Sixth Ledge: the Gluttonous. — Forese Donati. — Bonagiunta of Lucca — Pope Martin IV — Ubaldin dalla Pila. — Bonifazio. — Messer Marchese. — Prophecy of Bonagiunta concerning Gentucca, and of Forese concerning Corso de’ Donati. — Second Mystic Tree. — The Angel of the Pass.
Speech made not the going, nor the going made that more slow; but, talking, we went on apace even as a ship urged by good wind. And the shades, that seemed things doubly dead, through the pits of their eyes drew in wonder at me, perceiving that I was alive.
And I, continuing my discourse, said, “He1 goeth up perchance for another’s sake more slowly than he would do. But, tell me, if thou knowest, where is Piccarda2 tell me if I see person of note among this folk that so gazes at me.” “My sister, who, between fair and good, was I know not which the most, triumphs rejoicing in her crown already on high Olympus.” So he said first, and then, “Here it is not forbidden to name each other, since our semblance is so milked away by the diet.3 This,” and he pointed with his finger, “is Bonagiunta,4 Bonagiunta of Lucca; and that face beyond him, more sharpened than the others, had the Holy Church in his arms:5from Tours he was; and by fasting he purges the eels of Bolsena, and the Vernaccia wine.” Many others he named to me, one by one, and at their naming all appeared content; so that for this I saw not one dark mien. For hunger using their teeth on emptiness, I saw Ubaldin dalla Pila, and Boniface,6 who shepherded many people with his crook. I saw Messer Marchese, who once had leisure to drink at Forum with less thirst, and even so was such that he felt not sated. But as one does who looks, and then makes account more of one than of another, did I of him of Lucca, who seemed to have most cognizance of me. He was murmuring; and I know not what, save that I heard “Gentucca” there7 where he felt the chastisement of the justice which so strips them. “O soul,” said I, “who seemest so desirous to speak with me, do so that I may hear thee, and satisfy both thyself and me by thy speech.” “A woman is born, and wears not yet the veil,”8 he began, “who will make my city pleasant to thee, however men may blame it.9 Thou shalt go on with this prevision: if from my murmuring thou hast received error, the true things will yet clear it up for thee. But say, if I here see him, who drew forth the new rhymes, beginning, ‘Ladies who have intelligence of Love’?”10 And I to him, “I am one, who, when Love inspires me, notes, and in that measure which he dictates within, I go revealing.” “O brother, now I see,” said he, “the knot which held back the Notary,11 and Guittone,12 and me short of the sweet new style that I hear. I see clearly how your pens go on close following the dictator, which surely befell not with ours. And he who most sets himself to look further sees nothing more between one style and the other.” 13 And, as if contented, he was silent.
1Statius; more slowly, for the sake of remaining with Virgil.
2 The sister of Forese, whom Dante meets in Paradise (Canto III.).
3 Recognition by the looks being thus impossible.
4 Bonagiunta Urbiciani; he lived and wrote in the last half of the thirteenth century.
5 Martin IV., Pope from 1281 to 1284.
6 Archbishop of Ravenna.
7 Upon his lips.
8 Of a married woman.
9 This honorable and delightful reference to the otherwise unknown maiden, Gentucca of Lucca, has given occasion to much worthless and base comment. Dante was at Lucca during his exile, in 1314. He himself was one of those who blamed the city; see Hell, Canto XXI.
10 The first verse of the first canzone of The New Life.
11 The Sicilian poet, Jacopo da Lentino.
12 Guittone d’ Arezzo, commonly called Fra Guittone, as one of the order of the Frati Gaudenti. Dante refers to him again in Canto XXVI.
