| PURGATORIO CANTO 16 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr. | Notes | Ann. |
Darkness of Hell and of a night deprived of every planet, under meager skies, as overcast by clouds as sky can be, DARKNESS of hell. and of a night deprived Of every planet under a poor sky, As much as may be tenebrous with cloud, |
16.003 |
|
had never served to veil my eyes so thickly nor covered them with such rough-textured stuff as smoke that wrapped us there in Purgatory; Ne'er made unto my sight so thick a veil, As did that smoke which there enveloped us, Nor to the feeling of so rough a texture; |
16.006 |
|
my eyes could not endure remaining open; so that my faithful, knowledgeable escort drew closer as he offered me his shoulder. For not an eye it suffered to stay open; Whereat mine escort, faithful and sagacious, Drew near to me and offered me his shoulder. |
16.009 |
|
Just as a blind man moves behind his guide, that he not stray or strike against some thing that may do damage to-or even kill-him, E'en as a blind man goes behind his guide, Lest he should wander, or should strike against Aught that may harm or peradventure kill him, |
16.012 |
|
so I moved through the bitter, filthy air, while listening to my guide, who kept repeating: "Take care that you are not cut off from me." So went I through the bitter and foul air, Listening unto my Leader, who said only, "Look that from me thou be not separated." |
16.015 |
|
But I heard voices, and each seemed to pray unto the Lamb of God, who takes away our sins, for peace and mercy. "Agnus Dei" Voices I heard, and every one appeared To supplicate for peace and misericord The Lamb of God who takes away our sins. |
16.018 |
|
was sung repeatedly as their exordium, words sung in such a way-in unison- that fullest concord seemed to be among them. Still "Agnus Dei" their exordium was; One word there was in all, and metre one, So that all harmony appeared among them. |
16.021 |
|
"Master, are those whom I hear, spirits?" I asked him. "You have grasped rightly," he replied, "and as they go they loose the knot of anger." "Master," I said, "are spirits those I hear?" And he to me: "Thou apprehendest truly, And they the knot of anger go unloosing." |
16.024 |
|
"Then who are you whose body pierces through our smoke, who speak of us exactly like a man who uses months to measure time?" "Now who art thou, that cleavest through our smoke And art discoursing of us even as though Thou didst by calends still divide the time ?" |
16.027 |
|
A voice said this. On hearing it, my master turned round to me: "Reply to him, then ask if this way leads us to the upward path." After this manner by a voice was spoken; Whereon my Master said: "Do thou reply, And ask if on this side the way go upward." |
16.030 |
|
And I: "O creature who-that you return fair unto Him who made you-cleanse yourself, you shall hear wonders if you follow me." And I: "O creature that dost cleanse thyself To return beautiful to Him who made thee, Thou shalt hear marvels if thou follow me." |
16.033 |
|
"I'll follow you as far as I'm allowed," he answered, "and if smoke won't let us see, hearing will serve instead to keep us linked." "Thee will I follow far as is allowed me," He answered; "and if smoke prevent our seeing, Hearing shall keep us joined instead thereof." |
16.036 |
|
Then I began: "With those same swaddling-bands that death unwinds I take my upward path: I have come here by way of Hell's exactions; Thereon began I: "With that swathing band Which death unwindeth am I going upward, And hither came I through the infernal anguish. |
16.039 |
|
since God's so gathered me into His grace that He would have me, in a manner most unusual for moderns, see His court, And if God in his grace has me infolded, So that he wills that I behold his court By method wholly out of modern usage, |
16.042 |
|
do not conceal from me who you once were, before your death, and tell me if I go straight to the pass; your words will be our escort." Conceal not from me who ere death thou wast, But tell it me, and tell me if I go Right for the pass, and be thy words our escort." |
16.045 |
|
"I was a Lombard and I was called Marco; I knew the world's ways, and I loved those goods for which the bows of all men now grow slack. "Lombard was I, and I was Marco called; The world I knew, and loved that excellence, At which has each one now unbent his bow. |
