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Dante Alighieri (1265–1321). The Divine Comedy.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

Purgatory

Canto XXIX ARGUMENT.—The lady, who in a following Canto is called Matilda, moves along the side of the stream in a contrary direction to the current, and Dante keeps equal pace with her on the opposite bank. A marvellous sight, preceded by music, appears in view.

SINGING, as if enamour’d, she resumed

And closed the song, with “Blessed they whose sins

Are cover’d.” Like the wood-nymphs then, that

Singly across the sylvan shadows; one [tripp’d

Eager to view, and one to escape the sun;

So moved she on, against the current, up

The verdant rivage. I, her mincing step

Observing, with as tardy step pursued.

Between us not an hundred paces trod,

The bank, on each side bending equally,

Gave me to face the orient. Nor our way

Far onward brought us, when to me at once

She turn’d, and cried: “My brother! look, and hearken.”

And lo! a sudden lustre ran across

Through the great forest on all parts, so bright,

I doubted whether lightning were abroad;

But that, expiring ever in the spleen

That doth unfold it, and this during still,

And waxing still in splendour, made me question

What it might be: and a sweet melody

Ran through the luminous air. Then did I chide,

With warrantable zeal, the hardihood

Of our first, parent; for that there, where earth,

Stood in obedience to the Heavens, she only,

Woman, the creature of an hour, endured not

Restraint of any veil, which had she borne

Devoutly, joys, ineffable as these,

Had from the first, and long time since, been mine.

While, through that wilderness of primly sweets

That never fade, suspense I walk’d, and yet

Expectant of beatitude more high;

Before us, like a blazing fire, the air

Under the green boughs glow’d; and, for a song,

Distinct the sound of melody was heard.

O ye thrice holy virgins! for your sakes

If e’er I suffer’d hunger, cold, and watching,

Occasion calls on me to crave your bounty.

Now through my breast let Helicon his stream

Pour copious, and Urania with her choir

Arise to aid me; while the verse unfolds

Things, that do almost mock the grasp of thought.

Onward a space, what seem’d seven trees of gold

The intervening distance to mine eye

Falsely presented; but, when I was come

So near them, that no lineament was lost

Of those, with which a doubtful object, seen

Remotely, plays on the misdeeming sense;

Then did the faculty, that ministers

Discourse to reason, these for tapers of gold

Distinguish; and i’ the singing trace the sound

“Hosanna!” Above, their beauteous garniture

Flamed with more ample lustre, than the moon

Through cloudless sky at midnight, in her noon.

I turn’d me, full of wonder, to my guide;

And he did answer with a countenance

Charged with no less amazement: whence my view

Reverted to those lofty things, which came

So slowly moving toward us, that the bride

Would have outstript them on her bridal day.

The lady call’d aloud: “Why thus yet burns

Affection in thee for these living lights,

And dost not look on that which follows them?”

I straightway mark’d a tribe behind them walk,

As if attendant on their leaders, clothed

With raiment of such whiteness, as on earth

Was never. On my left, the watery gleam

Borrow’d, and gave me back, when there I look’d,

As in a mirror, my left side portray’d.

When I had chosen on the river’s edge

Such station, that the distance of the stream

Alone did separate me; there I stay’d

My steps for clearer prospect, and beheld

The flames go onward, leaving, as they went,

The air behind them painted as with trail

Of liveliest pencils; so distinct were mark’d

All those seven listed colours, whence the sun

Maketh his bow, and Cynthia her zone.

These streaming gonfalons did flow beyond

My vision; and ten paces, as I guess,

Parted the outermost. Beneath a sky

So beautiful, came four and twenty elders,

By two and two, with flower-de-luces crown’d.

All sang one song: “Blessed be thou among

The daughters of Adam! and thy loveliness

Blessed forever!” After that the flowers,

And the fresh herblets, on the opposite brink,

Were free from that elected race; as light

In heaven doth second light, came after them

Four animals, each crown’d with verdurous leaf.

With six wings each was plumed; the plumage full

Of eyes; and the eyes of Argus would be such,

Were they endued with life. Reader! more rhymes

I will not waste in shadowing forth their form:

For other need so straitens, that in this

I may not give my bounty room. But read

Ezekiel; for he paints them, from the north

How he beheld them come by Chebar’s flood,

In whirlwind, cloud, and fire; and even such

As thou shalt find them character’d by him,

Here were they; save as to the pennons: there,

From him departing, John accords with me.

The space, surrounded by the four, enclosed

A car triumphal: on two wheels it came,

Drawn at a Gryphon’s neck; and he above

Stretch’d either wing uplifted, ’tween the midst

And the three listed hues, on each side, three;

So that the wings did cleave or injure none;

And out of sight they rose. The members, far

As he was bird, were golden; white the rest,

with vermeil interven’d. So beautiful

A car, in Rome, ne’er graced Augustus’ pomp,

Or Africanus’: e’en the sun’s itself

Were poor to this; that chariot of the sun,

Erroneous, which in blazing ruin fell

At Tellus’ prayer devout, by the just doom

Mysterious of all-seeing Jove. Three nymphs,

At the right wheel, came circling in smooth dance:

The one so ruddy, that her form had scarce

Been known within a furnace of clear flame;

The next did look, as if the flesh and bones

Were emerald; snow new-fallen seem’d the third.

Now seem’d the white to lead, the ruddy now;

And from her song who led, the others took

Their measure, swift or slow. At the other wheel,

A band quaternion, each in purple clad,

Advanced with festal step, as, of them, one

The rest conducted; one, upon whose front

Three eyes were seen. In rear of all this group,

Two old men I beheld, dissimilar

In raiment, but in port and gesture like,

Solid and mainly grave; of whom, the one

Did show himself some favor’d counsellor

Of the great Coan, him, whom nature made

To serve the costliest creature of her tribe:

His fellow mark’d an opposite intent;

Bearing a sword, whose glitterance and keen edge,

E’en as I viewed it with the flood between,

Appall’d me. Next, four others I beheld

Of humble seeming: and, behind them all,

One single old man, sleeping as he came,

With a shrewd visage. And these seven, each

Like the first troop were habited; but wore

No braid of lilies on their temples wreathed.

Rather, with roses and each vermeil flower,

A sight, but little distant, might have sworn,

That they were all on fire above their brow.

Whenas the car was o’er against me, straight

Was heard a thundering, at whose voice it seem’d

The chosen multitude were stay’d; for there,

With the first ensigns, made they solemn halt.