Binyon's Dante

Laurence Binyon's translation of Dante's Divine Comedy.

Hover over the green Roman numerals for Charles Hall Grandgent's annotations.

The PDF version, with more assured formatting, can be found here.

Paradiso

Canto IX

Dante apostrophises Clemence, Charles’s daughter, still living and Queen of France, assuring her of retribution to be exacted for the wrongs suffered by Charles’s family. 

Another spirit now makes itself known: Cunizza da Romano, sister of the notorious tyrant, “the fiery brand,” Ezzelin. She tells of the crimes of the people of her country, especially of the bishop of Feltro who gave up to execution a number of Ferrarese who had taken refuge with him. (Malta, line 54, was the name of several prisons; here perhaps one at Bolsena.) Fulk is the name of the next spirit to appear. He was born at Marseilles, but without naming the place lets it be inferred from elaborate geographical indications. First a troubadour, then a monk, Fulk ended as a bishop. Like Cunizza, he feels no remorse for the amours of his youth. He points out the spirit of Rahab the harlot, and denounces the corruption of the Papacy and priesthood. (The “accursed flower,” line 180, is the lily stamped on the golden florin.)


AFTER thy Charles, beautiful Clemence, thus

Had solved my doubt, he spoke of treachery soon

To afflict his seed and bring them cruel loss.

But “Hold thy peace,” he said; “let time roll on.”

So I can tell naught, save that, to requite

Your wrongs, shall chastisement be duly done.

Already the spirit of that sacred light

Had turned unto the Sun which thrills it through,

As to that Good whence all things drink delight.

Ah, souls deceived and impious creatures! You [10]

Whose hearts from so great good pervert your aim

And twist your foreheads unto things untrue!

And lo, another of those splendours came

Toward me, and signified its good intent

To please me, by its brighter outward flame:

The eyes of Beatrice, which were wholly bent

Upon me, as before, made me assured

That my desire should have her dear assent.

“Ah, swiftly,” said I, “proof to me accord[i]19-21. Answer me without waiting to be questioned.

That I can on thy mind reflect my mind, [20]

Blest spirit! and give my longing its reward.”

Whereon the light, by me still undivined,

Out of its depths, whence rose its singing first,

Went on, as one whose joy is to be kind:

“In that part of the Italian land, immersed[ii]25. “In that part . . .”: the March of Treviso, in the northeast corner of Italy.

In sin, that is between Rialto set

And Piave and Brenta, where their springs outburst

Rises a hill, and soars to no great height;

Whence once a fiery brand rushed down, to war[iii]29. “A fiery brand”: Ezzelin (see the Argument).

Upon that region and to ravage it. [30]

Out of one root with it was I born there.

Cunizza was I called; and here I glow,

Since I was conquered by this burning star.

But for the cause of this my lot I owe[iv]34. “The cause”: the influence of Venus.

No grief, but shrive myself in happiness:

Hard saying, maybe, to your crowd below.

Of this dear jewel, luminous in bliss,[v]37. “This dear jewel’: Fulk of Marseilles, who reappears in line 67.

Which in our heaven neighboureth me most near,

Great fame remains; and ere it perishes

Five times shall come again the hundredth year. [40][vi]40. Five centuries shall pass. Dante probably thought the world would come to an end at about that time.

Think, should a man not make himself excel

So that the first life may a second rear?

Not such high aim the present rabble who dwell[vii]43. “The . . . rabble who dwell . . .”: the citizens of Treviso.

'Twixt Adige and Tagliamento choose,

Nor yet repent beneath the tyrant’s flail.

But soon shall Padua by the reedy ooze[viii]46-47. In 1314 the Paduans attacking Vicenza were defeated by Can onus of Verona.

Stain the stream watering Vicenza red,

Since duty still the froward folk refuse;

And where Cagnano and Sile join their bed[ix]49. “And where . . .”: at Treviso.

One lordeth it and goes with head held high, [50][x]50. “One lordeth . . .”: Rizzardo, a powerful lord, who was to be murdered by an assassin.

To catch whom even now the net is spread.

Feltro shall wail its pastor’s perfidy—[xi]52. “Its pastor”: the bishop of Feltro (see the Argument).

A crime so foul, that Malta’s deep dungeons

Held never a doer of like infamy.

Exceeding wide and big would be the tuns

Sufficient to contain Ferrara’s blood,

And weary who should weigh it, ounce by ounce,

Which that suave priest shall lavish in a flood

To prove his party zeal; and such expense

Shall be congenial to that country’s brood. [60]

Above are Mirrors—Thrones ye call them—whence[xii]61. The “Thrones” are the angels that direct the Heaven of Saturn.

