Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1909 edition. Excerpt: ...a shape As of one crucified, whose visage spake Fell rancour, malice deep, wherein he died; And round him Ahasuerus the great king; Esther his bride; and Mordecai the just, Blameless in word and deed. As of itself That unsubstantial coinage of the brain Burst, like a bubble, when the water fails That fed it; in my vision straight uprose A damsel' weeping loud, and cried, "O queen! O mother 1 wherefore has intemperate ire Driven thee to loathe thy being? Not to lose Lavinia, desperate thou hast slain thyself. Now hast thou lost me. I am she, whose tears Mourn, ere I fall, a mother's timeless end." E'en as a sleep breaks off, if suddenly New radiance strikes upon the closed lids, The broken slumber quivering ere it dies; 11 cannot think, with Vellutello, that the swallow is here meant. Dante probably alludes to the story of Philomela, as it is found in Homer's "Odyssey," b. xix. 518. Philomela intended to slay the son of her husband's brother Amphion, incited to it by the envy of his wife, who had six children, while herself had only two, but through mistake slew her own son Itylus, and for her punishment was transformed by Jupiter into a nightingale. 2 Lavinia, mourning for her mother Amata, who, impelled by grief and indignation for the supposed death of Turnus, destroyed herself. Thus, from before me, sunk that imagery, Vanishing, soon as on my face there struck The light, outshining far our earthly beam. As round I turn'd me to survey what place I had arrived at, "Here ye mount" exclaim'd A voice, that other purpose left me none Save will so eager to behold who spake, I could not chuse but gaze. As 'fore the sun, That weighs our vision down, and veils his form In light transcendent, thus my virtue fail'd...