CANTO XII. THE ARGUMENT. Humbled by the foregoing scene and conversation, Dante pursues his journey with Virgil, who directs his attention to the marble road, on which lie sculptured, like memorials of the dead, the representations of pride abased and punished-Lucifer, Briareus, Nimrod, Niobe, Saul, Arachne, Rehoboam, Eriphyle, Sennacherib, Cyrus, Holofernes, Troy. Conducted by an angel to the foot of the stair leading to the next round, they mount, and their ears are saluted by melodious voices chanting Beati pauperes spiritu. ABREAST, like oxen moving in the yoke, Did I with that o'erburden'd soul proceed, Long as my guide allow'd. But when he spoke Upright myself I raised and yet in me My thoughts bow'd low and humble still remain. Advancing now I follow'd willingly Along the pathway where my master led, And both already show'd how light were we. "Turn thine eyes downward," then to me he said, ""Twill make thy way seem shorter to explore The ground which forms thy footsteps' marble bed." Like rude memorials which we see placed o'er 10 Those who lie sepulchred in tombs terrene, Waking that sad remembrance which alone Far as the mount for path was forward thrown. A nature which all creatures else excell❜d, I saw hurl'd downward thunderstruck from heaven.2 On the other hand, Briareus3 I beheld, With spear celestial pierced, a heavy load On earth, and in the ice of death lie quell'd. I saw Thimbræus, Pallas, Mars, who crowd 4 Around their Father; still in arms they lower, As if confounded, gazing on the train I saw thee while thy weeping eyes deplored, 20 30 Dante had seen, sculptured on the high perpendicular cliff, the examples of humility; and he now sees the opposite instances of pride carved on the pavement over which he treads.-Luke xiv. 11. 2 "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."—Luke x. 18. 3 See Inferno, xxxi. 98, and note. 4 "Thymbræus Apollo."-VIRG. Georg. iv. 323. See also Eneid. iii. 85. So called from the Trojan city Thymbra, where he had a temple. See Inferno, xxxi, 96, note. 5 Genesis x. 8-10; xi. 1-9. "Daughter of Tantalus king of Lydia, and wife of Amphion king O Saul, how ghastly, fallen on thine own sword, Was there thine aspect, in mount Gilboa dead, Whose heavens thenceforth no rain or dew afford.1 O mad Arachnè, there I saw thee sped, Already turn'd half spider, sadly thou Sitt'st o'er the woven threads by thee ill spread.2 40 50 of Thebes, by whom, according to Ovid and Apollodorus, she had seven sons and seven daughters. The number of her children so excited her pride that she preferred herself to Latona, and ridiculed the worship of that goddess, who had only two. Latona, provoked at this insolence, entreated her children to punish it: accordingly, all the sons of Niobe perished by the shafts of Apollo, and all her daughters except two by those of Diana; on seeing which the wretched mother wept until turned to stone.— Iliad. xxiv. OVID. Metam. vi. Bryant thought it borrowed from the history of Lot's wife. 11 Sam. xxxi. 4; 2 Sam. i, 21. 2 See Inferno, xvii, 18, note. 3 1 Kings xii. 18. Eriphyle, daughter of Talaus and Lysimache, was bribed by Polynices with a golden necklace to betray the place of her husband's concealment. See Inferno, xx. 33, note. On the death of Amphiaraus, and in fulfilment of his injunction, his son Alemæon avenged the perfidious injury by killing his mother. “ And hateful Eriphyle, Who accepted precious gold in exchange for her dear husband." Odyss. xi. 355-6. "And he saw sad Eriphyle Showing the wounds which her cruel son had given her." Eneid. vi. 445-6. It made Sennacherib and his sons appear, They overpower'd and left him slaughter'd there.1 ́ Which Tomyris made, when she to Cyrus said, "Blood was thy wish, now quench thy thirst in blood!"2 It show'd how overcome, the Assyrians fled, When they the death of Holofernes learn'd, The sculpture show'd thee, as 'twas there discern'd! What master of the pencil or the style Did to these forms and deeds their fashion give, Than I, what stooping as I tread, perceive. "Those bowels from which he sprung he transfix'd 60 70 With steel, and a necklace was the cause of the punishment.” OVID. Amorum, Lib. I. Eleg. x. 1. 51, 52. 12 Kings xix. 35, 36; Isaiah xxxvii. 37, 38. 2 "The head of Cyrus being cut off, the Queen commanded it to be thrown into a vessel filled with human blood, thus upbraiding his cruelty; 'Satiate thyself,' she said, 'with blood for which thou hast thirsted, and for which thou wert insatiable." "-JUSTIN, lib. i. cap. 8. 3 Judith xiii. The story of Holofernes very much resembles what Quintus Curtius relates of the death of Spitamenes, viii. 13. 4 This is an irony. We round the mount had further made advance, It is no time for thee to walk thus bent. See there an angel ready to draw nigh Towards us; and see, on silent pinions borne Thy acts and looks with reverence adorn, That pleased he may assist our march above. The waste of time; in that particular وو 80 90 Had almost reach'd us, white-robed, and his face Seem'd like the sparkling of the morning star. His arms, and then his wings, he spread apace; And said; "Come, here are steps; with effort small Your path-way now ye may ascending trace. Not many hasten to obey this call.2 O human creatures born to soar on high, He led us on to where a rock hard by Was cut, then with his pinions brush'd my face,* 1 The handmaids of the Day are the hours.-Paradise Lost, vi. 2-4. The time here indicated is noon. 2 "For many be called, but few chosen."-Matt. xx. 16. 3 "O remember that my life is wind.”—Job. Why should you for the transitory pleasures or fame of this life neglect the higher and more enduring blessings of the life to come?" • Canto ix. 112. The first of the seven P's was now effaced, |