CANTO XVII

CA"\TO X\'11 fSJ
FI"CIII tiJ. 11JJrd 101/v f<'lnl~ T<rr«r. £r4ntplts of
,..,..tit: Pr"""',
u.............,.., Tlor ""&<~ •fgmrlt-ttru Tlor Sn-mr~ 1!<4tttad<.
Aumllolltt f""n~ T<rr.a. I tr&d •• W,y mul"" Pvrptvry's
CANTO XVII
IN._...,. SIIU: pr*, nw, .,.J wr.ultrnw./uot;fttMI pnwntd """' sL>rl>-fr- dtfmnY fo,-.; 4>'IIT'I«,
tl•.r..,.v, •ad lou-fr.,., t.ra.urw fo,T oft•niiJ 11oods
St\"tll IITT«d I"'NLiliOlt
R.ocorilin lcttor, sc I1UJ nc l'alpe
11 col~ n<bbw per Ia qual >edessi
wpe.
oon altruncnn chc per pellc
come, qumdo 1 vapon wnidt c spessi
• dtr.dar comin<Wul. Ia spera
dd ,.,1 dcbllcmmtc cnrra per essi;
c fia Ia tua tmagm< leggcra
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an gnagMrc: ~ vedtt com· tO nvidi
lu sole '" pna, ch< g.~ ncl corcar cr.1
s•. r=w•ndu i nill:i co' passi lidi
dd nuo nuestro. usci' fuor di ..t nubc
Jl r agg. OIOrti gil nc· Nssi Jidl
0 imagtnauu cbc nc rube
ul•olu <I di fuor. cb'om non s'accorgc
perch~ dmtnmo suorun mille rube.
cht move tc. sc 'I $Ct1SO non n porge?
Movcli lun1c che ntl oel s'informa,
per ~ o per voler cbc g.u lo scorge.
~ l'cmptc= dt lei cbc muu'> forma
ne l'uccel ch ·a cam"' ptil si dUetta,
nc l'mugmc mJ> app.tr>e l'orrna
c qw fu Ia m .. mente sl nstttlta
dcntro da .C. cbt dt fuor non venia
CO'.) chc r~ allor Ja lti ri«u•.
PC>t J"'"'C dcnrro • l'alld fantaSia
un <TUofi-. dlspettow e fero
ne I' 'u~ \ast.a.. ~ cot~l !oi moria:
mtomo ad ...a era U grande Assiicro,
E.«tr ..,.. <poq e 'I g.uno \lardocco.
chc fu al .litt < aJ [u- cosi inu:ro.
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Rern<mber, ruda, if you\< eva bcm
aught •n tht mountanu b> a mise through ..bich
)Oil on I) """' .,. moles>« thruugh their .Ln.
ho"', "hen tht thkk, damp >apon one< begin
to thin, the >un·~ 'J'h~ pa<~ frcbl) through th<m,
then )OUt •=~uuuom
be quick
to reach th<
"htr< 11 can sec how I
lim am< to~ the sun •gam-\\htn ir
was almo>.>t at the pomt at whto:h 11 ..,u
So. my <t<r> marched my nmtcs's trusty srcps:
out of th•• douJ lamt, rc<Khmg th< rays
that, on the short> below. by now were spenr
0 fan<>'Y· )OU thot •• mncs would <narcb
w ~from OUI\\UtltlunJ:s-'"e nonce nothmg
ahhough • thou.<and rrumptts sound • round uswho mO\'t:S you when the ~O)C.S do not spur )OU?
1\ hghr thai find~ II< fomt 111 He.vcn movts youdrrtctly or lcd downwanl b) God'$ will.
Wnhm my fantaS) I sa" impressed
the sa vag«) of on< who then. ~ratt<formed.
bceam< the htnlthat mo<t dehght> •n ~ng;
•• thts, my mind ,.,,hdrcv. to th< \1.1thm.
10 whottntaguung mtght hnng. nn thing
rhat camt from tht without cuuhl cnt<r ln.
Then mto m) d<cp fantasy thtrY ramcd
one "ho ,..,('tu('lftcd; anJ :u he died,
he sho" cd h" <aHgcl') and hi' dUJ••n
Around him,..,.._. gr<at Ah.uutru< and
Esth<r lui
:and the jUR \lotdccat.
