第 51 节
作者:辛苦      更新:2021-02-20 05:04      字数:9322
  Covers already with her foot Morocco。〃
  Purgatorio: Canto V
  I had already from those shades departed;
  And followed in the footsteps of my Guide;
  When from behind; pointing his finger at me;
  One shouted: 〃See; it seems as if shone not
  The sunshine on the left of him below;
  And like one living seems he to conduct him。〃
  Mine eyes I turned at utterance of these words;
  And saw them watching with astonishment
  But me; but me; and the light which was broken!
  〃Why doth thy mind so occupy itself;〃
  The Master said; 〃that thou thy pace dost slacken?
  What matters it to thee what here is whispered?
  Come after me; and let the people talk;
  Stand like a steadfast tower; that never wags
  Its top for all the blowing of the winds;
  For evermore the man in whom is springing
  Thought upon thought; removes from him the mark;
  Because the force of one the other weakens。〃
  What could I say in answer but 〃I come〃?
  I said it somewhat with that colour tinged
  Which makes a man of pardon sometimes worthy。
  Meanwhile along the mountain…side across
  Came people in advance of us a little;
  Singing the Miserere verse by verse。
  When they became aware I gave no place
  For passage of the sunshine through my body;
  They changed their song into a long; hoarse 〃Oh!〃
  And two of them; in form of messengers;
  Ran forth to meet us; and demanded of us;
  〃Of your condition make us cognisant。〃
  And said my Master: 〃Ye can go your way
  And carry back again to those who sent you;
  That this one's body is of very flesh。
  If they stood still because they saw his shadow;
  As I suppose; enough is answered them;
  Him let them honour; it may profit them。〃
  Vapours enkindled saw I ne'er so swiftly
  At early nightfall cleave the air serene;
  Nor; at the set of sun; the clouds of August;
  But upward they returned in briefer time;
  And; on arriving; with the others wheeled
  Tow'rds us; like troops that run without a rein。
  〃This folk that presses unto us is great;
  And cometh to implore thee;〃 said the Poet;
  〃So still go onward; and in going listen。〃
  〃O soul that goest to beatitude
  With the same members wherewith thou wast born;〃
  Shouting they came; 〃a little stay thy steps;
  Look; if thou e'er hast any of us seen;
  So that o'er yonder thou bear news of him;
  Ah; why dost thou go on?  Ah; why not stay?
  Long since we all were slain by violence;
  And sinners even to the latest hour;
  Then did a light from heaven admonish us;
  So that; both penitent and pardoning; forth
  From life we issued reconciled to God;
  Who with desire to see Him stirs our hearts。〃
  And I: 〃Although I gaze into your faces;
  No one I recognize; but if may please you
  Aught I have power to do; ye well…born spirits;
  Speak ye; and I will do it; by that peace
  Which; following the feet of such a Guide;
  From world to world makes itself sought by me。〃
  And one began: 〃Each one has confidence
  In thy good offices without an oath;
  Unless the I cannot cut off the I will;
  Whence I; who speak alone before the others;
  Pray thee; if ever thou dost see the land
  That 'twixt Romagna lies and that of Charles;
  Thou be so courteous to me of thy prayers
  In Fano; that they pray for me devoutly;
  That I may purge away my grave offences。
  From thence was I; but the deep wounds; through which
  Issued the blood wherein I had my seat;
  Were dealt me in bosom of the Antenori;
  There where I thought to be the most secure;
  'Twas he of Este had it done; who held me
  In hatred far beyond what justice willed。
  But if towards the Mira I had fled;
  When I was overtaken at Oriaco;
  I still should be o'er yonder where men breathe。
  I ran to the lagoon; and reeds and mire
  Did so entangle me I fell; and saw there
  A lake made from my veins upon the ground。〃
  Then said another: 〃Ah; be that desire
  Fulfilled that draws thee to the lofty mountain;
  As thou with pious pity aidest mine。
  I was of Montefeltro; and am Buonconte;
  Giovanna; nor none other cares for me;
  Hence among these I go with downcast front。〃
  And I to him: 〃What violence or what chance
  Led thee astray so far from Campaldino;
  That never has thy sepulture been known?〃
  〃Oh;〃 he replied; 〃at Casentino's foot
  A river crosses named Archiano; born
  Above the Hermitage in Apennine。
  There where the name thereof becometh void
  Did I arrive; pierced through and through the throat;
  Fleeing on foot; and bloodying the plain;
  There my sight lost I; and my utterance
  Ceased in the name of Mary; and thereat
  I fell; and tenantless my flesh remained。
  Truth will I speak; repeat it to the living;
  God's Angel took me up; and he of hell
  Shouted: 'O thou from heaven; why dost thou rob me?
