Canto 3

Inasmuch as the sudden flight had scattered them over the plain, turned to the mount whereto reason spurs us, I drew me close to my trusty companion. And how should I without him have run? Who would have drawn me up over the mountain? He seemed to me of his own self remorseful. O conscience, upright and stainless, how bitter a sting to thee is little fault!

The sudden flight had scattered them across the plain. As I turned toward the mountain that reason urges us to climb, I drew close to my trusty companion. How could I have run without him? Who would have helped me up the mountain? He seemed to feel remorse. Oh, upright and stainless conscience, how bitterly even a small fault stings you!

When his feet left the haste that takes the seemliness from every act, my mind, which at first had been restrained, let loose its attention, as though eager, and I turned my face unto the hill that towards the heaven rises highest from the sea. The sun, which behind was flaming ruddy, was broken in front of me by the figure that the staying of its rays upon me formed. When I saw the ground darkened only in front of me, I turned me to my side with fear of being abandoned: and my Comfort, wholly turning to me, began to say, “Why dost thou still distrust? Dost thou not believe me with thee, and that I guide thee? It is now evening there where the body is buried within which I cast a shadow; Naples holds it, and from Brundusium it is taken; if now in front of me there is no shadow, marvel not more than at the heavens of which one hinders not the other’s radiance. To suffer torments, both hot and cold, bodies like this the Power ordains, which wills not that how it acts be revealed to us. Mad is he who hopes that our reason can traverse the infinite way which One Substance in Three Persons holds. Be content, human race, with the quia;¹⁷; for if ye had been able to see everything, need had not been for Mary to hear child: and ye have seen desiring fruitlessly men such¹⁸ that their desire would have been quieted, which is given them eternally for a grief. I speak of Aristotle and of Plato, and of many others;” and here he bowed his front, and said no more, and remained disturbed.

When he stopped hurrying, for haste takes the dignity from every act, my mind, which had been held back, eagerly gave its attention free rein. I turned toward the mountain that rises from the sea higher than any other toward heaven. The sun was blazing red behind me, and my body blocked its rays, casting a shadow in front of me. When I saw that the ground was dark only in front of me, I turned to my side, afraid that I had been abandoned. My Comfort turned fully toward me and began to speak. “Why do you still distrust me? Don’t you believe I am with you and guiding you? It is evening now where the body that once cast my shadow is buried. Naples holds it, and it was taken there from Brundusium. If I cast no shadow now, do not wonder at it any more than at the heavens, where one does not block another’s light. The Power that gives bodies like mine the ability to suffer heat and cold does not want to reveal how it does so. “Anyone who hopes that human reason can follow the infinite path of One Substance in Three Persons is mad. Be content, human race, with the quia¹⁷. For if you had been able to see everything, Mary would not have needed to bear a child. And you have seen men¹⁸ whose desire for knowledge would have been satisfied, but who desired it in vain. Their unfulfilled desire is given to them as an eternal grief. I speak of Aristotle and Plato, and many others.” At this, he bowed his head, said no more, and remained troubled.

We had come, meanwhile, to the foot of the mountain; here we found the rock so steep, that there the legs would be agile in vain. Between Lerici and Turbia¹⁹ the most deserted, the most secluded way is a stair easy and open, compared with that. “Now who knows on which hand the hillside slopes,” said my Master, staying his step, “so that he can ascend who goeth without wings?”

Meanwhile, we had reached the foot of the mountain. The rock was so steep that even agile legs would be useless. Compared with it, the most deserted and secluded path between Lerici and Turbia¹⁹ is an easy, open stairway. “Now who knows which way the hillside slopes,” said my Master, stopping, “so that someone without wings can climb it?”

And while he was holding his face low, questioning his mind about the road, and I was looking up around the rock, on the left hand appeared to me a company of souls who were moving their feet towards us, and seemed not, so slowly were they coming. “Lift,” said I to the Master, “thine eyes, lo! on this side who will give us counsel, if thou from thyself canst not have it.” He looked at them, and with air of relief, answered, “Let us go thither, for they come slowly, and do thou confirm thy hope, sweet son.

While he looked down, thinking about which way to go, I looked up around the rock. To my left, I saw a group of souls moving toward us. They were coming so slowly that they hardly seemed to move. “Look up, Master,” I said. “There are souls over here who can guide us if you cannot find the way yourself.” He looked at them and answered with relief, “Let us go to them, for they are coming slowly. Take heart, dear son.”

That people was still as far, I mean after a thousand steps of ours, as a good thrower would cast with his hand, when they all pressed up to the hard masses of the high bank, and stood still and close, as one who goes in doubt stops to look.²⁰ “O ye who have made good ends, O spirits already elect,” Virgil began, “by that peace which I believe is awaited by you all, tell us, where the mountain lies so that the going up is possible; for to lose time is most displeasing to him who knows most.”

