Paradiso：　Canto　XVI
  O　thou　our　poor　nobility　of　blood；
  If　thou　dost　make　the　people　glory　in　thee
  Down　here　where　our　affection　languishes；
  A　marvellous　thing　it　ne'er　will　be　to　me；
  For　there　where　appetite　is　not　perverted；
  I　say　in　Heaven；　of　thee　I　made　a　boast！
  Truly　thou　art　a　cloak　that　quickly　shortens；
  So　that　unless　we　piece　thee　day　by　day
  Time　goeth　round　about　thee　with　his　shears！
  With　'You；'　which　Rome　was　first　to　tolerate；
  （Wherein　her　family　less　perseveres；）
  Yet　once　again　my　words　beginning　made；
  Whence　Beatrice；　who　stood　somewhat　apart；
  Smiling；　appeared　like　unto　her　who　coughed
  At　the　first　failing　writ　of　Guenever。
  And　I　began：　〃You　are　my　ancestor；
  You　give　to　me　all　hardihood　to　speak；
  You　lift　me　so　that　I　am　more　than　I。
  So　many　rivulets　with　gladness　fill
  My　mind；　that　of　itself　it　makes　a　joy
  Because　it　can　endure　this　and　not　burst。
  Then　tell　me；　my　beloved　root　ancestral；
  Who　were　your　ancestors；　and　what　the　years
  That　in　your　boyhood　chronicled　themselves？
  Tell　me　about　the　sheepfold　of　Saint　John；
  How　large　it　was；　and　who　the　people　were
  Within　it　worthy　of　the　highest　seats。〃
  As　at　the　blowing　of　the　winds　a　coal
  Quickens　to　flame；　so　I　beheld　that　light
  Become　resplendent　at　my　blandishments。
  And　as　unto　mine　eyes　it　grew　more　fair；
  With　voice　more　sweet　and　tender；　but　not　in
  This　modern　dialect；　it　said　to　me：
  〃From　uttering　of　the　'Ave；'　till　the　birth
  In　which　my　mother；　who　is　now　a　saint；
  Of　me　was　lightened　who　had　been　her　burden；
  Unto　its　Lion　had　this　fire　returned
  Five　hundred　fifty　times　and　thirty　more；
  To　reinflame　itself　beneath　his　paw。
  My　ancestors　and　I　our　birthplace　had
  Where　first　is　found　the　last　ward　of　the　city
  By　him　who　runneth　in　your　annual　game。
  Suffice　it　of　my　elders　to　hear　this；
  But　who　they　were；　and　whence　they　thither　came；
  Silence　is　more　considerate　than　speech。
  All　those　who　at　that　time　were　there　between
  Mars　and　the　Baptist；　fit　for　bearing　arms；
  Were　a　fifth　part　of　those　who　now　are　living；
  But　the　community；　that　now　is　mixed
  With　Campi　and　Certaldo　and　Figghine；
  Pure　in　the　lowest　artisan　was　seen。
  O　how　much　better　'twere　to　have　as　neighbours
  The　folk　of　whom　I　speak；　and　at　Galluzzo
  And　at　Trespiano　have　your　boundary；
  Than　have　them　in　the　town；　and　bear　the　stench
  Of　Aguglione's　churl；　and　him　of　Signa
  Who　has　sharp　eyes　for　trickery　already。
  Had　not　the　folk；　which　most　of　all　the　world
  Degenerates；　been　a　step…dame　unto　Caesar；
  But　as　a　mother　to　her　son　benignant；
  Some　who　turn　Florentines；　and　trade　and　discount；
  Would　have　gone　back　again　to　Simifonte
  There　where　their　grandsires　went　about　as　beggars。
  At　Montemurlo　still　would　be　the　Counts；
  The　Cerchi　in　the　parish　of　Acone；
  Perhaps　in　Valdigrieve　the　Buondelmonti。
  Ever　the　intermingling　of　the　people
  Has　been　the　source　of　malady　in　cities；
  As　in　the　body　food　it　surfeits　on；
