Page:Divine Comedy (Longfellow 1867) v1.djvu/31

Rh God in his mercy such created me

That misery of yours attains me not,

Nor any flame assails me of this burning.

A gentle Lady is in Heaven, who grieves

At this impediment, to which I send thee,

So that stern judgment there above is broken.

In her entreaty she besought Lucìa,

And said, "Thy faithful one now stands in need

Of thee, and unto thee I recommend him."

Lucìa, foe of all that cruel is,

Hastened away, and came unto the place

Where I was sitting with the ancient Rachel.

"Beatrice," said she, "the true praise of God,

Why succorest thou not him, who loved thee so,

For thee he issued from the vulgar herd?

Dost thou not hear the pity of his plaint?

Dost thou not see the death that combats him

Beside that flood, where ocean has no vaunt?"

Never were persons in the world so swift

To work their weal and to escape their woe,

As I, after such words as these were uttered,

Came hither downward from my blessed seat,

Confiding in thy dignified discourse,

Which honors thee, and those who've listened to it.'