penguin island-第16部分

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udies；　when　I　read　for　the　first　time　JAM　REDIT　ET　VIRGO；　I　felt　myself　bathed　in　an　infinite　delight；　but　I　immediately　experienced　intense　grief　at　the　thought　that；　for　ever　deprived　of　the　presence　of　God；　the　author　of　this　prophetic　verse；　the　noblest　that　has　come　from　human　lips；　was　pining　among　the　heathen　in　eternal　darkness。　This　cruel　thought　did　not　leave　me。　It　pursued　me　even　in　my　studies；　my　prayers；　my　meditations；　and　my　ascetic　labours。　Thinkin　that　Virgil　was　deprived　of　the　sight　of　God　and　that　possibly　he　might　even　be　suffering　the　fate　of　the　reprobate　in　hell；　I　could　neither　enjoy　peace　nor　rest；　and　I　went　so　far　as　to　exclaim　several　times　a　day　with　my　arms　outstretched　to　heaven：

〃　'Reveal　to　me；　O　Lord；　the　lot　thou　hast　assigned　to　him　who　sang　on　earth　as　the　angels　sing　in　heaven！'

*Three　centuries　before　the　epoch　in　which　our　Marbodius　lived　the　words　　　　　　　　Maro；　vates　gentilium　　　　　　Da　Christo　testimonium　　　Were　sung　in　the　churches　on　Christmas　Day。


〃After　some　years　my　anguish　ceased　when　I　read　in　an　old　book　that　the　great　apostle　St。　Paul；　who　called　the　Gentiles　into　the　Church　of　Christ；　went　to　Naples　and　sanctified　with　his　tears　the　tomb　of　the　prince　of　poets。*　This　was　some　ground　for　believing　that　Virgil；　like　the　Emperor　Trajan；　was　admitted　to　Paradise　because　even　in　error　he　had　a　presentiment　of　the　truth。　We　are　not　compelled　to　believe　it；　but　I　can　easily　persuade　myself　that　it　is　true。〃

　　　*Ad　maronis　mausoleum　　　　　Ductus；　fudit　super　eum　　　　　Piae　rorem　lacrymae。　　　　　Quem　te；　intuit；　reddidissem；　　　　　Si　te　vivum　invenissem　　　　　Poetarum　maxime！


Having　thus　spoken；　old　Hilary　wished　me　the　peace　of　a　holy　night　and　went　away　with　Brother　Jacinth。

I　resumed　the　delightful　study　of　my　poet。　Book　in　hand；　I　meditated　upon　the　way　in　which　those　whom　Love　destroys　with　its　cruel　malady　wander　through　the　secret　paths　in　the　depth　of　the　myrtle　forest；　and；　as　I　meditated；　the　quivering　reflections　of　the　stars　came　and　mingled　with　those　of　the　leafless　eglantines　in　the　waters　of　the　cloister　fountain。　Suddenly　the　lights　and　the　perfumes　and　the　stillness　of　the　sky　were　overwhelmed；　a　fierce　Northwind　charged　with　storm　and　darkness　burst　roaring　upon　me。　It　lifted　me　up　and　carried　me　like　a　wisp　of　straw　over　fields；　cities；　rivers；　and　mountains；　and　through　the　midst　of　thunder…clouds；　during　a　long　night　composed　of　a　whole　series　of　nights　and　days。　And　when；　after　this　prolonged　and　cruel　rage；　the　hurricane　was　at　last　stilled；　I　found　myself　far　from　my　native　land　at　the　bottom　of　a　valley　bordered　by　cypress　trees。　Then　a　woman　of　wild　beauty；　trailing　long　garments　behind　her；　approached　me。　She　placed　her　left　hand　on　my　shoulder；　and；　pointing　her　right　arm　to　an　oak　with　thick　foliage：

〃Look！〃　said　she　to　me。

Immediately　I　recognised　the　Sibyl　who　guards　the　sacred　wood　of　Avernus；　and　I　discerned　the　fair　Proserpine's　beautiful　golden　twig　amongst　the　tufted　boughs　of　the　tree　to　which　her　finger　pointed。

〃O　prophetic　Virgin；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃thou　hast　comprehended　my　desire　and　thou　hast　satisfied　it　in　this　way。　Thou　hast　revealed　to　me　the　tree　that　bears　the　shining　twig　without　which　none　can　enter　alive　into　the　dwelling…place　of　the　dead。　And　in　truth；　eagerly　did　I　long　to　converse　with　the　shade　of　Virgil。〃

