_THE VISION OF DANTE._
I want to tell a beautiful story to you, dear children. It has been toldover and over again for six hundred years, yet people keep reading it,and re-reading it, and wise men never tire of studying it. Many greatartists have painted pictures, and sculptors have made statues, andmusicians have composed operas, and clergymen have written sermons fromthoughts inspired by it. A great poet first gave it to the world in theform of a grand poem which some day you may read, but I will try to tellit to you to-day as a short story. I am afraid that you would go tosleep if I should undertake to read the poem to you. You do not yet knowenough about life to understand it.
Once upon a time, very long ago, there was a man whose name was Dante.He had done wrong and had wandered a long way from his home. He does nottell us how, or why. He begins by saying that he had gone to sleep in agreat forest. Suddenly he awoke, and tried to find his way out of it,first by one path, and then another; but all in vain.
Through an opening where the tall trees had not grown quite so thick, hesaw in the distance a great mountain, on the top of which the sun wasshining brightly. "Ah!" thought he to himself, "if I can but reach thetop of that mountain I am sure I can see a long way in every direction.No woods can grow tall enough to keep me from finding my path then!" Sowith new courage he started toward the mountain, but he had not walkedfar when a beautiful spotted panther stood with glaring eyes in hispathway. He trembled, for he knew that going forward meant that he wouldbe destroyed. He turned hastily aside into another path, but he had goneonly a short distance in this direction before he saw a huge lion comingtoward him. In greater haste than before he turned into still anotherpath. His heart was beating very fast now, and he hastened along withouttaking much notice of what lay before him. Suddenly he came upon a leanand hungry wolf, which looked as if he could devour half a dozen men.Dante turned and fled back into the dark woods, "where the sun wassilent." He thought, "What is the use of trying to get out of thisterrible forest? There are wild beasts on every side. If I escape one Iam sure to be devoured by another; I might as well give up trying." Hehad now lost all hope.
Just at this moment he saw a man coming towards him. The face of the manwas beaming with smiles as if he had some good news to tell. Dante ranforward to meet him, crying, "Have mercy on me, whoever you are! Seethat beast from which I have fled! My body is trembling yet withfright."
The strange man, whose name was Virgil, told Dante that he had come tohelp him, but that they would have to go by another path to get out ofthis savage wilderness. He then explained that they must go down througha deep, bad-smelling and dark hole in the ground, and must meet withmany disagreeable things and crawl through much dirt and filth; butafter they had gone through this close, dirty tunnel, they would againsee the light, and if they had strength enough to climb, they might inthe end get to a delightful spot on the top of the mountain called theTerrestrial Paradise, from which lovely place Dante could go home if hewanted to.
At first Dante was afraid to go with Virgil, although he had often readthe wise and noble books which the latter had written. But when heheard that Beatrice, whom he had loved as he loved no one else on earth,had come from Heaven in the form of a bright Angel to urge Virgil tocome to him, his heart was so filled with joy that he at once renewedhis courage, and told Virgil to go forward, promising that he wouldtrust him as a guide.
They then began their perilous journey. The dark pit through which theywere to pass was the shape of an immense funnel or a cone turned upsidedown. It was so large that it reached from the surface down to the verycenter of the earth. Indeed, though it was as twilight where theyentered, and was quite wide and airy, yet as they slowly traveled downits rocky sides the place grew darker and narrower and the air morestifling, and the smell was worse than anything of which you have everdreamed. At times Dante nearly fainted, but Virgil put his arms aroundhim and held him up until he revived. I will not stop to tell you of allthe horrible experiences they went through. By and by when you grow tobe men and women, you can read the whole poem for yourselves.
At last they reached the bottom of the foul pit; it was the very centerof the earth, and was the darkest spot possible. Then they began toclimb through the narrow opening which they saw. They wanted to get tothe surface on the other side of the world, and again see the light ofthe sun.
