PURGATORIO CANTO 31 Dante and Mandelbaum Tr.	Notes	Ann.
«O tu che se' di là dal fiume sacro», volgendo suo parlare a me per punta, che pur per taglio m'era paruto acro, "O you upon the holy stream's far shore," so she, turning her speech's point against me- even its edge had seemed too sharp-began	31.003
ricominciò, seguendo sanza cunta, «dì, dì se questo è vero: a tanta accusa tua confession conviene esser congiunta». again, without allowing interruption, "tell, tell if this is true; for your confession must be entwined with such self-accusation."	31.006
Era la mia virtù tanto confusa, che la voce si mosse, e pria si spense che da li organi suoi fosse dischiusa. My power of speech was so confounded that my voice would move and yet was spent before its organs had released it. She forbore	31.009
Poco sofferse; poi disse: «Che pense? Rispondi a me; ché le memorie triste in te non sono ancor da l'acqua offense». a moment, then she said: "What are you thinking? Reply to me, the water has not yet obliterated your sad memories."	31.012
Confusione e paura insieme miste mi pinsero un tal «sì» fuor de la bocca, al quale intender fuor mestier le viste. Confusion mixed with fear compelled a Yes out of my mouth, and yet that Yes was such- one needed eyes to make out what it was.	31.015
Come balestro frange, quando scocca da troppa tesa la sua corda e l'arco, e con men foga l'asta il segno tocca, Just as a crossbow that is drawn too taut snaps both its cord and bow when it is shot, and arrow meets its mark with feeble force,	31.018
sì scoppia' io sottesso grave carco, fuori sgorgando lagrime e sospiri, e la voce allentò per lo suo varco. so, caught beneath that heavy weight, I burst; and I let tears and sighs pour forth; my voice had lost its life along its passage out.	31.021
Ond'ella a me: «Per entro i mie' disiri, che ti menavano ad amar lo bene di là dal qual non è a che s'aspiri, At this she said: "In the desire for me that was directing you to love the Good beyond which there's no thing to draw our longing,	31.024
quai fossi attraversati o quai catene trovasti, per che del passare innanzi dovessiti così spogliar la spene? what chains were strung, what ditches dug across your path that, once you'd come upon them, caused your loss of any hope of moving forward?"	31.027
E quali agevolezze o quali avanzi ne la fronte de li altri si mostraro, per che dovessi lor passeggiare anzi?». What benefits and what allurements were so evident upon the brow of others that you had need to promenade before them?"	31.030
Dopo la tratta d'un sospiro amaro, a pena ebbi la voce che rispuose, e le labbra a fatica la formaro. After I had withheld a bitter sigh, I scarcely had the voice for my reply, but, laboring, my lips gave my words form.	31.033
Piangendo dissi: «Le presenti cose col falso lor piacer volser miei passi, tosto che 'l vostro viso si nascose». Weeping, I answered: "Mere appearances turned me aside with their false loveliness, as soon as I had lost your countenance."	31.036
Ed ella: «Se tacessi o se negassi ciò che confessi, non fora men nota la colpa tua: da tal giudice sassi! And she: "Had you been silent or denied what you confess, your guilt would not be less in evidence: it's known by such a Judge!	31.039
Ma quando scoppia de la propria gota l'accusa del peccato, in nostra corte rivolge sé contra 'l taglio la rota. But when the charge of sinfulness has burst from one's own cheek, then in our court the whet- stone turns and blunts our blade's own cutting edge.	31.042
Tuttavia, perché mo vergogna porte del tuo errore, e perché altra volta, udendo le serene, sie più forte, Nevertheless, that you may feel more shame for your mistake, and that-in time to come- hearing the Sirens, you may be more strong,	31.045
pon giù il seme del piangere e ascolta: sì udirai come in contraria parte mover dovieti mia carne sepolta. have done with all the tears you sowed, and listen: so shall you hear how, unto other ends, my buried flesh should have directed you.	31.048
