The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

Cahto VII. PURGATORY. 157 There is a place below, not sad with pain, But only doomed to darkness, where laments Sound not like wailings, but are sighings fain. "'^ There do I stay with little innocents Bit by the teeth of Death, before that they From sin original were made exempts. There do I stay with those who failed to essay The sacred virtues three, though without sin ''^ They knew the rest, and followed them alway. But if you know'st, and mayst, point out some sign Whence we can sooner climb this mountain side, And entrance into Purgatory win." " There is no certain entrance," he replied, ^ " I am allowed to walk round these confines ; And far as I may go, FU be your guide. But see already how the day declines. It is not possible to climb by night, 'Twere well to choose some resting-place betimes. ** Spirits there are some distance to our right : If you consent' st, I'll take you unto these, And you will know them, not without delight." " How's this !" was answered. " If a man shoiUd please To climb by night, would other influence let ? *^ Or is't impossible by high decrees ?" Sordello on the earth his finger set, Saying, " See only where I draw this line. You could not pass it when the sun is set. Not that would hinder you aught else malign, '^ Save the night's gloom, from going up above ; That binds in impotence the firm design. Downwards with him you possibly might'st rove, And traverse all the hill, while wandering round. Until the day above the horizon move." ^ My leader then, as if in marvel wound, . " Lead us then," said he, " there, where you did say, To solace us the while thus travel-bound." From there we'd wandered but a little way, When I perceived the mountain side descend, ^ As on our earth the valleys slope away. Line 28. In this beautiful description of Limbo Dante has the charity to place unbaptised infants at least in a painless doom. A somewhat celebrated Calvinist preacher was less merciful, when, holding out a bony hand, he used to tell his hearers, *' My brethren, there are children not a span long in Hell !" Line 35. The sacred virtues three are Faith, Hope, and Charity, the rest alone known to the pagan world being Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance.

158 PURGATORY. cakto VII. " There," said the shadow, " we our course must wend, Where forms a hollow in the mountain side, And there the new day's coming we'll attend." Along the cliff a zigzag path did glide ^® That sideways led into the valley's site. Where the descent with gentlest slope did slide. Gold and fair silver, cochineal and white, The Indian wood all shining and serene, Fresh emerald, in the hour 'tis splintered bright, ^* Beside the grass and flowers in that demesne, Had they been placed, had been o'ercome in hue, As fades the lesser by the brighter sheen. Not only Nature there such colours drew, But by the sweetness of its odorous showers ®® Was made a whole confused, in beauty new. 8aJ/ve Eegina on the grass and flowers I saw the spirits and I heard them sing. Unseen beyond the vale which them embowers. " The whilst the sun its latest rays does fling," The Mantuan, who towards us turned, began, " You would not that mid these I you should bring. Kaised on this cliff far better will you scan Of all yon group, the acts and visages. Than if amongst them in the vale you wonne. He who is seated highest, with the guise Of one who failed in what he should have done, Whose lips are silent mid the songs that rise. Was Eodolph, Emperor, wlio had power alone. To heal the wounds that Italy has slain, '^ So that he cannot to their cheer be won. He who to comfort him appears so fain, Buled o'er the land, from which the water flows Which Elbe and Moldau carry to the main. His name was Ottocar, and in his youth *®® Far better he than Venceslaus his son. Who, bearded, sank in luxury and sloth. He with the little nose, who seems one In council with his friend of aspect blest, Who died in flight, his lily all undone, ^^ Line 82. Scdve Begina, the commenoement of a hymn to the Yirgin. Line 94. The Emperor Bodolph, alluded to in the last canto. Line 98. Bohemia. Ottocar was killed in a battle fought with Rodolph, of whom he was the son-in-law. The luxury of his son Yenceslaus II. is alluded to in the 19th Canto of the " Paiudise." Line 103. Philip III. of France, who died at Perpignan, after the defeat of his fleet by the forces of the King of Arragon.

Canto VII. PURGATORY. 159 Behold him there, how he does beat his breast : And look upon the other, who has lain, Sighing, his cheek upon his palm to rest ; Father and father-in-law of France's bane ; They know his life so vicious, and begrimed, ^^" Hence comes the grief, they cannot now restrain. The one so large of limb, whose song is chimed In melody with his of the aquiline nose, With every virtue bore his nature primed : And if the youth who sits behind him close ^^* Had only lived his father's realm to sway. Worth had descended then from vase to vase. That of his other heirs we caunot say : Though James and Frederic now his kingdom own : His better heritage does no one sway. ^^ But rarely in the branch again is grown Our human excellence, so wills He Who gives it, that the boon be called his own. To him with the aquiline nose my words agree ^** Even as to Peter, who with him does chaunt ; Whence Provence and Apulia mourn to-day. So far superior to the seed, the plant. As more than Beatrix and Margaret, Constantia of her husband's worth can vaunt. ^^ Behold the King, of life so simply fit, Henry of England, seated there alone, He in his branches has less cause to fret. He who the lowest on the earth is thrown. Gazing above, is William the Marchese, ^^ Through whom did Alexandria cause to moan In war, Montferrat, and the Canavese." liine 107. Henry of Navarre, father of Jane, wife of Philip le Bel, " France's banp." Line 112. Peter III. of Arragon, the father of four sons, Alonzo, Frederic, James, and Peter. Alonzo, and after his death James, succeeded their father in the kingdom of Arragon and Frederic in that of Sicily, so that the vouth who sits close to his father is probably Peter, the only one who did not beco ne a king. Line 124. Charles of Anjou, the brother of Saint Louis, who was as far anperior to his successor, Charles II., as Peter to his sons. Line 128. Constance, widow of Peter III. of Arragon, whence from the context Beatrice and Margaret ought to be the wives of the above-mentioned Frederic and James. Such, however, is not the case, and the daughters of Berenger, Count of Provence, are supposed to be intended, who married the two brothers Saint Lonis and Charles of Anjou. Line 132. An allusion to Edward I., the great Plantagenet. Line 134. William of Montferrat was taken prisoner by the Alexandrians, and died in confinement ; his people of Montferrat and the Canavese in consequence entered into a long war with Alexandria.