iii. 455 and 626; also Pope. Temple of Fame. (102.) The lofty steps are the higher circles of Purgatory. (106.) Lest the reader should despair at the sight of these horrible torments, the poet comforts him by reflecting upon the happiness to follow. "And therefore be thou not curious how the ungodly shall be punished and when; but enquire how the righteous shall be saved, whose the world is, and for whom the world is created."-2 Esdras ix. 13.

Page 93. (Line 116.) The idea of the proud being bent to the ground is probably taken from the punishment of Nebuchadnezzar, who "had his portion with the beasts of the field," and after he was restored to the dignity of man, confesses his sin, and praises God, saying, "Those that walk in pride he is able to abase."-Daniel iv. 37. (121.) "This burst of the poet is worthy of admiration for its beauty, force, and truth."-Biagioli. See Inf. i. 30 and note. Why is earth and ashes proud?....The beginning of pride is as when one departeth from God, and his heart is turned away from his Maker. For pride is the beginning of sin."-Solomon, Eccles. x. 9, 12. (125.) "The soul itself was deemed of old to be aptly designated under the emblematical form of a butterfly, which, having emerged from the chrysalis state, flutters in the air, instead of continuing to crawl on the earth, as it did, before the worm it once was, ceased to exist.-Lord Brougham. Natural Theology, vol. I, p. 132.

CANTO XI.

ARGUMENT.

A PARAPHRASE of the Lord's Prayer, supposed to be sung by the spirits. Virgil enquires the way, and is answered by Omberto. Oderisi d'Agobbio, the illuminator. Salvani of Provence.

"O THOU Our Father who dost dwell in heaven,
Not circumscribed, but by the greater love
To thy first works in those high regions given-
every creature magnify thy name;

Let

And praising Thee enthroned in power above,

Thy wondrous acts with thankful voice proclaim.

O may to us thy kingdom's peace arrive;

For if it come not, sent by Thee below,
With all our efforts fruitlessly we strive.
As Angels sacrifice their will to Thine,
Chaunting Hosannas in thy courts -e'en so
May man to Thee his every will resign.

H

Our daily manna give us day by day;

If that be wanting, in this desert rude

He backward goes, who most would speed his way. As we forgive the wrongs that we receive

At others' hands-do Thou, benign and good,
Weigh not our imperfections-but, forgive.

Risk not the virtue of a race so frail

In struggle with our old inveterate foe;

But Thou deliver when his shafts assail.
Not for ourselves, dear Lord, (we have no need)
Do the last words of this petition flow ;-
For those we left on earth we intercede."

For them and us so praying fair success,

13

19

25

Those shades were journeying on beneath the weight
Like that which often doth in dreams oppress,—

All rack'd with varied suffering, as they go
Round the first cornice, weary of their fate,
Purging the gloom contracted here below.

If then for us they offer ceaseless prayer,

What should be done, their kindness to requite,

31

By those on earth who Heaven's high favour share?

To wash away the stains collected here

'Tis meet we give them aid; that pure

and light

They may ascend unto the starry sphere.

"Ah! so may Justice, so may Pity ease

As

Your burdens soon, that ye may spread anon

Your wings to bear you wheresoe'er ye please— ye direct how we the stair may reach

Most speedily,- -or if more ways than one,

teach:

The easiest of ascent we pray you
For this my comrade, owing to the weight

Of Adam's flesh, with which he still is clad,
Mounts, spite his better will, at tardy rate."
Words straight were heard to answer the request
Thus by my faithful escort gently made,
Though who pronounced them was not manifest;
But this was said: "Now follow on the right
Along the ledge, and you will find such track
As may be mounted by a living wight:
And were I not impeded by the stone
Which curbs the pride of my imperious back,
And forces me to hold my visage down,
Him would I look at, who, untold his name,
Is still alive, if I might know his face,
And for this burden his compassion claim.
A Tuscan was my sire, of high degree,

Aldobrandeschi, of the Latin race,

Though ne'er perhaps his name was heard by thee.

37

43

49

55

The glories of my house, and ancient birth
Made me so proud and arrogant, that I,
Forgetful of our common mother, earth,
Look'd down with such contempt on all below
As cost my life :-Siena bade me die ;-
This each one knows in Campagnatico.

I am Omberto :-not myself alone,

But all my comrades by their lofty pride
Into misfortune have been also thrown.
For such offence am I condemn'd to bear

This heavy load, till God be satisfied:→→→
What I forbore on earth, I practise here."
To catch these words, I stoop'd my head below;

And one of them, but not the same who spoke,
Turn'd him beneath the weight that bow'd him so,
And recognised, and call'd me,-keeping bent

His

eye upon me with laborious look,

As, crouching down, along with them I went. "Art thou not Oderisi," I exclaim'd,

"The honour of Agobbio and that art

In Paris erst illumination named?"

"More smiling, brother, are the sheets that bear The trace of Franco's hand," he said ;-" in part The glory mine, but his the greater share.

61

67

73

79