Purgatorio (The Divine Comedy series Book 2)
Page 11
OUTLINE: PURGATORIO XIV
IV. The penitents of envy speak (continued)
1–3
new speaker (Guido del Duca): “who is this?”
4–6
a second speaker (Rinieri da Calboli): “ask him”
7–9
they are only now described (but not yet identified)
10–15
Guido’s charitable question as to the pilgrim’s identity
16–21
Dante’s humble self-revelation as river-dwelling Tuscan
22–24
Guido understands the reference to the Arno
25–27
Rinieri wants to know why Dante concealed the river’s name
28–66
Guido’s set piece: the descent of the Arno
29–42
the river as home of beasts along its length:
43–45
pigs = the Casentino
46–48
dogs = Arezzo
49–51
wolves = Florence
52–54
foxes = Pisa
55–57
his prophetic stance
58–66
his prophecy: Rinieri’s grandson, Fulcieri, who will be podestà of Florence in 1303 and inflict harm on White Guelphs and Ghibellines and permanently damage the city
67–72
simile for Rinieri’s distress
73–76
Dante’s desire to know the identities of these two speakers
77–81
Guido identifies himself (Ghibelline)
82–85
his “satisfaction” for his envy: “straw” (not wheat)
86–87
his apostrophe of envy
88–90
Guido identifies Rinieri (Guelph)
91–123
Guido’s second set piece: the good individuals (10), families (4), towns (3) of the Romagna
124–126
Guido’s plangent conclusion and farewell to the “Tuscan”
127–129
Dante and Virgil move toward the stair
V. Exemplars of Envy
130–139
Cain and Aglauros
140–141
Dante draws near to Virgil
142–151
Virgil’s apostrophe of perverse humanity
PURGATORIO XIV
‘Who is this, circling our mountain →
before he has been given wings by death,
3
who can open his eyes at will and shut them?’
‘I don’t know who he is but know he’s not alone. →
Question him, since you are closer,
6
and greet him courteously that he may answer.’
Thus two spirits, their faces almost touching, →
conversed about me over to the right,
9
then turned their faces up to speak to me.
One said: ‘O soul still rooted in the body, →
making your way toward Heaven,
12
for the sake of charity relieve us, let us know
‘where you come from and who you are,
for the grace bestowed on you has so amazed us →
15
as something must that never was before.’
And I: ‘Through the middle of Tuscany there flows →
a winding stream that springs in Falterona—
18
one hundred miles still fail to curb its hungry course.
‘From somewhere on its banks I bring this form. →
To tell you who I am would be to speak in vain, →
21
for my name as yet does not resound.’
‘If my wit has truly grasped your meaning,’ →
he who had spoken first then answered,
24
‘it is the Arno that you speak of.’
And the other asked him: →
‘Why did he conceal that river’s name
27
just as one hides some dreadful thing?’
And the interrogated shade thus paid his debt: →
‘I do not know, but it is only fitting
30
that the name of such a valley perish,
‘for from its source, where the wild mountain range, →
from which Pelorus was broken off, rises to such height
33
that higher places are but few,
‘down to where it surrenders to restore
what the sky draws from the sea,
36
so that the rivers are supplied in turn,
‘all flee from virtue as if it were a snake, →
an enemy to all, whether some curse
39
is on the place or evil habits goad them on,
‘and those who live in that unhappy valley
are so altered in their nature it is as though
42
Circe were grazing them at pasture.
‘Among filthy hogs, more fit to feed on acorns →
than on any food that is prepared for men,
45
the water first directs its feeble course.
‘Then, coming lower, it finds whelps that snarl →
more than their powers warrant,
48
and so in scorn the river turns its snout from them.
‘It goes on falling and the more it swells →
the more does the accursed, ill-omened ditch
51
find that these dogs have been transformed to wolves.
‘Having fallen through dark and deep-cut gorges, →
it then finds foxes so very full of fraud
54
they have no fear that any trap can take them.
‘Nor will I hold my peace because another hears me. →
It will be wise of him to keep in mind
57
the truth the Spirit has revealed.
