The vision of hell. Dante Alighieri

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       Piercing the secret purport of my speech,

       He answer'd: "I was new to that estate,

       When I beheld a puissant one arrive

       Amongst us, with victorious trophy crown'd.

       He forth the shade of our first parent drew,

       Abel his child, and Noah righteous man,

       Of Moses lawgiver for faith approv'd,

       Of patriarch Abraham, and David king,

       Israel with his sire and with his sons,

       Nor without Rachel whom so hard he won,

       And others many more, whom he to bliss

       Exalted. Before these, be thou assur'd,

       No spirit of human kind was ever sav'd."

       We, while he spake, ceas'd not our onward road,

       Still passing through the wood; for so I name

       Those spirits thick beset. We were not far

       On this side from the summit, when I kenn'd

       A flame, that o'er the darken'd hemisphere

       Prevailing shin'd. Yet we a little space

       Were distant, not so far but I in part

       Discover'd, that a tribe in honour high

       That place possess'd. "O thou, who every art

       And science valu'st! who are these, that boast

       Such honour, separate from all the rest?"

       He answer'd: "The renown of their great names

       That echoes through your world above, acquires

       Favour in heaven, which holds them thus advanc'd."

       Meantime a voice I heard: "Honour the bard

       Sublime! his shade returns that left us late!"

       No sooner ceas'd the sound, than I beheld

       Four mighty spirits toward us bend their steps,

       Of semblance neither sorrowful nor glad.

       When thus my master kind began: "Mark him,

       Who in his right hand bears that falchion keen,

       The other three preceding, as their lord.

       This is that Homer, of all bards supreme:

       Flaccus the next in satire's vein excelling;

       The third is Naso; Lucan is the last.

       Because they all that appellation own,

       With which the voice singly accosted me,

       Honouring they greet me thus, and well they judge."

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       So I beheld united the bright school

       Of him the monarch of sublimest song,

       That o'er the others like an eagle soars.

       When they together short discourse had held,

       They turn'd to me, with salutation kind

       Beck'ning me; at the which my master smil'd:

       Nor was this all; but greater honour still

       They gave me, for they made me of their tribe;

       And I was sixth amid so learn'd a band.

       Far as the luminous beacon on we pass'd

       Speaking of matters, then befitting well

       To speak, now fitter left untold. At foot

       Of a magnificent castle we arriv'd,

       Seven times with lofty walls begirt, and round

       Defended by a pleasant stream. O'er this

       As o'er dry land we pass'd. Next through seven gates

       I with those sages enter'd, and we came

       Into a mead with lively verdure fresh.

       There dwelt a race, who slow their eyes around

       Majestically mov'd, and in their port

       Bore eminent authority; they spake

       Seldom, but all their words were tuneful sweet.

       We to one side retir'd, into a place

       Open and bright and lofty, whence each one

       Stood manifest to view. Incontinent

       There on the green enamel of the plain

       Were shown me the great spirits, by whose sight

       I am exalted in my own esteem.

       Electra there I saw accompanied

       By many, among whom Hector I knew,

       Anchises' pious son, and with hawk's eye

       Caesar all arm'd, and by Camilla there

       Penthesilea. On the other side

       Old King Latinus, seated by his child

       Lavinia, and that Brutus I beheld,

       Who Tarquin chas'd, Lucretia, Cato's wife

       Marcia, with Julia and Cornelia there;

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