Canto 5

I had now parted from those shades, and was following the footsteps of my Leader, when behind me, pointing his finger, one cried out, “Look, the ray seems not to shine on the left hand of that lower one, and as if alive he seems to hear himself.” I turned my eyes at the sound of these words, and I saw them watching, for marvel, only me, only me, and the light which was broken.

I had now left those spirits and was following in my Leader’s footsteps. Behind me, one of them pointed and cried out, “Look, the light seems not to shine on the shorter one’s left side. And he seems to hear himself, as if he were alive.” At these words, I turned and saw them staring in wonder only at me, only at me, and at the light I blocked.

“Why is thy mind so hampered,” said the Master, “that thou slackenest thy going? What matters to thee that which here is whispered? Come after me, and let the people talk. Stand as a tower firm, that never wags its top for blowing of the winds; for always the man in whom thought on thought wells up removes from himself his aim, for the force of one weakens the other.” What could I answer, save “I come”? I said it, overspread somewhat with the color, which, at times, makes a man worthy of pardon.

“Why is your mind so troubled,” said the Master, “that you slow your pace? What does it matter to you what people whisper here? Follow me, and let them talk. Stand firm like a tower whose top never sways in the wind. For when thought follows thought, a man always loses sight of his goal, because each thought weakens the other.” What could I answer but “I’m coming”? I said it, blushing a little, as a man sometimes does when he deserves forgiveness.

And meanwhile across upon the mountain side, a little in front of us, were coming people, singing “Miserere,” verse by verse. When they observed that I gave not place for passage of the rays through my body, they changed their song into a long and hoarse “Oh!” and two of them, in form of messengers, ran to meet us, and asked of us, “Of your condition make us cognizant.” And my Master, “Ye can go back, and report to them who sent you, that the body of this one is true flesh. If, as I suppose, they stopped because of seeing his shadow, enough is answered them; let them do him honor and he may he dear to them.”

Meanwhile, a little ahead of us on the mountainside, people were coming toward us, singing “Miserere,” verse by verse. When they saw that the rays could not pass through my body, their song became a long, hoarse “Oh!” Two of them ran to meet us as messengers and asked, “Tell us about your condition.” My Master replied, “You can go back and tell those who sent you that this man's body is real flesh. If they stopped because they saw his shadow, as I suppose, that answer is enough for them. Let them honor him, and he may be dear to them.”

Never did I see enkindled vapors at early night so swiftly cleave the clear sky, nor at set of sun the clouds of August, that these did not return up in less time; and, arrived there, they, with the others, gave a turn toward us, like a troop that runs without curb. “These folk that press to us are many, and they come to pray thee,” said the Poet; “wherefore still go on, and in going listen.” “O soul,” they came crying, “that goest to be happy with those limbs with which thou wast born, a little stay thy step; look if thou hast ever seen any one of us, so that thou mayest carry news of him to earth. Ah, why dost thou go on? Ah, why dost thou not stop? We were of old all done to death by violence, and sinners up to the last hour; then light from Heaven made us mindful, so that both penitent and pardoning we issued forth from life, at peace with God, who fills our hearts with the desire to see him.” And I, “Although I gaze upon your faces, not one I recognize; but if aught that I can do be pleasing to you, spirits wellborn,³⁹ speak ye, and I will do it by that peace which makes me, following the feet of such a guide, seek for itself from world to world.” And one began, “Each of us trusts in thy good turn without thy swearing it, provided want of power cut not off the will; wherefore I, who alone before the others speak, pray thee, if ever thou see that land that sits between Romagna and the land of Charles,⁴⁰ that thou be courteous to me with thy prayers in Fano, so that for me good orisons be made, whereby I may purge away my grave offences. Thence was I; but the deep wounds, wherefrom issued the blood in which I had my seat,⁴¹ were given me in the bosom of the Endoneuria,⁴² there where I thought to be most secure; he of Este had it done, who held me in wrath far beyond what justice willed. But if I had fled toward Mira,⁴³ when I was overtaken at Oriaco, I should still be yonder where men breathe. I ran to the marsh, and the reeds and the mire hampered me so that I fell, and there I saw a lake made by my veins upon the ground.”