  And　a　blind　bull　more　headlong　plunges　down
  Than　a　blind　lamb；　and　very　often　cuts
  Better　and　more　a　single　sword　than　five。
  If　Luni　thou　regard；　and　Urbisaglia；
  How　they　have　passed　away；　and　how　are　passing
  Chiusi　and　Sinigaglia　after　them；
  To　hear　how　races　waste　themselves　away；
  Will　seem　to　thee　no　novel　thing　nor　hard；
  Seeing　that　even　cities　have　an　end。
  All　things　of　yours　have　their　mortality；
  Even　as　yourselves；　but　it　is　hidden　in　some
  That　a　long　while　endure；　and　lives　are　short；
  And　as　the　turning　of　the　lunar　heaven
  Covers　and　bares　the　shores　without　a　pause；
  In　the　like　manner　fortune　does　with　Florence。
  Therefore　should　not　appear　a　marvellous　thing
  What　I　shall　say　of　the　great　Florentines
  Of　whom　the　fame　is　hidden　in　the　Past。
  I　saw　the　Ughi；　saw　the　Catellini；
  Filippi；　Greci；　Ormanni；　and　Alberichi；
  Even　in　their　fall　illustrious　citizens；
  And　saw；　as　mighty　as　they　ancient　were；
  With　him　of　La　Sannella　him　of　Arca；
  And　Soldanier；　Ardinghi；　and　Bostichi。
  Near　to　the　gate　that　is　at　present　laden
  With　a　new　felony　of　so　much　weight
  That　soon　it　shall　be　jetsam　from　the　bark；
  The　Ravignani　were；　from　whom　descended
  The　County　Guido；　and　whoe'er　the　name
  Of　the　great　Bellincione　since　hath　taken。
  He　of　La　Pressa　knew　the　art　of　ruling
  Already；　and　already　Galigajo
  Had　hilt　and　pommel　gilded　in　his　house。
  Mighty　already　was　the　Column　Vair；
  Sacchetti；　Giuochi；　Fifant；　and　Barucci；
  And　Galli；　and　they　who　for　the　bushel　blush。
  The　stock　from　which　were　the　Calfucci　born
  Was　great　already；　and　already　chosen
  To　curule　chairs　the　Sizii　and　Arrigucci。
  O　how　beheld　I　those　who　are　undone
  By　their　own　pride！　and　how　the　Balls　of　Gold
  Florence　enflowered　in　all　their　mighty　deeds！
  So　likewise　did　the　ancestors　of　those
  Who　evermore；　when　vacant　is　your　church；
  Fatten　by　staying　in　consistory。
  The　insolent　race；　that　like　a　dragon　follows
  Whoever　flees；　and　unto　him　that　shows
  His　teeth　or　purse　is　gentle　as　a　lamb；
  Already　rising　was；　but　from　low　people；
  So　that　it　pleased　not　Ubertin　Donato
  That　his　wife's　father　should　make　him　their　kin。
  Already　had　Caponsacco　to　the　Market
  From　Fesole　descended；　and　already
  Giuda　and　Infangato　were　good　burghers。
  I'll　tell　a　thing　incredible；　but　true；
  One　entered　the　small　circuit　by　a　gate
  Which　from　the　Della　Pera　took　its　name！
  Each　one　that　bears　the　beautiful　escutcheon
  Of　the　great　baron　whose　renown　and　name
  The　festival　of　Thomas　keepeth　fresh；
  Knighthood　and　privilege　from　him　received；
  Though　with　the　populace　unites　himself
  To…day　the　man　who　binds　it　with　a　border。
  Already　were　Gualterotti　and　Importuni；
  And　still　more　quiet　would　the　Borgo　be
  If　with　new　neighbours　it　remained　unfed。
  The　house　from　which　is　born　your　lamentation；
  Through　just　disdain　that　death　among　you　brought
  And　put　an　end　unto　your　joyous　life；
  Was　honoured　in　itself　and　its　companions。
  O　Buondelmonte；　how　in　evil　hour
