LITMIR.BIZ

      He then: "The anguish of that race below

      With pity stains my cheek, which thou for fear

      Mistakest. Let us on. Our length of way

      Urges to haste." Onward, this said, he mov'd;

      And ent'ring led me with him on the bounds

      Of the first circle, that surrounds th' abyss.

      Here, as mine ear could note, no plaint was heard

      Except of sighs, that made th' eternal air

      Tremble, not caus'd by tortures, but from grief

      Felt by those multitudes, many and vast,

      Of men, women, and infants. Then to me

      The gentle guide: "Inquir'st thou not what spirits

      Are these, which thou beholdest? Ere thou pass

      Farther, I would thou know, that these of sin

      Were blameless; and if aught they merited,

      It profits not, since baptism was not theirs,

      The portal to thy faith. If they before

      The Gospel liv'd, they serv'd not God aright;

      And among such am I. For these defects,

      And for no other evil, we are lost;

      "Only so far afflicted, that we live

      Desiring without hope." So grief assail'd

      My heart at hearing this, for well I knew

      Suspended in that Limbo many a soul

      Of mighty worth. "O tell me, sire rever'd!

      Tell me, my master!" I began through wish

      Of full assurance in that holy faith,

      Which vanquishes all error; "say, did e'er

      Any, or through his own or other's merit,

      Come forth from thence, whom afterward was blest?"

      Piercing the secret purport of my speech,

      He answer'd: "I was new to that estate,

      When I beheld a puissant one arrive

      Amongst us, with victorious trophy crown'd.

      He forth the shade of our first parent drew,

      Abel his child, and Noah righteous man,

      Of Moses lawgiver for faith approv'd,

      Of patriarch Abraham, and David king,

      Israel with his sire and with his sons,

      Nor without Rachel whom so hard he won,

      And others many more, whom he to bliss

      Exalted. Before these, be thou assur'd,

      No spirit of human kind was ever sav'd."

      We, while he spake, ceas'd not our onward road,

      Still passing through the wood; for so I name

      Those spirits thick beset. We were not far

      On this side from the summit, when I kenn'd

      A flame, that o'er the darken'd hemisphere

      Prevailing shin'd. Yet we a little space

      Were distant, not so far but I in part

      Discover'd, that a tribe in honour high

      That place possess'd. "O thou, who every art

      And science valu'st! who are these, that boast

      Such honour, separate from all the rest?"

      He answer'd: "The renown of their great names

      That echoes through your world above, acquires

      Favour in heaven, which holds them thus advanc'd."

      Meantime a voice I heard: "Honour the bard

      Sublime! his shade returns that left us late!"

      No sooner ceas'd the sound, than I beheld

      Four mighty spirits toward us bend their steps,

      Of semblance neither sorrowful nor glad.

      When thus my master kind began: "Mark him,

      Who in his right hand bears that falchion keen,

      The other three preceding, as their lord.

      This is that Homer, of all bards supreme:

      Flaccus the next in satire's vein excelling;

      The third is Naso; Lucan is the last.

      Because they all that appellation own,

      With which the voice singly accosted me,

      Honouring they greet me thus, and well they judge."

      So I beheld united the bright school

      Of him the monarch of sublimest song,

      That o'er the others like an eagle soars.

      When they together short discourse had held,

      They turn'd to me, with salutation kind

      Beck'ning me; at the which my master smil'd:

      Nor was this all; but greater honour still

      They gave me, for they made me of their tribe;

      And I was sixth amid so learn'd a band.

      Far as the luminous beacon on we pass'd

      Speaking of matters, then befitting well

      To speak, now fitter left untold. At foot

      Of a magnificent castle we arriv'd,

      Seven times with lofty walls begirt, and round

      Defended by a pleasant stream. O'er this

      As o'er dry land we pass'd. Next through seven gates

      I with those sages enter'd, and we came

      Into a mead with lively verdure fresh.

      There dwelt a race, who slow their eyes around

      Majestically mov'd, and in their port

      Bore eminent authority; they spake

      Seldom, but all their words were tuneful sweet.

      We to one side retir'd, into a place

      Open and bright and lofty, whence each one

      Stood manifest to view. Incontinent

      There on the green enamel of the plain

      Were shown me the great spirits, by whose sight

      I

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