CANTO THE THIRD.

ARGUMENT.

The Travellers prepare to ascend the Mountain, which they find more difficult to climb than they had imagined. They stand awhile in suspense, till some Spirits whom they meet, direct them to find the destined Path. Among these, they meet the Soul of MANFRED, who was killed in the battle of CEPERANO.

IN wide dispersion o’er the sacred field,

The crowd, by reason or remorse impell’d,

Fled to the Mount ; while I remain’d below,

Close to my faithful Guide : without his aid

How could my feet the dang’rous pass invade,

Or how surmount the hill’s majestic brow ?

II.

Like one that waver’d on the verge of Fate,

I saw him stand, as if in deep debate,

Or to renounce the labour, or begin :

All penitent, he seem’d to mourn his fault.---

O matchless dignity of stainless thought !

Thus bitter seems to you the taste of Sin !

III.

While sense of deep decorum check’d his haste,

I found the moment of illusion past ;

My rapt soul, kindling at the awful call

Of our great mission, dar’d a bolder flight :

Anticipating that stupendous height,

Whose summit seem’d to prop the heav’nly hall.

IV.

The Sun before me cast a slanting ray,

My length’ning shadow seem’d to lead the way ;

No second Shade was seen : I turn’d with dread

The MANTUAN Guide to find ; I deem’d him lost :

Turning with mild regard, the gentle Ghost

Reprov’d my causeless fears, by fancy bred.

V.

“ Could you suppose me gone ? What weak distrust !

Behold yon’ Sun, this moment sees my dust

By NAPLES rest, impearl’d by evening dew !

Which, while I liv’d, with its attendant Shade,

A breathing substance o’er HESPERIA stray’d,

By HIS bright splendours doubl’d to the view.

VI.

“ But wonder not, if now expos’d to day,

My fine-spun fabric thus admits the ray ;

Like yon’ æthereal vault, that bends around,

Where blending lights, with light innumerous cross’d,

Meet unoppos’d, and not a beam is lost,

For ever mingling in the blue profound.

VII.

“ Why these sky‑woven forms, that seem to fly

All mortal sense, can suffer and enjoy

Heav’n’s bliss, and all th’ extremes of fire and frost,

That Power that so decrees, can best explain :

Created plummet sounds that depth in vain,

In that, as in the TRINAL UNION, lost.

VIII.

“ Too anxious mortals ! learn to be refign’d ;

Could the deep secrets of th’ ALMIGHTY MIND

Be seen, nor Sin nor Saviour had been known :

Desire to know, without the means, is giv’n

To some, by the mysterious will of Heav’n,

Among the tortures of the nether zone.

IX.

“ Great STAGIRITE ! and there, ATHENIAN Sage,

For this your sorrows flow from age to age,

Nor do you weep alone.” He hung his head ;

Alarm’d to see his sad dejected air,

I look’d, and saw the trace of wan despair

O’er his aërial lineaments display’d.

X.

On, by the mountain’s hallow’d foot, we past,

And to a frowning‑ridge we reach’d at last ;

Far, far too steep for human foot to climb :

Those cloud‑cap’d rocks, that seem to threat the skies,

Where LERICI’s proud coast to TARBIA plies,

Seem’d humble mole‑hills, to this rock sublime.

XI.

“ Who knows,” exclaim’d my Guide, confus’d and pale,

“ Where Fate allows a pass the hill to scale ?”

Then, pondering, on the proud empalement gaz’d,

“ To mount yon’ cliffs an eagle’s wing requires !”

Thus he, while meas’ring these tremendous spires,

On their dark misty brows I look’d amaz’d.

XII.

Scanning their mighty round, I spy’d below

A caravan of souls, advancing slow,

With soft pace, like the dial’s moving shade :

By the tall rock they seem’d to flit along ;

The MANTUAN soon observ’d the shadowy throng,

Whose welcome presence all his doubts allay’d.

XIII.

“ Despond no more !” the friendly Spirit cry’d ;

“ Those Phantoms, if we fail, our steps will guide ;

We’ll intercept them soon, they march so slow.”

