PURGATORIO CANTO 06 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.	Notes	Ann.
When dicing's done and players separate, the loser's left alone, disconsolate- rehearsing what he'd thrown, he sadly learns; WHENE'ER is broken up the game of Zara, He who has lost remains behind despondent, The throws repeating, and in sadness learns;	06.003
all of the crowd surrounds the one who won- one goes in front, and one tugs at his back, and at his side one asks to be remembered; The people with the other all depart; One goes in front, and one behind doth pluck And at his side one brings himself to mind;	06.006
he does not halt but listens to them all; and when he gives them something, they desist; and so he can fend off the pressing throng. He pauses not, and this and that one hears; They crowd no more to whom his hand he stretches, And from the throng he thus defends himself.	06.009
And I, in that persistent pack, was such: this way and that, I turned my face to them and, making promises, escaped their clutch. Even such was I in that dense multitude, Turning to them this way and that my face, And, promising, I freed myself therefrom.	06.012
There was the Aretine who met his death beneath Ghino di Tacco's bestial hands, and one who drowned when, in pursuit, he ran. There was the Aretine, who from the arms Untamed of Ghin di Tacco had his death, And he who fleeing from pursuit was drowned.	06.015
There, with his outstretched hands, was Federigo Novello, praying, and the Pisan who made good Marzucco show his fortitude. There was imploring with his hands outstretched Frederick Novello, and that one of Pisa Who made the good Marzucco seem so strong.	06.018
I saw Count Orso, and I saw the soul cleft from its body out of spite and envy- not, so it said, because it had been guilty- I saw Count Orso; and the soul divided By hatred and by envy from its body, As it declared, and not for crime committed,	06.021
I mean Pier de la Brosse (and may the Lady of Brabant, while she's still in this world, watch her ways-or end among a sadder flock). Pierre de la Brosse I say; and here provide While still on earth the Lady of Brabant, So that for this she be of no worse flock!	06.024
As soon as I was free from all those shades who always pray for others' prayers for them, so as to reach their blessed state more quickly, As soon as I was free from all those shades Who only prayed that some one else may pray, So as to hasten their becoming holy,	06.027
I started: "O my light, it seems to me that in one passage you deny expressly that prayer can bend the rule of Heaven, yet Began I: "It appears that thou deniest, O light of mine, expressly in some text, That orison can bend decree of Heaven;	06.030
these people pray precisely for that end. Is their hope, therefore, only emptiness, or have I not read clearly what you said?" And ne'ertheless these people pray for this. Might then their expectation bootless be Or is to me thy saying not quite clear ?"	06.033
And he to me: "My text is plain enough, and yet their hope is not delusive if one scrutinizes it with sober wit; And he to me: "My writing is explicit, And not fallacious is the hope of these, If with sane intellect 'tis well regarded;	06.036
the peak of justice is not lowered when the fire of love accomplishes in one instant the expiation owed by all For top of judgment doth not vail itself, Because the fire of love fulfils at once What he must satisfy who here installs him.	06.039
who dwell here; for where I asserted this- that prayers could not mend their fault-I spoke of prayers without a passageway to God. And there, where I affirmed that proposition, Defect was not amended by a prayer, Because the prayer from God was separate.	06.042
But in a quandary so deep, do not conclude with me, but wait for word that she, the light between your mind and truth, will speak- Verily, in so deep a questioning Do not decide, unless she tell it thee, Who light 'twixt truth and intellect shall be.	06.045
lest you misunderstand, the she I mean is Beatrice; upon this mountain's peak, there you shall see her smiling joyously." I know not if thou understand; I speak Of Beatrice; her shalt thou see above, Smiling and happy, on this mountain's top."	06.048
And I: "Lord, let us move ahead more quickly, for now I am less weary than before; and-you can see-the slope now casts a shadow." And I: "Good Leader, let us make more haste, For I no longer tire me as before; And see, e'en now the hill a shadow casts."	06.051
"As long as it is day, we'll make as much headway as possible," he answered; "but our climb won't be as rapid as you thought. "We will go forward with this day" he answered, "As far as now is possible for us; But otherwise the fact is than thou thinkest.	06.054
You will not reach the peak before you see the sun returning: now he hides behind the hills-you cannot interrupt his light. Ere thou art up there, thou shalt see return Him, who now hides himself behind the hill, So that thou dost not interrupt his rays.	06.057
But see-beyond-a soul who is completely apart, and seated, looking toward us; he will show us where to climb most speedily." But yonder there behold! a soul that stationed All, all alone is looking hitherward; It will point out to us the quickest way."	06.060
We came to him. O Lombard soul, what pride and what disdain were in your stance! Your eyes moved with such dignity, such gravity! We came up unto it; O Lombard soul, How lofty and disdainful thou didst bear thee, And grand and slow in moving of thine eyes!	06.063
He said no thing to us but let us pass, his eyes intent upon us only as a lion watches when it is at rest. Nothing whatever did it say to us, But let us go our way, eying us only After the manner of a couchant lion;	06.066
Yet Virgil made his way to him, appealing to him to show us how we'd best ascend; and he did not reply to that request, Still near to it Virgilius drew, entreating That it would point us out the best ascent; And it replied not unto his demand,	06.069
but asked us what our country was and who we were, at which my gentle guide began "Mantua"-and that spirit, who had been But of our native land and of our life It questioned us; and the sweet Guide began: "Mantua,"--and the shade, all in itself recluse,	06.072
so solitary, rose from his position, saying:"O Mantuan, I am Sordello, from your own land!" And each embraced the other. Rose tow'rds him from the place where first it was. Saying: "O Mantuan, I am Sordello Of thine own land!" and one embraced the other.	06.075
