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Virgil Recalls Meeting Beatrice:
Canto II of Inferno

by Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)
translated by Stephen Binns
.
The light was failing and the air embrowned,
__relieving every creature of the curse
__of toil. I alone in that surround
was getting ready to endure much worse,
__both of the road and pains that must be paid,
__which, if it might, my memory will rehearse.
O Muses, O my genius, bring me aid!
__O memory, who writes down what you will,
__let not your noble powers flee or fade.
“Consider if I have the strength and skill,____ to Virgil
__O Poet, you who now becomes my guide,
__before me as we travel down this hill.
Silvanius’s father, you tell, tried, ____Aeneas
__when he was still corruptible, to go
__beyond this world of ours before he died,
and if the enemy of fiends below
__did courtesy because of who he was
__and what he was and what he would bestow,____the founding of Rome
that must, to men of sense, seem most fair laws,
__since he was chosen in the highest zone
__as Rome and Roman Empire’s primal cause.
The Roman city, as you have made known,
__was destined to become the Holy See,
__where each successor sits on Peter’s throne.
On his strange voyage, you write brilliantly,
__he heard of things that were to bring about
__his triumph and then that of papacy.
That is the road on which the Ark set out ____St. Paul, Acts 9:15
__when strengthening the faith by each degree,
__which starts us on our journey from our doubt.
But why should I go there? By whose decree? ____to Hell
__Aeneas I am not, and neither Paul.
__That I am worthy no one now would see.
And so, if I decide to heed your call,
__I am afraid of being glory-bent.
__You understand me, understanding all.”
And just as one who takes back what he meant,
__to change his mind, his own, on second thought,
__wholly diverted from his first intent,
just so it stood with me: all was for naught.
__By thinking through it, I’d consumed the task
__by which I’d been consensually caught.
“If I have understood, I now must ask,”
__then said the ghost of that great-minded one,
__“if soul has taken fright beneath your mask.
Fear often comes to men when, once begun,
__they turn from honest things that they must do,
__as beasts fear shadows with the setting sun.
That you should lose this fear and now go through,
__I’ll tell you why I came, what I descried
__at that first moment when I pitied you.
I was among those souls who must abide. ____ in Limbo
__A lady called to me, so bright and blessed ____Beatrice
__I asked her to make known why she so cried.
Her eyes shone like the stars. At my behest
__she spoke with gentleness in her own tongue, ____Italian
__and in angelic voice she then confessed:
‘O you whose glory is still coin among
__the men, and shall endure, shall ne’er abate,
__O Matuan soul, who once had sweetly sung:
this friend of mine, though not a friend of fate,
__is so encumbered on his lonely hill,
__he having left the road that once went straight.
It might be he’s already strayed, or will,
__so far that to give aid I’ve too late come,
__to judge from what I heard, in Heaven still.
Now bring your eloquence, O you from whom
__he’ll take all that he needs, he now so weak.
__Please help him. I’ll take comfort in this gloom,
for I am Beatrice who this must seek.
__I’ve come from where I’m eager to return.
__Love urged me on to this. Love makes me speak.
When I’m once more upon the Lord’s bourn
__I’ll sing your praises to Him without break.’
__And that was all. That was enough to learn.
‘O lady of great virtue, by whose boon ____Virgil to Beatrice
__the human race surpasses everything
__beneath the tightened circle of the moon,
I am so gratified by what you bring,
__obeying now would be more late than soon.
__There is no need of any more requesting.
But tell me first the reason you don’t spurn
__descending to this center from that land
__where, as you say, you’re eager to return.’
‘Because you feel the need to so demand,
__I shall explain in brief,’ she said in turn,
__‘why I am bold enough here where we stand.
We should be frightened of those things alone
__which have the devil’s dark ability;
__they should not scare us if no harm is done.
I’m formed by God in such a way, you see,
__that all these sorrows cannot touch upon
__me now, nor fires that burn so ragingly.
A lady there has sympathetic sway. ____the Virgin Mary in Heaven
__For hardships that I’ve asked you to endure,
__the judgment up above has given way.’ ____of God
She called St. Lucy, and she said to her: __virgin of Sicily, martyred A.D. 303
__“A faithful one has need of hands to stay
__all ill. I seek for him your kind succor.”
St. Lucy, cruelty’s great enemy,
__arose at those few words, came where I stood
__with antique Rachel, and she said to me: __wife of Jacob
“O Beatrice, the truthful praise of God,
__why don’t you help him? He loved worthily,
__and for your sake he left the vulgar crowd.
Can you not hear his cries of agony?
__Can you not see him drowning in that depth,
__within the flood as frightful as the sea?”
Nobody in the world was so adept
__at seeking vantage and from loss to flee
__as I to hear her speak. I fairly leapt,
was quick to leave my seat among the blessed
__to put my faith in your fine honest speech,
__which honors you and those who read you best.’
As soon as her sweet words could even reach ____Virgil again
__my ears, she turned her eyes from her request.
__I would fulfill whate’er she might beseech.
And so for her I came within your sight
__and saved you from that feral beast that barred ____wolf in Canto I
__your passage to the mountain of delight.
Why do you relish lurking like a coward?
__What is it then? Why do you have such fright?
__Why cannot you be keen now to go forward?
Are not three blessèd ladies, after all, ____the Virgin, St. Lucy, and Beatrice
__now speaking for you in the court up there?
__And cannot what I’ve promised be your call?”
And as the budding blossoms, when night air
__has made them close, lift up their heads, let fall
__their spread of petals with the sun’s first flare:
just so was I, after exhausting dread.
__And such good ardor streamed into my heart
__that as somebody freed from fear I said:
“To comfort me, how charitable thou art!
__How gracious, courteous, when she had pled
__those truthful words, how swift then to obey!
You have instilled such longing on my part
__to come with you, because of all you say,
__that I’ve returned to you. Then let us start.
We are as two in one now, come what may.
__You are my leader, master, and my goad.”
__That’s what I said, and we were on our way.
I started on that high and wild road.
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Original Italian