  Thou bearest away the eternal part of him;
  For one poor little tear; that takes him from me;
  But with the rest I'll deal in other fashion!'
  Well knowest thou how in the air is gathered
  That humid vapour which to water turns;
  Soon as it rises where the cold doth grasp it。
  He joined that evil will; which aye seeks evil;
  To intellect; and moved the mist and wind
  By means of power; which his own nature gave;
  Thereafter; when the day was spent; the valley
  From Pratomagno to the great yoke covered
  With fog; and made the heaven above intent;
  So that the pregnant air to water changed;
  Down fell the rain; and to the gullies came
  Whate'er of it earth tolerated not;
  And as it mingled with the mighty torrents;
  Towards the royal river with such speed
  It headlong rushed; that nothing held it back。
  My frozen body near unto its outlet
  The robust Archian found; and into Arno
  Thrust it; and loosened from my breast the cross
  I made of me; when agony o'ercame me;
  It rolled me on the banks and on the bottom;
  Then with its booty covered and begirt me。〃
  〃Ah; when thou hast returned unto the world;
  And rested thee from thy long journeying;〃
  After the second followed the third spirit;
  〃Do thou remember me who am the Pia;
  Siena made me; unmade me Maremma;
  He knoweth it; who had encircled first;
  Espousing me; my finger with his gem。〃
  Purgatorio: Canto VI
  Whene'er is broken up the game of Zara;
  He who has lost remains behind despondent;
  The throws repeating; and in sadness learns;
  The people with the other all depart;
  One goes in front; and one behind doth pluck him;
  And at his side one brings himself to mind;
  He pauses not; and this and that one hears;
  They crowd no more to whom his hand he stretches;
  And from the throng he thus defends himself。
  Even such was I in that dense multitude;
  Turning to them this way and that my face;
  And; promising; I freed myself therefrom。
  There was the Aretine; who from the arms
  Untamed of Ghin di Tacco had his death;
  And he who fleeing from pursuit was drowned。
  There was imploring with his hands outstretched
  Frederick Novello; and that one of Pisa
  Who made the good Marzucco seem so strong。
  I saw Count Orso; and the soul divided
  By hatred and by envy from its body;
  As it declared; and not for crime committed;
  Pierre de la Brosse I say; and here provide
  While still on earth the Lady of Brabant;
  So that for this she be of no worse flock!
  As soon as I was free from all those shades
  Who only prayed that some one else may pray;
  So as to hasten their becoming holy;
  Began I: 〃It appears that thou deniest;
  O light of mine; expressly in some text;
  That orison can bend decree of Heaven;
  And ne'ertheless these people pray for this。
  Might then their expectation bootless be?
  Or is to me thy saying not quite clear?〃
  And he to me: 〃My writing is explicit;
  And not fallacious is the hope of these;
  If with sane intellect 'tis well regarded;
  For top of judgment doth not vail itself;
  Because the fire of love fulfils at once
  What he must satisfy who here installs him。
  And there; where I affirmed that proposition;
  Defect was not amended by a prayer;
  Because the prayer from God was separate。
  Verily; in so deep a questioning
  Do not decide; unless she tell it thee;
  Who light 'twixt truth and intellect shall be。
  I know not if thou understand; I speak
  Of Beatrice; her shalt thou see above;
  Smiling and happy; on this mountain's top。〃
  And I: 〃Good Leader; let us make more haste;
  For I no longer tire me as before;
  And see; e'en now the hill a shadow casts。〃
  〃We will go forward with this day〃 he answered;
  〃As far as now is possible for us;
  But otherwise the fact is than thou thinkest。
  Ere thou art up there; thou shalt see return
  Him; who now hides himself behind the hill;
  So that thou dost not interrupt his rays。
  But yonder there behold! a soul that stationed
  All; all alone is looking hitherward;
  It will point out to us the quickest way。〃
  We came up unto it; O Lombard soul;
  How lofty and disdainful thou didst bear thee;
  And grand and slow in moving of thine eyes!
  Nothing whatever did it say to us;
  But let us go our way; eying us only
  After the manner of a couchant lion;
  Still near to it Virgilius drew; entre