o the wolves that war upon it,
With other voice henceforth, with other fleece
Will I return as poet, and at my font
Baptismal will I take the laurel-crown; [9]
Because into the Faith that maketh known
All souls to God there entered I, and then
Peter for her sake so my brow encircled.
Thereafterward towards us moved a light
Out of that band whence issued the first-fruits [14]
Which of his vicars Christ behind him left,
And then, my Lady, full of ecstasy,
Said unto me: "Look, look! behold the Baron
For whom below Galicia is frequented." [18]
In the same way as, when a dove alights
Near his companion, both of them pour forth,
Circling about and murmuring, their affection,
So I beheld one by the other grand
Prince glorified to be with welcome greeted,
Lauding the food that there above is eaten.
But when their gratulations were completed,
Silently _coram me_ each one stood still,
So incandescent it o'ercame my sight.
Smiling thereafterwards, said Beatrice:
"Spirit august, by whom the benefactions
Of our Basilica have been described, [30]
Make Hope reverberate in this altitude;
Thou knowest as oft thou dost personify it
As Jesus to the three gave greater light,"-- [33]
"Lift up thy head, and make thyself assured; [34]
For what comes hither from the mortal world
Must needs be ripened in our radiance."
This exhortation from the second fire [37]
Came; and mine eyes I lifted to the hills, [38]
Which bent them down before with too great weight,
"Since, through his grace, our Emperor decrees
Thou shouldst confronted be, before thy death,
In the most secret chamber, with his Counts, [42]
So that, the truth beholding of this court,
Hope, which below there rightly fascinates,
In thee and others may thereby be strengthened;
Say what it is, and how is flowering with it
Thy mind, and say from whence it came to thee":
Thus did the second light continue still.
And the Compassionate, who piloted [49]
The plumage of my wings in such high flight,
In the reply did thus anticipate me:
"No child whatever the Church Mil