16.048 |
|
The way you've taken leads directly upward." So he replied, and then he added: "I pray you to pray for me when you're above." For mounting upward, thou art going right." Thus he made answer, and subjoined: "I pray thee To pray for me when thou shalt be above." |
16.051 |
|
And I to him: "I pledge my faith to you to do what you have asked; and yet a doubt will burst in me if it finds no way out. And I to him: "My faith I pledge to thee To do what thou dost ask me ; but am bursting Inly with doubt, unless I rid me of it. |
16.054 |
|
Before, my doubt was simple; but your statement has doubled it and made me sure that I am right to couple your words with another's. First it was simple, and is now made double By thy opinion, which makes certain to me, Here and elsewhere, that which I couple with it. |
16.057 |
|
The world indeed has been stripped utterly of every virtue; as you said to me, it cloaks-and is cloaked by-perversity. The world forsooth is utterly deserted By every virtue, as thou tellest me, And with iniquity is big and covered; |
16.060 |
|
Some place the cause in heaven, some, below; but I beseech you to define the cause, that, seeing it, I may show it to others." But I beseech thee point me out the cause, That I may see it, and to others show it; For one in the heavens, and here below one puts it." |
16.063 |
|
A sigh, from which his sorrow formed an "Oh," was his beginning; then he answered: "Brother, the world is blind, and you come from the world. A sigh profound. that grief forced into Ai! He first sent forth, and then began he: "Brother, The world is blind, and sooth thou comest from it! |
16.066 |
|
You living ones continue to assign to heaven every cause, as if it were the necessary source of every motion. Ye who are living every cause refer Still upward to the heavens, as if all things They of necessity moved with themselves. |
16.069 |
|
If this were so, then your free will would be destroyed, and there would be no equity in joy for doing good, in grief for evil. If this were so, in you would be destroyed Free will, nor any justice would there be In having joy for good, or grief for evil. |
16.072 |
|
The heavens set your appetites in motion- not all your appetites, but even if that were the case, you have received both light The heavens your movements do initiate, I say not all; but granting that I say it, Light has been given you for good and evil, |
16.075 |
|
on good and evil, and free will, which though it struggle in its first wars with the heavens, then conquers all, if it has been well nurtured. And free volition; which, if some fatigue In the first battles with the heavens it suffers, Afterwards conquers all, if well 'tis nurtured. |
16.078 |
|
On greater power and a better nature you, who are free, depend; that Force engenders the mind in you, outside the heavens' sway. To greater force and to a better nature, Though free, ye subject are, and that creates The mind in you the heavens have not in charge. |
16.081 |
|
Thus, if the present world has gone astray, in you is the cause, in you it's to be sought; and now I'll serve as your true exegete. Hence, if the present world doth go astray, In you the cause is, be it sought in you; And I therein will now be thy true spy. |
16.084 |
|
Issuing from His hands, the soul-on which He thought with love before creating it- is like a child who weeps and laughs in sport; Forth from the hand of Him, who fondles it Before it is, like to a little girl Weeping and laughing in her childish sport, |
16.087 |
|
that soul is simple, unaware; but since a joyful Maker gave it motion, it turns willingly to things that bring delight. Issues the simple soul, that nothing knows, Save that, proceeding from a joyous Maker, Gladly it turns to that which gives it pleasure. |
16.090 |
|
At first it savors trivial goods; these would beguile the soul, and it runs after them, unless there's guide or rein to rule its love. Of trivial good at first it tastes the savour; Is cheated by it, and runs after it, If guide or rein turn not aside its love. |
16.093 |
|
Therefore, one needed law to serve as curb; a ruler, too, was needed, one who could discern at least the tower of the true city. Hence it behoved laws for a rein to place, Behoved a king to have, who at the least Of the true city should discern the tower. |
16.096 |
|
