{
  "meta": {
    "schema_version": "1.1",
    "endpoint": "/api/sources/divine-comedy/inferno/canto-2.json"
  },
  "work": {
    "slug": "inferno",
    "name": "Inferno"
  },
  "parents": [
    {
      "slug": "divine-comedy",
      "name": "Divine Comedy",
      "url": "/sources/divine-comedy/"
    }
  ],
  "chapter": {
    "num": 2,
    "slug": "canto-2",
    "title": "Inferno · Canto 2",
    "of": 34,
    "words": 1247,
    "text": "## Inferno Canto 2\n\n\nCanto II\n\nArgument\n\nAfter the invocation, which poets are used to prefix to their works, he\nshows that, on a consideration of his own strength, he doubted whether it\nsufficed for the journey proposed to him, but that, being comforted by Virgil,\nhe at last took courage, and followed him as his guide and master.\n\nNow was the day departing, and the air,\nImbrown'd with shadows, from their toils released\nAll animals on earth; and I alone\nPrepared myself the conflict to sustain,\nBoth of sad pity, and that perilous road,\nWhich my unerring memory shall retrace.\n\nO Muses! O high genius! now vouchsafe\nYour aid. O mind! that all I saw hast kept\nSafe in a written record, here thy worth\nAnd eminent endowments come to proof.\n\nI thus began: \"Bard! thou who art my guide,\nConsider well, if virtue be in me\nSufficient, ere to this high enterprise\nThou trust me. Thou hast told that Silvius' sire,[1]\nYet clothed in corruptible flesh, among\nThe immortal tribes had entrance, and was there\nSensibly present. Yet if Heaven's great Lord,\nAlmighty foe to ill, such favor show'd\nIn contemplation of the high effect,\nBoth what and who from him should issue forth,\nIt seems in reason's judgment well deserved;\nSith he of Rome and of Rome's empire wide,\nIn Heaven's imperial height was chosen sire:\nBoth which, if truth be spoken, were ordain'd\nAnd stablish'd for the holy place, where sits\nWho to great Peter's sacred chair succeeds.\nHe from this journey, in thy song renown'd,\nLearn'd things, that to his victory gave rise\nAnd to the papal robe. In after - times\nThe Chosen Vessel[2] also travel'd there,\nTo bring us back assurance in that faith\nWhich is the entrance to salvation's way.\nBut I, why should I there presume? or who\nPermits it? not Aeneas I, nor Paul.\n\n[1: \"Silvius' sire.\" Aeneas.]\n\n[2: \"The Chosen Vessel.\" St. Paul.]\n\nMyself I deem not worthy, and none else\nWill deem me. I, if on this voyage then\nI venture, fear it will in folly end.\nThou, who art wise, better my meaning know'st,\nThan I can speak.\" As one, who unresolves\nWhat he hath late resolved, and with new thoughts\nChanges his purpose, from his first intent\nRemoved; e'en such was I on that dun coast,\nWasting in thought my enterprise, at first\nSo eagerly embraced. \"If right thy words\nI scan,\" replied that shade magnanimous,\n\"Thy soul is by vile fear assail'd, which oft\nSo overcasts a man, that he recoils\nFrom noblest resolution, like a beast\nAt some false semblance in the twilight gloom.\nThat from this terror thou mayst free thyself,\nI will instruct thee why I came, and what\nI heard in that same instant, when for thee\nGrief touch'd me first. I was among the tribe,\nWho rest suspended,[3] when a dame, so blest\nAnd lovely I besought her to command,\nCall'd me; her eyes were brighter than the star\nOf day; and she, with gentle voice and soft,\nAngelically tuned, her speech address'd:\n'O courteous shade of Mantua! thou whose fame\nYet lives, and shall live long as nature lasts!\nA friend, not of my fortune but myself,\nOn the wide desert in his road has met\nHindrance so great, that he through fear has turn'd.\nNow much I dread lest he past help have stray'd,\nAnd I be risen too late for his relief,\nFrom what in heaven of him I heard. Speed now,\nAnd by thy eloquent persuasive tongue,\nAnd by all means for his deliverance meet,\nAssist him. So to me will comfort spring.