.. h~ apng and whooc olomg ,..,.._. "'upnd>t
I"""'
,.,r•.
,.,u
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CANTO 1:\"11 155
IS..& PUaCATO&IO
E come quesu tnugu>e rompeo
se ptt .e str:SU. a guua d'wu bulla
cui mana l'ocqua sortO qual a fco,
su~ '" nu> visione una fanoulla
piangcndo fonc, c dtcc.o "0 rcg.n•.
perch~ per tra h., voluto a.>er nulla?
Anosa t'ha• per nun perdcr Lavina:
or m'hn perduta! to son C>U chc Juno,
madre. a J. tu• pria ch'a l'•lrrui ruinL"
Come si fnnge il sonno ovc di hutto
oova luce percuote u""' chiu>O,
chc frano guiaa pri• che mu<>U tuno;
cosi l'im>gu>>r nuo adde giu.tO
toStO che lume il 'olto rru pe~.
ougg.or asw chc qud ch'c in ,_,.., mo.
mi volgca ptt vcdcr ov' 10
quando wu voce <lliJc "Qut Sl mont>."
chc da ognc altro mtcnto rru nrnos1C:
c fcce Ia mia vogh• tmto pronto
di riguudar ch• en chc parlov•.
che mai non posa. oc non Sl nfl'ronta.
\Ia come aJ sol che nonra vut• gnva
e per so,·erchiO sua figura vela,
coslla mai. virtU quavi m1nca\ ~"Qucsto ~ dtnno sparito. che nc Ia
via da ir sil nc druza sonu prcgo.
e col $UO lumc ~ mcdcsmo cdL
Si fa con DOl. come J'uom si f• scgo;
eM quale upctta prcgo c l'uopo vcdc,
malignamcntc g.l a meue al nego.
Or acrordim>o a tonto tn\;to il piede;
proc:accwn dt <alit pria chc s'abbui.
eM poi non si poria. oc 'I ell non rie<k. •
Cosi duse tl m10 Jua. e io con lui
mlgemmo i nomi passi ad un• scala:
e tOStO ch'io al pnnlo gndo fu1.
<enti'mi pre<<O qu.ul un muovcr d'•l•
e ventann.i nd vUO c: dlJ'; "Stall
p<JOjia. che son sanz' tra mala!"
r
And when tlus unage wtt~ of uoclf,
JUSt lake a bubble th., h..> lost the .,.,cr
beneath ,.h;ch 11 was formed. there~ moe up
tn my nnblOIWlg • girl "'ho "cpt
mo« btttcrl) •nd said: "0 queen. "'h) dtd
Jl
lOU.n\ )OUr wrath. dc9rc: to be no mord
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So ;u 10 keep u,;niL you killed
youNlf; no..- you have lost me! t•m she.
mother. who mourns your fall before another's."
li.cn •s <lcep is <hancrcd when new hght
snikcs ruddenly ogoin5r dosed C)'CS and, once
II'< <h>liC~. gleams before II dJ<S comrlctcJ),
so m) tmal(inarion fell away
u !QOn ••lighr-more powerful thou hght
.... arc xeustomcd tc>-bcot on my cya
I lool..ed about to sec wbc:rc I might be:
but "hm • vottt wd: •Here one can >JCmJ.M
then I alundoncd every other uncnt.
Tlu• \OICC made m} will keen 10 sec the on<:
...ho'J >pokcn-\nth the eagnn= that cannot
he sull untilu faces ,.hat it wmts
Bur even as •h~ sun. become too >trong.
defeats our vis-on, veiling us o"m fonn.
so there my power of sigh< ..... o\Orcomr.
"ThiS >pirit a< divine; md though una.kcd.
he would conduct us to the upward path:
he hide> bunsdf with •h"' same light he shed'!.
He dUC$ Wtth us u men do with themsclve<:
for hr ... ho sc.s • need but "aits to be
""'ked 1> alrc.dy <et oo cruel refusal
~ow lc:t ou:r stc:ps accept his Jnnt~uoo,
anJ let us tf) to climb before dark falbthen. until da> rctutnS. ... c'll have to halt·
SC> <aid my g.n.Je; and toward a St ..n ..), he
and l, t"'.'Clher. turned: and JUSt .asJOOO
as I was at the first srep. I smscd somttlung
much like the roorionof a \\'log, and wmd
that beat .gauu• my face, ""d "ords "Stall
ranJia those free of evil oogcrf'
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CASTO 1:\ IJ 151
•56 ••ac.noato
GW enn so~n noi tatuo IC\"3U
li ulmru fa!lb1 cbc Ia none sq;ue.
