song and legend from the middle ages-第22部分

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lver。　With　the　pallid　first；　And　next　the　burnish'd；　he　so　ply'd　the　gate；　As　to　content　me　well。　〃Whenever　one　Faileth　of　these；　that　in　the　key…hole　straight　It　turn　not；　to　this　alley　then　expect　Access　in　vain。〃　Such　were　the　words　he　spake。　〃One　is　more　precious＇1＇：　but　the　other　needs；　Skill　and　sagacity；　large　share　of　each；　Ere　its　good　task　to　disengage　the　knot　Be　worthily　perform'd。　From　Peter　these　I　hold；　of　him　instructed　that　I　err　Rather　in　opening；　than　in　keeping　fast；　So　but　the　suppliant　at　my　feet　implore。〃　Then　of　that　hallow'd　gate　he　thrust　the　door；　Exclaiming；　〃Enter；　but　this　warning　hear：　He　forth　again　departs　who　looks　behind。〃　As　in　the　hinges　of　that　sacred　ward　The　swivels　turn'd　sonorous　metal　strong；　Harsh　was　the　grating；　nor　so　surlily　Roar'd　the　Tarpeian；　when　by　force　bereft　Of　good　Metellus；　thenceforth　from　his　loss　To　leanness　doom'd。　Attentively　I　turn'd；　Listening　the　thunder　that　first　issued　forth；　And　〃We　praise　thee；　O　God；〃　methought　I　heard；　In　accents　blended　with　sweet　melody；　The　strains　came　o'er　mine　ear；　e'en　as　the　sound　Of　choral　voices；　that　in　solemn　chant　With　organ　mingle；　and；　now　high　and　clear　Come　swelling；　now　float　indistinct　away。

＇1＇　One　is　more　precious。　The　golden　key　is　the　divine　authority　by　which　the　priest　gives　absolution。　The　silver　stands　for　the　learning　and　wisdom　necessary　for　the　priest。


IV。　Beatrice　Appears　to　Dante　and　Rebukes　Him。　　From　the　Purgatorio。

Inside　the　gates　of　Purgatory　rise　seven　successive　circles；　in　which　the　seven　deadly　sins　are　purged；　in　the　first；　the　sin　of　pride；　in　the　second；　that　of　envy；　in　the　third；　anger；　in　the　fourth；　lukewarmness；　in　the　fifth；　avarice；　in　the　sixth；　gluttony；　in　the　seventh；　incontinence　is　purged　by　fire。　Having　passed　through　all　these；　Dante　and　his　guide　ascend　to　the　summit　of　the　mountain；　the　earthly　Paradise。　Here　Virgil　ceases　to　guide　the　poet；　but　leaves　him　to　choose　for　a　while　his　own　way。　To　him　here　descends　Beatrice　who；　before　assuming　his　further　guidance；　rebukes　him　for　his　manner　of　life　on　earth。