Lo giorno se n’andava, e l’aere bruno
toglieva li animai che sono in terra
da le fatiche loro; e io sol uno

m’apparecchiava a sostener la guerra
sì del cammino e sì de la pietate,
che ritrarrà la mente che non erra.

O muse, o alto ingegno, or m’aiutate;
o mente che scrivesti ciò ch’io vidi,
qui si parrà la tua nobilitate.

Io cominciai: “Poeta che mi guidi,
guarda la mia virtù s’ell’ è possente,
prima ch’a l’alto passo tu mi fidi.

Tu dici che di Silvïo il parente,
corruttibile ancora, ad immortale
secolo andò, e fu sensibilmente.

Però, se l’avversario d’ogne male
cortese i fu, pensando l’alto effetto
ch’uscir dovea di lui e ’l chi e ’l quale

non pare indegno ad omo d’intelletto;
ch’e’ fu de l’alma Roma e di suo impero
ne l’empireo ciel per padre eletto:

la quale e ’l quale, a voler dir lo vero,
fu stabilita per lo loco santo
u’ siede il successor del maggior Piero.

Per quest’ andata onde li dai tu vanto,
intese cose che furon cagione
di sua vittoria e del papale ammanto.

Andovvi poi lo Vas d’elezïone,
per recarne conforto a quella fede
ch’è principio a la via di salvazione.

Ma io, perché venirvi? o chi ’l concede?
Io non Enëa, io non Paulo sono;
me degno a ciò né io né altri ’l crede.

Per che, se del venire io m’abbandono,
temo che la venuta non sia folle.
Se’ savio; intendi me’ ch’i’ non ragiono.”

E qual è quei che disvuol ciò che volle
e per novi pensier cangia proposta,
sì che dal cominciar tutto si tolle,

tal mi fec’ ïo ’n quella oscura costa,
perché, pensando, consumai la ’mpresa
che fu nel cominciar cotanto tosta.

