutions had ceased. Line 126. The second descent of the eagle alludes to the conversion of Constantine, and the gift of its plumage describes his donations to the Church, which Dante has already stamped as its ruin. Line 131. The dragon is supposed to represent Mahomet, whose creed was embraced in a great portion of the earth once included in the Church.

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CANTO XXXIII. PURGATORY. 257 Covered itself, and was all covered o*er, The one and the other wheel, and the pole, as soon ^*^ As a long sigh keeps ope the lips' red core. The holy edifice thus diflferent grown. Thrust outward heads, throughout its strange design. Three o'er the pole, in every corner one. The three upon the pole were homed like kine : "^ The four had but one horn upon each front ; A similar monster never yet was seen. Secure as castle on a lofty mount, Seated upon it, an abandoned whore Appeared to me, with eyes of shameless brunt. ^^^ And that none else should seize her evermore, I saw beside her stand a giant high : They kissed each other often, o'er and o'er. But' since her roving and lascivious eye Wandered towards me, that ferocious lover "* Lashed her from head to foot with cruelty. Then with suspicion full, and ire all over. He dragged the monster, from the tree released, Into the wood, and made of that a cover Unto the harlot and the new-formed beast. ^^ Line 144. The seven heads are interpreted * generally as the seven capital sins, of which the three with two horns are Pride, Anger, and Avarice, which hart the sinner himself and his neighbour ; the four with one horn, Gluttony, Sloth, Lust, and Envy, which only injure himself. Some consider the seven heads to represent the seven sacraments, and the ten horns the ten commandments. Line 149. Pope Boniface YIII. is intimated by the harlot, and Philip the Fair of France is her giant lover. The transfer of the Papal seat to Avignon is pointed at in the carrying away of the car.