I bow’d obedience : soon, with flying pace,

The third part of a league; or more, we trace,

And now could reach them with a bended bow.

XIV.

To the rude cliff, that, like the brow of night,

O’erlook’d the pass, they clung with wild affright,

Perusing my strange form, with haggard eyes,

Confessing doubt and fear : but soon the Bard.

Hailing the dark brigade with mild regard

And friendly words, dispell’d their new surprise.

XV.

“ Selected Tenants of the op’ning tomb,

Who here appointed to an happier doom,

Calmly await the formidable hand

That moulds your hearts anew, our suit befriend ;

Shew, where with easier slope these mountains bend,

The MENTAL PROGRESS ill can bear a stand.”

XVI.

As Tenants of the fold in groups advance,

And some strange form peruse with timid glance,

Each with uplifted head, and startled eye ;

Thro’ each the sympathy of wild amaze

Contagious runs, till all, attentive, gaze

On the new prodigy, they know not why.

XVII.

As they, obsequious to their trembling Guide,

Move, rally, stop, and shift from side to side ;

So, in slow countermarch, from rear to van,

The ghostly files advance, with measur’d pace ;

A deep composure, and a manly grace,

Touch’d with ætheral charm, their features wan.

XVIII.

But, when they spy’d the intercepted Light,

Where my long shadow mark’d the rocky height

All to its base, with signs of dread, retir’d ;

From rank to rank the pale infecton flew,

And each advancing line as soon withdrew,

Till my sage Guide new confidence inspir’d.

XIX.

“ Before your question comes, I freely own

THIS Spirit bears a weight of blood and bone ;

And hence his moving shadow parts the day :

But think not ye, that no supernal call

Invites him here to climb the mundane wall,

And find to other worlds his uncouth way.”

XX.

Thus spoke the Bard, and thus the shadowy train

Reply’d, “ Your footsteps you must trace again ;

Turn back with us, and try the right-hand path.”

They ceas’d. A Spirit from the crowd beagan :

“ Whoe’er thou art, high-favour’d Son of Man,

Try, if you know your friend, disguis’d by death.”

XXI.

I turn’d me round, and mark’d his noble air,

The gentle Vision wav’d his golden hair,

And inborn dignity his features show’d,

As when the honours of the world he wore ;

But half his manly face was steep’d in gore,

Which from his wounded brow incessant flow’d.

XXII.

I try’d my recollective powers in vain ;

Still memory seem’d no vestige to retain

Of such a form : at length his bosom, gor’d

By mortal steel, the mighty Phantom bar’d ;

“ See MANFRED here ! SICILIA’s King declar’d,

CONSTANTIA’s heir, dispatch’d by ANJOU’s sword !

XXIII.

“ Go, tell my Daughter, (if you find the way

Where yet she lingers in the light of Day,)

The tragic story of her Father’s fate :

Pierc’d by two mortal wounds, I fell in fight.;

But, to th’ eternal Source of Life and Light,

Falling, I rais’d my soul, nor pray’d too late.

XXIV.

“ Tho’ deep in crimes, that all-embracing arm,

That saves the weeping penitent from harm,

If e’er, renew’d by grace, he turns to God,

Sav’d me : if proud COZENZA’s lord had own’d

THAT TRUTH, he had not cast, from hallow’d ground,

My bones, to blanch by VERDES’ fatal flood.

XXV.

“ Nor this suffic’d the malice of the Priest,

He curs’d me ; but eternal love releas’d

The ransom’d soul ; that hope but rarely dies

While the pulse plays : but he that holds in scorn

The gospel rites, must linger here forlorn,

Thrice ten, for every year he Heav’n defies.”

XXVI.

“ This stern decree, for ever fix’d, remains,

Unless prevailing prayers abridge his pains.

O bid my Daughter’s vows improve my lot !

So may my wounded bosom know delight,

When I, with others, take my timely flight,

To purge my sin ; for Time by pray’rs is bought.”

END OF THE THIRD CANTO.