〃Shall　slay　me　whosoever　findeth　me！〃
  And　fled　as　the　reverberation　dies
  If　suddenly　the　cloud　asunder　bursts。
  As　soon　as　hearing　had　a　truce　from　this；
  Behold　another；　with　so　great　a　crash；
  That　it　resembled　thunderings　following　fast：
  〃I　am　Aglaurus；　who　became　a　stone！〃
  And　then；　to　press　myself　close　to　the　Poet；
  I　backward；　and　not　forward；　took　a　step。
  Already　on　all　sides　the　air　was　quiet；
  And　said　he　to　me：　〃That　was　the　hard　curb
  That　ought　to　hold　a　man　within　his　bounds；
  But　you　take　in　the　bait　so　that　the　hook
  Of　the　old　Adversary　draws　you　to　him；
  And　hence　availeth　little　curb　or　call。
  The　heavens　are　calling　you；　and　wheel　around　you；
  Displaying　to　you　their　eternal　beauties；
  And　still　your　eye　is　looking　on　the　ground；
  Whence　He；　who　all　discerns；　chastises　you。〃
  Purgatorio：　Canto　XV
  As　much　as　'twixt　the　close　of　the　third　hour
  And　dawn　of　day　appeareth　of　that　sphere
  Which　aye　in　fashion　of　a　child　is　playing；
  So　much　it　now　appeared；　towards　the　night；
  Was　of　his　course　remaining　to　the　sun；
  There　it　was　evening；　and　'twas　midnight　here；
  And　the　rays　smote　the　middle　of　our　faces；
  Because　by　us　the　mount　was　so　encircled；
  That　straight　towards　the　west　we　now　were　going
  When　I　perceived　my　forehead　overpowered
  Beneath　the　splendour　far　more　than　at　first；
  And　stupor　were　to　me　the　things　unknown；
  Whereat　towards　the　summit　of　my　brow
  I　raised　my　hands；　and　made　myself　the　visor
  Which　the　excessive　glare　diminishes。
  As　when　from　off　the　water；　or　a　mirror；
  The　sunbeam　leaps　unto　the　opposite　side；
  Ascending　upward　in　the　selfsame　measure
  That　it　descends；　and　deviates　as　far
  From　falling　of　a　stone　in　line　direct；
  （As　demonstrate　experiment　and　art；）
  So　it　appeared　to　me　that　by　a　light
  Refracted　there　before　me　I　was　smitten；
  On　which　account　my　sight　was　swift　to　flee。
  〃What　is　that；　Father　sweet；　from　which　I　cannot
  So　fully　screen　my　sight　that　it　avail　me；〃
  Said　I；　〃and　seems　towards　us　to　be　moving？〃
  〃Marvel　thou　not；　if　dazzle　thee　as　yet
  The　family　of　heaven；〃　he　answered　me；
  〃An　angel　'tis；　who　comes　to　invite　us　upward。
  Soon　will　it　be；　that　to　behold　these　things
  Shall　not　be　grievous；　but　delightful　to　thee
  As　much　as　nature　fashioned　thee　to　feel。〃
  When　we　had　reached　the　Angel　benedight；
  With　joyful　voice　he　said：　〃Here　enter　in
  To　stairway　far　less　steep　than　are　the　others。〃
  We　mounting　were；　already　thence　departed；
  And　〃Beati　misericordes〃　was
  Behind　us　sung；　〃Rejoice；　thou　that　o'ercomest！〃
  My　Master　and　myself；　we　two　alone
  Were　going　upward；　and　I　thought；　in　going；
  Some　profit　to　acquire　from　words　of　his；
  And　I　to　him　directed　me；　thus　asking：
  〃What　did　the　spirit　of　Romagna　mean；
  Mentioning　interdict　and　partnership？〃
  Whence　he　to　me：　〃Of　his　own　greatest　failing
  He　knows　the　harm；　and　therefore　wonder　not
  If　he　reprove　us；　that　we　less　may　rue　it。
  Because　are　thither　pointed　your　desires
