LXXIII So spake the holy emperor aloud, In humbleness of heart and deep contrition; And added other prayers withal, and vowed What fitted his great needs and high condition.

Now was his supplication disallowed; For his good genius hears the king's pet.i.tion, Best of the seraphs he; who spreads his wings, And to the Saviour's feet this offering brings.

LXXIV Infinite other prayers as well preferred, Were, by like couriers, to the G.o.dhead's ear So borne; which when the blessed spirits heard, They all together gazed, with pitying cheer, On their eternal, loving Lord, and, stirred With one desire, besought that he would hear The just pet.i.tion, to his ears conveyed, Of this his Christian people, seeking aid.

LXXV And the ineffable Goodness, who in vain Was never sought by faithful heart, an eye, Full of compa.s.sion, raised; and from the train Waved Michael, and to the arch-angel: "Hie, To seek the Christian host that crost the main, And lately furled their sails in Picardy: These so conduct to Paris, that their tramp And noise be heard not in the hostile camp.

LXXVI "Find Silence first, and bid him, on my part, On this emprize attend thee, at thy side: Since he for such a quest, with happiest art Will know what is most fitting to provide.

Next, where she sojourns, instantly impart To Discord my command, that she, supplied With steel and tinder, 'mid the paynims go, And fire and flame in their encampment blow;

LXXVII "And throughout those among them, who are said To be the mightiest, spread such strife, that they Together may contend, and that some dead Remain, some hurt, some taken in the fray; And some to leave the camp, by wrath, be led; So that they yield their sovereign little stay."

Nothing the blessed winged-one replies, But swoops descending from the starry skies.

LXXVIII Where'er the angel Michael turns his wing, The clouds are scattered and the sky turns bright; About his person forms a golden ring, As we see summer lightning gleam at night.

This while the courier of the heavenly king Thinks, on his way, where he may best alight, With the intent to find that foe to speech, To whom he first his high behest would teach.

LXXIX Upon the thought the posting angel brooded, Where he, for whom he sought was used to dwell, Who after thinking much, at last concluded Him he should find in church or convent cell; Where social speech is in such mode excluded, That SILENCE, where the cloistered brethren swell Their anthems, where they sleep, and where they sit At meat; and everywhere in fine is writ.

Lx.x.x Weening that he shall find him here, he plies With greater speed his plumes of gilded scale, And deems as well that Peace, here guested, lies, And Charity and Quiet, without fail.

But finds he is deceived in his surmise, As soon as he has past the cloister's pale.

Here Silence is not; nor ('tis said) is found Longer, except in writing, on this ground.

Lx.x.xI Nor here he Love, nor here he Peace surveys, Piety, Quiet, or Humility.

Here dwelt they once; but 'twas in ancient days; Chased hence by Avarice, Anger, Gluttony, Pride, Envy, Sloth, and Cruelty. In amaze The angel mused upon such novelty: He narrowly the hideous squadron eyed, And Discord too amid the rest espied;

Lx.x.xII Even her, to whom the eternal Sire as well, Having found Silence, bade him to repair.

He had believed he to Avernus' cell, Where she was harboured with the d.a.m.ned, must fare, And now discerned her in this other h.e.l.l (Who would believe it?) amid ma.s.s and prayer.

Strange Michael thought to see her there enshrined, Whom he believed he must go far to find.

Lx.x.xIII Her by her party-coloured vest he knew.

Unequal strips and many formed the gown, Which, opening with her walk, or wind that blew, Now showed, now hid her; for they were unsown.

Her hair appeared to be at strife; in hue Like silver and like gold, and black and brown; Part in a tress, in riband part comprest, Some on her shoulders flowed, some on her breast.

Lx.x.xIV Examinations, summons, and a store Of writs and letters of attorney, she, And hearings, in her hands and bosom bore, And consultation, and authority: Weapons, from which the substance of the poor Can never safe in walled city be.

Before, behind her, and about her, wait Attorney, notary, and advocate.

Lx.x.xV Her Michael calls to him, and give command That she among the strongest paynims go; And find occasion whence amid the band Warfare and memorable scathe may grow.

He next from her of Silence makes demand, Who of his motions easily might know; As one who from one land to the other hied, Kindling and scattering fire on either side.

Lx.x.xVI "I recollect not ever to have viewed Him anywhere," quoth Discord in reply; "But oft have heard him mentioned, and for shrewd Greatly commended by the general cry: But Fraud, who makes one of this mult.i.tude, And who has sometimes kept him company, I think, can furnish news of him to thee, And" (pointing with her finger) "that is she."

Lx.x.xVII With pleasing mien, grave walk, and decent vest, Fraud rolled her eye-b.a.l.l.s humbly in her head; And such benign and modest speech possest, She might a Gabriel seem who Ave said.

Foul was she and deformed, in all the rest; But with a mantle long and widely spread, Concealed her hideous parts; and evermore Beneath the stole a poisoned dagger wore.

Lx.x.xVIII Of her the good archangel made demand What way in search of Silence to pursue: Who said; "He with the Virtues once was scanned Nor dwelt elsewhere; aye guested by the crew Of Benedict, or blest Elias' band, When abbeys and when convent-cells were new; And whilom in the schools long time did pa.s.s, With sage Archytas and Pythagorus.

Lx.x.xIX "But those philosophers and saints of yore Extinguished, who had been his former stay, From the good habits he had used before He pa.s.sed to evil ones; began to stray, Changing his life, at night with lovers, bore Thieves company, and sinned in every way: He oftentimes consorts with Treason; further, I even have beheld him leagued with Murther.

