Directed　us；　and　we；　attent　alone
  On　that；　came　forth　where　the　ascent　began。
  〃Venite；　benedicti　Patris　mei；〃
  Sounded　within　a　splendour；　which　was　there
  Such　it　o'ercame　me；　and　I　could　not　look。
  〃The　sun　departs；〃　it　added；　〃and　night　cometh；
  Tarry　ye　not；　but　onward　urge　your　steps；
  So　long　as　yet　the　west　becomes　not　dark。〃
  Straight　forward　through　the　rock　the　path　ascended
  In　such　a　way　that　I　cut　off　the　rays
  Before　me　of　the　sun；　that　now　was　low。
  And　of　few　stairs　we　yet　had　made　assay；
  Ere　by　the　vanished　shadow　the　sun's　setting
  Behind　us　we　perceived；　I　and　my　Sages。
  And　ere　in　all　its　parts　immeasurable
  The　horizon　of　one　aspect　had　become；
  And　Night　her　boundless　dispensation　held；
  Each　of　us　of　a　stair　had　made　his　bed；
  Because　the　nature　of　the　mount　took　from　us
  The　power　of　climbing；　more　than　the　delight。
  Even　as　in　ruminating　passive　grow
  The　goats；　who　have　been　swift　and　venturesome
  Upon　the　mountain…tops　ere　they　were　fed；
  Hushed　in　the　shadow；　while　the　sun　is　hot；
  Watched　by　the　herdsman；　who　upon　his　staff
  Is　leaning；　and　in　leaning　tendeth　them；
  And　as　the　shepherd；　lodging　out　of　doors；
  Passes　the　night　beside　his　quiet　flock；
  Watching　that　no　wild　beast　may　scatter　it；
  Such　at　that　hour　were　we；　all　three　of　us；
  I　like　the　goat；　and　like　the　herdsmen　they；
  Begirt　on　this　side　and　on　that　by　rocks。
  Little　could　there　be　seen　of　things　without；
  But　through　that　little　I　beheld　the　stars
  More　luminous　and　larger　than　their　wont。
  Thus　ruminating；　and　beholding　these；
  Sleep　seized　upon　me；sleep；　that　oftentimes
  Before　a　deed　is　done　has　tidings　of　it。
  It　was　the　hour；　I　think；　when　from　the　East
  First　on　the　mountain　Citherea　beamed；
  Who　with　the　fire　of　love　seems　always　burning；
  Youthful　and　beautiful　in　dreams　methought
  I　saw　a　lady　walking　in　a　meadow；
  Gathering　flowers；　and　singing　she　was　saying：
  〃Know　whosoever　may　my　name　demand
  That　I　am　Leah；　and　go　moving　round
  My　beauteous　hands　to　make　myself　a　garland。
  To　please　me　at　the　mirror；　here　I　deck　me；
  But　never　does　my　sister　Rachel　leave
  Her　looking…glass；　and　sitteth　all　day　long。
  To　see　her　beauteous　eyes　as　eager　is　she；
  As　I　am　to　adorn　me　with　my　hands；
  Her；　seeing；　and　me；　doing　satisfies。〃
  And　now　before　the　antelucan　splendours
  That　unto　pilgrims　the　more　grateful　rise；
  As；　home…returning；　less　remote　they　lodge；
  The　darkness　fled　away　on　every　side；
  And　slumber　with　it；　whereupon　I　rose；
  Seeing　already　the　great　Masters　risen。
  〃That　apple　sweet；　which　through　so　many　branches
  The　care　of　mortals　goeth　in　pursuit　of；
  To…day　shall　put　in　peace　thy　hungerings。〃
  Speaking　to　me；　Virgilius　of　such　words
  As　these　made　use；　and　never　were　there　guerdons
  That　could　in　pleasantness　compare　with　these。
  Such　longing　upon　longing　came　upon　me
  To　be　above；　that　at　each　step　thereafter
  For　flight　I　felt　in　me　the　pinions　growing。
  When　underneath　us　was　the　stairway　all
