Page:Divine Comedy (Longfellow 1867) v2.djvu/27

Rh Upon the stern stood the Celestial Pilot;

Beatitude seemed written in his face,

And more than a hundred spirits sat within.

"In exitu Israel de Ægypto!"

They chanted all together in one voice,

With whatso in that psalm is after written.

Then made he sign of holy rood upon them,

Whereat all cast themselves upon the shore,

And he departed swiftly as he came.

The throng which still remained there unfamiliar

Seemed with the place, all round about them gazing,

As one who in new matters makes essay.

On every side was darting forth the day

The sun, who had with his resplendent shafts

From the mid-heaven chased forth the Capricorn,

When the new people lifted up their faces

Towards us, saying to us: "If ye know,

Show us the way to go unto the mountain."

And answer made Virgilius: "Ye believe

Perchance that we have knowledge of this place,

But we are strangers even as yourselves.

Just now we came, a little while before you,

Another way, which was so rough and steep,

That mounting will henceforth seem sport to us."