Canto XII
Canto XII
English Edition, translated by Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow
| 1 | ABREAST, like oxen going in a yoke, |
| 2 | I with that heavy-laden soul went on, |
| 3 | As long as the sweet pedagogue permitted; |
| 4 | But when he said, Leave him, and onward pass, |
| 5 | For here 'tis good that with the sail and oars, |
| 6 | As much as may be, each push on his barque; |
| 7 | Upright, as walking wills it, I redressed |
| 8 | My person, notwithstanding that my thoughts |
| 9 | Remained within me downcast and abashed. |
| 10 | I had moved on, and followed willingly |
| 11 | The footsteps of my Master, and we both |
| 12 | Already showed how light of foot we were, |
| 13 | When unto me he said: Cast down thine eyes; |
| 14 | 'Twere well for thee, to alleviate the way, |
| 15 | To look upon the bed beneath thy feet. |
| 16 | As, that some memory may exist of them |
| 17 | Above the buried dead their tombs in earth |
| 18 | Bear sculptured on them what they were before; |
| 19 | Whence often there we weep for them afresh, |
| 20 | From pricking of remembrance, which alone |
| 21 | To the compassionate doth set its spur; |
| 22 | So saw I there, but of a better semblance |
| 23 | In point of artifice, with figures covered |
| 24 | Whate'er as pathway from the mount projects. |
| 25 | I saw that one who was created noble |
| 26 | More than all other creatures, down from heaven |
| 27 | Flaming with lightnings fall upon one side. |
| 28 | I saw Briareus smitten by the dart |
| 29 | Celestial, Iying on the other side, |
| 30 | Heavy upon the earth by mortal frost. |
| 31 | I saw Thymbraeus, Pallas saw, and Mars, |
| 32 | Still clad in armour round about their father, |
| 33 | Gaze at the scattered members of the giants. |
| 34 | I saw, at foot of his great labour, Nimrod, |
| 35 | As if bewildered, looking at the people |
| 36 | Who had been proud with him in Sennaar. |
| 37 | O Niobe !with what afflicted eyes |
| 38 | Thee I beheld upon the pathway traced |
| 39 | Between thy seven and seven children slain! |
| 40 | O Saul! how fallen upon thy proper sword |
| 41 | Didst thou appear there lifeless in Gilboa, |
| 42 | That felt thereafter neither rain nor dew! |
| 43 | O mad Arachne! so I thee beheld |
| 44 | E'en then half spider, sad upon the shreds |
| 45 | Of fabric wrought in evil hour for thee! |
| 46 | O Rehoboam! no more seems to threaten |
| 47 | Thine image there; but full of consternation |
| 48 | A chariot bears it off, when none pursues! |
| 49 | Displayed moreo'er the adamantine pavement |
| 50 | How unto his own mother made Alcmaeon |
| 51 | Costly appear the luckless ornament; |
| 52 | Displayed how his own sons did throw themselves |
| 53 | Upon Sennacherib within the temple, |
| 54 | And how, he being dead, they left him there; |
| 55 | Displayed the ruin and the cruel carnage |
| 56 | That Tomyris wrought, when she to Cyrus said, |
| 57 | Blood didst thou thirst for, and with blood I glut thee! |
| 58 | Displayed how routed fled the Assyrians |
| 59 | After that Holofernes had been slain, |
| 60 | And likewise the remainder of that slaughter |
| 61 | I saw there Troy in ashes and in caverns; |
| 62 | O Ilion! thee, how abject and debased, |
| 63 | Displayed the image that is there discerned! |
| 64 | Whoe'er of pencil master was or stile, |
| 65 | That could portray the shades and traits which there |
| 66 | Would cause each subtile genius to admire ? |
| 67 | Dead seemed the dead, the living seemed alive; |
| 68 | Better than I saw not who saw the truth, |
| 69 | All that I trod upon while bowed I went. |
| 70 | Now wax ye proud, and on with looks uplifted, |
| 71 | Ye sons of Eve, and bow not down your faces |
| 72 | So that ye may behold your evil ways! |
| 73 | More of the mount by us was now encompassed, |
| 74 | And far more spent the circuit of the sun, |
| 75 | Than had the mind preoccupied imagined, |
| 76 | When he, who ever watchful in advance |
| 77 | Was going on, began: Lift up thy head, |
| 78 | 'Tis no more time to go thus meditating |
| 79 | Lo there an Angel who is making haste |
| 80 | To come towards us; lo, returning is |
| 81 | From service of the day the sixth handmaiden, |
| 82 | With reverence thine acts and looks adorn, |
| 83 | So that he may delight to speed us upward; |
| 84 | Think that this day will never dawn again. |
| 85 | I was familiar with his admonition |
| 86 | Ever to lose no time; so on this theme |
| 87 | He could not unto me speak covertly. |
| 88 | Towards us came the being beautiful |
| 89 | Vested in white, and in his countenance |
| 90 | Such as appears the tremulous morning star. |
| 91 | His arms he opened, and opened then his wings; |
| 92 | Come, said he, near at hand here are the steps, |
| 93 | And easy from henceforth is the ascent. |
| 94 | At this announcement few are they who come! |
| 95 | Where seated IS the church that lordeth |
| 96 | O'er the well-guided, above Rubaconte, |
| 97 | He led us on to where the rock was cleft; |
| 98 | There smote upon my forehead with his wings, |
| 99 | Then a safe passage promised unto me. |
| 100 | As on the right hand, to ascend the mount |
| 101 | Where seated is the church that lordeth it |
| 102 | O'er the well-guided, above Rubaconte, |
| 103 | The bold abruptness of the ascent is broken |
| 104 | By stairways that were made there in the age |
| 105 | When still were safe the ledger and the stave, |
| 106 | E'en thus attempered is the bank which falls |
| 107 | Sheer downward from the second circle there |
| 108 | But on this, side and that the high rock graze |
| 109 | As we were turning thitherward our persons. |
| 110 | Beati pauperes spiritu,voices |
| 111 | Sang in such wise that speech could tell it not. |
| 112 | Ah me!how different are these entrances |
| 113 | From the Infernal!for with anthems here |
| 114 | One enters, and below with wild laments. |
| 115 | We now were hunting up the sacred stairs, |
| 116 | And it appeared to me by far more easy |
| 117 | Than on the plain it had appeared before. |
| 118 | Whence I: My Master, say, what heavy thing |
| 119 | Has been uplifted from me, so that hardly |
| 120 | Aught of fatigue is felt by me in walking? |
| 121 | He answered: When the P's which have remained |
| 122 | Still on thy face almost obliterate |
| 123 | Shall wholly, as the first is, be erased |
| 124 | Thy feet will be so vanquished by good will, |
| 125 | That none alone they shall not feel fatigue, |
| 126 | But urging up will be to them delight. |
| 127 | Then did I even as they do who are going |
| 128 | With something on the head to them unknown, |
| 129 | Unless the signs of others make them doubt, |
| 130 | Wherefore the hand to ascertain is helpful, |
| 131 | And seeks and finds, and doth fulfil the office |
| 132 | Which cannot be accomplished by the sight; |
| 133 | And with the fingers of the right hand spread |
| 134 | I found but six the letters, that had carved |
| 135 | Upon my temples he who bore the keys; |
| 136 | Upon beholding which my Leader smiled. |