Canto 9

After thy Charles, O beautiful Clemence,¹⁴³ had enlightened me, he told to me of the treasons which his seed must suffer. But he said, “Be silent, and let the years revolve:” so that I can tell nothing, save that just lament shall follow on your wrongs.¹⁴⁴

After your Charles, beautiful Clemence,¹⁴³ had enlightened me, he told me of the betrayals his descendants would suffer. But he said, “Be silent, and let the years pass.” So I can say only that your wrongs will be justly mourned.¹⁴⁴

And now the life of that holy light had turned again unto the Sun which fills it, as that Good which suffices for every thing. Ah, souls deceived, and creatures impious, who from such Good turn away your hearts, directing your foreheads unto vanity!

Now the life within that holy light had turned again to the Sun that fills it, the Good that is enough for everything. Ah, deceived souls and ungodly creatures, you turn your hearts away from such Good and look toward empty things!

And lo! another of those splendors made towards me, and in brightening outwardly was signifying its will to please me. The eyes of Beatrice, which were fixed upon me, as before, made me assured of dear assent to my desire. “I pray thee give swift quittance to my wish, blessed spirit,” I said, “and afford me proof that what think I can reflect on thee.”¹⁴⁵ Whereon the light which was still new¹⁴⁶ to me, from out its depth, wherein erst it was singing, proceeded, as one whom doing good delights, “In that part¹⁴⁷ of the wicked Italian land, which lies between Rialto and the founts of the Brenta and the Piave, rises a hill,¹⁴⁸ and mounts not very high, whence a torch descended which made a great assault upon that district. From one root both I and it were born; Cunizza was I called; and I am refulgent here because the light of this star overcame me. But gladly do I pardon to myself the cause of my lot, and it gives me no annoy;¹⁴⁹ which perhaps would seem difficult to your vulgar. Of this resplendent and dear jewel of our kingdom,¹⁵⁰ who is nearest to me, great fame has remained, and ere it die away this hundredth year shall yet come round five times. See if man ought to make himself excellent, so that the first may leave another life! And this the present crowd, which the Tagliameuto and the Adige shut in,¹⁵¹ considers not; nor yet by being scourged doth it repent. But it will soon come to pass that at the marsh Padua will discolor the water which bathes Vicenza, because her people are stubborn against duty.¹⁵² And where the Sile and the Cagnano unite, one lords it, and goes with his head high, for catching whom the web is already spun.¹⁵³ Feltro will yet weep the crime of its impious shepherd, which will be so shameful, that, for a like, none ever entered Malta.¹⁵⁴ Too large would be the vat which would hold the Ferrarese blood, and weary he who should weigh it, ounce by ounce, which this courteous priest will give to show himself a partisan;¹⁵⁵ and such gifts will be conformed to the living of the country. Above are mirrors, ye call them Thrones,¹⁵⁶ wherefrom God shines on us in his judgments, so that these words seem good to us.”¹⁵⁷ Here she was silent, and had to me the semblance of being turned elsewhither by the wheel in which she set herself as she was before.¹⁵⁸

Then another of those radiant spirits came toward me. It grew brighter on the outside, showing its desire to please me. As before, Beatrice’s eyes were fixed on me, assuring me that she gladly approved of my wish. “Blessed spirit,” I said, “please grant my wish quickly. Show me that my thoughts are reflected in you.”¹⁴⁵ Then the light, still new¹⁴⁶ to me, spoke from the depths where it had been singing. It spoke like someone who delights in doing good: “In that part¹⁴⁷ of the wicked Italian land between Rialto and the sources of the Brenta and the Piave, a hill¹⁴⁸ rises, though not very high. From it came a torch that made a great assault on that district. That torch and I were born from the same root. I was called Cunizza, and I shine here because the light of this star overcame me. But I gladly forgive myself for the cause of my fate, and it does not trouble me.¹⁴⁹ Perhaps that would be hard for ordinary people among you to understand. “Great fame has remained for this radiant and beloved jewel of our kingdom,¹⁵⁰ who is nearest to me. Before that fame dies away, this hundredth year will come around five more times. See whether a person should strive for excellence, so that the first life may leave another! But the people now living between the Tagliameuto and the Adige¹⁵¹ give this no thought. Even when they are punished, they do not repent. But soon, at the marsh, Padua will stain the water that flows past Vicenza, because her people stubbornly refuse to do their duty.¹⁵² And where the Sile and the Cagnano meet, a man rules and holds his head high, though the net to catch him has already been woven.¹⁵³ Feltro will yet weep over the crime of its ungodly shepherd. It will be so shameful that no one has ever entered Malta for a crime like it.¹⁵⁴ A vat large enough to hold the Ferrarese blood would be too large, and anyone weighing it ounce by ounce would grow weary. This courteous priest will give that blood to show his loyalty to a faction.¹⁵⁵ And such gifts will be in keeping with the way people live in that country. “Above us are mirrors, which you call Thrones.¹⁵⁶ Through them, God shines on us in his judgments, so that these words seem right to us.”¹⁵⁷ Here she fell silent. She seemed to me to turn elsewhere as she joined the circling dance again, as before.¹⁵⁸

The next joy, which was already known to me as an illustrious thing,¹⁵⁹ became to my sight like a fine ruby whereon the sun should strike. Through joy effulgence is gained there on high, even as a smile here; but below¹⁶⁰ the shade darkens outwardly, as the mind is sad.

