The　stock　from　which　were　the　Calfucci　born
  Was　great　already；　and　already　chosen
  To　curule　chairs　the　Sizii　and　Arrigucci。
  O　how　beheld　I　those　who　are　undone
  By　their　own　pride！　and　how　the　Balls　of　Gold
  Florence　enflowered　in　all　their　mighty　deeds！
  So　likewise　did　the　ancestors　of　those
  Who　evermore；　when　vacant　is　your　church；
  Fatten　by　staying　in　consistory。
  The　insolent　race；　that　like　a　dragon　follows
  Whoever　flees；　and　unto　him　that　shows
  His　teeth　or　purse　is　gentle　as　a　lamb；
  Already　rising　was；　but　from　low　people；
  So　that　it　pleased　not　Ubertin　Donato
  That　his　wife's　father　should　make　him　their　kin。
  Already　had　Caponsacco　to　the　Market
  From　Fesole　descended；　and　already
  Giuda　and　Infangato　were　good　burghers。
  I'll　tell　a　thing　incredible；　but　true；
  One　entered　the　small　circuit　by　a　gate
  Which　from　the　Della　Pera　took　its　name！
  Each　one　that　bears　the　beautiful　escutcheon
  Of　the　great　baron　whose　renown　and　name
  The　festival　of　Thomas　keepeth　fresh；
  Knighthood　and　privilege　from　him　received；
  Though　with　the　populace　unites　himself
  To…day　the　man　who　binds　it　with　a　border。
  Already　were　Gualterotti　and　Importuni；
  And　still　more　quiet　would　the　Borgo　be
  If　with　new　neighbours　it　remained　unfed。
  The　house　from　which　is　born　your　lamentation；
  Through　just　disdain　that　death　among　you　brought
  And　put　an　end　unto　your　joyous　life；
  Was　honoured　in　itself　and　its　companions。
  O　Buondelmonte；　how　in　evil　hour
  Thou　fled'st　the　bridal　at　another's　promptings！
  Many　would　be　rejoicing　who　are　sad；
  If　God　had　thee　surrendered　to　the　Ema
  The　first　time　that　thou　camest　to　the　city。
  But　it　behoved　the　mutilated　stone
  Which　guards　the　bridge；　that　Florence　should　provide
  A　victim　in　her　latest　hour　of　peace。
  With　all　these　families；　and　others　with　them；
  Florence　beheld　I　in　so　great　repose；
  That　no　occasion　had　she　whence　to　weep；
  With　all　these　families　beheld　so　just
  And　glorious　her　people；　that　the　lily
  Never　upon　the　spear　was　placed　reversed；
  Nor　by　division　was　vermilion　made。〃
  Paradiso：　Canto　XVII
  As　came　to　Clymene；　to　be　made　certain
  Of　that　which　he　had　heard　against　himself；
  He　who　makes　fathers　chary　still　to　children；
  Even　such　was　I；　and　such　was　I　perceived
  By　Beatrice　and　by　the　holy　light
  That　first　on　my　account　had　changed　its　place。
  Therefore　my　Lady　said　to　me：　〃Send　forth
  The　flame　of　thy　desire；　so　that　it　issue
  Imprinted　well　with　the　internal　stamp；
  Not　that　our　knowledge　may　be　greater　made
  By　speech　of　thine；　but　to　accustom　thee
  To　tell　thy　thirst；　that　we　may　give　thee　drink。〃
  〃O　my　beloved　tree；　（that　so　dost　lift　thee；
  That　even　as　minds　terrestrial　perceive
  No　triangle　containeth　two　obtuse；
  So　thou　beholdest　the　contingent　things
  Ere　in　themselves　they　are；　fixing　thine　eyes
  Upon　the　point　in　which　all　times　are　present；）
  While　I　was　with　Virgilius　conjoined
  Upon　the　mountain　that　the　souls　doth　heal；
