THE DIVINE COMEDY: Inferno, Purgatorio & Paradiso (3 Classic Translations in One Edition). Dante Alighieri

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       "Forth from his plastic hand, who charm'd beholds

       Her image ere she yet exist, the soul

       Comes like a babe, that wantons sportively

       Weeping and laughing in its wayward moods,

       As artless and as ignorant of aught,

       Save that her Maker being one who dwells

       With gladness ever, willingly she turns

       To whate'er yields her joy. Of some slight good

       The flavour soon she tastes; and, snar'd by that,

       With fondness she pursues it, if no guide

       Recall, no rein direct her wand'ring course.

       Hence it behov'd, the law should be a curb;

       A sovereign hence behov'd, whose piercing view

       Might mark at least the fortress and main tower

       Of the true city. Laws indeed there are:

       But who is he observes them? None; not he,

       Who goes before, the shepherd of the flock,

       Who chews the cud but doth not cleave the hoof.

       Therefore the multitude, who see their guide

       Strike at the very good they covet most,

       Feed there and look no further. Thus the cause

       Is not corrupted nature in yourselves,

       But ill-conducting, that hath turn'd the world

       To evil. Rome, that turn'd it unto good,

       Was wont to boast two suns, whose several beams

       Cast light on either way, the world's and God's.

       One since hath quench'd the other; and the sword

       Is grafted on the crook; and so conjoin'd

       Each must perforce decline to worse, unaw'd

       By fear of other. If thou doubt me, mark

       The blade: each herb is judg'd of by its seed.

       That land, through which Adice and the Po

       Their waters roll, was once the residence

       Of courtesy and velour, ere the day,

       That frown'd on Frederick; now secure may pass

       Those limits, whosoe'er hath left, for shame,

       To talk with good men, or come near their haunts.

       Three aged ones are still found there, in whom

       The old time chides the new: these deem it long

       Ere God restore them to a better world:

       The good Gherardo, of Palazzo he

       Conrad, and Guido of Castello, nam'd

       In Gallic phrase more fitly the plain Lombard.

       On this at last conclude. The church of Rome,

       Mixing two governments that ill assort,

       Hath miss'd her footing, fall'n into the mire,

       And there herself and burden much defil'd."