I have never seen shooting stars cross the clear sky so swiftly at nightfall, or the clouds of August at sunset, as those spirits returned. When they reached the others, they all turned toward us, like a troop running without restraint. “Many people are pressing toward us, and they are coming to ask something of you,” said the Poet. “So keep walking, and listen as you go.” “O soul,” they cried as they came, “you are going to find happiness in the body you were born with. Slow your steps a little and see whether you have ever seen any of us. Then you might carry news of him to earth. Ah, why do you keep walking? Ah, why do you not stop? We were all killed by violence, and we were sinners until our final hour. Then a light from Heaven brought us to our senses. So we left life both repentant and forgiving, at peace with God, who fills our hearts with the desire to see him.” I answered, “Although I look closely at your faces, I recognize none of you. But if there is anything I can do to please you, noble spirits,³⁹ tell me, and I will do it. I swear it by that peace I seek from world to world, following the steps of such a guide.” One began, “Each of us trusts in your kindness without an oath, as long as you are able to do what you wish. So I, who alone speak before the others, ask you this. If you ever see the land that lies between Romagna and the land of Charles,⁴⁰ remember me in your prayers in Fano. Then good prayers may be offered for me, so that I may purge my grave offenses. I came from there. But the deep wounds that spilled the blood in which my life dwelt⁴¹ were inflicted in the heart of the Endoneuria,⁴² where I thought I was safest. The man of Este had it done. His anger toward me went far beyond what justice allowed. But if I had fled toward Mira,⁴³ when I was overtaken at Oriaco, I would still be there among the living. I ran into the marsh, and the reeds and mud held me back until I fell. There I saw a pool of my own blood on the ground.”

Then said another, “Ah! so may that desire be fulfilled which draws thee to the high mountain, with good piety help thou mine. I was of Montefeltro, and am Buonconte.⁴⁴ Joan or any other has no care for me, wherefore I go among these with downcast front.” And I to him, “What violence, or what chance so carried thee astray from Campaldino,⁴⁵ that thy burial place was never known?” “Oh!” replied he, “at foot of the Casentino crosses a stream, named the Archiano, which rises in the Apennine above the Hermitage.⁴⁶ Where its proper name becomes vain⁴⁷ I arrived, pierced in the throat, flying on foot, and bloodying the plain. Here I lost my sight, and I ended my speech with the name of Mary, and here I fell, and my flesh remained alone. I will tell the truth, and do thou repeat it among the living. The Angel of God took me, and he of Hell cried out, “O thou from Heaven, why dost thou rob me?⁴⁸ Thou bearest away for thyself the eternal part of him for one little tear which takes him from me; but of the rest I will make other disposal.” Thou knowest well how in the air is condensed that moist vapor which turns to water soon as it rises where the cold seizes it. He joined that evil will, which seeketh only evil, with intelligence, and moved the mist and the wind by the power that his own nature gave. Then when the day was spent he covered the valley with cloud, from Pratomagno to the great chain, and made the frost above so intense that the pregnant air was turned to water. The rain fell, and to the gullies came of it what the earth did not endure, and as it gathered in great streams it rushed so swiftly towards the royal river that nothing held it back. The robust Archiano found my frozen body near its outlet, and pushed it into the Arno, and loosed on my breast the cross which I made of myself when the pain overcame me. It rolled me along its banks, and along its bottom, then with its spoil it covered and girt me.”

Then another said, “Ah, may the desire that draws you to the high mountain be fulfilled. Please help fulfill mine, with kindness and pity. I was of Montefeltro, and I am Buonconte.⁴⁴ Joan and the others have no care for me, so I go among these souls with my head bowed.” I said to him, “What violence or accident carried you so far from Campaldino⁴⁵ that your burial place was never known?” “Oh!” he replied, “At the foot of the Casentino flows a stream called the Archiano. It rises in the Apennine above the Hermitage.⁴⁶ I reached the place where it loses its name,⁴⁷ with a wound in my throat. I was fleeing on foot, leaving blood across the plain. There I lost my sight and spoke my last word, the name of Mary. There I fell, and my body remained alone. “I will tell you the truth, and you must repeat it among the living. The Angel of God took me, and the one from Hell cried out, ‘You from Heaven, why do you rob me?⁴⁸ You carry away his eternal soul because of one little tear that takes him from me. But I will deal differently with the rest of him.’ “You know well how moist vapor condenses in the air. As soon as it rises high enough for the cold to seize it, it turns to water. The one from Hell joined his intelligence to his evil will, which seeks only evil. Then he stirred the mist and wind by the power his own nature gave him. “When the day was over, he covered the valley with clouds, from Pratomagno to the great mountain chain. He made the cold above so intense that the moisture in the air turned to water. The rain fell, and the water the earth could not absorb ran into the gullies. It gathered into great streams and rushed so swiftly toward the royal river that nothing held it back. “The powerful Archiano found my frozen body near its mouth and pushed it into the Arno. It undid the cross I had made with my arms over my breast when the pain overcame me. It rolled me along its banks and along its bottom. Then it covered and enclosed me with the debris it carried.”

“Ah! when thou shalt have returned unto the world, and rested from the long journey,” the third spirit followed on the second, “be mindful of me, who am Pia.⁴⁹ Siena made me, Maremma unmade me; he knows it who with his gem ringed me, betrothed before.”

“Ah! When you return to the world and have rested from your long journey,” the third spirit said after the second, “remember me. I am Pia.⁴⁹ Siena made me, and Maremma unmade me. The man who pledged to marry me and put his jeweled ring on my finger knows this.”