  Run　o'er；　and　we　were　on　the　highest　step；
  Virgilius　fastened　upon　me　his　eyes；
  And　said：　〃The　temporal　fire　and　the　eternal；
  Son；　thou　hast　seen；　and　to　a　place　art　come
  Where　of　myself　no　farther　I　discern。
  By　intellect　and　art　I　here　have　brought　thee；
  Take　thine　own　pleasure　for　thy　guide　henceforth；
  Beyond　the　steep　ways　and　the　narrow　art　thou。
  Behold　the　sun；　that　shines　upon　thy　forehead；
  Behold　the　grass；　the　flowerets；　and　the　shrubs
  Which　of　itself　alone　this　land　produces。
  Until　rejoicing　come　the　beauteous　eyes
  Which　weeping　caused　me　to　come　unto　thee；
  Thou　canst　sit　down；　and　thou　canst　walk　among　them。
  Expect　no　more　or　word　or　sign　from　me；
  Free　and　upright　and　sound　is　thy　free…will；
  And　error　were　it　not　to　do　its　bidding；
  Thee　o'er　thyself　I　therefore　crown　and　mitre！〃
  Purgatorio：　Canto　XXVIII
  Eager　already　to　search　in　and　round
  The　heavenly　forest；　dense　and　living…green；
  Which　tempered　to　the　eyes　the　new…born　day；
  Withouten　more　delay　I　left　the　bank；
  Taking　the　level　country　slowly；　slowly
  Over　the　soil　that　everywhere　breathes　fragrance。
  A　softly…breathing　air；　that　no　mutation
  Had　in　itself；　upon　the　forehead　smote　me
  No　heavier　blow　than　of　a　gentle　wind；
  Whereat　the　branches；　lightly　tremulous；
  Did　all　of　them　bow　downward　toward　that　side
  Where　its　first　shadow　casts　the　Holy　Mountain；
  Yet　not　from　their　upright　direction　swayed；
  So　that　the　little　birds　upon　their　tops
  Should　leave　the　practice　of　each　art　of　theirs；
  But　with　full　ravishment　the　hours　of　prime；
  Singing；　received　they　in　the　midst　of　leaves；
  That　ever　bore　a　burden　to　their　rhymes；
  Such　as　from　branch　to　branch　goes　gathering　on
  Through　the　pine　forest　on　the　shore　of　Chiassi；
  When　Eolus　unlooses　the　Sirocco。
  Already　my　slow　steps　had　carried　me
  Into　the　ancient　wood　so　far；　that　I
  Could　not　perceive　where　I　had　entered　it。
  And　lo！　my　further　course　a　stream　cut　off；
  Which　tow'rd　the　left　hand　with　its　little　waves
  Bent　down　the　grass　that　on　its　margin　sprang。
  All　waters　that　on　earth　most　limpid　are
  Would　seem　to　have　within　themselves　some　mixture
  Compared　with　that　which　nothing　doth　conceal；
  Although　it　moves　on　with　a　brown；　brown　current
  Under　the　shade　perpetual；　that　never
  Ray　of　the　sun　lets　in；　nor　of　the　moon。
  With　feet　I　stayed；　and　with　mine　eyes　I　passed
  Beyond　the　rivulet；　to　look　upon
  The　great　variety　of　the　fresh　may。
  And　there　appeared　to　me　（even　as　appears
  Suddenly　something　that　doth　turn　aside
  Through　very　wonder　every　other　thought）
  A　lady　all　alone；　who　went　along
  Singing　and　culling　floweret　after　floweret；
  With　which　her　pathway　was　all　painted　over。
  〃Ah；　beauteous　lady；　who　in　rays　of　love
  Dost　warm　thyself；　if　I　may　trust　to　looks；
  Which　the　heart's　witnesses　are　wont　to　be；
  May　the　desire　come　unto　thee　to　draw
  Near　to　this　river's　bank；〃　I　said　to　her；
  〃So　much　that　I　might　hear　what　thou　art　singing。
