Canto 4

When through delights, or through pains which some power of ours may experience, the soul is all concentrated thereon, it seems that to no other faculty it may attend; and this is counter to the error which believes that one soul above another is kindled in us.²⁹ And therefore, when a thing is heard or seen, which may hold the soul intently turned to it, the time passes, and the man observes it not: for one faculty is that which listens, and another is that which keeps the soul entire; the latter is as it were bound, and the former is loosed.

When a pleasure or pain affects some faculty of ours, the soul may become entirely focused on it. It then seems unable to attend to any other faculty. This contradicts the mistaken belief that one soul is kindled within us above another.²⁹ So, when someone hears or sees something that holds the soul’s full attention, time passes unnoticed. The faculty that listens is different from the one that keeps the soul whole. The latter is, as it were, bound, while the former is free.

Of this had I true experience, hearing that spirit and wondering; for full fifty degrees had the sun ascended,³⁰ and I had not noticed it, when we came where those souls all together cried out to us, “Here is what you ask.”

I experienced this firsthand as I listened to that spirit and wondered. The sun had risen a full fifty degrees,³⁰ but I had not noticed. Then we came to a place where those souls all cried out to us together, “Here is what you ask.”

A larger opening the man of the farm often hedges up with a forkful of his thorns, when the grape grows dark, than was the passage through which my Leader and I behind ascended alone, when the troop departed from us. One goes to Sanleo, and descends to Noli, one mounts up Bismantova³¹ to its peak, with only the feet; but here it behoves that one fly, I mean with the swift wings and with the feathers of great desire, behind that guide who gave me hope and made a light for me. We ascended in through the broken rock, and on each side the border pressed on us, and the ground beneath required both feet and hands.

After the group left us, my Guide and I climbed alone through a narrow passage. A farmer often blocks a wider gap with a forkful of thorns when the grapes grow dark. You can reach Sanleo, descend to Noli, and climb to the peak of Bismantova³¹ on foot alone. But here you must fly. I mean with the swift wings and feathers of great desire, following the guide who gave me hope and light. We climbed through the broken rock, with the walls pressing close on both sides. The ground beneath us required us to use both hands and feet.

When we were upon the upper edge of the high bank on the open slope, “My Master,” said I, “what way shall we take?” And he to me, “Let no step of thine fall back, always win up the mountain behind me, till some sage guide appear for us.”

When we reached the top edge of the high bank on the open slope, I asked, “My Master, which way should we go?” He answered, “Do not step back. Keep climbing the mountain behind me until a wise guide appears to help us.”

The summit was so high it surpassed the sight and the side steeper far than a line from the mid quadrant to the centre.³² I was weary, when I began, “O sweet Father, turn and regard howl remain alone if thou dost not stop.” “My son,” said he, “far as here drag thyself,” pointing me to a ledge a little above, which on that side circles all the hill. His words so spurred me, that I forced myself, scrambling after him, until the belt was beneath my feet. There we both sat down, turning to the east, whence we had ascended, for to look back is wont to encourage one. I first turned my eyes to the low shores, then I raised them to the sun, and wondered that on the left we were struck by it. The Poet perceived clearly that I was standing all bewildered at the chariot of the light, where between us and Aquilo,³³ it was entering. Whereupon he to me, “If Castor and Pollux were in company with that mirror³⁴ which up and down guides with its light, thou wouldst see the ruddy Zodiac revolving still closer to the Bears, if it went not out of its old road.³⁵ How that may be, if thou wishest to be able to think, collected in thyself imagine Zion and this mountain to stand upon the earth so that both have one sole horizon, and different hemispheres; then thou wilt see that the road which Phaethon, to his harm, knew not how to drive, must needs pass on the one side of this mountain, and on the other side of that, if thy intelligence right clearly heeds.” “Surely, my Master,” said I, “never yet saw I so clearly, as I now discern there where my wit seemed deficient; for the mid-circle of the supernal motion, which is called Equator in a certain art,³⁶ and which always remains between the sun and the winter, for the reason that thou tellest, from here departs toward the north, while the Hebrews saw it toward the warm region. But, if it please thee, willingly I would know how far we have to go, for the hill rises higher than my eyes can rise.” And he to me, “This mountain is such, that ever at the beginning below it is hard, and the higher one goes the less it hurts; therefore when it shall seem so pleasant to thee that the going up will be easy to thee as going down the current in a vessel, then wilt thou be at the end of this path; there repose from toil await: no more I answer, and this I know for true.”

