And　lo！　as　when；　upon　the　approach　of　morning；
  Through　the　gross　vapours　Mars　grows　fiery　red
  Down　in　the　West　upon　the　ocean　floor；
  Appeared　to　memay　I　again　behold　it！
  A　light　along　the　sea　so　swiftly　coming；
  Its　motion　by　no　flight　of　wing　is　equalled；
  From　which　when　I　a　little　had　withdrawn
  Mine　eyes；　that　I　might　question　my　Conductor；
  Again　I　saw　it　brighter　grown　and　larger。
  Then　on　each　side　of　it　appeared　to　me
  I　knew　not　what　of　white；　and　underneath　it
  Little　by　little　there　came　forth　another。
  My　Master　yet　had　uttered　not　a　word
  While　the　first　whiteness　into　wings　unfolded；
  But　when　he　clearly　recognised　the　pilot；
  He　cried：　〃Make　haste；　make　haste　to　bow　the　knee！
  Behold　the　Angel　of　God！　fold　thou　thy　hands！
  Henceforward　shalt　thou　see　such　officers！
  See　how　he　scorneth　human　arguments；
  So　that　nor　oar　he　wants；　nor　other　sail
  Than　his　own　wings；　between　so　distant　shores。
  See　how　he　holds　them　pointed　up　to　heaven；
  Fanning　the　air　with　the　eternal　pinions；
  That　do　not　moult　themselves　like　mortal　hair！〃
  Then　as　still　nearer　and　more　near　us　came
  The　Bird　Divine；　more　radiant　he　appeared；
  So　that　near　by　the　eye　could　not　endure　him；
  But　down　I　cast　it；　and　he　came　to　shore
  With　a　small　vessel；　very　swift　and　light；
  So　that　the　water　swallowed　naught　thereof。
  Upon　the　stern　stood　the　Celestial　Pilot；
  Beatitude　seemed　written　in　his　face；
  And　more　than　a　hundred　spirits　sat　within。
  〃In　exitu　Israel　de　Aegypto！〃
  They　chanted　all　together　in　one　voice；
  With　whatso　in　that　psalm　is　after　written。
  Then　made　he　sign　of　holy　rood　upon　them；
  Whereat　all　cast　themselves　upon　the　shore；
  And　he　departed　swiftly　as　he　came。
  The　throng　which　still　remained　there　unfamiliar
  Seemed　with　the　place；　all　round　about　them　gazing；
  As　one　who　in　new　matters　makes　essay。
  On　every　side　was　darting　forth　the　day。
  The　sun；　who　had　with　his　resplendent　shafts
  From　the　mid…heaven　chased　forth　the　Capricorn；
  When　the　new　people　lifted　up　their　faces
  Towards　us；　saying　to　us：　〃If　ye　know；
  Show　us　the　way　to　go　unto　the　mountain。〃
  And　answer　made　Virgilius：　〃Ye　believe
  Perchance　that　we　have　knowledge　of　this　place；
  But　we　are　strangers　even　as　yourselves。
  Just　now　we　came；　a　little　while　before　you；
  Another　way；　which　was　so　rough　and　steep；
  That　mounting　will　henceforth　seem　sport　to　us。〃
  The　souls　who　had；　from　seeing　me　draw　breath；
  Become　aware　that　I　was　still　alive；
  Pallid　in　their　astonishment　became；
  And　as　to　messenger　who　bears　the　olive
  The　people　throng　to　listen　to　the　news；
  And　no　one　shows　himself　afraid　of　crowding；
  So　at　the　sight　of　me　stood　motionless
  Those　fortunate　spirits；　all　of　them；　as　if
  Oblivious　to　go　and　make　them　fair。
  One　from　among　them　saw　I　coming　forward；
  As　to　embrace　me；　with　such　great　affection；
  That　it　incited　me　to　do　the　like。
  O　empty　shadows；　save　in　aspect　only！
  Three　times　behind　it　did　I　clasp　my　hands；
