English Edition, translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
| 1 | ‘TWAS now the hour that turneth back desire |
| 2 | In those who sail the sea, and melts the heart, |
| 3 | The day they’ve said to their sweet friends farewell, |
| 4 | And the new pilgrim penetrates with love, |
| 5 | If he doth hear from far away a be |
| 6 | That seemeth to deplore the dying day, |
| 7 | When I began to make of no avail |
| 8 | My hearing, and to watch one of the souls |
| 9 | Uprisen, that begged attention with its hand. |
| 10 | It joined and lifted upward both its palms, |
| 11 | Fixing its eyes upon the orient, |
| 12 | As if it said to God, Naught else I care for. |
| 13 | Te lucis ante so devoutly issued |
| 14 | Forth from its mouth, and with such dulcet notes, |
| 15 | It made me issue forth from my own mind. |
| 16 | And then the others, sweetly and devoutly, |
| 17 | Accompanied it through all the hymn entire, |
| 18 | Having their eyes on the supernal wheels. |
| 19 | Here, Reader, fix thine eyes well on the truth, |
| 20 | For now indeed so subtile is the veil, |
| 21 | Surely to penetrate within is easy. |
| 22 | I saw that army of the gentle-born |
| 23 | Thereafterward in silence upward gaze, |
| 24 | As if in expectation, pale and humble; |
| 25 | And from on high come forth and down descend, |
| 26 | I saw two Angels with two flaming swords, |
| 27 | Truncated and deprived of their points. |
| 28 | Green as the little leaflets just now born |
| 29 | Their garments were, which, by their verdant pinions |
| 30 | Beaten and blown abroad, they trailed behind. |
| 31 | One just above us came to take his station, |
| 32 | And one descended to the opposite bank, |
| 33 | So that the people were contained between them. |
| 34 | Clearly in them discerned I the blond head; |
| 35 | But in their faces was the eye bewildered, |
| 36 | As faculty confounded by excess. |
| 37 | From Mary’s bosom both of them have come, |
| 38 | Sordello said, as guardians of the valley |
| 39 | Against the serpent, that will come anon. |
| 40 | Whereupon I, who knew not by what road, |
| 41 | Turned round about, and closely drew myself, |
| 42 | Utterly frozen, to the faithful shoulders. |
| 43 | And once again Sordello: Now descend we |
| 44 | ‘Mid the grand shades, and we will speak to them; |
| 45 | Right pleasant will it be for them to see you. |
| 46 | Only three steps I think that I descended, |
| 47 | And was below, and saw one who was looking |
| 48 | Only at me, as if he fain would know me. |
| 49 | Already now the air was growing dark, |
| 50 | But not so that between his eyes and mine |
| 51 | It did not show w hat it before locked up. |
| 52 | Tow’rds me he moved, and I tow’rds him did move; |
| 53 | Noble Judge Nino! how it me delighted, |
| 54 | When I beheld thee not among the damned! |
| 55 | No greeting fair was left unsaid between us; |
| 56 | Then asked he: How long is it since thou camest |
| 57 | O’er the far waters to the mountain’s foot? |
| 58 | Oh!said I to him, through the dismal places |
| 59 | I came this morn; and am in the first life, |
| 60 | Albeit the other, going thus, I gain. |
| 61 | And on the instant my reply was heard, |
| 62 | He and Sordello both shrank back from me, |
| 63 | Like people who are suddenly bewildered. |
| 64 | One to Virgilius, and the other turned |
| 65 | To one who sat there, crying, Up, Currado! |
| 66 | Come and behold what God in grace has willed! |
| 67 | Then, turned to me: By that especial grace |
| 68 | Thou owest unto Him, who so conceals |
| 69 | His own first wherefore, that it has no ford, |
| 70 | When thou shalt be beyond the waters wide, |
| 71 | Tell my Giovanna that she pray for me, |
| 72 | Where answer to the innocent is made. |
| 73 | I do not think her mother loves me more, |
| 74 | Since she has laid aside her wimple white, |
| 75 | Which she, unhappy, needs must wish again. |
| 76 | Through her full easily is comprehended |
| 77 | How long in woman lasts the fire of love, |
| 78 | If eye or touch do not relight it often. |
| 79 | So fair a hatchment will not make for her |
| 80 | The Viper marshalling the Milanese |
| 81 | A-field, as would have made Gallura’s Cock. |
| 82 | In this wise spake he, with the stamp impressed |
| 83 | Upon his aspect of that righteous zeal |
| 84 | Which measurably burneth in the heart. |
| 85 | My greedy eyes still wandered up to heaven, |
| 86 | Still to that point where slowest are the stars |
| 87 | Even as a wheel the nearest to its axle. |
| 88 | And my Conductor: Son, what dost thou gaze at |
| 89 | Up there ? And I to him: At those three torches |
| 90 | With which this hither pole is all on fire. |
| 91 | And he to me: The four resplendent stars |
| 92 | Thou sawest this morning are down yonder low, |
| 93 | And these have mounted up to where those were. |
| 94 | As he was speaking, to himself Sordello |
| 95 | Drew him, and said, Lo there our Adversa |
| 96 | And pointed with his finger to look thither. |
| 97 | Upon the side on which the little valley |
| 98 | No barrier hath, a serpent was; perchance |
| 99 | The same which gave to Eve the bitter food. |
| 100 | ‘Twixt grass and flowers came on the evil |
| 101 | streak, Turning at times its head about, and licking |
| 102 | Its back like to a beast that smoothes itself |
| 103 | I did not see, and therefore cannot say |
| 104 | How the celestial falcons ‘gan to move, |
| 105 | But well I saw that they were both in motion. |
| 106 | Hearing the air cleft by their verdant wings, |
| 107 | The serpent fled, and round the Angels wheeled, |
| 108 | Up to their stations flying back alike. |
| 109 | The shade that to the Judge had near approached |
| 110 | When he had called, throughout that whole assault |
| 111 | Had not a moment loosed its gaze on me. |
| 112 | So may the light that leadeth thee on high |
| 113 | Find in thine own free-will as much of wax |
| 114 | As needful is up to the highest azure, |
| 115 | Began it, if some true intelligence. |
| 116 | Of Valdimagra or its neighbourhood |
| 117 | Thou knowest, tell it me, who once was great there. |
| 118 | Currado Malaspina was I called; |
| 119 | I’m not the elder, but from him descended; |
| 120 | To mine I bore the love which here refineth. |
| 121 | O, said I unto him, through your domains |
| 122 | I never passed, but where is there a dwelling |
| 123 | Throughout all Europe, where they are not known? |
| 124 | That fame, which doeth honour to your house, |
| 125 | Proclaims its Signors and proclaims its land, |
| 126 | So that he knows of them who ne’er was there. |
| 127 | And, as I hope for heaven, I swear to you |
| 128 | Your honoured family in naught abates |
| 129 | The glory of the purse and of the sword. |
| 130 | It is so privileged by use and nature, |
| 131 | That though a guilty head misguide the world, |
| 132 | Sole it goes right, and scorns the evil way. |
| 133 | And he: Now go; for the sun shall not lie |
| 134 | Seven times upon the pillow which the Ram |
| 135 | With all his four feet covers and bestrides, |
| 136 | Before that such a courteous opinion |
| 137 | Shall in the middle of thy head be nailed |
| 138 | With greater nails than of another’s speech, |
| 139 | Unless the course of justice standeth still. |