PURGATORIO CANTO 24 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.	Notes	Ann.
Our talking did not slow our pace, our pace not slow our talking; but conversing, we moved quickly, like a boat a fair wind drives. NOR speech the going, nor the going that Slackened; but talking we went bravely on, Even as a vessel urged by a good wind.	24.003
And recognizing that I was alive, the shades-they seemed to be things twice dead-drew amazement from the hollows of their eyes. And shadows, that appeared things doubly dead, From out the sepulchres of their eyes betrayed Wonder at me, aware that I was living.	24.006
And I, continuing my telling, added: "Perhaps he is more slow in his ascent than he would be had he not met the other. And I, continuing my colloquy, Said: "Peradventure he goes up more slowly Than he would do, for other people's sake.	24.009
But tell me, if you can: where is Piccarda? And tell me if, among those staring at me, I can see any person I should note." But tell me, if thou knowest, where is Piccarda; Tell me if any one of note I see Among this folk that gazes at me so."	24.012
"My sister-and I know not whether she was greater in her goodness or her beauty- on high Olympus is in triumph; she "My sister, who, 'twixt beautiful and good, I know not which was more, triumphs rejoicing Already in her crown on high Olympus."	24.015
rejoices in her crown already," he began, then added: "It is not forbidden to name each shade here-abstinence has eaten So said he first, and then: "Tis not forbidden To name each other here, so milked away Is our resemblance by our dieting.	24.018
away our faces." And he pointed: "This is Bonagiunta, Bonagiunta da Lucca; the one beyond him, even more This, "pointing with his finger," is Buonagiunta, Buonagiunta, of Lucca; and that face Beyond him there, more peaked than the others,	24.021
emaciated than the rest, had clasped the Holy Church; he was from Tours; his fast purges Bolsena's eels, Vernaccia's wine." Has held the holy Church within his arms; From Tours was he, and purges by his fasting Bolsena's eels and the Vernaccia wine."	24.024
And he named many others, one by one, and, at their naming, they all seemed content; so that-for this-no face was overcast. He named me many others one by one; And all contented seemed at being named, So that for this I saw not one dark look.	24.027
I saw-their teeth were biting emptiness- both Ubaldin da la Pila and Boniface, who shepherded so many with his staff. I saw for hunger bite the empty air Ubaldin dalla Pila, and Boniface, Who with his crook had pastured many people.	24.030
I saw Messer Marchese, who once had more ease, less dryness, drinking at Forli and yet could never satisfy his thirst. I saw Messer Marchese, who had leisure Once at Forli for drinking with less dryness, And he was one who ne'er felt satisfied.	24.033
But just as he who looks and then esteems one more than others, so did I prize him of Lucca, for he seemed to know me better. But as he does who scans, and then doth prize One more than others, did I him of Lucca, Who seemed to take most cognizance of me.	24.036
He murmured; something like "Gentucca" was what I heard from the place where he could feel the wound of justice that denudes them so. He murmured, and I know not what Gentucca From that place heard I, where he felt the wound Of justice, that doth macerate them so.	24.039
"O soul," I said, "who seems so eager to converse with me, do speak so that I hear you, for speech may satisfy both you and me." "O soul," I said, "that seemest so desirous To speak with me, do so that I may hear thee, And with thy speech appease thyself and me."	24.042
He answered: "Although men condemn my city, there is a woman born-she wears no veil as yet-because of whom you'll find it pleasing. "A maid is born, and wears not yet the veil," Began he, "who to thee shall pleasant make My city, howsoever men may blame it.	24.045
You are to journey with this prophecy; and if there's something in my murmuring you doubt, events themselves will bear me out. Thou shalt go on thy way with this prevision; If by my murmuring thou hast been deceived, True things hereafter will declare it to thee.	24.048
But tell me if the man whom I see here is he who brought the new rhymes forth, beginning: 'Ladies who have intelligence of love.'" But say if him I here behold, who forth Evoked the new-invented rhymes, beginning, Ladies, that have intelligence of love?"	24.051