After we had taken a thousand steps, those people were still as far away as a good thrower could throw. Then they all pressed up against the hard rocks of the high bank. They stood still and close together, like someone who stops to look when unsure of the way.²⁰ “O spirits who have died well and are already chosen,” Virgil began, “I believe you all await peace. By that peace, tell us where the mountain can be climbed. For those who know the most are most troubled by wasting time.”

As the sheep come forth from the fold by ones, and twos, and threes, and the others stand timid, holding eye and muzzle to the ground; and what the first does the others also do, huddling themselves to her if she stop, silly and quiet, and wherefore know not; so I saw then moving to approach, the head of that fortunate flock, modest in face and dignified in gait.

Sheep come out of the fold one, two, or three at a time. The others stand timidly, their eyes and muzzles lowered to the ground. They follow the lead sheep, huddling around her if she stops. They are simple and quiet, and they do not know why they do this. In the same way, I saw those at the front of that fortunate flock move toward us. Their faces were modest, and they walked with dignity.

When those in front saw the light broken on the ground at my right side, so that the shadow fell from me on the cliff, they stopped, and drew somewhat back; and all the rest who were coming behind, not knowing why, did just the same. “Without your asking, I confess to you that this is a human body which you see, whereby the light of the sun on the ground is cleft. Marvel not thereat, but believe that not without power that comes from heaven he seeks to surmount this wall.” Thus the Master:and that worthy people said, “Turn, enter in advance, then;” with the backs of their hands making sign. And one of them began, “Whoever thou art, turn thy face as thou thus goest; consider if in the world thou didst ever see me?” I turned me toward him, and looked at him fixedly: blond he was, and beautiful, and of gentle aspect, but a blow had divided one of his eyebrows.

Those in front saw that I was blocking the sunlight, casting a shadow on the cliff to my right. They stopped and drew back a little. All those coming behind them did the same, though they did not know why. “Before you ask, I will tell you that what you see is a human body. It is his body that blocks the sunlight on the ground. Do not be amazed, but believe that he seeks to climb this wall with power from heaven.” So the Master spoke. The worthy people replied, “Turn and go on ahead, then,” gesturing with the backs of their hands. One of them began, “Whoever you are, turn your face toward me as you go. See if you ever saw me in the world.” I turned toward him and looked at him closely. He was blond and handsome, with a gentle appearance, but a blow had split one of his eyebrows.

When I had humbly disclaimed having ever seen him, he said, “Now look!” and he showed me a wound at the top of his breast. Then he said, smiling, “I am Manfred,²¹ grandson of the Empress Constance; wherefore I pray thee, that when thou returnest, thou go to my beautiful daughter,²² mother of the honor of Sicily and of Aragon, and tell to her the truth if aught else be told. After I had my body broken by two mortal stabs, I rendered myself, weeping, to Him who pardons willingly. Horrible were my sins, but the Infinite Goodness has such wide arms that it takes whatever turns to it. If the Pastor of Cosenza,²³ who was set on the hunt of me by Clement, had then rightly read this page in God, the bones of my body would still be at the head of the bridge near Benevento, under the guard of the heavy cairn. Now the rain bathes them, and the wind moves them forth from the kingdom, almost along the Verde, whither he transferred them with extinguished light.²⁴ By their²⁵ malediction the Eternal Love is not so lost that it cannot return, while hope hath speck of green. True is it, that whoso dies in contumacy of Holy Church, though he repent him at the end, needs must stay outside²⁶ upon this bank thirtyfold the whole time that he has been in his presumption,²⁷ if such decree become not shorter through good prayers. See now if thou canst make me glad, revealing to my good Constance how thou hast seen me, and also this prohibition,²⁸ for here through those on earth much is gained.”

When I humbly said that I had never seen him, he said, “Now look!” He showed me a wound at the top of his chest. Then he smiled and said, “I am Manfred,²¹ grandson of the Empress Constance. So I ask you to visit my beautiful daughter²² when you return. She is the mother of the honor of Sicily and of Aragon. If she is told anything else, tell her the truth. After my body had been pierced by two fatal wounds, I surrendered myself, weeping, to him who willingly forgives. My sins were horrible, but the arms of Infinite Goodness are so wide that they embrace whatever turns to it. “If the Pastor of Cosenza,²³ whom Clement sent to hunt me down, had understood this lesson in God, my bones would still lie near Benevento. They would be at the head of the bridge, protected by the heavy pile of stones. Now the rain washes them, and the wind moves them beyond the kingdom, almost along the Verde. He moved them there with extinguished light.²⁴ Because of their²⁵ curse, Eternal Love is not so lost that it cannot return, as long as hope has a trace of green. “Yet anyone who dies defying Holy Church must stay outside²⁶ on this bank. Even if he repents at the end, he must stay thirty times as long as he spent in defiance,²⁷ unless good prayers shorten that sentence. See if you can bring me joy by telling my good Constance that you have seen me. Tell her also about this restriction,²⁸ for here we gain much through those on earth.”