The Divine Comedy by Dante: The Vision Of Purgatory: Canto XIV

"Say who is he around our mountain winds,     Or ever death has prun'd his wing for flight,     That opes his eyes and covers them at will?"     "I know not who he is, but know thus much     He comes not singly. Do thou ask of him,     For thou art nearer to him, and take heed     Accost him gently, so that he may speak."     Thus on the right two Spirits bending each     Toward the other, talk'd of me, then both     Addressing me, their faces backward lean'd,     And thus the one began: "O soul, who yet     Pent in the body, tendest towards the sky!     For charity, we pray thee' comfort us,     Recounting whence thou com'st, and who thou art:     For thou dost make us at the favour shown thee     Marvel, as at a thing that ne'er hath been."     "There stretches through the midst of Tuscany,"     I straight began: "a brooklet, whose well-head     Springs up in Falterona, with his race     Not satisfied, when he some hundred miles     Hath measur'd. From his banks bring, I this frame.     To tell you who I am were words misspent:     For yet my name scarce sounds on rumour's lip."     "If well I do incorp'rate with my thought     The meaning of thy speech," said he, who first     Addrest me, "thou dost speak of Arno's wave."     To whom the other: "Why hath he conceal'd     The title of that river, as a man     Doth of some horrible thing?" The spirit, who     Thereof was question'd, did acquit him thus:     "I know not: but 'tis fitting well the name     Should perish of that vale; for from the source     Where teems so plenteously the Alpine steep     Maim'd of Pelorus, (that doth scarcely pass     Beyond that limit,) even to the point     Whereunto ocean is restor'd, what heaven     Drains from th' exhaustless store for all earth's streams,     Throughout the space is virtue worried down,     As 'twere a snake, by all, for mortal foe,     Or through disastrous influence on the place,     Or else distortion of misguided wills,     That custom goads to evil: whence in those,     The dwellers in that miserable vale,     Nature is so transform'd, it seems as they     Had shar'd of Circe's feeding. 'Midst brute swine,     Worthier of acorns than of other food     Created for man's use, he shapeth first     His obscure way; then, sloping onward, finds     Curs, snarlers more in spite than power, from whom     He turns with scorn aside: still journeying down,     By how much more the curst and luckless foss     Swells out to largeness, e'en so much it finds     Dogs turning into wolves. Descending still     Through yet more hollow eddies, next he meets     A race of foxes, so replete with craft,     They do not fear that skill can master it.     Nor will I cease because my words are heard     By other ears than thine. It shall be well     For this man, if he keep in memory     What from no erring Spirit I reveal.     Lo! behold thy grandson, that becomes     A hunter of those wolves, upon the shore     Of the fierce stream, and cows them all with dread:     Their flesh yet living sets he up to sale,     Then like an aged beast to slaughter dooms.     Many of life he reaves, himself of worth     And goodly estimation. Smear'd with gore     Mark how he issues from the rueful wood,     Leaving such havoc, that in thousand years     It spreads not to prime lustihood again."     As one, who tidings hears of woe to come,     Changes his looks perturb'd, from whate'er part     The peril grasp him, so beheld I change     That spirit, who had turn'd to listen, struck     With sadness, soon as he had caught the word.     His visage and the other's speech did raise     Desire in me to know the names of both,     whereof with meek entreaty I inquir'd.     The shade, who late addrest me, thus resum'd:     "Thy wish imports that I vouchsafe to do     For thy sake what thou wilt not do for mine.     But since God's will is that so largely shine     His grace in thee, I will be liberal too.     Guido of Duca know then that I am.     Envy so parch'd my blood, that had I seen     A fellow man made joyous, thou hadst mark'd     A livid paleness overspread my cheek.     Such harvest reap I of the seed I sow'd.     O man, why place thy heart where there doth need     Exclusion of participants in good?     This is Rinieri's spirit, this the boast     And honour of the house of Calboli,     Where of his worth no heritage remains.     Nor his the only blood, that hath been stript     ('twixt Po, the mount, the Reno, and the shore,)     Of all that truth or fancy asks for bliss;     But in those limits such a growth has sprung     Of rank and venom'd roots, as long would mock     Slow culture's toil. Where is good Liziohere     Manardi, Traversalo, and Carpigna?     O bastard slips of old Romagna's line!     When in Bologna the low artisan,     And in Faenza yon Bernardin sprouts,     A gentle cyon from ignoble stem.     Wonder not, Tuscan, if thou see me weep,     When I recall to mind those once lov'd names,     Guido of Prata, and of Azzo him     That dwelt with you; Tignoso and his troop,     With Traversaro's house and Anastagio's,     (Each race disherited) and beside these,     The ladies and the knights, the toils and ease,     That witch'd us into love and courtesy;     Where now such malice reigns in recreant hearts.     O Brettinoro! wherefore tarriest still,     Since forth of thee thy family hath gone,     And many, hating evil, join'd their steps?     Well doeth he, that bids his lineage cease,     Bagnacavallo; Castracaro ill,     And Conio worse, who care to propagate     A race of Counties from such blood as theirs.     Well shall ye also do, Pagani, then     When from amongst you tries your demon child.     Not so, howe'er, that henceforth there remain     True proof of what ye were. O Hugolin!     Thou sprung of Fantolini's line! thy name     Is safe, since none is look'd for after thee     To cloud its lustre, warping from thy stock.     But, Tuscan, go thy ways; for now I take     Far more delight in weeping than in words.     Such pity for your sakes hath wrung my heart."     We knew those gentle spirits at parting heard     Our steps. Their silence therefore of our way     Assur'd us. Soon as we had quitted them,     Advancing onward, lo! a voice that seem'd     Like vollied light'ning, when it rives the air,     Met us, and shouted, "Whosoever finds     Will slay me," then fled from us, as the bolt     Lanc'd sudden from a downward-rushing cloud.     When it had giv'n short truce unto our hearing,     Behold the other with a crash as loud     As the quick-following thunder: "Mark in me     Aglauros turn'd to rock." I at the sound     Retreating drew more closely to my guide.     Now in mute stillness rested all the air:     And thus he spake: "There was the galling bit.     But your old enemy so baits his hook,     He drags you eager to him. Hence nor curb     Avails you, nor reclaiming call. Heav'n calls     And round about you wheeling courts your gaze     With everlasting beauties. Yet your eye     Turns with fond doting still upon the earth.     Therefore He smites you who discerneth all."