Having　said　this；　I　snatched　the　golden　branch　from　its　ancient　trunk　and　I　advanced　without　fear　into　the　smoking　gulf　that　leads　to　the　miry　banks　of　the　Styx；　upon　which　the　shades　are　tossed　about　like　dead　leaves。　At　sight　of　the　branch　dedicated　to　Proserpine；　Charon　took　me　in　his　bark；　which　groaned　beneath　my　weight；　and　I　alighted　on　the　shores　of　the　dead；　and　was　greeted　by　the　mute　baying　of　the　threefold　Cerberus。　I　pretended　to　throw　the　shade　of　a　stone　at　him；　and　the　vain　monster　fled　into　his　cave。　There；　amidst　the　rushes；　wandered　the　souls　of　those　children　whose　eyes　had　but　opened　and　shut　to　the　kindly　light　of　day；　and　there　in　a　gloomy　cavern　Minos　judges　men。　I　penetrated　into　the　myrtle　wood　in　which　the　victims　of　love　wander　languishing；　Phaedra；　Procris；　the　sad　Eriphyle；　Evadne；　Pasiphae；　Laodamia；　and　Cenis；　and　the　Phoenician　Dido。　Then　I　went　through　the　dusty　plains　reserved　for　famous　warriors。　Beyond　them　open　two　ways。　That　to　the　left　leads　to　Tartarus；　the　abode　of　the　wicked。　I　took　that　to　the　right；　which　leads　to　Elysium　and　to　the　dwellings　of　Dis。　Having　hung　the　sacred　branch　at　the　goddess's　door；　I　reached　pleasant　fields　flooded　with　purple　light。　The　shades　of　philosophers　and　poets　hold　grave　converse　there。　The　Graces　and　the　Muses　formed　sprightly　choirs　upon　the　grass。　Old　Homer　sang；　accompanying　himself　upon　his　rustic　lyre。　His　eyes　were　closed；　but　divine　images　shone　upon　his　lips。　I　saw　Solon；　Democritus；　and　Pythagoras　watching　the　games　of　the　young　men　in　the　meadow；　and；　through　the　foliage　of　an　ancient　laurel；　I　perceived　also　Hesiod；　Orpheus；　the　melancholy　Euripides；　and　the　masculine　Sappho。　I　passed　and　recognised；　as　they　sat　on　the　bank　of　a　fresh　rivulet；　the　poet　Horace；　Varius；　Gallus；　and　Lycoris。　A　little　apart；　leaning　against　the　trunk　of　a　dark　holm…oak；　Virgil　was　gazing　pensively　at　the　grove。　Of　lofty　stature；　though　spare；　he　still　preserved　that　swarthy　complexion；　that　rustic　air；　that　negligent　bearing；　and　unpolished　appearance　which　during　his　lifetime　concealed　his　genius。　I　saluted　him　piously　and　remained　for　a　long　time　without　speech。

At　last　when　my　halting　voice　could　proceed　out　of　my　throat：

〃O　thou；　so　dear　to　the　Ausonian　Muses；　thou　honour　of　the　Latin　name；　Virgil；〃　cried　I；　〃it　is　through　thee　I　have　known　what　beauty　is；　it　is　through　thee　I　have　known　what　the　tables　of　the　gods　and　the　beds　of　the　goddesses　are　like。　Suffer　the　praises　of　the　humblest　of　thy　adorers。〃

〃Arise；　stranger；〃　answered　the　divine　poet。　〃I　perceive　that　thou　art　a　living　being　among　the　shades；　and　that　thy　body　treads　down　the　grass　in　this　eternal　evening。　Thou　art　not　the　first　man　who　has　descended　before　his　death　into　these　dwellings；　although　all　intercourse　between　us　and　the　living　is　difficult。　But　cease　from　praise；　I　do　not　like　eulogies　and　the　confused　sounds　of　glory　have　always　offended　my　ears。　That　is　why　I　fled　from　Rome；　where　I　was　known　to　the　idle　and　curious；　and　laboured　in　the　solitude　of　my　beloved　Parthenope。　And　then　I　am　not　so　convinced　that　the　men　of　thy　generation　understand　my　verses　that　should　be　gratified　by　thy　praises。　Who　art　thou？〃

