LITMIR.BIZ

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me: "No step of thine descend;

       Still up the mount behind me win thy way,

       Till some sage escort shall appear to us."

      The summit was so high it vanquished sight,

       And the hillside precipitous far more

       Than line from middle quadrant to the centre.

      Spent with fatigue was I, when I began:

       "O my sweet Father! turn thee and behold

       How I remain alone, unless thou stay!"

      "O son," he said, "up yonder drag thyself,"

       Pointing me to a terrace somewhat higher,

       Which on that side encircles all the hill.

      These words of his so spurred me on, that I

       Strained every nerve, behind him scrambling up,

       Until the circle was beneath my feet.

      Thereon ourselves we seated both of us

       Turned to the East, from which we had ascended,

       For all men are delighted to look back.

      To the low shores mine eyes I first directed,

       Then to the sun uplifted them, and wondered

       That on the left hand we were smitten by it.

      The Poet well perceived that I was wholly

       Bewildered at the chariot of the light,

       Where 'twixt us and the Aquilon it entered.

      Whereon he said to me: "If Castor and Pollux

       Were in the company of yonder mirror,

       That up and down conducteth with its light,

      Thou wouldst behold the zodiac's jagged wheel

       Revolving still more near unto the Bears,

       Unless it swerved aside from its old track.

      How that may be wouldst thou have power to think,

       Collected in thyself, imagine Zion

       Together with this mount on earth to stand,

      So that they both one sole horizon have,

       And hemispheres diverse; whereby the road

       Which Phaeton, alas! knew not to drive,

      Thou'lt see how of necessity must pass

       This on one side, when that upon the other,

       If thine intelligence right clearly heed."

      "Truly, my Master," said I, "never yet

       Saw I so clearly as I now discern,

       There where my wit appeared incompetent,

      That the mid-circle of supernal motion,

       Which in some art is the Equator called,

       And aye remains between the Sun and Winter,

      For reason which thou sayest, departeth hence

       Tow'rds the Septentrion, what time the Hebrews

       Beheld it tow'rds the region of the heat.

      But, if it pleaseth thee, I fain would learn

       How far we have to go; for the hill rises

       Higher than eyes of mine have power to rise."

      And he to me: "This mount is such, that ever

       At the beginning down below 'tis tiresome,

       And aye the more one climbs, the less it hurts.

      Therefore, when it shall seem so pleasant to thee,

       That going up shall be to thee as easy

       As going down the current in a boat,

      Then at this pathway's ending thou wilt be;

       There to repose thy panting breath expect;

       No more I answer; and this I know for true."

      And as he finished uttering these words,

       A voice close by us sounded: "Peradventure

       Thou wilt have need of sitting down ere that."

      At sound thereof each one of us turned round,

       And saw upon the left hand a great rock,

       Which neither I nor he before had noticed.

      Thither we drew; and there were persons there

       Who in the shadow stood behind the rock,

       As one through indolence is wont to stand.

      And one of them, who seemed to me fatigued,

       Was sitting down, and both his knees embraced,

       Holding his face low down between them bowed.

      "O my sweet Lord," I said, "do turn thine eye

       On him who shows himself more negligent

       Then even Sloth herself his sister were."

      Then he turned round to us, and he gave heed,

       Just lifting up his eyes above his thigh,

       And said: "Now go thou up, for thou art valiant."

      Then knew I who he was; and the distress,

       That still a little did my breathing quicken,

       My going to him hindered not; and after

      I came to him he hardly raised his head,

       Saying: "Hast thou seen clearly how the sun

       O'er thy left shoulder drives his chariot?"

      His sluggish attitude and his curt words

       A little unto laughter moved my lips;

       Then I began: "Belacqua, I grieve not

      For thee henceforth; but tell me, wherefore seated

       In this place art thou? Waitest thou an escort?

       Or has thy usual habit seized upon thee?"

      And he: "O brother, what's the use of climbing?

       Since to my torment would not let me go

       The Angel of God, who sitteth at the gate.

      First heaven must needs so long revolve me round

       Outside thereof, as in my life it did,

       Since the good sighs I to the end postponed,

      Unless, e'er that, some prayer may bring me aid

       Which rises from a heart that lives in grace;

       What profit others that in heaven are heard not?"

      Meanwhile the Poet was before me mounting,

       And saying: "Come now; see the sun has touched

       Meridian, and from the shore the night

      Covers already with her foot Morocco."

      V. Those who died by Violence, but repentant. Buonconte di Monfeltro. La Pia.

       Table of Contents

      I had already from those shades departed,

       And followed in the footsteps of my Guide,

       When from behind, pointing his finger at me,

      One shouted: "See, it seems as if shone not

       The sunshine on the left of him below,

       And like one living seems he to conduct him."

      Mine eyes I turned at utterance of these words,

      

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