II. The Celestial Pilot. Casella. The Departure.

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      Already had the sun the horizon reached

       Whose circle of meridian covers o'er

       Jerusalem with its most lofty point,

      And night that opposite to him revolves

       Was issuing forth from Ganges with the Scales

       That fall from out her hand when she exceedeth;

      So that the white and the vermilion cheeks

       Of beautiful Aurora, where I was,

       By too great age were changing into orange.

      We still were on the border of the sea,

       Like people who are thinking of their road,

       Who go in heart and with the body stay;

      And lo! as when, upon the approach of morning,

       Through the gross vapours Mars grows fiery red

       Down in the West upon the ocean floor,

      Appeared to me—may I again behold it!—

       A light along the sea so swiftly coming,

       Its motion by no flight of wing is equalled;

      From which when I a little had withdrawn

       Mine eyes, that I might question my Conductor,

       Again I saw it brighter grown and larger.

      Then on each side of it appeared to me

       I knew not what of white, and underneath it

       Little by little there came forth another.

      My Master yet had uttered not a word

       While the first whiteness into wings unfolded;

       But when he clearly recognised the pilot,

      He cried: "Make haste, make haste to bow the knee!

       Behold the Angel of God! fold thou thy hands!

       Henceforward shalt thou see such officers!

      See how he scorneth human arguments,

       So that nor oar he wants, nor other sail

       Than his own wings, between so distant shores.

      See how he holds them pointed up to heaven,

       Fanning the air with the eternal pinions,

       That do not moult themselves like mortal hair!"

      Then as still nearer and more near us came

       The Bird Divine, more radiant he appeared,

       So that near by the eye could not endure him,

      But down I cast it; and he came to shore

       With a small vessel, very swift and light,

       So that the water swallowed naught thereof.

      Upon the stern stood the Celestial Pilot;

       Beatitude seemed written in his face,

       And more than a hundred spirits sat within.

      "In exitu Israel de Aegypto!"

       They chanted all together in one voice,

       With whatso in that psalm is after written.

      Then made he sign of holy rood upon them,

       Whereat all cast themselves upon the shore,

       And he departed swiftly as he came.

      The throng which still remained there unfamiliar

       Seemed with the place, all round about them gazing,

       As one who in new matters makes essay.

      On every side was darting forth the day.

       The sun, who had with his resplendent shafts

       From the mid-heaven chased forth the Capricorn,

      When the new people lifted up their faces

       Towards us, saying to us: "If ye know,

       Show us the way to go unto the mountain."

      And answer made Virgilius: "Ye believe

       Perchance that we have knowledge of this place,

       But we are strangers even as yourselves.

      Just now we came, a little while before you,

       Another way, which was so rough and steep,

       That mounting will henceforth seem sport to us."

      The souls who had, from seeing me draw breath,

       Become aware that I was still alive,

       Pallid in their astonishment became;

      And as to messenger who bears the olive

       The people throng to listen to the news,

       And no one shows himself afraid of crowding,

      So at the sight of me stood motionless

       Those fortunate spirits, all of them, as if

       Oblivious to go and make them fair.

      One from among them saw I coming forward,

       As to embrace me, with such great affection,

       That it incited me to do the like.

      O empty shadows, save in aspect only!

       Three times behind it did I clasp my hands,

       As oft returned with them to my own breast!

      I think with wonder I depicted me;

       Whereat the shadow smiled and backward drew;

       And I, pursuing it, pressed farther forward.

      Gently it said that I should stay my steps;

       Then knew I who it was, and I entreated

       That it would stop awhile to speak with me.

      It made reply to me: "Even as I loved thee

       In mortal body, so I love thee free;

       Therefore I stop; but wherefore goest thou?"

      "My own Casella! to return once more

       There where I am, I make this journey," said I;

       "But how from thee has so much time be taken?"

      And