Above the middle part of either shoulder；
And they were joined together at the crest；
And the right…hand one seemed 'twixt white and yellow；
The left was such to look upon as those
Who come from where the Nile falls valley…ward。
Underneath each came forth two mighty wings；
Such as befitting were so great a bird；
Sails of the sea I never saw so large。
No feathers had they； but as of a bat
Their fashion was； and he was waving them；
So that three winds proceeded forth therefrom。
Thereby Cocytus wholly was congealed。
With six eyes did he weep； and down three chins
Trickled the tear…drops and the bloody drivel。
At every mouth he with his teeth was crunching
A sinner； in the manner of a brake；
So that he three of them tormented thus。
To him in front the biting was as naught
Unto the clawing； for sometimes the spine
Utterly stripped of all the skin remained。
〃That soul up there which has the greatest pain；〃
The Master said； 〃is Judas Iscariot；
With head inside； he plies his legs without。
Of the two others； who head downward are；
The one who hangs from the black jowl is Brutus；
See how he writhes himself； and speaks no word。
And the other； who so stalwart seems； is Cassius。
But night is reascending； and 'tis time
That we depart； for we have seen the whole。〃
As seemed him good； I clasped him round the neck；
And he the vantage seized of time and place；
And when the wings were opened wide apart；
He laid fast hold upon the shaggy sides；
From fell to fell descended downward then
Between the thick hair and the frozen crust。
When we were come to where the thigh revolves
Exactly on the thickness of the haunch；
The Guide； with labour and with hard…drawn breath；
Turned round his head where he had had his legs；
And grappled to the hair； as one who mounts；
So that to Hell I thought we were returning。
〃Keep fast thy hold； for by such stairs as these；〃
The Master said； panting as one fatigued；
〃Must we perforce depart from so much evil。〃
Then through the opening of a rock he issued；
And down upon the margin seated me；
Then tow'rds me he outstretched his wary step。
I lifted up mine eyes and thought to see
Lucifer in the same way I had left him；
And I beheld him upward hold his legs。
And if I then became disquieted；
Let stolid people think who do not see
What the point is beyond which I had passed。
〃Rise up；〃 the Master said； 〃upon thy feet；
The way is long； and difficult the road；
And now the sun to middle…tierce returns。〃
It was not any palace corridor
There where we were； but dungeon natural；
With floor uneven and unease of light。
〃Ere from the abyss I tear myself away；
My Master；〃 said I when I had arisen；
〃To draw me from an error speak a little；
Where is the ice？ and how is this one fixed
Thus upside down？ and how in such short time
From eve to morn has the sun made his transit？〃
And he to me： 〃Thou still imaginest
Thou art beyond the centre； where I grasped
The hair of the fell worm； who mines the world。
That side thou wast； so long as I descended；
When round I turned me； thou didst pass the point
To which things heavy draw from every side；
And now beneath the hemisphere art come
Opposite that which overhangs the vast
Dry…land； and 'neath whose cope was put to death
The Man who without sin was born and lived。
Thou hast thy feet upon the little sphere
Which makes the other face of the Judecca。
Here it is morn when it is evening there；
And he who with his hair a stairway made us
Still fixed remaineth as he was before。
Upon this side he fell down out of heaven；
And all the land； that whilom here emerged；
For fear of him made of the sea a veil；
And came to our hemisphere； and peradventure
To flee from him； what on this side appears
Left the place vacant here； and back recoiled。〃
A place there is below； from Beelzebub
As far receding as the tomb extends；
Which not by sight is known； but by the sound
Of a small rivulet； that there descendeth
Through chasm within the stone； which it has gnawed
With course that winds about and slightly falls。
The Guide and I into that hidden road
Now entered； to return to the bright world；
And without care of having any rest
We mounted up； he first and I the second；
Till I beheld through a round aperture
Some of the beauteous things that Heaven doth bear；
Thence we came forth to rebehold the stars。
The Divine Comedy
translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