13 He who seeks for other reason does not find it.
As the birds that winter along the Nile sometimes make a flock in the air, then fly in greater haste, and go in file, so all the folk that were there, light both through leanness and through will, turning away their faces, quickened again their pace. And as the man who is weary of running lets his companions go on, and himself walks, until he vents the panting of his chest, so Forese let the holy flock pass on and came along behind, with me, saying, “When shall it be that I see thee again?” “I know not,” I replied to him, “how long I may live; but truly my return will not be so speedy, that I shall not in desire he sooner at the shore;1 because the place where I was set to live, denudes itself more of good from day to day, and seems ordained to wretched ruin.” “Now go,” said he, “for I see him who hath most fault for this2 dragged at the tail of a beast, toward the valley where there is no disculpation ever. The beast at every step goes faster, increasing always till it strikes him, and leaves his body vilely undone. Those wheels have not far to turn,” and he raised his eyes to heaven, “for that to become clear to thee which my speech cannot further declare. Now do thou stay behind, for time is so precious in this kingdom, that I lose too much coming thus at even pace with thee.”
1 Of Purgatory.
2 Corso de’ Donati, the leader of the Black Guelphs and chief cause of the evils of the city. On the 15th September, 1308, his enemies having risen against him, he was compelled to fly from Florence. Near the city he was thrown from his horse and dragged along, till he was overtaken and killed by his pursuers.
As a cavalier sometimes sets forth at a gallop from a troop which rides, and goes to win the honor of the first encounter, so he went away from us with greater strides; and I remained on the way with only those two who were such great marshals of the world.1 And when he had entered so far before us that my eyes became such followers on him as my mind was on his words,2 there appeared to me the laden and lusty branches of another apple-tree, and not far distant, because only then had I turned thitherward.3 I saw people beneath it raising their hands and crying, I know not what, toward the leaves, like eager and fond little children who pray, and he they pray to answers not, hut, to make their longing very keen, holds aloft their desire, and conceals it not. Then they departed as if undeceived:4 and now we came to the great tree that rejects so many prayers and tears. “Pass further onward, without drawing near; the tree5 is higher up which was eaten of by Eve, and this plant has been raised from that.” Thus among the branches I know not who was speaking; wherefore Virgil and Statius and I, drawing close together, went onward along the side that rises.6 “Be mindful,” the voice was saying, “of the accursed ones,7 formed in the clouds, who, when glutted, strove against Theseus with their double breasts; and of the Hebrews, who, at the drinking, showed themselves soft,8 wherefore Gideon wished them not for companions, when he went down the hills toward Midian.”
1 “A marshal is a ruler of the court and of the army under the emperor, and should know how to command what ought to be done, as those two poets knew what it was befitting to do in the world in respect to moral and civil life.” — Buti.
2 Could no longer follow him distinctly.
3 In the circling course around the mountain.
4 Having found vain the hope of reaching the fruit.
5 The tree of knowledge, in the Earthly Paradise: Canto XXXII.
6 On the inner side, by the wall of the mountain.
7 The centaurs.
8 Judges, vii. 4-7.
Thus keeping close to one of the two borders, we passed by, hearing of sins of gluttony followed, in sooth, by wretched gains. Then going at large along the lonely road, full a thousand steps and more had borne us onward, each of us in meditation without a word. “Why go ye thus in thought, ye three alone?” said a sudden voice; whereat I started as do terrified and timid beasts. I lifted up my head to see who it might be, and never were glass or metals seen so shining and ruddy in a furnace as one I saw who said, “If it please you to mount up, here must a turn be taken; this way he goes who wishes to go for peace.” His aspect had taken my sight from me, wherefore I turned me behind my teachers like one who goes according as he hears.1 And as, harbinger of the dawn, the breeze of May stirs and smells sweet, all impregnate with the herbage and with the flowers, such a wind I felt strike upon the middle of my forehead, and clearly felt the motion of the plumes which made mime perceive the odor of ambrosia. And I heard said, “Blessed are they whom so much grace illumines, that the love of taste inspires not in their breasts too great desire, hungering always so far as is just.”2
1 Blinded for the instant by the dazzling brightness of the angel,Dante drops behind his teachers, to follow them as one guided by hearing only.
2 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.” — Matthew, v.6.
Dante has already cited this Beatitude (Canto XXII.), applying it to those who are purging themselves from the inordinate desire for riches; he there omits the word “hunger,” as here he omits the “and thirst.”