The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (13 inch ebook reader .txt) 📕

away,1629
Will seem to thee no novel thing nor hard,
Seeing that even cities have an end.1630
All things of yours have their mortality,1631
Even as yourselves; but it is hidden in some
That a long while endure, and lives are short;1632
And as the turning of the lunar heaven
Covers and bares the shores without a pause,
In the like manner fortune does with Florence.
Therefore should not appear a marvellous thing
What I shall say of the great Florentines1633
Of whom the fame is hidden in the Past.
I saw the Ughi, saw the Catellini,
Filippi, Greci, Ormanni, and Alberichi,
Even in their fall illustrious citizens;
And saw, as mighty as they ancient were,
With him of La Sannella him of Arca,
And Soldanier, Ardinghi, and Bostichi.1634
Near to the gate that is at present laden
With a new felony of so much weight1635
That soon it shall be jetsam from the bark,
The Ravignani were, from whom descended
The County Guido, and whoe’er the name1636
Of the great Bellincione since hath taken.1637
He of La Pressa knew the art of ruling
Already, and already Galigajo
Had hilt and pommel gilded in his house.1638
Mighty already was the Column Vair,1639
Sacchetti, Giuochi, Fifant, and Barucci,
And Galli, and they who for the bushel blush.1640
The stock from which were the Calfucci born
Was great already, and already chosen
To curule chairs the Sizii and Arrigucci.
O how beheld I those who are undone1641
By their own pride! and how the Balls of Gold1642
Florence enflowered in all their mighty deeds!
So likewise did the ancestors of those1643
Who evermore, when vacant is your church,
Fatten by staying in consistory.
The insolent race, that like a dragon follows1644
Whoever flees, and unto him that shows
His teeth or purse is gentle as a lamb,
Already rising was, but from low people;
So that it pleased not Ubertin Donato1645
That his wife’s father should make him their kin.
Already had Caponsacco to the Market1646
From Fesole descended, and already
Giuda and Infangato were good burghers.
I’ll tell a thing incredible, but true;1647
One entered the small circuit by a gate
Which from the Della Pera took its name!
Each one that bears the beautiful escutcheon1648
Of the great baron whose renown and name
The festival of Thomas keepeth fresh,
Knighthood and privilege from him received;1649
Though with the populace unites himself
Today the man who binds it with a border.
Already were Gualterotti and Importuni;
And still more quiet would the Borgo be1650
If with new neighbors it remained unfed.
The house from which is born your lamentation,1651
Through just disdain that death among you brought
And put an end unto your joyous life,
Was honored in itself and its companions.
O Buondelmonte, how in evil hour1652
Thou fled’st the bridal at another’s promptings!
Many would be rejoicing who are sad,1653
If God had thee surrendered to the Ema
The first time that thou camest to the city.
But it behoved the mutilated stone1654
Which guards the bridge, that Florence should provide
A victim in her latest hour of peace.
With all these families, and others with them,
Florence beheld I in so great repose,
That no occasion had she whence to weep;
With all these families beheld so just
And glorious her people, that the lily
Never upon the spear was placed reversed,1655
Nor by division was vermilion made.”1656 Canto XVII

Cacciaguida’s prophecy of Dante’s banishment.

As came to Clymene, to be made certain1657
Of that which he had heard against himself,1658
He who makes fathers chary still to children,1659
Even such was I, and such was I perceived
By Beatrice and by the holy light
That first on my account had changed its place.
Therefore my Lady said to me: “Send forth
The flame of thy desire, so that it issue
Imprinted well with the internal stamp;
Not that our knowledge may be greater made
By speech of thine, but to accustom thee
To tell thy thirst, that we may give thee drink.”
“O my beloved tree, (that so dost lift thee,
That even as minds terrestrial perceive
No triangle containeth two obtuse,
So thou beholdest the contingent things1660
Ere in themselves they are, fixing thine eyes
Upon the point in which all times are present,)1661
While I was with Virgilius conjoined
Upon the mountain that the souls doth heal,1662
And when descending into the dead world,1663
Were spoken to me of my future life
Some grievous words; although I feel myself
In sooth foursquare against the blows of chance.1664
On this account my wish would be content
To hear what fortune is approaching me,
Because foreseen an arrow comes more slowly.”
Thus did I say unto that selfsame light1665
That unto me had spoken before; and even
As Beatrice willed was my own will confessed.
Not in vague phrase, in which the foolish folk1666
Ensnared themselves of old, ere yet was slain
The Lamb of God who taketh sins away,
But with clear words and unambiguous
Language responded that paternal love,1667
Hid and revealed by its own proper smile:
“Contingency, that outside of the volume1668
Of your materiality extends not,
Is all depicted in the eternal aspect.
Necessity however thence it takes not,1669
Except as from the eye, in which ’tis mirrored,
A ship that with the current down descends.
From thence, e’en as there cometh to the ear
Sweet harmony from an organ, comes in sight
To me the time