Данте Алигьери – The Divine Comedy / Божественная комедия (страница 49)

When me he saw, he writhed himself all over,

Blowing into his beard with suspirations;

And the Friar Catalan, who noticed this,

115 Said to me: “This transfixed one, whom thou seest,

Counselled the Pharisees that it was meet

To put one man to torture for the people.

Crosswise and naked is he on the path,

As thou perceivest; and he needs must feel,

120 Whoever passes, first how much he weighs;

And in like mode his father-in-law is punished

Within this moat, and the others of the council,

Which for the Jews was a malignant seed.”

And thereupon I saw Virgilius marvel

125 O'er him who was extended on the cross

So vilely in eternal banishment.

Then he directed to the Friar this voice:

“Be not displeased, if granted thee, to tell us

If to the right hand any pass slope down

130 By which we two may issue forth from here,

Without constraining some of the black angels

To come and extricate us from this deep.”

Then he made answer: “Nearer than thou hopest

There is a rock, that forth from the great circle

135 Proceeds, and crosses all the cruel valleys,

Save that at this 'tis broken, and does not bridge it;

You will be able to mount up the ruin,

That sidelong slopes and at the bottom rises.”

The Leader stood awhile with head bowed down;

140 Then said: “The business badly he recounted

Who grapples with his hook the sinners yonder.”

And the Friar: “Many of the Devil's vices

Once heard I at Bologna, and among them,

That he's a liar and the father of lies.”

145 Thereat my Leader with great strides went on,

Somewhat disturbed with anger in his looks;

Whence from the heavy-laden I departed

After the prints of his beloved feet.

Canto XXIV

In that part of the youthful year wherein

The Sun his locks beneath Aquarius tempers,

And now the nights draw near to half the day,

What time the hoar-frost copies on the ground

5 The outward semblance of her sister white,

But little lasts the temper of her pen,

The husbandman, whose forage faileth him,

Rises, and looks, and seeth the champaign

All gleaming white, whereat he beats his flank,

10 Returns in doors, and up and down laments,

Like a poor wretch, who knows not what to do;

Then he returns and hope revives again,

Seeing the world has changed its countenance

In little time, and takes his shepherd's crook,

15 And forth the little lambs to pasture drives.

Thus did the Master fill me with alarm,

When I beheld his forehead so disturbed,

And to the ailment came as soon the plaster.

For as we came unto the ruined bridge,

20 The Leader turned to me with that sweet look

Which at the mountain's foot I first beheld.

His arms he opened, after some advisement

Within himself elected, looking first

Well at the ruin, and laid hold of me.

25 And even as he who acts and meditates,

For aye it seems that he provides beforehand,

So upward lifting me towards the summit