Dante felt as if he were escaping from a terrible plague-strickenprison-house. The first things he looked at were four beautiful starsshining far above his head; then he knew he was where he could get freshair and light, for he felt sure that where stars were to be seen air andlight could be found. He soon discovered that he was on a large island,in the middle of which stood a great mountain. This, Virgil told Dante,was the mountain which they would have to climb.
It was Easter morning!
As they were looking about them, not knowing exactly which way to turn,they saw an old man with a long white beard. His face was so radiantthat it reminded Dante of the stars at which he had been gazing. The oldman told them where to go to begin the ascent of the mountain. But hesaid that Virgil must first get the grime and dirt off of Dante. Youknow we cannot very well get into dirty places without having some ofthe cinders and ashes and other filth stick to us. He also kindly toldthem where they could find some easily bent rushes which they could useto gird up Dante's long cloak, so that he might climb the better.
I think it must have been the old man's kindness to the many strangerswho came to the island that caused his face to look so beaming as toremind Dante of the stars. Poor Dante thought over all his past life,how he had wandered away from his home, how he had found himself in thegloomy woods, how he had met the fierce beasts, and last of all hethought of the blackening dirt he had gotten on himself in comingthrough the deep hole. Then he thought of his rescue from all theseevils and the tears rolled down his cheeks. Virgil spread his hands outupon the grass, still wet with the dew from heaven, and with themoisture thus gained, he washed Dante's face. The tears Dante wasshedding helped to wash away the dirt.
After this they went to where the rushes were growing and gathered somefor a belt for Dante. Strange as it may sound to you, dear children, asfast as they gathered one rush, another sprang up in its place. Theybound these enchanted rushes around Dante's waist, and he was now readyfor the upward climb and was quite eager to begin.
They turned and looked once more at the ocean. Dante's eyes were justbeginning to get used to the sunlight. Suddenly he saw a strange whitelight coming along the sea towards them. He was astonished. As it camenearer and nearer the light grew more and more dazzling, and Dante sawthat it was a _glorious and radiant angel_! He fell upon his knees anddropped his gaze to the ground, for the face of the angel was so brightthat he could not look upon it. The strange and beautiful being cameswiftly forward, bringing with him a small boat full of people, the verywater became resplendent with light as the boat moved swiftly throughit, yet the angel had neither oar nor sail. His shining wings, spreadhigh above his head, seemed to waft the boat along by some invisiblepower. He landed the people, and--quick as a sunbeam was gone.
The newly arrived souls came up to Dante and Virgil and inquired theway, for they too were going up the steep, rough mountain, around whichwound a difficult path. The end of the path no one could see. Theywalked along together for a short distance, and while Virgil wassearching the ground for the right path, Dante lifted his eyes upwardand saw some people looking over a rocky wall that bordered the road onthe next bend above them. To these fellow-travelers he called for help,as he felt sure they must have found the right path up the mountain'sside. They gladly pointed out the spot where Virgil and Dante could findthe way, and soon they were upon it. But now arose a serious difficulty.From the growing twilight they knew that night was coming on, and inthis strange, new country nobody dared travel in the dark. There weretoo many pitfalls and stumbling blocks to make it safe to travel withoutthe light of the sun. Virgil knew that the wisest and best thing to doin hours of darknes
s was to keep still and wait for more light. A manwhom they had met on the road pointed out a safe, little valley wherethey could stay until the sunlight came once more.
Ah, how I wish you could have seen that valley!
It was called the Valley of the Princes. As they approached it a visionburst upon them of the loveliest spot that could be imagined. If goldand silver and scarlet and green and blue and all the finest colors inthe world were put together into a flower garden they would not makeanything half so beautiful as was this Valley of the Princes. Not onlywere the colors so fine, but the perfumes were the sweetest everbreathed. They went quietly and slowly into the valley and sat down. Theair about them grew darker and darker as the sun set behind themountains.
