La Divina Commedia Purgatorio Canto XXIX The song of the mystic procession Time: Thursday, March 30, 1301 (Wednesday, April 13, 1300): early morning hours Place: Earthly Paradise People: Dante, Matelda, Stazio, Virgilio © 2021 Dr. M. Junker: Fonetics, metrics, accents colored, protected by Namirial SpA © 1994 Le Lettere: Critical Edition of the Divine Comedy (by Giorgio Petrocchi) English Translation by Charles Eliot Norton: 1902/1952 (Encyclopædia Britannica)
1 Cantando c me d nna innamorata, 2 6 continüò col fin di sue par le: 4 6 3 ‘B t qu r m t ct sunt p cc t !’. 2 4 6 8 E c me ninfe che si givan s le (2) 4 8 per le salvatiche mbre, di ïando 4 6 6 qual di ved r, qual di fuggir lo s le, 1 4 5 8 all r si m sse c ntra ’l fiume, andando 2 4 6 8 su per la riva; e io pari di l i, 1 4 6 7 9 p cciol passo con p cciol seguitando. 1 3 6 Non ran c nto tra ’ su i passi e ’ mi i, 2 4 (7) 8 quando le ripe igualm nte di r v lta, 1 4 7 9 12 per m do ch’a levante mi rend i. 2 6 Né!anc"r fu co#ì n$stra via m%lta, 1 3 4 6 7 quando la d&nna tutta'a me si t(rse, 1 4 6 8 15 dic)ndo: «Frate mio, guarda*e+asc,lta». 2 4 6 7 Ed -cco.un lustro sùbito trasc/rse 2 4 6 da tutte parti per la gran for0sta, 2 4 8 18 tal che di balenar mi mi1e2in f3rse. 1 6 8 Ma perché ’l balenar, c4me vi5n, r6sta, 3 6 9 e qu7l, durando, più8e più splend9va, 2 4 6 8 21 nel mio pensi:r dic;a: ‘Che c<=a>è qu?sta?’. 4 6 8 E@una melodia dAlce corrBva 6 7 per l’Cere luminDEo;FGnde buHn IJlo 2 6 7 9 24 mi fé riprKnder l’ardimLnto d’Mva, 2 4 8 che là dNveOubidPa la tQrraRe ’l ciSlo, 2 6 8 fTmmina, sUlaVe pur testé formata, 1 4 6 8 27 non soffWrse di star sXttoYalcun vZlo; (1) 3 6 7 (9)
2 Singing like a lady enamored, she, at the ending of her words, continued: 3 Beati, quorum tecta sunt peccata. And, like the nymphs who were wont to go solitary through the sylvan shades, desiring 6 one to see and one to avoid the sun, she then moved on counter to the stream, going up along the bank, and I at even pace with her, 9 little step with little following her. There were not a hundred of her steps and mine, when the banks both alike gave a turn, 12 in such wise that I faced again toward the east. Nor even thus had our way been long, when the lady turned wholly round to me, 15 saying: “My brother, look and listen.” And lo, a sudden lustre ran on every side through the great forest, 18 so that if it were lightning it made me question. But because the lightning even as it comes stays, and this, lasting, became more and more resplendent, 21 in my thought I said, “What thing is this?” And a sweet melody ran through the luminous air; whereupon a righteous zeal 24 made me reproach the hardihood of Eve, who, there, where were obedient the earth and the heavens, the only woman, and but just now formed, 27 did not endure to stay under any veil;
3 s[tto ’l qual se div\ta f]sse stata, 1 3 6 8 avr^i qu_lle`ineffabili delizie 2 3 6 30 sentite primaae più lunga fïata. 2 4 7 Mbntr’ io m’andava tra tante primizie 2 4 7 de l’ettcrno piacdr tutto sospefo, 3 6 7 33 e digïhiojanckrala più letizie, 4 6 8 dinanzima nni, tal qualeoun fpcoqaccrso, 2 4 6 8 ci si fé l’tere suttovi vwrdi rami; (3) 4 8 36 e ’l dxlce suyn per cantiz{ra già|int}~o. 2 4 6 (7.9) sacrosante Vrgini, se fami, (1) 4 6 frddio vigilie mai per vi soffrsi, 1 4 6 8 39 cagi n mi sprna ch’io mercé vi chiami. 2 4 6 8 r convin cheElicna per me vrsi, (1) 3 6 9 eUranìe m’aiti col suo cro 4 6 (9) 42 frti cea pensar mtterein vrsi. 1 3 6 7 Pco piùltre, sttealberi d’ro 1 4 6 7 falsava nel parreil lungo tratto 2 6 8 45 del m ¡o ch’¢ra£anc¤r tra n¥i¦e l§ro; 2 (4) 6 8 ma quand’ i’ fui sì pr¨sso di l©r fatto, 4 6 (9) che l’obiªtto comun, che ’l s«nso¬inganna, 3 6 8 48 non perd a per distanza®alcun suo¯atto, 3 6 8 la virtù ch’a ragi°n disc±rso²ammanna, 3 6 8 sì c³m’ ´lliµ¶ran candelabri·appr¸¹e, (1) 3 4 8 51 e ne le vºci del cantare»‘ nn ’. 4 8 Di s¼pra fiammeggiava½il b¾llo¿arnÀÁe 2 6 8 più chiaroÂassai che luna per serÃno (2) 4 6 54 di mÄÅÆa nÇtte nel suo mÈÉÊo mËÌe. 2 4 8
