Anduntodismalruinseemsordained."
TheGluttonsbeforethestrangetree
"Nowgo," hesaid, "forhimmostguiltyofit
Atabeast'stailbeholdIdraggedalong
Towardsthevalleywhereisnorepentance.
Fasterateverystepthebeastisgoing,
Increasingevermoreuntilitsmiteshim,
Andleavesthebodyvilelymutilated.
Notlongthosewheelsshallturn," andheuplifted
Hiseyestoheaven, "ereshallbecleartothee
Thatwhichmyspeechnofarthercandeclare.
Nowstaybehind; becausethetimesoprecious
Isinthiskingdom, thatIlosetoomuch
Bycomingonwardthusabreastwiththee."
Assometimesissuesforthuponagallop
Acavalierfromoutatroopthatride,
Andseeksthehonourofthefirstencounter,
Sohewithgreaterstridesdepartedfromus;
AndontheroadremainedIwiththosetwo,
Whoweresuchmightymarshalsoftheworld.
Andwhenbeforeushehadgonesofar
Mineeyesbecametohimsuchpursuivants
Aswasmyunderstandingtohiswords,
Appearedtomewithladenandlivingboughs
Anotherapple-tree, andnotfardistant,
Fromhavingbutjustthenturnedthitherward.
PeopleIsawbeneathitlifttheirhands,
AndcryIknownotwhattowardstheleaves,
Likelittlechildreneageranddeluded,
Whopray, andhetheypraytodothnotanswer,
But, tomakeverykeentheirappetite,
Holdstheirdesirealoft, andhidesitnot.
Thentheydepartedasifundeceived;
Andnowwecameuntothemightytree
Whichprayersandtearssomanifoldrefuses.
"Passfartheronwardwithoutdrawingnear;
ThetreeofwhichEveateishigherup,
Andoutofthatonehasthistreebeenraised."
ThussaidIknownotwhoamongthebranches;
WhereatVirgilius, Statius, andmyself
