Canto 24

Speech made not the going, nor the going made that more slow; but, talking, we went on apace even as a ship urged by good wind. And the shades, that seemed things doubly dead, through the pits of their eyes drew in wonder at me, perceiving that I was alive.

Talking did not slow our walking, nor did walking slow our conversation. We talked as we moved quickly onward, like a ship driven by a favorable wind. The shades, who seemed doubly dead, stared at me in wonder through their hollow eyes, realizing that I was alive.

And I, continuing my discourse, said, “He³⁵⁶ goeth up perchance for another’s sake more slowly than he would do. But, tell me, if thou knowest, where is Piccarda³⁵⁷ tell me if I see person of note among this folk that so gazes at me.” “My sister, who, between fair and good, was I know not which the most, triumphs rejoicing in her crown already on high Olympus.” So he said first, and then, “Here it is not forbidden to name each other, since our semblance is so milked away by the diet.³⁵⁸ This,” and he pointed with his finger, “is Bonagiunta,³⁵⁹ Bonagiunta of Lucca; and that face beyond him, more sharpened than the others, had the Holy Church in his arms:³⁶⁰from Tours he was; and by fasting he purges the eels of Bolsena, and the Vernaccia wine.” Many others he named to me, one by one, and at their naming all appeared content; so that for this I saw not one dark mien. For hunger using their teeth on emptiness, I saw Ubaldin dalla Pila, and Boniface,³⁶¹ who shepherded many people with his crook. I saw Messer Marchese, who once had leisure to drink at Forum with less thirst, and even so was such that he felt not sated. But as one does who looks, and then makes account more of one than of another, did I of him of Lucca, who seemed to have most cognizance of me. He was murmuring; and I know not what, save that I heard “Gentucca” there³⁶² where he felt the chastisement of the justice which so strips them. “O soul,” said I, “who seemest so desirous to speak with me, do so that I may hear thee, and satisfy both thyself and me by thy speech.” “A woman is born, and wears not yet the veil,”³⁶³ he began, “who will make my city pleasant to thee, however men may blame it.³⁶⁴ Thou shalt go on with this prevision: if from my murmuring thou hast received error, the true things will yet clear it up for thee. But say, if I here see him, who drew forth the new rhymes, beginning, ‘Ladies who have intelligence of Love’?”³⁶⁵ And I to him, “I am one, who, when Love inspires me, notes, and in that measure which he dictates within, I go revealing.” “O brother, now I see,” said he, “the knot which held back the Notary,³⁶⁶ and Guittone,³⁶⁷ and me short of the sweet new style that I hear. I see clearly how your pens go on close following the dictator, which surely befell not with ours. And he who most sets himself to look further sees nothing more between one style and the other.”³⁶⁸ And, as if contented, he was silent.

Continuing, I said, “Perhaps he³⁵⁶ is climbing more slowly than he would for someone else’s sake. But tell me, if you know, where is Piccarda?³⁵⁷ Tell me whether I see anyone of note among these people who stare at me.” He first replied, “My sister was both beautiful and good, and I do not know which she was more. She is already triumphant, rejoicing in her crown on high Olympus.” Then he said, “Here we are free to name one another, since the diet has wasted our features away.³⁵⁸ This man,” he said, pointing, “is Bonagiunta,³⁵⁹ Bonagiunta of Lucca. And that face beyond him, more gaunt than the others, once held the Holy Church in his arms.³⁶⁰ He was from Tours. By fasting, he now purges the eels of Bolsena and the Vernaccia wine.” He named many others to me, one by one. All seemed pleased to be named, and I saw not one gloomy face. I saw Ubaldin dalla Pila and Boniface,³⁶¹ who shepherded many people with his crook. In their hunger, they were chewing on nothing. I saw Messer Marchese, who once had time to drink at Forum with less thirst. Even so, he never felt satisfied. But, as someone who looks at a group and pays more attention to one person than another, I focused on the man from Lucca. He seemed to recognize me most. He was murmuring, and I could make out nothing except “Gentucca.” I heard the word there,³⁶² where he felt the punishment of the justice that strips them so bare. “O soul,” I said, “you seem so eager to speak with me. Speak so that I can hear you, and satisfy both yourself and me with your words.” “A woman has been born, and she does not yet wear the veil,”³⁶³ he began. “She will make my city pleasant to you, however people may blame it.³⁶⁴ You will go on with this foreknowledge. If my murmuring has misled you, the truth will make it clear to you. But tell me, do I see before me the man who brought forth the new poems beginning, ‘Ladies who have intelligence of Love’?”³⁶⁵ I answered, “I am one who takes note when Love inspires me. I express what he dictates within me, in the way he dictates it.” “O brother, now I see,” he said, “the knot that held the Notary,³⁶⁶ Guittone,³⁶⁷ and me back from the sweet new style I hear. I see clearly how closely your pens follow the one who dictates. Ours certainly did not. And whoever looks hardest for another difference between the two styles will find none.”³⁶⁸ Then he fell silent, as if content.