All at once Dante heard some voices singing a gentle hymn. I think itmust have been a hymn something like our own little hymn, "Wearily atDaylight's Close," for it made Dante think of the Heavenly Father, andlook up into the sky, whose only brightness was the stars shining farabove his head. As he looked he saw sweep down out of the high heavenstwo glad angels of God, robed in pale, shining green. Each wassurrounded with a radiance so bright that it was dazzling; both carriedswords of fire. Lightning never came from the sky more swiftly than didthese two angels. They separated as they approached the earth; oneplaced himself upon the mountain on one side of the valley and the otherupon the mountain on the other side. Dante wondered what all this meant,but the man who had told them where to find the valley was still withthem. He explained that the angels had come to protect all travelerswho were staying in the dark valley until light should come again andthey could see to go forward.
Just then Dante turned and saw a large, ugly snake winding its waysilently through the grass. Quick as a flash of lightning one of theangels descended from his high post, and, with a touch of his flamingsword, turned the snake, which fled in dismay. Then Dante knew that theangels had indeed been sent from heaven, and in his heart he felt veryglad that all through this dark night he might be sure of theirprotecting love. So he quietly laid himself down upon the grass, andwent to sleep. While sleeping he had a strange dream; an eagle of fireseemed to be bearing him up through the air.
He awoke. It was morning; the sun was shining and the birds weresinging. Flowers were blooming all around him--and yet it was not thesame place in which he had gone to sleep. He saw on looking about himthat he was farther up the mountain side. He turned with a question toVirgil, who soon told him that while he had slept in the Valley of thePrinces another angel, named Lucia, had been sent from Heaven to bearhim in her arms over the rough places where he could not have traveledunaided, and that he now stood at the real entrance of the path up themountain.
"We must pass through that gate which you see in front of you," saidVirgil, "and before you enter it I must tell you that there will be somevery hard climbing for you, and sometimes you will grow weary anddiscouraged, but be assured that it will become less painful as youclimb. The hardest part is the first part. It grows easier and easier asyou near the top, until, when you reach the Terrestrial Paradise, therewill be no longer any climbing at all. There you shall see your belovedBeatrice and she will reveal to you a vision of GOD."
With this they started towards the gate. Now I must tell you about thisgate, children, because it was a very peculiar gate, and some of thesedays you may have to go through it yourselves. As they came near, Dantesaw that it had three broad steps leading up to it. The bottom step waslike polished marble, and so shining that you could see your facereflected in it. Each traveler who approached it saw just how unclean hewas, or how tired, or how cross looking. The next step was a darkpurplish black step. It was cracked lengthwise and crosswise, and had asad look about it as if it were sorry for the reflections which it sawin the bottom step. The third step at the top was red, so red that itreminded Dante of blood. Above this towered the great gate-way. Upon thesill of this gate sat another wonderful angel in shining garments whichwere brighter than the moon. His feet rested upon the top step.
As Dante and Virgil approached, the angel asked them what they wanted.They told him that they wished to go through the gate in order that theymight climb the mountain. The angel leaned forward, and with the edge ofthe sword which he held in his hand he printed on Dante's forehead sevenletters. Dante knew that the seven letters stood for the seven thingsthat were wrong inside of his heart. Then the angel took from his side asilver key and a golden key, and unlocking the gate with each, he let itswing wide upon its hinges, and our two travelers passed through.
They had no sooner entered than they heard a man singing praises to God.As they traveled along the path which wound upward, they saw upon therocks at their sides wonderfully carved pictures of people who had beengood and kind and always thoughtful of others instead of themselves. AsDante looked at them they seemed to him to be the most marvelouspictures he had ever seen. He thought within his heart, "How beautiful!""How beautiful!" "How I wish I could be like these people!" Then heturned and looked down upon the rocks on which he was treading, he sawthere were more carvings upon the stones below; but these were of peoplewho thought of nobody but themselves--haughty people, selfish people,and idle ones.