  And　when　descending　into　the　dead　world；
  Were　spoken　to　me　of　my　future　life
  Some　grievous　words；　although　I　feel　myself
  In　sooth　foursquare　against　the　blows　of　chance。
  On　this　account　my　wish　would　be　content
  To　hear　what　fortune　is　approaching　me；
  Because　foreseen　an　arrow　comes　more　slowly。〃
  Thus　did　I　say　unto　that　selfsame　light
  That　unto　me　had　spoken　before；　and　even
  As　Beatrice　willed　was　my　own　will　confessed。
  Not　in　vague　phrase；　in　which　the　foolish　folk
  Ensnared　themselves　of　old；　ere　yet　was　slain
  The　Lamb　of　God　who　taketh　sins　away；
  But　with　clear　words　and　unambiguous
  Language　responded　that　paternal　love；
  Hid　and　revealed　by　its　own　proper　smile：
  〃Contingency；　that　outside　of　the　volume
  Of　your　materiality　extends　not；
  Is　all　depicted　in　the　eternal　aspect。
  Necessity　however　thence　it　takes　not；
  Except　as　from　the　eye；　in　which　'tis　mirrored；
  A　ship　that　with　the　current　down　descends。
  From　thence；　e'en　as　there　cometh　to　the　ear
  Sweet　harmony　from　an　organ；　comes　in　sight
  To　me　the　time　that　is　preparing　for　thee。
  As　forth　from　Athens　went　Hippolytus；
  By　reason　of　his　step…dame　false　and　cruel；
  So　thou　from　Florence　must　perforce　depart。
  Already　this　is　willed；　and　this　is　sought　for；
  And　soon　it　shall　be　done　by　him　who　thinks　it；
  Where　every　day　the　Christ　is　bought　and　sold。
  The　blame　shall　follow　the　offended　party
  In　outcry　as　is　usual；　but　the　vengeance
  Shall　witness　to　the　truth　that　doth　dispense　it。
  Thou　shalt　abandon　everything　beloved
  Most　tenderly；　and　this　the　arrow　is
  Which　first　the　bow　of　banishment　shoots　forth。
  Thou　shalt　have　proof　how　savoureth　of　salt
  The　bread　of　others；　and　how　hard　a　road
  The　going　down　and　up　another's　stairs。
  And　that　which　most　shall　weigh　upon　thy　shoulders
  Will　be　the　bad　and　foolish　company
  With　which　into　this　valley　thou　shalt　fall；
  For　all　ingrate；　all　mad　and　impious
  Will　they　become　against　thee；　but　soon　after
  They；　and　not　thou；　shall　have　the　forehead　scarlet。
  Of　their　bestiality　their　own　proceedings
  Shall　furnish　proof；　so　'twill　be　well　for　thee
  A　party　to　have　made　thee　by　thyself。
  Thine　earliest　refuge　and　thine　earliest　inn
  Shall　be　the　mighty　Lombard's　courtesy；
  Who　on　the　Ladder　bears　the　holy　bird；
  Who　such　benign　regard　shall　have　for　thee
  That　'twixt　you　twain；　in　doing　and　in　asking；
  That　shall　be　first　which　is　with　others　last。
  With　him　shalt　thou　see　one　who　at　his　birth
  Has　by　this　star　of　strength　been　so　impressed；
  That　notable　shall　his　achievements　be。
  Not　yet　the　people　are　aware　of　him
  Through　his　young　age；　since　only　nine　years　yet
  Around　about　him　have　these　wheels　revolved。
  But　ere　the　Gascon　cheat　the　noble　Henry；
  Some　sparkles　of　his　virtue　shall　appear
  In　caring　not　for　silver　nor　for　toil。
  So　recognized　shall　his　magnificence
  Become　hereafter；　that　his　enemies
  Will　not　have　power　to　keep　mute　tongues　about　it。
  On　him　rely；　and　on　his　benefits；
