English

" O thou who art beyond the sacred stream; "
(And now towards me the sharp point she bent
Of that discourse whose edge so keen did seem,
And thus she spoke, with voice unhesitant,)
" Say, if this thing be true; for, when accused,
Herewith thine own confession must be blent. "
But all too sorely was my mind confused:
I would have answer'd; but the accents died,
Because my voice to form the sound refused.

When the seven stars of Paradise on high,
That ever with unwaning splendour burn,
Where never cloud, save that of sin, doth lie,
The stars which here make each his duty learn,
(As lower constellations guide aright
The sailor who his bark would homeward turn,)
Stay'd in their course, the band in garments white,
Who 'twixt the wingid steed and them pass'd by,
Turn'd to the chariot, as to their delight.

As one enamour'd, singing a sweet lay,
She ended thus her fair discourse, and said:
" Blessid is he whose sins are purged away. "
Like nymphs who stray amid the sylvan shade,
Alone, and now they seek the sunny beam,
Now of its burning light are they afraid,
Thus did she bend her course, against the stream,
Still wand'ring on the flowery bank: and I,
As her slow steps, went slowly. And, I deem,
Not yet a hundred paces did we try,

Eager to roam the forest-depths divine
Of thick and living foliage, whose rich gloom
Temper'd the dawn unto my mortal eyne,
I linger'd not, but through the flowery bloom,
Leaving the shore, I went with paces slow
Amid the herbage fraught with sweet perfume.
A pleasant air that seem'd no change to know,
Smote on my forehead with soft motion, still
As gentle as when summer breezes blow.
And then the leaves which, ever trembling, thrill,

As when the earliest radiance of the sun
Dawns where its Maker shed his sacred blood,
And 'neath the midnight Ebro flows adown,
And noonday burns above the Ganges' flood,
Thus was it now; and daylight sank, before
God's holy angel in our presence stood,
And joyful sang beside the fiery shore
" Beati mundo corde , " in a strain
Far sweeter than ye find in mortal lore.
" Ye blessid ones, until the fiery pain

Now was the hour that hath no time of rest:
For noon had shone, and the fierce solar ray
Had Taurus left; and night the Scorpion pass'd.
And therefore, as the man who doth not stay,
But journeys on, whate'er he chance to see,
Such needful haste impels him on his way;
Not with less ardent longing then did we,
Each following each, the upward path begin,
Parted, because so near its ramparts be.
As the young bird that in the air would spring,

The while I fix'd my eyes on the green leaves,
Intently looking with the gaze of one
Who the small song-birds of their life bereaves,
My more than father said to me: " My son,
Now let us hasten on; for it is meet
To profit by the day, ere it is done. "
I quickly turn'd me then; and not less fleet
My footsteps were, that I might draw anear
The wise, whose words made the long journey sweet.
In mingled wail and singing did I hear:

Ill fights the will when one more strong hath will'd;
Against my pleasure, for my guide's content,
I drew the pitcher from the stream unfill'd.
Along the rock I with my leader went,
There where the pathway for our steps was clear,
As one who clings unto a battlement;
For those who from their eyes in many a tear
Shed forth the sin throughout the world dispers'd,
Toward the precipice were placed too near.

Now when the heat of day no more hath power
To lend its warmth unto the moon's chill beam,
Conquer'd by Earth or Saturn, in the hour
When magic sees its greatest fortune gleam,
Before the dawn, in the far orient sky,
Arising in the twilight's silver stream,
I saw a woman hideous and awry,
The while I slept; she seem'd of stammering speech,
Maim'd in her hands, and with distorted eye,
And livid hue. But as the sunbeams reach

The darkest cave within the place of doom,
In the blank dimness of its starless night,
Howe'er surcharged with clouds of deepest gloom,
Shed never such a veil before my sight,
As the foul smoke which o'er this bourne did lie,
Most harsh and biting to the sense; nor might
The pilgrim journey with unclosid eye:
Wherefore my faithful escort to my side
Drew near, that I his strong support might try.
Even as the blind man goes behind his guide,