XC "With coiners him you oftentimes may see Harbour in some obscure and close repair.

So oft he changes home and company, To light on him would be a fortune rare: Yet have I hope to point him out to thee; If to Sleep's house thou wilt at midnight fare, Him wilt thou surely find; for to repose At night he ever to that harbour goes."

XCI Though Fraud was alway wont to deal in lies, So like the simple truth appears her say, The angel yields the tale belief; and flies Forth from the monastery without delay, Tempers his speed, and schemes withal in wise To finish at the appointed time his way, That at the house of Sleep (the mansion blind Full well he knew) this Silence he may find.

XCII In blest Arabia lies a pleasant vale, Removed from village and from city's reach.

By two fair hills o'ershadowed is the dale, And full of ancient fir and st.u.r.dy beech.

Thither the circling sun without avail Conveys the cheerful daylight: for no breach The rays can make through boughs spread thickly round; And it is here a cave runs under ground.

XCIII Beneath the shadow of this forest deep, Into the rock there runs a grotto wide.

Here widely wandering, ivy-suckers creep, About the cavern's entrance multiplied.

Harboured within this grot lies heavy Sleep, Ease, corpulent and gross, upon this side, Upon that, Sloth, on earth has made her seat; Who cannot go, and hardly keeps her feet.

XCIV Mindless Oblivion at the gate is found, Who lets none enter, and agnizes none; Nor message hears or bears, and from that ground Without distinction chases every one; While Silence plays the scout and walks his round, Equipt with shoes of felt and mantle brown, And motions from a distance all who meet Him on his circuit, from the dim retreat.

XCV The angel him approaches quietly, And, " 'Tis G.o.d's bidding" (whispers in his ear) "That thou Rinaldo and his company, Brought in his sovereign's aid, to Paris steer: But that thou do the deed so silently, That not a Saracen their cry shall hear; So that their army come upon the foe, Ere he from Fame of their arrival know."

XCVI Silence to him no otherwise replied Than signing with his head that he obeyed: (And took his post behind the heavenly guide) Both at one flight to Picardy conveyed.

The angel moved those bands of valour tried, And short to them a tedious distance made: Whom he to Paris safe transports; while none Is conscious that a miracle is done.

XCVII Silence the advancing troop kept skirting round, In front, and flank, and rear of the array; Above the band he spread a mist profound, And everywhere beside 'twas lightsome day; Nor through the impeding fog the shrilling sound Of horn was heard, without, or trumpet's bray.

He next the hostile paynims went to find, And with I know not what made deaf and blind.

XCVIII While with such haste his band Rinaldo led, That him an angel well might seem to guide, And in such silence moved, that nought was said Or heard of this upon the paynim side; King Agramant his infantry had spread Throughout fair Paris' suburbs, and beside The foss, and underneath the walls; that day To make upon the place his worst a.s.say.

XCIX He who the Moorish monarch's force would tell, Which Charlemagne this day will have to meet, In wooded Apennine might count as well The trees upon its back, or waves that beat (What time the troubled waters highest swell) Against the Mauritanian Atlas' feet; Or watch at midnight with how many eyes The furtive works of lovers Heaven espies.

C The larum-bells, loud-sounding through the air, Stricken with frequent blows, the town affray; And in the crowded temples every where Movement of lips and hands upraised to pray Are seen: if treasure seemed to G.o.d so fair As to our foolish thoughts, upon this day The holy consistory had bid mould Their every statue upon earth in gold.

CI Lamenting may be heard the aged just, In that they were reserved for such a woe; Calling those happy that in sacred dust Were buried many and many a year ago.

But the bold youths who, valiant and robust, Small thought upon the approaching ills bestow, Scorning their elders' counsel, here and there Hurrying, in fury, to the walls repair.

CII Here might you paladin and baron ken, King, duke, and marquis, count and chivalry, And soldier, foreigner or citizen, Ready for honour and for Christ to die; Who, eager to a.s.sail the Saracen, On Charlemagne to lower the bridges cry.

He witnesses with joy their martial beat, But to permit their sally deems not meet.

CIII And them he ordered in convenient post, The advance of the barbarians to impede: For this would ill suffice a numerous host, To that he was content that few should speed.

Some worked at the machines, some wild-fire tost, All ranged according to the separate need.

Charles, never in one place, with restless care Provides defence and succour every where.

CIV Paris is seated on a s.p.a.cious plain, I' the midst -- the heart of France, more justly say.

A stream flows into it, and forth again; But first, the pa.s.sing waters, as they stray, An island form, and so secure the main And better part, dividing on their way.

The other two (three separate quarters note).

Within the river girds, without the moat.

CV The town, whose walls for miles in circuit run, Might well have been attacked from many a side; Yet, for he would a.s.sail it but on one, Nor willingly his scattered troops divide, Westward beyond the stream Troyano's son Retired, from thence the a.s.sailing bands to guide.

In that, he neither city had nor plain Behind, but what was his, as far as Spain.

CVI Where'er the walls of Paris wound about, Large ammunition had king Charles purveyed; Strengthening with d.y.k.e each quarter held in doubt; And had within trench, drain, and casemate made: And where the river entered and went out, Had thickest chains across the channel laid.

But most of all, his prudent cares appear Where there is greatest cause for present fear.

CVII With eyes of Argus, Pepin's valiant son, Where Agramant was bent to storm foresaw, And every thing forestalled, ere yet begun By the bold followers of Mahound's law.

With Isolier, Grandonio, Falsiron, Serpentin, Balugantes, and Ferrau, And what beside he out of Spain had led, Marsilius was in arms, their valiant head.