The Education of Children under Nine Years of Age
“O maraviglia! ché qual egli scelse
l’umile pianta, cotal si rinacque
Subitamente là onde la svelse.”
We read in the Purgatorio, Canto I., how Virgil was directed to prepare Dante for his difficult ascent:
“Va dunque, e fa che tu costui ricinghe
d’un giunco schietto, e che gli lavi il viso
sì che ogni sucidume quindi stinghe:
* * * * *
Questa isoletta intorno ad imo ad imo,
laggiù, colà dove la batte l’onda,
porta de’ giunchi sopra il molle limo.
Null’altra pianta, che facesse fronda
o indurasse, vi puote aver vita,
però che alle percosse non seconda.
* * * * *
Venimmo poi in sul lito diserto,
* * * * *
Quivi mi cinse sì come altrui piacque:
o maraviglia! ché qual egli scelse
l’umile pianta, cotal si rinacque
Subitamente là onde la svelse.”
“Go, then, and see thou gird this one about
With a smooth rush, and that thou wash his face,
So that thou cleanse away all stain therefrom.
* * * * *
This little island round about its base,
Below there, yonder where the billow beats it,
Doth rushes bear upon its washy ooze;
No other plant that putteth forth the leaf,
Or that doth indurate, can there have life,
Because it yieldeth not unto the shocks.
* * * * *
Then came we down upon the desert shore.
* * * * *
There he begirt me as the other pleased;
O marvellous! for even as he culled
The humble plant, such it sprang up again
Suddenly there where he uprooted it.”
(Longfellow’s Translation.)