Canto IX

English Edition, translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1	The concubine of old Tithonus now
2	Gleamed white upon the eastern balcony,
3	Forth from the arms of her sweet paramour;

4	With gems her forehead all relucent was,
5	Set in the shape of that cold anima
6	Which with its tail doth smite amain the nations,

7	And of the steps, with which she mounts, the Night
8	Had taken two in that place where we were,
9	And now the third was bending down its wings;

10	When I, who something had of Adam in me,
11	Vanquished by sleep, upon the grass reclined,
12	There were all five of us already sat.

13	Just at the hour when her sad lay begins
14	The little swallow, near unto the morning,
15	Perchance in memory of her former woes,

16	And when the mind of man, a wanderer
17	More from the flesh, and less by thought imprisoned,
18	Almost prophetic in its visions is,

19	In dreams it seemed to me I saw suspended
20	An eagle in the sky, with plumes of gold,
21	With wings wide open, and intent to stoop,

22	And this, it seemed to me, was where had been
23	By Ganymede his kith and kin abandoned,
24	When to the high consistory he was rapt.

25	I thought within myself, perchance he strikes
26	From habit only here, and from elsewhere
27	Disdains to bear up any in his feet.

28	Then wheeling somewhat more, it seemed to me,
29	Terrible as the lightning he descended,
30	And snatched me upward even to the fire.

31	Therein it seemed that he and I were burning,
32	And the imagined fire did scorch me so,
33	That of necessity my sleep was broken.

34	Not otherwise Achilles started up,
35	Around him turning his awakened eyes,
36	And knowing not the place in which he was,

37	What time from Chiron stealthily his mother
38	Carried him sleeping in her arms to Scyros,
39	Wherefrom the Greeks withdrew him afterwards,

40	Than I upstarted, when from off my face
41	Sleep fled away; and pallid I became,
42	As doth the man who freezes with affright.

43	Only my Comforter was at my side,
44	And now the sun was more than two hours high,
45	And turned towards the sea-shore was my face.

46	Be not intimidated,said my Lord,
47	Be reassured, for all is well with us;
48	Do not restrain, but put forth all thy strength.

49	Thou hast at length arrived at Purgatory;
50	See there the cliff that closes it around;
51	See there the entrance, where it seems disjoined.

52	Whilom at dawn, which doth precede the day,
53	When inwardly thy spirit was asleep
54	Upon the flowers that deck the land below,

55	There came a Lady and said: I am Lucia;
56	Let me take this one up, who is asleep;
57	So will I make his journey easier for him.'

58	Sordello and the other noble shapes
59	Remained; she took thee, and, as day grew bright,
60	Upward she came, and I upon her footsteps.

61	She laid thee here; and first her beauteous eyes
62	That open entrance pointed out to me;
63	Then she and sleep together went away.

64	In guise of one whose doubts are reassured,
65	And who to confidence his fear doth change,
66	After the truth has been discovered to him,

67	So did I change; and when without disquiet
68	My Leader saw me, up along the cliff
69	He moved, and I behind him, tow'rd the height.

70	Reader, thou seest well how I exalt
71	My theme, and therefore if with greater art
72	I fortify it, marvel not thereat.

73	Nearer approached we, and were in such place,
74	That there, where first appeared to me a rift
75	Like to a crevice that disparts a wall,

76	I saw a portal, and three stairs beneath,
77	Diverse in colour, to go up to it,
78	And a gate-keeper, who yet spake no word.

79	as I opened more and more mine eyes,
80	I saw him seated on the highest stair,
81	Such in the face that I endured it not.

82	And in his hand he had a naked sword,
83	Which so reflected back the sunbeams tow'rds us,
84	That oft in vain I lifted up mine eyes.

85	Tell it from where you are, what is't you wish?
86	Began he to exclaim; where is the escort?
87	Take heed your coming hither harm you not!

88	A Lady of Heaven, with these things conversant,
89	My Master answered him, but even now
90	Said to us, 'Thither go; there is the portal.'

91	And may she speed your footsteps in all good,
92	Again began the courteous janitor;
93	Come forward then unto these stairs of ours.

94	Thither did we approach; and the first stair
95	Was marble white, so polished and so smooth,
96	I mirrored myself therein as I appear.

97	The second, tinct of deeper hue than perse,
98	Was of a calcined and uneven stone,
99	Cracked all asunder lengthwise and across.

100	The third, that uppermost rests massively,
101	Porphyry seemed to me, as flaming red
102	As blood that from a vein is spirting forth.

103	Both of his feet was holding upon this
104	The Angel of God, upon the threshold seated,.
105	Which seemed to me a stone of diamond.

106	Along the three stairs upward with good will
107	Did my Conductor draw me, saying: Ask
108	Humbly that he the fastening may undo.

109	Devoutly at the holy feet I cast me,
110	For mercy's sake besought that he would open,
111	But first upon my breast three times I smote.

112	Seven P's upon my forehead he described
113	With the sword's point, and,Take heed that thou wash
114	These wounds, when thou shalt be within, he said.

115	Ashes, or earth that dry is excavated,
116	Of the same colour were with his attire,
117	And from beneath it he drew forth two keys.

118	One was of gold, and the other was of silver;
119	First with the white, and after with the yellow,
120	Plied he the door, so that I was content.

121	Whenever faileth either of these keys
122	So that it turn not rightly in the lock,
123	He said to us, this entrance doth not open.

124	More precious one is, but the other needs
125	More art and intellect ere it unlock,
126	For it is that which doth the knot unloose.

127	From Peter I have them; and he bade me err
128	Rather in opening than in keeping shut,
129	If people but fall down before my feet.

130	Then pushed the portals Of the sacred door,
131	Eclaiming: Enter; but I give you warning
132	That forth returns whoever looks behind.

133	And When upon their hinges were turned round
134	The swivels Of that consecrated gate,
135	Which are of metal, massive and sonorous,

136	Roared not so loud, nor so discordant seemed
137	Tarpeia, When was ta'en from it the good
138	Metellus, Wherefore meagre it remained.

139	At the first thunder-peal I turned attentive,
140	And Te Deum laudamus seemed to hear
141	In voices mingled with sweet melody.

142	Exactly such an image rendered me
143	That which I heard, as we are wont to catch,
144	When people singing with the organ stand;

145	For now we hear, and now hear not, the words.

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Canto IX