| 91 |
Just as of old Ismenus and Asopus, |
| 92 |
at night, along their banks, saw crowds and clamor
|
| 93 |
whenever Thebans had to summon Bacchus, |
| |
| 94 |
such was the arching crowd that curved around
|
| 95 |
that circle, driven on, as I made out, |
| 96 |
by righteous will as well as by just love.
|
| |
| 97 |
Soon all that mighty throng drew near us, for
|
| 98 |
they ran and ran; and two, in front of them,
|
| 99 |
who wept, were crying: In her journey, Mary
|
| |
| 100 |
made haste to reach the mountain, and, in order
|
| 101 |
to conquer Lerida, first Caesar thrust |
| 102 |
against Marseilles, and then to Spain he rushed.
|
| |
| 103 |
Following them, the others cried: Quick, quick,
|
| 104 |
lest time be lost through insufficient love;
|
| 105 |
where urge for good is keen, grace finds new green.
|
| |
| 106 |
O people in whom eager fervor now |
| 107 |
may compensate for sloth and negligence |
| 108 |
you showed in doing good half-heartedly, |
| |
| 109 |
he who's alive, and surely I don't lie |
| 110 |
to you would climb above as soon as he |
| 111 |
has seen the sun shed light on us again; |
| |
| 112 |
then, tell us where the passage lies at hand.
|
| 113 |
My guide said this. One of the souls replied:
|
| 114 |
Come, follow us and you will find the gap.
|
| |
| 115 |
We are so fully anxious to advance |
| 116 |
we cannot halt; and do forgive us, should
|
| 117 |
you take our penance for discourtesy. |
| |
| 118 |
I was St. Zeno's abbot in Verona |
| 119 |
under the rule of valiant Barbarossa, |
| 120 |
of whom Milan still speaks with so much sorrow.
|
| |
| 121 |
And there is one with one foot in the grave,
|
| 122 |
who soon will weep over that monastery, |
| 123 |
lamenting that he once had power there, |
| |
| 124 |
because, in place of its true shepherd, he
|
| 125 |
put one who was unsound of body and, |
| 126 |
still more, of mind, and born in sin-his son.
|
| |
| 127 |
I don't know if he said more or was silent
|
| 128 |
he had already raced so far beyond us; |
| 129 |
but I heard this much and was pleased to hear it.
|
| |
| 130 |
And he who was my help in every need |
| 131 |
said: Turn around: see those two coming they
|
| 132 |
whose words mock sloth. And I heard those two say
|
| |
| 133 |
behind all of the rest: The ones for whom
|
| 134 |
the sea parted were dead before the Jordan
|
| 135 |
saw those who had inherited its lands; |
| |
| 136 |
and those who did not suffer trials until
|
| 137 |
the end together with Anchises' son |
| 138 |
gave themselves up to life without renown.
|
