And the blind bull falls with a steeper plunge, Than the blind lamb; and oftentimes one sword Doth more and better execution,
Than five. Mark Luni, Urbisaglia mark, How they are gone, and after them how go Chiusi and Sinigaglia; and 't will seem
No longer new or strange to thee to hear, That families fail, when cities have their end.
All things, that appertain t' ye, like yourselves,
Are mortal: but mortality in some
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Ye mark not, they endure so long, and you Pass by so suddenly. And as the moon Doth, by the rolling of her heav'nly sphere, Hide and reveal the strand unceasingly;
So fortune deals with Florence. Hence admire not
At what of them I tell thee, whose renown Time covers, the first Florentines. I saw The Ughi, Catilini and Filippi,
The Alberichi, Greci and Ormanni, Now in their wane, illustrious citizens: And great as ancient, of Sannella him, With him of Arca saw, and Soldanieri And Ardinghi, and Bostichi. At the poop, That now is laden with new felony,
So cumb'rous it may speedily sink the bark, The Ravignani sat, of whom is sprung
The County Guido, and whoso hath since His title from the fam'd Bellincione ta'en. Fair governance was yet an art well priz'd By him of Pressa: Galigaio show'd
The gilded hilt and pommel, in his house.
The column, cloth'd with verrey, still was seen Unshaken: the Sacchetti still were great, Giouchi, Sifanti, Galli and Barucci,
With them who blush to hear the bushel nam'd. Of the Calfucci still the branchy trunk
Was in its strength: and to the curule chairs
Sizii and Arigucci yet were drawn.
How mighty them I saw, whom since their pride
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Hath undone! and in all her goodly deeds Florence was by the bullets of bright gold O'erflourish'd. Such the sires of those, who now, As surely as your church is vacant, flock
Into her consistory, and at leisure
There stall them and grow fat. The o'erweening brood,
That plays the dragon after him that flees, But unto such, as turn and show the tooth, Ay or the purse, is gentle as a lamb,
Was on its rise, but yet so slight esteem'd, That Ubertino of Donati grudg'd
His father-in-law should yoke him to its tribe. Already Caponsacco had descended
Into the mart from Fesole: and Giuda
And Infangato were good citizens. A thing incredible I tell, tho' true:
The gateway, named from those of Pera, led
Into the narrow circuit of your walls.
Each one, who bears the sightly quarterings
Of the great Baron (he whose name and worth
The festival of Thomas still revives)
His knighthood and his privilege retain'd; Albeit one, who borders them With gold, This day is mingled with the common herd. In Borgo yet the Gualterotti dwelt,
And Importuni: well for its repose
Had it still lack'd of newer neighbourhood.
The house, from whence your tears have had their spring,
Through the just anger that hath murder'd ye
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And put a period to your gladsome days,
Was honour'd, it, and those consorted with it. O Buondelmonte! what ill counseling
Prevail'd on thee to break the plighted bond Many, who now are weeping, would rejoice, Had God to Ema giv'n thee, the first time Thou near our city cam'st. But so was doom'd:
On that maim'd stone set up to guard the bridge, At thy last peace, the victim, Florence! fell.
With these and others like to them, I saw
Florence in such assur'd tranquility,
She had no cause at which to grieve: with these
Saw her so glorious and so just, that ne'er
The lily from the lance had hung reverse,
Or through division been with vermeil dyed."
CANTO XVII
Such as the youth, who came to Clymene
To certify himself of that reproach,
Which had been fasten'd on him, (he whose end
Still makes the fathers chary to their sons), E'en such was I; nor unobserv'd was such Of Beatrice, and that saintly lamp,
Who had erewhile for me his station mov'd;
When thus by lady: "Give thy wish free vent,
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That it may issue, bearing true report
Of the mind's impress; not that aught thy words
May to our knowledge add, but to the end, That thou mayst use thyself to own thy thirst And men may mingle for thee when they hear."
"O plant! from whence I spring! rever'd and lov'd! Who soar'st so high a pitch, thou seest as clear,
As earthly thought determines two obtuse
In one triangle not contain'd, so clear Dost see contingencies, ere in themselves Existent, looking at the point whereto
All times are present, I, the whilst I scal'd
With Virgil the soul purifying mount, And visited the nether world of woe, Touching my future destiny have heard Words grievous, though I feel me on all sides
Well squar'd to fortune's blows. Therefore my will
Were satisfied to know the lot awaits me,
The arrow, seen beforehand, slacks its flight."
So said I to the brightness, which erewhile To me had spoken, and my will declar'd, As Beatrice will'd, explicitly.
Nor with oracular response obscure,
Such, as or ere the Lamb of God was slain, Beguil'd the credulous nations; but, in terms Precise and unambiguous lore, replied
The spirit of paternal love, enshrin'd,
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Yet in his smile apparent; and thus spake: "Contingency, unfolded not to view
Upon the tablet of your mortal mold, Is all depictur'd in the' eternal sight; But hence deriveth not necessity,
More then the tall ship, hurried down the flood, Doth from the vision, that reflects the scene. From thence, as to the ear sweet harmony
From organ comes, so comes before mine eye The time prepar'd for thee. Such as driv'n out From Athens, by his cruel stepdame's wiles, Hippolytus departed, such must thou
Depart from Florence. This they wish, and this Contrive, and will ere long effectuate, there, Where gainful merchandize is made of Christ, Throughout the livelong day. The common cry, Will, as 't is ever wont, affix the blame
Unto the party injur'd: but the truth
Shall, in the vengeance it dispenseth, find
A faithful witness. Thou shall leave each thing
Belov'd most dearly: this is the first shaft
Shot from the bow of exile. Thou shalt prove
How salt the savour is of other's bread,
How hard the passage to descend and climb By other's stairs, But that shall gall thee most Will be the worthless and vile company,
With whom thou must be thrown into these straits.
For all ungrateful, impious all and mad,
Shall turn 'gainst thee: but in a little while