As the birds that winter along the Nile sometimes make a flock in the air, then fly in greater haste, and go in file, so all the folk that were there, light both through leanness and through will, turning away their faces, quickened again their pace. And as the man who is weary of running lets his companions go on, and himself walks, until he vents the panting of his chest, so Forese let the holy flock pass on and came along behind, with me, saying, “When shall it be that I see thee again?” “I know not,” I replied to him, “how long I may live; but truly my return will not be so speedy, that I shall not in desire he sooner at the shore;³⁶⁹ because the place where I was set to live, denudes itself more of good from day to day, and seems ordained to wretched ruin.” “Now go,” said he, “for I see him who hath most fault for this³⁷⁰ dragged at the tail of a beast, toward the valley where there is no disculpation ever. The beast at every step goes faster, increasing always till it strikes him, and leaves his body vilely undone. Those wheels have not far to turn,” and he raised his eyes to heaven, “for that to become clear to thee which my speech cannot further declare. Now do thou stay behind, for time is so precious in this kingdom, that I lose too much coming thus at even pace with thee.”

Birds that winter along the Nile sometimes gather in a flock in the air, then fly faster and fall into line. In the same way, all the people there turned away and quickened their pace. They were light from both their leanness and their eagerness. A runner who grows tired lets his companions go on ahead. He walks until he catches his breath. In the same way, Forese let the holy flock pass and stayed behind with me. He asked, “When will I see you again?” “I do not know how long I may live,” I replied. “But I will not return so soon that I will not wish to reach the shore sooner.³⁶⁹ The place where I was born loses more of its goodness every day and seems destined for a miserable end.” “Go on now,” he said, “for I see the man most to blame for this³⁷⁰ dragged by the tail of a beast toward the valley where no one is ever forgiven. The beast goes faster with every step, gaining speed until it strikes him and leaves his body horribly mangled.” He raised his eyes to heaven. “Those wheels will not turn much longer before you understand what I cannot say more clearly. Now stay behind, for time is so precious in this kingdom that I lose too much by keeping pace with you.”

As a cavalier sometimes sets forth at a gallop from a troop which rides, and goes to win the honor of the first encounter, so he went away from us with greater strides; and I remained on the way with only those two who were such great marshals of the world.³⁷¹ And when he had entered so far before us that my eyes became such followers on him as my mind was on his words,³⁷² there appeared to me the laden and lusty branches of another apple-tree, and not far distant, because only then had I turned thitherward.³⁷³ I saw people beneath it raising their hands and crying, I know not what, toward the leaves, like eager and fond little children who pray, and he they pray to answers not, hut, to make their longing very keen, holds aloft their desire, and conceals it not. Then they departed as if undeceived:³⁷⁴ and now we came to the great tree that rejects so many prayers and tears. “Pass further onward, without drawing near; the tree³⁷⁵ is higher up which was eaten of by Eve, and this plant has been raised from that.” Thus among the branches I know not who was speaking; wherefore Virgil and Statius and I, drawing close together, went onward along the side that rises.³⁷⁶ “Be mindful,” the voice was saying, “of the accursed ones,³⁷⁷ formed in the clouds, who, when glutted, strove against Theseus with their double breasts; and of the Hebrews, who, at the drinking, showed themselves soft,³⁷⁸ wherefore Gideon wished them not for companions, when he went down the hills toward Midian.”

