To　them　I　turned　me；　and；　〃O　people；　certain；〃
  Began　I；　〃of　beholding　the　high　light；
  Which　your　desire　has　solely　in　its　care；
  So　may　grace　speedily　dissolve　the　scum
  Upon　your　consciences；　that　limpidly
  Through　them　descend　the　river　of　the　mind；
  Tell　me；　for　dear　'twill　be　to　me　and　gracious；
  If　any　soul　among　you　here　is　Latian；
  And　'twill　perchance　be　good　for　him　I　learn　it。〃
  〃O　brother　mine；　each　one　is　citizen
  Of　one　true　city；　but　thy　meaning　is；
  Who　may　have　lived　in　Italy　a　pilgrim。〃
  By　way　of　answer　this　I　seemed　to　hear
  A　little　farther　on　than　where　I　stood；
  Whereat　I　made　myself　still　nearer　heard。
  Among　the　rest　I　saw　a　shade　that　waited
  In　aspect；　and　should　any　one　ask　how；
  Its　chin　it　lifted　upward　like　a　blind　man。
  〃Spirit；〃　I　said；　〃who　stoopest　to　ascend；
  If　thou　art　he　who　did　reply　to　me；
  Make　thyself　known　to　me　by　place　or　name。〃
  〃Sienese　was　I；〃　it　replied；　〃and　with
  The　others　here　recleanse　my　guilty　life；
  Weeping　to　Him　to　lend　himself　to　us。
  Sapient　I　was　not；　although　I　Sapia
  Was　called；　and　I　was　at　another's　harm
  More　happy　far　than　at　my　own　good　fortune。
  And　that　thou　mayst　not　think　that　I　deceive　thee；
  Hear　if　I　was　as　foolish　as　I　tell　thee。
  The　arc　already　of　my　years　descending；
  My　fellow…citizens　near　unto　Colle
  Were　joined　in　battle　with　their　adversaries；
  And　I　was　praying　God　for　what　he　willed。
  Routed　were　they；　and　turned　into　the　bitter
  Passes　of　flight；　and　I；　the　chase　beholding；
  A　joy　received　unequalled　by　all　others；
  So　that　I　lifted　upward　my　bold　face
  Crying　to　God；　'Henceforth　I　fear　thee　not；'
  As　did　the　blackbird　at　the　little　sunshine。
  Peace　I　desired　with　God　at　the　extreme
  Of　my　existence；　and　as　yet　would　not
  My　debt　have　been　by　penitence　discharged；
  Had　it　not　been　that　in　remembrance　held　me
  Pier　Pettignano　in　his　holy　prayers；
  Who　out　of　charity　was　grieved　for　me。
  But　who　art　thou；　that　into　our　conditions
  Questioning　goest；　and　hast　thine　eyes　unbound
  As　I　believe；　and　breathing　dost　discourse？〃
  〃Mine　eyes；〃　I　said；　〃will　yet　be　here　ta'en　from　me；
  But　for　short　space；　for　small　is　the　offence
  Committed　by　their　being　turned　with　envy。
  Far　greater　is　the　fear；　wherein　suspended
  My　soul　is；　of　the　torment　underneath；
  For　even　now　the　load　down　there　weighs　on　me。〃
  And　she　to　me：　〃Who　led　thee；　then；　among　us
  Up　here；　if　to　return　below　thou　thinkest？〃
  And　I：　〃He　who　is　with　me；　and　speaks　not；
  And　living　am　I；　therefore　ask　of　me；
  Spirit　elect；　if　thou　wouldst　have　me　move
  O'er　yonder　yet　my　mortal　feet　for　thee。〃
  〃O；　this　is　such　a　novel　thing　to　hear；〃
  She　answered；　〃that　great　sign　it　is　God　loves　thee；
  Therefore　with　prayer　of　thine　sometimes　assist　me。
  And　I　implore；　by　what　thou　most　desirest；
  If　e'er　thou　treadest　the　soil　of　Tuscany；
  Well　with　my　kindred　reinstate　my　fame。
  Them　wilt　thou　see　among　that　people　vain
  Who　hope　in　Talamone；　and　will　lose　there