\nI, who now bid thee on this errand forth,\nAm Beatrice;[4] from a place I come\nRevisited with joy. Love brought me thence,\nWho prompts my speech. When in my Master's sight\nI stand, thy praise to him I oft will tell.'\n\n[3: The spirits in Limbo, neither admitted to a state of glory nor\ndoomed to punishment.]\n\n[4: \"Beatrice.\" The daughter of Folco Portinari, who is here invested\nwith the character of celestial wisdom or theology.]\n\n\"She then was silent, and I thus began:\n'O Lady! by whose influence alone\nMankind excels whatever is contain'd\nWithin that heaven which hath the smallest orb,\nSo thy command delights me, that to obey,\nIf it were done already, would seem late.\nNo need hast thou further to speak thy will:\nYet tell the reason, why thou art not loth\nTo leave that ample space, where to return\nThou burnest, for this centre here beneath.'\n\n\"She then: 'Since thou so deeply wouldst inquire,\nI will instruct thee briefly why no dread\nHinders my entrance here. Those things alone\nAre to be fear'd whence evil may proceed;\nNone else, for none are terrible beside.\nI am so framed by God, thanks to His grace!\nThat any sufferance of your misery\nTouches me not, nor flame of that fierce fire\nAssails me. In high Heaven a blessed Dame[5]\nResides, who mourns with such effectual grief\nThat hindrance, which I send thee to remove,\nThat God's stern judgment to her will inclines.'\nTo Lucia,[6] calling, her she thus bespake:\n'Now doth thy faithful servant need thy aid,\nAnd I commend him to thee.' At her word\nSped Lucia, of all cruelty the foe,\nAnd coming to the place, where I abode\nSeated with Rachel, her of ancient days,\nShe thus address'd me: \"Thou true praise of God!\nBeatrice! why is not thy succour lent\nTo him, who so much loved thee, as to leave\nFor thy sake all the multitude admires?\nDost thou not hear how pitiful his wail,\nNor mark the death, which in the torrent flood,\nSwoln mightier than a sea, him struggling holds?\"\n\n[5: \"A blessed Dame.\" The Divine Mercy.]\n\n[6: \"Lucia.\" The enlightening Grace of Heaven; as it is commonly\nexplained.]\n\nNe'er among men did any with such speed\nHaste to their profit, flee from their annoy,\nAs, when these words were spoken, I came here,\nDown from my blessed seat, trusting the force\nOf thy pure eloquence, which thee, and all\nWho well have mark'd it, into honor brings.'\n\n\"When she had ended, her bright beaming eyes\nTearful she turn'd aside; whereat I felt\nRedoubled zeal to serve thee. As she will'd,\nThus am I come: I saved thee from the beast,\nWho thy near way across the goodly mount\nPrevented. What is this comes o'er thee than?\nWhy, why dost thou hang back? why in thy breast\nHarbour vile fear? why hast not courage there,\nAnd noble daring; since three maids,[7] so blest,\nThy safety plan, e'en in the court of Heaven;\nAnd so much certain good my words forebode?\"\n\n[7: \"Three maids.\" The Divine Mercy, Lucia and Beatrice.]\n\nAs florets, by the frosty air of night\nBent down and closed, when day has blanch'd their leaves,\nRise all unfolded on their spiry stems;\nSo was my fainting vigor new restored,\nAnd to my heart such kindly courage ran,\nThat I as one undaunted soon replied:\n\"O full of pity she, who undertook\nMy succour! and thou kind, who didst perform\nSo soon her true behest! With such desire\nThou hast disposed me to renew my voyage,\nThat my first purpose fully is resumed.\nLead on: one only will is in us both.\nThou art my guide, my master thou, and lord,\"\n\nSo spake I; and when he had onward moved,\nI enter'd on the deep and woody way.",
    "project_translation": false,
    "license": null,
    "methodology_url": null
  }
}