Di mia seconda etade e mutai vita, Questi si tolse a me e diessi altrui. Quando di carne a spirto era salita, E bellezza e virtù cresciuta m'era, Fu'io a lui men cara e men gradita; E volse i passi suoi per via non vera, Imagini di ben seguendo false, Che nulla promission rendono intera. Nè l' impetrare spirazion mi valse, Con le quali ed in sogno ed altrimenti Lo rivocai; si poco a lui ne calse. Tanto giù cadde, che tutti argomenti Alla salute sua eran già corti, Fuor che mostrargli le perdute genti. Per questo visitai l'uscio dei morti, Ed a colui che l'ha quassù condotto, Li preghi miei, piangendo, furon porti. CANTO XXXI, Lines 1-6. O tu, che se' di là dal fiume sacro, Volgendo suo parlare a me per punta, Second age: Dante speaks of the period of life up to twenty-five years as the vita nuova or adoles. of my second age, and changed life, this man took himself from me and gave himself to others. When I had arisen from flesh to spirit, and my beauty and virtue were increased, I became less dear and less pleasing to him; and he turned his footsteps into ways untrue, following false images of good that fulfil none of their promises. Nor did it avail me to obtain inspirations, with which both in dreams and otherwise I called him back; so little did he heed them. So low did he fall that all means for his salvation were already short, save showing him the lost people. For this I visited the gate of the dead, and to him who has brought him up hither my prayers were borne with weeping. CANTO XXXI, Lines 1-6. "O thou who art on the far side of the sacred stream (turning to me with its point her speech, cenza. After that begins the second age. Beatrice died in her twenty-fifth year. Che pur per taglio m'era parut'acro, Ricominciò, seguendo senza cunta, Di', di', se quest'è vero; a tanta accusa Tua confession conviene esser congiunta. Lines 31-36. Dopo la tratta d'un sospiro amaro, A pena ebbi la voce che rispose, E le labbra a fatica la formaro. Piangendo dissi: Le presenti cose Col falso lor piacer volser miei passi, Non ti dovea gravar le penne in giuso, Lines 74-75. E quando per la barba il viso chiese, which even with its edge had seemed to me keen), she began again, going on with 66 out delay, say, say if this is true; to such an accusation it behoves that thy confession be attached." Lines 31-36. After the heaving of a bitter sigh I hardly had voice to answer, and my lips could scarcely form it. Weeping I said: "The present things with their false pleasure turned aside my steps as soon as your face was hidden from me." Lines 58-63. Thou shouldst not have drooped thy pinions to await more strokes, either girl or other vanity of so brief use. The young bird awaits two or three, but before the eyes of the full-fledged the net is spread and the arrow shot in vain. Lines 74-75. And when by the name of the beard she asked for the face, I clearly saw the venom of her meaning. Lines 139-143. O isplendor di viva luce eterna, Si di Parnaso, o bevve in sua cisterna, CANTO XXXIII, Lines 25-30. Come a color, che troppo reverenti, Incominciai: Madonna, mia bisogna S' io avessi, Lettor più lungo spazio Da scrivere, io pur cantere' in parte Ma perchè piene son tutte le carte Ordite a questa Cantica seconda, Non mi lascia più ir lo fren dell'arte. |