The Divine Comedy Book PDF Free Download
The Divine Comedy
His glory, by whose might all things are mov’d,
Pierces the universe, and in one part
Sheds more resplendence, elsewhere less. In heaven,
That large list of his light partakes, was I,
Witness of things, which to relate again
Surpasseth power of him who comes from thence;
For that, so near approaching its desire
Our intellect is to such depth absorb’d,
That memory cannot follow. Nathless all,
That is my thoughts I of that sacred realm
Could store, shall now be a matter of my song.
Benign Apollo! this last labor aid,
And make me such a vessel of thy worth,
As thy own laurel claims of me belov’d.
Thus far hath one of steep Parnassus’ brows
Suffice me; henceforth there is need of both
For my remaining enterprise Do thou
Enter into my bosom, and there breathe
So, as when Marsyas by thy hand was dragged
Forth from his limbs unsheath’d. O power divine!
If thou to me of shine impart so much,
That of that happy realm the shadowed form
Trac’d in my thoughts I may set forth to view,
Thou shalt behold me of thy favor’d tree
Come to the foot, and crown me with leaves;
For to that honor thou, and my high theme
It will fit me. If but seldom, mighty Sire!
To grace his triumph gathers thence a wreath
Caesar or bard (more shame for human wills
Depraved) joy to the Delphic god must spring
From the Pierian foliage, when one breast
Is with such thirst inspired. From a small spark
Great flame hath risen: after me perchance
Others with better voices may pray and gain
From the Cirrhaean city answer kind.
CANTO I
MIDWAY upon the journey of our life I found myself in a dark wood, where the right way was lost. Ah! how hard a thing it is to tell what this wild and rough and difficult wood was, which in thought renews my fear! So bitter is it that death is little more.
But in order to treat the good that I found in it, I will tell of the other things that I saw there.
I cannot well report how I entered it, so full was I of slumber at that moment when I abandoned the true way.
But after I had reached the foot of a hill, where that valley ended which had pierced my heart with fear, I looked upward, and saw its shoulders clothed already with the rays of the planet which leads man aright along every path.
Then was the fear a little quieted which had lasted in the lake of my heart through the night that I had passed so piteously.
| Author | Dante Alighieri |
| Language | English |
| No. of Pages | 183 |
| PDF Size | 9 MB |
| Category | Poetry |
The Divine Comedy Book PDF Free Download