The laws exist, but who applies them now? No one-the shepherd who precedes his flock can chew the cud but does not have cleft hooves; The laws exist, but who sets hand to them ? No one; because the shepherd who precedes Can ruminate, but cleaveth not the hoof; |
16.099 |
|
and thus the people, who can see their guide snatch only at that good for which they feel some greed, would feed on that and seek no further. Wherefore the people that perceives its guide Strike only at the good for which it hankers, Feeds upon that, and farther seeketh not. |
16.102 |
|
Misrule, you see, has caused the world to be malevolent; the cause is clearly not celestial forces-they do not corrupt. Clearly canst thou perceive that evil guidance The cause is that has made the world depraved, And not that nature is corrupt in you. |
16.105 |
|
For Rome, which made the world good, used to have two suns; and they made visible two paths- the world's path and the pathway that is God's. Rome, that reformed the world, accustomed was Two suns to have, which one road and the other, Of God and of the world, made manifest. |
16.108 |
|
Each has eclipsed the other; now the sword has joined the shepherd's crook; the two together must of necessity result in evil, One has the other quenched, and to the crosier The sword is joined, and ill beseemeth it That by main force one with the other go, |
16.111 |
|
because, so joined, one need not fear the other: and if you doubt me, watch the fruit and flower, for every plant is known by what it seeds. Because, being joined, one feareth not the other; If thou believe not, think upon the grain, For by its seed each herb is recognized. |
16.114 |
|
Within the territory watered by the Adige and Po, one used to find valor and courtesy-that is, before In the land laved by Po and Adige, Valour and courtesy used to be found, Before that Frederick had his controversy; |
16.117 |
|
Frederick was met by strife; now anyone ashamed of talking with the righteous or of meeting them can journey there, secure. Now in security can pass that way Whoever will abstain, through sense of shame, From speaking with the good, or drawing near them. |
16.120 |
|
True, three old men are there, in whom old times reprove the new; and they find God is slow in summoning them to a better life: True, three old men are left, in whom upbraids The ancient age the new, and late they deem it That God restore them to the better life: |
16.123 |
|
Currado da Palazzo, good Gherardo, and Guido da Castel, whom it is better to call, as do the French, the candid Lombard. Currado da Palazzo, and good Gherardo, And Guido da Castel, who better named is, In fashion of the French, the simple Lombard: |
16.126 |
|
You can conclude: the Church of Rome confounds two powers in itself; into the filth, it falls and fouls itself and its new burden." Say thou henceforward that the Church of Rome, Confounding in itself two governments, Falls in the mire, and soils itself and burden." |
16.129 |
|
"Good Marco," I replied, "you reason well; and now I understand why Levi's sons were not allowed to share in legacies. "O Marco mine," I said, "thou reasonest well; And now discern I why the sons of Levi Have been excluded from the heritage. |
16.132 |
|
But what Gherardo is this whom you mention as an example of the vanished people whose presence would reproach this savage age?" But what Gherardo is it, who, as sample Of a lost race, thou sayest has remained In reprobation of the barbarous age ?" |
16.135 |
|
"Either your speech deceives me or would tempt me," he answered then, "for you, whose speech is Tuscan, seem to know nothing of the good Gherardo. "Either thy speech deceives me, or it tempts me," He answered me, "for speaking Tuscan to me, It seems of good Gherardo naught thou knowest. |
16.138 |
|
There is no other name by which I know him, unless I speak of him as Gaia's father. God be with you; I come with you no farther. By other surname do I know him not, Unless I take it from his daughter Gaia. May God be with you, for I come no farther. |
16.141 |
|
You see the rays that penetrate the smoke already whitening; I must take leave- the angel has arrived-before he sees me." Behold the dawn, that through the smoke rays out, Already whitening; and I must depart -- Yonder the Angel is -- ere he appear." |
16.144 |
|
So he turned back and would not hear me more. Thus did he speak, and would no farther hear me. |
16.145 |