The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

CahtoVI. PURGATOKY. 165 Come, the Montecchi, Cappelletti, see, Monaldi and Phillipeschi, man of sloth. Oppressed already, or about to be. Come, cruel one, come and see, though loath. The pressure of your friends, and cure each ill, "° And see how Santafior securely grows. Come and behold your Eome, who wails still, Widowed and lone, she calls you night and day My Caesar, wherefore art not with me still ? Come see the people, how they love alway, "* And if, for us, no pity you can move, Come to be shamed of your glory's bay. And if 'tis lawful to me, great Jove, Who erst on earth for us were crucified, Are your just eyes withdrawn from us above ? ^^^ Or lofty preparation do you hide Within your counsel's deeps, to work us good, Whose secret to our ken is all denied ? The lands of Italy now swarm with the brood Of tyrants, and a new Marcellus grows ^^ Each peasant who takes up some party feud. My Florence, you should be content, God knows, With this digression noways touching you. Thanks to your people who so learned grows. Many in heart have justice, but delay ^^ To shoot till they have taken counsel rare ; Your people have it on their lips alway. Many refuse the common load to bear ; Your people eagerly the charge endus, And cries y^t uncalled, " The yoke Til share." ^^ Now be you glad, for you have cause in sooth ; You who art wealthy, dowered with peace and brain, The effects cannot be hid if I speak truth. Athens and Sparta, who composed the train Of ancient lawi^, and were so civilised, "^ Comparison with you can ne'er maintain In comely life, since you have so prevised Your subtle schemings, that till mid-November Lasts not the web October saw devised. How many times, in days you do remember, ^^ Tby money, habits, offices, and laws. Hast you remodelled, and renewed each member? Line 106. The Montagues and Capulets of Shakspeare. Line 111. Santa Flora, a castle in Siena ; its security is clearly alluded to ironically, but to what the poet alludes particularly is unknown.

156 PURGATORY. Cas-to vn. If clearly you behold your own flaws, Like a sick woman you will see you 'plain, Who on her pillow cannot find repose, ^^^ And seeks with constant turns to ease her pain.

CANTO vn. The poets learn from Sordello that it is imposedble to ascend the moantain during the night, and he guides them to a retired valley, where they see those who, from being engrossed with affairs of State, deferred their repentance to the last, and are detained in the Ante-Pargatory. Amoagst these are named the Emperor Rodolph, Ottocar, King of Bohemia, Philip III. of Fraoce, Henry of Navarre, Peter III. of Arragon, Charles of Anjoa, Henry III. of England, and William, Marqnis of Montferrat. Afteb these comely greetings, glad and free, Three and four times were given and returned, Drew back Sordello, saying, " Who are you ?" " Before that to this mount had ever turned The spirits worthy Godwards to arise, * My body by Octavius was inurned. Virgil am I ; and I have lost the skies. From lacking faith, and not for sin in me." Thus unto him my leader then replies : Like unto one who suddenly does see *" Something before him, which creates surprise, Who tinists, yet doubts. It is — It cannot be — So did he seem : and then he bowed his eyes, And turned towards him with respectful mien, And close embraced him humbly round the knees. ** " Latin glory, by the whom is seen," ' He thus addressed him, " all our tongue can do ; 0, of my native place, the eternal sheen ; What worth, or grace, to me your form does show ? Say, if I'm worthy your sweet speech to hear, ^ Comest you from Hell, and from what vale below ?" " Through all the circles of that dolorous sphere," To him he answered, " have I hence arrived ; " Heaven's virtue helped me to conduct him here. For what I failed to do, am I deprived ^^ Of the sight o' the sun, which you desirest to gain, Whose knowledge unto me too late arrived. Line 4. Virgil having died before the descent of Christ into Hell, the purifying mountain of Purgatory was not then open.