Ministers　and　messengers　of　life　eternal。
  They　all　were　saying；　〃Benedictus　qui　venis；〃
  And；　scattering　flowers　above　and　round　about；
  〃Manibus　o　date　lilia　plenis。〃
  Ere　now　have　I　beheld；　as　day　began；
  The　eastern　hemisphere　all　tinged　with　rose；
  And　the　other　heaven　with　fair　serene　adorned；
  And　the　sun's　face；　uprising；　overshadowed
  So　that　by　tempering　influence　of　vapours
  For　a　long　interval　the　eye　sustained　it；
  Thus　in　the　bosom　of　a　cloud　of　flowers
  Which　from　those　hands　angelical　ascended；
  And　downward　fell　again　inside　and　out；
  Over　her　snow…white　veil　with　olive　cinct
  Appeared　a　lady　under　a　green　mantle；
  Vested　in　colour　of　the　living　flame。
  And　my　own　spirit；　that　already　now
  So　long　a　time　had　been；　that　in　her　presence
  Trembling　with　awe　it　had　not　stood　abashed；
  Without　more　knowledge　having　by　mine　eyes；
  Through　occult　virtue　that　from　her　proceeded
  Of　ancient　love　the　mighty　influence　felt。
  As　soon　as　on　my　vision　smote　the　power
  Sublime；　that　had　already　pierced　me　through
  Ere　from　my　boyhood　I　had　yet　come　forth；
  To　the　left　hand　I　turned　with　that　reliance
  With　which　the　little　child　runs　to　his　mother；
  When　he　has　fear；　or　when　he　is　afflicted；
  To　say　unto　Virgilius：　〃Not　a　drachm
  Of　blood　remains　in　me；　that　does　not　tremble；
  I　know　the　traces　of　the　ancient　flame。〃
  But　us　Virgilius　of　himself　deprived
  Had　left；　Virgilius；　sweetest　of　all　fathers；
  Virgilius；　to　whom　I　for　safety　gave　me：
  Nor　whatsoever　lost　the　ancient　mother
  Availed　my　cheeks　now　purified　from　dew；
  That　weeping　they　should　not　again　be　darkened。
  〃Dante；　because　Virgilius　has　departed
  Do　not　weep　yet；　do　not　weep　yet　awhile；
  For　by　another　sword　thou　need'st　must　weep。〃
  E'en　as　an　admiral；　who　on　poop　and　prow
  Comes　to　behold　the　people　that　are　working
  In　other　ships；　and　cheers　them　to　well…doing；
  Upon　the　left　hand　border　of　the　car；
  When　at　the　sound　I　turned　of　my　own　name；
  Which　of　necessity　is　here　recorded；
  I　saw　the　Lady；　who　erewhile　appeared
  Veiled　underneath　the　angelic　festival；
  Direct　her　eyes　to　me　across　the　river。
  Although　the　veil；　that　from　her　head　descended；
  Encircled　with　the　foliage　of　Minerva；
  Did　not　permit　her　to　appear　distinctly；
  In　attitude　still　royally　majestic
  Continued　she；　like　unto　one　who　speaks；
  And　keeps　his　warmest　utterance　in　reserve：
  〃Look　at　me　well；　in　sooth　I'm　Beatrice！
  How　didst　thou　deign　to　come　unto　the　Mountain？
  Didst　thou　not　know　that　man　is　happy　here？〃
  Mine　eyes　fell　downward　into　the　clear　fountain；
  But；　seeing　myself　therein；　I　sought　the　grass；
  So　great　a　shame　did　weigh　my　forehead　down。
  As　to　the　son　the　mother　seems　superb；
  So　she　appeared　to　me；　for　somewhat　bitter
  Tasteth　the　savour　of　severe　compassion。
  Silent　became　she；　and　the　Angels　sang
  Suddenly；　〃In　te；　Domine；　speravi：〃
  But　beyond　'pedes　meos'　did　not　pass。
  Even　as　the　snow　among　the　living　rafters
  Upon　the　back　of　Italy　congeals；
