ALSO TRANSLATED BY ANTHONY ESOLEN

Inferno

Purgatory

DANTE

PARADISE

Translated, Edited, and with an

Introduction by Anthony Esolen

Illustrations by Gustave Dore

THE MODERN LIBRARY

NEW YORK

O!Jal venne a Climene, per accertarsi di cio ch'avea incontro a se udito, quei ch'ancor fa Ii padri ai figli scarsi;

tal era io, e tal era sentito e da Beatrice e da la santa lampa che pria per me avea mutato sito.

Per che mia donna "Manda fuor la vampa del tuo disio", mi disse, "si ch'ella esca segnata bene de la interna stampa:

non perche nostra conoscenza cresca per tuo parlare, ma perche t'ausi a dir la sete, si che l'uom ti mesca".

"O cara piota mia che si t'insusi~ che, come veggion le terrene menti non capere in trlangol due ottusi,

cosi vedi le cose contingenti anzi che sieno in se, mirando il punto a cui tutti Ii tempi son presenti;

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CANTO SEVENTEEN

C~ccia~uida foretells Dante's exile from Florence, revealing the patronage he will m!oy from Cangrande della Scala. When Dante suggests that his poetry may gzve scandal to many on earth, Cacciaguida recommmds absolute honesty, far the poet's mission depends upon it. .

As he who went to Clymene0 to learn if what he'd heard to his own harm were true-­who makes a father loath to give his son

All he might ask him for-so was I too· Beatrice felt it, and the holy lamp ' who had changed place upon the cross for me.

"Let forth the leaping ardor of desire," my Lady said to me, "that it may go well sealed with your intention's inner stamp,

Not that your words will help our knowledge grow, but that you learn to let your thirst be known, so one may pour you wine." "Beloved root

Enheavened so high, that as our earthly minds see that two -0btuse angles cannot lie within one triangle, you look upon

Contingent things before they come to be, gazing into the never-changing point where times are present to eternity.

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0 he who TJJl!llt.ro C/yml!lle: When Phaethon had heard he was not his father's son, his mother, C~y".1ene, col~ him he was the son of ApoHo. To prove it was so, Phaethon asked Apollo for per­m1ss1on to dnve the chariot of the sun. But the boy lost control of the horses and was struck down by a lighming bolt from Jove, who feared tbat the wayward sun might bu~n the earth to a cinder (Ovid, Met. 1.750-2.324).

180 · Paradise

mentre ch'io era a Virgilio congiunto su per lo monte che I' anime cura e discendendo nel mondo defunto,

dette mi fuor di mia vita futura parole gravi, avvegna ch'io mi senta hen tetragono ai colpi di ventura;

per che la voglia mia saria contenta d'intender qual fortuna mi s'appressa: che saetta p~evisa vien piu lenta".

Cosi diss' io a quella luce stessa che pria m'avea parlato; e come volle Beatrice, fu la mia voglia confessa.

Ne per ambage, in che la genre folle gia s'inviscava pria che fosse anciso l'Agnel di Dio che le peccata tolle,

ma per chiare parole e con preciso latin rispuose quello amor paterno, chiuso e parvente del suo proprio riso:

"La contingenza, che fuor del quaderno de la vostra matera non si stende, tutta e dipinta nel cospetto etterno;

necessira pero quindi non prende se non come dal viso in che si specchia nave che per torrente giu discende.

Da indi, si come viene ad orecchia dolce armonia da organo, mi viene a vista il tempo che ti s'apparecchia.

(hial si partio Ipolito d'Atene per la spietata e perfida noverca, tal di Fiorenza partir ti convene.

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While I and Virgil journeyed up the mount that heals the soul, and when we ventured down to the dead world, some things were said to me

That weighed upon me heavily, I own, about my future; though I'm confident and feel as solid as a tetragon°

Against the blo"ll.s to come. Make me content, tell me the fortune that awaits me now! Arrows foreseen are slower in descent."

Such were my words to that most brilliant glow who had addressed me; my will had its say, as Beatrice wished. Never by roundabouts

Wherein the foolish lands that went astray had limed themselves, before mankind had slain the Lamb of God who takes our sins away,

But in crisp language chosen to explain-so that paternal love did now respond, both dark and radiant in his smile of joy.

"Contingency, which cannot reach beyond the pages of your foursquare elements, is fully painted in the eternal sight,

But derives nothing necessary thence save such as in the mirror of the eye will show a boat that's sweeping down the stream.0

From that Mind into mine, as to one's ear arrives the organ's gentle harmony, come visions of your future drawing near.

s Hippolytus of Athens had to flee the treachery of his father's ruthless wife,0

r fleeing Florence also be.

