Where thou shalt hear despairing shrieks, and see
Spirits of old tormented, who invoke

A second death;1 and those next view, who dwell
Content in fire,2 for that they hope to come,
Whene'er the time may be, among the blest,
Into whose regions if thou then desire
To ascend, a spirit worthier 3 than I

Must lead thee, in whose charge, when I depart,
Thou shalt be left: for that Almighty King,
Who reigns above, a rebel to His law
Adjudges me; and therefore hath decreed
That, to His city, none through me should come.
He in all parts hath sway; there rules, there holds
His citadel and throne. O happy those,
Whom there He chuses!" I to him in few:
"Bard! by that God, whom thou didst not adore,
I do beseech thee (that this ill and worse

I may escape) to lead me where thou said'st,
That I Saint Peter's gate 4 may view, and those
Who, as thou tell'st, are in such dismal plight."
Onward he moved, I close his steps pursued.

CANTO II
ARGUMENT

After the invocation, which poets are used to prefix to their works, he shows, that, on a consideration of his own strength, he doubted whether it sufficed for the journey proposed to him, but that, being comforted by Virgil, he at last took courage, and followed him as his guide and master.

Now was the day departing, and the air,

Imbrown'd with shadows, from their toils released
All animals on earth; and I alone

Prepared myself the conflict to sustain,
Both of sad pity, and that perilous road,
Which my unerring memory shall retrace.

1 The souls in Hell. Cf. Rev. ix. 6.

2 In Purgatory.

3 Beatrice, type of Divine Philosophy; Virgil himself being consigned to the Limbo of the virtuous heathen, who without hope live in desire."

4 The gate of Purgatory. Cf. Purg. ix.

O Muses! O high genius! now vouchsafe
Your aid. O mind!1 that all I saw hast kept
Safe in a written record, here thy worth
And eminent endowments come to proof.

I thus began: "Bard! thou who art my guide, Consider well, if virtue be in me

Sufficient, ere to this high enterprise

Thou trust me. Thou hast told that Silvius' sire,
Yet clothed in corruptible flesh, among

The immortal tribes had entrance, and was there
Sensibly present. Yet if Heaven's great Lord,
Almighty foe to ill, such favour show'd
In contemplation of the high effect,

Both what and who from him should issue forth,
It seems in reason's judgment well deserved;
Sith he of Rome and of Rome's empire wide,
In Heaven's empyreal height was chosen sire:
Both which, if truth be spoken, were ordain'd
And stablish'd for the holy place, where sits
Who to great Peter's sacred chair succeeds.
He from this journey, in thy song renown'd,
Learn'd things, that to his victory gave rise
And to the papal robe.3 In after-times
The Chosen Vessel also travel'd there,
To bring us back assurance in that faith
Which is the entrance to salvation's way.
But I, why should I there presume? or who
Permits it? not Æneas I, nor Paul.
Myself I deem not worthy, and none else
Will deem me. I, if on this voyage then
I venture, fear it will in folly end.

Thou, who art wise, better my meaning know'st,
Than I can speak. As one, who unresolves

1. O mente, "O memory."

2 The account of the descent of Æneas, the father of Silvius, to the infernal regions in the sixth book of Virgil's Eneid was probably the original source of Dante's inspiration for the Divina Commedia.

3 According to Dante's theory, the victory of Eneas in Italy led to the foundation of Rome, which was divinely ordained as the seat of Pope and Emperor alike.

4 A mediæval legend, familiar in Dante's time, described the descent of St. Paul into Hell. Others take this as simply referring to the famous passage in the second epistle to the Corinthians (2 Cor. xii. 2), and understand the "immortal tribes " (immortale secolo) in a more general sense.

What he hath late resolved, and with new thoughts
Changes his purpose, from his first intent
Removed; e'en such was I on that dun coast,
Wasting in thought my enterprise, at first
So eagerly embraced. "If right thy words
I scan," replied that shade magnanimous,
Thy soul is by vile fear assail'd, which oft
So overcasts a man, that he recoils

44

From noblest resolution, like a beast

At some false semblance in the twilight gloom.
That from this terror thou mayst free thyself,
I will instruct thee why I came, and what
I heard in that same instant, when for thee
Grief touch'd me first. I was among the tribe
Who rest suspended,1 when a dame, so blest
And lovely I besought her to command,
Call'd me; her eyes were brighter than the star
Of day; and she, with gentle voice and soft,
Angelically tuned, her speech address'd:

'O courteous shade of Mantua ! thou whose fame
'Yet lives, and shall live long as nature lasts!
'A friend, not of my fortune but myself,2

6

• 'On the wide desert in his road has met

Hindrance so great, that he through fear has turn'd.
Now much I dread lest he past help have stray'd,
And I be risen too late for his relief,

From what in heaven of him I heard. Speed now, 'And by thy eloquent persuasive tongue,

'And by all means for his deliverance meet, Assist him. So to me will comfort spring. 'I, who now bid thee on this errand forth, Am Beatrice; 3 from a place I come 'Revisited with joy. Love brought me thence, " Who prompts my speech. When in my Master's sight 'I stand, thy praise to him I oft will tell.'