  As　oft　returned　with　them　to　my　own　breast！
  I　think　with　wonder　I　depicted　me；
  Whereat　the　shadow　smiled　and　backward　drew；
  And　I；　pursuing　it；　pressed　farther　forward。
  Gently　it　said　that　I　should　stay　my　steps；
  Then　knew　I　who　it　was；　and　I　entreated
  That　it　would　stop　awhile　to　speak　with　me。
  It　made　reply　to　me：　〃Even　as　I　loved　thee
  In　mortal　body；　so　I　love　thee　free；
  Therefore　I　stop；　but　wherefore　goest　thou？〃
  〃My　own　Casella！　to　return　once　more
  There　where　I　am；　I　make　this　journey；〃　said　I；
  〃But　how　from　thee　has　so　much　time　be　taken？〃
  And　he　to　me：　〃No　outrage　has　been　done　me；
  If　he　who　takes　both　when　and　whom　he　pleases
  Has　many　times　denied　to　me　this　passage；
  For　of　a　righteous　will　his　own　is　made。
  He；　sooth　to　say；　for　three　months　past　has　taken
  Whoever　wished　to　enter　with　all　peace；
  Whence　I；　who　now　had　turned　unto　that　shore
  Where　salt　the　waters　of　the　Tiber　grow；
  Benignantly　by　him　have　been　received。
  Unto　that　outlet　now　his　wing　is　pointed；
  Because　for　evermore　assemble　there
  Those　who　tow'rds　Acheron　do　not　descend。〃
  And　I：　〃If　some　new　law　take　not　from　thee
  Memory　or　practice　of　the　song　of　love；
  Which　used　to　quiet　in　me　all　my　longings；
  Thee　may　it　please　to　comfort　therewithal
  Somewhat　this　soul　of　mine；　that　with　its　body
  Hitherward　coming　is　so　much　distressed。〃
  〃Love；　that　within　my　mind　discourses　with　me；〃
  Forthwith　began　he　so　melodiously；
  The　melody　within　me　still　is　sounding。
  My　Master；　and　myself；　and　all　that　people
  Which　with　him　were；　appeared　as　satisfied
  As　if　naught　else　might　touch　the　mind　of　any。
  We　all　of　us　were　moveless　and　attentive
  Unto　his　notes；　and　lo！　the　grave　old　man；
  Exclaiming：　〃What　is　this；　ye　laggard　spirits？
  What　negligence；　what　standing　still　is　this？
  Run　to　the　mountain　to　strip　off　the　slough；
  That　lets　not　God　be　manifest　to　you。〃
  Even　as　when；　collecting　grain　or　tares；
  The　doves；　together　at　their　pasture　met；
  Quiet；　nor　showing　their　accustomed　pride；
  If　aught　appear　of　which　they　are　afraid；
  Upon　a　sudden　leave　their　food　alone；
  Because　they　are　assailed　by　greater　care；
  So　that　fresh　company　did　I　behold
  The　song　relinquish；　and　go　tow'rds　the　hill；
  As　one　who　goes；　and　knows　not　whitherward；
  Nor　was　our　own　departure　less　in　haste。
  Purgatorio：　Canto　III
  Inasmuch　as　the　instantaneous　flight
  Had　scattered　them　asunder　o'er　the　plain；
  Turned　to　the　mountain　whither　reason　spurs　us；
  I　pressed　me　close　unto　my　faithful　comrade；
  And　how　without　him　had　I　kept　my　course？
  Who　would　have　led　me　up　along　the　mountain？
  He　seemed　to　me　within　himself　remorseful；
  O　noble　conscience；　and　without　a　stain；
  How　sharp　a　sting　is　trivial　fault　to　thee！
  After　his　feet　had　laid　aside　the　haste
  Which　mars　the　dignity　of　every　act；
  My　mind；　that　hitherto　had　been　restrained；
  Let　loose　its　faculties　as　if　delighted；
  And　I　my　sight　directed　to　the　hill
  That　highest　tow'rds　the　heaven　uplifts　itself。