‘I see your grandson, who becomes a hunter →
of the wolves that gather on the banks
60
of that wild stream and puts them all in terror.
‘He sells their living flesh,
then slaughters them like old and useless cattle.
63
Many he robs of life and robs himself of honor.
‘Covered in blood, he leaves that wretched wood
in such a state that not one thousand years
66
will make the trees grow green as once they were.’
As at the forecast of impending harm
the face of one who hears it shows distress,
69
no matter where the threat may bare its fangs,
the other soul, who had turned to listen,
became troubled and disheartened
72
once he had taken in the meaning of these words.
The speech of one and the expression of the other
made me want to know their names
75
and so I asked, entreating their response.
The spirit that had spoken first began again:
‘You would have me do for you →
78
what you do not consent to do for me.
‘But since God wills His grace shine forth in you,
I will no longer hoard my answer:
81
Know, then, I was Guido del Duca. →
‘My blood was so consumed by envy →
that, had I seen a man take joy in life,
84
you would have seen my skin turn livid.
‘As I sowed, so now I reap such straw. →
O race of men, why do you set your hearts →
87
on things that of necessity cannot be shared?
‘This man is Rinier, this is the pride and honor →
of the house of Càlboli, where no one since
&nb
sp; 90
has made himself an heir to his true worth.
‘And not his blood alone—between Po and the mountains, →
between Reno and the sea—is stripped of virtues
93
consonant with deeper thought and courtly pastime. →
‘For the land within these boundaries
is grown so dense with poisonous shoots
96
that even proper tillage now might come too late.
‘Where is good Lizio, where Arrigo Mainardi, → →
Pier Traversaro and Guido di Carpigna? →
99
O people of Romagna, how you’ve turned to bastards! →
‘When, in Bologna, will another Fabbro grow? →
When, in Faenza, a Bernardin di Fosco, →
102
noble branch sprung from a lowly weed?
‘Do not marvel, Tuscan, if I weep
when, along with Guido da Prata, I recall →
105
Ugolin d’Azzo, who lived among us, →
‘Federico Tignoso and his companions, →
the house of Traversaro and of Anastagi— →
108
both families now spent, without an heir—
‘the ladies and the knights, the toils and sport →
that love and courtesy inspired,
111
where now is found a waste of evil hearts.
‘O Bertinoro, why do you not disappear, →
since your best family, along with many others,
114
has fled you to escape corruption?
‘Bagnacavallo does well to breed no more, →
Castrocaro poorly and Conio worse, →
117
obstinate in breeding such degenerate counts.
‘The Pagani will do better when their “Devil” →
shuffles off, yet not so well
120
that they will leave behind a stainless slate.
‘O Ugolin de’ Fantolin, your name is safe, →
since no more sons are looked for
123
who might blacken it with their depravity.
‘But now, Tuscan, be on your way,
for I would rather weep than speak, →
126
so has our discourse wrung my mind.’
We knew those kindly spirits heard us moving off.
Their silence, for that reason,
129
confirmed that we were keeping to our path.
As we moved on by ourselves, a voice,
like lightning when it cleaves the air,
132
came down upon us, saying:
‘Whoever finds me shall slay me,’ →
and fled, as thunder fades away,
135
after the sudden rending of its cloud.
As soon as our ears had some relief
a new voice followed with such clamor that it seemed
138
a thunderclap, delayed but for an instant:
‘I am Aglauros who was turned to stone.’ →
At that, to draw closer to the poet, →
141
I took a step to my right and not ahead.
Now that the air was quiet all around us,
he said to me: ‘That was the bit and bridle →
144
to keep a man within his bounds.
‘But you mortals take the bait, so that the hook
of your old adversary draws you to him,
147
and then of little use is curb or lure. →
‘The heavens call to you and wheel about you,
revealing their eternal splendors,
but your eyes are fixed upon the earth.
151
For that, He, seeing all, does smite you.’