"She then was silent, and I thus began:

'O Lady! by whose influence alone

'Mankind excels whatever is contain'd

1 In Limbo.

2 Amico mio e non della ventura is better understood and translated: " My friend, and not the friend of fortune " (Carlyle).

3 Beatrice, symbol of Divine Philosophy, but no less the real woman who, even from her throne in Paradise, is caring for her lover's salvation and watching over him. Cf. Christina Rossetti, The Convent Threshold.

'Within that heaven which hath the smallest orb,
'So thy command delights me, that to obey,
'If it were done already, would seem late.

'No need hast thou farther to speak thy will:

'Yet tell the reason, why thou art not loth
'To leave that ample space, where to return
'Thou burnest, for this centre here beneath.'
"She then :

Since thou so deeply wouldst inquire, 'I will instruct thee briefly why no dread 'Hinders my entrance here. Those things alone 'Are to be fear'd whence evil may proceed; 'None else, for none are terrible beside.

'I am so framed by God, thanks to his grace! 'That any sufferance of your misery

'Touches me not, nor flame of that fierce fire
Assails me. In high Heaven a blessed Dame 1
Resides, who mourns with such effectual grief
That hindrance, which I send thee to remove,
That God's stern judgment to her will inclines.
'To Lucia 2 calling, her she thus bespake:
"Now doth thy faithful servant need thy aid,
And I commend him to thee. At her word
Sped Lucia, of all cruelty the foe,

And coming to the place, where I abode

'Seated with Rachel,3 her of ancient days,

She thus address'd me: Thou true praise of God! "Beatrice! why is not thy succour lent

"To him, who so much loved thee, as to leave

"For thy sake all the multitude admires?

"Dost thou not hear how pitiful his wail,

"Nor mark the death, which in the torrent flood,

"Swoln mightier than a sea, him struggling holds?"

Ne'er among men did any with such speed

Haste to their profit, flee from their annoy,

As, when these words were spoken, I came here,

" Down from my blessed seat, trusting the force 'Of thy pure eloquence, which thee, and all 'Who well have mark'd it, into honour brings.' "When she had ended, her bright beaming eyes Tearful she turn'd aside; whereat I felt

1 The Blessed Virgin Mary, symbol of Divine Mercy.

2 Lucia or St. Lucy, the virgin martyr of Syracuse and Dante's patron saint, is here the symbol of Illuminating Grace. 3 Rachel, type of Contemplation.

Redoubled zeal to serve thee.

As she will'd,

Thus am I come: I saved thee from the beast,
Who thy near way across the goodly mount

Prevented. What is this comes o'er thee then?
Why, why dost thou hang back? why in thy breast
Harbour vile fear? why hast not courage there,
And noble daring; since three maids,1 so blest,
Thy safety plan, e'en in the court of Heaven;
And so much certain good my words forebode?"
As florets, by the frosty air of night

Bent down and closed, when day has blanch'd their leaves,

Rise all unfolded on their spiry stems;

So was my fainting vigour new restored,
And to my heart such kindly courage ran,
That I as one undaunted soon replied:
"O full of pity she, who undertook

My succour ! and thou kind, who didst perform
So soon her true behest! With such desire
Thou hast disposed me to renew my voyage,
That my first purpose fully is resumed.
Lead on one only will is in us both.

Thou art my guide, my master thou, and lord."
So spake I; and when he had onward moved,
I enter'd on the deep and woody way.

CANTO III

ARGUMENT

Dante, following Virgil, comes to the gate of Hell; where, after having read the dreadful words that are written thereon, they both enter. Here, as he understands from Virgil, those were punished who had passt their time (for living it could not be called) in a state of apathy and indifference both to good and evil. Then pursuing their way, they arrive at the river Acheron; and there find the old ferryman Charon, who takes the spirits over to the opposite shore; which as soon as Dante reaches, he is seized with terror, and falls into a trance.

44

'THROUGH me you pass into the city of woe: Through me you pass into eternal pain : Through me among the people lost for aye.

1 Mary, Lucia, and Beatrice. Cf. Par. xxxii.