  Blown　on　and　drifted　by　Sclavonian　winds；
  And　then；　dissolving；　trickles　through　itself
  Whene'er　the　land　that　loses　shadow　breathes；
  So　that　it　seems　a　fire　that　melts　a　taper；
  E'en　thus　was　I　without　a　tear　or　sigh；
  Before　the　song　of　those　who　sing　for　ever
  After　the　music　of　the　eternal　spheres。
  But　when　I　heard　in　their　sweet　melodies
  Compassion　for　me；　more　than　had　they　said；
  〃O　wherefore；　lady；　dost　thou　thus　upbraid　him？〃
  The　ice；　that　was　about　my　heart　congealed；
  To　air　and　water　changed；　and　in　my　anguish
  Through　mouth　and　eyes　came　gushing　from　my　breast。
  She；　on　the　right…hand　border　of　the　car
  Still　firmly　standing；　to　those　holy　beings
  Thus　her　discourse　directed　afterwards：
  〃Ye　keep　your　watch　in　the　eternal　day；
  So　that　nor　night　nor　sleep　can　steal　from　you
  One　step　the　ages　make　upon　their　path；
  Therefore　my　answer　is　with　greater　care；
  That　he　may　hear　me　who　is　weeping　yonder；
  So　that　the　sin　and　dole　be　of　one　measure。
  Not　only　by　the　work　of　those　great　wheels；
  That　destine　every　seed　unto　some　end；
  According　as　the　stars　are　in　conjunction；
  But　by　the　largess　of　celestial　graces；
  Which　have　such　lofty　vapours　for　their　rain
  That　near　to　them　our　sight　approaches　not；
  Such　had　this　man　become　in　his　new　life
  Potentially；　that　every　righteous　habit
  Would　have　made　admirable　proof　in　him；
  But　so　much　more　malignant　and　more　savage
  Becomes　the　land　untilled　and　with　bad　seed；
  The　more　good　earthly　vigour　it　possesses。
  Some　time　did　I　sustain　him　with　my　look；
  Revealing　unto　him　my　youthful　eyes；
  I　led　him　with　me　turned　in　the　right　way。
  As　soon　as　ever　of　my　second　age
  I　was　upon　the　threshold　and　changed　life；
  Himself　from　me　he　took　and　gave　to　others。
  When　from　the　flesh　to　spirit　I　ascended；
  And　beauty　and　virtue　were　in　me　increased；
  I　was　to　him　less　dear　and　less　delightful；
  And　into　ways　untrue　he　turned　his　steps；
  Pursuing　the　false　images　of　good；
  That　never　any　promises　fulfil；
  Nor　prayer　for　inspiration　me　availed；
  By　means　of　which　in　dreams　and　otherwise
  I　called　him　back；　so　little　did　he　heed　them。
  So　low　he　fell；　that　all　appliances
  For　his　salvation　were　already　short；
  Save　showing　him　the　people　of　perdition。
  For　this　I　visited　the　gates　of　death；
  And　unto　him；　who　so　far　up　has　led　him；
  My　intercessions　were　with　weeping　borne。
  God's　lofty　fiat　would　be　violated；
  If　Lethe　should　be　passed；　and　if　such　viands
  Should　tasted　be；　withouten　any　scot
  Of　penitence；　that　gushes　forth　in　tears。〃
  Purgatorio：　Canto　XXXI
  〃O　thou　who　art　beyond　the　sacred　river；〃
  Turning　to　me　the　point　of　her　discourse；
  That　edgewise　even　had　seemed　to　me　so　keen；
  She　recommenced；　continuing　without　pause；
  〃Say；　say　if　this　be　true；　to　such　a　charge；
  Thy　own　confession　needs　must　be　conjoined。〃
  My　faculties　were　in　so　great　confusion；
  That　the　voice　moved；　but　sooner　was　extinct
  Than　by　its　organs　it　was　set　at　large。
