THE NEW LIFE
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N that part of the book of my memory beforethe jvhich is little that can be read, there is ambricy saying, "Here beginneth the New Life."Under soch rubric I find written many things ; andamong them the words which I purpose to copy intothis little book ; if not all of them, at the least theirsubstance. Nine times already since my birth had the heavenofiignt returned to the selfsame point almost, asconcerns its own revolution, when first the gloriousLady of my mind was made manifest to mine eyes ;even she who was called Beatrice by many who knewnot wheieibre. She had already been in this life forso long as that, within her time, the starry heaven had 3 mosso verso la parte d' oriente delle dodici partiV una d' un grado : si che quasi dal principio delsuo anno nono apparve a me, ed io la vidi quasialia fine del mio nono anno. Ella apparvemivestita di nobilissimo . colore, umile ed onestosanguigno, cinta ed ornata alia guisa che alia suagiovanissima etade si convenia. In quel pun todico veracemente che Id spirito della vita, lo qualedimora nella segretissima camera del cuore, cominci6a tremare si fortemente, che apparia ne' menomipolsi orribilmente ; e tremando disse queste parole :**Ecce Deus firtior me^ qui venlens dominabitur mihi**In quel punto lo spirito animale, il quale dimoraneir aha camera, nella quale tutti li spiriti sensitiviportano le loro percezioni, si cominci6 a mara-vigliare molto, e parlando spezialmente alii spiritidel viso, disse queste parole : ^^ Apparuit jam heatitudovistra,^* In quel punto lo spirito naturale, ilquale dimora in quella parte, ove si ministralo nutrimento nostro, cominci6 a piangere, epiangendo disse queste parole : ^^Heu miser! quiafrequenter ttnpedltus ero delncepsJ* D' allora innanzidico ch' Amore 8ignoreggi6 \* anima mia, laquale fu si tosto a lui disposata, e cominci6 aprendere sopra me tanta sicurtade e tanta signoria, per 4 moved towards the Eastern quarter one of the twelveparts of a degree : so that she appeared to mfc at thebeginning of her ninth year almost^ and I Saw heralmost at the' end of my ninth year. Her dress^on that day, was of a most noble colour, a subdued ^and goodly crimson, girdled and adorned in such^sort as best suited with her very tender age. Atthat moment, I say most truly that the spirit of life,which hath its dwelling in the secretest chamber ofthe heart, began to tremble so violently that the leastpulses of my body shook therewith ; and in trem-bling it said these words : ** Here is a deity strongerthan I ; who, coming, shall rule over me." At thatmoment the animate spirit, which dwelleth in thelofty chamber whither all the senses carry their per-ceptions, was filled with wonder, and speaking moreespecially unto the spirits of the eyes, said these words :** Your beatitude hath now been made manifest untoyou." At that moment the natural spirit, whichdwelleth there where our nourishment is administered,began to weep, and in weeping said these words : ^** Alas ! how often shall I be disturbed from this timeforth." I say that, from that time forward. Love quitegoverned my soul ; which was immediately espousedto^him^ and.igp[tbLSp tafe and undisputed a lordship, (by 5 ^ " ' t ^ la Yirtii che gli dava la mia imaginazione, che miconvenia £ire compiutamente tuttt i suoi piaceri.Eglt mi comandava molte volte, che io cercassi pervedere quest' angiola giovanissima : ond' io nella miapuerizia molte fiate V andai cercando ; e vedealadi si nobili e laudabili portamenti, che certo dilei si potea dire quella parola del poeta Omero :** Ella non pare figltuola d' uomo mortale, madi Dio." Ed avvegna che la sua immagine, laquale continuamente meco stava, fosse baldanza d'amore a stgnoreggiarmi, ttittavia era di si nobtlevirtii, che nulla volta sofferse che Amore mi reggessesenza il fedele consiglio della ragione in quelle coseU dove cotal consiglio fosse utile a udire. £ per6che soprastare alle passiont ed atti di tanta gioven-tudine pare alcuno parlare fabuloso, mi partir6 daesse ; e trapassando molte cose, le quali si potrebberotrarre dalP esemplo onde nascono queste, verr6 a quelleparole, le quali sono scritte nella mia memoria sottomaggiori paragrafi. ^ Poich^ furono passati tanti dl, che appunto erano 6 virtue of strong imagination) that I had nothingleft for it bnt to do all his bidding contintully. Heoftentimes commanded me to seek if I might seethis youngest of the Angels : wherefore I in myboyhood often went in search of her, and found herso noble and praiseworthy that certainly of her mighthave been said those words of the poet Homer, ** Sheseemed not to be the daughter of a mortal man, butof God." And albeit her image, that was with mealways, was an exultation of Love to subdue me, itwas yet of so perfect a quality that it never allowedme to be ovmiiled by Love without the faithfulcounsel of reason, whensoever such counsel was usefito be heard. But seeing that were I to dwell ovef^much on the passions and doings of such early youth,my words might be counted something fabulous, Iwill therefore put them aside ; and passing manythings that may be conceived by the pattern of these,I will come to such as are writ in my memory witha jbstter-distinctness. I ft.
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