Therefore, while acknowledging the accuracy with which Mr. Longfellow has kept pace with his original through line after line, following the "footing of its feet," according to the motto quoted on his title-page, I cannot but think that his accuracy would have been of a somewhat higher kind if he had now and then allowed himself a little more liberty of choice between English and Romanic words and idioms. A few examples will perhaps serve to strengthen as well as to elucidate still further this position. "Inferno," Canto III., line 22, according to Longfellow:-- "There sighs, complaints, and ululations loud Resounded through the air without a star, Whence I at the beginning wept thereat." According to Cary:-- "Here sighs, with lamentations and loud moans Resounded through the air pierced by no star, That e'en I wept at entering." According to Parsons:-- "Mid sighs, laments, and hollow howls of woe, Which, loud resounding through the starless air, Forced tears of pity from mine eyes at first." [42] [42] "Quivi sospiri, pianti ed alti guai Risonavan per l' ner senza stelle, Perch' io al cominciar ne lagrimai." Canto V., line 84:-- LONGFELLOW.--"Fly through the air by their volition borne." CARY.--"Cleave the air, wafted by their will along." PARSONS.--"Sped ever onward by their wish alone." [43] [43] "Volan per l' aer dal voler portate." Canto XVII., line 42:-- LONGFELLOW.--"That he concede to us his stalwart shoulders." CARY--"That to us he may vouchsafe The aid of his strong shoulders." PARSONS.--"And ask for us his shoulders' strong support." [44] [44] "Che ne conceda i suoi omeri forti." Canto XVII., line 25:-- LONGFELLOW.-- "His tail was wholly quivering in the void, Contorting upwards the envenomed fork That in the guise of scorpion armed its point." CARY.-- "In the void Glancing, his tail upturned its venomous fork, With sting like scorpions armed." PARSONS.--"In the void chasm his trembling tail he showed, As up the envenomed, forked point he swung, Which, as in scorpions, armed its tapering end." [45] [45] "Nel vano tutta sue coda guizzava, Torcendo in su la venenosa forca, Che, a guisa di scorpion, la punta armava." Canto V., line 51:-- LONGFELLOW.--"People whom the black air so castigates. CARY.--"By the black air so scourged." [46] [46] "Genti che l' aura nera si gastiga." Line 136:-- LONGFELLOW.--"Kissed me upon the mouth all palpitating." CARY.--"My lips all trembling kissed." [47] [47] "La bocca mi bacio tutto tremante." "Purgatorio," Canto XV., line 139:-- LONGFELLOW.-- "We passed along, athwart the twilight peering Forward as far as ever eye could stretch Against the sunbeams serotine and lucent." [48]