uch as the fair limbs
wherein I was inclosed; and they are scattered in earth. And if the
supreme pleasure thus failed thee through my death, what mortal things
ought then to have drawn thee into its desire? Forsooth thou oughtest,
at the first arrow of things deceitful, to have risen up, following me
who was no longer such. Nor should thy wings have weighed thee downward
to await more blows, either girl or other vanity of so brief a use. The
young little bird awaits two or three; but before the eyes of the
full-fledged the net is spread in vain, the arrow shot."

As children, ashamed, dumb, with eyes upon the ground, stand listening
and conscience-stricken and repentant, so was I standing. And she said,
"Since through hearing thou art grieved, lift up thy beard and thou
shalt receive more grief in seeing." With less resistance is a sturdy
oak uprooted by a native wind, or by one from the land of Iarbas,[36]
than I raised up my chin at her command; and when by the beard she asked
for my eyes, truly I recognized the venom of the argument.[37] And as my
face stretched upward, my sight perceived that those primal creatures
were resting from their strewing, and my eyes, still little assured, saw
Beatrice turned toward the animal that is only one person in two
natures. Beneath her veil and beyond the stream she seemed to me more to
surpass her ancient self, than she surpassed the others here when she
was here. So pricked me there the nettle of repentance, that of all
other things the one which most turned me aside unto its love became
most hostile to me.[38]

Such contrition stung my heart that I fell overcome; and what I then
became she knows who afforded me the cause.

Then, when my heart restored my outward faculties, I saw above me the
lady whom I had found alone,[39] and she was saying, "Hold me, hold me."
She had drawn me into the stream up to the throat, and dragging me
behind was moving upon the water light as a shuttle. When I was near the
blessed shore, "Asperges me"[40] I heard so sweetly that I cannot
remember it, far less can write it. The beautiful lady opened her arms,
clasped my head, and plunged me in where it behoved that I should
swallow the water. Then she took me, and, thus bathed, brought me within
the dance of the four beautiful ones,[41] and each of them covered me
with her arm. "Here we are nymphs, and in heaven we are stars; ere
Beatrice had descended to the world we were ordained unto her for her