The Divine Comedy - The Original Classic Edition. Dante Dante

      Canto 17

      Ca..'itC 18

      Canto 19

      3

      Canto 20

       Canto 21

       Canto 22

       Canto 23

       Canto 24

       Canto 25

       Canto 26

       Canto 27

       Canto 28

       Canto 29

       Canto 30

       Canto 31

       Canto 32

       Canto 33

       CANTO I

       His glory, by whose might all things are mov'd, Pierces the universe, and in one part

       Sheds more resplendence, elsewhere less. In heav'n, That largeliest of his light partakes, was I,

       Witness of things, which to relate again

       Surpasseth power of him who comes from thence; For that, so near approaching its desire

       Our intellect is to such depth absorb'd,

       That memory cannot follow. Nathless all,

       4

       That in my thoughts I of that sacred realm

       Could store, shall now be matter of my song.

       Benign Apollo! this last labour aid,

       And make me such a vessel of thy worth, As thy own laurel claims of me belov'd.

       Thus far hath one of steep Parnassus' brows Suffic'd me; henceforth there is need of both For my remaining enterprise Do thou

       Enter into my bosom, and there breathe

       So, as when Marsyas by thy hand was dragg'd Forth from his limbs unsheath'd. O power divine! If thou to me of shine impart so much,

       That of that happy realm the shadow'd form Trac'd in my thoughts I may set forth to view, Thou shalt behold me of thy favour'd tree

       Come to the foot, and crown myself with leaves; For to that honour thou, and my high theme

       Will fit me. If but seldom, mighty Sire!

       To grace his triumph gathers thence a wreath Caesar or bard (more shame for human wills Deprav'd) joy to the Delphic god must spring From the Pierian foliage, when one breast

       Is with such thirst inspir'd. From a small spark Great flame hath risen: after me perchance Others with better voice may pray, and gain

       From the Cirrhaean city answer kind.

       Through diver passages, the world's bright lamp

       5

       Rises to mortals, but through that which joins Four circles with the threefold cross, in best Course, and in happiest constellation set

       He comes, and to the worldly wax best gives Its temper and impression. Morning there, Here eve was by almost such passage made;

       And whiteness had o'erspread that hemisphere, Blackness the other part; when to the left

       I saw Beatrice turn'd, and on the sun

       Gazing, as never eagle fix'd his ken.

       As from the first a second beam is wont To issue, and reflected upwards rise, E'en as a pilgrim bent on his return,

       So of her act, that through the eyesight pass'd Into my fancy, mine was form'd; and straight, Beyond our mortal wont, I fix'd mine eyes Upon the sun. Much is allowed us there,

       That here exceeds our pow'r; thanks to the place

       Made for the dwelling of the human kind

       I suffer'd it not long, and yet so long That I beheld it bick'ring sparks around, As iron that comes boiling from the fire. And suddenly upon the day appear'd

       A day new-ris'n, as he, who hath the power, Had with another sun bedeck'd the sky.

       Her eyes fast fix'd on the eternal wheels,

Скачать книгу