As Dante gazed upon them, he bowed himself lower and lower, for hethought within his heart, "I fear I am more like these people than I amlike the others." He had been a proud and haughty man in the past, andnow he knew how ugly and selfish that haughtiness was. As he ascendedthe road, he must have prayed to God to make him more like the beautifuland gentle people whose portraits he had seen upon the rocks at hisside. He had been walking, bent very low; all at once he straightenedhimself up; he felt as if some great weight had been lifted off hisshoulders. He turned to Virgil, saying, "Master, from what heavy thinghave I been lightened?" Virgil glanced up at his forehead. Dantestretched forth the fingers of his hand and felt the letters which theangel had placed upon his forehead. There were but six. There had beenseven. Virgil smiled, and the two passed on.
Their ears caught the sound of voices singing in sweet tones, "Blessedare the poor in spirit!" "Blessed are the poor in spirit!" Then Danteknew that the other souls, too, had prayed to God to take pride andhaughtiness and selfishness out of their lives.
They passed along to the higher terrace on the mountain side, and herethey saw no pictures, but heard strange, sweet voices singing throughthe air. These voices were singing of the people who had been glad whenothers were made happy, who had loved and praised the good in thoseabout them, who had rejoiced when some one else besides themselves hadbeen commended. The voices seemed so joyful as they told of these lovinghearts, that Dante shut his eyes and listened. Soon he heard othervoices tell of the people who had liked to talk of themselves and not ofothers, who did not care to hear anybody else praised, people whom itmade unhappy to know that anybody else was happy. "Ah!" thought he tohimself, "I fear, I fear that I have been like these last people of whomthe voices tell such sad, unhappy things. How I long with all my heartto be freed from this hateful thing called _Envy_!"
Then he prayed to God to help him to rejoice over the happiness ofothers, to be willing to help others, and to realize that others werehelping him; and as he thought these thoughts and prayed this prayer,another burden seemed lifted from off him, and he put his hand to hisforehead and found that another of the terrible letters was gone. He hadbut five remaining on his forehead now, and already the climbing seemedeasier.
They soon came to another very difficult passage in the road, and sorough and sharp were the rocks which stood in the pathway that Dante'sheart failed him, and he must have stopped in his onward journey up themountain had not another loving angel of God come from some unseenpoint, and, lifting him with strong arms, carried him over the hardplace, setting him again upon his feet. I think Dante must have thankedGod for thus sending him help in his moment of discouragement; at anyrate he felt that he had been slothful and not eager enough to reachthe top of the mountain.
On and on he traveled, sometimes with voices in the air sing
ing toencourage him, sometimes with warnings coming from unknown quarters. Thevery trees laden with fruit on the roadside seemed to say, "Take enoughof us, but do not eat too much; a glutton cannot see GOD."
As they mounted higher and higher the landscape grew broader andbroader, and more filled with a strange, new sunshine. The huge bouldersand angry-looking rocks below, which had so frightened Dante as he beganhis journey, seemed now scarcely larger than pebbles and little stones.He smiled to think that he had never cared for them at all. Wearinesswas now gone, the last of the mysterious letters had vanished from hisforehead, and the one longing of Dante's heart was to meet again hisbeautiful and beloved Beatrice, and be led by her into the presence ofthe Great GOD of the Universe, who had so wonderfully and somysteriously sent His angels to help him on the way.
At last they reached the spot called the Terrestrial Paradise, andthere, as Virgil had told him, stood his loving Beatrice, who took himby the hand and led him up into Heaven itself, beyond the clouds, beyondthe stars, beyond planets and worlds, even to the foot of the Throne ofGOD!
Of this I cannot tell you. No words of mine could make you see thatglorious vision as Dante then beheld it. Your own little hearts must befreed from all wrong thoughts, from all evil motives, from all selfishdesires, must be filled with a love of others, and with generouswillingness to do for others, and then may come to you, too, some day,this Great Vision that came to Dante.
And you will then learn that God is with you all the time, but only thepure in heart can see Him.