HKB
Weeping I said: “The things that present were With their false pleasure turned aside my steps, Soon as your countenance concealed itself.”
And she: “Shouldst thou be silent, or deny What thou confessest, not less manifest Would be thy fault, by such a Judge ’tis known.
But when from one’s own cheeks comes bursting forth The accusal of the sin, in our tribunal Against the edge the wheel doth turn itself.
But still, that thou mayst feel a greater shame For thy transgression, and another time Hearing the Sirens thou mayst be more strong,
Cast down the seed of weeping and attend; So shalt thou hear, how in an opposite way My buried flesh should have directed thee.
Never to thee presented art or nature Pleasure so great as the fair limbs wherein I was enclosed, which scattered are in earth.
And if the highest pleasure thus did fail thee By reason of my death, what mortal thing Should then have drawn thee into its desire?
Thou oughtest verily at the first shaft Of things fallacious to have risen up To follow me, who was no longer such.
Thou oughtest not to have stooped thy pinions downward To wait for further blows, or little girl, Or other vanity of such brief use.
The callow birdlet waits for two or three, But to the eyes of those already fledged, In vain the net is spread or shaft is shot.”
Even as children silent in their shame Stand listening with their eyes upon the ground, And conscious of their fault, and penitent;
So was I standing; and she said: “If thou In hearing sufferest pain, lift up thy beard And thou shalt feel a greater pain in seeing.”
With less resistance is a robust holm Uprooted, either by a native wind Or else by that from regions of Iarbas,
Than I upraised at her command my chin; And when she by the beard the face demanded, Well I perceived the venom of her meaning.
And as my countenance was lifted up, Mine eye perceived those creatures beautiful Had rested from the strewing of the flowers;
And, still but little reassured, mine eyes Saw Beatrice turned round towards the monster, That is one person only in two natures.
Beneath her veil, beyond the margent green, She seemed to me far more her ancient self To excel, than others here, when she was here.
So pricked me then the thorn of penitence, That of all other things the one which turned me Most to its love became the most my foe.
Such self-conviction stung me at the heart O’erpowered I fell, and what I then became She knoweth who had furnished me the cause.
Then, when the heart restored my outward sense, The lady I had found alone, above me I saw, and she was saying, “Hold me, hold me.”
Up to my throat she in the stream had drawn me, And, dragging me behind her, she was moving Upon the water lightly as a shuttle.
When I was near unto the blessed shore, “Asperges me,” I heard so sweetly sung, Remember it I cannot, much less write it.
The beautiful lady opened wide her arms, Embraced my head, and plunged me underneath, Where I was forced to swallow of the water.
Then forth she drew me, and all dripping brought Into the dance of the four beautiful, And each one with her arm did cover me.
‘We here are Nymphs, and in the Heaven are stars; Ere Beatrice descended to the world, We as her handmaids were appointed her.
We’ll lead thee to her eyes; but for the pleasant Light that within them is, shall sharpen thine The three beyond, who more profoundly look.’
Thus singing they began; and afterwards Unto the Griffin’s breast they led me with them, Where Beatrice was standing, turned towards us.
“See that thou dost not spare thine eyes,” they said; “Before the emeralds have we stationed thee, Whence Love aforetime drew for thee his weapons.”