OUTLINE: PURGATORIO XV
VI. The Angel of Mercy
1–9
time-telling: 3 PM on mountain; midnight in Italy
10–15
Dante looks into the setting sun and shields his eyes
16–24
simile: angle of incidence of reflected glory of angel
25–27
Dante’s question: the unavoidable approaching brightness
28–33
Virgil’s response: his eyes will get stronger
34–36
the angel’s invitation
37–39
the Latin/Italian angelic greeting as they ascend
VII. A postlude to Envy: the ascent
40–45
retrospective opening: Dante and Virgil are alone as they set out; in order to make use of their “climbing time” Dante wants to profit from the words of his guide
46–57
Virgil: Charity vs. Envy
58–63
Dante is still puzzled
64–75
Virgil: Charity vs. Envy (II)
76–81
Virgil: if Dante still does not understand, he should wait for Beatrice; for now, he should concentrate on ridding himself of his disposition toward the seven mortal sins
I. The third terrace: the setting
82–84
Dante sees he has reached the next terrace (undescribed) and thus does not go on to express to Virgil his gratitude for his clarifications
II. Exemplars of Meekness:
85–114
ecstatic visions of mansuetudo (Meekness vs. Wrath):
85–93
[Mary] (with Joseph) finding Jesus in the temple
94–105
Pisistratus forgiving the youth who embraced his daughter, despite his wife’s anger
106–114
[Stephen], the first martyr, forgiving those who stoned him to death
IIa. Reaction to presentation of exemplars
115–117
Dante comes back to himself
118–123
Virgil’s reaction to Dante’s strange former condition
124–126
Dante’s counterreaction: neither drunk nor dreaming
127–138
Virgil’s counterresponse:
127–129
Dante could not hide thoughts from him if he wanted
130–132
What he was shown was intended to make him merciful
133–138
Virgil did not ask what was wrong because he mistook Dante’s physical condition
I. The third terrace: the setting (continued)
139–141
time: between 3 PM (vv. 1–5) and 6 PM (Purg. XVII.9)
142–145
the smoke that is black as night
PURGATORIO XV
As much as between the end of the third hour →
and the first of day is seen of the sphere
3
that like a child is always darting here and there,
so much appeared now to remain
of the sun’s course toward nightfall:
6
it was vespers there and midnight here on earth.
The rays were striking full upon our faces, →
for we had circled so much of the mountain
9
that we were heading straight into the west,
when such great splendor overwhelmed my sight,
greater than any I had seen before,
12
that I was dazed by its unfamiliar brightness.
I raised one hand above my brow →
and gave my eyes sufficient shade
15
to temper this excess of light.
As, when from water or a mirror, a reflected beam →
leaps back the other way, rising
18
at the angle it took in its descent,
and from the plumb line of a stone
will deviate an equal distance,
21
as shown by science and experiment,
it seemed to me that I was
struck
by such bright light reflected there before me
24
that my eyes were quick to turn away.
‘What is that, gentle father,’ I asked,
‘from which I cannot even screen my eyes?
27
It seems to be moving toward us.’
‘Don’t be surprised,’ he answered me, →
‘if those who live in Heaven still can blind you:
30
this messenger invites us to ascend.
‘Soon the sight of beings such as these
will not be burdensome, will give as much delight
33
as nature made you fit to feel.’
When we had reached the blessèd angel
he called out in a joyful voice: ‘Now enter here
36
on a stairway far less steep than were the others.’ →
As we ascended, moving on from there,
we heard ‘Beati misericordes’ sung behind us →
39
and ‘Rejoice, you who conquer.’
My master and I, alone again, →
were climbing, and as we went along,
42
hoping to take some profit from his words,
I turned to him and asked:
‘What did the spirit from Romagna mean
45
when he spoke of things that can’t be shared?’
He replied: ‘Of his worst fault he knows the cost. →
Thus it is no wonder he condemns it, in the hope
48
that fewer souls will have a reason to lament.
‘Because your appetites are fixed on things
that, divided, lessen each one’s share,
51
envy’s bellows pushes breath into your sighs.
‘But if love for the highest sphere
could turn your longings toward heavenly things,