“S’i’ ho ben la parola tua intesa,”
rispuose del magnanimo quell’ ombra;
“l’anima tua è da viltade offesa;

la qual molte fïate l’ omo ingombra
sì che d’onrata impresa lo rivolve,
come falso veder bestia quand’ ombra.

Da questa tema acciò che tu ti solve,
dirotti perch’ io venni e quel ch’io ’ntesi
nel primo punto che di te mi dolve.

Io era tra color che son sospesi,
e donna mi chiamò beata e bella,
tal che di comandare io la richiesi.

Lucevan li occhi suoi più che la stella;
e cominciommi a dir soave e piana,
con angelica voce, in sua favella:

‘O anima cortese mantoana,
di cui la fama ancor nel mondo dura,
e durerà quanto ’l mondo lontana,

l’amico mio, e non de la ventura,
ne la diserta piaggia è impedito
sì nel cammin, che volt’ è per paura;

e temo che non sia già sì smarrito,
ch’io mi sia tardi al soccorso levata,
per quel ch’i’ ho di lui nel cielo udito.

Or movi, e con la tua parola ornata
e con ciò c’ha mestieri al suo campare,
l’aiuta, sì ch’i’ ne sia consolata.

I’ son Beatrice che ti faccio andare;
vegno del loco ove tornar disio;
amor mi mosse, che mi fa parlare.

Quando sarò dinanzi al segnor mio,
di te mi loderò sovente a lui.’
Tacette allora, e poi comincia’ io:

‘O donna di virtù, sola per cui
l’umana spezie eccede ogne contento
di quel ciel c’ha minor li cerchi sui,

tanto m’aggrada il tuo comandamento,
che l’ubidir, se già fosse, m’è tardi;
più non t’è uo’ ch’aprirmi il tuo talento.

Ma dimmi la cagion che non ti guardi
de lo scender qua giuso in questo centro
de l’ampio loco ove tornar tu ardi.’

‘Da che tu vuo’ saver cotanto a dentro,
dirotti brievemente”, mi rispuose,
“perch’ i’ non temo di venir qua entro.

Temer si dee di sole quelle cose
c’hanno potenza di fare altrui male;
de l’altre no, ché non son paurose.

I’ son fatta da Dio, sua mercé, tale,
che la vostra miseria non mi tange,
né fiamma d’esto ’ncendio non m’assale.

Donna è gentil nel ciel che si compiange
di questo ’mpedimento ov’ io ti mando,
sì che duro giudicio là sù frange.

Questa chiese Lucia in suo dimando
e disse: “Or ha bisogno il tuo fedele
di te, e io a te lo raccomando.”

Lucia, nimica di ciascun crudele,
si mosse, e venne al loco dov’ i’ era,
che mi sedea con l’antica Rachele.

Disse: “Beatrice, loda di Dio vera,
ché non soccorri quei che t’amò tanto,
ch’uscì per te de la volgare schiera?

Non odi tu la pieta del suo pianto,
non vedi tu la morte che ’l combatte
su la fiumana ove ’l mar non ha vanto?”

Al mondo non fur mai persone ratte
a far lor pro o a fuggir lor danno,
com’ io, dopo cotai parole fatte,

venni qua giù del mio beato scanno,
fidandomi del tuo parlare onesto,
ch’onora te e quei ch’udito l’hanno.’

Poscia che m’ebbe ragionato questo,
li occhi lucenti lacrimando volse,
per che mi fece del venir più presto.

E venni a te così com’ ella volse;
d’inanzi a quella fiera ti levai
che del bel monte il corto andar ti tolse.

Dunque: che è? perché, perché restai,
perché tanta viltà nel core allette,
perché ardire e franchezza non hai,

poscia che tai tre donne benedette
curan di te ne la corte del cielo,
e ‘l mio parlar tanto ben ti promette?”