<he le neUe appari'an da piU btL
uo ,Jtti> mi.a. percht II n Jalegue, ..
fn me stti>O J.cea. cht mt senuva
Ia possa de lc gombe p<>~ta tn triegue
"loi ero<"am dO>e psil 1>011 ub-.
Ia scala sil. ed envamo affi«i.
pur come na<e <h'a Ia pU1J813 am,·a.
E io anesi un poco. ,"io udwi
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alcuoa COSo1 nel novo g~rone:
poi mi ,·olsi al mantro moo. e dissl ;
"'Dolce mio padre. di. qu•le n!Teru>One
si purga qui nel gJJ"O dove semo!
Se i ~ si stonno. non stea tuu ~e."
Ed elba me: '"L'amor del bene. ~o
del suo dover. qumna " riston.
qui si nbotte II mal urdato rano.
Ma perdlc pu) apeno utten.!J ancora.
volgt Ia mente a me. e prenderai
alcun huon fruno di nom-a dimon
ss
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M
.. ~c ae.Jtor nC a"C'atura m.ai.
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mminoo el, "'figbuol, fu s.1naa amore.
o narunle o d'anlmo: e tu 'ls.1i
Lo n•runle ~ sanpre s.1nu errore.
ma l'altro puote error per malo <>bieuo
o per uoppo o per poco dt vigore.
:0.1entrt dt'elll ~ ncl primn ben dareno,
e nt' secondi sl nesso misun.
essu non pull cagiOn JJ m•l daleno:
rna quando al mal a tor«. o con pi it mra
o con men <he non dee corre nd bene.
conma '! fauorc
sua f>uura.
Quio<i comprender puot ch'a.tt convme
2mor sunmu m ,.oe d'.,c \'irtute
e d'01:0e operaz>OO <he meru pene.
Or. pc:rcM m01 non puc\ da II s.alure
amor del suo suboeno 'olger ,uo,
da l'odJo propno .on le eo>e rure:
ado''"
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.~ho-e us no" the final rays before
;o
the fall of rught were raised to such a hoght
thai .. e could oee the sun on <"err siJe.
"Q,.h\,111\ <rrength.do)OU>Omelt>'U\!"
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I satd wadun nwS<'lf. because 1 felt
the furce wilhU:. my legs compelled to bah.
\\'e'J ruched a point at wbt<h the upward Statn
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nolong<r dun bed, and we were halted there
JUSt Ilk< a shtp when it has rouch<d the ,hore
lli<lened for a while. hoping to hear
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wha1ever there might be in tbis new orde;
thtn I rumed tOward my mastu. ask.tng hun:
'Tell me. my gentle f>tber· what offense
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,. purged ""hin th< circle we h•.e rea<heJ'
\hhough our feet must sxop. ~·our word> need nor."
And he to me: "Pr«isd} here, d1c lo•e
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of good that is too tepidlr pursued
.. mmJed: here the lazy oar pbo harder
Ru•,.. that )OU mar undcntmd m<>re ckarl).
liS
nov. tum wur mind to me. and )OU
gather
oome useful fruir ftom our ddanng her<\ I) <on • .......,., no Creator and roo creature
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who t-\'tr ~"J.S "'-;tbout lovc-natur~
or mcn1al: and you know tha•."' he beg>n
·The n•JUr>l is always without error.
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hul mentallo'c may choose •n <'il oh)CCI
or trr 1hrough 100 much or too link ••~:or
As lnng ><>.- s directed toward 1he First Good
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and 1enJs tow.rJ ~-oml•rv goo<h w11h measure,
it cannot be the cause of e\'il p\e;uur<:
hut whm tt f'\\-is-ts tO\\-ud c"·il. or an ends
too
to I:(>Od w11h more or less cue than 11 •houiJ.
tho><" hom He made ba.e worked agatl\'t 1heir ~l•ker.
from dus you see that-of neces>~t)103
)O\C ·~the Jllr.'ed in you of t'VCfl \'trtUC
and of •II ;oCtS desemng punishment.
