The Vision, or Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise of Dante Alighieri . 20 The Pisces light, that in his escort came. To the right hand I turned, and fixed my mindOn the other pole attentive, where I sawFour stars neer seen before save by the kenOf our first parents. Heaven of their raysSeemed joyous. O thou northern site ! bereftIndeed, and widowed, since of these deprived. As from this view I had desisted, straightTurning a little towards the other from whence now the wain had disappeared, 30 122 THE VISION OF DANTE [Canto i I saw an old man standing by my side Alone, so worthy of rever
The Vision, or Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise of Dante Alighieri . 20 The Pisces light, that in his escort came. To the right hand I turned, and fixed my mindOn the other pole attentive, where I sawFour stars neer seen before save by the kenOf our first parents. Heaven of their raysSeemed joyous. O thou northern site ! bereftIndeed, and widowed, since of these deprived. As from this view I had desisted, straightTurning a little towards the other from whence now the wain had disappeared, 30 122 THE VISION OF DANTE [Canto i I saw an old man standing by my side Alone, so worthy of reverence in his look. That neer from son to father more was owed Low down his beard, and mixed with hoary white. Descended, like his locks, which, parting, fell Upon his breast in double fold. The beams Of those four luminaries on his face So bric^htly shone, and with such radiance clear Decked it, that I beheld him as the sun. Say who are ye, that stemming the blind stream,Forth from the eternal prison-house have fled ?He spoke and moved those venerable plumes. 4c. * Who hath conducted, or with lantern sureLights you emerging from the depth of night,That makes the infernal valley ever black ?Are the firm statutes of the dread abyss _Broken, or in high heaven new laws ordained,That thus, condemned, ye to my caves approach ? My guide, then laying hold on me,, by wordsAnd intimations given with hand and head,Made my bent knees and eye submissive payDue reverence ; then thus to him replied : Not of myself I come ; a Dame from heavenDescending, him besought me in my chargeTo bring. But since thy will implies, that moreOur true condition I unfold at is not to deny thee thy request. 50 LiNES3i-io6] PURGATORY 123 This mortal neer hath seen the farthest gloom ; But erring by his folly had approached So near, that little space was left to turn. 60 Then, as before I told, I was dispatched To work his rescue ; and no way remained Save this which 1 have taen. I have displayed Before
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