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And lo!
my further course a stream cut off,
Which tow'rd the left hand with its little waves
Bent down the grass that on its margin grew.
All waters that on earth most limpid are

Would seem to have within themselves some

mixture

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Compared with that which nothing doth conceal, Although it moves on with a brown, brown current Under the shade perpetual, that never

Ray of the sun lets in, nor of the moon.

With feet I stayed, and with mine eyes I passed
Beyond the rivulet, to look upon
The great variety of the fresh may.
And there appeared to me (even as appears
Suddenly something that doth turn aside
Through very wonder every other thought)
A lady all alone, who went along

Singing and culling floweret after floweret,
With which her pathway was all painted over.

"Ah, beauteous lady, who in rays of love

Dost warm thyself, if I may trust to looks,

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Which the heart's witnesses are wont to be, 45

May the desire come unto thee to draw

Near to this river's bank," I said to her,

"So much that I may hear what thou art singing.

Thou makest me remember where and what

Proserpina that moment was when lost.
Her mother her, and she herself the Spring."
As turns herself, with feet together pressed
And to the ground, a lady who is dancing,
And hardly puts one foot before the other,

Line 27. Bent down the grass that on its margin sprang.

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On the vermilion and the yellow flowerets
She turned towards me, not in other wise
Than maiden who her modest eyes casts down;
And my entreaties made to be content,

So near approaching, that the dulcet sound
Came unto me together with its meaning.
As soon as she was where the grasses are
Bathed by the waters of the beauteous river,
To lift her eyes she granted me the boon.
I do not think there shone so great a light
Under the lids of Venus, when transfixed
By her own son, beyond his usual custom!
Erect upon the other bank she smiled,

Bearing full many colors in her hands,
Which that high land produces without seed.
Apart three paces did the river make us ;

But Hellespont, where Xerxes passed across, (A curb still to all human arrogance,)

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More hatred from Leander did not suffer
For rolling between Sestos and Abydos,
Than that from me, because it oped not then. 75
"Ye are new-comers; and because I smile,"

Began she, "peradventure, in this place
Elect to human nature for its nest,

Some apprehension keeps you marvelling;
But the psalm Delectasti giveth light

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Which has the power to uncloud your intellect. And thou who foremost art, and didst entreat me, Speak, if thou wouldst hear more; for I came

ready

To all thy questionings, as far as needful."
The water," said I, " and the forest's sound,
Are combating within me my new faith

In something which I heard opposed to this." Whence she: "I will relate how from its cause

Proceedeth that which maketh thee to wonder, And purge away the cloud that smites upon thee.

The Good Supreme, sole in itself delighting,

Created man good, and this goodly place
Gave him as hansel of eternal peace.

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By his default short while he sojourned here;
By his default to weeping and to toil
He changed his innocent laughter and sweet play.
That the disturbance which below is made

By exhalations of the land and water,
(Which far as may be follow after heat,)
Might not upon mankind wage any war,

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This mount ascended tow'rds the heaven so high, And is exempt, from there where it is locked. Now since the universal atmosphere

Turns in a circuit with the primal motion
Unless the circle is broken on some side,

Upon this height, that all is disengaged
In living ether, doth this motion strike

And make the forest sound, for it is dense;
And so much power the stricken plant possesses
That with its virtue it impregns the air,
And this, revolving, scatters it around;
And yonder earth, according as 't is worthy
In self or in its clime, conceives and bears
Of diverse qualities the diverse trees;
It should not seem a marvel then on earth,
This being heard, whenever any plant
Without seed manifest there taketh root.
And thou must know, this holy table-land

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In which thou art is full of every seed,

And fruit hath in it never gathered there.
The water which thou seest springs not from vein
Restored by vapor that the cold condenses,
Like to a stream that gains or loses breath;
But issues from a fountain safe and certain,
Which by the will of God as much regains
As it discharges, open on two sides.

Upon this side with virtue it descends,
Which takes away all memory of sin;
On that, of every good deed done restores it.
Here Lethe, as upon the other side

Eunoë, it is called; and worketh not
If first on either side it be not tasted.
This every other savor doth transcend;

And notwithstanding slaked so far may be Thy thirst, that I reveal to thee no more, I'll give thee a corollary still in grace,

Nor think my speech will be to thee less dear If it spread out beyond my promise to thee. Those who in ancient times have feigned in song The Age of Gold and its felicity,

fruit ;

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Dreamed of this place perhaps upon Parnassus. Here was the human race in innocence; Here evermore was Spring, and every This is the nectar of which each one speaks." Then backward did I turn me wholly round

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Unto my Poets, and saw that with a smile. They had been listening to these closing words ; Then to the beautiful lady turned mine eyes.

Line 120. And fruit has in it never gathered there.

CANTO XXIX.

Singing like unto an enamored lady

She, with the ending of her words, continued: "Beati quorum tecta sunt peccata." And even as Nymphs, that wandered all alone Among the sylvan shadows, sedulous One to avoid and one to see the sun,

She then against the stream moved onward, going Along the bank, and I abreast of her,

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Her little steps with little steps attending. Between her steps and mine were not a hundred, 10 When equally the margins gave a turn, In such a way, that to the East I faced. Nor even thus our way continued far

Before the lady wholly turned herself

Unto me, saying, "Brother, look and listen!" 15 And lo! a sudden lustre ran across

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On every side athwart the spacious forest, Such that it made me doubt if it were lightning. But since the lightning ceases as it comes, And that continuing brightened more and more, Within my thought I said, "What thing is this?"

And a delicious melody there ran

Along the luminous air, whence holy zeal

Made me rebuke the hardihood of Eve; For there where earth and heaven obedient were, 25 The woman only, and but just created,

Could not endure to stay 'neath any veil; Underneath which had she devoutly stayed, I sooner should have tasted those delights Ineffable, and for a longer time.

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