PARADISO
Paradiso： Canto I
The glory of Him who moveth everything
Doth penetrate the universe； and shine
In one part more and in another less。
Within that heaven which most his light receives
Was I； and things beheld which to repeat
Nor knows； nor can； who from above descends；
Because in drawing near to its desire
Our intellect ingulphs itself so far；
That after it the memory cannot go。
Truly whatever of the holy realm
I had the power to treasure in my mind
Shall now become the subject of my song。
O good Apollo； for this last emprise
Make of me such a vessel of thy power
As giving the beloved laurel asks！
One summit of Parnassus hitherto
Has been enough for me； but now with both
I needs must enter the arena left。
Enter into my bosom； thou； and breathe
As at the time when Marsyas thou didst draw
Out of the scabbard of those limbs of his。
O power divine； lend'st thou thyself to me
So that the shadow of the blessed realm
Stamped in my brain I can make manifest；
Thou'lt see me come unto thy darling tree；
And crown myself thereafter with those leaves
Of which the theme and thou shall make me worthy。
So seldom； Father； do we gather them
For triumph or of Caesar or of Poet；
（The fault and shame of human inclinations；）
That the Peneian foliage should bring forth
Joy to the joyous Delphic deity；
When any one it makes to thirst for it。
A little spark is followed by great flame；
Perchance with better voices after me
Shall prayer be made that Cyrrha may respond！
To mortal men by passages diverse
Uprises the world's lamp； but by that one
Which circles four uniteth with three crosses；
With better course and with a better star
Conjoined it issues； and the mundane wax
Tempers and stamps more after its own fashion。
Almost that passage had made morning there
And evening here； and there was wholly white
That hemisphere； and black the other part；
When Beatrice towards the left…hand side
I saw turned round； and gazing at the sun；
Never did eagle fasten so upon it！
And even as a second ray is wont
To issue from the first and reascend；
Like to a pilgrim who would fain return；
Thus of her action； through the eyes infused
In my imagination； mine I made；
And sunward fixed mine eyes beyond our wont。
There much is lawful which is here unlawful
Unto our powers； by virtue of the place
Made for the human species as its own。
Not long I bore it； nor so little while
But I beheld it sparkle round about
Like iron that comes molten from the fire；
And suddenly it seemed that day to day
Was added； as if He who has the power
Had with another sun the heaven adorned。
With eyes upon the everlasting wheels
Stood Beatrice all intent； and I； on her
Fixing my vision from above removed；
Such at her aspect inwardly became
As Glaucus； tasting of the herb that made him
Peer of the other gods beneath the sea。
To represent transhumanise in words
Impossible were； the example； then； suffice
Him for whom Grace the experience reserves。
If I was merely what of me thou newly
Createdst； Love who governest the heaven；
Thou knowest； who didst lift me with thy light！
When now the wheel； which thou dost make eternal
Desiring thee； made me attentive to it
By harmony thou dost modulate and measure；
Then seemed to me so much of heaven enkindled
By the sun's flame； that neither rain nor river
E'er made a lake so widely spread abroad。
The newness of the sound and the great light
Kindled in me a longing for their cause；
Never before with such acuteness felt；
Whence she； who saw me as I saw myself；
To quiet in me my perturbed mind；
Opened her mouth； ere I did mine to ask；
And she began： 〃Thou makest thyself so dull
With false imagining； that thou seest not
What thou wouldst see if thou hadst shaken it off。
Thou art not upon earth； as thou believest；
But lightning； fleeing its appropriate site；
Ne'er ran as thou； who thitherward returnest。〃
If of my former doubt I was divested
By these brief little words more smiled than spoken；
I in a new one was the more ensnared；
And said： 〃Already did I rest content
From great amazement； but am now amazed
In what way I transcend these bodies light。〃
Whereupon she； after a pitying sigh；
Her eyes directed tow'rds me with that look
A mother casts on a delirious child；
And she began： 〃All things whate'er they be
Have order among themselves； and this is form；
That makes the universe resembl