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Purgatory Canto 21

Canto XXI
Argument

The two Poets are overtaken by the spirit of Statius, who, being cleansed, is on his way to Paradise, and who explains the cause of the mountain shaking, and of the hymn; his joy at beholding Virgil.

The natural thirst, ne'er quench'd but from the well Wher the woman of Samaria craved, Excited; haste, along the cumber'd path, After my guide, impell'd; and pity moved My bosom for the 'vengeful doom though just.
When lo! even as Luke relates, that Christ Appear'd unto the two upon their way, New - risen from His vaulted grave; to us A shade appear'd, and after us approach'd, Contemplating the crowd beneath its feet.
We were not ware of it; so first it spake, Saying, "God give you peace, my brethren!" then Sudden we turn'd: and Virgil such salute, As fitted that kind greeting, gave; and cried:
"Peace in the blessed council be thy lot, Awarded by that righteous court which me To everlasting banishment exiles."

[1: "The well. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not." - John, iv. 15.]

[2:
\"Luke." Chapter xxiv. 13.]

\"How!" he exclaim'd, nor from his speed meanwhile Desisting; "If that ye be spirits whom God Vouchsafes not room above; who up the height Has been thus far your guide?" To whom the bard:
"If thou observe the tokens, which this man, Traced by the finger of the Angel, bears;
'Tis plain that in the kingdom of the just He needs must share. But sithence she, whose wheel Spins day and night, for him not yet had drawn That yarn, which on the fatal distaff piled, Clotho apportions to each wight that breathes;
His soul, that sister is to mine and thine, Not of herself could mount; for not like ours

[3: "The tokens." The letter P for Peccata, sins, inscribed upon his forehead by the Angel, in order to his being cleared of them in his passage through Purgatory to Paradise.]

[4:
\"She." Lachesis, one of the three fates.]

Her ken: whence I, from forth the ample gulf Of Hell, was ta'en, to lead him, and will lead Far as my lore avails. But, if thou know, Instruct us for what cause, the mount erewhile Thus shook, and trembled: wherefore all at once Seem'd shouting, even from his wave - wash'd foot."

That questioning so tallied with my wish, The thirst did feel abatement of its edge E'en from expectance. He forthwith replied:
"In its devotion, nought irregular This mount can witness, or by punctual rule Unsanction'd; here from every change exempt, Other than that, which Heaven in itself Doth of itself receive, no influence Can reach us. Tempest none, shower, hail, or snow, Hoar frost, or dewy moistness, higher falls Than that brief scale of threefold steps: thick clouds, Nor scudding rack, are ever seen: swift glance Ne'er lightens; nor Thaumantian Iris gleams, That yonder often shifts on each side Heaven.
Vapour adust doth never mount above The highest of the trinal stairs, whereon Peter's vicegerent stands. Lower perchance, With various motion rock'd, trembles the soil: But here, through wind in earth's deep hollow pent, I know not how, yet never trembled: then Trembles, when any spirit feels itself So purified, that it may rise, or move For rising; and such loud acclaim ensues.
Purification, by the will alone, Is proved, that free to change society Seizes the soul rejoicing in her will.
Desire of bliss is present from the first;
But strong propension hinders, to that wish By the just ordinance of Heaven opposed;
Propension now as eager to fulfill The allotted torment, as erewhile to sin.
And I, who in this punishment had lain Five hundred years and more, but now have felt Free wish for happier clime. Therefore thou felt'st The mountain tremble; and the spirits devout Heard'st, over all his limits, utter praise To that liege Lord, whom I entreat their joy To hasten." Thus he spake: and, since the draught Is grateful ever as the thirst is keen, No words may speak my fullness of content.

"Now," said the instructor sage, "I see the net That takes ye here; and how the toils are loosed;
Why rocks the mountain, and why ye rejoice.
Vouchsafe, that from thy lips I next may learn Who on the earth thou wast; and wherefore here, So many an age, wert prostrate.
" - "In that time, When the good Titus, with Heaven's King to help, Avenged those piteous gashes, whence the blood By Judas sold did issue; with the name Most lasting and most honor'd, there, was I Abundantly renown'd," the shade replied,
"Nor yet with faith endued. So passing sweet My vocal spirit; from Tolosa, Rome To herself drew me, where I merited A myrtle garland to inwreathe my brow.
Statius they name me still. Of Thebes I sang, And next of great Achilles; but i' the way Fell with the second burden. Of my flame Those sparkles were the seeds, which I derived From the bright fountain of celestial fire That feeds unnumber'd lamps; the song I mean Which sounds Aeneas' wanderings: that the breast I hung at; that the nurse, from whom my veins Drank inspiration: whose authority Was ever sacred with me. To have lived Coeval with the Mantuan, I would bide The revolution of another sun Beyond my stated years in banishment."

[5: "When the good Titus." When it was so ordered by the divine Providence that Titus, by the destruction of Jerusalem, should avenge the death of our Saviour on the Jews.]

[6:
\"The name." The name of Poet.]

The Mantuan, when he heard him, turn'd to me;
And holding silence, by his countenance Enjoin'd me silence: but the power, which wills,

Bears not supreme control: laughter and tears Follow so closely on the passion prompts them, They wait not for the motions of the will In natures most sincere. I did but smile, As one who winks; and thereupon the shade Broke off, and peer'd into mine eyes, where best Our looks interpret. "So to good event Mayst thou conduct such great emprise," he cried,
"Say, why across thy visage beam'd, but now, The lightning of a smile." On either part Now am I straiten'd; one conjures me speak, The other to silence binds me: whence a sigh I utter, and the sigh is heard. "Speak on,"
The teacher cried: "and do not fear to speak;
But tell him what so earnestly he asks."
Whereon I thus: "Perchance, O ancient spirit!
Thou marvel'st at my smiling. There is room For yet more wonder. He, who guides my ken On high, he is that Mantuan, led by whom Thou didst presume of men and gods to sing.
If other cause thou deem'dst for which I smiled, Leave it as not the true one: and believe Those words, thou spakest of him, indeed the cause."

Now down he bent to embrace my teacher's feet;
But he forbade him: "Brother! do it not: Thou art a shadow, and behold'st a shade."
He, rising, answer'd thus: "Now hast thou proved The force and ardour of the love I bear thee, When I forget we are but things of air, And, as a substance, treat an empty shade."
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