the divine comedy(神曲)-第59章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
And which too late by me was recognized。
A place there is below not sad with torments;
But darkness only; where the lamentations
Have not the sound of wailing; but are sighs。
There dwell I with the little innocents
Snatched by the teeth of Death; or ever they
Were from our human sinfulness exempt。
There dwell I among those who the three saintly
Virtues did not put on; and without vice
The others knew and followed all of them。
But if thou know and can; some indication
Give us by which we may the sooner come
Where Purgatory has its right beginning。〃
He answered: 〃No fixed place has been assigned us;
'Tis lawful for me to go up and round;
So far as I can go; as guide I join thee。
But see already how the day declines;
And to go up by night we are not able;
Therefore 'tis well to think of some fair sojourn。
Souls are there on the right hand here withdrawn;
If thou permit me I will lead thee to them;
And thou shalt know them not without delight。〃
〃How is this?〃 was the answer; 〃should one wish
To mount by night would he prevented be
By others? or mayhap would not have power?〃
And on the ground the good Sordello drew
His finger; saying; 〃See; this line alone
Thou couldst not pass after the sun is gone;
Not that aught else would hindrance give; however;
To going up; save the nocturnal darkness;
This with the want of power the will perplexes。
We might indeed therewith return below;
And; wandering; walk the hill…side round about;
While the horizon holds the day imprisoned。〃
Thereon my Lord; as if in wonder; said:
〃Do thou conduct us thither; where thou sayest
That we can take delight in tarrying。〃
Little had we withdrawn us from that place;
When I perceived the mount was hollowed out
In fashion as the valleys here are hollowed。
〃Thitherward;〃 said that shade; 〃will we repair;
Where of itself the hill…side makes a lap;
And there for the new day will we await。〃
'Twixt hill and plain there was a winding path
Which led us to the margin of that dell;
Where dies the border more than half away。
Gold and fine silver; and scarlet and pearl…white;
The Indian wood resplendent and serene;
Fresh emerald the moment it is broken;
By herbage and by flowers within that hollow
Planted; each one in colour would be vanquished;
As by its greater vanquished is the less。
Nor in that place had nature painted only;
But of the sweetness of a thousand odours
Made there a mingled fragrance and unknown。
〃Salve Regina;〃 on the green and flowers
There seated; singing; spirits I beheld;
Which were not visible outside the valley。
〃Before the scanty sun now seeks his nest;〃
Began the Mantuan who had led us thither;
〃Among them do not wish me to conduct you。
Better from off this ledge the acts and faces
Of all of them will you discriminate;
Than in the plain below received among them。
He who sits highest; and the semblance bears
Of having what he should have done neglected;
And to the others' song moves not his lips;
Rudolph the Emperor was; who had the power
To heal the wounds that Italy have slain;
So that through others slowly she revives。
The other; who in look doth comfort him;
Governed the region where the water springs;
The Moldau bears the Elbe; and Elbe the sea。
His name was Ottocar; and in swaddling…clothes
Far better he than bearded Winceslaus
His son; who feeds in luxury and ease。
And the small…nosed; who close in council seems
With him that has an aspect so benign;
Died fleeing and disflowering the lily;
Look there; how he is beating at his breast!
Behold the other one; who for his cheek
Sighing has made of his own palm a bed;
Father and father…in…law of France's Pest
Are they; and know his vicious life and lewd;
And hence proceeds the grief that so doth pierce them。
He who appears so stalwart; and chimes in;
Singing; with that one of the manly nose;
The cord of every valour wore begirt;
And if as King had after him remained
The stripling who in rear of him is sitting;
Well had the valour passed from vase to vase;
Which cannot of the other heirs be said。
Frederick and Jacomo possess the realms;
But none the better heritage possesses。
Not oftentimes upriseth through the branches
The probity of man; and this He wills
Who gives it; so that we may ask of Him。
Eke to the large…nosed reach my words; no less
Than to the other; Pier; who with him sings;
Whence Provence and Apulia grieve already
The plant is as inferior to its seed;
As more than Beatrice and Margaret
Costanza boasteth of her husband still。
Behold the monarch of the simple life;
Harry of England; sitting there alone;
He in his branches has a better issue。
He who the lowest on the ground among them
Sits looking upward; is the Marquis William;
For whose sake Alessandria and her war
Make Monferrat and Canavese weep。〃
Purgatorio: Canto VIII
'Twas now the hour that turneth back desire
In those who sail the sea; and melts the heart;
The day they've said to their sweet friends farewell;
And the new pilgrim penetrates with love;
If he doth hear from far away a bell
That seemeth to deplore the dying day;
When I began to make of no avail
My hearing; and to watch one of the souls
Uprisen; that begged attention with its hand。
It joined and lifted upward both its palms;
Fixing its eyes upon the orient;
As if it said to God; 〃Naught else I care for。〃
〃Te lucis ante〃 so devoutly issued
Forth from its mouth; and with such dulcet notes;
It made me issue forth from my own mind。
And then the others; sweetly and devoutly;
Accompanied it through all the hymn entire;
Having their eyes on the supernal wheels。
Here; Reader; fix thine eyes well on the truth;
For now indeed so subtile is the veil;
Surely to penetrate within is easy。
I saw that army of the gentle…born
Thereafterward in silence upward gaze;
As if in expectation; pale and humble;
And from on high come forth and down descend;
I saw two Angels with two flaming swords;
Truncated and deprived of their points。
Green as the little leaflets just now born
Their garments were; which; by their verdant pinions
Beaten and blown abroad; they trailed behind。
One just above us came to take his station;
And one descended to the opposite bank;
So that the people were contained between them。
Clearly in them discerned I the blond head;
But in their faces was the eye bewildered;
As faculty confounded by excess。
〃From Mary's bosom both of them have come;〃
Sordello said; 〃as guardians of the valley
Against the serpent; that will come anon。〃
Whereupon I; who knew not by what road;
Turned round about; and closely drew myself;
Utterly frozen; to the faithful shoulders。
And once again Sordello: 〃Now descend we
'Mid the grand shades; and we will speak to them;
Right pleasant will it be for them to see you。〃
Only three steps I think that I descended;
And was below; and saw one who was looking
Only at me; as if he fain would know me。
Already now the air was growing dark;
But not so that between his eyes and mine
It did not show what it before locked up。
Tow'rds me he moved; and I tow'rds him did move;
Noble Judge Nino! how it me delighted;
When I beheld thee not among the damned!
No greeting fair was left unsaid between us;
Then asked he: 〃How long is it since thou camest
O'er the far waters to the mountain's foot?〃
〃Oh!〃 said I to him; 〃through the dismal places
I came this morn; and am in the first life;
Albeit the other; going thus; I gain。〃
And on the instant my reply was heard;
He and Sordello both shrank back from me;
Like people who are suddenly bewildered。
One to Virgilius; and the other turned
To one who sat there; crying; 〃Up; Currado!
Come and behold what God in grace has willed!〃
Then; turned to me: 〃By that especial grace
Thou owest unto Him; who so conceals
His own first wherefore; that it has no ford;
When thou shalt be beyond the waters wide;