our pain renewed; I say pain, and ought to say solace, for that
will leads us to the tree which led Christ gladly to say,
'Eli,'[2] when with his blood he delivered us." And I to him,
"Forese, from that day on which thou didst change world to a
better life, up to this time five years have not rolled round. If
the power of sinning further had ended in thee, ere the hour
supervened of the good grief that to God reweds us, how hast thou
come up hither?[3] I thought to find thee still down there below,
where time is made good by time." And he to me, "My Nella with
her bursting tears has brought me thus quickly to drink of the
sweet wormwood of these torments. With her devout prayers and
with sighs has she drawn me from the shore where one waits, and
has delivered me from the other circles. So much the more dear
and more beloved of God is my little widow, whom I loved so much,
as she is the more solitary in good works; for the Barbagia[4] of
Sardinia is far more modest in its women than the Barbagia where
I left her. O sweet brother, what wouldst thou that I say? A
future time is already in my sight, to which this hour will not
be very old, in which from the pulpit it shall be forbidden to
the brazen-faced dames of Florence to go displaying the bosom
with the paps. What Barbarian, what Saracen women were there ever
who required either spiritual or other discipline to make them go
covered? But if the shameless ones were aware of that which the
swift heaven is preparing for them, already would they have their
mouths open for howling. For if foresight here deceives me not,
they will be sad ere he who is now consoled with the lullaby
covers his cheeks with hair. Ak brother, now no longer conceal
thyself from me; thou seest that not only I but all these people
are gazing there where thou dost veil the sun." Whereon I to him:
"If thou bring back to mind what thou wast with me, and what I
was with thee, the present remembrance will even now be grievous.
From that life he who goes before me turned me the other day,
when the sister of him yonder," and I pointed to the sun, "showed
herself round. Through the deep night, from the truly dead, he
has led me, with this true flesh which follows him. Thence his
counsels have drawn me up, ascending and circling the mountain
that sets you straight whom the world made crooked. So long he
says that he will bear me company till I shall be there where
Beatrice will be; there it behoves that I remain without him.
Virgil is he who says thus to me," and I pointed to him, "and
this other is that shade for whom just now your realm, which from
itself releases him, shook every slope."

[1] Do not, for striving to see me through my changed look, delay
to speak.

[2] Willingly to accept his suffering, even when he exclaimed,
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"--Matthew, xxvii. 46.

[3] If thou didst delay repentance until thou couldst sin no
more, how is it that so speedily thou hast arrived here?

[4] A mountainous district in Sardinia, inhabited by people of
barbarous customs.



CANTO XXIV. Sixth Ledge: the Gluttonous.--Forese
Donati.--Bonagiunta of Lucca--Pope Martin IV--Ubaldin dalla Pila.
--Bonifazio.--Messer Marchese.--Prophecy of Bonagiunta concerning
Gentucca, and of Forese concerning Corso de' Donati.--Second
Mystic Tree.--The Angel of the Pass.


Speech made not the going, nor the going made that more slow;
but, talking, we went on apace even as a ship urged by good wind.
And the shades, that seemed things doubly dead, through the pits
of their eyes drew in wonder at me, perceiving that I was alive.

And I, continuing my discourse, said, "He[1] goeth up perchance
for another's sake more slowly than he would do. But, tell me, if
thou knowest, where is Piccarda[2] tell me if I see person of
note among this folk that so gazes at me." "My sister, who,
between fair and good, was I know not which the most, triumphs
rejoicing in her crown already on high Olympus." So he said
first, and then, "Here it is not forbidden to name each other,
since our semblance is so milked away by the diet.[3] This," and
he pointed with his finger, "is Bonagiunta,[4] Bonagiunta of
Lucca; and that face beyond him, more sharpened than the others,
had the Holy Church in his arms:[5]from Tours he was; and by
fasting he purges the eels of Bolsena, and the Vernaccia wine."
Many others he named to me, one by one, and at their naming all
appeared content; so that for this I saw not one dark mien. For
hunger using their teeth on emptiness, I saw Ubaldin dalla Pila,
and Boniface,[6] who shepherded many people with his crook. I saw
Messer Marchese, who once had leisure to drink at Forum with less
thirst, and even so was such that he felt not sated. But as one
does who looks, and then makes account more of one than of
another, did I of him of Lucca, who seemed to have most
cognizance of me. He was murmuring; and I know not what, save
that I heard "Gentucca" there[7] where he felt the chastisement
of the justice which so strips them. "O soul," said I, "who
seemest so desirous to speak with me, do so that I may hear thee,
and satisfy both thyself and me by thy speech." "A woman is born,
and wears not yet the veil,"[8] he began, "who will make my city
pleasant to thee, however men may blame it.[9] Thou shalt go on
with this prevision: if from my murmuring thou hast received
error, the true things will yet clear it up for thee. But say, if
I here see him, who drew forth the new rhymes, beginning, 'Ladies
who have intelligence of Love'?"[10] And I to him, "I am one,


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