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Purgatorio XXX. 1333, 8599, XXXI. 1321. EVEN as the Blessed, at the final summons, | |
Shall rise up quickened, each one from his grave, | |
Wearing again the garments of the flesh, | |
So, upon that celestial chariot, | |
A hundred rose ad vocem tanti senis, | 5 |
Ministers and messengers of life eternal. | |
They all were saying, Benedictus quivenis, | |
And scattering flowers above and round about, | |
Manibus o date lilia plenis. | |
Oft have I seen, at the approach of day, | 10 |
The orient sky all stained with roseate hues, | |
And the other heaven with light serene adorned, | |
And the suns face uprising, overshadowed, | |
So that, by temperate influence of vapors, | |
The eye sustained his aspect for long while; | 15 |
Thus in the bosom of a cloud of flowers, | |
Which from those hands angelic were thrown up, | |
And down descended inside and without, | |
With crown of olive oer a snow-white veil, | |
Appeared a lady, under a green mantle, | 20 |
Vested in colors of the living flame. * * * * * | |
Even as the snow, among the living rafters | |
Upon the back of Italy, congeals, | |
Blown on and beaten by Sclavonian winds, | |
And then, dissolving, filters through itself, | 25 |
Wheneer the land, that loses shadow, breathes, | |
Like as a taper melts before a fire, | |
Even such I was, without a sigh or tear, | |
Before the song of those who chime forever | |
After the chiming of the eternal spheres; | 30 |
But, when I heard in those sweet melodies | |
Compassion for me, more than had they said, | |
Oh wherefore, lady, dost thou thus consume him? | |
The ice, that was about my heart congealed, | |
To air and water changed, and, in my anguish, | 35 |
Through lips and eyes came gushing from my breast. * * * * * | |
Confusion and dismay, together mingled, | |
Forced such a feeble Yes! out of my mouth, | |
To understand it one had need of sight. | |
Even as a cross-bow breaks, whent is discharged, | 40 |
Too tensely drawn the bow-string and the bow, | |
And with less force the arrow hits the mark; | |
So I gave way beneath this heavy burden, | |
Gushing forth into bitter tears and sighs, | |
And the voice, fainting, flagged upon its passage. | 45 |
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