Classic Poem

CANTO X.

Argument.

Dante holds discourse with the father of Guido Calvacanti, and with Farinata degli Uberti.

A ND now my Master, by a narrow path
Betwixt the walls and those sad graves of fire,
Went, and I follow'd through the land of wrath.
" O lofty Wisdom, who through labours dire
Dost lead me onward at thy will, " I said,
" Speak thou, and satisfy my strong desire.
The souls who in these sepulchres are laid,
May any look on them? Unclosed each tomb
Abides, nor is the eye by hindrance stay'd. "
And he to me: " After the day of doom,
All shall be closed, when they return once more
Back from Jehoshaphat's dread vale of gloom;
Within the bodies left on earth of yore.
Here Epicurus and his sect do dwell,
Who say that with the fleshly robe it wore
The spirit dies. But in this zone of Hell
An answer to thy question shall be brought,
And e'en unto the wish thou dost not tell. "
And I: " Good Master, not from thee my thought
I hide, save for the fear that I may tire
Thee with much speaking; as thou erst hast taught. "
" O Tuscan, journeying through the land of fire
With living breath, I pray thee here to rest,
And hold discourse, although in region dire.
The manner of thy speech doth manifest
Of what a noble country thou art born,
Which erst, perchance, too much I did molest. "
With sudden start this sound I did discern,
Which from a tomb came forth; and thus more near
Unto my gentle Leader did I turn.
Then he to me: " Nay! wherefore dost thou fear?
See Farinata from the tomb arise!
He from the girdle upwards doth appear. "
Already on his face I fix'd mine eyes;
Slowly he lifted up his lordly brow,
As though the pains of hell he did despise.
With ready hand my skilful Master now
Me mid the sepulchres toward him sped,
Saying: " Let thy discourse the truth avow. "
Soon as beside his tomb my steps were stay'd,
Awhile he gaz'd, and then, as in disdain,
" Who were thine ancestors? " to me he said.
And I, who to obey his 'hest was fain,
Without concealment did the truth rehearse;
And then he bent his brow with thoughtful mien,
And said: " Most fiercely were they all averse
To me, and to my sires, and to my part;
Thus twice from Florence did I them disperse. "
" Yet they return'd, each time when to depart
Thou hadst compell'd them, " boldly I replied:
" Your faction have not learnt so well that art. "
Then rose another Shadow by his side;
But only to the chin I saw his face:
I think that on his knees he did abide.
And all around he look'd, a little space,
As seeking one, of whom he deem'd with me;
But when, at last, his hope perforce gave place,
Weeping he said: " If for thy worth thou be
Empower'd to journey through this house of woe,
Where is my son? and wherefore not with thee? "
And I to him: " Not of myself I go:
He who awaits me hither hath me led;
And him, of yore, thy Guido scorn'd to know. "
The manner of his pain, and what he said,
Had taught me soon to read his name aright;
Therefore such plainness on my speech was shed.
And then he started, as with dire affright,
And cried: " Doth he not live? why say'st " of yore?"
Look not his eyes upon the pleasant light? "
And when he saw me hesitate, before
I fram'd an answer unto this his quest,
Supine he fell, nor did I see him more.
But on that other noble one had pass'd
No coward change of aspect; and his head
Calmly he rais'd, nor bow'd his haughty breast.
Then, still continuing his speech, he said:
" If they that art but ill have learnt to know,
It grieves me more than doth this fiery bed.
But yet not fifty times with light shall glow
The face of her who in this realm doth reign,
Ere thou thyself shalt taste as bitter woe.
And, as unto the pleasant earth again
Thou would'st return, say, wherefore with such ire
'Gainst me and mine your people fiercely strain? "
Then I replied to him: " The carnage dire,
That made Arbia's stream run bloody red,
Such prayers within our temple doth inspire. "
Then, sighing heavily, he shook his head,
And spake: " Yet not therein was I alone,
Nor without cause I with the others sped:
But all alone I stood, what time each one
Lift up his voice fair Florence to destroy;
And, but for me, that cruel deed were done. "
" Ah! as thou wouldst thy seed should find the joy
Of rest, " I said, " unravel me this knot
That with its tangles works me sore annoy.
If well I understand, it seems your thought
Perceives what Time brings with him on his way;
But of the present hour ye know not aught. "
He said: " We see, as those whose visual ray
Is dimm'd by age, the things that are afar;
Such light on us the Sovereign Lord doth lay.
But aye, when they draw near, or when they are,
Our intellect is vain; and nought we see,
Unless some living one remove the bar.
Thus may'st thou know that wholly dead shall be
Our consciousness, when Time shall be no more,
And clos'd the portal of Futurity. "
I said, as sorrow for my fault I wore:
" Then bear, to him who now hath fallen, my suit,
And say his son still dwells upon the shore
Of earth. If I to his demand was mute,
I pray him pardon me, because I lay
Still in the error thou dost here confute. "
And now my Master summon'd me away;
Wherefore more eagerly I begg'd that Shade
The names of those who dwelt with him to say.
" More than a thousand spirits here are stay'd;
The second Frederick, and the man who wore
On earth the rank of Cardinal, " he said:
" But of the others I disclose no more. "
Then to the ancient poet I drew nigh,
Musing upon those words of meaning sore.
He mov'd; and as we went, he said: " But why
All 'wilder'd and astray dost thou appear? "
And then to his demand I made reply.
" Now in thy mind lay up what thou dost hear; "
Thus my wise Leader unto me did say,
And pointed upwards: " to my words give ear.
When thou shall bask within the lovely ray
Of those bright eyes which all things do discern,
From her the story of thy future day
And course of life full clearly thou may'st learn. "
Leaving the wall, our footsteps then we bent
Tow'rds the left hand, unto a dismal bourne
Whence foulest smoke arose, with filthy odours blent.