!'O"-' . sinCe \o'e OC'\U rums ~e 1U tlC1
ro6
from 1he ,..1\.being of us subJect· thin~
an: ,urel) free from barred of tbcnuLh.,.,
,.,Jl
Js8
CA~ro
PUR CATOatO
e pcrcht uuondu non .; pu~ di\iso,
pn- .t sunrc. .Jcuno ....,.. d.J primo,
,J. qucllo oJiare ogne dfetto c d«iso.
Rma. ~ dt>idtndo b<oe sumo.
<he 'I nul che s'ama e d<l prossimo: cd esso
unor nascc an r« modi m \"'OSU'O limo.
E cht. per....,.. suo ncin sopprtsso.
opera ..:cdlmu. e sol pu quesro bnm.a
ch'd su dt sua grandezu m bo.sso mdSO:
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~
~ chi podere. puu. ooore e fama
Ierne dt perdcr perch' aim sormonti.
ondc s'arlTUla ,; chc 'I ronrnno amr
cd c chr pu rognrna parch 'aonti. '
llil chc R fa .k Ia 'ro&m gluono.
c raJ con•""' che 'I m.Je aln'Ui impronti.
Qunro tnformc amor qua giU dt sorro
" rrrn~ ! or \'0' cbc IU .k l'ah:ro inwx\e.
chc corrc al bon con ordine corrorro.
Ci.ucun confusamenre uo b<ne apprende
ncl qu•l,; •1ueu l'mimo, e disira;
per cbe dt giugntr lui ci.ucun conrende.
Sc Iento amore a lui vedu ,; tira
o • IUJ quurar. acquesu cornice.
dopo gausro pen<er, vc ne martita.
.~hro ben~ ch< non fa l'uom feUce·
non ~ fdicitl, non ~ Ia buoua
'
cS>tnu. d'ogne bon fruuo e ndtCe.
L'amor cb'ad esso troppo s'abbandona,
ell soH' a no• sr piange pu rre cercht;
ma come tnpaniro si ragaon;~,
racoolo. acoi> che ru pure ne oerchi"
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Ill
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anJ '"'cc no b<rn~ can b< S«< .o$ self·
erisrin~ anJ dl\o:'Ccd from rhe Ftnt 8<-in~.
•••h crtarure IS cur ofT from h•tU>g llun
Thu•. rf I h1\e dr•ungur~ rroperly.
,Uio•t musr mtan <o .,.;.b on<'• noghbt•r ill:
~nd lht~ lo\C:'' 00m 1n thrft' ¥-~p IR }OUf cia.~ •
There she v.hu,rhrough a~mmr of anorhu,
hnpts for 1NprunX} , he onl) loo~:<
lO st'e h1~ nn~hNr•s c.xctll<n« O.."l down.
Thm chert is.,.,., v. ho. "hm he u our door,
fear> hu own loss offante. f'C'"Cr, honor, favor;
ht> QJnns lo• n misfortune foe hi> nctd>bor
,\nJ rhcrc "he v. ho. 0\tt tnrutV
rc«t\C"d rntn\ful forft'\c:ngtgt'O\\)grttd)
and. angnly, tttk< our •norhct'• hann.
Thi• rhrufuiJ lo• c '' urrarcd here
b<lo" ; """'I \\ouiJ ha-c \OU w>Jcnund
rhc loH rhat <ttk< 1M good JJ.roneJly
~h apprthenol> «mfu....Uy a GooJ
on .. hi<h rh< mmJ m>v rnr , >.nd long> for II:
and, rhus, all <rnvc 10 ~. .<h thar Good: bur if
rhe love thar urges you 10 know h or
ro re><h th.r Good t<la•. rh~>rerracc. afrer
• ju<t rcpcn~>nce. pmushc• for rhaL
There i< >different gooJ .... hich does nor make
men gbd. it 1.> not h•PP"'"" is not
ltu< essence. lrull and root or every good.
The love rh>r-pmflrg.rdy-yicld< to rhat
is wtpt on m t.hrct tcrr-act>(j 21bovt us:
bur J'llnm say whar rhrte <hapc< that loves rakesma) you S«l. rho>< Jisunctinns for youndf."
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ur
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