Canto 20

Against a better will the will fights ill: wherefore against my own pleasure, in order to please him, I drew from the water the sponge not full.

A will cannot easily resist a better will. So, though I wanted to stay, I drew the sponge from the water before it was full, to please him.

I moved on, and my Leader moved on through the space vacant only alongside of the rock, as upon a wall one goes close to the battlements. For on the other side the people, that through their eyes are pouring drop by drop the evil that possesses all the world, approach too near the edge.²⁸²

My Leader and I moved on through the open space beside the rock, like people walking close to a wall's battlements. We stayed there because the people on the other side came too close to the edge. From their eyes, they shed, drop by drop, the evil that possesses all the world.²⁸²

Accursed be thou, old she-wolf, who more than all the other beasts hast prey, because of thy hunger hollow without end! O Heaven! by whose revolution it seems that men believe conditions here below are transmuted, when will he come through whom she shall depart?²⁸³ We were going on with slow and scanty steps, and I attentive to the shades whom I heard piteously lamenting and bewailing; and peradventure I heard in front of us one crying out, “Sweet Mary,” in his lament, even as a woman does who is in travail; and continuing, “So poor wast thou as may be seen by that inn where thou didst lay down thy holy burden.” And following this I heard, “O good Fabricius,²⁸⁴ thou didst rather wish for virtue with poverty than to possess great riches with vice.” These words were so pleasing to me that I drew myself further on to have acquaintance with that spirit from whom they seemed to come. He was speaking furthermore of the largess which Nicholas²⁸⁵ made to the damsels in order to conduct their youth to honor. “O soul that discoursest so well,” said I, “tell me who thou wast, and why thou alone renewest these worthy praises. Not without meed will be thy words, if I return to complete the short journey of that life which flies towards its end.” And he, “I will tell thee, not for comfort that I may expect from yonder,²⁸⁶ but because such grace shineth on thee ere thou art dead. I was the root of the evil plant which so overshadows all the Christian land²⁸⁷ that good fruit is rarely plucked therefrom. But if Douai, Lille, Ghent, and Bruges had power, soon would there be vengeance on it;²⁸⁸ and I implore it from him who judges everything. Yonder I was called Hugh Capet: of me are born the Philips and the Louises, by whom of late times France is ruled. I was the son of a butcher of Paris.²⁸⁹ When the ancient kings had all died out, save one, who had assumed the grey garb,²⁹⁰ I found me with the bridle of the government of the realm fast in my hands, and with so much power recently acquired, and so full of friends, that to the widowed crown the head of my son was promoted, from whom the consecrated bones²⁹¹ of these began.

“Cursed be you, old she-wolf! You take more prey than all the other beasts because your hunger is endlessly hollow. O Heaven, whose movements seem to make men believe that conditions on earth change, when will he come who will drive her away?”²⁸³ We walked on with slow, short steps. I listened closely to the souls I heard grieving and lamenting. Then, perhaps, I heard one ahead of us cry out, “Sweet Mary,” as a woman does in labor. He continued, “You were so poor, as we can see from the inn where you laid down your holy burden.” After this I heard, “O good Fabricius,²⁸⁴ you chose virtue with poverty rather than great riches with vice.” These words pleased me so much that I moved farther ahead to meet the spirit who seemed to have spoken them. He went on to speak of the generous gifts Nicholas²⁸⁵ gave the young women to help them enter honorable lives. “O soul who speaks so well,” I said, “tell me who you were and why you alone repeat these worthy praises. Your words will not go unrewarded if I return to finish the short journey of that life which is flying toward its end.” And he said, “I will tell you, not because I expect comfort from the world above,²⁸⁶ but because such grace shines on you before your death. I was the root of the evil plant that overshadows all the Christian land²⁸⁷ so deeply that good fruit is rarely picked from it. But if Douai, Lille, Ghent, and Bruges had the power, they would soon take vengeance on it.²⁸⁸ And I beg for vengeance from him who judges everything. “In the world above I was called Hugh Capet. The Philips and the Louises, who have ruled France in recent times, are descended from me. I was the son of a butcher of Paris.²⁸⁹ The old kings had all died out, except one who had put on the gray robes of a monk.²⁹⁰ I then found the reins of the kingdom firmly in my hands. I had recently gained so much power and had so many friends that my son was raised to the vacant throne. From him came the consecrated bones²⁹¹ of these kings.”

“So long as the great dowry of Provence²⁹² took not the sense of shame from my race, it was little worth, but still it did not ill. Then it began its rapine with force and with falsehood; and, after, for amends,²⁹³ Ponthieu and Normandy it took, and Gascony; Charles²⁹⁴ came to Italy, and, for amends, made a victim of Conradin,²⁹⁵ and then thrust Thomas²⁹⁶ back to heaven for amends. A time I see, not long after this day, that draws forth another Charles²⁹⁷ from France to make both himself and his the better known. Without arms he goes forth thence alone, but with the lance with which Judas jousted;²⁹⁸ and that he thrusts so that he makes the paunch of Florence burst. Therefrom he will gain not land,²⁹⁹ but sin and shame so much the heavier for himself, as he the lighter reckons such harm. The other,³⁰⁰ who has already gone out a prisoner from his ship, I see selling his daughter, and bargaining over her, as do the corsairs with other female slaves. O Avarice, what more canst thou do with us, since thou hast so drawn my race unto thyself that it cares not for its own flesh? In order that the ill to come and that already done may seem the less, I see the fleur-de-lis entering Anagna, and in his Vicar Christ made a captive.³⁰¹ I see him being mocked a second time; I see the vinegar and the gall renewed, and between living thieves him put to death. I see the new Pilate so cruel that this does not sate him, but, without decretal, he bears his covetous sails into the Temple.³⁰² O my Lord, when shall I be glad in seeing thy vengeance which, concealed, makes sweet thine anger in thy secrecy?

