The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri (Volume 2) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CANTO V I HAD already from those shades departed, And followed in the footsteps of my Guide, When from behind, pointing his finger at One shouted: "See, it seems as if shone not The sunshine on the left of him below, 5 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," 10 The Master said, "that thou thy pace dos'c 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; 15 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 color tinged 20 Which makes a man of pardon sometimes worthy. Vol. VIII- 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 25 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 cognizant." 30 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; 35 Him let them honor, it may profit them." Vapors 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 ...