Classic Poem

CANTO I.

Argument.

The Poet, having lost his way in a forest, is alarmed by three savage beasts; the shade of Virgil appears to him, and offers to be his guide.

A BOUT the middle of life's onward way,
I found myself within a darksome dell,
Because from the true path I went astray.
Alas! how hard a thing it is to tell
Of that dark wood, so rugged and so bare;
Anew I fear when there in thought I dwell.
Scarce death itself more bitterness doth wear;
Yet, to make known the good which thus I found,
Now all its sorrows shall my tale declare.
I know not how I came within its bound;
Such heavy slumber on mine eyelids weigh'd,
The while I enter'd the forbidden ground.
But when I near a mountain's foot was stay'd,
Hard by the ending of the vale which now
With such sharp terror all my heart affray'd,
I upward look'd and saw the summit glow,
Clad in the radiance of that planet's light
Which to all wayfarers the path doth show.
And then the thoughts which caused me dire affright
Were hush'd within me, and I fear'd no more,
As I had done in all that dreadful night.
And like to him who cometh to the shore,
With weary breath, from out the stormy sea,
And turns to gaze the perilous waters o'er;
Thus did my soul, e'en yet intent to flee,
Another glance upon the pathway send
That ne'er by living man repassed may be
Awhile I rested; then my way did wend,
And from the desert wood which shut me in,
I strove the mountain summit to ascend.
But almost where the steep path doth begin,
A pard came towards me; swift of foot and light,
And fair it was, with brightly spotted skin,
And would not thence depart from out my sight,
But hinder'd me so sorely in my way,
That back I oft would turn in hasty flight.
The time was the beginning of the day;
The sun arose, with all the stars that were
With him created, when their bright array
By Love Divine was made a thing so fair.
And thoughts of hope sprang up within my breast,
From the sweet morning-hour, the pleasant air,
Ev'n from the beauty of the spotted beast;
But soon the fear which had been thus allay'd
What next I saw of strange and dread increased.
A lion towards me came, with lifted head,
And eye as if with raging hunger mad;
Then the air trembled and did seem afraid;
And a she-wolf that in her leanness had
An aspect as if fill'd with famish'd wrath;
And many lives, in sooth, she hath made sad.
This savage beast with the fierce mien she hath,
Did unto me such fear and sorrow bring,
I lost all hope to climb the upward path.
Most like to him who finds some precious thing,
And the time comes that takes it all away,
And then in thought he weepeth, sorrowing;
Even so to me, without or rest or stay
The beast towards me coming, pacing slow,
Made me return to where the darkness lay.
While I fell back into the vale below,
Before my eyes a semblance did appear,
Who from long silence spake in whispers low.
When thus I saw him in the desert drear,
" Have pity upon me, " to him I cried,
" Whether thou be a shade or mortal fere. "
" Not mortal now, once mortal, " he replied.
" In Lombardy my parents had their home,
And they in Mantua's city did abide.
The reign of Julius near its end had come
When I was born; I lived beneath the sway
Of good Augustus, and the gods of Rome
I was a poet, and I sang a lay
Of him, Anchises' son, who came from Troy,
After in flames proud Ilion pass'd away.
But thou, why dost return to such annoy?
Why dost thou not ascend the pleasant mount
Which is the first beginning of all joy? "
" Art thou that Virgil? and art thou the fount
That shed abroad so large a stream of speech? "
I then replied to him with rev'rent front.
" Light of all other poets! I beseech
Thee now the love and the long toil to pay,
Werewith I sought what all thy volumes teach.
Thou art my leader on the studious way:
It was alone from thee I learn'd aright
The beauteous language of each honour'd lay.
Behold the creature which hath caused my flight;
From it now give me aid, thou sage renown'd!
Fear chills my throbbing pulse at that dread sight. "
" For thee another pathway must be found, "
He then replied, who saw my flowing tears,
" If thou wouldst flee from out this savage ground:
Because the beast which causes thee such fears
Lets never mortal pass along this way,
But killeth him who the fair mountain nears;
And hath a nature so intent to slay,
That nothing can its hunger satisfy,
Nor any food its raging greed can stay.
With many living things it doth ally
And shall with more, until at last the hound
Shall come, that will in anguish make it die;
The hound with whom nor land nor gold is found,
On love, on strength, on wisdom hath it fed:
Feltro and Feltro doth its nation bound.
And he shall save in hour of utmost need,
That Italy for which Camilla died,
For which Euryalus and Turnus bled,
And Nisus. He shall chase from side to side,
The she-wolf, till he send her back to hell,
From whence at first she came in envious pride.
Therefore I think for thee it shall be well
That now thou shouldest follow me, and I
Will guide thee where immortal spirits dwell;
Where thou shalt listen to the doleful cry;
Where thou shalt see the ancient spirit-band
Of those who fain a second time would die;
And those who ev'n upon the fiery strand
Are happy, since they have the hope one day
To rise and dwell within the Blessid Land.
And if thou wouldst that lofty height assay,
There thou shalt find a worthier guide than I;
With her I leave thee when I go away,
Because the Lord who reigneth in the sky,
Since erst against his laws I did rebel,
Forbids my entrance to his realm on high.
Elsewhere he rules, there doth his radiance dwell;
There is his city and his glorious throne:
Of his elect who may the gladness tell? "
" Now by the Deity thou hast not known, "
I said, " O Poet, I entreat that thou
Wouldst lead me forth from out this desert lone,
And bring me to the place thou spak'st of now;
So that St. Peter's gateway I may see,
And those who in such sad estate lie low. "
And then he journey'd on, close-followed by me.