Well　I　perceived　the　venom　of　her　meaning。
  And　as　my　countenance　was　lifted　up；
  Mine　eye　perceived　those　creatures　beautiful
  Had　rested　from　the　strewing　of　the　flowers；
  And；　still　but　little　reassured；　mine　eyes
  Saw　Beatrice　turned　round　towards　the　monster；
  That　is　one　person　only　in　two　natures。
  Beneath　her　veil；　beyond　the　margent　green；
  She　seemed　to　me　far　more　her　ancient　self
  To　excel；　than　others　here；　when　she　was　here。
  So　pricked　me　then　the　thorn　of　penitence；
  That　of　all　other　things　the　one　which　turned　me
  Most　to　its　love　became　the　most　my　foe。
  Such　self…conviction　stung　me　at　the　heart
  O'erpowered　I　fell；　and　what　I　then　became
  She　knoweth　who　had　furnished　me　the　cause。
  Then；　when　the　heart　restored　my　outward　sense；
  The　lady　I　had　found　alone；　above　me
  I　saw；　and　she　was　saying；　〃Hold　me；　hold　me。〃
  Up　to　my　throat　she　in　the　stream　had　drawn　me；
  And；　dragging　me　behind　her；　she　was　moving
  Upon　the　water　lightly　as　a　shuttle。
  When　I　was　near　unto　the　blessed　shore；
  〃Asperges　me；〃　I　heard　so　sweetly　sung；
  Remember　it　I　cannot；　much　less　write　it。
  The　beautiful　lady　opened　wide　her　arms；
  Embraced　my　head；　and　plunged　me　underneath；
  Where　I　was　forced　to　swallow　of　the　water。
  Then　forth　she　drew　me；　and　all　dripping　brought
  Into　the　dance　of　the　four　beautiful；
  And　each　one　with　her　arm　did　cover　me。
  'We　here　are　Nymphs；　and　in　the　Heaven　are　stars；
  Ere　Beatrice　descended　to　the　world；
  We　as　her　handmaids　were　appointed　her。
  We'll　lead　thee　to　her　eyes；　but　for　the　pleasant
  Light　that　within　them　is；　shall　sharpen　thine
  The　three　beyond；　who　more　profoundly　look。'
  Thus　singing　they　began；　and　afterwards
  Unto　the　Griffin's　breast　they　led　me　with　them；
  Where　Beatrice　was　standing；　turned　towards　us。
  〃See　that　thou　dost　not　spare　thine　eyes；〃　they　said；
  〃Before　the　emeralds　have　we　stationed　thee；
  Whence　Love　aforetime　drew　for　thee　his　weapons。〃
  A　thousand　longings；　hotter　than　the　flame；
  Fastened　mine　eyes　upon　those　eyes　relucent；
  That　still　upon　the　Griffin　steadfast　stayed。
  As　in　a　glass　the　sun；　not　otherwise
  Within　them　was　the　twofold　monster　shining；
  Now　with　the　one；　now　with　the　other　nature。
  Think；　Reader；　if　within　myself　I　marvelled；
  When　I　beheld　the　thing　itself　stand　still；
  And　in　its　image　it　transformed　itself。
  While　with　amazement　filled　and　jubilant；
  My　soul　was　tasting　of　the　food；　that　while
  It　satisfies　us　makes　us　hunger　for　it；
  Themselves　revealing　of　the　highest　rank
  In　bearing；　did　the　other　three　advance；
  Singing　to　their　angelic　saraband。
  〃Turn；　Beatrice；　O　turn　thy　holy　eyes；〃
  Such　was　their　song；　〃unto　thy　faithful　one；
  Who　has　to　see　thee　ta'en　so　many　steps。
  In　grace　do　us　the　grace　that　thou　unveil
  Thy　face　to　him；　so　that　he　may　discern
  The　second　beauty　which　thou　dost　conceal。〃
  O　splendour　of　the　living　light　eternal！
  Who　underneath　the　shadow　of　Parnassus
  Has　grown　so　pale；　or　drunk　so　at　its　cistern；
