Murmured : Sleep not," one : "Wherefore art dismayed?"
Then, casting from me my strange revery,
I called upon my Lady piteously.

Alas, my voice so dolorously was bound,
So broken with my grief's tempestuousness,
None heard save I within my heart her name;
Whereon Love bade me turn myself around
Towards those standing by me, none the less
Though in my face was manifest my shame.
So direful was my pallor, in the same
Moment they all began to speak of death
Under their breath,

Saying among themselves: "Ah, comfort we!"
Then constantly:

66

What sight hath put thy valour unto shame ?' I answered them when in some wise consoled : "O Ladies, unto you it shall be told ! "

While I was pondering how my life was frail
And saw how swiftly it did flee away,

Love wept within my heart where he doth lie;
Thereat my 'wildered soul grew faint and pale
And I, in mine own mind, did sigh and say:

cr

Alas, one day my Lady too must die!"

Then, since drear sights of terror gathered nigh,

I closed my eyes, through fear downcast and spent,
And my wits went

Distraught awand'ring far away from me,

Till presently,

In fancy of both truth and wisdom shy,

I saw despairful women thronging by

Wailing aloud: Thou too, thou too shalt die !"

Darkly I viewed full many a vision there

In the vain dreaming that encompassed me;
Meseemed to tarry in an unknown place,

e veder donne andar per via disciolte,
qual lagrimando, e qual traendo guai,
che di tristizia saettavan foco.

Poi mi parve vedere a poco a poco
turbar lo sole ed apparir la stella,
e pianger elli ed ella;

cader gli augelli volando per l' âre,
e la terra tremare ;

ed omo apparve scolorito e fioco, dicendomi :-Che fai? non sai novella? morta è la donna tua ch' era sì bella !—

Levava li occhi miei bagnati in pianti, e vedea (che parean pioggia di manna) li angeli che tornavan suso in cielo, ed una nuvoletta avean davanti, dopo la qual gridavan tutti :-Osannae s'altro avesser detto, a voi dire' lo. Allor diceva Amor :-Più nol ti celo ; vieni a veder mostra donna che giace ;lo imaginar fallace

mi condusse a veder madonna morta e quand' io l' avea scorta,

vedea che donne la covrian d' un velo;

ed avea seco umilità verace,

che parea che dicesse :-Io sono in pace.— Io divenia nel dolor sì umile,

veggendo in lei tanta umilità formata,

ch' io dicea :-Morte, assai dolce ti tengno; tu dèi omai esser cosa gentile,

poichè tu se' ne la mia donna stata,

e dèi aver pietate, e non disdegno.

Vedi che si desideroso vegno

d'esser de' tuoi, ch' io ti somiglio in fede. Vieni, chè 'l cor te chiede.

Women ran past me with unbraided hair,
Some weeping, some most pitiful to see,
Whose griefs like burning arrows flew apace.
Even as I looked the sun concealed his face,
A star up into the high Heavens leapt,

And they both wept ;

Then the earth trembled, and the birds, skybound,

Dropped to the ground ;

And one appeared to me in grievous case:

"What dost thou here? Hast thou not heard?” he said,

"Thy Lady, she who was so fair, is dead!"

I lifted up my tear-drowned eyes, and lo,
Like rain of manna, I became aware
Of angels floating upwards to God's throne:
Before them all a little cloud did go

And voices crying "Hosanna" thrilled the air.
-Said Love:

The hour is come when shall be shown

To thee our Lady where she lieth again."
Then by my vain

Bewitchment to her presence I was led,
And saw her dead :

By women's hands a veil was softly thrown
About her, in humility she lay :

I am at peace," methought I heard her say.
Then I, beholding her so meekly dressed,
Grew meek as she, and in my sorrowing

Said: "Death, now I account thee passing sweet;
Since thou wast folded to my Lady's breast
Henceforth thou needs must be a gentle thing,
And in thee pity and not scorn have seat;
Ah, look and see how eagerly I greet
Thee, Death, thy sign is written in my face,
I plead thy grace ! "

Poi mi partía, consumato ogne duolo; e quando io era solo,

dicea, guardando verso l' alto regno :Beato, anima bella, chi te vede !

Voi mi chiamaste allor, vostra mercede."

I occhi dolenti per pietà del core
hanno di lagrimar sofferta pena,
per vinti son remasi omai.

sì che

Ora, s' i' voglio sfogar lo dolore,
che a poco a poco a la morte mi mena,
convenemi parlar traendo guai.
E perchè me ricorda che io parlai
de la mia donna, mentre che vivia,
donne gentili, volentier con vui,
non vòi parlare altrui,

se non a cor gentil che in donna sia :
e dicerò di lei piangendo, pui
che si n' è gita in ciel subitamente,
e ha lasciato Amor meco dolente.
Ita n'è Beatrice in l' alto cielo,

nel reame ove li angeli hanno pace,
e sta con loro; e voi, donne, ha lassate;
no la ci tolse qualità di gelo,

nè di calore, come l' altre face;

ma sola fue sua gran benignitate;
chè luce de la sua umilitate
passò li cieli con tanta vertute,
che fe' maravigliar l' eterno sire,
sì che dolce disire

lo giunse di chiamar tanta salute;
e fella di qua giù a sè venire,
perchè vedea ch' esta vita noiosa
non era degna di sì gentil cosa.

Soon after I went thence, my anguish done,

And left alone,

Gazing up into Heaven, I did repeat :

"Blessed is he who sees thy loveliness! Ladies, my thanks, who roused me from distress."

AD eyes that weep for pity of the heart,

Too many tears have brought you weariness, Now and for evermore your light is spent. Yet, since I seek some healing for the smart Through which I suffer ever deadlier stress, I needs must frame my words to a lament; And, since I mind me how of old I went Talking with you of my sweet Lady while She dwelt with us, rejoicing so to do,

With none save you

Will I hold converse, gentle hearts that wile
In women! I will tell, weeping for rue,
How she departed heavenwards suddenly
And left sad Love discomforted with me.

Beatrice is gone from us unto the skies,
Unto the realms where angels take their rest;
Ladies, she bides with them, afar from you.
Frost did not blight her, nor before our eyes
Did fever-heat consume her; she was dressed
In her own perfect gentleness; the true
Light of her virtue shone so clearly through
The halls of Heaven that the Eternal King,
Beholding it and filled with glad amaze,
To please His gaze

Was fain to gather such a lovely thing
Unto Himself, well knowing that the ways
Of earth in pain and bitterness are spread,
Unworthy for her tenderness to tread.