  More　hope　than　in　discovering　the　Diana；
  But　there　still　more　the　admirals　will　lose。〃
  Purgatorio：　Canto　XIV
  〃Who　is　this　one　that　goes　about　our　mountain；
  Or　ever　Death　has　given　him　power　of　flight；
  And　opes　his　eyes　and　shuts　them　at　his　will？〃
  〃I　know　not　who；　but　know　he's　not　alone；
  Ask　him　thyself；　for　thou　art　nearer　to　him；
  And　gently；　so　that　he　may　speak；　accost　him。〃
  Thus　did　two　spirits；　leaning　tow'rds　each　other；
  Discourse　about　me　there　on　the　right　hand；
  Then　held　supine　their　faces　to　address　me。
  And　said　the　one：　〃O　soul；　that；　fastened　still
  Within　the　body；　tow'rds　the　heaven　art　going；
  For　charity　console　us；　and　declare
  Whence　comest　and　who　art　thou；　for　thou　mak'st　us
  As　much　to　marvel　at　this　grace　of　thine
  As　must　a　thing　that　never　yet　has　been。〃
  And　I：　〃Through　midst　of　Tuscany　there　wanders
  A　streamlet　that　is　born　in　Falterona；
  And　not　a　hundred　miles　of　course　suffice　it；
  From　thereupon　do　I　this　body　bring。
  To　tell　you　who　I　am　were　speech　in　vain；
  Because　my　name　as　yet　makes　no　great　noise。〃
  〃If　well　thy　meaning　I　can　penetrate
  With　intellect　of　mine；〃　then　answered　me
  He　who　first　spake；　〃thou　speakest　of　the　Arno。〃
  And　said　the　other　to　him：　〃Why　concealed
  This　one　the　appellation　of　that　river；
  Even　as　a　man　doth　of　things　horrible？〃
  And　thus　the　shade　that　questioned　was　of　this
  Himself　acquitted：　〃I　know　not；　but　truly
  'Tis　fit　the　name　of　such　a　valley　perish；
  For　from　its　fountain…head　（where　is　so　pregnant
  The　Alpine　mountain　whence　is　cleft　Peloro
  That　in　few　places　it　that　mark　surpasses）
  To　where　it　yields　itself　in　restoration
  Of　what　the　heaven　doth　of　the　sea　dry　up；
  Whence　have　the　rivers　that　which　goes　with　them；
  Virtue　is　like　an　enemy　avoided
  By　all；　as　is　a　serpent；　through　misfortune
  Of　place；　or　through　bad　habit　that　impels　them；
  On　which　account　have　so　transformed　their　nature
  The　dwellers　in　that　miserable　valley；
  It　seems　that　Circe　had　them　in　her　pasture。
  'Mid　ugly　swine；　of　acorns　worthier
  Than　other　food　for　human　use　created；
  It　first　directeth　its　impoverished　way。
  Curs　findeth　it　thereafter；　coming　downward；
  More　snarling　than　their　puissance　demands；
  And　turns　from　them　disdainfully　its　muzzle。
  It　goes　on　falling；　and　the　more　it　grows；
  The　more　it　finds　the　dogs　becoming　wolves；
  This　maledict　and　misadventurous　ditch。
  Descended　then　through　many　a　hollow　gulf；
  It　finds　the　foxes　so　replete　with　fraud；
  They　fear　no　cunning　that　may　master　them。
  Nor　will　I　cease　because　another　hears　me；
  And　well　'twill　be　for　him；　if　still　he　mind　him
  Of　what　a　truthful　spirit　to　me　unravels。
  Thy　grandson　I　behold；　who　doth　become
  A　hunter　of　those　wolves　upon　the　bank
  Of　the　wild　stream；　and　terrifies　them　all。
  He　sells　their　flesh；　it　being　yet　alive；
  Thereafter　slaughters　them　like　ancient　beeves；
  Many　of　life；　himself　of　praise；　deprives。
  Blood…stained　he　issues　from　the　dismal　forest；
  He　leaves　it　such；　a　thousand　years　from　now
