Page:Divine Comedy (Longfellow 1867) v1.djvu/74

54 Not otherwise it was than of a wind

Impetuous on account of adverse heats,

That smites the forest, and, without restraint,

The branches rends, beats down, and bears away;

Right onward, laden with dust, it goes superb,

And puts to flight the wild beasts and the shepherds.

Mine eyes he loosed, and said: "Direct the nerve

Of vision now along that ancient foam,

There yonder where that smoke is most intense."

Even as the frogs before the hostile serpent

Across the water scatter all abroad,

Until each one is huddled in the earth,

More than a thousand ruined souls I saw,

Thus fleeing from before one who on foot

Was passing o'er the Styx with soles unwet.

From off his face he fanned that unctuous air,

Waving his left hand oft in front of him,

And only with that anguish seemed he weary.

Well I perceived one sent from Heaven was he,

And to the Master turned; and he made sign

That I should quiet stand, and bow before him.

Ah! how disdainful he appeared to me!

He reached the gate, and with a little rod

He opened it, for there was no resistance.