Canto 16

Gloom of hell, or of night deprived of every planet, under a barren sky, obscured by clouds as much as it can be, never made so thick a veil to my sight nor to my feeling so harsh of tissue as that smoke which covered us there; so that my eye endured not to stay open²⁰⁸ wherefore my sage and trusty Escort drew to my side and offered me his shoulder. Even as a blind man goes behind his guide, in order not to stray, and not to butt against anything that may hurt or perhaps kill him, I went along, through the bitter and foul air, listening to my Leader, who was ever saying, “Take care that thou be not cut off from me.”

Neither the darkness of hell nor a night without a single planet had ever blinded me so completely. Even under an empty sky, as clouded as it could be, darkness had never felt so harsh against my skin. But the smoke that covered us there was so thick that I could not bear to keep my eyes open.²⁰⁸ So my wise and trusted guide came to my side and offered me his shoulder. Like a blind man following his guide, I walked through the bitter, foul air. A blind man follows his guide so he will not stray or bump into anything that might hurt or perhaps kill him. As I walked, I listened to my guide, who kept saying, “Be careful not to get separated from me.”

I heard voices, and each appeared to be praying for peace and mercy to the Lamb of God that taketh sins away. Only “Agnus Dei²⁰⁹ were their exordiums: one word there was in all, and one measure; so that among them seemed entire concord. “Are these spirits, Master, that I hear?” said I. And he to me, “Thou apprehendest truly; and they go loosening the knot of anger.” “Now who art thou that cleavest our smoke, and yet dost speak of us even as if thou didst still divide the time by calends?”²¹⁰ Thus by one voice was said: whereon my Master said, “Reply, and ask if by this way one goeth up.” And I, “O creature, that cleansest thyself in order to return beautiful unto Him who made thee, a marvel shalt thou hear if thou accompanyest me.” “I will follow thee, so far as is permitted me,” it replied, “and if the smoke allows not seeing, in its stead hearing shall keep us joined.” Then I began, “With that swathing band which death unbinds I go upward, and I came hither through the infernal anguish. And if God bath so enclosed me in His grace that He wills that I should see His court by a mode wholly out of modern usage, conceal not from me who thou wert before thy death, but tell it to me, and tell me if I am going rightly to the pass; and let thy words be our guides.” “Lombard I was, and was called Marco; the world I knew, and that worth I loved, toward which every one hath now unbent his bow. For mounting thou art going rightly.” Thus he replied, and added, “I pray thee that thou pray for me when thou shalt he above.” And I to him, “I pledge my faith to thee to do that which thou askest of me; but I am bursting inwardly with a doubt, if I free not myself of it; at first it was simple, and now it is made double by thy words which make certain to me, here as elsewhere, that wherewith I couple it.²¹¹ The world is indeed as utterly deserted by every virtue as thou declarest to me, and with iniquity is big and covered; but I pray that thou point out to me the cause, so that I may see it, and that I may show it to others; for one sets it in the heavens, and one here below.”

I heard voices, and each seemed to be praying to the Lamb of God, who takes away sins. They prayed for peace and mercy. All began with “Agnus Dei²⁰⁹. They spoke the same words in the same rhythm, and seemed to be in complete harmony. “Master, are those spirits I hear?” I asked. He replied, “You understand correctly. They are untying the knot of anger.” Then a voice said, “Who are you, passing through our smoke and speaking of us as if you still measured time by the calendar?”²¹⁰ My Master said, “Answer, and ask whether this is the way up.” I said, “O creature, you are cleansing yourself to return beautiful to the one who made you. If you come with me, you will hear something marvelous.” “I will follow you as far as I am allowed,” the voice replied. “And if the smoke keeps us from seeing, we can stay together by listening.” Then I began, “I am going upward still wrapped in the body that death unbinds. I came here through the anguish of Hell. God has enclosed me in his grace, and he wills that I should see his court in a way unlike anything done in modern times. If this is so, do not hide who you were before your death. Tell me, and tell me whether I am going the right way to the passage up. Let your words guide us.” “I was a Lombard, and my name was Marco,” he replied. “I knew the world, and I loved the virtue that everyone has now stopped aiming for. You are going the right way up.” Then he added, “I ask you to pray for me when you are above.” I said to him, “I give you my word that I will do as you ask. But a doubt is bursting inside me, and I must set it free. At first it was a single doubt. Now your words have made it double, because they confirm what I have heard elsewhere and what I connect with it.²¹¹ The world is indeed as completely deserted by every virtue as you say. It is full of wickedness and covered with it. But I ask you to show me the cause, so that I can see it and show it to others. Some place the cause in the heavens, and others here below.”