0 a tetmgo11: a cube, foursquare on all sides.

Canto Seventeen · 181

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0 ro1111dabo11ts: Cacciaguida speaks directly, not in tbe devious enigmas used by pagan oracles. 0 save ... smm1L· One sees a boat moving downstream, and tbus it is necessary tbat it be doing

so; yet tbe sight of rhe boat does not necessicare irs moving downsrream (cf. Boetbius, Co11solt1tion of Philosophy 5 pr. 6). God foresees events bur does not compel tbem.

0 his father's ruthless wife: Phaedra, wife of Theseus, fell in love witb her stepson Hippolytus. \Yhen he resisted her she accused him of rape (Ovid, Met. 15.493-546); see notes.

182 · Paradise

Questo si vuole e questo gia si cerca, e tosto verra fatto a chi cio pensa la dove Cristo tutto di si merca.

La colpa seguira la parte offensa in grido, come suol; ma la vendetta fia testimonio al ver che la dispensa.

Tu lascerai ogne cosa diletta piu caramente; e questo e quello strale che l'arco de lo essilio pria saetca.

Tu proverai si come sa di sale lo pane altrui, e come e duro calle lo scendere e 'l salir per l'altrui scale.

E quel che piu ti graved le spalle, sara la compagnia malvagia e scempia con la qual tu cadrai in quesca valle;

che rutta ingrata, tutta matta ed empia si fara contr' a te; ma, poco appresso, ella, non tu, n'avra rossa la tempia.

Di sua bestialitate ii suo processo fara la prova; si ch'a te fia bello averti fatta parte per te stesso.

Lo primo tuo refugio e 'I primo ostello sara la cortesia del gran Lombardo che 'n su la scala porta ii santo uccello;

ch'in te avra si benigno riguardo, che del fare e del chieder, tra voi due, fia primo quel che tra Ii altri e piu tardo.

Con lui vedrai colui che 'mpresso fue, nascendo, sl da questa stella forte, che notabili tier l'opere sue.

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Canto Seve1Jteen · 183

. It's wished already and it's sought, but soon 49 he'll seal it who has got it on his mind where Christ is hawked at market all day long.0

They'll rail against the beaten, as men do-- 52 but God's just vengeance shall give witness of the slander, vengeance dealt by what is true.

You'll leave behind you everything you love 55 most dearly: this will be the arrow shot first from the bow of exile. You shall prove

How someone else's bread can taste of salt, 58 and how it is a hard and bitter walk

' climbing and coming down another's stairs. But the most grievous weight to bend your back 61

will be the company who share your fall, an idiotic and malicious pack,

Who all ungrateful, mad and heartless all ' 64

will act against you: but in short time they, not you, will have red temples. For the end

Wtll prove the madness of their beastlike way- 67 so that it will appear a handsome deed to have made, of yourself, a party of one.

First place of refuge, first inn for your stay, 70 will be the Ladder with the holy bird,0

the house of the great Lombard's courtesy; And he will have such kind regard for you 73

he will act first, before you should request, when among others it's the deed that's slow.

With him you'll see that man° who was impressed 76 so firmly by this planet at his birth, he'll win renown upon the field of war.

0 he'/l ... /011g,· Pope Boniface VIII, in Rome (cf. /uf.19.52-57;John 2:13-17), whom Danre ac­cuses of plotting his exile.

0 the ladder with the holy bird: rhe family Scaligeri, the "ladder bearers,• upon whose coat of a~s w~re blazoned a ladder and an eagle, symbol of the Roman Empire. The Scaligeri were Gh1belhne lords of the Lombard city of Verona.

0 that ma11: Dante's friend and patron Cangrande della Scala; see notes.

184 · Paradite

Non se ne son le genti ancora accorte per la novella eta, che pur nove anni son queste rote intorno di lui torte;

ma pria che 'l Guasco l'alto Arrigo inganni, parran faville de la sua virtute in non curar d'argento ne d'affanni.

Le sue magnificenze conosciute saranno ancora, si che ' suoi nemici non ne potran tener le lingue mute.

A lui t'aspetta ea' suoi benefici; per lui fia trasmutata molta gente, cambiando condizion ricchi e mendici;

e portera'ne scritto ne la mente di Jui, e nol dirai"; e disse cose incredibili a quei che lier presente.

Poi giunse: "Figlio, queste son le chiose di quel che ti fu detto; ecco le 'nsidie che dietro a pochi giri son nascose.

Non vo' pero ch'a' tuoi vicini invidie, poscia che s'infutura la tua vita via piu la che 'l punir di lor perfidie".

