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Into the thirsty veins, and which remaineth

       Like food that from the table thou removest,

      Takes in the heart for all the human members

       Virtue informative, as being that

       Which to be changed to them goes through the veins

      Again digest, descends it where 'tis better

       Silent to be than say; and then drops thence

       Upon another's blood in natural vase.

      There one together with the other mingles,

       One to be passive meant, the other active

       By reason of the perfect place it springs from;

      And being conjoined, begins to operate,

       Coagulating first, then vivifying

       What for its matter it had made consistent.

      The active virtue, being made a soul

       As of a plant, (in so far different,

       This on the way is, that arrived already,)

      Then works so much, that now it moves and feels

       Like a sea-fungus, and then undertakes

       To organize the powers whose seed it is.

      Now, Son, dilates and now distends itself

       The virtue from the generator's heart,

       Where nature is intent on all the members.

      But how from animal it man becomes

       Thou dost not see as yet; this is a point

       Which made a wiser man than thou once err

      So far, that in his doctrine separate

       He made the soul from possible intellect,

       For he no organ saw by this assumed.

      Open thy breast unto the truth that's coming,

       And know that, just as soon as in the foetus

       The articulation of the brain is perfect,

      The primal Motor turns to it well pleased

       At so great art of nature, and inspires

       A spirit new with virtue all replete,

      Which what it finds there active doth attract

       Into its substance, and becomes one soul,

       Which lives, and feels, and on itself revolves.

      And that thou less may wonder at my word,

       Behold the sun's heat, which becometh wine,

       Joined to the juice that from the vine distils.

      Whenever Lachesis has no more thread,

       It separates from the flesh, and virtually

       Bears with itself the human and divine;

      The other faculties are voiceless all;

       The memory, the intelligence, and the will

       In action far more vigorous than before.

      Without a pause it falleth of itself

       In marvellous way on one shore or the other;

       There of its roads it first is cognizant.

      Soon as the place there circumscribeth it,

       The virtue informative rays round about,

       As, and as much as, in the living members.

      And even as the air, when full of rain,

       By alien rays that are therein reflected,

       With divers colours shows itself adorned,

      So there the neighbouring air doth shape itself

       Into that form which doth impress upon it

       Virtually the soul that has stood still.

      And then in manner of the little flame,

       Which followeth the fire where'er it shifts,

       After the spirit followeth its new form.

      Since afterwards it takes from this its semblance,

       It is called shade; and thence it organizes

       Thereafter every sense, even to the sight.

      Thence is it that we speak, and thence we laugh;

       Thence is it that we form the tears and sighs,

       That on the mountain thou mayhap hast heard.

      According as impress us our desires

       And other affections, so the shade is shaped,

       And this is cause of what thou wonderest at."

      And now unto the last of all the circles

       Had we arrived, and to the right hand turned,

       And were attentive to another care.

      There the embankment shoots forth flames of fire,

       And upward doth the cornice breathe a blast

       That drives them back, and from itself sequesters.

      Hence we must needs go on the open side,

       And one by one; and I did fear the fire

       On this side, and on that the falling down.

      My Leader said: "Along this place one ought

       To keep upon the eyes a tightened rein,

       Seeing that one so easily might err."

      "Summae Deus clementiae," in the bosom

       Of the great burning chanted then I heard,

       Which made me no less eager to turn round;

      And spirits saw I walking through the flame;

       Wherefore I looked, to my own steps and theirs

       Apportioning my sight from time to time.

      After the close which to that hymn is made,

       Aloud they shouted, "Virum non cognosco;"

       Then recommenced the hymn with voices low.

      This also ended, cried they: "To the wood

       Diana ran, and drove forth Helice

       Therefrom, who had of Venus felt the poison."

      Then to their song returned they; then the wives

       They shouted, and the husbands who were chaste.

       As virtue and the marriage vow imposes.

      And I believe that them this mode suffices,

       For all the time the fire is burning them;

       With such care is it needful, and such food,

      That the last wound of all should be closed up.

      XXVI. Sodomites. Guido Guinicelli and Arnaldo Daniello.

       Table of Contents

      While on the brink thus one before the other

       We went upon our way, oft the good Master

       Said: "Take thou heed! suffice it that I warn thee."

      On the right shoulder smote me now the sun,

       That, raying out, already the whole west

       Changed from its azure aspect into white.

      And with my shadow did I make the flame

       Appear more red; and even to such a sign

       Shades saw I many, as they went, give heed.

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