PRAYER OF THE PROUD SPIRITS--A PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER.
"O thou, our Father, dwelling there in heaven! Not circumscribed, save by the larger love Which to thy love's first offspring must be given, Who from the first have dwelt with thee above! By every creature hallowed be thy name And praised thy goodness, as for man was meant To render thanks to thy benignant flame: May to our souls thy kingdom's peace be lent, For of ourselves we could not come thereto With all our intellect, unless 'twere sent: And even as of their will thine Angels do (Chanting Hosanna) sacrifice to thee, So to Thy Will may men their own subdue: Our daily manna give to us this day, Without which help, through this rough wilderness, Who strives to go falls backward on his way. And even as we forbear us to redress The wrong from others which we have to brook Pardon thou us, benignant One! and less On our deserving than our weakness look: Try not our virtue, ever prone to yield, 'Gainst the old enemy who spurs it so; Deliver us from him and be our shield: This last petition, dearest Lord! we know We have no need of;--but for them we plead Who after us amid temptation go." Thus praying for themselves and us God-speed, Those weary shadows, underneath a load Like that we sometimes dream that we endure, Toiled in unequal anguish[65] o'er the road Round the first cornice, all becoming pure From the world's tarnish. O if alway there For us they say such gracious words! for them What might be here performed in act or prayer By souls whose will is a sound-rooted stem: Well might we help them wash whatever stain They bore from _this_ world, that sublimed and fair They to the starry circles might attain.
"Ah so may pity soon, and justice spare You souls this load, that you may move the wing That lifts you upward to celestial air! Show us which way most speedily may bring Us towards the ascent. If more than one there be, Point us that pass the least precipitous; Since he who comes and fain would climb with me Through flesh of Adam is encumbered thus." Who made their answer to these words which he Whom I was following unto them addrest Was not discernible, but this was said:
"To the right hand, along the bank, 'tis best You come with us. This way to living tread The pass is possible that you request: And were I not impeded by the stone Which my proud neck so masters with its weight, That I perforce must hold my visage down, This man who liveth, and who doth not state What name he bears, I would look up to see If I do know, and make compassionate His heart for this huge load that bendeth me. William Aldobrandeschi was the name Of a great Tuscan; I was born his son, Of Latin race: whether his title came To your ears ever, knowledge have I none. Mine ancestors, their ancient blood, and what They wrought by prowess, rendered me so high In arrogance, that never taking thought About our common Mother, all men I So scorned, that as the Siennese all know, I to my death at last was brought thereby, And every child in Campagnatico Knows how I there did perish for my sin. I am Omberto, and not me alone Hath pride done damage to, but all my kin Hath it dragged hither with myself to groan, And I who living never bowed my head, Till God be satisfied, and mercy shown, Must bear this burden here among the dead."