  He　would　not　seem　to　have　his　mind　encumbered
  Striving　to　paint　thee　as　thou　didst　appear；
  Where　the　harmonious　heaven　o'ershadowed　thee；
  When　in　the　open　air　thou　didst　unveil？
  Purgatorio：　Canto　XXXII
  So　steadfast　and　attentive　were　mine　eyes
  In　satisfying　their　decennial　thirst；
  That　all　my　other　senses　were　extinct；
  And　upon　this　side　and　on　that　they　had
  Walls　of　indifference；　so　the　holy　smile
  Drew　them　unto　itself　with　the　old　net
  When　forcibly　my　sight　was　turned　away
  Towards　my　left　hand　by　those　goddesses；
  Because　I　heard　from　them　a　〃Too　intently！〃
  And　that　condition　of　the　sight　which　is
  In　eyes　but　lately　smitten　by　the　sun
  Bereft　me　of　my　vision　some　short　while；
  But　to　the　less　when　sight　re…shaped　itself；
  I　say　the　less　in　reference　to　the　greater
  Splendour　from　which　perforce　I　had　withdrawn；
  I　saw　upon　its　right　wing　wheeled　about
  The　glorious　host　returning　with　the　sun
  And　with　the　sevenfold　flames　upon　their　faces。
  As　underneath　its　shields；　to　save　itself；
  A　squadron　turns；　and　with　its　banner　wheels；
  Before　the　whole　thereof　can　change　its　front；
  That　soldiery　of　the　celestial　kingdom
  Which　marched　in　the　advance　had　wholly　passed　us
  Before　the　chariot　had　turned　its　pole。
  Then　to　the　wheels　the　maidens　turned　themselves；
  And　the　Griffin　moved　his　burden　benedight；
  But　so　that　not　a　feather　of　him　fluttered。
  The　lady　fair　who　drew　me　through　the　ford
  Followed　with　Statius　and　myself　the　wheel
  Which　made　its　orbit　with　the　lesser　arc。
  So　passing　through　the　lofty　forest；　vacant
  By　fault　of　her　who　in　the　serpent　trusted；
  Angelic　music　made　our　steps　keep　time。
  Perchance　as　great　a　space　had　in　three　flights
  An　arrow　loosened　from　the　string　o'erpassed；
  As　we　had　moved　when　Beatrice　descended。
  I　heard　them　murmur　altogether；　〃Adam！〃
  Then　circled　they　about　a　tree　despoiled
  Of　blooms　and　other　leafage　on　each　bough。
  Its　tresses；　which　so　much　the　more　dilate
  As　higher　they　ascend；　had　been　by　Indians
  Among　their　forests　marvelled　at　for　height。
  〃Blessed　art　thou；　O　Griffin；　who　dost　not
  Pluck　with　thy　beak　these　branches　sweet　to　taste；
  Since　appetite　by　this　was　turned　to　evil。〃
  After　this　fashion　round　the　tree　robust
  The　others　shouted；　and　the　twofold　creature：
  〃Thus　is　preserved　the　seed　of　all　the　just。〃
  And　turning　to　the　pole　which　he　had　dragged；
  He　drew　it　close　beneath　the　widowed　bough；
  And　what　was　of　it　unto　it　left　bound。
  In　the　same　manner　as　our　trees　（when　downward
  Falls　the　great　light；　with　that　together　mingled
  Which　after　the　celestial　Lasca　shines）
  Begin　to　swell；　and　then　renew　themselves；
  Each　one　with　its　own　colour；　ere　the　Sun
  Harness　his　steeds　beneath　another　star：
  Less　than　of　rose　and　more　than　violet
  A　hue　disclosing；　was　renewed　the　tree
  That　had　erewhile　its　boughs　so　desolate。
  I　never　heard；　nor　here　below　is　sung；
  The　hymn　which　afterward　that　people　sang；
  Nor　did　I　bear　the　melody　throughout。