I answered: "I am one who, when Love breathes in me, takes note; what he, within, dictates, I, in that way, without, would speak and shape." And I to him: "One am I, who, whenever Love doth inspire me, note, and in that measure Which he within me dictates, singing go."	24.054
"O brother, now I see," he said, "the knot that kept the Notary, Guittone, and me short of the sweet new manner that I hear. "O brother, now I see," he said, "the knot Which me, the Notary, and Guittone held Short of the sweet new style that now I hear.	24.057
I clearly see how your pens follow closely behind him who dictates, and certainly that did not happen with our pens; and he I do perceive full clearly how your pens Go closely following after him who dictates, Which with our own forsooth came not to pass;	24.060
who sets himself to ferreting profoundly can find no other difference between the two styles." He fell still, contentedly. And he who sets himself to go beyond, No difference sees from one style to another ;" And as if satisfied, he held his peace.	24.063
Even as birds that winter on the Nile at times will slow and form a flock in air, then speed their flight and form a file, so all Even as the birds, that winter tow'rds the Nile, Sometimes into a phalanx form themselves, Then fly in greater haste, and go in file;	24.066
the people who were mere moved much more swiftly, turning away their faces, hurrying their pace because of leanness and desire. In such wise all the people who were there, Turning their faces, hurried on their steps, Both by their leanness and their wishes light.	24.069
And just as he who's tired of running lets his comrades go ahead and slows his steps until he's eased the panting of his chest, And as a man, who weary is with trotting, Lets his companions onward go, and walks, Until he vents the panting of his chest;	24.072
so did Forese let the holy flock pass by and move, behind, with me, saying: "How long before I shall see you again?" So did Forese let the holy flock Pass by, and came with me behind it, saying, "When will it be that I again shall see thee ?"	24.075
"I do not know," I said, "how long I'll live; and yet, however quick is my return, my longing for these shores would have me here "How long," I answered, "I may live, I know not; Yet my return will not so speedy be, But I shall sooner in desire arrive;	24.078
sooner-because the place where I was set to live is day by day deprived of good and seems along the way to wretched ruin." Because the place where I was set to live From day to day of good is more depleted, And unto dismal ruin seems ordained."	24.081
"Do not be vexed," he said, "for I can see the guiltiest of all dragged by a beast's tail to the valley where no sin is purged. "Now go," he said, "for him most guilty of it At a beast's tail behold I dragged along Towards the valley where is no repentance.	24.084
At every step the beast moves faster, always gaining momentum, till it smashes him and leaves his body squalidly undone. Faster at every step the beast is going, Increasing evermore until it smites him, And leaves the body vilely mutilated.	24.087
Those wheels," and here he looked up at the sky, "do not have long to turn before you see plainly what I can't tell more openly. Not long those wheels shall turn," and he uplifted His eyes to heaven," ere shall be clear to thee That which my speech no farther can declare.	24.090
Now you remain behind, for time is costly here in this kingdom; I should lose too much by moving with you thus, at equal pace." Now stay behind; because the time so precious Is in this kingdom, that I lose too much By coming onward thus abreast with thee."	24.093
Just as a horseman sometimes gallops out, leaving behind his troop of riders, so that he may gain the honor of the first As sometimes issues forth upon a gallop A cavalier from out a troop that ride, And seeks the honour of the first encounter,	24.096
clash-so, with longer strides, did he leave us; and I remained along my path with those two who were such great marshals of the world. So he with greater strides departed from us; And on the road remained I with those two, Who were such mighty marshals of the world.	24.099
And when he'd gone so far ahead of us that my eyes strained to follow him, just as my mind was straining after what he'd said, And when before us he had gone so far Mine eyes became to him such pursuivants As was my understanding to his words,	24.102