A deep sigh that grief wrung into “Ay me!” he first sent forth, and then began, “Brother, the world is blind, and thou forsooth comest from it. Ye who are living refer every cause upward to the heavens only, as if they of necessity moved all things with themselves. If this were so, free will would be destroyed in you, and there would be no justice in having joy for good, and grief for evil. The heavens initiate your movements: I do not say all of them; but, supposing that I said it, light for good and for evil is given to you; and free will, which, if it endure fatigue in the first battles with the heavens, afterwards, if it be well nurtured, conquers everything. To a greater force, and to a better nature, ye, free, are subjected, and that creates the mind in you, which the heavens have not in their charge.’ Therefore if the present world goes astray, in you is the cause, in you let it be sought; and of this I will now be a true informant for thee.²¹²

He first gave a deep sigh, as grief forced him to cry, “Alas!” Then he began, “Brother, the world is blind, and you indeed come from it. You who are alive blame everything on the heavens alone, as if they necessarily controlled all things. If that were so, you would have no free will. There would be no justice in feeling joy for good and grief for evil. The heavens set your actions in motion. I do not say they set all of them in motion. But even if I did, you have been given the light to distinguish good from evil. You also have free will. At first, it may grow weary in its battles with the heavens. But afterward, if well nurtured, it conquers everything. Though you are free, you are subject to a greater power and a better nature. That power creates your mind, which is not under the heavens’ control.’ Therefore, if the present world goes astray, the cause is in you. Look for it there. I will now tell you the truth about this.²¹²

“Forth from the hand of Him who delights in it ere it exist, like to a little maid who, weeping and smiling, wantons childishly, issues the simple little soul, which knows nothing, save that, proceeding from a glad Maker, it willingly turns to that which allures it. Of trivial good at first it tastes the savor; by this it is deceived and runs after it, if guide or bridle bend not its love. Wherefore it was needful to impose law as a bridle; needful to have a king who could discern at least the tower of the true city. The laws exist, but who set hand to them? Not one: because the shepherd who is in advance can ruminate, but has not his hoofs divided?²¹³ Wherefore the people, who see their guide only at that good²¹⁴ whereof they are greedy, feed upon that, and seek no further. Well canst thou see that the evil leading is the cause that has made the world guilty, and not nature which in you may be corrupted. Rome, which made the world good, was wont to have two Suns,²¹⁵ which made visible both one road and the other, that of the world and that of God. One has extinguished the other; and the sword is joined to the crozier; and the two together must of necessity go ill, because, being joined, one feareth not the other. If thou believest rue not, consider the grain,²¹⁶ for every herb is known by its seed.

“From the hand of him who delights in it before it exists comes the simple little soul. It is like a little girl who plays childishly, weeping and smiling. The soul knows nothing, except that it comes from a joyful Maker. So it willingly turns toward whatever attracts it. At first, it tastes some small good. The soul is deceived by this and runs after it, unless a guide or bridle directs its love. That is why laws were needed as a bridle. A king was also needed, one who could at least see the tower of the true city. The laws exist, but who puts them into effect? No one. Is that because the shepherd who leads can chew the cud, but does not have a divided hoof?²¹³ The people see their guide pursuing only the good²¹⁴ they themselves crave. So they feed on that good and seek nothing more. You can clearly see that bad leadership has made the world guilty. The cause is not your nature, though it may be corrupted. Rome, which made the world good, once had two Suns.²¹⁵ They lit both roads, the road of the world and the road of God. One has extinguished the other, and the sword has joined the crozier. The two must go badly together, because, when joined, neither fears the other. If you do not believe me, consider the grain.²¹⁶ Every plant is known by its seed.

“Within the land which the Adige and the Po water, valor and courtesy were wont to be found before Frederick had his quarrel;²¹⁷ now safely anyone may pass there who out of shame would cease discoursing with the good, or drawing near them. Truly three old men are still there in whom the antique age rebukes the new, and it seems late to them ere God restore them to the better life; Currado da Palazzo, and the good Gherardo,²¹⁸ and Guido da Castel, who is better named, after the manner of the French, the simple Lombard.²¹⁹

“In the land watered by the Adige and the Po, courage and courtesy used to be found before Frederick had his quarrel.²¹⁷ Now anyone who would be ashamed to speak with good people or approach them can safely pass through that land. Still, three old men remain there. In them, the old age rebukes the new, and they long for God to restore them to the better life. They are Currado da Palazzo, the good Gherardo,²¹⁸ and Guido da Castel, better known by the French name, the simple Lombard.²¹⁹

“Say thou henceforth, that the Church of Rome, through confounding in itself two modes of rule,²²⁰ falls in the mire, and defiles itself and its burden.”

“From now on, say that the Church of Rome falls into the mud because it mixes two kinds of rule.²²⁰ It dirties itself and its burden.”

“O Marco mine,” said I, “thou reasonest well; and now I discern why the sons of Levi were excluded from the heritage;²²¹ but what Gherardo is that, who, thou sayest, remains for sample of the extinct folk, in reproach of the barbarous age?” “Either thy speech deceives me, or it is making trial of me,” he replied to me, “in that, speaking Tuscan to me, it seems that of the good Gherardo thou knowest naught. By other added name I know him not, unless I should take it from his daughter Gaia.²²² May God be with you! for further I come not with you. Behold the brightness which rays already glimmering through the smoke, and it behoves me to depart—the Angel is there—ere I appear to him.”²²³ So he turned, and would not hear me more.

“Dear Marco,” I said, “you reason well. Now I understand why the sons of Levi were excluded from the inheritance.²²¹ But who is this Gherardo you say remains as an example of a vanished people, to shame this barbarous age?” “Either your speech deceives me, or you are testing me,” he replied. “You speak Tuscan, yet you seem to know nothing of the good Gherardo. I know him by no other name, unless I were to name him after his daughter Gaia.²²² May God be with you! I can go no farther with you. Look at the brightness whose rays are already glimmering through the smoke. I must leave before I appear to the Angel, who is there.”²²³ So he turned away and would listen to me no longer.