  Thou　fled'st　the　bridal　at　another's　promptings！
  Many　would　be　rejoicing　who　are　sad；
  If　God　had　thee　surrendered　to　the　Ema
  The　first　time　that　thou　camest　to　the　city。
  But　it　behoved　the　mutilated　stone
  Which　guards　the　bridge；　that　Florence　should　provide
  A　victim　in　her　latest　hour　of　peace。
  With　all　these　families；　and　others　with　them；
  Florence　beheld　I　in　so　great　repose；
  That　no　occasion　had　she　whence　to　weep；
  With　all　these　families　beheld　so　just
  And　glorious　her　people；　that　the　lily
  Never　upon　the　spear　was　placed　reversed；
  Nor　by　division　was　vermilion　made。〃
  Paradiso：　Canto　XVII
  As　came　to　Clymene；　to　be　made　certain
  Of　that　which　he　had　heard　against　himself；
  He　who　makes　fathers　chary　still　to　children；
  Even　such　was　I；　and　such　was　I　perceived
  By　Beatrice　and　by　the　holy　light
  That　first　on　my　account　had　changed　its　place。
  Therefore　my　Lady　said　to　me：　〃Send　forth
  The　flame　of　thy　desire；　so　that　it　issue
  Imprinted　well　with　the　internal　stamp；
  Not　that　our　knowledge　may　be　greater　made
  By　speech　of　thine；　but　to　accustom　thee
  To　tell　thy　thirst；　that　we　may　give　thee　drink。〃
  〃O　my　beloved　tree；　（that　so　dost　lift　thee；
  That　even　as　minds　terrestrial　perceive
  No　triangle　containeth　two　obtuse；
  So　thou　beholdest　the　contingent　things
  Ere　in　themselves　they　are；　fixing　thine　eyes
  Upon　the　point　in　which　all　times　are　present；）
  While　I　was　with　Virgilius　conjoined
  Upon　the　mountain　that　the　souls　doth　heal；
  And　when　descending　into　the　dead　world；
  Were　spoken　to　me　of　my　future　life
  Some　grievous　words；　although　I　feel　myself
  In　sooth　foursquare　against　the　blows　of　chance。
  On　this　account　my　wish　would　be　content
  To　hear　what　fortune　is　approaching　me；
  Because　foreseen　an　arrow　comes　more　slowly。〃
  Thus　did　I　say　unto　that　selfsame　light
  That　unto　me　had　spoken　before；　and　even
  As　Beatrice　willed　was　my　own　will　confessed。
  Not　in　vague　phrase；　in　which　the　foolish　folk
  Ensnared　themselves　of　old；　ere　yet　was　slain
  The　Lamb　of　God　who　taketh　sins　away；
  But　with　clear　words　and　unambiguous
  Language　responded　that　paternal　love；
  Hid　and　revealed　by　its　own　proper　smile：
  〃Contingency；　that　outside　of　the　volume
  Of　your　materiality　extends　not；
  Is　all　depicted　in　the　eternal　aspect。
  Necessity　however　thence　it　takes　not；
  Except　as　from　the　eye；　in　which　'tis　mirrored；
  A　ship　that　with　the　current　down　descends。
  From　thence；　e'en　as　there　cometh　to　the　ear
  Sweet　harmony　from　an　organ；　comes　in　sight
  To　me　the　time　that　is　preparing　for　thee。
  As　forth　from　Athens　went　Hippolytus；
  By　reason　of　his　step…dame　false　and　cruel；
  So　thou　from　Florence　must　perforce　depart。
  Already　this　is　willed；　and　this　is　sought　for；
  And　soon　it　shall　be　done　by　him　who　thinks　it；
  Where　every　day　the　Christ　is　bought　and　sold。
  The　blame　shall　follow　the　offended　party
  In　outcry　as　is　usual；　but　the　vengeance
  Shall　witness　to　the　truth　that　doth　dispense　it。