DANTE'S SUBLIME COMEDY: PURGATORY, Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Introduction

The little ship of my intelligence

            furls sails, drops anchor, leaves the cruel sea.

            I stand upon the second kingdom’s beach                                          3

and now can sing of where each sinful soul

            is purified, made good by reaching up

            to paradise. O teach me, poetry!                                                        6

Be with me Calliope, holy muse

            of epic song who treats voices that sing

            of lesser things as if unpardonable                                                      9

magpie chattering! In Heaven’s clear height

            I saw sweet blueness deepening down to

            the horizon where that lover’s planet                                                 12

Venus gladdened my eyes, shining above

            the constellation of the fishes, now

            rising from the sea. To the right I saw                                                15

a galaxy unknown to living folk

            except the first, before they came to sin –

            four great stars, points of a brilliant cross.                                         18

Poor northern sky, to be without that sight!

            Looking away I saw beside me one

            lit by that starlight, bearded and white-haired,                                   21

his face so full of venerable might

            I wanted to adore him as his son.

            He demanded, “What are you that have fled                                      24

the eternal jail? What guide led, what lamp

            lit your path out? Has Heaven’s decree changed

to let damned souls free? Tell me by what right                                 27

you stand below my cliffs!” By word and hand

            my guide made me bow knee and head then said,

            “We have not come by our own will. Hear Why.                              30

When this man was in peril of his soul

            Heaven sent a lady, saying I should

            lead him through Hell up to the highest good.                                    33                   

He has seen the deeps. May I show him how

            sinners are purified upon the steeps

where you preside? Be kind to him. He seeks                                    36

the liberty that you in Utica

            perished to keep, shedding your coat of clay

            to proudly wear it on the Judgment Day.                                          39

Our journey breaks no law. This man still lives.

            Minos never judged him or me. I dwell

            in the virtuous ring of Hell, close to                                                   42

chaste Marcia, the wife who worships you.

            For her sake let us climb the blesséd stairs

            that lead to Heaven’s grace. When I return                                         45

to that place she will hear of your kindness.”

I saw this warden of Purgatory

            was Cato, Caesar’s honest foe, he who                                              48

stabbed himself, not to outlive the Roman

            Republic that he loved. Shaking his head

            he said, “Aye, Marcia delighted me.                                                   51

All kindness that she asked, I gave, but since

            she went beyond death’s river, Acheron,

            she cannot move me now. But you obey                                           54

Heaven’s commands so need not flatter me

            for I obey them too. Lead him you guide

            down to this island’s shore. Above the beach                                    57

reeds grow in soft mud. No leaf there hardens

            or dies. Pluck a reed. Tie it round his waist.

            Wash his face. No angel likes to see grime.                                       60

from Hell under an eye. Don’t come back here.

            The rising sun will show a better place

to start your climb. Goodbye.” He disappeared.                                63

I stood up when my leader said, “Dear child,

            this plain slopes seaward. Let’s do as he told.”

            A morning breeze fleeing before the dawn                                        66

came from the distant glitter of the sea.

            We crossed that lonely plain like wanderers

            seeking a path who fear they seek in vain.                                         69

The low sun’s level rays began to warm

            the turf we trod, when my guide paused beside

            a boulder’s shadow on a patch of grass                                              72

 still misted with pearls of dew. I halted,

            knowing what he would do. He stooped, wet hands,

            washed my face clean of crusts left by fearful,                                  75

pitiful tears, restoring how I looked

            before entering Hell. We reached the shore

            no living foot had ever touched before.                                             78

As instructed, here he pulled up a reed.

            While it was bound around my waist I saw

            a miracle – where that rush once stood                                              81

sprang up another, just as tall and good.