Canto 2

The day was going, and the dusky air was taking the living things that are on earth from their fatigues, and I alone was preparing to sustain the war alike of the road, and of the woe which the mind that erreth not shall retrace. O Muses, O lofty genius, now assist me! O mind that didst inscribe that which I saw, here shall thy nobility appear! I began:—“Poet, that guidest me, consider my virtue, if it is sufficient, ere to the deep pass thou trustest me. Thou sayest that the parent of Silvius while still corruptible went to the immortal world and was there in the body. Wherefore if the Adversary of every ill was then courteous, thinking on the high effect that should proceed from him, and on the Who and the What,⁷ it seemeth not unmeet to the man of understanding; for in the empyreal heaven he had been chosen for father of revered Rome and of her empire; both which (to say truth indeed) were ordained for the holy place where the successor of the greater Peter hath his seat. Through this going, whereof thou givest him vaunt, he learned things which were the cause of his victory and of the papal mantle. Afterward the Chosen Vessel went thither to bring thence comfort to that faith which is the beginning of the way of salvation. But I, why go I thither? or who concedes it? I am not Aeneas, I am not Paul; me worthy of this, neither I nor others think; wherefore if I give myself up to go, I fear lest the going may be mad. Thou art wise, thou understandest better than I speak.”

The day was ending. The darkening air was releasing the living creatures on earth from their labors. I alone was preparing to face the struggle of the journey and the suffering. My unfailing memory will now recount them. O Muses, O lofty genius, help me now! O mind that recorded what I saw, your nobility will now be revealed! I began: “Poet, you who guide me, consider whether I have the strength for this journey before you lead me into the deep passage. You say that the father of Silvius went to the immortal world while still mortal, and was there in his body. The Adversary of every ill was gracious to him then. This seems fitting to a thoughtful person, given the great things that would come from him, and who and what he was.⁷ For in the highest heaven he had been chosen as father of revered Rome and her empire. Both, to tell the truth, were ordained for the holy place where the successor of the greater Peter has his seat. On this journey, which you praise him for, he learned things that led to his victory and to the papal mantle. Later, the Chosen Vessel went there to bring back comfort to the faith that begins the way to salvation. But why should I go there? Who grants me leave? I am not Aeneas, and I am not Paul. Neither I nor anyone else thinks me worthy of this. So if I set out, I fear the journey may be madness. You are wise, and you understand more than my words can say.”

And as is he who unwills what he willed, and because of new thoughts changes his design, so that he quite withdraws from beginning, such I became on that dark hillside: wherefore in my thought I abandoned the enterprise which had been so hasty in the beginning.

Sometimes a person no longer wants what they wanted before. New thoughts make them change their plans, so they give up before they even begin. That is how I felt on the dark hillside. So I gave up the undertaking in my mind, though I had been so eager to begin it.

“If I have rightly understood thy speech,” replied that shade of the magnanimous one, “thy soul is hurt by cowardice, which oftentimes encumbereth a man so that it turns him back from honorable enterprise, as false seeing does a beast when it is startled. In order that thou loose thee from this fear I will tell thee wherefore I have come, and what I heard at the first moment that I grieved for thee. I was among those who are suspended,⁸ and a Lady called me, so blessed and beautiful that I besought her to command. Her eyes were more lucent than the star, and she began to speak to me sweet and low, with angelic voice, in her own tongue: ‘O courteous Mantuan soul, of whom the fame yet lasteth in the world, and shall last so long as the world endureth! a friend of mine and not of fortune upon the desert hillside is so hindered on his road that he has turned for fear, and I am afraid, through that which I have heard of him in heaven, lest already he be so astray that I may have risen late to his succor. Now do thou move, and with thy speech ornate, and with whatever is needful for his deliverance, assist him so that I may be consoled for him. I am Beatrice who make thee go. I come from a place whither I desire to return. Love moved me, and makes me speak. When I shall be before my Lord, I will commend thee often unto Him.’ Then she was silent, and thereon I began: ‘O Lady of Virtue, thou alone through whom the human race surpasseth all contained within that heaven which hath the smallest circles!⁹ so pleasing unto me is thy command that to obey it, were it already done, were slow to me. Thou hast no need further to open unto me thy will; but tell me the cause why thou guardest not thyself from descending down here into this centre, from the ample place whither thou burnest to return.’ ‘Since thou wishest to know so inwardly, I will tell thee briefly,’ she replied to me, ‘wherefore I fear not to come here within. One ought to fear those things only that have power of doing harm, the others not, for they are not dreadful. I am made by God, thanks be to Him, such that your misery toucheth me not, nor doth the flame of this burning assail me. A gentle Lady¹⁰ is in heaven who hath pity for this hindrance whereto I send thee, so that stern judgment there above she breaketh. She summoned Lucia in her request, and said, “Thy faithful one now hath need of thee, and unto thee I commend him.” Lucia, the foe of every cruel one, rose and came to the place where I was, seated with the ancient Rachel. She said, “Beatrice, true praise of God, why dost thou not succor him who so loved thee that for thee he came forth from the vulgar throng? Dost thou not hear the pity of his plaint? Dost thou not see the death that combats him beside the stream whereof the sea hath no vaunt?” In the world never were persons swift to seek their good, and to fly their harm, as I, after these words were uttered, came here below, from my blessed seat, putting my trust in thy upright speech, which honors thee and them who have heard it.’ After she had said this to me, weeping she turned her lucent eyes, whereby she made me more speedy in coming. And I came to thee as she willed. Thee have I delivered from that wild beast that took from thee the short ascent of the beautiful mountain. What is it then? Why, why dost thou hold back? why dost thou harbor such cowardice in thy heart? why hast thou not daring and boldness, since three blessed Ladies care for thee in the court of Heaven, and my speech pledges thee such good?”

