Canto XII
CANTO XII
Virgil urges Dante to leave the burdened soul now and pursue his course. In order to ease the Pilgrim’s way, he directs Dante’s sight to the ground, which is sculpted in marble like the tomb coverings carved on some church floors (1–24). There the Pilgrim contemplates a series of biblical and classical examples of lowered pride: Lucifer cast down from Heaven, Briareus transfixed by a thunderbolt, the giants who stormed Olympus mangled on the ground, Nimrod confused in his speech, Niobe weeping for her children, Saul falling upon his sword, Arachne turned to a spider, Rehoboam in flight, Eriphyle slain by her child, Sennecherib assassinated by his sons, Cyrus decapitated, Holofernes beheaded as well, and Troy burned to ashes—all of them chiseled with such exquisite skill that the living seem alive and the dead seem dead (25–72). The Poet is so absorbed by the images that he loses track of time, and Virgil again urges him on. With a face gleaming like the morning star, a white-robed angel then appears, his wings outspread and his arms open, to lead the Travelers to the stairs, which rise as steeply as those in Florence from the Rubaconte bridge up to San Miniato. When Dante arrives at their base, the angel brushes his forehead with a pinion, thus wiping away the first P (73–108). As they venture to climb, they hear Blessed are the poor in spirit being chanted, and the Pilgrim marvels at the lightness of his gait. Virgil predicts that when the other P’s have been removed, the Poet’s feet will not only not tire but will even delight in the ascent. Not having realized that a letter was missing, Dante runs his fingers across his forehead and finds only six characters remaining. Virgil sees and smiles (109–136).
1 That burdened soul and I went pace by pace
Just as two oxen go beneath their yoke
As long as my kind Teacher gave me grace.
4 “Now leave him and press onwards,” so he spoke,
“It’s good for each to drive his bark with all
The strength he has by sail and paddle stroke.”
7 At that, I raised my body, straight and tall,
As one should walk although my thoughts’ intent
Remained within me both bowed down and small.
10 I had set out, and willingly I went
Behind my Master’s steps; both he and I
Were showing just how light was our ascent
13 When next he said to me: “Turn down your eye:
It will be good, that you might ease your way,
To see what bed beneath your feet may lie.”
16 Just as, so that their memory may stay,
The pavement tombs above the buried dead
Bear figured what they were before our day
19 While on their stones our tears are often shed
When memory of them will prick us still
Though by its spurs but pious ones are sped,
22 So these I noticed, which, in point of skill,
With better semblance had been figured there
Upon the path protruding from the hill.
25 My eyes saw him who had been made more fair[187]
Than any creature, on one side enscrolled,
Fall lightning-like from Heaven through the air.
28 My eyes saw Heaven’s shaft transfix the bold
Briáreus, who, opposite, thus felled,
Lay heavy on the ground in mortal cold.[188]
31 My eyes saw Mars and Pallas and beheld
Thymbraeus, armed and at their father’s side,
While viewing scattered limbs of giants quelled.[189]
34 My eyes saw Nimrod stand perplexed beside
His mighty work, and watching it the train
Of those in Shinar who had shared his pride.[190]
37 Ah Níobe, with eyes so full of pain
I saw you carved upon that roadway too,
Mid seven sons and seven daughters slain![191]
40 Ah Saul, how you appeared there dead, pierced through
Upon your sword when on Gilboa’s height,
Which never afterwards felt rain or dew![192]
43 Ah mad Arachne, whom I held in sight,
Half turned to spider, sad upon a shred
Of work that you had woven to your blight![193]
46 Ah Rehoboam, here your imaged head
Appears to be no threat; yet full of fear,
Though none pursue, your chariot has fled![194]
49 Now showed that flinty pavement further here
Just how Alcmaeon made his mother pay
For that curst ornament a price so dear.[195]
52 Now showed it how his sons rushed in to slay
Sennecherib and how, their father killed,
They left him in the temple where he lay.[196]
55 Now showed it ruin, cruel slaughter, willed
By Queen Tomyris; “Cyrus,” she cried out,
“You thirsted after blood, with blood be filled!”[197]
58 Now showed it how Assyrians in rout
Had taken flight when Holofernes died,
With remnants of that slaying left about.[198]
61 My eyes saw Troy in ash and cave abide;
Ah Ilium, how you were base and vile,
Now shown in the design that’s there descried![199]
64 What master of the brush or etching-style
Had drawn those shades and lines that would have led
A subtle mind to wonder quite a while?
67 The living seemed alive, the dead seemed dead;
And he who saw in very truth would glean
No more than all I trod, inclined ahead.
70 (So now wax proud, go on with haughty mien,
You sons of Eve; do not incline your face[200]
So that your path of evil won’t be seen!)
73 Around the mount we’d gone a greater space,
And more now of the solar course was spent
Than what my mind, not free, esteemed the case
76 When, always looking forward as he went,
“Lift up your head,” my Guide began to say,
“No time remains for going so intent.
79 See, coming from her service of the day,
That sixth of handmaids; see an angel who[201]
Prepares himself to come along our way.
82 Adorn your face and acts with rev’rence too,
That he might please to send us up secure;
Just think, this day will never dawn anew!”
85 I was well used to warnings that adjure
To lose no time; in matters of this kind,
His speech to me could never be obscure.
88 A handsome creature clothed in white inclined
His steps towards us; his face was such when eyed
That like the trembling morning star it shined.
91 His arms and then his wings were opened wide;
“Do come, for stairs are near at hand,” he said;
“From here with ease one takes an upward stride.
94 For flying up the human race was bred,
But to this invitation come so few;
Why do you fall at such small winds instead?”
97 He led us where the rock was split in two
And brushed my forehead with his pinion’s sweep,
And then he promised me safe passage through.
100 As on the right, in climbing up the steep,
Where over Rubaconte’s bridge will lie
A church that dominates “well-guided sheep,”[202]
103 The daring, scarped ascent is broken by
A stairway made in ages past when all
The ledgers and the staves were safe, so I[203]
106 Saw here the easing of the banks, which fall
Quite steeply downwards from that higher ring;
On both sides, though, there pressed a rocky wall.
109 We turned that way and now heard voices sing;
Beati paup’res spiritu arose[204]
Such that no words could say a sweeter thing.
112 How different are these passages from those
Of Hell: one enters here to chanted strains,
But there below with fierce laments one goes!
115 On holy stairs we, mounting up, made gains;
And mine appeared by far a lighter state
Than it had been before upon the plains.
118 At that I said: “O Master, say what weight
Has been removed so that as I have paced,
I’ve almost felt no labor in my gait.”
121 And he replied: “Though they’re almost effaced,
When from your brow the P’s remaining still
Have, like the first, completely been erased,
124 Your feet will be so conquered by good will
That then not only no fatigue will show,
But they’ll delight as they are urged uphill.”
127 And at his words I did like those who go
With something on their heads they don’t descry
Though others’ signals make suspicion grow,
130 So that their hand will help to verify
And seek and find and thus fulfill with haste
The office that their sight can not supply.
133 And with the fingers of my right hand spaced,
I found just six of seven letters styled
Which there upon my temples he had traced
136 Who held the keys. My Leader saw and smiled.[205]