And thou shalt see those others, who are fain In fire to purge them, hopeful in the end Unto whose glory if thou would'st ascend, Another soul 15 must come worthier than I: Thither with her may'st thou thy footsteps wend. For that dread Emperor, who reigns on high, Suffers me not-for that I did rebel Against His law 16-within the empyreal sky To lead thee. There in lofty citadel Enthroned He the universe doth sway. Oh, blest are they with Him elect to dwell!' Thee by that Holy One thou did'st not know, that the expression was suggested by Virgil's 'Cum procul obscuros colles, humilemque videmus Æn. III. 522. 120 125 130 15 Beatrice, the daughter of Folco Portinari, whom Dante met for the first time in A.D. 1274, when he was nine years old. He describes this meeting and its effect upon him at the opening of 'La vita nuova.' 16 Dante's words, ribellante alla sua legge,' must be taken to mean simply-as Signor Bianchi remarks—' alieno dalla sua legge o non seguace di essa.' Otherwise the passage is directly at variance with the statement in Canto iv., that the spirits in Limbo, of whom Virgil was one, had not 'sinned.' See Cant. iv. 34, &c. Escape, lead thou me where thou said'st, that so In glory, and those spirits whelm'd in woe.' 135 Then moved he, and I held on behind. ΤΟ CANTO II. Lo giorno se n' andava. ARGUMENT. DANTE fears that his strength will prove insufficient for the enterprise. 'It was reasonable,' he argues, 'that Æneas and St. Paul, who were respectively concerned in laying and strengthening the foundations of the Roman Empire and the Christian Church, should traverse the unseen world; but what was his claim to so high a privilege?' Virgil revives the confidence of the Poet by relating how he had been visited by Beatrice, and sent by her to rescue him from the wood; and how St. Mary the Virgin and St. Lucy had also intervened on his behalf. Now day declined, and Night with dusky wing Myself to endure heart-piercing agony- 5 Ye sacred nine! aid my adventurous lay. Tell, O my mind, that which did there betide me, ༦ I thus broke silence; Poet, that dost guide me, Ere thou unto this perilous pass confide me. Was yet corruptible, unto the place Immortal went, and was there sensibly. Now, that the Enemy of all ill such grace On him bestow'd, measuring the high effect That was to ensue therefrom-the power-the race Appears not strange to one who can reflect, For that he was of Rome's imperial sway The original author in high heaven elect. Which sway-not for itself alone—to say ΙΟ 15 20 The truth-was stablish'd for the holy place, By this descent, made famous in thy story, 25 He learn'd the sure foundation how to lay 1 Æneas. 2 Eneid vi. 889-894. Election's vessel 3 did this path essay, To gather confirmation for that Faith, Which guideth us into salvation's way. 30 That I the attempt should make-who sanctioneth? I am not Paul, nor Rome's ancestral sage. And like as one who what he will'd again Unwills, with new thoughts from his purpose bending, Ev'n so upon that darksome steep ascending My thoughts consumed the enterprise of good, Embraced so soon, whereon my steps were wending. 'If rightly from thy language I conclude,' The shade of that great-minded one replied, 'Thy spirit is with cowardice imbued ; Which oft-times leadeth men to turn aside In gloom of soul from loftiest enterprise, 35 40 45 Like restive beasts with shadows terrified. That thou may'st purge this film from off thine eyes, Thou shalt what brought me hither understand, 50 And how I learn'd with thee to sympathise. |