“If I have understood you correctly,” replied the shade of the great-souled one, “your soul is wounded by cowardice. Cowardice often weighs a man down and turns him back from honorable deeds, as a false sight startles a beast. To free you from this fear, I will tell you why I came. I will also tell you what I heard when I first felt sorrow for you. “I was among those who are suspended,⁸ when a Lady called me. She was so blessed and beautiful that I begged her to command me. Her eyes were brighter than the star, and she began to speak to me gently and softly. She spoke in her own tongue, with an angelic voice: ‘O courteous soul of Mantua, your fame still lives in the world. It will last as long as the world endures! A friend of mine, though not a friend of fortune, is on the lonely hillside. He is so blocked on his way that he has turned back in fear. From what I have heard of him in heaven, I fear he may already be so lost that I have come too late to help him. Go now, and help him with your eloquent speech and whatever else he needs to be saved. Then I may be comforted about him. I am Beatrice, and I am sending you. I come from a place to which I long to return. Love moved me and makes me speak. When I am before my Lord, I will often praise you to him.’ “Then she fell silent, and I began: ‘O Lady of Virtue, through you alone the human race surpasses all that lies within the heaven of the smallest circles!⁹ Your command pleases me so much that even if I had already obeyed, it would seem too slow. You need not tell me more of your wishes. But tell me why you do not fear coming down here to this center, from the vast place to which you long to return.’ “‘Since you wish so deeply to know, I will tell you briefly,’ she replied, ‘why I do not fear coming here. We should fear only things that have the power to harm us. We should not fear the others, for they are not dreadful. God, thanks be to him, has made me such that your misery cannot touch me, and the flames of this burning cannot harm me. “‘A gentle Lady¹⁰ in heaven pities the plight I am sending you to relieve. Because of her pity, she breaks heaven’s stern judgment. She summoned Lucia and asked her, “Your faithful one now needs you, and I entrust him to your care.” Lucia, the enemy of all cruelty, rose and came to where I sat with the ancient Rachel. She said, “Beatrice, true praise of God, why do you not help the man who loved you so much? For your sake he rose above the common crowd. Do you not hear the sorrow in his cries? Do you not see death fighting him beside the stream of which the sea cannot boast?”’ “‘Never in the world have people been so quick to seek their good and flee harm as I was after hearing these words. I came down here from my blessed seat, trusting in your upright speech. Your speech honors both you and those who have heard it.’ “After saying this, she turned her shining eyes away, weeping. Her tears made me come all the more quickly. And I came to you as she wished. I have freed you from the wild beast that blocked your short climb up the beautiful mountain. What is it, then? Why, why do you hold back? Why do you harbor such cowardice in your heart? Why do you lack courage and boldness? Three blessed Ladies care for you in the court of Heaven, and my words promise you such good.”

As flowerets, bent and closed by the chill of night, after the sun shines on them straighten themselves all open on their stem, so I became with my weak virtue, and such good daring hastened to my heart that I began like one enfranchised: “Oh compassionate she who succored me! and thou courteous who didst speedily obey the true words that she addressed to thee! Thou by thy words hast so disposed my heart with desire of going, that I have returned unto my first intent. Go on now, for one sole will is in us both: Thou Leader, thou Lord, and thou Master.” Thus I said to him; and when he had moved on, I entered along the deep and savage road.

Just as little flowers bend and close in the cold night, then open and stand upright when the sun shines on them, so my weak courage revived. Such boldness filled my heart that I began to speak like a man set free: “How compassionate she was to help me! And how courteous you were to obey so quickly the true words she spoke to you! Your words have filled my heart with a desire to go, and I have returned to my original purpose. Go on now, for we both have one will. You are my Leader, my Lord, and my Master.” So I spoke to him. When he moved on, I followed him onto the deep and savage road.