the brisk pace at which we’d started out.
Inside a darkened borderland I stood, 31
my courage to continue almost killed,
as if again within the evil wood.
“If I have grasped the sense of what you say,” 34
the ghost of splendid Virgil turned and said,
“cowardice, which leads most folk astray,
blocks (as its shadow on the road ahead 37
frightens a horse) the way that you should tread.
Listen to what should banish your remorse.
There came to me in Limbo where I dwell 40
(the only comfortable part of Hell)
a holy lady altogether lovely.
Her eyes like starlight and her quiet voice 43
angelically sweet, made me rejoice
to do the utmost thing she asked. Said she,
‘Poet of Mantua, whose epic song 46
will last as long as stars and planets move,
someone I dearly love is going wrong –
49 If none will help he may be lost to me.
On hearing this in Heaven I come to you.
O courteous poet, listen to my plea:
52 I beg you, join him where he turns aside
from the true track. He stands alone, astray,
at foot of a grim hill. O pity him!
55 He needs your strength to guide him the right way.
If you are not too late, say to him this:
you have been sent by love and Beatrice,
58 for I am Beatrice, for whom you go
to save both him I love and me from woe.
The love that drew me from eternity
61 now draws me back. Soon I will see God’s face.
Within the glory of His sacred city
I'll praise forever in that holy place
64 your goodness.’ There she paused. At once I said,
‘Lady, by virtue of your heavenly love,
the love that made God form the human race
67 with excellence that lifts it far above
all other beasts within this world’s small space,
obeying you is what I most desire,
70 so much that done at once would be too slow.
But there is something first I wish to know.
Your blessed feet have carried you through Hell
73 yet you are not alarmed. How is that so?’
‘Because you wish to learn I will explain,’
said she. ‘God makes the innocent and wise
both blind and deaf to Hell’s eternal pain, 73
but not to troubles of a living soul.
A gentle lady some call Heaven’s queen
has mercy as her special ministry. 73
She often countermands God’s stern decrees
to save a sinner’s soul by purgatory –
a breach of justice to which God agrees. 82
She said to Lucy, “Saint of heavenly light,
your best disciple is about to quit
his upward climb to us, risking damnation. 85
Dante’s in danger. Get him out of it.”
Lucy sped to the height of contemplation
where I conversed (she knew) with sage Rachel, 88
noblest mother of the Jewish nation
and wife of flock-attending Israel.
“Beatrice!” she said, “in harmony with God! 91
Why, why, O why ignore a lover who
was taught to love divinity by you?
Can you not hear him miserably cry, 94
lonely and lost beside death’s raving sea
and threatened by a foul rapacity?”
As soon as Lucy’s words were understood, 97
nobody ever moved as fast as me.
I came to you whose wise and truthful speech
can heal my lover’s hurt and do him good – 100
speech glorifying you and all who hear,’
she said, turning her face to hide a tear.
103 Its brightness urged me to this place. The wolf
still blocks the uphill path. We’ll reach the top
going the long way round. With me your guide
106 and three celestial women on your side,
why hesitate? What have you got to fear?
Why all this cowardice? Have you no pride?”
109 As daisies folding petals up at night,
heavy with frozen dew, lean to the ground
until the rising sun’s warm, gift of light
112 thaws and unbends and opens them, I found
at last my crippled courage stand upright.
Like one set free I cried, “Let us go on!
115 The great compassion of that heavenly she,
forbye the wonder of your courtesy
have cured my idiot timidity.
118