Sometimes a knight gallops away from a troop of riders to win the honor of the first encounter. In the same way, he left us, taking longer strides. I continued on the path with only those two who were such great guides to the world.³⁷¹ He went so far ahead that my eyes followed him as closely as my mind followed his words.³⁷² Then I saw the heavily laden, vigorous branches of another apple tree. It was not far away, for I had only just turned in that direction.³⁷³ Beneath it, people raised their hands toward the leaves and cried out words I could not make out. They were like eager, loving little children begging someone who does not answer. Instead, to sharpen their longing, he holds what they desire high above them, without hiding it. Then the people left, as if they had realized their hopes were in vain.³⁷⁴ Now we came to the great tree that turns away so many prayers and tears. “Go farther on, without coming near. Higher up is the tree³⁷⁵ whose fruit Eve ate, and this tree grew from it.” I did not know who was speaking among the branches. So Virgil, Statius, and I drew close together and went on along the rising side of the path.³⁷⁶ “Remember,” the voice said, “the accursed ones³⁷⁷ formed in the clouds. After they had eaten their fill, they fought Theseus with their double breasts. Remember also the Hebrews who showed their weakness³⁷⁸ when they drank. For that reason, Gideon would not take them as companions when he went down the hills toward Midian.”

Thus keeping close to one of the two borders, we passed by, hearing of sins of gluttony followed, in sooth, by wretched gains. Then going at large along the lonely road, full a thousand steps and more had borne us onward, each of us in meditation without a word. “Why go ye thus in thought, ye three alone?” said a sudden voice; whereat I started as do terrified and timid beasts. I lifted up my head to see who it might be, and never were glass or metals seen so shining and ruddy in a furnace as one I saw who said, “If it please you to mount up, here must a turn be taken; this way he goes who wishes to go for peace.” His aspect had taken my sight from me, wherefore I turned me behind my teachers like one who goes according as he hears.³⁷⁹ And as, harbinger of the dawn, the breeze of May stirs and smells sweet, all impregnate with the herbage and with the flowers, such a wind I felt strike upon the middle of my forehead, and clearly felt the motion of the plumes which made mime perceive the odor of ambrosia. And I heard said, “Blessed are they whom so much grace illumines, that the love of taste inspires not in their breasts too great desire, hungering always so far as is just.”³⁸⁰

Keeping close to one of the two edges, we passed by, hearing of sins of gluttony followed by miserable rewards. Then we continued along the lonely road for more than a thousand steps. Each of us walked in silent thought. “Why are you three walking alone, lost in thought?” a voice suddenly said. I started like a frightened, timid animal. I looked up to see who had spoken. I saw someone shining more brightly and redly than glass or metal in a furnace. He said, “If you wish to climb, you must turn here. This is the way for anyone seeking peace.” His appearance had blinded me, so I turned and followed my teachers, guided by what I heard.³⁷⁹ Before dawn, a May breeze stirs, sweet with the scent of grass and flowers. I felt such a breeze strike the middle of my forehead. I could clearly feel the movement of the feathers that brought me the scent of ambrosia. And I heard a voice say, “Blessed are those whom so much grace illuminates that their love of taste does not stir excessive desire in them. They hunger only as much as is right.”³⁸⁰

Dante has already cited this Beatitude (Canto XXII.), applying it to those who are purging themselves from the inordinate desire for riches; he there omits the word “hunger,” as here he omits the “and thirst.”

Dante has already cited this Beatitude in Canto XXII. There, he applies it to those purging themselves of their excessive desire for riches. He omits the word “hunger” there, just as he omits “and thirst” here.