At　the　last　audit；　so　The　blest　shall　rise；　from　forth　his　cavern　each　Uplifting　lightly　his　new…vested　flesh；　As；　on　the　sacredl　litter；　at　the　voice　Authoritative　of　that　elder；　sprang　A　hundred　ministers　and　messengers　Of　life　eternal。　〃Blessed　thou；　who　comest！〃　And；　〃Oh！〃　they　cried；　〃from　full　hands　scatter　ye　Unwithering　lilies〃：　and；　so　saying；　cast　Flowers　over　head　and　round　them　on　all　sides。　I　have　beheld；　ere　now；　at　break　of　day；　The　eastern　clime　all　roseate；　and　the　sky　Opposed；　one　deep　and　beautiful　serene；　And　the　sun's　face　so　shaded；　and　with　mists　Attemper'd；　at　his　rising；　that　the　eye　Long　while　endured　the　sight：　thus；　in　a　cloud　Of　flowers；　that　from　those　hands　angelic　rose；　And　down　within。　and　outside　of　the　car　Fell　showering；　in　white　veil　with　olive　wreathed；　A　virgin　in　my　view　appear'd；　beneath　Green　mantle；　robed　in　hue　of　living　flame：　And　o'er　my　spirit；　that　so　long　a　time　Had　from　her　presence　felt　no　shuddering　dread；　Albeit　mine　eyes　discern'd　her　not；　there　moved　A　hidden　virtue　from　her；　at　whose　touch　The　power　of　ancient　love　was　strong　within　me。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　Upon　the　chariot's　same　edge　still　she　stood；　Immovable；　and　thus　address'd　her　words：　〃I　shape　mine　answer；　for　his　ear　intended；　Who　there　stands　weeping；＇1＇　that　the　sorrow　now　May　equal　the　transgression。　Not　alone　Through　operation　of　the　mighty　orbs；　That　mark　each　seed　to　some　predestined　aim；　As　with　aspect　or　fortunate　or　ill　The　constellations　meet；　but　through　benign　Largess　of　heavenly　graces；　which　rain　down　From　such　a　height　as　mocks　our　vision；　this　man　Was；　in　the　freshness　of　his　being；　such；　So　gifted　virtually；　that　in　him　All　better　habits　wonderously　had　thrived　He　more　of　kindly　strength　is　in　the　soil；　So　much　doth　evil　seed　and　lack　of　culture　Mar　it　the　more；　and　make　it　run　to　wildness。　These　looks　sometime　upheld　him；　for　I　showed　My　youthful　eyes；　and　led　him　by　their　light　In　upright　walking。　Soon　as　I　had　reach'd　The　threshold　of　my　second　age；　and　changed　My　mortal　for　immortal；　then　he　left　me；　And　gave　himself　to　others。　When　from　flesh　To　spirit　I　had　risen；　and　increase　Of　beauty　and　of　virtue　circled　me；　I　was　less　dear　to　him；　and　valued　less。　His　steps　were　turn'd　into　deceitful　ways；　Following　false　images　of　good；　that　make　No　promise　perfect。　Nor　availed　me　aught　To　sue　for　inspirations；　with　the　which；　I；　both　in　dreams　of　night；　and　otherwise；　Did　call　him　back；　of　them；　so　little　reck'd　him。　Such　depth　he　fell；　that　all　device　was　short　Of　his　preserving；　save　that　he　should　view　The　children　of　perdition。　To　this　end　I　visited　the　purlieus　of　the　dead：　And　one；　who　hath　conducted　him　thus　high；　Received　my　supplications　urged　with　weeping。　It　were　a　breaking　of　God's　high　decree；　If　Lethe　should　be　past；　and　such　food＇3＇　tasted；　Without　the　cost　of　some　repentant　tear。〃

＇1＇　Who　there　stands　weeping。　Dante。

＇2＇　Such　food。　The　oblivion　of　sins。


The　third　part　of　the　Divine　Comedy　is　the　vision　of　Paradise。　Dante's　Paradise　is　divided　into　ten　heavens；　or　spheres。　Through　these　in　succession　the　poet　is　conducted　by　Beatrice；　until　in　the　tenth　heaven；　or　the　Empyrean；　he　comes　into　the　visible　presence　of　God。


I。　The　Visible　Presence。　　From　the　Paradiso。

O　eternal　beam！　（Whose　height　what　reach　of　mortal　thought　may　soar？）　Yield　me　again　some　little　particle　Of　what　thou　then　appearedst；　give　my　tongue　Power'　but　to　leave　one　sparkle　of　thy　glory；　Unto　the　race　to　come'　that　shall　not　lose　Thy　triumph　wholly；　if　thou　waken　aught　Of　memory　in　me；　and　endure　to　hear　The　record　sound　in　this　unequal　strain。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　O　grace；　unenvying　of　thy　boon！　that　gavest　Boldness　to　fix　so　earnestly　my　ken　On　the　everlasting　splendour；　that　I　look'd；　While　sight　was　unconsumed；　and；　in　that　depth；　Saw　in　one　volume　clasp'd　of　love；　whate'er　The　universe　unfolds；　all　properties　Of　substance　and　of　accident；　beheld；　Compounded；　yet　one　individual　light　The　whole。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　In　that　abyss　Of　radiance；　clear　and　lofty；　seem'd；　methought；　Three　orbs　of　triple　hue；＇1＇　clipt　in　one　bound：　And；　from　another；　one　reflected　seem'd；　As　rainbow　is　from　rainbow：　and　the　third　Seem'd　fire；　breathed　equally　from　both。　O　speech！　How　feeble　and　how　faint　art　thou；　to　give　Conception　birth。　Yet　this　to　what　I　saw　Is　less　than　little。　O　eternal　light！　Sole　in　thyself　that　dwell'st；　and　of　thyself　Sole　understood'　past'　present；　or　to　come；　Thou　smile'st；　on　that　circling；　which　in　thee　Seem'd　as　reflected　splendour；　while　I　mused；　For　I　therein；　methought；　in　its　own　hue　Beheld　our　image　painted：　stedfastly　I　therefore　pored　upon　the　view。　As　one；　Who　versed　in　geometric　lore；　would　fain　Measure　the　circle；　and；　though　pondering　long　And　deeply；　that　beginning；　which　he　needs；　Finds　not：　e'en　such　was　I；　intent　to　scan　The　novel　wonder；　and　trace　out　the　form；　How　to　the　circle　fitted；　and　therein　How　placed：　but　the　flight　was　not　for　my　wing：　Had　not　a　flash　darted　athwart　my　mind；　And；　in　the　spleen；　unfolded　what　is　sought。　Here　vigour　fail'd　the　towering　fantasy：　But　yet　the　will　roll'd　onward；　like　a　wheel　In　even　motion'　by　the　love　impell'd；　That　moves　the　sun　in　heaven　and　all　the　stars。