  The　sun；　that　in　our　rear　was　flaming　red；
  Was　broken　in　front　of　me　into　the　figure
  Which　had　in　me　the　stoppage　of　its　rays；
  Unto　one　side　I　turned　me；　with　the　fear
  Of　being　left　alone；　when　I　beheld
  Only　in　front　of　me　the　ground　obscured。
  〃Why　dost　thou　still　mistrust？〃　my　Comforter
  Began　to　say　to　me　turned　wholly　round；
  〃Dost　thou　not　think　me　with　thee；　and　that　I　guide　thee？
  'Tis　evening　there　already　where　is　buried
  The　body　within　which　I　cast　a　shadow；
  'Tis　from　Brundusium　ta'en；　and　Naples　has　it。
  Now　if　in　front　of　me　no　shadow　fall；
  Marvel　not　at　it　more　than　at　the　heavens；
  Because　one　ray　impedeth　not　another
  To　suffer　torments；　both　of　cold　and　heat；
  Bodies　like　this　that　Power　provides；　which　wills
  That　how　it　works　be　not　unveiled　to　us。
  Insane　is　he　who　hopeth　that　our　reason
  Can　traverse　the　illimitable　way；
  Which　the　one　Substance　in　three　Persons　follows！
  Mortals；　remain　contented　at　the　'Quia；'
  For　if　ye　had　been　able　to　see　all；
  No　need　there　were　for　Mary　to　give　birth；
  And　ye　have　seen　desiring　without　fruit；
  Those　whose　desire　would　have　been　quieted；
  Which　evermore　is　given　them　for　a　grief。
  I　speak　of　Aristotle　and　of　Plato；
  And　many　others；〃and　here　bowed　his　head；
  And　more　he　said　not；　and　remained　disturbed。
  We　came　meanwhile　unto　the　mountain's　foot；
  There　so　precipitate　we　found　the　rock；
  That　nimble　legs　would　there　have　been　in　vain。
  'Twixt　Lerici　and　Turbia；　the　most　desert；
  The　most　secluded　pathway　is　a　stair
  Easy　and　open；　if　compared　with　that。
  〃Who　knoweth　now　upon　which　hand　the　hill
  Slopes　down；〃　my　Master　said；　his　footsteps　staying；
  〃So　that　who　goeth　without　wings　may　mount？〃
  And　while　he　held　his　eyes　upon　the　ground
  Examining　the　nature　of　the　path；
  And　I　was　looking　up　around　the　rock；
  On　the　left　hand　appeared　to　me　a　throng
  Of　souls；　that　moved　their　feet　in　our　direction；
  And　did　not　seem　to　move；　they　came　so　slowly。
  〃Lift　up　thine　eyes；〃　I　to　the　Master　said；
  〃Behold；　on　this　side；　who　will　give　us　counsel；
  If　thou　of　thine　own　self　can　have　it　not。〃
  Then　he　looked　at　me；　and　with　frank　expression
  Replied：　〃Let　us　go　there；　for　they　come　slowly；
  And　thou　be　steadfast　in　thy　hope；　sweet　son。〃
  Still　was　that　people　as　far　off　from　us；
  After　a　thousand　steps　of　ours　I　say；
  As　a　good　thrower　with　his　hand　would　reach；
  When　they　all　crowded　unto　the　hard　masses
  Of　the　high　bank；　and　motionless　stood　and　close；
  As　he　stands　still　to　look　who　goes　in　doubt。
  〃O　happy　dead！　　O　spirits　elect　already！〃
  Virgilius　made　beginning；　〃by　that　peace
  Which　I　believe　is　waiting　for　you　all；
  Tell　us　upon　what　side　the　mountain　slopes；
  So　that　the　going　up　be　possible；
  For　to　lose　time　irks　him　most　who　most　knows。〃
  As　sheep　come　issuing　forth　from　out　the　fold
  By　ones　and　twos　and　threes；　and　the　others　stand
  Timidly；　holding　down　their　eyes　and　nostrils；
  And　what　the　foremost　does　the　others　do；
  Huddling　them