4 under which if she had stayed devout, I should those ineffable delights 30 have tasted before, and for a longer time. While I was going on amid so many first fruits of the eternal pleasure, all enrapt, 33 and still desirous of more joys, in front of us like a blazing fire became the air, beneath the green branches, 36 and the sweet sound as a song was now heard. O sacrosanct Virgins! if hunger, cold, or vigils ever for you I have endured, 39 the occasion spurs me that reward therefor I claim. Now it behoves that Helicon pour forth for me, and that Urania aid me with her choir 42 things difficult to think to put into verse. A little farther on, seven trees of gold shewed falsely in their seeming the long tract 45 of space which was still between us and them. But when I had come so near to them that the common object, which deceives the sense, 48 lost not through distance any of its attributes, the power which to reason supplies discourse distinguished them as candlesticks, 51 and in the voices of the song, Hosanna. On high was flaming the fair array, brighter by far than the moon in the clear 54 sky at midnight, in the middle of her month.
5 Io mi rivÍlsi d’ammiraziÎn piÏno (1) 4 9 al buÐn Virgilio,Ñed Òsso mi rispuÓÔe 2 4 6 57 con vista carca di stupÕr non mÖno. 2 4 8 Indi rend×i l’aspØttoÙa l’alte cÚÛe 1 4 6 8 che si movÜenoÝincÞntr’ a nßi sì tardi, 4 6 8 60 che fàran vinte da noválle spâãe. (2) 4 8 La dänna mi ågridò: «Perché pur ardi 2 6 8 sì ne l’affætto de le vive luci, 1 4 8 63 e ciò che viçn di rètroéa lêr non guardi?». 2 4 6 8 Gënti vid’ ioìallír, cîmeïa lðr duci, 1 (4) 6 (7) 9 venireñappròsso, vestite di bianco; 2 4 7 66 e tal candór di qua già mai non fuci. 2 4 6 8 L’acquaôimprendõa dal sinistro fianco, 1 4 8 e rendöa me la mia sinistra c÷sta, 3 4 8 69 s’io riguardavaøin lùi, cúme spûcchioüanco. (1) 4 6 9 Quand’ io da la mia rivaýþbbi tal p sta, 2 6 7 che s lo il fiume mi fac a distante, (2) 4 8 72 per ved r m glio ai passi di di s sta, 3 4 6 8 e vidi le fiamm lle andar davante, 2 6 8 lasciando di tro a sé l’ ere dipinto, 2 4 6 7 75 e di tratti penn lli av an sembiante; 3 6 8 sì che lì s pra riman a distinto 1 (3) 4 8 di s tte liste, tutte in qu i col ri 2 4 6 8 78 nde fa l’arco il S le e D lia il cinto. 1 4 6 8 Qu sti ostendali in di!tro"#ran maggi$ri (1) 4 6 (7) che la mia vista;%e, quanto&a mio'avvi(o, 4 6 81 di)ce passi distavan qu*i di f+ri. 1 3 6 8
6 I turned me round full of wonder to the good Virgil, and he replied to me 57 with a look charged not less with amazement. Then I turned back my gaze to the high things, which were moving toward us so slowly 60 that they would have been outstripped by new-made brides. The lady chided me: “Why art thou only thus ardent in gazing on the living lights, 63 and at that which comes behind them dost not look?” Folk then I saw, as if after their leaders, coming behind, clothed in white, 66 and such whiteness on earth there never was. The water was resplendent on the left flank, and reflected to me my left side, 69 if I looked in it, as a mirror even. When I on my bank had such position that only the stream separated me, 72 in order to see better, I gave halt to my steps, and I saw the flamelets go forward leaving the air behind them painted, 75 and of streaming pennons they had the semblance, so that overhead it remained divided by seven stripes, all in those colors 78 whereof his bow makes the sun, and Delia her girdle. These banners to the rear stretched beyond my sight, and according to my judgment 81 ten paces apart were the outermost.