  In　its　primeval　state　'tis　not　re…wooded。〃
  As　at　the　announcement　of　impending　ills
  The　face　of　him　who　listens　is　disturbed；
  From　whate'er　side　the　peril　seize　upon　him；
  So　I　beheld　that　other　soul；　which　stood
  Turned　round　to　listen；　grow　disturbed　and　sad；
  When　it　had　gathered　to　itself　the　word。
  The　speech　of　one　and　aspect　of　the　other
  Had　me　desirous　made　to　know　their　names；
  And　question　mixed　with　prayers　I　made　thereof；
  Whereat　the　spirit　which　first　spake　to　me
  Began　again：　〃Thou　wishest　I　should　bring　me
  To　do　for　thee　what　thou'lt　not　do　for　me；
  But　since　God　willeth　that　in　thee　shine　forth
  Such　grace　of　his；　I'll　not　be　chary　with　thee；
  Know；　then；　that　I　Guido　del　Duca　am。
  My　blood　was　so　with　envy　set　on　fire；
  That　if　I　had　beheld　a　man　make　merry；
  Thou　wouldst　have　seen　me　sprinkled　o'er　with　pallor。
  From　my　own　sowing　such　the　straw　I　reap！
  O　human　race！　why　dost　thou　set　thy　heart
  Where　interdict　of　partnership　must　be？
  This　is　Renier；　this　is　the　boast　and　honour
  Of　the　house　of　Calboli；　where　no　one　since
  Has　made　himself　the　heir　of　his　desert。
  And　not　alone　his　blood　is　made　devoid；
  'Twixt　Po　and　mount；　and　sea…shore　and　the　Reno；
  Of　good　required　for　truth　and　for　diversion；
  For　all　within　these　boundaries　is　full
  Of　venomous　roots；　so　that　too　tardily
  By　cultivation　now　would　they　diminish。
  Where　is　good　Lizio；　and　Arrigo　Manardi；
  Pier　Traversaro；　and　Guido　di　Carpigna；
  O　Romagnuoli　into　bastards　turned？
  When　in　Bologna　will　a　Fabbro　rise？
  When　in　Faenza　a　Bernardin　di　Fosco；
  The　noble　scion　of　ignoble　seed？
  Be　not　astonished；　Tuscan；　if　I　weep；
  When　I　remember；　with　Guido　da　Prata；
  Ugolin　d'　Azzo；　who　was　living　with　us；
  Frederick　Tignoso　and　his　company；
  The　house　of　Traversara；　and　th'　Anastagi；
  And　one　race　and　the　other　is　extinct；
  The　dames　and　cavaliers；　the　toils　and　ease
  That　filled　our　souls　with　love　and　courtesy；
  There　where　the　hearts　have　so　malicious　grown！
  O　Brettinoro！　why　dost　thou　not　flee；
  Seeing　that　all　thy　family　is　gone；
  And　many　people；　not　to　be　corrupted？
  Bagnacaval　does　well　in　not　begetting
  And　ill　does　Castrocaro；　and　Conio　worse；
  In　taking　trouble　to　beget　such　Counts。
  Will　do　well　the　Pagani；　when　their　Devil
  Shall　have　departed；　but　not　therefore　pure
  Will　testimony　of　them　e'er　remain。
  O　Ugolin　de'　Fantoli；　secure
  Thy　name　is；　since　no　longer　is　awaited
  One　who；　degenerating；　can　obscure　it！
  But　go　now；　Tuscan；　for　it　now　delights　me
  To　weep　far　better　than　it　does　to　speak；
  So　much　has　our　discourse　my　mind　distressed。〃
  We　were　aware　that　those　beloved　souls
  Heard　us　depart；　therefore；　by　keeping　silent；
  They　made　us　of　our　pathway　confident。
  When　we　became　alone　by　going　onward；
  Thunder；　when　it　doth　cleave　the　air；　appeared
  A　voice；　that　counter　to　us　came；　exclaiming：
  〃Shall　slay　me　whosoever　findeth　me！〃
  And　fled　as　the　reverberation　dies
  If　suddenly　the　clou