  Awhile　she　waited；　then　she　said：　〃What　thinkest？
  Answer　me；　for　the　mournful　memories
  In　thee　not　yet　are　by　the　waters　injured。〃
  Confusion　and　dismay　together　mingled
  Forced　such　a　Yes！　from　out　my　mouth；　that　sight
  Was　needful　to　the　understanding　of　it。
  Even　as　a　cross…bow　breaks；　when　'tis　discharged
  Too　tensely　drawn　the　bowstring　and　the　bow；
  And　with　less　force　the　arrow　hits　the　mark；
  So　I　gave　way　beneath　that　heavy　burden；
  Outpouring　in　a　torrent　tears　and　sighs；
  And　the　voice　flagged　upon　its　passage　forth。
  Whence　she　to　me：　〃In　those　desires　of　mine
  Which　led　thee　to　the　loving　of　that　good；
  Beyond　which　there　is　nothing　to　aspire　to；
  What　trenches　lying　traverse　or　what　chains
  Didst　thou　discover；　that　of　passing　onward
  Thou　shouldst　have　thus　despoiled　thee　of　the　hope？
  And　what　allurements　or　what　vantages
  Upon　the　forehead　of　the　others　showed；
  That　thou　shouldst　turn　thy　footsteps　unto　them？〃
  After　the　heaving　of　a　bitter　sigh；
  Hardly　had　I　the　voice　to　make　response；
  And　with　fatigue　my　lips　did　fashion　it。
  Weeping　I　said：　〃The　things　that　present　were
  With　their　false　pleasure　turned　aside　my　steps；
  Soon　as　your　countenance　concealed　itself。〃
  And　she：　〃Shouldst　thou　be　silent；　or　deny
  What　thou　confessest；　not　less　manifest
  Would　be　thy　fault；　by　such　a　Judge　'tis　known。
  But　when　from　one's　own　cheeks　comes　bursting　forth
  The　accusal　of　the　sin；　in　our　tribunal
  Against　the　edge　the　wheel　doth　turn　itself。
  But　still；　that　thou　mayst　feel　a　greater　shame
  For　thy　transgression；　and　another　time
  Hearing　the　Sirens　thou　mayst　be　more　strong；
  Cast　down　the　seed　of　weeping　and　attend；
  So　shalt　thou　hear；　how　in　an　opposite　way
  My　buried　flesh　should　have　directed　thee。
  Never　to　thee　presented　art　or　nature
  Pleasure　so　great　as　the　fair　limbs　wherein
  I　was　enclosed；　which　scattered　are　in　earth。
  And　if　the　highest　pleasure　thus　did　fail　thee
  By　reason　of　my　death；　what　mortal　thing
  Should　then　have　drawn　thee　into　its　desire？
  Thou　oughtest　verily　at　the　first　shaft
  Of　things　fallacious　to　have　risen　up
  To　follow　me；　who　was　no　longer　such。
  Thou　oughtest　not　to　have　stooped　thy　pinions　downward
  To　wait　for　further　blows；　or　little　girl；
  Or　other　vanity　of　such　brief　use。
  The　callow　birdlet　waits　for　two　or　three；
  But　to　the　eyes　of　those　already　fledged；
  In　vain　the　net　is　spread　or　shaft　is　shot。〃
  Even　as　children　silent　in　their　shame
  Stand　listening　with　their　eyes　upon　the　ground；
  And　conscious　of　their　fault；　and　penitent；
  So　was　I　standing；　and　she　said：　〃If　thou
  In　hearing　sufferest　pain；　lift　up　thy　beard
  And　thou　shalt　feel　a　greater　pain　in　seeing。〃
  With　less　resistance　is　a　robust　holm
  Uprooted；　either　by　a　native　wind
  Or　else　by　that　from　regions　of　Iarbas；
  Than　I　upraised　at　her　command　my　chin；
  And　when　she　by　the　beard　the　face　demanded；
  Well　I　perceived　the　venom　of　her　meaning。
  And　as　my　countenance　was　lifted　up；
  Mine　eye　perceived　thos