Mai non t'appresentò natura o arte piacer, quanto le belle membra in ch'io rinchiusa fui, e che so' 'n terra sparte; Nature or art had never showed you any beauty that matched the lovely limbs in which I was enclosed-limbs scattered now in dust;	31.051
e se 'l sommo piacer sì ti fallio per la mia morte, qual cosa mortale dovea poi trarre te nel suo disio? and if the highest beauty failed you through my death, what mortal thing could then induce you to desire it? For when the first	31.054
Ben ti dovevi, per lo primo strale de le cose fallaci, levar suso di retro a me che non era più tale. arrow of things deceptive struck you, then you surely should have lifted up your wings to follow me, no longer such a thing.	31.057
Non ti dovea gravar le penne in giuso, ad aspettar più colpo, o pargoletta o altra vanità con sì breve uso. No green young girl or other novelty- such brief delight-should have weighed down your wings, awaiting further shafts. The fledgling bird	31.060
Novo augelletto due o tre aspetta; ma dinanzi da li occhi d'i pennuti rete si spiega indarno o si saetta». must meet two or three blows before he learns, but any full-fledged bird is proof against the net that has been spread or arrow, aimed."	31.063
Quali fanciulli, vergognando, muti con li occhi a terra stannosi, ascoltando e sé riconoscendo e ripentuti, As children, when ashamed, will stand, their eyes upon the ground-they listen, silently, acknowledging their fault repentantly-	31.066
tal mi stav'io; ed ella disse: «Quando per udir se' dolente, alza la barba, e prenderai più doglia riguardando». so did I stand; and she enjoined me: "Since hearing alone makes you grieve so, lift up your beard, and sight will bring you greater tears."	31.069
Con men di resistenza si dibarba robusto cerro, o vero al nostral vento o vero a quel de la terra di Iarba, There's less resistance in the sturdy oak to its uprooting by a wind from lands of ours or lands of Iarbas than I showed	31.072
ch'io non levai al suo comando il mento; e quando per la barba il viso chiese, ben conobbi il velen de l'argomento. in lifting up my chin at her command; I knew quite well-when she said "beard" but meant my face-the poison in her argument.	31.075
E come la mia faccia si distese, posarsi quelle prime creature da loro aspersion l'occhio comprese; When I had raised my face upright, my eyes were able to perceive that the first creatures had paused and were no longer scattering flowers;	31.078
e le mie luci, ancor poco sicure, vider Beatrice volta in su la fiera ch'è sola una persona in due nature. and still uncertain of itself, my vision saw Beatrice turned toward the animal that is, with its two natures, but one person.	31.081
Sotto 'l suo velo e oltre la rivera vincer pariemi più sé stessa antica, vincer che l'altre qui, quand'ella c'era. Beneath her veil, beyond the stream, she seemed so to surpass her former self in beauty as, here on earth, she had surpassed all others.	31.084
Di penter sì mi punse ivi l'ortica che di tutte altre cose qual mi torse più nel suo amor, più mi si fé nemica. The nettle of remorse so stung me then, that those-among all other-things that once most lured my love, became most hateful to me.	31.087
Tanta riconoscenza il cor mi morse, ch'io caddi vinto; e quale allora femmi, salsi colei che la cagion mi porse. Such self-indictment seized my heart that I collapsed, my senses slack; what I became is known to her who was the cause of it.	31.090
Poi, quando il cor virtù di fuor rendemmi, la donna ch'io avea trovata sola sopra me vidi, e dicea: «Tiemmi, tiemmi!». Then, when my heart restored my outer sense, I saw the woman whom I'd found alone, standing above me, saying: "Hold, hold me!"	31.093
Tratto m'avea nel fiume infin la gola, e tirandosi me dietro sen giva sovresso l'acqua lieve come scola. She'd plunged me, up to my throat, in the river, and, drawing me behind her, she now crossed, light as a gondola, along the surface.	31.096
