"Whoareyou? yewho, countertheblindriver,
Havefledawayfromtheeternalprison?"
Movingthosevenerableplumes, hesaid:
"Whoguidedyou? orwhohasbeenyourlamp
Inissuingforthoutofthenightprofound,
Thateverblackmakestheinfernalvalley?
Thelawsoftheabyss, aretheythusbroken?
Oristherechangedinheavensomecouncilnew,
Thatbeingdamnedyecomeuntomycrags?"
ThendidmyLeaderlayhisgraspuponme,
Andwithhiswords, andwithhishandsandsigns,
DanteandVirgilgazingatheavens
Reverenthemadeinmemykneesandbrow;
Thenansweredhim: "Icamenotofmyself;
ALadyfromHeavendescended, atwhoseprayers
Iaidedthisonewithmycompany.
Butsinceitisthywillmorebeunfolded
Ofourcondition, howittrulyis,
Minecannotbethatthisshouldbedeniedthee.
Thisonehasneverhislasteveningseen,
Butbyhisfollywassoneartoit
Thatverylittletimewastheretoturn.
AsIhavesaid, Iuntohimwassent
Torescuehim, andotherwaywasnone
ThanthistowhichIhavemyselfbetaken.
I'veshownhimallthepeopleofperdition,
AndnowthosespiritsIintendtoshow
Whopurgethemselvesbeneaththyguardianship.
HowIhavebroughthimwouldbelongtotellthee.
Virtuedescendethfromonhighthataidsme
Toleadhimtobeholdtheeandtohearthee.
Nowmayitpleasetheetovouchsafehiscoming;
HeseekethLiberty, whichissodear,
Asknowethhewholifeforherrefuses.
Thouknow'stit; since, forher, totheenotbitter
WasdeathinUtica, wherethoudidstleave
Thevesture, thatwillshineso, thegreatday.
Byustheeternaledictsarenotbroken;
Sincethisonelives, andMinosbindsnotme;
ButofthatcircleI, wherearethechaste
