The Secret Splendour

(An adaptation and fusion of two famous speeches of Beatrice to Virgil in the Divina Commedia)

"O courteous soul of Mantuar poesy,

Whose fame for ever on God's earth endures -

A friend not of my fortune but of me

Roves through a desert, driven from his course

By obstacles so grave my I heart has fear

Lest I too late should bear him succouring force,

Too late if nought in heaven save truth I hear.

Speed thou and by thy art deliverance teach

Unto his mind: thus shalt thou bring me cheer.

Beatrice am I who now thy haste beseech:

Out of a place that lures me back I come -

Love brought me here and love impels my speech.

 When I shall view again my Master's home,

Then to His ear thy praises will I sing ...

Thou wonderest how my feet unfrightened roam

 This region where eternal tortures sting:

Now by the grace of God I am fashioned such,

I move untroubled by your suffering

Nor me these cruel tongues of fire can touch.

In paradise one everlasting Love,

Mother of all, is queen, mourning so much

The fate of him I call thee to reprove,

That even God's stern will unbends to Her.

She spoke to Lucia: 'Go forth and remove

 His sorrow, thou who art grief's minister.'

So Lucia, winging there where I abode

With Rachel of past ages, bade me stir:

 'O blessed Beatrice, true praise of God!

Why lingerest thou when he, who for thy sake

Has thrown away all treasures men applaud.

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Strains up to thee? Dost thou not hear him make

Most miserable moan, hast thou not seen

Death's storm, wider than oceans, round him break.

Never did human heart rush with more keen

Desire to follow safety or fly doom

Than I who sweep down from the heights serene,

Bidding thy silver accent pierce his gloom." ]

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