Purgatorio: Canto V
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I had already from those shades departed,
And followed in the footsteps of my
Guide,
When from behind, pointing his finger at me,
One shouted: "See, it seems as if shone not
The sunshine on the left of him below,
And like one living seems he to conduct him."
Mine eyes I turned at utterance of these words,
And saw them watching with
astonishment
But me, but me, and the light which was
broken!
"Why doth thy mind so
occupy itself,"
The Master said, "that thou thy pace dost slacken?
What matters it to thee what here is whispered?
Come after me, and let the people talk;
Stand like a steadfast tower, that never wags
Its top for all the blowing of the winds;
For evermore the man in whom is springing
Thought upon thought, removes from him the mark,
Because the force of one the other weakens."
What could I say in answer but "I come"?
I said it somewhat with that colour tinged
Which makes a man of pardon sometimes worthy.
Meanwhile along the
Mountain-side across
Came people in advance of us a little,
Singing the
Miserere verse by
verse.
When they became aware I gave no place
For passage of the sunshine through my body,
They changed their song into a long,
hoarse "Oh!"
And two of them, in form of messengers,
Ran forth to meet us, and demanded of us,
"Of your condition make us
cognisant."
And said my Master: "Ye can go your way
And carry back again to those who sent you,
That this one's body is of very
flesh.
If they stood still because they saw his shadow,
As I suppose, enough is answered them;
Him let them
honour, it may profit them."
Vapours enkindled saw I ne'er so swiftly
At early nightfall
cleave the air serene,
Nor, at the set of sun, the clouds of
August,
But upward they returned in briefer time,
And, on arriving, with the others wheeled
Tow'rds us, like troops that run without a rein.
"This folk that presses unto us is great,
And cometh to implore thee," said the
Poet;
"So still go onward, and in going listen."
"O soul that goest to
beatitude
With the same members wherewith thou wast born,"
Shouting they came, "a little stay thy steps,
Look, if thou e'er hast any of us seen,
So that o'er yonder thou bear news of him;
Ah, why dost thou go on? Ah, why not stay?
Long since we all were
slain by
violence,
And sinners even to the latest hour;
Then did a light from heaven
admonish us,
So that, both
penitent and
pardoning, forth
From life we issued reconciled to
God,
Who with desire to see
Him stirs our hearts."
And I: "Although I gaze into your faces,
No one I recognize; but if may please you
Aught I have power to do, ye well-born spirits,
Speak ye, and I will do it, by that peace
Which, following the feet of such a
Guide,
From world to world makes itself sought by me."
And one began: "Each one has
confidence
In thy good offices without an
oath,
Unless the I cannot cut off the I will;
Whence I, who speak alone before the others,
Pray thee, if ever thou dost see the land
That 'twixt
Romagna lies and that of
Charles,
Thou be so courteous to me of thy prayers
In
Fano, that they pray for me devoutly,
That I may purge away my grave offences.
From thence was I; but the
deep wounds, through which
Issued the blood wherein I had my seat,
Were dealt me in bosom of the
Antenori,
There where I thought to be the most secure;
'Twas he of
Este had it done, who held me
In hatred far beyond what justice willed.
But if towards the
Mira I had
fled,
When I was overtaken at
Oriaco,
I still should be o'er
yonder where men breathe.
I ran to the
lagoon, and
reeds and mire
Did so entangle me I fell, and saw there
A lake made from my
veins upon the ground."
Then said another: "Ah, be that desire
Fulfilled that draws thee to the lofty
Mountain,
As thou with pious pity aidest mine.
I was of
Montefeltro, and am
Buonconte;
Giovanna, nor none other cares for me;
Hence among these I go with downcast front."
And I to him: "What violence or what chance
Led thee astray so far from
Campaldino,
That never has thy sepulture been known?"
"Oh," he replied, "at
Casentino's foot
A river crosses named
Archiano, born
Above the
Hermitage in
Apennine.
There where the name thereof becometh void
Did I arrive, pierced through and through the throat,
Fleeing on foot, and bloodying the plain;
There my sight lost I, and my utterance
Ceased
in the name of Mary, and thereat
I fell, and tenantless my flesh remained.
Truth will I speak, repeat it to the living;
God's Angel took me up, and he of hell
Shouted: 'O thou from heaven, why dost thou rob me?
Thou bearest away the eternal part of him,
For one poor little tear, that takes him from me;
But with the rest I'll deal in other fashion!'
Well knowest thou how in the air is gathered
That humid vapour which to water turns,
Soon as it rises where the cold doth grasp it.
He joined that evil will, which aye seeks evil,
To intellect, and moved the mist and wind
By means of power, which his own
Nature gave;
Thereafter, when the day was spent, the valley
From
Pratomagno to the great
yoke covered
With fog, and made the heaven above intent,
So that the pregnant air to water changed;
Down fell the rain, and to the gullies came
Whate'er of it earth tolerated not;
And as it mingled with the mighty
torrents,
Towards the royal river with such speed
It headlong rushed, that nothing held it back.
My frozen body near unto its outlet
The robust
Archian found, and into
Arno
Thrust it, and loosened from my breast the cross
I made of me, when agony o'ercame me;
It rolled me on the banks and on the bottom,
Then with its booty covered and begirt me."
"Ah, when thou hast returned unto the world,
And rested thee from thy long journeying,"
After the second followed the third spirit,
"Do thou remember me who am the
Pia;
Siena made me, unmade me
Maremma;
He knoweth it, who had encircled first,
Espousing me, my finger with his gem."
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