The summit was so high that it was beyond sight. The slope was much steeper than a line from the middle of a quadrant to its center.³² I was tired when I said, “O dear Father, turn and see how I am left alone if you do not stop.” “My son,” he said, “drag yourself as far as here.” He pointed to a ledge a little above us, which circled the whole mountain on that side. His words spurred me on, and I forced myself to scramble after him until I reached the ledge. We both sat down there, facing east, the direction from which we had climbed. Looking back tends to encourage a person. I first looked down at the low shores. Then I looked up at the sun and wondered why its light struck us from the left. The Poet clearly saw that I was bewildered by the chariot of light. It was moving between us and Aquilo.³³ So he said to me, “If Castor and Pollux were with that mirror³⁴ whose light guides the world above and below, you would see the red Zodiac revolving even closer to the Bears, unless it strayed from its ancient path.³⁵ If you want to understand how this can be, concentrate and imagine Zion and this mountain standing on the earth. Imagine them sharing a single horizon but lying in different hemispheres. Then, if you think clearly, you will see that the sun’s path must pass on one side of this mountain and on the other side of Zion. That is the path Phaethon could not drive, to his own harm.” “Surely, my Master,” I said, “I have never seen so clearly as I now do where my understanding once failed. The middle circle of the heavens’ motion is called the Equator in a certain science.³⁶ It always lies between the sun and the winter. For the reason you give, it lies to the north when seen from here, while the Hebrews saw it toward the warmer region. But, if it pleases you, I would like to know how far we have to go. The mountain rises higher than I can see.” He said to me, “This mountain is always hard to climb at the bottom, but the higher you go, the less it hurts. So when the climb feels as pleasant and easy as sailing downstream in a boat, you will be at the end of this path. There you can expect rest from your labor. I will say no more, and I know this is true.”

And when he had said his word, a voice near by sounded, “Perchance thou wilt be first constrained to sit.” At the sound of it each of us turned, and we saw at the left a great stone which neither he nor I before had noticed. Thither we drew; and there were persons who were staying in the shadow behind the rock, as one through indolence sets himself to stay. And one of them, who seemed to me weary, was seated, and was clasping his knees, holding his face down low between them. “O sweet my Lord,” said I, “look at him who shows himself more indolent than if sloth were his sister.” Then that one turned to us and gave heed, moving his look only up along his thigh, and said, “Now go up thou, for thou art valiant.” I recognized then who he was, and that effort which was still quickening my breath a little hindered not my going to him, and after I had reached him, he scarce raised his head, saying, “Hast thou clearly seen how the sun over thy left shoulder drives his chariot?”

When he had finished speaking, a voice nearby called out, “Perhaps you will have to sit down first.” At the sound, we both turned and saw a large stone on our left that neither of us had noticed before. We went over to it and found people resting in its shadow, as idle people do. One of them, who looked tired to me, was sitting with his arms around his knees and his face lowered between them. “Oh, my dear lord,” I said, “look at him. He seems lazier than if Sloth were his sister.” Then the man turned his attention to us, raising his eyes only enough to look along his thigh. “Now go on up,” he said, “since you are so brave.” I recognized him then, and though the climb still left me a little breathless, it did not stop me from going to him. When I reached him, he barely raised his head and said, “Have you seen clearly how the sun drives his chariot over your left shoulder?”

His slothful acts and his short words moved my lips a little to a smile, then I began, “Belacqua,³⁷ I do not grieve for thee now,³⁸ but tell me why just here thou art seated? awaitest thou a guide, or has only thy wonted mood recaptured thee?” And he, “Brother, what imports the going up? For the bird of God that sitteth at the gate would not let me go to the torments. It first behoves that heaven circle around me outside the gate, as long as it did in life, because I delayed good sighs until the end; unless the prayer first aid me which rises up from a heart that lives in grace: what avails the other which is not heard in heaven?”

His lazy movements and brief words made me smile a little. Then I said, “Belacqua,³⁷ I no longer grieve for you,³⁸ but tell me, why are you sitting here? Are you waiting for a guide, or has your usual mood taken hold of you again?” And he said, “Brother, what is the use of going up? The bird of God sitting at the gate would not let me go to the torments. Heaven must first circle around me outside the gate for as long as it did during my life. That is because I delayed my sighs of repentance until the end. But a prayer from a heart that lives in grace could help me sooner. What good is any other prayer, which is not heard in heaven?”

And now the Poet in front of me was ascending, and he said, “Come on now: thou seest that the meridian is touched by the sun, and on the shore the night now covers with her foot Morocco.”

The Poet was now climbing ahead of me. He said, “Come on. You can see that the sun has reached the meridian, and night now covers the shore of Morocco with her foot.”