The New Life (La Vita Nuova) — Dante Alighieri — John Shaqi
The New Life (La Vita Nuova)
Dante Alighieri · en
And at the first, it seemed to me that I saw certain faces of women
with their hair loosened, which called out to me, “Thou shalt surely
die;” after the which, other terrible and unknown appearances said
unto me, “Thou art dead.” At length, as my phantasy held on in its
wanderings, I came to be I knew not where, and to behold a throng of
dishevelled ladies wonderfully sad, who kept going hither and thither
weeping. Then the sun went out, so that the stars showed themselves,
and they were of such a colour that I knew they must be weeping:
and it seemed to me that the birds fell dead out of the sky, and
that there were great earthquakes. With that, while I wondered in
my trance, and was filled with a grievous fear, I conceived that a
certain friend came unto me and said: “Hast thou not heard? She that
was thine excellent lady hath been taken out of life.” Then I began to
weep very piteously; and not only in mine imagination, but with mine
eyes, which were wet with tears. And I seemed to look towards Heaven,
and to behold a multitude of angels who were returning upwards, having
before them an exceedingly white cloud: and these angels were singing
together gloriously, and the words of their song were these: “_Osanna
in excelsis_;” and there was no more that I heard. Then my heart that
was so full of love said unto me: “It is true that our lady lieth
dead;” and it seemed to me that I went to look upon the body wherein
that blessed and most noble spirit had had its abiding-place. And so
strong was this idle imagining, that it made me to behold my lady in
death; whose head certain ladies seemed to be covering with a white
veil; and who was so humble of her aspect that it was as though she
had said, “I have attained to look on the beginning of peace.” And
therewithal I came unto such humility by the sight of her, that I cried
out upon Death, saying: “Now come unto me, and be not bitter against
me any longer: surely, there where thou hast been, thou hast learned
gentleness. Wherefore come now unto me who do greatly desire thee:
seest thou not that I wear thy colour already?” And when I had seen
all those offices performed that are fitting to be done unto the dead,
it seemed to me that I went back unto mine own chamber, and looked up
towards Heaven. And so strong was my phantasy, that I wept again in
very truth, and said with my true voice: “O excellent soul! how blessed
is he that now looketh upon thee!”