7 S,tto co-ì b.l ci/l c0m’ io divi1o, 1 4 6 8 ventiquattro seni2ri,3a due4a due, 3 6 8 84 coronati ven5en di fiordali6o. 3 6 Tutti cantavan: «B n d ct tue 1 4 8 ne le figlie d’Ad7mo,8e bened9tte 3 6 87 s:eno;in ett<rno le bell=zze tue!». 1 4 8 P>scia che?i fi@riAe l’altre frBscheCerbDtte 1 4 6 8 a rimpEtto di me da l’altra spFnda 3 6 8 90 libere fuGr da quHlle gIntiJelKtte, 1 4 (6) 8 sì cLme luce luceMin ciNl secOnda, 1 4 6 8 vPnneroQapprRsso lSr quattroTanimali, 1 4 6 7 93 coronati ciascun di vUrde frVnda. 3 6 8 OgnunoWXra pennuto di sYiZali; 2 (3) 6 9 le p[nne pi\ne d’]cchi;^e li_`cchi d’Argo, 2 4 6 8 96 se fasser vivi, sarbbber cotali. 2 4 7 A descriver lcr fdrme più non spargo 3 6 8 rime, letter; ch’altra spfga mi strigne, 1 4 5 7 99 tanto ch’a quhsta non pissojksser largo; 1 4 7 8 ma llggimEzechïnl, che li dipigne 2 6 come li vide da la frpdda parte 4 8 102 venir con vqntore con nubese con igne; 2 4 7 e qualiti troverai ne le sue carte, 2 6 taliuvran quivi, salvo ch’a le pwnne 1 (2) 4 6 105 Giovannixè mycoze da lui si diparte. 2 4 7 Lo spazio d{ntro|a l}r quattro cont~nne 2 4 (6) 7 un carro,in su due rte, trïunfale, 2 (5) 6 108 ch’al cllo d’un grifn tirato vnne. 2 6 8
8 Under so fair a sky as I describe, twenty-four elders, two by two, 84 were coming crowned with flower-deluce. All were singing: “Blessed art thou among the daughters of Adam, and blessed 87 be forever thy beauties.” After the flowers and the other fresh herbage, opposite to me on the other bank, 90 were free from those folk elect, even as light follows light in heaven, there came behind them four living creatures, 93 each crowned with green leaves. Each was feathered with six wings, the feathers full of eyes; and the eyes of Argus, 96 if they were living, would be such. To describe their forms, I scatter no more rhymes, Reader, for other spending constrains me 99 so that in this I cannot be liberal. But read Ezekiel, who depicts them as he saw them from the cold quarter 102 coming with wind, with cloud, and with fire; and such as thou wilt find them in his pages such were they here, save that as to the wings 105 John is with me, and from him differs. The space between these four contained a chariot upon two wheels, triumphal, 108 which by the neck of a Griffon came drawn along.
