第 51 节
作者:
辛苦 更新:2021-02-20 05:04 字数:9322
Covers already with her foot Morocco。〃
Purgatorio: Canto V
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。〃
Purgatorio: Canto VI
Whene'er is broken up the game of Zara;
He who has lost remains behind despondent;
The throws repeating; and in sadness learns;
The people with the other all depart;
One goes in front; and one behind doth pluck him;
And at his side one brings himself to mind;
He pauses not; and this and that one hears;
They crowd no more to whom his hand he stretches;
And from the throng he thus defends himself。
Even such was I in that dense multitude;
Turning to them this way and that my face;
And; promising; I freed myself therefrom。
There was the Aretine; who from the arms
Untamed of Ghin di Tacco had his death;
And he who fleeing from pursuit was drowned。
There was imploring with his hands outstretched
Frederick Novello; and that one of Pisa
Who made the good Marzucco seem so strong。
I saw Count Orso; and the soul divided
By hatred and by envy from its body;
As it declared; and not for crime committed;
Pierre de la Brosse I say; and here provide
While still on earth the Lady of Brabant;
So that for this she be of no worse flock!
As soon as I was free from all those shades
Who only prayed that some one else may pray;
So as to hasten their becoming holy;
Began I: 〃It appears that thou deniest;
O light of mine; expressly in some text;
That orison can bend decree of Heaven;
And ne'ertheless these people pray for this。
Might then their expectation bootless be?
Or is to me thy saying not quite clear?〃
And he to me: 〃My writing is explicit;
And not fallacious is the hope of these;
If with sane intellect 'tis well regarded;
For top of judgment doth not vail itself;
Because the fire of love fulfils at once
What he must satisfy who here installs him。
And there; where I affirmed that proposition;
Defect was not amended by a prayer;
Because the prayer from God was separate。
Verily; in so deep a questioning
Do not decide; unless she tell it thee;
Who light 'twixt truth and intellect shall be。
I know not if thou understand; I speak
Of Beatrice; her shalt thou see above;
Smiling and happy; on this mountain's top。〃
And I: 〃Good Leader; let us make more haste;
For I no longer tire me as before;
And see; e'en now the hill a shadow casts。〃
〃We will go forward with this day〃 he answered;
〃As far as now is possible for us;
But otherwise the fact is than thou thinkest。
Ere thou art up there; thou shalt see return
Him; who now hides himself behind the hill;
So that thou dost not interrupt his rays。
But yonder there behold! a soul that stationed
All; all alone is looking hitherward;
It will point out to us the quickest way。〃
We came up unto it; O Lombard soul;
How lofty and disdainful thou didst bear thee;
And grand and slow in moving of thine eyes!
Nothing whatever did it say to us;
But let us go our way; eying us only
After the manner of a couchant lion;
Still near to it Virgilius drew; entre