people, how loving it is; and, if no pity for us move thee, come
to be shamed by thine own renown! And if it be lawful for me, O
Supreme Jove that wast on earth crucified for us, are thy just
eyes turned aside elsewhere? Or is it preparation, that in the
abyss of thy counsel thou art making for some good utterly cut
off from our perception? For the cities of Italy are all full of
tyrants, and every churl that comes playing the partisan becomes
a Marcellus?[5]

[1] The Church-folk, the clergy, for whom God has ordained, --
"Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's."

[2] Albert of Hapsburg, son of the Emperor Rudolph, was elected
King of the Romans in 1298, but like his father never went to
Italy to he crowned. He was murdered by his nephew, John, called
the parricide, in 1308, at Konigsfelden. The successor of Albert
was Henry VII. of Luxemborg, who came to Italy in 1311, was
crowned at Rome in 1312, and died at Buonconvento the next year.
His death ended the hopes of Dante.

[3] Famous families, the first two of Verona, the last two of
Orvieto, at enmity with each other in their respective
cities,--types of a common condition.

[4]The Counts of Santafiora were once the most powerful
Ghibelline nobles in the Sienese territory. Their power had
declined since the Hohenstaufen Emperors had been succeeded by
the Hapsburgs, and they were now subjected to the Guelphs of
Siena.

[5] That is, a hitter opponent of the empire, as the Consul M.
Claudius Marcellus was of Caesar.


My Florence! surely thou mayst be content with this digression,
which toucheth thee not, thanks to thy people that for itself
takes heed. Many have justice at heart but shoot slowly, in order
not to come without counsel to the bow; but thy people has it on
the edge of its lips. Many reject the common burden, but thy
people, eager, replies without being called on, and cries, "I
load myself." Now be thou glad, for thou hast truly wherefore:
thou rich, thou in peace, thou wise. If I speak the truth, the
result hides it not. Athens and Lacedaemon, that made the ancient
laws and were so civilized, made toward living well a little
sign, compared with thee that makest such finespun provisions,
that to mid November reaches not, what thou in October spinnest.
How often in the time that thou rememberest, law, money, office,
and custom, hast thou changed, and renewed thy members! And if
thou mind thee well and see the light, thou wilt see thyself
resembling a sick woman, who cannot find repose upon the
feathers, but with her tossing seeks to relieve her pain.



CANTO VII. Virgil makes himself known to Sordello.--Sordello
leads the Poets to the Valley of the Princes who have been
negligent of salvation.--He points them out by name.


After the becoming and glad salutations had been repeated three
and four times, Sordello drew back and said, "Ye, who are ye?"
"Before the souls worthy to ascend to God were turned unto this
mountain, my bones had been buried by Octavian; I am Virgil, and
for no other sin did I lose heaven, but for not having faith,"
thus then replied my Leader.

As is he who suddenly sees a thing before him whereat he marvels,
and doth and doth not believe, saying, "It is, it is not,"--so
seemed that shade, and then he bent down his brow, and humbly
turned again toward him and embraced him where the inferior takes
hold.

"O glory of the Latins," said he, "through whom our language
showed what it could do, O honor eternal of the place wherefrom I
was, what merit or what grace shows thee to me? If I am worthy to
hear thy words, tell me if thou comest from Hell, and from what
cloister." "Through all the circles of the realm of woe," replied
he to him, "am I come hither; Power of Heaven moved me, and with
it I come. Not by doing, but by not doing have I lost the sight
of the high Sun whom thou desirest, and who by me was known late.
A place there is below not sad with torments but with darkness
only, where the lamentations sound not as wailings, but are
sighs; there stay I with the little innocents bitten by the teeth
of death before they were exempt from human sin; there stay I
with those who were not vested with the three holy virtues, and
without vice knew the others and followed all of them.[1] But if
thou knowest and canst, give us some direction whereby we may
come more speedily there where Purgatory has its true beginning."
He replied, "A certain place is not set for us; it is permitted
me to go upward and around; so far as I can go I join myself to
thee as guide. But see how already the day declines, and to go up
by night is not possible; therefore it is well to think of some
fair sojourn. There are souls here on the right apart; if thou
consentest to me I will lead thee to them, and not without
delight will they be known to thee." "How is this?" was answered,
"he who might wish to ascend by night, would he be hindered by
another, or would he not be able to ascend?" And the good
Sordello drew his finger on the ground, saying, "See, only this
line thou couldst not pass after set of sun; not because aught
else save the nocturnal darkness would give hindrance to going


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