  Had　I　the　power　to　paint　how　fell　asleep
  Those　eyes　compassionless；　of　Syrinx　hearing；
  Those　eyes　to　which　more　watching　cost　so　dear；
  Even　as　a　painter　who　from　model　paints
  I　would　portray　how　I　was　lulled　asleep；
  He　may；　who　well　can　picture　drowsihood。
  Therefore　I　pass　to　what　time　I　awoke；
  And　say　a　splendour　rent　from　me　the　veil
  Of　slumber；　and　a　calling：　〃Rise；　what　dost　thou？〃
  As　to　behold　the　apple…tree　in　blossom
  Which　makes　the　Angels　greedy　for　its　fruit；
  And　keeps　perpetual　bridals　in　the　Heaven；
  Peter　and　John　and　James　conducted　were；
  And；　overcome；　recovered　at　the　word
  By　which　still　greater　slumbers　have　been　broken；
  And　saw　their　school　diminished　by　the　loss
  Not　only　of　Elias；　but　of　Moses；
  And　the　apparel　of　their　Master　changed；
  So　I　revived；　and　saw　that　piteous　one
  Above　me　standing；　who　had　been　conductress
  Aforetime　of　my　steps　beside　the　river；
  And　all　in　doubt　I　said；　〃Where's　Beatrice？〃
  And　she：　〃Behold　her　seated　underneath
  The　leafage　new；　upon　the　root　of　it。
  Behold　the　company　that　circles　her；
  The　rest　behind　the　Griffin　are　ascending
  With　more　melodious　song；　and　more　profound。〃
  And　if　her　speech　were　more　diffuse　I　know　not；
  Because　already　in　my　sight　was　she
  Who　from　the　hearing　of　aught　else　had　shut　me。
  Alone　she　sat　upon　the　very　earth；
  Left　there　as　guardian　of　the　chariot
  Which　I　had　seen　the　biform　monster　fasten。
  Encircling　her；　a　cloister　made　themselves
  The　seven　Nymphs；　with　those　lights　in　their　hands
  Which　are　secure　from　Aquilon　and　Auster。
  〃Short　while　shalt　thou　be　here　a　forester；
  And　thou　shalt　be　with　me　for　evermore
  A　citizen　of　that　Rome　where　Christ　is　Roman。
  Therefore；　for　that　world's　good　which　liveth　ill；
  Fix　on　the　car　thine　eyes；　and　what　thou　seest；
  Having　returned　to　earth；　take　heed　thou　write。〃
  Thus　Beatrice；　and　I；　who　at　the　feet
  Of　her　commandments　all　devoted　was；
  My　mind　and　eyes　directed　where　she　willed。
  Never　descended　with　so　swift　a　motion
  Fire　from　a　heavy　cloud；　when　it　is　raining
  From　out　the　region　which　is　most　remote；
  As　I　beheld　the　bird　of　Jove　descend
  Down　through　the　tree；　rending　away　the　bark；
  As　well　as　blossoms　and　the　foliage　new；
  And　he　with　all　his　might　the　chariot　smote；
  Whereat　it　reeled；　like　vessel　in　a　tempest
  Tossed　by　the　waves；　now　starboard　and　now　larboard。
  Thereafter　saw　I　leap　into　the　body
  Of　the　triumphal　vehicle　a　Fox；
  That　seemed　unfed　with　any　wholesome　food。
  But　for　his　hideous　sins　upbraiding　him；
  My　Lady　put　him　to　as　swift　a　flight
  As　such　a　fleshless　skeleton　could　bear。
  Then　by　the　way　that　it　before　had　come；
  Into　the　chariot's　chest　I　saw　the　Eagle
  Descend；　and　leave　it　feathered　with　his　plumes。
  And　such　as　issues　from　a　heart　that　mourns；
  A　voice　from　Heaven　there　issued；　and　it　said：
  〃My　little　bark；　how　badly　art　thou　freighted！〃
  Methought；　then；　that　the　earth　did　yawn　between
  Both　wheels；　and　I　saw　rise　from　it　a　Drag