God in his judgments shineth on us here,

So that these words commend them to our sense.”

She ceased then; and like one whose thoughts appear

Gone elsewhither, she turned, as the wheel turned

And in its circle again included her.

The other Joy, of whom I had newly learned[xiii]67. “The other Joy”: Fulk (see line 37).

As something precious, made my eyes as glad

As a fine ruby on which a sunbeam burned.

Joy doth in heaven splendour to shining add, [70]

As smiles on earth; but down below the shade[xiv]71. “Down below”: in Hell.

Outwardly darkens as the mind is sad.

“God sees all; and thy sight, blest spirit,” I said,

“Is deep in Him, so that no harbourings

Of secret wish thy vision may evade:

Why doth thy voice then, which forever sings

To charm Heaven, with those Flames’ devout concert[xv]77. “Those Flames”: the six-winged Seraphim.

Which make themselves a cowl of the six wings,

Not satisfy the longing of my heart?

I would not now be waiting thy request [80]

Were I so in thee as in me thou art.”

Then he began to speak: “That mightiest[xvi]82-83. “That mightiest of valleys”: the Mediterranean.

Of valleys that the expanding water brims

Out of the ocean wreathed about Earth’s breast

So far between its shores’ estrangement streams

Against the sun, it is meridian there

Which at its starting-point horizon seems.

Of that valley was I a coast-dweller

’Twixt Ebro and Magra, which, with course soon done,[xvii]89. Between the Spanish river Ebro and the Italian Magra.

Parts Genoese from Tuscan villager. [90]

Almost alike for rise and set of sun

Lies Bugia and the place from which I came,[xviii]92. “Bugia”: a town on the north coast of Africa. “The place”: Marseilles.

That once with warm blood made its harbour run.

Fulk was I called by those that knew my name;

And this heaven taketh my imprint to wear

As I from its imprinting do the same.

For Belus’ daughter burned not fierier,[xix]97-102. “Belus’s daughter”: Dido. All the following are examples of passionate love.

Wronging Sichaeus and Creusa both,

Than I, so long as curled my youthful hair,

Nor Rhodopeian maid, ensnared by the oath [100]

Demophoön swore, nor Hercules when he

Held Iole enclosed in his heart’s troth.

Yet here is no repentance, only glee;

Not for the sin, washed from our memories,

But for the Power which planned and could foresee.

We contemplate the art which beautifies

Result so great, and we discern the Good

Which turns the world below back toward the skies.

But that thou may’st reap all the plenitude

Of thy desires, engendered in this sphere, [110]

Behoves yet more to say, ere I conclude.

Thou long’st to know who lives in that light here

Which near to me so sparkles in its bliss

As the sun’s ray glitters on water clear.

Know that within there Rahab is at peace;[xx]115. The story of Rahab, a harlot who hid Joshua’s spies, is related in Josh. 2.

And having joined our order she bestows

Her seal upon it in the loftiest place.

To this heaven, where the shadow your earth throws

Comes to a point, first soul to be retrieved

Of any, she with Christ triumphant rose; [120]

And meet it was that she should be received

In some heaven, palm of victory supreme

That was with those two nailèd palms achieved,[xxi]123. By lifting up both hands.

Because in Joshua’s war she prospered him

Toward his first glory in the Holy Land,

Which to the papal memory is grown dim.

Thy city, which was planted by his hand[xxii]127. “Thy city’: Florence, a plant of the devil.

Who first presumed his maker to abhor,

And from whose envy woe and wail expand,

Puts forth and propagates the accursed flower [130][xxiii]130. “The accursed flower”: see the Argument.

Which leads both sheep and lambs astray; and ’tis

Not the wolves now, but shepherds, that devour.

The Gospel and great Doctors are for this

Forsaken, and only the Decretals read[xxiv]134. “The Decretals” (Canon Law) are studied for financial profit.

With zeal, as many a margin testifies.

To this the Pope and Cardinals are wed:

They in their thoughts never to Nazareth come,

There, whither Gabriel his wings outspread.

But Vatican and the other parts of Rome

That are its holy places, where lie hid [140]

Soldiers of Peter, each beneath his tomb,

Shall of this whoredom speedily be rid.”[xxv]142. “Whoredom”: the unholy union of a corrupt Papacy and the Church.



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