Song and Legend from the Middle Ages Part 21

That o'er the others like an eagle soars.

When they together short discourse had held, They turned to me, with salutation kind Beckoning me; at the which my master smiled Nor was this all; but greater honour still They gave me, for they made me of their tribe; And I was sixth amid so learn'd a band.

[1] The bard sublime--Virgil.

[2] The monarch of sublimest song--Homer.

II. Francesca da Rimini.[1]

[1] Francesca da Polenta was given in marriage by her father to Lanclotto da Rimini, a man brave, but of deformed person. His brother Paolo, who was exceedingly handsome, won her affections.

They were both put to death by Lagnciotto.

From the Inferno.

From Limbo the poet descends into the second circle, where the sin of l.u.s.t is punished. The souls in this circle are driven forever round in a tyrannous gust of wind. They see Cleopatra and Helen and Paris and Tristan and many others whom Virgil names to the poet. Finally he sees two spirits approaching, whom he asks permission to address. To these he spoke:

"O wearied spirits! come, and hold discourse With us, if by none else restrain'd." As doves By fond desire invited, on wide wings And firm, to their sweet nest returning home, Cleave the air, wafted by their will along; Thus issued, from that troop where Dido ranks, They, through the ill air speeding--with such force My cry prevail'd, by strong affection urged.

"O gracious creature and benign! who go'st Visiting, through this element obscure, Us, who the world with b.l.o.o.d.y stain imbrued; If, for a friend, the King of all, we own'd, Our prayer to him should for thy peace arise, Since thou hast pity on our evil plight.

Of whatsoe'er to hear or to discourse It pleases thee, that will we hear, of that Freely with thee discourse, while e'er the wind, As now, is mute. The land[1] that gave me birth, Is situate on the coast, where Po descends To rest in ocean with his sequent streams.

"Love, that in gentle heart is quickly learnt, Entangled him by that fair form, from me Ta'en in such cruel sort, as grieves me still!

Love, that denial takes from none beloved, Caught me with pleasing him so pa.s.sing well, That, as thou seest' he yet deserts me not.

Love brought us to one death: Caina[2] waits The soul, who split our life."

Such were their words; At hearing which, downward I bent my looks, And held them there so long, that the bard cried: "What art thou pondering?" I in answer thus: "Alas I by what sweet thoughts, what fond desire Must they at length to that ill pa.s.s have reach'd!"

Then turning, I to them my speech addressed, And thus began: "Francesca! your sad fate Even to tears my grief and pity moves.

But tell me; in the time of your sweet sighs, By what, and how Love granted, that ye knew Your yet uncertain wishes?" She replied: "No greater grief than to remember days Of joy, when misery is at hand. That kens Thy learn'd instructor. Yet so eagerly If thou art bent to know the primal root, From whence our love gat being, I will do As one, who weeps and tells his tale. One day, For our delight we read of Lancelot,[3]

How him love thrall'd. Alone we were, and no Suspicion near us. Oft-times by that reading Our eyes were drawn together, and the hue Fled from our alter'd cheek. But at one point Alone we fell. When of that smile we read, The wished smile so rapturously kiss'd By one so deep in love, then he, who ne'er From me shall separate, at once my lips All trembling kiss'd. The book and writer both Were love's purveyors. In its leaves that day We read no more." While thus one spirit spake, The other wailed so sorely, that heart-struck I, through compa.s.sion fainting, seem'd not far From death, and like a corse fell to the ground.

[1] The land that gave me birth--Ravenna.

[2] Caina, the place to which murderers are doomed.

[3] Lancelot, one of the knights of the Round Table, the lover of Queen Guinevere.

III. Farinata.--From the Inferno.

The poet and his guide descend through the third circle where the sin of gluttony is punished; through the fourth, where they find the prodigal and avaricious; through the fifth where immersed in a filthy pool are the souls of the irascible. The sixth circle is the city of Dis, with walls of heated iron, filled within with open fiery tombs from which issue the groans of the heretics who are punished here. With two of these, Farinata degli Uberti[1]

and Cavaleante Cavaleanti,[2] Dante holds converse.

[1] Farinata degli Uberti, a Florentine of great military ability, a leader of the Ghibelline, or imperial, party.

[2] Cavaleante Cavaleanti, a Florentine, of the Guelph, or Papal, party.

Now by a secret pathway we proceed, Between the walls that hem the region round, And the tormented souls: my master first, I close behind his steps. "Virtue supreme!"

I thus began: "who through these ample orbs In circuit lead'st me, even as thou will'st; Speak thou, and satisfy my wish. May those, Who lie within these sepulchres, be seen?

Already all the lids are raised, and none O'er them keeps watch." He thus in answer spake: "They shall be closed all, what-time they here From Josaphat[1] return'd shall come, and bring Their bodies, which above they now have left.

The cemetery on this part obtain, With Epicurus, all his followers, Who with the body make the spirit die.

Here therefore satisfaction shall be soon, Both to the question ask'd, and to the wish [2]

Which thou conceal'st in silence." I replied: "I keep not, guide beloved I from thee my heart Secreted, but to shun vain length of words; A lesson erewhile taught me by thyself."

"O Tuscan! thou, who through the city of fire Alive art pa.s.sing, so discreet of speech: Here, please thee, stay awhile. Thy utterance Declares the place of thy nativity To be that n.o.ble land, with which perchance I too severely dealt." Sudden that sound Forth issued from a vault, whereat, in fear, I somewhat closer to my leader's side Approaching, he thus spake: "What dost thou? Turn: Lo!

