It was the close of day;[183] the twilight brown All living things on earth was setting free From toil, while I preparing was alone[184] To face the battle which awaited me, As well of ruth as of the perilous quest, Now to be limned by faultless memory. Help, lofty genius! Muses,[185] manifest Goodwill to me! Recording what befell, Do thou, O mind, now show thee at thy best! I thus began: 'Poet, and Guide as well, 10 Ere trusting me on this adventure wide, Judge if my strength of it be capable. Thou say'st that Silvius' father,[186] ere he died, Still mortal to the world immortal went, There in the body some time to abide. Yet that the Foe of evil was content That he should come, seeing what high effect, And who and what should from him claim descent, No room for doubt can thoughtful man detect: For he of noble Rome, and of her sway 20 Imperial, in high Heaven grew sire elect. And both of these,[187] the very truth to say, Were founded for the holy seat, whereon The Greater Peter's follower sits to-day. Upon this journey, praised by thee, were known And heard things by him, to the which he owed His triumph, whence derives the Papal gown.[188] That path the Chosen Vessel[189] later trod So of the faith assurance to receive, Which is beginning of salvation's road. 30 But why should I go? Who will sanction give? For I am no Æneas and no Paul; Me worthy of it no one can believe, Nor I myself. Hence venturing at thy call, I dread the journey may prove rash. But vain For me to reason; wise, thou know'st it all.' Like one no more for what he wished for fain, Whose purpose shares mutation with his thought Till from the thing begun he turns again; On that dim slope so grew I all distraught, 40 Because, by brooding on it, the design I shrank from, which before I warmly sought. 'If well I understand these words of thine,' The shade of him magnanimous made reply, 'Thy soul 'neath cowardice hath sunk supine, Which a man often is so burdened by, It makes him falter from a noble aim, As beasts at objects ill-distinguished shy. To loose thee from this terror, why I came, And what the speech I heard, I will relate, 50 When first of all I pitied thee. A dame[190] Hailed me where I 'mongst those in dubious state[191] Had my abode: so blest was she and fair, Her to command me I petitioned straight. Her eyes were shining brighter than the star;[192] And she began to say in accents sweet And tuneable as angel's voices are: "O Mantuan Shade, in courtesy complete, Whose fame survives on earth, nor less shall grow Through all the ages, while the world hath seat; 60 A friend of mine, with fortune for his foe,