Quando fui presso a la beata riva, 'Asperges me' sì dolcemente udissi, che nol so rimembrar, non ch'io lo scriva. When I was near the blessed shore, I heard "Asperges me" so sweetly sung that I cannot remember or, much less, transcribe it.	31.099
La bella donna ne le braccia aprissi; abbracciommi la testa e mi sommerse ove convenne ch'io l'acqua inghiottissi. The lovely woman opened wide her arms; she clasped my head, and then she thrust me under to that point where I had to swallow water.	31.102
Indi mi tolse, e bagnato m'offerse dentro a la danza de le quattro belle; e ciascuna del braccio mi coperse. That done, she drew me out and led me, bathed, into the dance of the four lovely women; and each one placed her arm above my head.	31.105
«Noi siam qui ninfe e nel ciel siamo stelle: pria che Beatrice discendesse al mondo, fummo ordinate a lei per sue ancelle. "Here we are nymphs; in heaven, stars; before she had descended to the world, we were assigned, as her handmaids, to Beatrice;	31.108
Merrenti a li occhi suoi; ma nel giocondo lume ch'è dentro aguzzeranno i tuoi le tre di là, che miran più profondo». we'll be your guides unto her eyes; but it will be the three beyond, who see more deeply, who'll help you penetrate her joyous light."	31.111
Così cantando cominciaro; e poi al petto del grifon seco menarmi, ove Beatrice stava volta a noi. So, singing, they began; then, leading me together with them to the griffin's breast, where Beatrice, turned toward us, stood, they said:	31.114
Disser: «Fa che le viste non risparmi; posto t'avem dinanzi a li smeraldi ond'Amor già ti trasse le sue armi». "See that you are not sparing of your gaze: before you we have set those emeralds from which Love once had aimed his shafts at you."	31.117
Mille disiri più che fiamma caldi strinsermi li occhi a li occhi rilucenti, che pur sopra 'l grifone stavan saldi. A thousand longings burning more than flames compelled my eyes to watch the radiant eyes that, motionless, were still fixed on the griffin.	31.120
Come in lo specchio il sol, non altrimenti la doppia fiera dentro vi raggiava, or con altri, or con altri reggimenti. Just like the sun within a mirror, so the double-natured creature gleamed within, now showing one, and now the other guise.	31.123
Pensa, lettor, s'io mi maravigliava, quando vedea la cosa in sé star queta, e ne l'idolo suo si trasmutava. Consider, reader, if I did not wonder when I saw something that displayed no movement though its reflected image kept on changing.	31.126
Mentre che piena di stupore e lieta l'anima mia gustava di quel cibo che, saziando di sé, di sé asseta, And while, full of astonishment and gladness, my soul tasted that food which, even as it quenches hunger, spurs the appetite,	31.129
sé dimostrando di più alto tribo ne li atti, l'altre tre si fero avanti, danzando al loro angelico caribo. the other three, whose stance showed them to be the members of a higher troop, advanced- and, to their chant, they danced angelically.	31.132
«Volgi, Beatrice, volgi li occhi santi», era la sua canzone, «al tuo fedele che, per vederti, ha mossi passi tanti! "Turn, Beatrice, o turn your holy eyes upon your faithful one," their song beseeched, "who, that he might see you, has come so far.	31.135
Per grazia fa noi grazia che disvele a lui la bocca tua, sì che discerna la seconda bellezza che tu cele». Out of your grace, do us this grace; unveil your lips to him, so that he may discern the second beauty you have kept concealed."	31.138
O isplendor di viva luce etterna, chi palido si fece sotto l'ombra sì di Parnaso, o bevve in sua cisterna, O splendor of eternal living light, who's ever grown so pale beneath Parnassus' shade or has drunk so deeply from its fountain,	31.141
che non paresse aver la mente ingombra, tentando a render te qual tu paresti là dove armonizzando il ciel t'adombra, that he'd not seem to have his mind confounded, trying to render you as you appeared where heaven's harmony was your pale likeness-	31.144
quando ne l'aere aperto ti solvesti? your face, seen through the air, unveiled completely?	31.145

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