So much more dear and pleasing is to God By far more modest in its women is Than the Barbagia I have left her in. O brother sweet, what wilt thou have me say? To which this hour will not be very old, To the unblushing womankind of Florence Το go about displaying breast and paps. What savages were e'er, what Saracens, Who stood in need, to make them covered Of spiritual or other discipline? But if the shameless women were assured go, Of what swift Heaven prepares for them, already Wide open would they have their mouths to howl; For if my foresight here deceive me not, They shall be sad ere he has bearded cheeks O brother, now no longer hide thee from me; Are gazing there, where thou dost veil the sun.' 110 Whence I to him: "If thou bring back to mind What thou with me hast been and I with thee, In front of me, two days agone when round Night of the truly dead has this one led me, Thence his encouragements have led me up, Ascending and still circling round the mount 115 120 125 That you doth straighten, whom the world made He says that he will bear me company, [crooked. Till I shall be where Beatrice will be; There it behoves me to remain without him. This is Virgilius, who thus says to me," And him I pointed at; "the other is That shade for whom just now shook every slope Your realm, that from itself discharges him." 130 CANTO XXIV. NOR speech the going, nor the going that Slackened; but talking we went bravely on, And I, continuing my colloquy, Said: "Peradventure he goes up more slowly Than he would do, for other people's sake. But tell me, if thou knowest, where is Piccarda; Tell me if any one of note I see Among this folk that gazes at me so." "My sister, who, 'twixt beautiful and good, I know not which was more, triumphs rejoicing So said he first, and then: "'T is not forbidden To name each other here, so milked away Is our resemblance by our dieting. 5 10 15 This," pointing with his finger, "is Buonagiunta, Beyond him there, more peaked than the others, Has held the holy Church within his arms; From Tours was he, and purges by his fasting Bolsena's eels and the Vernaccia wine." He named me many others one by one; And all contented seemed at being named, So that for this I saw not one dark look. I saw for hunger bite the empty air Ubaldin dalla Pila, and Boniface, 20 25 Who with his crook had pastured many people. 30 I saw Messer Marchese, who had leisure. Once at Forlì for drinking with less dryness, He murmured, and I know not what Gentucca "O soul," I said, "that seemest so desirous To speak with me, do so that I may hear thee, 35 40 "A maid is born, and wears not yet the veil," If by my murmuring thou hast been deceived, Evoked the new-invented rhymes, beginning, Love doth inspire me, note, and in that measure "O brother, now I see," he said, "the knot I do perceive full clearly how your pens Go closely following after him who dictates, And he who sets himself to go beyond, No difference sees from one style to another"; Even as the birds, that winter tow'rds the Nile, 45 50 55 60 65 |