Canto 9

The concubine of old Tithonus was now gleaming white on the balcony of the orient, forth from the arms of her sweet friend; her forehead was lucent with gems set in the shape of the cold animal that strikes people with its tail.⁹⁷ And in the place where we were the night had taken two of the steps with which she ascends, and the third was already bending down its wings, when I, who had somewhat of Adam with me, overcome by sleep, reclined upon the grass, there where all five of us were seated.

The concubine of old Tithonus was now shining white on the eastern balcony, having left the arms of her sweet friend. Her forehead shone with gems arranged in the shape of the cold animal that strikes people with its tail.⁹⁷ Where we were, night had climbed two of her steps, and the third was already lowering its wings. Then I, still carrying some of Adam’s nature, was overcome by sleep. I lay down on the grass, where all five of us were sitting.

At the hour near the morning when the little swallow begins her sad lays,⁹⁸ perchance in memory of her former woes, and when our mind, more a wanderer from the flesh and less captive to the thought, is in its visions almost divine,⁹⁹ in dream it seemed to me that I saw poised in the sky an eagle with feathers of gold, with wings widespread, and intent to stoop. And it seemed to me that I was there¹⁰⁰ where his own people were abandoned by Ganymede, when he was rapt to the supreme consistory. In myself I thought, “Perhaps this bird strikes only here through wont, and perhaps from other place disdains to carry anyone upward in his feet.” Then it seemed to me that, having wheeled a little, it descended terrible as a thunderbolt, and snatched me upwards far as the fire.¹⁰¹ There it seemed that it and I burned, and the imagined fire so scorched that of necessity the sleep was broken.

Near morning, the little swallow begins her sad songs,⁹⁸ perhaps in memory of her past sorrows. At that hour, our minds wander further from the body and are less captive to thought. In their visions, they are almost divine.⁹⁹ I dreamed that I saw an eagle hovering in the sky. Its feathers were gold, its wings were spread wide, and it was ready to swoop down. In my dream, I seemed to be in the place¹⁰⁰ where Ganymede left his people behind when he was carried off to the supreme council. I thought, “Perhaps this bird is accustomed to striking only here. Perhaps it refuses to carry anyone upward in its talons from anywhere else.” Then the eagle seemed to circle a little and swoop down, terrifying as a thunderbolt. It snatched me up as far as the fire.¹⁰¹ There, the eagle and I seemed to burn. The imagined fire scorched me so fiercely that I had to wake.

Not otherwise Achilles shook himself,—turning around his awakened eyes, and not knowing where he was, when his mother from Chiron to Scyros stole him away, sleeping in her arms, thither whence afterwards the Greeks withdrew him,¹⁰²—than I started, as from my face sleep fled away; and I became pale, even as a man frightened turns to ice. At my side was my Comforter only, and the sun was now more than two hours high,¹⁰³¹⁰⁴ and my face was turned toward the sea. “Have no fear,” said my Lord; “be reassured, for we are at a good point; restrain not, but increase all thy force. Thou art now arrived at Purgatory; see there the cliff that closes it around; see the entrance, there where it appears divided. A while ago in the dawn that precedes the day, when thy soul was sleeping within thee, upon the flowers wherewith the place down yonder is adorned, came a lady, and said, “I am Lucia; let me take this one who is sleeping; thus will I assist him along his way.’ Sordello remained, and the other gentle forms: she took thee, and when the day was bright, she came upward, and I along her footprints. Here she laid thee down: and first her beautiful eyes showed me that open entrance; then she and slumber went away together.” Like a man that in perplexity is reassured, and that alters his fear to confidence after the truth is disclosed to him, did I change; and when my Leader saw me without solicitude, up along the cliff he moved on, and I behind, toward the height.