“As long as the great dowry of Provence²⁹² had not stripped my family of its sense of shame, my family was worth little, but still did no harm. Then it began to plunder through force and deceit. And afterward, to make amends,²⁹³ it took Ponthieu, Normandy, and Gascony. Charles²⁹⁴ came to Italy and, to make amends, made a victim of Conradin.²⁹⁵ Then, to make amends, he sent Thomas²⁹⁶ back to heaven. “I see a time, not long after today, when another Charles²⁹⁷ will leave France to make himself and his family better known. He goes alone and carries no weapon but the lance with which Judas jousted.²⁹⁸ He thrusts it so hard that he bursts the belly of Florence. He will gain no land from this,²⁹⁹ but he will gain sin and shame. And the less he cares about such harm, the heavier his sin and shame will be. “I see the other Charles,³⁰⁰ who has already left his ship as a prisoner, selling his daughter. He bargains over her as pirates bargain over other female slaves. O Avarice, what more can you do to us? You have drawn my family so close to you that it no longer cares for its own flesh and blood. “So that the evil still to come and the evil already done may seem less, I see the fleur-de-lis entering Anagna. There I see Christ taken captive in the person of his Vicar.³⁰¹ I see him mocked a second time. I see him given vinegar and gall again, and put to death between living thieves. I see the new Pilate, so cruel that even this does not satisfy him. Without a decree, he sails greedily into the Temple.³⁰² O my Lord, when will I have the joy of seeing your vengeance? For now, your vengeance remains hidden and makes your anger sweet to you in secret.”

“What I was saying of that only bride of the Holy Spirit, and which made thee turn toward me for some gloss, is ordained for all our prayers so long as the day lasts, but when the night comes, we take up a contrary sound instead. Then we rehearse Pygmalion,³⁰³ whom his gluttonous longing for gold made a traitor and thief and parricide; and the wretchedness of the avaricious Midas which followed on his greedy demand, at which men must always laugh. Then of the foolish Achan each one recalls how he stole the spoils, so that the anger of Joshua seems still to sting him, here.³⁰⁴ Then we accuse Sapphira with her husband; we praise the kicks that Heliodorus received,³⁰⁵ and in infamy Polymnestor who slew Polydorus³⁰⁶ circles the Whole mountain. Finally our cry here is, ‘Crassus, tell us, for thou knowest, what is the taste of gold?’³⁰⁷ At times one speaks loud, and another low, according to the affection which spurs us to speak now at a greater, now at a less pace. Therefore in the good which by day is here discoursed of, of late I was not alone, but here near by no other person lifted up his voice.”

“What I was saying about the only bride of the Holy Spirit made you turn to me for an explanation. Those words are appointed for all our prayers as long as the day lasts. But when night comes, we speak of the opposite instead. Then we recount the story of Pygmalion,³⁰³ whose ravenous desire for gold made him a traitor, a thief, and a murderer of his own kin. We also recount the misery that followed the greedy wish of Midas, who loved wealth. People must always laugh at his misery. Then each of us recalls how the foolish Achan stole the spoils, so that Joshua’s anger seems to sting him here still.³⁰⁴ Then we accuse Sapphira and her husband. We praise the kicks that Heliodorus received,³⁰⁵ and the shameful name of Polymnestor, who killed Polydorus,³⁰⁶ is spoken around the whole mountain. Finally, we cry here, ‘Crassus, tell us, for you know, what does gold taste like?’³⁰⁷ “At times one person speaks loudly and another softly. Each speaks faster or slower, depending on the feeling that urges us to speak. So, when we were recently speaking here of goodness by day, I was not alone. But no one else nearby raised a voice.”

We had already parted from him, and were striving to advance along the road so far as was permitted to our power, when I felt the Mountain tremble, like a thing that is falling; whereupon a chill seized me such as is wont to seize him who goes to death. Surely Delos shook not so violently, before Latona made her nest therein to give birth to the two eyes of heaven.³⁰⁸ Then began on all sides such a cry that the Master drew towards me, saying: “Distrust not, while I guide thee.” “Gloria in excelsis Deo,”³⁰⁹ all were saying, according to what I gathered from those near at hand whose cry it was possible to understand. We stopped, motionless and in suspense, like the shepherds who first heard that song, until the trembling ceased, and it was ended. Then we took up again our holy journey, looking at the shades that were lying on the ground, returned already to their wonted plaint. No ignorance ever with so sharp attack made me desirous of knowing—if my memory err not in this—as it seemed to me I then experienced in thought. Nor, for our haste, did I dare to ask, nor of myself could I see aught there. So I went on timid and thoughtful.

We had already left him and were trying to go as far along the road as our strength allowed. Then I felt the Mountain tremble, as if it were falling. A chill seized me, like the chill that comes over someone going to their death. Surely Delos did not shake so violently before Latona made her nest there to give birth to the two eyes of heaven.³⁰⁸ Then a cry arose from all sides, and the Master came closer to me, saying: “Do not be afraid while I guide you.” “Gloria in excelsis Deo,”³⁰⁹ all were saying, as far as I could tell from those nearby whose cries I could make out. We stopped, motionless and uncertain, like the shepherds who first heard that song. We waited until the trembling stopped and the song ended. Then we resumed our holy journey, looking at the shades lying on the ground. They had already returned to their usual lament. If I remember correctly, never before had not knowing something made me so desperately want to understand it. But because we were in a hurry, I did not dare ask. Nor could I see an answer for myself. So I went on, timid and thoughtful.