Ah, abject Italy, you inn of sorrows, you ship without a helmsman in harsh seas, no queen of provinces but of bordellos! Ah! servile Italy, grief's hostelry! A ship without a pilot in great tempest! No Lady thou of Provinces, but brothel!	06.078
That noble soul had such enthusiasm: his city's sweet name was enough for him to welcome-there-his fellow-citizen; That noble soul was so impatient, only At the sweet sound of his own native land, To make its citizen glad welcome there;	06.081
But those who are alive within you now can't live without their warring-even those whom one same wall and one same moat enclose And now within thee are not without war Thy living ones, and one doth gnaw the other Of those whom one wall and one fosse shut in!	06.084
gnaw at each other. Squalid Italy, search round your shores and then look inland-see if any part of you delight in peace. Search, wretched one, all round about the shores Thy seaboard, and then look within thy bosom, If any part of thee enjoyeth peace!	06.087
What use was there in a Justinian's mending your bridle, when the saddle's empty? Indeed, were there no reins, your shame were less. What boots it, that for thee Justinian The bridle mend, if empty be the saddle ? Withouten this the shame would be the less.	06.090
Ah you-who if you understood what God ordained, would then attend to things devout and in the saddle surely would allow Ah! people, thou that oughtest to be devout, And to let Caesar sit upon the saddle, If well thou hearest what God teacheth thee,	06.093
Caesar to sit-see how this beast turns fierce because there are no spurs that would correct it, since you have laid your hands upon the bit! Behold how fell this wild beast has become, Being no longer by the spur corrected, Since thou hast laid thy hand upon the bridle.	06.096
O German Albert, you who have abandoned that steed become recalcitrant and savage, you who should ride astride its saddlebows- O German Albert! who abandonest Her that has grown recalcitrant and savage, And oughtest to bestride her saddle-bow,	06.099
upon your blood may the just judgment of the stars descend with signs so strange and plain that your successor has to feel its terror! May a just judgment from the stars down fall Upon thy blood, and be it new and open, That thy successor may have fear thereof;	06.102
For both you and your father, in your greed for lands that lay more close at hand, allowed the garden of the Empire to be gutted. Because thy father and thyself have suffered, By greed of those transalpine lands distrained, The garden of the empire to be waste.	06.105
Come-you who pay no heed-do come and see Montecchi, Cappelletti, sad already, and, filled with fear, Monaldi, Filippeschi. Come and behold Montecchi and Cappelletti, Monaldi and Fillippeschi, careless man! Those sad already, and these doubt-depressed!	06.108
Come, cruel one, come see the tribulation of your nobility and heal their hurts; see how disconsolate is Santafior! Come, cruel one! come and behold the oppression Of thy nobility, and cure their wounds, And thou shalt see how safe is Santafiore!	06.111
Come, see your Rome who, widowed and alone, weeps bitterly; both day and night, she moans: "My Caesar, why are you not at my side?" Come and behold thy Rome, that is lamenting, Widowed, alone, and day and night exclaims, "My Caesar, why hast thou forsaken me ?"	06.114
Come, see how much your people love each other! And if no pity for us moves you, may shame for your own repute move you to act. Come and behold how loving are the people; And if for us no pity moveth thee, Come and be made ashamed of thy renown!	06.117
And if I am allowed, o highest Jove, to ask: You who on earth were crucified for us-have You turned elsewhere Your just eyes? And if it lawful be, O Jove Supreme! Who upon earth for us wast crucified, Are thy just eyes averted otherwhere ?	06.120
Or are You, in Your judgment's depth, devising a good that we cannot foresee, completely dissevered from our way of understanding? Or preparation is 't, that, in the abyss Of thine own counsel, for some good thou makest From our perception utterly cut off?	06.123
For all the towns of Italy are full of tyrants, and each townsman who becomes a partisan is soon a new Marcellus. For all the towns of Italy are full Of tyrants, and becometh a Marcellus Each peasant churl who plays the partisan!	06.126
My Florence, you indeed may be content that this digression would leave you exempt: your people's strivings spare you this lament. My Florence! well mayst thou contented be With this digression, which concerns thee not, Thanks to thy people who such forethought take!	06.129
Others have justice in their hearts, and thought is slow to let it fly off from their bow; but your folk keep it ready-on their lips. Many at heart have justice, but shoot slowly, That unadvised they come not to the bow, But on their very lips thy people have it!	06.132
Others refuse the weight of public service; whereas your people-eagerly-respond, even unasked, and shout: "I'll take it on." Many refuse to bear the common burden; But thy solicitous people answereth Without being asked, and crieth: "I submit."	06.135
You might be happy now, for you have cause! You with your riches, peace, judiciousness! If I speak truly, facts won't prove me wrong. Now be thou joyful, for thou hast good reason; Thou affluent, thou in peace, thou full of wisdom! If I speak true, the event conceals it not.	06.138
Compared to you, Athens and Lacedaemon, though civil cities, with their ancient laws, had merely sketched the life of righteousness; Athens and Lacedaemon, they who made The ancient laws, and were so civilized, Made towards living well a little sign	06.141
for you devise provisions so ingenious- whatever threads October sees you spin, when mid-November comes, will be unspun. Compared with thee, who makest such fine-spun Provisions, that to middle of November Reaches not what thou in October spinnest.	06.144
How often, in the time you can remember, have you changed laws and coinage, offices and customs, and revised your citizens! How oft, within the time of thy remembrance, Laws, money, offices, and usages Hast thou remodelled, and renewed thy members ?	06.147
And if your memory has some clarity, then you will see yourself like that sick woman who finds no rest upon her feather-bed, And if thou mind thee well, and see the light, Thou shalt behold thyself like a sick woman, Who cannot find repose upon her down,	06.150
but, turning, tossing, tries to ease her pain. But by her tossing wardeth off her pain.	06.151

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