  Thou　makest　me　remember　where　and　what
  Proserpina　that　moment　was　when　lost
  Her　mother　her；　and　she　herself　the　Spring。〃
  As　turns　herself；　with　feet　together　pressed
  And　to　the　ground；　a　lady　who　is　dancing；
  And　hardly　puts　one　foot　before　the　other；
  On　the　vermilion　and　the　yellow　flowerets
  She　turned　towards　me；　not　in　other　wise
  Than　maiden　who　her　modest　eyes　casts　down；
  And　my　entreaties　made　to　be　content；
  So　near　approaching；　that　the　dulcet　sound
  Came　unto　me　together　with　its　meaning
  As　soon　as　she　was　where　the　grasses　are。
  Bathed　by　the　waters　of　the　beauteous　river；
  To　lift　her　eyes　she　granted　me　the　boon。
  I　do　not　think　there　shone　so　great　a　light
  Under　the　lids　of　Venus；　when　transfixed
  By　her　own　son；　beyond　his　usual　custom！
  Erect　upon　the　other　bank　she　smiled；
  Bearing　full　many　colours　in　her　hands；
  Which　that　high　land　produces　without　seed。
  Apart　three　paces　did　the　river　make　us；
  But　Hellespont；　where　Xerxes　passed　across；
  （A　curb　still　to　all　human　arrogance；）
  More　hatred　from　Leander　did　not　suffer
  For　rolling　between　Sestos　and　Abydos；
  Than　that　from　me；　because　it　oped　not　then。
  〃Ye　are　new…comers；　and　because　I　smile；〃
  Began　she；　〃peradventure；　in　this　place
  Elect　to　human　nature　for　its　nest；
  Some　apprehension　keeps　you　marvelling；
  But　the　psalm　'Delectasti'　giveth　light
  Which　has　the　power　to　uncloud　your　intellect。
  And　thou　who　foremost　art；　and　didst　entreat　me；
  Speak；　if　thou　wouldst　hear　more；　for　I　came　ready
  To　all　thy　questionings；　as　far　as　needful。〃
  〃The　water；〃　said　I；　〃and　the　forest's　sound；
  Are　combating　within　me　my　new　faith
  In　something　which　I　heard　opposed　to　this。〃
  Whence　she：　〃I　will　relate　how　from　its　cause
  Proceedeth　that　which　maketh　thee　to　wonder；
  And　purge　away　the　cloud　that　smites　upon　thee。
  The　Good　Supreme；　sole　in　itself　delighting；
  Created　man　good；　and　this　goodly　place
  Gave　him　as　hansel　of　eternal　peace。
  By　his　default　short　while　he　sojourned　here；
  By　his　default　to　weeping　and　to　toil
  He　changed　his　innocent　laughter　and　sweet　play。
  That　the　disturbance　which　below　is　made
  By　exhalations　of　the　land　and　water；
  （Which　far　as　may　be　follow　after　heat；）
  Might　not　upon　mankind　wage　any　war；
  This　mount　ascended　tow'rds　the　heaven　so　high；
  And　is　exempt；　from　there　where　it　is　locked。
  Now　since　the　universal　atmosphere
  Turns　in　a　circuit　with　the　primal　motion
  Unless　the　circle　is　broken　on　some　side；
  Upon　this　height；　that　all　is　disengaged
  In　living　ether；　doth　this　motion　strike
  And　make　the　forest　sound；　for　it　is　dense；
  And　so　much　power　the　stricken　plant　possesses
  That　with　its　virtue　it　impregns　the　air；
  And　this；　revolving；　scatters　it　around；
  And　yonder　earth；　according　as　'tis　worthy
  In　self　or　in　its　clime；　conceives　and　bears
  Of　divers　qualities　the　divers　trees；
  It　should　not　seem　a　marvel　then　on　earth；
  This　being　heard；　whenever　any　plant
  Without　seed　manifest　there　taketh　root。
  And　th