the branches of another tree, heavy with fruit, alive with green, appeared to me nearby, just past a curve where I had turned. Appeared to me with laden and living boughs Another apple-tree, and not far distant, From having but just then turned thitherward.	24.105
Beneath the tree I saw shades lifting hands, crying I know not what up toward the branches, like little eager, empty-headed children, People I saw beneath it lift their hands, And cry I know not what towards the leaves, Like little children eager and deluded,	24.108
who beg-but he of whom they beg does not reply, but to provoke their longing, he holds high, and does not hide, the thing they want. Who pray, and he they pray to doth not answer, But, to make very keen their appetite, Holds their desire aloft, and hides it not	24.111
Then they departed as if disabused; and we-immediately-reached that great tree, which turns aside so many prayers and tears. Then they departed as if undeceived; And now we came unto the mighty tree Which prayers and tears so manifold refuses.	24.114
"Continue on, but don't draw close to it; there is a tree above from which Eve ate, and from that tree above, this plant was raised." "Pass farther onward without drawing near; The tree of which Eve ate is higher up, And out of that one has this tree been raised."	24.117
Among the boughs, a voice-I know not whose- spoke so; thus, drawing closer, Virgil, Statius, and I edged on, along the side that rises. Thus said I know not who among the branches; Whereat Virgilius, Statius, and myself Went crowding forward on the side that rises.	24.120
It said: "Remember those with double chests, the miserable ones, born of the clouds, whom Theseus battled when they'd gorged themselves; "Be mindful," said he, "of the accursed ones Formed of the cloud-rack, who inebriate Combated Theseus with their double breasts;	24.123
and those whom Gideon refused as comrades- those Hebrews who had drunk too avidly- when he came down the hills to Midian." And of the Jews who showed them soft in drinking, Whence Gideon would not have them for companions When he tow'rds Midian the hills descended."	24.126
So, keeping close to one of that road's margins, we moved ahead, hearing of gluttony- its sins repaid by sorry penalties. Thus, closely pressed to one of the two borders, On passed we, hearing sins of gluttony, Followed forsooth by miserable gains;	24.129
Then, with more space along the lonely path, a thousand steps and more had brought us forward, each of us meditating wordlessly. Then set at large upon the lonely road, A thousand steps and more we onward went, In contemplation, each without a word.	24.132
"What are you thinking of, you three who walk alone?" a sudden voice called out; at which I started-like a scared young animal. "What go ye thinking thus, ye three alone ?" Said suddenly a voice, whereat I started As terrified and timid beasts are wont.	24.135
I raised my head to see who it might be; no glass or metal ever seen within a furnace was so glowing or so red I raised my head to see who this might be, And never in a furnace was there seen Metals or glass so lucent and so red	24.138
as one I saw, who said: "If you'd ascend, then you must turn at this point; for whoever would journey unto peace must pass this way." As one I saw who said: "If it may please you To mount aloft, here it behoves you turn; This way goes he who goeth after peace."	24.141
But his appearance had deprived me of my sight, so that-as one who uses hearing as guide-I turned and followed my two teachers. His aspect had bereft me of my sight, So that I turned me back unto my Teachers, Like one who goeth as his hearing guides him.	24.144
And like the breeze of May that-heralding the dawning of the day-when it is steeped in flowers and in grass, stirs fragrantly, And as, the harbinger of early dawn, The air of May doth move and breathe out fragrance, Impregnate all with herbage and with flowers,	24.147
so did I feel the wind that blew against the center of my brow, and clearly sensed the movement of his wings, the air's ambrosia. So did I feel a breeze strike in the midst My front, and felt the moving of the plumes That breathed around an odour of ambrosia,	24.150
And then I heard: "Blessed are those whom grace illumines so, that, in their breasts, the love of taste does not awake too much desire- And heard it said: "Blessed are they whom grace', So much illumines, that the love of taste Excites not in their breasts too great desire,	24.153
whose hungering is always in just measure." Hungering at all times so far as is just."	24.154

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