who, when Love inspires me, notes, and in that measure which he
dictates within, I go revealing." "O brother, now I see," said
he, "the knot which held back the Notary,[11] and Guittone,[12]
and me short of the sweet new style that I hear. I see clearly
how your pens go on close following the dictator, which surely
befell not with ours. And he who most sets himself to look
further sees nothing more between one style and the other." [13]
And, as if contented, he was silent.

[1]Statius; more slowly, for the sake of remaining with Virgil.

[2] The sister of Forese, whom Dante meets in Paradise (Canto
III.).

[3] Recognition by the looks being thus impossible.

[4] Bonagiunta Urbiciani; he lived and wrote in the last half of
the thirteenth century.

[5] Martin IV., Pope from 1281 to 1284.

[6] Archbishop of Ravenna.

[7] Upon his lips.

[8] Of a married woman.

[9] This honorable and delightful reference to the otherwise
unknown maiden, Gentucca of Lucca, has given occasion to
much worthless and base comment. Dante was at Lucca during
his exile, in 1314. He himself was one of those who blamed the
city; see Hell, Canto XXI.

[10] The first verse of the first canzone of The New Life.

[11] The Sicilian poet, Jacopo da Lentino.

[12] Guittone d' Arezzo, commonly called Fra Guittone, as one of
the order of the Frati Gaudenti. Dante refers to him again in
Canto XXVI.

[13] He who seeks for other reason does not find it.


As the birds that winter along the Nile sometimes make a flock in
the air, then fly in greater haste, and go in file, so all the
folk that were there, light both through leanness and through
will, turning away their faces, quickened again their pace. And
as the man who is weary of running lets his companions go on, and
himself walks, until he vents the panting of his chest, so Forese
let the holy flock pass on and came along behind, with me,
saying, "When shall it be that I see thee again?" "I know not," I
replied to him, "how long I may live; but truly my return will
not be so speedy, that I shall not in desire he sooner at the
shore;[1] because the place where I was set to live, denudes
itself more of good from day to day, and seems ordained to
wretched ruin." "Now go," said he, "for I see him who hath most
fault for this[2] dragged at the tail of a beast, toward the
valley where there is no disculpation ever. The beast at every
step goes faster, increasing always till it strikes him, and
leaves his body vilely undone. Those wheels have not far to
turn," and he raised his eyes to heaven, "for that to become
clear to thee which my speech cannot further declare. Now do thou
stay behind, for time is so precious in this kingdom, that I lose
too much coming thus at even pace with thee."

[1] Of Purgatory.

[2] Corso de' Donati, the leader of the Black Guelphs and chief
cause of the evils of the city. On the 15th September, 1308, his
enemies having risen against him, he was compelled to fly from
Florence. Near the city he was thrown from his horse and dragged
along, till he was overtaken and killed by his pursuers.


As a cavalier sometimes sets forth at a gallop from a troop which
rides, and goes to win the honor of the first encounter, so he
went away from us with greater strides; and I remained on the way
with only those two who were such great marshals of the world.[1]
And when he had entered so far before us that my eyes became such
followers on him as my mind was on his words,[2] there appeared
to me the laden and lusty branches of another apple-tree, and not
far distant, because only then had I turned thitherward.[3] I saw
people beneath it raising their hands and crying, I know not
what, toward the leaves, like eager and fond little children who
pray, and he they pray to answers not, hut, to make their longing
very keen, holds aloft their desire, and conceals it not. Then
they departed as if undeceived:[4] and now we came to the great
tree that rejects so many prayers and tears. "Pass further
onward, without drawing near; the tree[5] is higher up which was
eaten of by Eve, and this plant has been raised from that." Thus
among the branches I know not who was speaking; wherefore Virgil
and Statius and I, drawing close together, went onward along the
side that rises.[6] "Be mindful," the voice was saying, "of the
accursed ones,[7] formed in the clouds, who, when glutted, strove
against Theseus with their double breasts; and of the Hebrews,
who, at the drinking, showed themselves soft,[8] wherefore Gideon
wished them not for companions, when he went down the hills
toward Midian."



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