9 sso tend vain sù l’unae l’altraale 1 4 6 7 9 tra la meanae le tre tr liste, 4 7 9 111 sì ch’a nulla, fendndo, faca male. 1 3 6 9 Tanto salivan che non ran viste; 1 4 8 le mmbra d’roava quant’ rauccllo, 2 4 6 8 114 e bianche l’altre, di vermiglio miste. 2 4 8 Non che Rma di carro coì bllo 1 3 6 rallegrasseAffricano,o vroAugusto, 3 6 8 117 ma qu l del S¡l sar¢a p£ver con ¤llo; 2 4 7 qu¥l del S¦l che, §vïando, fu combusto 1 3 6 per l’orazi¨n de la T©rra devªta, 4 7 120 quando fu Gi«ve¬arcanam nte giusto. 1 (3) 4 8 Tr® d¯nne°in giro da la d±stra r²ta 1 2 4 8 ven³an danzando; l’una tanto r´ssa 2 4 6 8 123 ch’a pµna f¶ra d·ntro¸al f¹co nºta; 2 4 6 8 l’altr’ »ra c¼me se le carni½e l’¾ssa (1) 2 (4) 8 f¿ssero state di Àmeraldo fatte; 1 4 8 126 la tÁrza parÂa nÃve testé mÄssa; 2 (5) 6 9 eÅÆr parÇan da la bianca tratte, 2 4 8 Èr da la rÉssa;Êe dal canto di quËsta 1 4 7 129 l’altre toglÌen l’andareÍe tardeÎe ratte. 1 4 6 8 Da la sinistra quattro facÏan fÐsta, 4 6 9 in pÑrpore vestite, diÒtroÓal mÔdo 2 6 8 132 d’una di lÕr ch’avÖa tr×ØÙcchiÚin tÛsta. 1 4 6 7 8 ApprÜsso tuttoÝil pertrattato nÞdo 2 4 8 vidi due vßcchiàin abito dispari, 1 (3) 4 6 135 ma pariáin attoâeãonästoåe sædo. 2 4 7
10 And he stretched up the one and the other of his wings between the midmost stripe, and the three and three others, 111 so that to no one of them by cleaving it he did harm: so high they rose that they were lost to sight. His members were of gold so far as he was bird, 114 and white were the rest with crimson mixed. Not Rome with so beautiful a chariot gladdened Africanus, or indeed Augustus; 117 but even that of the Sun would be poor to it – that of the Sun, which, going astray; was consumed at the prayer of the devout Earth, 120 when Jove in his secrecy was just. Three ladies in a circle, at the right wheel, came dancing; one so ruddy 123 that hardly would she have been within the fire noted; the next was as if her flesh and bones had been of emerald made; 126 the third seemed as snow fresh fallen. And now they seemed by the white led, now by the red, and from the song of her who led 129 the others took their step both slow and swift. On the left, four made festival, robed in purple, following the measure 132 of one of them who had three eyes in her head. Behind all the group thus described, I saw two old men, unlike in dress, 135 but like in demeanor, both dignified and staid.
11 L’un si mostravaçalcun dè’ famigliari 1 4 6 di quél sêmmoëIpocràte che natura 3 6 138 a liìanimali fé ch’íll’ ha più cari; 4 6 8 mostrava l’altro la contraria cura 2 4 8 con una spada lucidaîeïaguta, 4 6 141 tal che di qua dal rio mi fé paðura. 1 4 6 8 Pñi vidi quattroòin umile paruta; 1/2 4 6 e di rótro da tuttiôun võcchio sölo 3 6 8 144 venir, dorm÷ndo, con la facciaøarguta. 2 4 8 E quùsti sútte col primaûio stuülo 2 4 8 ýranoþabitüati, ma di gigli (1) 6 147 dint rno al capo non fac an br lo, 2 4 6 8 anzi di r e e d’altri fi r vermigli; 1 4 6 8 giurato avr a p co lontano asp tto 2 4 5 8 150 che tutti ard sser di s pra da’ cigli. 2 4 7 E quando il carro a me fu a rimp tto, 2 4 6 7 un tu n s’udì, e qu lle g nti d gne 2 4 6 8 153 p rvero av r l’andar più interd tto, 1 4 6 (7) fermandosi ivi con le prime ins!gne. 2 4 8
12 The one showed himself one of the familiars of that supreme Hippocrates whom Nature 138 for the creatures made that she holds most dear; the other showed the contrary care, with a shining and sharp sword, 141 such that on the hither side of the stream it caused me fear. Then I saw four of humble aspect, and behind all an aid man alone, 144 coming asleep with a keen countenance. And these seven like the first band were robed; but of lilies 147 round their heads they made not a crown, rather of roses, and of other red flowers. The sight at little distance would have sworn 150 that all were aflame above their brows. And when the chariot was abreast of me, a peal of thunder was heard, and those worthy people 153 seemed to have their farther progress interdicted, stopping there with the first ensigns.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTIyMjQzNA==