How of necessity by this, on one,

He passes, while by that on the other side;
If with that clear view thine intellect attend."

"Of truth, kind teacher!" I exclaim'd, "so clear Aught saw I never, as I now discern,

Where seem'd my ken to fail, that the mid orb1
Of the supernal motion (which in terms
Of art is call'd the Equator, and remains
Still 'twixt the sun and winter) for the cause
Thou hast assign'd, from hence toward the north
Departs, when those, who in the Hebrew land
Were dwellers, saw it towards the warmer part.
But if it please thee, I would gladly know,
How far we have to journey for the hill
Mounts higher, than this sight of mine can mount."
He thus to me: "Such is this steep ascent,
That it is ever difficult at first,

But more a man proceeds, less evil grows2.
When pleasant it shall seem to thee, so much
That upward going shall be easy to thee
As in a vessel to go down the tide,

Then of this path thou wilt have reach'd the end.
There hope to rest thee from thy toil. No more
I answer, and thus far for certain know."

As he his words had spoken, near to us

A voice there sounded: "Yet ye first perchance
May to repose you by constraint be led."
At sound thereof each turn'd; and on the left
A huge stone we beheld, of which nor I
Nor he before was ware. Thither we drew;
And there were some, who in the shady place
Behind the rock were standing, as a man
Through idleness might stand. Among them one,
Who seem'd to be much wearied, sat him down,
And with his arms did fold his knees about,
Holding his face between them downward bent.
"Sweet Sir!" I cried, "behold that man who
Himself more idle than if laziness
[shows
Were sister to him." Straight he turn'd to us,

1 That the mid orb.] "That the equator (which is always situated between that part where, when the sun is, he causes summer, and the other where his absence produces winter) recedes from this mountain towards the north, at the time when the Jews inhabiting Mount Sion saw it depart towards the south."-Lombardi.

2 But more a man proceeds, less evil grows.] Because in ascending he gets rid of the weight of his sins.

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And, o'er the thigh lifting his face, observed,
Then in these accents spake: "Up then, proceed,
Thou valiant one." Straight who it was I knew ;
Nor could the pain I felt (for want of breath
Still somewhat urged me) hinder my approach.
And when I came to him, he scarce his head
Uplifted, saying, Well hast thou discern'd,
How from the left the sun his chariot leads."
His lazy acts and broken words my lips
To laughter somewhat moved; when I began :
Belacqua1, now for thee I grieve no more.
But tell, why thou art seated upright there.
Waitest thou escort to conduct thee hence?
Or blame I only thine accustom'd ways?"
Then he: "My brother! of what use to mount,
When, to my suffering, would not let me pass
The bird of God2, who at the portal sits?
Behoves so long that heaven first bear me round
Without its limits, as in life it bore;
Because I, to the end, repentant sighs
Delay'd; if prayer do not aid me first,
That riseth up from heart which lives in grace.
What other kind avails, not heard in heaven ?"
Before me now the poet, up the mount
Ascending, cried: "Haste thee: for see the sun
Has touch'd the point meridian; and the night
Now covers with her foot Marocco's shore 3."

1 Belacqua.] Concerning this man, the commentators afford no information, except that in the margin of the Monte Casino MS. there is found this brief notice of him: "Iste Belacqua fuit optimus magister cithararum, et leutorum, et pigrissimus homo in operibus mundi sicut in operibus animæ." "This Belacqua was an excellent master of the harp and lute, but very negligent in his affairs both spiritual and temporal." Lettera di Eustazio Dicearcheo ad Angelio Sidicino. 4to. Roma. 1801.

2 The bird of God.] Here are two other readings, "Uscier" and " Angel," ""Usher" and "Angel" of God.

3 Marocco's shore.] Cuopre la notte già col piè Marocco. Hence, perhaps, Milton:

Damasco, or Marocco, or Trebisond.

instead of Morocco, as he elsewhere calls it:

Morocco and Algiers and Tremisen.

P. L. b. i. 584.

P. L. b. xi. 404.

If the vowels were to change places, the verse would in both instances be spoiled.

CANTO V.

ARGUMENT.

They meet with others, who had deferred their repentance till they were overtaken by a violent death, when sufficient space being allowed them, they were then saved; and amongst these, Giacopo del Cassero, Buonconte da Montefeltro, and Pia, a lady of Sienna.

Now had I left those spirits, and pursued
The steps of my conductor; when behind,
Pointing the finger at me, one exclaim'd:

See, how it seems as if the light not shone
From the left hand1 of him beneath 2, and he,
As living, seems to be led on."
Mine eyes

I at that sound reverting, saw them gaze,
Through wonder, first at me; and then at me
And the light broken underneath, by turns.

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Why are thy thoughts thus riveted," my guide
Exclaim'd, "that thou hast slack'd thy pace? or how
Imports it thee, what thing is whisper'd here?
Come after me, and to their babblings leave
The crowd. Be as a tower3, that, firmly set,
Shakes not its top for any blast that blows.
He, in whose bosom thought on thought shoots out,
Still of his aim is wide, in that the one
Sicklies and wastes to nought the other's strength."
What other could I answer, save "I come ?"

I said it, somewhat with that colour tinged,
Which oft-times pardon meriteth for man.
Meanwhile traverse along the hill there came,
A little way before us, some who sang
The "Miserere" in responsive strains.
When they perceived that through my body I
Gave way not for the rays to pass, their song

1 It seems as if the light not shone

From the left hand.] The sun was, therefore, on the right of our travelers. For, as before, when seated and looking to the east from whence they had ascended, the sun was on their left; so now that they have risen and are again going forward, it must be on the opposite side of them.

2 Of him beneath.] Of Dante, who was following Virgil up the mountain, and therefore was the lower of the two.

3 Be as a tower.] Sta come torre ferma. So Berni. Orl. Inn. lib. i. canto xvi. st. 48.

In quei due piedi sta fermo il gigante
Com' una torre in mezzo d'un castello.

And Milton. P. L. b. i. 591.

Stood like a tower.

Straight to a long and hoarse exclaim they changed; And two of them, in guise of messengers,

Ran on to meet us, and inquiring ask'd:

66

Of your condition we would gladly learn."
To them my guide. "Ye may return, and bear
Tidings to them who sent you, that his frame
Is real flesh. If, as I deem, to view

His shade they paused, enough is answer'd them :
Him let them honour: they may prize him well."
Ne'er saw I fiery vapours with such speed
Cut through the serene air at fall of night,
Nor August's clouds athwart the setting sun,
That upward these did not in shorter space
Return; and, there arriving, with the rest
Wheel back on us, as with loose rein a troop.
'Many," exclaim'd the bard, "are these, who
Around us to petition thee, they come. [throng
Go therefore on, and listen as thou go'st."

"O spirit! who go'st on to blessedness, With the same limbs that clad thee at thy birth," Shouting they came : a little rest thy step. Look if thou any one amongst our tribe

66

Hast e'er beheld, that tidings of him there2
Thou mayst report. Ah, wherefore go'st thou on?
Ah, wherefore tarriest thou not? We all
By violence died, and to our latest hour

Were sinners, but then warn'd by light from heaven;
So that, repenting and forgiving, we
Did issue out of life at peace with God,
Who, with desire to see him, fills our heart."
Then I: "The visages of all I scan,

Yet none of ye remember. But if aught
That I can do may please you, gentle spirits!
Speak, and I will perform it; by that peace,
Which, on the steps of guide so excellent
Following, from world to world, intent I seek."
In answer he began: "None here distrusts

1 Ne'er saw I fiery vapours.] Imitated by Tasso, G. L.

canto xix. st. 02.

Tal suol fendendo liquido sereno

Stella cader della gran madre in seno.

and by Milton, P. L. b. iv. 558.

Swift as a shooting star

In autumn thwarts the night, when vapours fired
Impress the air.

Compare Statius, Theb. i. 92.

Ilicet igne Jovis, lapsisque citatior astris.

2 There.] Upon the earth.

Thy kindness, though not promised with an oath;
So as the will fail not for want of power.
Whence I, who sole before the others speak,
Entreat thee, if thou ever see that land1
Which lies between Romagna and the realm
Of Charles, that of thy courtesy thou pray
Those who inhabit Fano, that for me
Their adorations duly be put up,

By which I may purge off my grievous sins.
From thence I came 2. But the deep passages,
Whence issued out the blood3 wherein I dwelt,
Upon my bosom in Antenor's land 4

Were made, where to be more secure I thought.
The author of the deed was Este's prince,

Who, more than right could warrant, with his wrath Pursued me. Had I towards Mira fled,

When overta'en at Oriaco, still

Might I have breathed. But to the marsh I sped;
And in the mire and rushes tangled there
Fell, and beheld my life-blood float the plain."
Then said another: "Ah! so may the wish,
That takes thee o'er the mountain, be fulfill'd,
As thou shalt graciously give aid to mine.
Of Montefeltro 15; Buonconte I:

Giovanna nor none else have care for me; Sorrowing with these I therefore go." I thus: "From Campaldino's field what force or chance

1 That land.] The Marca d'Ancona, between Romagna and Apulia, the kingdom of Charles of Anjou.

2 From thence I came.] Giacopo del Cassero, a citizen of Fano, who having spoken ill of Azzo da Este, Marquis of Ferrara, was by his orders put to death. Giacopo was overtaken by the assassins at Oriaco, a place near the Brenta, from whence if he had fled towards Mira, higher up on that river, instead of making for the marsh on the sea-shore, he might have escaped.

3 The blood.] Supposed to be the seat of life.

4 Antenor's land.] The city of Padua, said to be founded by Antenor. This implies a reflection on the Paduans. See Hell, xxxii. 89. Thus G. Villani calls the Venetians "the perfidious descendants from the blood of Antenor, the betrayer of his country, Troy." Lib. xi. cap. 89.

5 Of Montefeltro I.] Buonconte (son of Guido da Montefeltro, whom we have had in the twenty-seventh Canto of Hell) fell in the battle of Campaldino (1289), fighting on the side of the Aretini. In this engagement our Poet took a distinguished part, as we have seen related in his life See Fazio degli Uberti, Dittamondo, lib. ii. cap. xxix.

6 Giovanna.] Either the wife, or a kinswoman of Buon

conte.