Canto XXVII
CANTO XXVII
As the sun sets, the angel of chastity appears before the wall of fire to proclaim, “Blessed are the pure in heart,” and to bid the Wayfarers enter. Recalling those he has witnessed burned at the stake, Dante becomes deathly afraid at the prospect and clasps his garments to his body to protect them from the flames. Virgil reasons with him that the flames will torment but not kill, recalls the successful issue from the frightening experience with Geryon, promises that Dante will be unharmed, and has him test the flames on his sleeve—yet the Pilgrim remains obdurate. When, however, Virgil says that the only thing standing between him and Beatrice is the wall of fire, the Poet gathers strength to seek her, just as the dying Pyramus did to gaze upon Thisbe when he heard her name (1–45). Dante follows Virgil and Statius into the flames, only to find the fire burning so intensely that he would have thrown himself into molten glass for refreshment. Upon their emergence from the flames, a brilliant angel’s voice welcomes them with the words “Come, you blessed of my Father” and encourages them to hasten up while it is still light (46–63). When the sun has finally set, each of the three lies down upon a step to meditate, like sheep ruminating in the shade, and to pass the night, like a herdsmen keeping watch, though the Pilgrim soon drifts off to sleep (64–93). As the morning star is rising just before dawn, the Poet dreams of Leah, a symbol of the active life, gathering flowers and weaving a wreath, and of Rachel, a symbol of the contemplative life, beholding herself in a mirror. Then, as morning breaks, Dante awakens (94–114). Virgil now promises him the stilling of his hunger, which only increases his desire and quickens his flight. When the Pilgrim has reached the topmost stair, his Master leaves him to his purified will and, as his last words, crowns and miters the Poet lord of himself (115–142).
1 As when the first of darting rays prevails[462]
Upon the place its Maker’s blood was shed,
While Ebro falls beneath the lofty Scales
4 And waves are scorched by noon in Ganges’ bed,
So stood the sun; and thus the day now sank
As God’s glad angel first appeared ahead.
7 He stood outside the flames upon the bank;
“Beati mundo corde,” sang his tongue,[463]
His voice more clear than those of human rank.
10 “You can’t go on unless the fire has stung
You, holy souls; so, enter into it,
And don’t be deaf, beyond, to verses sung,”
13 He said to us as we drew near a bit.
But as I heard him speaking, I became
Like one who has been laid within the pit.[464]
16 And over clasping hands I bent my frame
To watch the fire, conceiving vividly
The human bodies I have seen aflame.
19 My two good Escorts turned themselves to me;
“O son of mine,” asserted Virgil, “here
There is no death, though torment there may be.
22 Remember! If I led you at the rear
Of Geryon’s broad shoulders, safely hauled,
What shall I do when God is much more near?
25 If in this flaming paunch you were enthralled
A thousand years, you surely may believe
It would not make you by a hair more bald.
28 And if perhaps you think that I deceive
Your mind, draw near, and try it with your hand
Upon the border of your garment’s sleeve.
31 Now put away your fear, and keep it banned;
Turn hither, come, securely enter this!”
But firm, against my conscience, was my stand.
34 To see me fixed and stubbornly remiss
Perplexed him some; “Look here, my son,” he said,
“This wall is keeping you from Beatrice.”
37 And as at Thisbe’s name, when nearly dead,
Young Pyramus had opened his eyes wide[465]
And looked at her, while berries turned to red,
40 So was my stubbornness made soft inside;
I heard the name that wells up ever mild
Within my mind and turned to my wise Guide,
43 Who shook his head and said as to a child
Won by an apple: “Come now, is it true
We wish to stay here?”; and at that he smiled.
46 And in the fire ahead of me he flew,
Then after me asked Statius to pass,
Who for some way had gone between us two.
49 I would have thrown myself in molten glass,
When once inside, for its refreshing cold—
For so past measure was that burning mass!
52 To comfort me, my gentle Father told
Of Beatrice, discoursing as he went:
“Her eyes I seem already to behold.”
55 And guiding us ahead, a voice gave vent
To song beyond; attentive to its air,
We issued forth to start a new ascent.
58 “Venite, benedicti” sounded there
With “Patris mei” from a light so white[466]
I could not watch it, vanquished by its glare.
61 “The sun is sinking; soon there comes the night,”
It added; “do not stop, but speed your pace
Before the west extinguishes its light.”
64 The pathway cut straight up a rocky space
At such an angle that I blocked the ray
Before me from the sun, now low in place.[467]
67 The Wise and I—when we had made essay
Of but few steps—all felt the sun had set
Behind us, for my shadow died away.
70 Before the vast horizon could beget
Within its every part a single hue,
The night not holding its dominions yet,
73 Each made his bed upon a step as due,
Because the nature of the mount made weak
Both our desire to climb and power too.
76 As goats, first swift and wanton on the peak
Before they pasture on a grassy plot,
Become, while ruminating, still and meek
79 Beneath the shade while yet the sun is hot,
All guarded by a shepherd who nearby
Leans on his staff and tends their resting spot;
82 And as the herdsman beds beneath the sky
To pass the night beside his quiet flock
And watch lest, scattered by a beast, they fly,
85 So were the three of us, each on his block:
I was a goat, they herdsmen, on a site
Hemmed in on either side by lofty rock.
88 Not much appeared outside beyond that height,
But through that bit I peeked at star on star,
And all, more than their wont, were big and bright.
91 While ruminating, watching them afar,
I fell asleep; and sleep will often view
The news of the events before they are.
94 About the hour that Cytherea, who[468]
Seems ever burning with love’s flame, first gleamed
On mountains from the east, I dreamt anew
97 And saw a lady, young and fair, it seemed,
Who wandered through a meadow to and fro
To gather flowers, as her singing streamed:
100 “If any ask my name, then let them know
That I am Leah; as I go my way,[469]
I move fair hands to weave a wreath and so
103 Find pleasure at my glass with this array;
But from her mirror there will never rise
My sister, Rachel, sitting there all day.
106 She loves as much to see her lovely eyes
As for adornment with my hands I yearn;
Her joy in seeing, mine in working lies.”
109 The splendors that precede the dawn’s return
And gladden pilgrims all the more who see
That they, returning, nearer home sojourn,
112 Had made the dark from every quarter flee,
And sleep with it; and therefore I arose
As those great Masters had ahead of me.
115 “Sweet fruit, that which the care of mortals goes
To seek on many branches, will today
At last give peace to all your hunger’s throes.”
118 These were the words that Virgil chose to say;
And never once has any gift’s delight
Afforded me such pleasure as did they.
121 Desire upon desire to reach the height
Came up in me; at every step ahead
I felt my feathers growing for the flight.
124 When all the stair had passed beneath our tread,
And on the topmost step we stood in turn,
Then Virgil fixed his eyes on me and said:
127 “My son, you’ve seen eternal fires that burn
And now the temporal; you’ve reached that part[470]
Where, of myself, no more can I discern.
130 I’ve drawn you here with intellect and art;
But let your pleasure guide you onwards now,
For from the steep and narrow you depart.
133 Behold the sun that shines upon your brow,[471]
And see the tender grass, the blooms, the trees
That earth produces of itself; allow
136 Yourself to sit or wander round through these
Till lovely eyes arrive here happily,[472]
Whose weeping made me come to you. But please,
139 Expect no further word or sign from me;
For not to do your will would lead askew
Because it now is upright, whole, and free;
142 Lord of yourself I crown and miter you!”