Achilles once awoke and looked around, not knowing where he was. His mother had carried him away in her arms while he slept, taking him from Chiron to Scyros. Later, the Greeks took him away from Scyros.¹⁰² Just as Achilles started awake, I started as sleep left me. I turned pale, as if frozen with fear. Only my Comforter was beside me. The sun had been up for more than two hours,¹⁰³¹⁰⁴ and I was facing the sea. “Have no fear,” said my Lord. “Take heart, for we are in a good place. Do not hold back, but gather all your strength. You have now reached Purgatory. Look at the cliff that surrounds it. See the entrance where the cliff appears to split. A little while ago, in the dawn before daybreak, your soul was asleep within you. You lay among the flowers that adorn the place down below. Then a lady came and said, ‘I am Lucia. Let me take this sleeping man. In this way I will help him on his journey.’ Sordello and the other gentle spirits stayed behind. She took you, and when daylight came, she carried you up here. I followed in her footsteps. Here she laid you down. First, her beautiful eyes showed me the open entrance. Then she and sleep departed together.” Like a confused man who is reassured when he learns the truth, I changed from fear to confidence. When my Leader saw that I was no longer worried, he started up along the cliff. I followed him toward the heights.

Reader, thou seest well how I exalt my theme, and therefore marvel not if with more art I reenforce it.¹⁰⁵

Reader, you can see how I elevate my theme. So do not be surprised if I use more skill to reinforce it.¹⁰⁵

The entrance within the gate of Purgatory is the assurance of justification, which is the change of the soul from a state of sin to a state of justice or righteousness. Justification itself consists, according to St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica, Prima Secundae, quaest. cxiii. art. 6 and 8), of four parts: first, the infusion of grace; second, the turning of the free will to God through faith; third, the turning of the free will against sin; fourth, the remission of sin. It must be accompanied by the sacrament of penance, which consists of contrition, confession, and satisfaction by works of righteousness.

Entering through the gate of Purgatory assures justification, the soul’s change from a state of sin to one of justice or righteousness. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, justification consists of four parts (Summa Theologica, Prima Secundae, quaest. cxiii. art. 6 and 8). First comes the infusion of grace. Second, the free will turns to God through faith. Third, the free will turns against sin. Fourth comes the remission of sin. Justification must be accompanied by the sacrament of penance. Penance consists of contrition, confession, and satisfaction through righteous works.

Outside the gate of Purgatory justification cannot be complete. The souls in the Ante-Purgatory typify those who have entered on the way towards justification, but have not yet attained it. They undergo a period of mortification to sin, of deliberation, as St. Thomas Aquinas says: “Contingit autem quandoque quod praecedit aliqua deliberatio quae non est do substantia justificationis sed via in justificationem.” Summa Theol., l. c. art. 7.

Outside the gate of Purgatory, justification cannot be complete. The souls in Ante-Purgatory represent those who have begun the journey toward justification but have not yet attained it. They undergo a period of turning away from sin and deliberation. As St. Thomas Aquinas says: “Sometimes deliberation comes first. It is not part of justification itself, but a path toward justification.” Summa Theol., l. c. art. 7.

We drew near to it, and reached such place that there, where at first there seemed to me a rift, like a cleft which divides a wall, I saw a gate, and three steps beneath for going to it of divers colors, and a gatekeeper who as yet said not a word. And as I opened my eye there more and more, I saw him sitting on the upper step, such in his face that I endured it not.¹⁰⁶ And he had in his hand a naked sword, which so reflected the rays toward us that I often raised my sight in vain. “Tell it from there, what would ye?” began he to say; “where is the guide? Beware lest the coming up be harmful to you.”¹⁰⁷ “A lady from Heaven with these things acquainted,” replied my Master to him, “only just now said to us, ‘Go thither, here is the gate.’” “And may she speed your progress in good,” began again the courteous gatekeeper, “come forward then unto our steps.”

We came closer and reached the place where I had first seen what looked like a crack in a wall. There I saw a gate, with three steps of different colors leading up to it. A gatekeeper was there, but he had not yet said a word. As I looked more closely, I saw him sitting on the top step. I could not bear to look at his face.¹⁰⁶ He held a drawn sword that reflected the rays toward us. I often tried in vain to look up. “Tell me from there, what do you want?” he began. “Where is your guide? Take care that coming up does not harm you.”¹⁰⁷ “A lady from Heaven who knows about these things,” my Master replied, “just told us, ‘Go there, here is the gate.’” “May she help you make good progress,” the courteous gatekeeper said. “Come forward to our steps, then.”

