The trinal band and the virgin quaternion begin, weeping, The heathen, Lord, are come. Beatrice listens sad and sighing, in a mood that Mary, as she stood beside the cross, was scarce more changed. When they give her place she rises, colour glowing bright as fire, and answers that yet a little while they shall not see her, and again a little while they shall. She marshals the seven, and beckons Dante, the lady, and the remaining sage to follow. Before her tenth step her eyes meet his. Mend thy pace, she says, that if my words address thee thou mayst still be aptly placed to hear them. At her side she asks why he makes no attempt at questioning as they walk. Like those who, speaking with too reverent an awe, draw not the voice alive unto their lips, he begins in sounds imperfect: Lady, what I have need of, that thou knowest. She will that he rid himself of fearfulness and shame, and speak no more as one who dreams. Thus far be taught: the vessel which thou sawest the serpent break was and is not. Let him who hath the blame hope not to scare God's vengeance with a sop. That eagle who left the chariot plumed shall not be without an heir for ever. She views the stars already approaching whose conjunction, free from bar, brings on a season in which one sent from God, five hundred, five, and ten, shall slay that foul one and the giant, the accomplice of her guilt.
If her saying, dark as Themis or as Sphinx, fails to persuade, events shall be the Naiads that will solve this knotty riddle, and no damage light on flock or field. Take heed, and teach these words even so to those who live that life which is a race to death. When thou writest them, keep in mind not to conceal how thou hast seen the plant that twice hath now been spoiled. Whoso robs or plucks it sins with blasphemy of deed against God, who for his use alone creating hallowed it. For taste of this, in pain and in desire, five thousand years and upward, the first soul did yearn for him who punished in himself the fatal gust. Reason slumbers if it deems this inverted height without due cause. Were not vainer thoughts as Elsa's numbing waters, and their fond pleasures had not dyed the soul dark as Pyramus the mulberry, he would have seen God's equal justice morally implied in the forbidden tree. She marks him harden'd into stone, spotted and stained, the eye dazzled at her word. If not written, yet at least painted take it in thee, as one brings home his staff inwreathed with palm. As wax by seal, he says, now is stamped my brain. But why soars the speech so high that sight loses it the more it strains? To the end that thou mayst know the school that thou hast followed, and how far behind, when following my discourse, its learning halts: your art from the divine as distant as earth from heaven's most high and rapturous orb. He does not remember that he was estranged from her, nor does conscience chide. Smiling she returns: if thou canst not remember, call to mind how lately thou hast drunk of Lethe's wave. Sure as smoke indicates a flame, in that forgetfulness itself conclude blame from thy alienated will incurred.
Henceforth her words shall be as naked as will suit his unpractised view. The sun, more sparkling, with retarded course possesses the circle of mid-day. The sevenfold band pauses at the verge of a dun umbrage hoar, such as overbrows a bleak and alpine cliff. Before them Tigris and Euphrates both issue from one fountain and, like friends, linger at parting. What water this, he asks, which from one source derived itself removes to distance from itself? Entreat Matilda, that she teach thee this. The fair dame clears herself: of me he this and more hath learnt, and I am safe that Lethe's water hath not hid it from him. Beatrice answers that some more pressing care, that oft the memory reeves, hath made his mind's eye dark. But lo, where Eunoe flows. Lead thither, and as thou art wont, revive his fainting virtue. As a courteous spirit that proffers no excuses, the lovely maiden takes him and calls to Statius, Come thou with him. Were further space allowed, the reader might hear that beverage with whose sweetness he had never been sated. But all the leaves appointed for this second strain are full, and art with warning bridle checks him. He returns from the most holy wave, regenerate, even as new plants renewed with foliage new, pure and made apt for mounting to the stars.