＇1＇　Three　orbs　of　triple　hue。　The　Trinity。


Next　after　Dante；　the　first　name　of　importance　in　Italian　literature　is　that　of　Francesca　Petrarca；　called　Petrarch　in　English。　He　was　the　son　of　a　Florentine　exile；　was　born　at　Aruzzo　in　1304；　and　died　at　Padua　in　1374。　He　was　a　scholar　and　a　diplomat；　and　was　entrusted　with　many　public　services。　Most　of　his　active　life　he　spent　at　Avignon；　at　the　papal　court；　or　in　Vaucluse　near　by。　When　he　was　twenty…three；　he　met　Laura；　the　beautiful　woman　with　whom　he　was　always　after　in　love；　and　who　was　the　inspiration　of　all　his　lyric　poetry。　She　was　the　daughter　of　a　citizen　of　Avignon；　and　was　married；　probably　to　Ugo　de　Sade　of　Avignon。　She　was　a　good　woman　whose　character　was　ever　above　reproach。　Petrarch　was　a　very　industrious　writer。　He　produced　many　letters　and　treatises　in　Latin；　besides　a　long　Latin　epic　Africa。　But　his　great　and　deserved　fame　rests　upon　his　Italian　lyric　poetrythe　Canzoniere。　The　Canzoniere　is　divided　into　three　parts：　the　poems　to　Laura　in　life；　to　Laura　in　death；　and　the　Triumphs。　The　Triumphs　are　inferior　in　merit　to　the　other　two　parts。　He　had　studied　closely　the　Provencall　poets；　and　had　something　of　their　spirit。


I。　To　Laura　in　Life。

SONNET　III。　HE　BLAMES　LOVE　FOR　WOUNDING　HIM　ON　A　HOLY　DAY　（GOOD　FRIDAY）。

'Twas　on　the　morn'　when　heaven　its　blessed　ray　In　pity　to　its　suffering　master　veil'd；　First　did　I；　Lady；　to　your　beauty　yield；　Of　your　victorious　eyes　th'　unguarded　prey。　Ah！　little　reck'd　I　that；　on　such　a　day；　Needed　against　Love's　arrows　any　shield；　And　trod'　securely　trod；　the　fatal　field：　Whence；　with　the　world's；　began　my　heart's　dismay。　On　every　side　Love　found　his　victim　bare；　And　through　mine　eyes　transfix'd　my　throbbing　heart；　Those　eyes；　which　now　with　constant　sorrows　flow：　But　poor　the　triumph　of　his　boasted　art；　Who　thus　could　pierce　a　naked　youth　nor　dare　To　you　in　armour　mail'd　even　to　display　his　bow！

Wrangham。


SONNET　XIV。　HE　COMPARIES　HIMSELF　TO　A　PILGRIM。

The　palmer　bent；　with　locks　of　silver　gray；　Quits　the　sweet　spot　where　he　has　pass'd　his　years；　Quits　his　poor　family；　whose　anxious　fears　Paint　the　loved　father　fainting　on　his　way；　And　trembling；　on　his　aged　limbs　slow　borne；　In　these　last　days　that　close　his　earthly　course；　He；　in　his　soul's　strong　purpose；　finds　new　force；　Though　weak　with　age；　though　by　long　travel　worn：　Thus　reaching　Rome；　led　on　by　pious　love；　He　seeks　the　image　of　that　Saviour　Lord　Whom　soon　he　hopes　to　meet　in　bliss　above：　So；　oft　in　other　forms　I　seek　to　trace　Some　charm；　that　to　my　heart　may　yet　afford　A　faint　resemblance　of　thy　matchless　grace。

Dacre


SONNET　XCVIII。　　LEAVE…TAKING。

There　was　a　touching　paleness　on　her　face；　Which　chased　her　smiles；　but　such　sweet　union　made　Of　pensive　majesty　and　heavenly　grace；　As　if　a　passing　cloud　had　veil'd　her　with　its　shade；　Then　knew　I　how　the　blessed　ones　above　Gaze　on　each　other　in　their　perfect　bliss；　For　never　yet　w