Purgatorio
Canto XV
It is now afternoon, when the poets are dazzled by the brightness of an angel who points out to them the next ascent. As they climb upward, Dante reminds Virgil of something which had perplexed him in Guido del Duca’s speech; and Virgil explains the difference between partnership in material goods and partnership in spiritual goods. They reach the third terrace, and Dante is caught up in an ecstatic vision and sees examples of gentleness (the Virgin Mary, Pisistratus, St. Stephen). He comes to himself, and the two continue their journey, till they encounter a dark smoke which surrounds them and robs them of light and air.
AS MUCH AS, ’twixt the third hour and the day’s[i]1-6. It was three hours before sunset, or mid-afternoon.
Beginning, is apparent of the sphere
For ever moving as a child that plays,
So much of the sun’s course did now appear,
Toward evening drawn, to be untravelled yet;
And it was vespers there and midnight here.
The middle of the nose the full beam met,
For we had made the mount’s encirclement
So far that due West now our feet were set,
When heavy on my brows seemed to be bent [10]
A brilliance such as ne’er. before opprest;
And the untold things were an astonishment.
Wherefore I raised my hands up to the crest
Of the eyebrows, and so made the sun less great
Whereby was the light’s overflow comprest.
As when from mirror or from water, straight
The ray will in the opposed direction start,[ii]17. A ray of light is reflected upward at the angle at which it descends.
Ascending by the self-same law as that
Which it descends by, and as far depart
From a stone’s falling line in equal space, [20]
As proveth both experiment and art,
‘Even so reflected light upon my face
Shining in front of me appeared to smite,
Wherefore my eyes were swift themselves to abase.
“Sweet Father, what is that from which my sight,”
I said, “I cannot serviceably fend,
And which seems toward us to be moving bright?”
“Needs not,” he answered, “wonder to expend
That the heavenly retinue should dazzle still.
He is sent, who comes to invite us to ascend. [30]
Soon shall it be that when these things reveal
Themselves, not trouble but a joy ‘twill stir
As great as nature fitteth thee to feel.”
When we had reached the blessed Messenger,
With a glad voice he called us: “Hither come
To a stair far less steep than the others are.”
Already, thence departed, up we clomb.
Beati Misericordes was sung now[iii]38. Matt. 5:7: “Blessed are the merciful.”
Behind, and “Joy thou, that hast overcome.”
My Master and I together alone, we two, [40]
Were mounting, and I thought not to let slip
Profit his words might on the way bestow,
And turned to him with question on my lip:
“What meant the spirit of the Romagnuol
Speaking of ‘ousting’ and of ‘partnership’?”[iv]45. The words of Guido del Duca in Canto XIV, 87
Then he to me: “He knows the hurt to his soul
Of his chief vice; let it not then surprise
If he reprove it, so to cause less dole.
For in as much as all your longing hies
Where partnership diminisheth the share, [50]
’Tis Envy moves the bellows for your sighs.
But did the soul’s love of the highest sphere[v]52 .“The highest sphere” is the Empyrean, the abode of God.
Wrench upward your desire, then would not ye
Within your bosom entertain that fear.
For by so many more saying ‘Ours’ there be,
So much the more of good doth each possess,
And more of love burns in that sanctuary.”
“From being satisfied I fast not less
But more,” said I, “than had I question spared,
And in my mind doubt doth the more increase. [60]
How can it be that out of a good shared
More numerous possessors more shall win
Of wealth than if a few had it in ward?”
And he to me: “Because thou still dost pin
Merely upon terrestrial things thy wit,
From very light thou drawest darkness in.
The Good ineffable and infinite
That is on high so runneth unto love
As a beam comes to a body that is bright.
So much it gives as warmth it findeth of, [70][vi]70-72. The divine love runs to meet the aspiring human affection and, uniting with it, doubles its ardour and its joy.
So that, how far so-ever love be poured,
The eternal goodness doth its best improve.
And the more people on high have that accord,
The more to love well are there, and more love is,
And mirror-like ’tis given and restored.
If my discourse thy hunger not appease,
Thou shalt see Beatrice; she thy craving thought
Shall free from this and all perplexities.
Strive only that the five wounds be razed out
Soon from thy forehead, like to the other twain, [80]
Which by our sorrowing are to healing brought.”
I was nigh saying: “Thou content’st me,” when
I saw me on the circle above to be,
So that my eyes’ wish made me mute again.
There seemed I in a vision of ecstasy[vii]85-88. The examples of gentleness appear as ecstatic visions. The first represents the infant Jesus, who is found in the temple disputing with the doctors.
On a sudden to be caught up from my feet,
And in a temple many a one to see,
And at the entry a lady, with the sweet
Gesture of a mother, saying, “O my son!
Why, son, didst thou thy parents thus entreat? [90]
Behold, thy father and I about have gone
To seek thee sorrowing”; and as there she stopt,
That which appeared first, disappeared: whereon
Appeared to me another woman, who dropt[viii]94. “Another woman”: the wife of Pisistratus, ruler of Athens, enraged because a young man has dared to embrace their daughter.
Those waters down her cheek which grief has stored
And which from indignation spring abrupt,
Saying: “If thou art of the city lord
For whose name did the gods such strife declare
And whence all knowledge sparkling is outpoured,
Avenge thee of those presumptuous arms that dare [100]
Embrace our daughter, O Pisistratus!”
And the lord seemed with a benignant air
To answer her, serene and courteous:
“What shall we do to him who works us ill
If he who loves us is condemned by us?”
Then saw I people inflamed by angry will
Slaying a youth with stones, and each one bade[ix]107. For the stoning of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, see Acts 7: 54-60.
The other on, crying aloud “Kill, Kill!”
And him I saw with body already weighed
Down unto earth by death, yet not the less [110]
Ever of his eyes gates unto heaven he made,
Praying the high Lord in such agonies
With that look which doth pity’s door undo
That he forgive his persecutors this.
When my soul came back to the outward view
Of what true things are outside of its thought,
I recognised my errors not untrue.
My leader, who could see my body all wrought
Like a man shaking sleep off from his limbs,
Said, “What doth ail, that thou art so distraught [120]
And more than half a league with eye that swims
And legs that stagger comest on thy way
Like him whom wine or heavy sleep bedims?”
“Sweet Father mine, listen, and if I may”
I said, “Tl tell thee what I saw appear
When from me thus my legs were taken away.”
And he: “Had’st thou a hundred masks to wear
Over thy face, thou couldest not but choose
To show me thy hid thoughts, how small so’er.
What thou saw’st was that thou might’st not excuse [130]
Thy heart from letting in the water of peace
Which the eternal fount ever renews.
I asked ‘What ails?’ not with the thought that is
In him who asks and looks but with the eye,
Which, when the body is senseless, nothing sees.
I asked, that I thy feet might fortify.
So must be spurred the laggard, ever slow
The waking hour’s return to profit by.”
We through the evening journeying strove to throw
Our strained eyes as far forward as we could, [140]
Against the beams of evening shining low.
And lo, by little and little a smoky cloud
Rolled itself onward toward us, dark as night,
And every place of refuge overflowed:
This robbed us of the pure air and of sight.