panic fled that terrible old man
and spread across the plain, at the same time
racing blindly uphill, wholly unsure 79
what he or she was bound to find ahead.
Having no clue what better we could do
I and my leader were not far behind. 82
3: The Foothills
1 Our pace became more dignified upon
the foothills of that mount where climbing joins
goodness and reason. Since he had let me halt
4 to hear a song, Virgil had said no word.
His noble mind, believing no fault small,
suffered the sting of being in the wrong.
7 The rising sun shone rosy on our backs.
I gladly viewed the upward slope ahead
then felt it incomplete, for only one
10 shadow lay on the ground before my feet.
Afraid that suddenly I climbed alone
I gasped with dread. My comforter enquired,
13 “Why, even now, do you distrust my aid?
In Naples, underneath a monument
my shadow is entombed among my dust.
16 That I am shadowless is not more strange
than all the starry spheres of Heaven are.
Admiring wonder is the right response
19 to everything beyond your wisdom’s range.
Thought alone cannot know the infinite
eternal Three-in-One creating all.
If human science could bring men to God 22
Mary need never have borne Jesus Christ,
or we in Limbo live unsatisfied
in outer Hell, far from the greatest good 25
where Homer, Plato, Aristotle dwell
with many more.” He fell silent again,
staring with troubled face on ground we trod 28
until we reached Mount Purgatory’s base.
The wildest mountainside in Italy
would look an easy staircase seen beside 31
this cliff too sheer, this granite precipice
too high and smooth for any mountaineer.
My master sighed and murmured, “Lacking wings, 34
we need to find a slope that legs can use.
It must exist. Do we turn left or right?”
He pondered where the ground met the rock wall. 37
I, looking round, saw, a sling-shot away,
a group of souls approaching from our left,
walking so slowly that at first I thought 40
they did not move at all. I shouted out,
“See Master! These may know where we should go.”
He looked, then spoke with confidence renewed. 43
“Indeed they may, my son. Let us enquire
and never cease to hope.” A thousand steps
brought us to where the flock of souls, like sheep, 46
walked timidly, heads bowed, behind a few
dignified leaders pacing slowly too.
49 “Hail, holy ones!” cried Virgil. “You have died
as Christians, so are sure of Heaven’s grace.
Unlike you we must ascend at once. Please
52 where is the right place? Do you know of one?”
The leaders halted, stared and then drew back.
Their flock was scared and huddled to the rock.
55 My shadow on their track caused this dismay.
Virgil declared, “You need not feel surprise.
I will explain. My friend is still alive,
58 his body therefore splits the light of day.
Heaven demands we climb without delay.
Where can we do so?” “Turn and go with us,”
61 a leader of these good souls said. We did,
walked at a slow pace. “Perhaps,” said one,
“you know my face?” I looked. He was fair-haired,
64 handsome, debonair, an eyebrow broken
by a scar. I admitted I did not,
whereupon, smiling, “Look at this,” he said,
67 opening his vest to show in his chest
a much worse wound, adding “I am Manfred,
ruler of Sicily, Tory warlord
70 who defied the Pope, so died by the sword.
As my blood flowed I gave my soul with tears
to Him who saves all sinners who repent,
73 even of crimes as horrible as mine.
The victors built a cairn over my bones.
He that comes to me I will not cast out,
Christ said that but Pope Clement disagreed, 76
had the cairn broken, bones scattered around,
on unholy ground battered by wind and rain.
We in this troop though excommunicate, 79
will be redeemed at last, though for each year