The next joy was already known to me as a glorious being.¹⁵⁹ It now appeared to me like a fine ruby struck by sunlight. Up there, joy makes spirits shine, just as joy brings a smile here. But below,¹⁶⁰ a shade grows darker outwardly when its mind is sad.

“God sees everything, and thy vision, blessed spirit, is in Him,” said I, “so that no wish can steal itself away from thee. Thy voice, then, that ever charms the heavens, with the song of those pious fires which make a cowl for themselves with their six wings,¹⁶¹ why does it not satisfy my desires? Surely I should not wait for thy request if I in-theed myself, as thou thyself in-meest.”¹⁶² “The greatest deep in which the water spreads,”¹⁶³ began then his words, “except of that sea which garlands the earth, between its discordant shores stretches so far counter to the sun, that it makes a meridian where first it was wont to make the horizon.¹⁶⁴ I was a dweller on the shore of that deep, between the Ebro and the Magra,¹⁶⁵ which, for a short way, divides the Genoese from the Tuscan. With almost the same sunset and the same sunrise sit Buggea and the city whence I was, which once made its harbor warm with its own blood.¹⁶⁶ That people to whom my name was known called me Folco, and this heaven is imprinted by me, as I was by it. For the daughter of Belus,¹⁶⁷ harmful alike to Sichaeus and Creusa, burned not more than I, so long as it befitted my hair;¹⁶⁸ nor she of Rhodopea who was deluded by Demophoon;¹⁶⁹ nor Alcides when he had enclosed Iole in his heart.¹⁷⁰ Yet one repents not here, but smiles, not for the fault which returns not to the memory, but for the power which ordained and foresaw. Here one gazes upon the art which adorns so great a work, and the good is discerned whereby the world above turns that below.

“God sees everything, and your vision, blessed spirit, is in him,” I said. “So no wish can hide from you. Your voice always enchants the heavens, joining the song of those holy fires that make hoods of their six wings.¹⁶¹ Why, then, does it not satisfy my desires? Surely I would not wait for you to ask if I in-theed myself, as you in-meest yourself.”¹⁶² “The greatest expanse of water,”¹⁶³ he began, “apart from the sea that encircles the earth, stretches so far between its opposing shores against the sun’s course that it makes a meridian where it once made the horizon.¹⁶⁴ I lived on the shore of that sea, between the Ebro and the Magra.¹⁶⁵ For a short distance, the Magra separates the Genoese from the Tuscans. Buggea and the city I came from have almost the same sunrise and sunset. That city once warmed its harbor with its own blood.¹⁶⁶ “The people who knew my name called me Folco. This heaven bears my imprint, just as I once bore its imprint. For the daughter of Belus,¹⁶⁷ who brought harm to both Sichaeus and Creusa, did not burn with more love than I did while my hair was still young.¹⁶⁸ Nor did the woman of Rhodopea whom Demophoon deceived.¹⁶⁹ Nor did Alcides, when he held Iole in his heart.¹⁷⁰ “Yet here we do not repent, but smile. We do not smile at the fault, which does not return to memory, but at the power that ordained and foresaw it. Here we gaze on the art that adorns so great a work. We see the good by which the world above turns the world below.

“But in order that thou mayst bear away satisfied all thy wishes which have been born in this sphere, it behoves me to proceed still further. Thou wouldst know who is in this light, which beside me here so sparkles, as a sunbeam on clear water. Now know that therewithin Rahab¹⁷¹ is at rest, and being joined with our order it is sealed by her in the supreme degree. By this heaven in which the shadow that your world makes comes to a point¹⁷² she was taken up before any other soul at the triumph of Christ. It was well befitting to leave her in some heaven, as a palm of the high victory which was won with the two hands,¹⁷³ because she aided the first glory of Joshua within the Holy Land, which little touches the memory of the Pope.

“But so that you may leave with all the wishes born in this sphere satisfied, I must go further. You want to know who is in this light beside me, sparkling like a sunbeam on clear water. Know that Rahab¹⁷¹ rests within it. She has joined our order and gives it the highest distinction. This heaven, where the shadow cast by your world comes to a point,¹⁷² received her before any other soul at Christ’s triumph. It was fitting to leave her in a heaven as a palm of the great victory won with the two hands.¹⁷³ For she helped Joshua win his first glory in the Holy Land, which the Pope scarcely remembers.”

“Thy city, which is plant of him who first turned his back on his Maker, and whose envy¹⁷⁴ has been so bewept, produces and scatters the accursed flower¹⁷⁵ which has led astray the sheep and the lambs, because it has made a wolf of the shepherd. For this the Gospel and the great Doctors are deserted, and there is study only of the Decretals,¹⁷⁶ as is apparent by their margins. On this the Pope and the Cardinals are intent; their thoughts go not to Nazareth, there where Gabriel spread his wings. But the Vatican, and the other elect parts of Rome, which have been the burial place for the soldiery that followed Peter, shall soon be free from this adultery.”¹⁷⁷

“Your city was planted by the one who first turned his back on his Maker, and whose envy¹⁷⁴ has caused so much weeping. Your city produces and scatters the accursed flower¹⁷⁵ that has led the sheep and lambs astray, because it has turned the shepherd into a wolf. For the sake of this flower, the Gospel and the great Doctors are abandoned. Only the Decretals¹⁷⁶ are studied, as their margins show. The Pope and the Cardinals are intent on the Decretals. Their thoughts do not turn to Nazareth, where Gabriel spread his wings. But the Vatican and the other sacred places of Rome, where the soldiers who followed Peter are buried, will soon be free of this adultery.”¹⁷⁷