Dante. An essay. To which is added a translation of De Monarchia.
Dante Alighieri · en
intolerant of evil, but not sceptical or callous; yet with the
impressions and memories of a very different scene from his old
day-dreams.
[Footnote 67: Vincendo me col lume d'un sorriso.--_Parad._ 18.]
[Footnote 68: For instance, his feeling of distress at gazing at the
blind, who were not aware of his presence--
A me pareva andando fare oltraggio
Vedendo altrui, non essendo veduto:--_Purg._ 13.
and of shame, at being tempted to listen to a quarrel between two lost
spirits:
Ad ascoltarli er'io del tutto fisso,
Quando 'l Maestro mi disse: or pur mira,
Che per poco è, che teco non mi risso.
Quando io 'l senti' a me parlar con ira
Volsimi verso lui con tal vergogna,
Ch'ancor per la memoria mi si gira, &c.--_Inf._ 30.
and the burst,
O dignitosa coscienza e netta,
Come t'è picciol fallo amaro morso.--_Purg._ 3.]
[Footnote 69: _Parad._ 5.]
[Footnote 70: _Purg._ 24.]
[Footnote 71: _Parad._ 25.]
After that it was the pleasure of the citizens of that
fairest and most famous daughter of Rome, Florence, to cast
me forth from her most sweet bosom (wherein I had been
nourished up to the maturity of my life, and in which, with
all peace to her, I long with all my heart to rest my weary
soul, and finish the time which is given me), I have passed
through almost all the regions to which this language
reaches, a wanderer, almost a beggar, displaying, against my
will, the stroke of fortune, which is ofttimes unjustly wont
to be imputed to the person stricken. Truly, I have been a
ship without a sail or helm, carried to divers harbours, and
gulfs, and shores, by that parching wind which sad poverty
breathes; and I have seemed vile in the eyes of many, who
perchance, from some fame, had imagined of me in another
form; in the sight of whom not only did my presence become
nought, but every work of mine less prized, both what had
been and what was to be wrought.--_Convito_, Tr. i. c. 3.