Poi che, tacendo, si mostro spedita l'anima santa di metter la trama in quella tela ch'io le porsi ordita,

io cominciai, come colui che brama, dubitando, consiglio da persona che vede e vuol dirittamente e ama:

"Ben veggio, padre mio, sl come sprona lo tempo verso me, per colpo darmi tal, ch'e piu grave a chi piu s'abbandona;

per che di provedenza e buon ch'io m'armi, si che, se loco m'e tolto piu caro, io non perdessi li altri per miei carmi.

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Canto Seventeen · 185

They don't yet know about him on the earth, 79 since he is still a lad; nine years alone have these wheels turned around him, but before

Emperor Henry's gulled by the Gascon,0 82 he'll flash forth in his manhood, evident in scorning silver and accepting toil.

But men will know of his magnificent 85 deeds in the end, and even his enemies will speak of them: their tongues will not be still.

Trust in him and his kindly offices. 88 By him will affluence and beggary change places in the fate of many men,

And you'll bear graven in your memory 91 more, that you will not teli ". and he said things they won't believe who see them with the eye.

Then added: "Son, these are the glosses on 94 what you've been told; behold the plots that wait concealed for a few turnings of these rings.

Don't look upon your neighbors, though, with hate. 97 Your life will be enfutured far enough to see them punished for their broken faith."

In falling silent, that blest soul revealed 100 that he had freely passed the shuttle over the loom upon whose works fd set the thread,

So I began as one whose thoughts will waver, 103 craving advice from him who sees things straight, who wills things straight, who loves. "Father, I see

Time digs its spurs to hasten in its gait 106 against me, and to deal me such a blow, the more disarmed, the heavier the weight-

Then I should arm myself with prudence now, 109 that if they take from me my dearest land, I won't lose all the rest by what I sing.

0 rhe Gascon: scornful reference to Pope Clement V, who lured the young emperor Henry VII into Italy, then rurned against him. Dance has reviled Clement and his Francophile politics be­fore (!11f 19.82-87).

186 · Paradise

Giu per lo mondo sanza fine amaro, e per lo monte del cui bel cacume li occhi de la mia donna mi levaro,

e poscia per lo ciel, di lume in lume, ho io appreso quel che s'io ridico, a molti fia sapor di forte agrume;

e s'io al vero son timido amico, temo di perder viver tra coloro che questo tempo chiameranno antico".

La luce in che rideva il mio tesoro ch'io trovai li, si fe prima corusca, quale a raggio di sole specchio d'oro;

indi rispuose: "Coscienza fusca o de la propria o de l' altrui vergogna pur sentira la tua parola brusca.

Ma nondimen, rimossa ogne menzogna, tutta tua vision fa manifesta; e lascia pur grattar dov' e la rogna.

Che se la voce tua sara molesta nel primo gusto, vital nodrimento lascera poi, quando sara digesta.

O!iesto ruo grido fara co~e vento, che le piu alte cime piu percuote; e cio non fa d'onor poco argomento.

Pero ti son mostrate in queste rote, nel monte e ne la valle dolorosa pur l'anime che son di fama note,

che l'animo di quel ch'ode, non posa ne ferma fede per essempro ch'aia la sua radice incognita e ascosa,

ne per altro argomento che non paia".

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Canto Seventeen · 187

Down in the world that's bitter without end,0 112

and on the mountain from whose lovely peak the eyes of my sweet Lady lifted me,

And then from light to light in Heaven I've learned 115

of things which, if I told, many a mouth would find the flavor pungent as a leek,

But if I'm a too timid friend of truth, 118

with those who'll call these days the days of old I fear I'll lose the fame that lengthens youth."

Like sunrays in a mirror made of gold, 121 the light where laughed the jewel I found on high flashed in its joy at first, and then replied,

"A clouded conscience that is darkened by 124 its own shame or the shame its kin may catch will indeed find your words too harsh, too brusque.

Nevertheless, with every falsehood scrapped, 127 let everything you've seen be manifest, and where they've got the mange, let them go scratch.

For if your words are sharp at the first taste, 130

they'll leave behind a living nourishment when they have been digested at the last.

This shout of yours will batter like a gale 133 that pounds the tallest peaks with greatest force--and of its worth that's no small argument.

This is the reason why, within these spheres, 136

upon the mount and in the sorrowing pit, you've been shown only souls whose names men know,

Because the mind that hears won't set one foot 139

of faith in an example that presents a never-heard-of or a hidden root,

Nor in all but the clearest evidence." 142

0 the world that's bitter without end: Hel~ Purgatory is the 11101111tain.