Farinata, there, who hath himself Uplifted: from his girdle upwards, all Exposed, behold him." On his face was mine Already fix'd: his breast and forehead there Erecting, seem'd as in high scorn he held E'en h.e.l.l. Between the sepulchres, to him My guide thrust me, with fearless hands and prompt; This warning added: "See thy words be clear."

He, soon as there I stood at the tomb's foot, Eyed me a s.p.a.ce; then in disdainful mood Address'd me: "Say what ancestors were thine."

I, willing to obey him, straight reveal'd The whole, nor kept back aught: whence he, his brow Somewhat uplifting, cried: "Fiercely were they Adverse to me, my party, and the blood From whence I sprang: twice, therefore, I abroad Scatter'd them." "Though driven out, yet they each time From all parts," answer'd I, "return'd; an art Which yours have shown they are not skill'd to learn."

Then, peering forth from the unclosed jaw, Rose from his side a shade,[3] high as the chin, Leaning, methought, upon its knees upraised.

It look'd around, as eager to explore If there were other with me; but perceiving That fond imagination quench'd, with tears Thus spake: "If thou through this blind prison go'st, Led by thy lofty genius and profound, Where is my son? and wherefore not with thee?

I straight replied: "Not of myself I come; By him, who there expects me, through this clime Conducted, whom perchance Guido thy son Had in contempt."[4] Already had his words And mode of punishment read me his name, Whence I so fully answer'd. He at once Exclaim'd' up starting, "How! said'st thou' he HAD?

No longer lives he? Strikes not on his eye The blessed daylight?" Then, of some delay I made ere my reply, aware, down fell Supine, nor after forth appear'd he more.

[1] It was a common opinion that the general judgment would be held in the valley of Josaphat, or Jehoshaphat. Joel iii., 2.

[2] The wish-Dante's wish was to speak with the followers of Epicurus, of whom were Farinata and Cavalcante.

[3] A shade--Cavalcante.

[4] Guido, thy son had in contempt--Guido the son of Cavalcante Cavalcanti, a Tuscan poet, the friend of Dante. But being fonder of philosophy than of poetry was perhaps not an admirer of Virgil.

V. The Hypocrites. From the Inferno.

In the seventh circle, which is divided into three rounds, or gironi, the violent are tormented. The eighth circle is divided into ten concentric fosses, or gulfs, in each of which some variety of fraudulent sinners is punished. In the sixth gulf are the hypocrites.

There in the depth we saw a painted tribe, Who paced with tardy steps around, and wept, Faint in appearance and o'ercome with toil.

Caps had they on, with hoods, that fell low down Before their eyes, in fas.h.i.+on like to those Worn by the monks in Cologne.[1]

Their outside Was overlaid with gold, dazzling to view, But leaden all within, and of such weight, That Frederick's [2] compared to these were straw.

Oh, everlasting wearisome attire!

We yet once more with them together turn'd To leftward, on their dismal moan intent.

But by the weight opprest, so slowly came The fainting people, that our company Was changed, at every movement of the step.

I staid, and saw two spirits in whose look Impatient eagerness of mind was mark'd To overtake me; but the load they bare And narrow path r.e.t.a.r.ded their approach.

Soon as arrived, they with an eye askance Perused me, but spake not: then turning, each To other thus conferring said: "This one Seems, by the action of his throat, alive; And, be they dead, what privilege allows They walk unmantled by the c.u.mbrous stole?"

Then thus to me: "Tuscan, who visitest The college of the mourning hypocrites, Disdain not to instruct us who thou art."

"By Arno's pleasant stream," I thus replied, In the great city I was bred and grew, And wear the body I have ever worn.

But who are ye, from whom such mighty grief, As now I witness, courseth down your cheeks?

What torment breaks forth in this bitter woe?"

"Our bonnets gleaming bright with orange hue,"

One of them answer'd' "are so leaden gross, That with their weight they make the balances To crack beneath them. Joyous friars[3] we were, Bologna's natives; Catalano I, He Loderingo named; and by thy land Together taken, as men use to take A single and indifferent arbiter, To reconcile their strifes. How there we sped, Gardingo's vicinage [4] can best declare."

"O friars!" I began, "your miseries--"

But there brake off, for one had caught mine eye, Fix'd to a cross with three stakes on the ground: He, when he saw me, writhed himself, throughout Distorted, ruffling with deep sighs his beard.

And Catalano, who thereof was 'ware, Thus spake: "That pierced spirit,[5] whom intent Thou view'st, was he who gave the Pharisees Counsel, that it were fitting for one man To suffer for the people. He doth lie Transverse; nor any pa.s.ses, but him first Behoves make feeling trial how each weighs.

In straits like this along the foss are placed The father of his consort,[6] and the rest Partakers in that council, seed of ill And sorrow to the Jews."

[1] The monks in Cologne. These monks wore their cowls unusually large.

[2] Frederick's. Frederick II. punished those guilty of high treason by wrapping them up in lead, and casting them into a furnace.

[3] Joyous friars. An order of knights (Frail G.o.denti) on two of whom the Ghibelline party at one time conferred the chief power of Florence. One was Catalano de' Malavolti, the other Loderingo di Liandolo. Their administration was unjust.

[4] Gardingo's vicinage. That part of the city inhabited by the Ghibelline family of the Uberti, and destroyed, under the iniquitous administration of Catalano and Loderingo.