Afterthegraciousandgladsalutations
Hadthreeandfourtimesbeenreiterated,
Sordellobackwarddrewandsaid, "Whoareyou?"
"Orevertothismountainweredirected
ThesoulsdeservingtoascendtoGod,
MyboneswereburiedbyOctavian.
IamVirgilius; andfornocrimeelse
DidIloseheaven, thanfornothavingfaith;"
InthiswisethenmyLeadermadereply.
Asonewhosuddenlybeforehimsees
Somethingwhereathemarvels, whobelieves
Andyetdoesnot, saying, "Itis! itisnot!"
Soheappeared; andthenboweddownhisbrow,
Dantelooksuponthenegligentrulers
Andwithhumilityreturnedtowardshim,
And, whereinferiorsembrace, embracedhim.
"OgloryoftheLatians, thou," hesaid,
"Throughwhomourlanguageshowedwhatitcoulddo
OprideeternaloftheplaceIcamefrom,
Whatmeritorwhatgracetomerevealsthee?
IfItohearthywordsbeworthy, tellme
IfthoudostcomefromHell, andfromwhatcloister."
"Throughallthecirclesofthedolefulrealm,"
Respondedhe, "haveIcomehitherward;
Heaven'spowerimpelledme, andwiththatIcome.
Ibynotdoing, notbydoing, lost
Thesightofthathighsunwhichthoudesirest,
Andwhichtoolatebymewasrecognized.
Aplacethereisbelownotsadwithtorments,
Butdarknessonly, wherethelamentations
Havenotthesoundofwailing, butaresighs.
TheredwellIwiththelittleinnocents
SnatchedbytheteethofDeath, oreverthey
Werefromourhumansinfulnessexempt.
TheredwellIamongthosewhothethreesaintly
Virtuesdidnotputon, andwithoutvice
Theothersknewandfollowedallofthem.
Butifthouknowandcan, someindication
Giveusbywhichwemaythesoonercome
WherePurgatoryhasitsrightbeginning."