  By　him　shall　many　people　be　transformed；
  Changing　condition　rich　and　mendicant；
  And　written　in　thy　mind　thou　hence　shalt　bear
  Of　him；　but　shalt　not　say　it〃and　things　said　he
  Incredible　to　those　who　shall　be　present。
  Then　added：　〃Son；　these　are　the　commentaries
  On　what　was　said　to　thee；　behold　the　snares
  That　are　concealed　behind　few　revolutions；
  Yet　would　I　not　thy　neighbours　thou　shouldst　envy；
  Because　thy　life　into　the　future　reaches
  Beyond　the　punishment　of　their　perfidies。〃
  When　by　its　silence　showed　that　sainted　soul
  That　it　had　finished　putting　in　the　woof
  Into　that　web　which　I　had　given　it　warped；
  Began　I；　even　as　he　who　yearneth　after；
  Being　in　doubt；　some　counsel　from　a　person
  Who　seeth；　and　uprightly　wills；　and　loves：
  〃Well　see　I；　father　mine；　how　spurreth　on
  The　time　towards　me　such　a　blow　to　deal　me
  As　heaviest　is　to　him　who　most　gives　way。
  Therefore　with　foresight　it　is　well　I　arm　me；
  That；　if　the　dearest　place　be　taken　from　me；
  I　may　not　lose　the　others　by　my　songs。
  Down　through　the　world　of　infinite　bitterness；
  And　o'er　the　mountain；　from　whose　beauteous　summit
  The　eyes　of　my　own　Lady　lifted　me；
  And　afterward　through　heaven　from　light　to　light；
  I　have　learned　that　which；　if　I　tell　again；
  Will　be　a　savour　of　strong　herbs　to　many。
  And　if　I　am　a　timid　friend　to　truth；
  I　fear　lest　I　may　lose　my　life　with　those
  Who　will　hereafter　call　this　time　the　olden。〃
  The　light　in　which　was　smiling　my　own　treasure
  Which　there　I　had　discovered；　flashed　at　first
  As　in　the　sunshine　doth　a　golden　mirror；
  Then　made　reply：　〃A　conscience　overcast
  Or　with　its　own　or　with　another's　shame；
  Will　taste　forsooth　the　tartness　of　thy　word；
  But　ne'ertheless；　all　falsehood　laid　aside；
  Make　manifest　thy　vision　utterly；
  And　let　them　scratch　wherever　is　the　itch；
  For　if　thine　utterance　shall　offensive　be
  At　the　first　taste；　a　vital　nutriment
  'Twill　leave　thereafter；　when　it　is　digested。
  This　cry　of　thine　shall　do　as　doth　the　wind；
  Which　smiteth　most　the　most　exalted　summits；
  And　that　is　no　slight　argument　of　honour。
  Therefore　are　shown　to　thee　within　these　wheels；
  Upon　the　mount　and　in　the　dolorous　valley；
  Only　the　souls　that　unto　fame　are　known；
  Because　the　spirit　of　the　hearer　rests　not；
  Nor　doth　confirm　its　faith　by　an　example
  Which　has　the　root　of　it　unknown　and　hidden；
  Or　other　reason　that　is　not　apparent。〃
  Paradiso：　Canto　XVIII
  Now　was　alone　rejoicing　in　its　word
  That　soul　beatified；　and　I　was　tasting
  My　own；　the　bitter　tempering　with　the　sweet；
  And　the　Lady　who　to　God　was　leading　me
  Said：　〃Change　thy　thought；　consider　that　I　am
  Near　unto　Him　who　every　wrong　disburdens。〃
  Unto　the　loving　accents　of　my　comfort
  I　turned　me　round；　and　then　what　love　I　saw
  Within　those　holy　eyes　I　here　relinquish；
  Not　only　that　my　language　I　distrust；
  But　that　my　mind　cannot　return　so　far
  Above　itself；　unless　another　guide　it。
  Thus　much　upon　that　point　can　I　repeat；
  That；　her　again　beho