The Secret Splendour

Francesco of Rimini

From Dante's Inferno, Canto 5

(Francesco, daughter of the Lord of Ravenna, was given in marriage to the Lord of Rimini, a man of extraordinary courage but deformed in appearance. His brother Paolo, who possessed great personal charm, was sent by him as his representative to the ceremony. Francesca and Paolo fell in love. Once the husband came suddenly and surprised them in bed. In his rage he severed the necks of both of them with his sword. Dante, guided by Virgil, meets their souls in the second circle of Hell, and Francesca tells him their story.)

"My land of birth is seated on the shore

Whither in quest of peace the Po descends

And all his tributary waters pour.

Love, to whose call the warm heart quickly bends,

Attracted him with my once-comely shape

 Now lost in cruel mode that still offends.

Love, whose desire no loved one shall escape,

Caught me for being found so beauteous

That never he from mine diverts his step.

Love to one single ruin guided us:

But deep hell waits the soul who spilled our youth."

 Then, by the anguish she had spoken thus,

Moved to a silence of unbearable ruth

I looking down drooped long my countenance

Until the Poet questioned: "Why so mute?"

And I replied: "Alas, by what intense

Sweetness of yearning thought could these have come

To such a dolorous fate?" Tuning my glance

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Upon the pair I said: "Your martyrdom,

Francesca, wrings my heart till tears arise:

But tell me how, in hours unwearisome

When every sigh was sweet, love's full surprise

You felt and by a kindred passion's glow

His own obscure desire could recognise."

Whereon she cried: "There is no greater woe

Than to remember days of happiness

 In misery—as well your Guide must know.

But if your touched soul craves now to possess

 Our story, then our love's prime root I will,

 As one who murmurs though he weep, express.

One day for joy we read what deep love's thrill

Bound by its tyranny even Lancelot:

Alone we were, with no suspicion still.

But often over the script our glances sought

Each other and our cheeks changed hue the while.

Only at one sole point our doom was wrought.

When read we of that long-desired smile

Kissed by a lover of such ardency

Then he whom nought can far from me beguile

Kissed me upon my mouth all tremblingly.

Love's tempter proved for us both scribe and book

That day no further page could draw our eye."

As told one spirit thus, the other shook

My heart with pity by the tears he shed,

Until my sense a mortal darkness took,

And, swooning, I fell down as fall the dead.

25.8.36

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