Thither we came to the first great stair; it was of white marble so polished and smooth that I mirrored myself in it as I appear. The second, of deeper hue than perse, was of a rough and scorched stone, cracked lengthwise and athwart. The third, which above lies massy, seemed to me of porphyry as flaming red as blood that spirts forth from a vein. Upon this the Angel of God held both his feet, seated upon the threshold that seemed to me stone of adamant.¹⁰⁸ Up over the three steps my Leader drew me with good will, saying, “Beg humbly that he undo the lock.” Devoutly I threw myself at the holy feet; I besought for mercy’s sake that he would open for me; but first upon my breast I struck three times.¹⁰⁹ Seven P’s upon my forehead he inscribed with the point of his sword,¹¹⁰ and “See that thou wash these wounds when thou art within,” he said.

We came to the first great step. It was white marble, so polished and smooth that I saw myself reflected as I was. The second step was darker than perse, made of rough, scorched stone cracked lengthwise and across. The massive third step above seemed to me to be porphyry, as fiery red as blood spurting from a vein. The Angel of God sat on the threshold with both feet on this step. The threshold seemed to me to be made of adamant.¹⁰⁸ My Guide led me willingly up the three steps, saying, “Humbly ask him to unlock the gate.” I fell reverently at the angel’s feet and begged him to open it for mercy’s sake. But first I struck my breast three times.¹⁰⁹ He marked seven P’s on my forehead with the point of his sword.¹¹⁰ “Make sure you wash these wounds once you are inside,” he said.

Ashes or earth dug out dry would be of one color with his vestment, and from beneath that he drew two keys. One was of gold and the other was of silver; first with the white and then with the yellow he so did to the door, that I was content.¹¹¹ “Whenever one of these keys fails, and turns not rightly in the lock,” said he to us, “this passage doth not open. More precious is one¹¹² but the other requires much art and wit before it unlocks, because it is the one that disentangles the knot. From Peter I hold them; and he told me to err rather in opening than in keeping shut, if but the people prostrate themselves at my feet.” Then he pushed the valve of the sacred gate, saying, “Enter, but I give you warning that whoso looks behind returns outside.”¹¹³ And when the pivots of that sacred portal, which are of metal, sonorous and strong, were turned within their hinges, Tarpeia roared not so loud nor showed herself so harsh, when the good Metellus was taken from her, whereby she afterwards remained lean.¹¹⁴

His robe was the color of ashes or dry earth. From beneath it, he drew two keys. One was gold and the other silver. He used the silver key first, then the gold one, and opened the door to my satisfaction.¹¹¹ “If either key fails to turn properly in the lock,” he told us, “this passage will not open. One key is more precious,¹¹² but the other takes great skill and judgment to use, because it is the one that untangles the knot. Peter gave me the keys. He told me it was better to err by opening the gate than by keeping it shut, if people prostrate themselves at my feet.” Then he pushed open the door of the sacred gate, saying, “Enter, but I warn you: whoever looks back must return outside.”¹¹³ The strong, resonant metal pivots of the sacred gate turned in their hinges. Tarpeia did not roar so loudly or sound so harsh when the good Metellus was taken from her. Afterward, she was left empty.¹¹⁴

I turned away attentive to the first tone,¹¹⁵ and it seemed to me I heard “Te Deum laudamus”¹¹⁶ in voices mingled with sweet sound. That which I heard gave me just such an impression as we are wont to receive when people stand singing with an organ, and the words now are, now are not caught.

I turned away, listening to the first sound,¹¹⁵ and thought I heard “Te Deum laudamus”¹¹⁶ sung by voices mingled with sweet music. It sounded like people singing with an organ, when you can catch the words only now and then.