"Then suddenly I seem'd By an ecstatic vision wrapt away: And in a temple saw, methought, a crowd Of many persons; and at the entrance stood A dame, whose sweet demeanor did express Another's love, who said, 'Child! why hast thou Dealt with us thus? Behold thy sire and I Sorrowing have sought thee;' and so held her peace; And straight the vision fled. A female next Appear'd before me, down whose visage coursed Those waters, that grief forces out from one By deep resentment stung who seem'd to say: 'If thou, Pisistratus, be lord indeed Over this city, named with such debate Of adverse gods, and whence each science sparkles, Avenge thee of those arms, whose bold embrace Hath clasp'd our daughter;' and to her, me seem'd, Benigh and meek, with visage undisturb'd, Her sovereign spake: 'How shall we those requite Who wish us evil, if we thus condemn The man that loves us?' After that I saw A multitude, in fury burning, slay With stones a stripling youth, and shout amain 'Destroy, destroy'; and him I saw, who bow'd Heavy with death unto the ground, yet made His eyes, unfolded upward, gates to heaven, Praying forgiveness of the Almighty Sire, Amidst that cruel conflict, on his foes, With looks that win compassion to their aim." (Canto, XV, 84.) The wrathful are punished by being enveloped in a dense pungent smoke, emblematic of the stifling caused by angry passions. "Darkness of hell, and of a night deprived Of every planet under a poor sky, As much as may be tenebrous with cloud, Ne'er made unto my sight so thick a veil, As did that smoke which there enveloped us, Nor to the feeling of so rough a texture; For not an eye it suffered to stay open; Whereat mine escort, faithful and sagacious, Drew near to me and offered me his shoulder. E'en as a blind man goes behind his guide, Lest he should wander, or should strike against Aught that may harm or peradventure kill him, So went I through the bitter and foul air, Listening unto my Leader, who said only, 'Look that from me thou be not separated.' Voices I heard, and every one appeared To supplicate for peace and misericord The Lamb of God who takes away our sins. Still _Agnus Dei_ their exordium was; One word there was in all, and metre one, So that all harmony appeared among them. 'Master,' I said, 'are spirits those I hear?' And he to me: 'Thou apprehendest truly, And they the knot of anger go unloosing.'" (Canto, XVI, 1.) Soon after this our poet hears one of the spirits of the wrathful, discoursing on the degeneracy of human life and sees in a second series of visions, historic instances of wrath and its punishment. He is awakened from his trance by the shining light and the glad summons of the Angel of meekness, who is at the stair leading to the next terrace.