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Dante – The Divine Comedy  INFERNO I

CANTO

 I began 'Poet I should like, if it were possible
To speak to those two who are coming side by side
And seem to be so light upon the wind

He said to me 'You will see them when they come
A little closer to us, you have only to ask them
Invoking the love that brings them, and they will come

As soon as the wind blew them to where we were standing
I raised my voice 'O you two panting spirits
Come now and speak to us, if it is not forbidden

..............

So separating from the flock where Dido was
They came towards us through the malignant air
So strong was the affection of my cry

.........

Matters it pleases you to hear and speak of
We will now hear and speak about to you
While the wind is silent, as it is now

.......................

Love, which allows no one who is loved to escape
Seized me so strongly with my pleasure in him
That as you see, it does not leave me now

...............

Love led us two to find a single death
Caina awaits him who brought us to this end
These were the words which came to us from them.

When I had heard these souls in their suffering
I bowed my head, and kept it bowed so long
That at last the poet said 'what are you thinking?'

When I replied, I started 'Oh alas,
That such sweet thoughts, desires that were so great
Should lead them to the misery they are in

But tell me; in the time of those sweet sighs
How and on what occasion did love allow
You to experience these uncertain desires

And she replied...

When we read how that smile, so much desired
Was kissed by such a lover, in the book
He who will never be divided from me

Kissed my mouth, he was trembling as he did so
That day we got no further with our reading