〃I　am　called　Marbodius　of　the　Kingdom　of　Alca。　I　made　my　profession　in　the　Abbey　of　Corrigan。　I　read　thy　poems　by　day　and　I　read　them　by　night。　It　is　thee　whom　I　have　come　to　see　in　Hell；　I　was　impatient　to　know　what　thy　fate　was。　On　earth　the　learned　often　dispute　about　it。　Some　hold　it　probable　that；　having　lived　under　the　power　of　demons；　thou　art　now　burning　in　inextinguishable　flames；　others；　more　cautious；　pronounce　no　opinion；　believing　that　all　which　is　said　concerning　the　dead　is　uncertain　and　full　of　lies；　several；　though　not　in　truth　the　ablest；　maintain　that；　because　thou　didst　elevate　the　tone　of　the　Sicilian　Muses　and　foretell　that　a　new　progeny　would　descend　from　heaven；　thou　wert　admitted；　like　the　Emperor　Trajan；　to　enjoy　eternal　blessedness　in　the　Christian　heaven。〃

〃Thou　seest　that　such　is　not　the　case；〃　answered　the　shade；　smiling。

〃I　meet　thee　in　truth；　O　Virgil；　among　the　heroes　and　sages　in　those　Elysian　Fields　which　thou　thyself　hast　described。　Thus；　contrary　to　what　several　on　earth　believe；　no　one　has　come　to　seek　thee　on　the　part　of　Him　who　reigns　on　high？

After　a　rather　long　silence：

〃I　will　conceal　nought　from　thee。　He　sent　for　me；　one　of　his　messengers；　a　simple　man；　came　to　say　that　I　was　expected；　and　that；　although　I　had　not　been　initiated　into　their　mysteries；　in　consideration　of　my　prophetic　verses；　a　place　had　been　reserved　for　me　among　those　of　the　new　sect。　But　I　refused　to　accept　that　invitation；　I　had　no　desire　to　change　my　lace。　I　did　so　not　because　I　share　the　admiration　of　the　Greeks　for　the　Elysian　fields；　or　because　I　taste　here　those　joys　which　caused　Proserpine　to　lose　the　remembrance　of　her　mother。　I　never　believed　much　myself　in　what　I　say　about　these　things　in　the　'Aeneid。'　I　was　instructed　by　philosophers　and　men　of　science　and　I　had　a　correct　foreboding　of　the　truth。　Life　in　hell　is　extremely　attenuated；　we　feel　neither　pleasure　nor　pain；　we　are　as　if　we　were　not。　The　dead　have　no　existence　here　except　such　as　the　living　lend　them。　Nevertheless　I　prefer　to　remain　here。〃

〃But　what　reason　didst　thou　give；　O　Virgil；　for　so　strange　a　refusal？〃

〃I　gave　excellent　ones。　I　said　to　the　messenger　of　the　god　that　I　did　not　deserve　the　honour　he　brought　me；　and　that　a　meaning　had　been　given　to　my　verses　which　they　did　not　bear。　In　truth　I　have　not　in　my　fourth　Eclogue　betrayed　the　faith　of　my　ancestors。　Some　ignorant　Jews　alone　have　interpreted　in　favour　of　a　barbarian　god　a　verse　which　celebrates　the　return　of　the　golden　age　predicted　by　the　Sibylline　oracles。　I　excused　myself　then　on　the　ground　that　I　could　not　occupy　a　place　which　was　destined　for　me　in　error　and　to　which　I　recognised　that　I　had　no　right。　Then　I　alleged　my　disposition　and　my　tastes；　which　do　not　accord　with　the　customs　of　the　new　heavens。

〃'I　am　not　unsociable；'　said　I　to　this　man。　'I　have　shown　in　life　a　complaisant　and　easy　disposition；　although　the　extreme　simplicity　of　my　habits　caused　me　to　be　suspected　of　avarice。　I　kept　nothing　for　myself　alone。　My　library　was　open　to　all　and　I　have　conformed　my　conduct　to　that　fine　saying　of　Euripides；　〃all　ought　to　be　common　among　friends。〃　Those　praises　that　seemed　obtrusive　when　I　myself　received　them　became　agreeable　to　me　when　addressed　to　Varius　or　to　Macer。　But　at　bottom　I　am　rustic　and　uncultivated。　I　take　pleasure　in　the　society　of　animals；　I　was　so　zealous　in　observing　them　and　took　so　much　care　of　them　that　I　was　regarded；　not　altogether　wrongly；　as　a　good　veterinary　surgeon。　I　am　told　that　the　people　of　thy　sect　claim　an　immortal　soul　for　themselves；　but　refuse　one　to　the　animals。　That　is　a　piece　of　nonsense　that　makes　me　doubt　their　judgment。　Perhaps　I　love　the　flocks　and　the