Quali fioretti dal notturno gelo
chinati e chiusi, poi che ’l sol li ’mbianca
si drizzan tutti aperti in loro stelo,

tal mi fec’ io di mia virtude stanca,
e tanto buono ardire al cor mi corse,
ch’i’ cominciai come persona franca:

“Oh pietosa colei che mi soccorse!
e te cortese ch’ubidisti tosto
a le vere parole che ti porse!

Tu m’hai con disiderio il cor disposto
sì al venir con le parole tue,
ch’i’ son tornato nel primo proposto.

Or va, ch’un sol volere è d’ambedue:
tu duca, tu segnore, e tu maestro.”
Così li dissi; e poi che mosso fue,

intrai per lo cammino alto e silvestro.

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Stephen Binns is an editor at the Smithsonian (the institution, not the magazine). His most recently published poetry appeared in the January 2023 issue of First Things.

NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets.

The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary.


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9 Responses

  1. Roy Eugene Peterson

    I can only imagine the difficulty of putting together such a great rhyme scheme and finding the great words that rhyme after translation. It is so much easier to move from English to another language than it is to translate a passage from another language into English and still maintain the essence of the work. The notes in italics really help the reader in understanding what is happening to and by whom.

    Reply
  3. Renee Claire

    Beautifully done. I agree, the notes are helpful. Thank you for sharing this.

    Reply
  4. Joseph S. Salemi

    Maintaining the carefully linked rhyme scheme of terza rima when translating Dante is difficult, and demands ingenuity, along with a very extensive command of English vocabulary. The temptation to alter the original meaning as a short cut to getting the proper rhymes is very great. Binns seems to have all the requisite skills.

    Reply
  5. Allegra Silberstein

    What a beautiful translation…thank you. Allegra

    Reply
  6. Cynthia Erlandson

    I was taken immediately with the first line, and its extremely clever rhyming word “embrowned” (with surround). (Also, “barred/coward/forward” jumped out as exceptional.) I won’t try to speak for the translation, since I don’t know Italian; but the way you made the musical sound of the story flow, keeping to the terza rima, makes me think I’d like to read your translation of The Divine Comedy, though I’ve loved Dorothy Sayers’ translation so much that it’s the only one I’ve even looked at for many years. From your examples here at SCP, I believe I would love yours just as well.

    Reply
  7. Monika Cooper

    It’s very beautiful, ends on a strong and haunting note.

    It strikes me, reading this, that Beatrice did not requite Dante’s love on earth but she does from heaven. His love for her was instrumental in his own salvation: his love for her benefited him more than it did her. She had everything she needed in God, loved Him supremely in her life, and that’s what made Dante’s love for her blessed and sacramental (even though not blessed in an official Sacrament). His love was informed by the noble nature of its object as she aspired to and ultimately reached union with the Love that moves the stars.

    I could pick out more lines to praise but perhaps I’ll just say that I think, if this were published in a book with the rest of the cantos, it would be my favored translation of the Divine Comedy too. It has the high diction I love in older translations but flows without distraction or forced phrase. Difficulty? Yes. The poem is difficult. The notes help, as they always do with Dante. (But they don’t interfere either, as notes sometimes can.)

    I have two tiny quibbles: Rachel was Jacob’s wife. (I made a related mistake writing a poem once and called Isaac Jacob.) And do you want: “O Poet, you who now become my guide”?

    Reply
  9. Stephen Binns

    Thanks to all for your kind words and careful reading.

    Monika, I agree with your interpretation of the love for Beatrice. As a kind of side inspiration, I’ve been watching, over and again, “Vertigo,” perhaps Hitchcock’s most Catholic movie, a movie less about dizziness than about heartbreak. I picture James Stewart as Dante. Evan’s wise choice of illustration for this canto is very close to how I picture Beatrice.

    And thanks, Monica, for the correction. I’ve never been able to keep Rachel and Rebecca straight. (And I’ve been told by one living Rebecca that she’s forever being called Rachel). Further complicating things is that I’m a Catholic who prefers the King James. So there is also a Rebekah to contend with!

    And thanks to all for your own beautiful work.

    Reply

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