"Whoisthisonethatgoesaboutourmountain,

OreverDeathhasgivenhimpowerofflight,

Andopeshiseyesandshutsthemathiswill?"

"Iknownotwho, butknowhe'snotalone;

Askhimthyself, forthouartnearertohim,

Andgently, sothathemayspeak, accosthim."

Thusdidtwospirits, leaningtow'rdseachother,

Discourseaboutmethereontherighthand;

Thenheldsupinetheirfacestoaddressme.

Andsaidtheone: "Osoul, that, fastenedstill

Withinthebody, tow'rdstheheavenartgoing,

Forcharityconsoleus, anddeclare

Whencecomestandwhoartthou; forthoumak'stus

Asmuchtomarvelatthisgraceofthine

Asmustathingthatneveryethasbeen."

AndI: "ThroughmidstofTuscanytherewanders

AstreamletthatisborninFalterona,

Andnotahundredmilesofcoursesufficeit;

FromthereupondoIthisbodybring.

TotellyouwhoIamwerespeechinvain,

Becausemynameasyetmakesnogreatnoise."

"IfwellthymeaningIcanpenetrate

Withintellectofmine," thenansweredme

Hewhofirstspake, "thouspeakestoftheArno."

Andsaidtheothertohim: "Whyconcealed

Thisonetheappellationofthatriver,

Evenasamandothofthingshorrible?"

Andthustheshadethatquestionedwasofthis

Himselfacquitted: "Iknownot; buttruly

'Tisfitthenameofsuchavalleyperish;

Forfromitsfountain-head (whereissopregnant

TheAlpinemountainwhenceiscleftPeloro

Thatinfewplacesitthatmarksurpasses)

Towhereityieldsitselfinrestoration

Ofwhattheheavendothoftheseadryup,

Whencehavetheriversthatwhichgoeswiththem,

Virtueislikeanenemyavoided

Byall, asisaserpent, throughmisfortune

Ofplace, orthroughbadhabitthatimpelsthem;

Onwhichaccounthavesotransformedtheirnature