  Where　by　companionship　each　share　is　lessened；
  Envy　doth　ply　the　bellows　to　your　sighs。
  But　if　the　love　of　the　supernal　sphere
  Should　upwardly　direct　your　aspiration；
  There　would　not　be　that　fear　within　your　breast；
  For　there；　as　much　the　more　as　one　says　'Our；'
  So　much　the　more　of　good　each　one　possesses；
  And　more　of　charity　in　that　cloister　burns。〃
  〃I　am　more　hungering　to　be　satisfied；〃
  I　said；　〃than　if　I　had　before　been　silent；
  And　more　of　doubt　within　my　mind　I　gather。
  How　can　it　be；　that　boon　distributed
  The　more　possessors　can　more　wealthy　make
  Therein；　than　if　by　few　it　be　possessed？〃
  And　he　to　me：　〃Because　thou　fixest　still
  Thy　mind　entirely　upon　earthly　things；
  Thou　pluckest　darkness　from　the　very　light。
  That　goodness　infinite　and　ineffable
  Which　is　above　there；　runneth　unto　love；
  As　to　a　lucid　body　comes　the　sunbeam。
  So　much　it　gives　itself　as　it　finds　ardour；
  So　that　as　far　as　charity　extends；
  O'er　it　increases　the　eternal　valour。
  And　the　more　people　thitherward　aspire；
  More　are　there　to　love　well；　and　more　they　love　there；
  And；　as　a　mirror；　one　reflects　the　other。
  And　if　my　reasoning　appease　thee　not；
  Thou　shalt　see　Beatrice；　and　she　will　fully
  Take　from　thee　this　and　every　other　longing。
  Endeavour；　then；　that　soon　may　be　extinct；
  As　are　the　two　already；　the　five　wounds
  That　close　themselves　again　by　being　painful。〃
  Even　as　I　wished　to　say；　〃Thou　dost　appease　me；〃
  I　saw　that　I　had　reached　another　circle；
  So　that　my　eager　eyes　made　me　keep　silence。
  There　it　appeared　to　me　that　in　a　vision
  Ecstatic　on　a　sudden　I　was　rapt；
  And　in　a　temple　many　persons　saw；
  And　at　the　door　a　woman；　with　the　sweet
  Behaviour　of　a　mother；　saying：　〃Son；
  Why　in　this　manner　hast　thou　dealt　with　us？
  Lo；　sorrowing；　thy　father　and　myself
  Were　seeking　for　thee；〃and　as　here　she　ceased；
  That　which　appeared　at　first　had　disappeared。
  Then　I　beheld　another　with　those　waters
  Adown　her　cheeks　which　grief　distils　whenever
  From　great　disdain　of　others　it　is　born；
  And　saying：　〃If　of　that　city　thou　art　lord；
  For　whose　name　was　such　strife　among　the　gods；
  And　whence　doth　every　science　scintillate；
  Avenge　thyself　on　those　audacious　arms
  That　clasped　our　daughter；　O　Pisistratus；〃
  And　the　lord　seemed　to　me　benign　and　mild
  To　answer　her　with　aspect　temperate：
  〃What　shall　we　do　to　those　who　wish　us　ill；
  If　he　who　loves　us　be　by　us　condemned？〃
  Then　saw　I　people　hot　in　fire　of　wrath；
  With　stones　a　young　man　slaying；　clamorously
  Still　crying　to　each　other；　〃Kill　him！　kill　him！〃
  And　him　I　saw　bow　down；　because　of　death
  That　weighed　already　on　him；　to　the　earth；
  But　of　his　eyes　made　ever　gates　to　heaven；
  Imploring　the　high　Lord；　in　so　great　strife；
  That　he　would　pardon　those　his　persecutors；
  With　such　an　aspect　as　unlocks　compassion。
  Soon　as　my　soul　had　outwardly　returned
  To　things　external　to　it　which　are　true；
  Did　I　my　not　false　errors　recognize。
  My　Leader；　who　could　see　me　bear　myself
  Like　to　a　man　that　rouses　him　from　sleep；
  Exclaimed：　〃What　ails　thee；　that　thou　canst　not　stand？
  But　hast　been　coming　more　than　half　a　league
  Veiling　thine　eyes；　and　with　thy　legs　entangled；
  In　guise　of　one　whom　wine　or　sleep　subdues？〃
  〃O　my　sweet　Father；　if　thou　listen　to　me；
  I'll　tell　thee；〃　said　I；　〃what　appeared　to　me；
  When　thus　from　me　my　legs　were　ta'en　away。〃
  And　he：　〃If　thou　shouldst　have　a　hundred　masks
  Upon　thy　face；　from　me　would　not　be　shut
  Thy　cogitations；　howsoever　small。
  What　thou　hast　seen　was　that　thou　mayst　not　fail
  To　ope　thy　heart　unto　the　waters　of　peace；
  Which　from　the　eternal　fountain　are　diffused。
  I　did　not　ask；　'What　ails　thee？'　as　he　does
  Who　only　looketh　with　the　eyes　that　see　not
  When　of　the　soul　bereft　the　body　lies；
  But　asked　it　to　give　vigour　to　thy　feet；
  Thus　must　we　needs　urge　on　the　sluggards；　slow
  To　use　their　wakefulness　when　it　returns。〃
  We　passed　along；　athwart　the　twilight　peering
  Forward　as　far　as　ever　eye　could　stretch
  Against　the　sunbeams　serotine　and　lucent；
  And　lo！　by　slow　degrees　a　smoke　approached
  In　our　direction；　sombre　as　the　night；
  Nor　was　there　place　to　hide　one's　self　therefrom。
  This　of　our　eyes　and　the　pure　air　bereft　us。
  Purgatorio：　Canto　XVI
  Darkness　of　hell；　and　of　a　night　deprived
  Of　every　planet　under　a　poor　sky；
  As　much　as　may　be　tenebrous　with　cloud；
  Ne'er　made　unto　my　sight　so　thick　a　veil；
  As　did　that　smoke　which　there　enveloped　us；
  Nor　to　the　feeling　of　so　rough　a　texture；
  For　not　an　eye　it　suffered　to　stay　open；
  Whereat　mine　escort；　faithful　and　sagacious；
  Drew　near　to　me　and　offered　me　his　shoulder。
  E'en　as　a　blind　man　goes　behind　his　guide；
  Lest　he　should　wander；　or　should　strike　against
  Aught　that　may　harm　or　peradventure　kill　him；
  So　went　I　through　the　bitter　and　foul　air；
  Listening　unto　my　Leader；　who　said　only；
  〃Look　that　from　me　thou　be　not　separated。〃
  Voices　I　heard；　and　every　one　appeared
  To　supplicate　for　peace　and　misericord
  The　Lamb　of　God　who　takes　away　our　sins。
  Still　〃Agnus　Dei〃　their　exordium　was；
  One　word　there　was　in　all；　and　metre　one；
  So　that　all　harmony　appeared　among　them。
  〃Master；〃　I　said；　〃are　spirits　those　I　hear？〃
  And　he　to　me：　〃Thou　apprehendest　truly；
  And　they　the　knot　of　anger　go　unloosing。〃
  〃Now　who　art　thou；　that　cleavest　through　our　smoke
  And　art　discoursing　of　us　even　as　though
  Thou　didst　by　calends　still　divide　the　time？〃
  After　this　manner　by　a　voice　was　spoken；
  Whereon　my　Master　said：　〃Do　thou　reply；
  And　ask　if　on　this　side　the　way　go　upward。〃
  And　I：　〃O　creature　that　dost　cleanse　thyself
  To　return　beautiful　to　Him　who　made　thee；
  Thou　shalt　hear　marvels　if　thou　follow　me。〃
  〃Thee　will　I　follow　far　as　is　allowed　me；〃
  He　answered；　〃and　if　smoke　prevent　our　seeing；
  Hearing　shall　keep　us　joined　instead　thereof。〃
  Thereon　began　I：　〃With　that　swathing　band
  Which　death　unwindeth　am　I　going　upward；
  And　hither　came　I　through　the　infernal　anguish。
  And　if　God　in　his