Ulysses — Canto XXVI

Canto 26 of Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Rejoice, O Florence, since thou art so great, That over sea and land thou beatest thy wings, And throughout Hell thy name is spread abroad! Among the thieves five citizens of thine I found like these, whence shame comes unto me, And thou thereby to no great honour risest.

But if the truth is dreamed of towards the morning, Thou shalt feel within a little time from now What Prato, if none other, craves for thee. And if it now were, it were not too early; Would that it were, seeing it needs must be! For 'twill weigh more on me as more I age.

We went our way, and up along the stairs The bourns had made us to descend before, My Leader remounted and drew me up; And following along the solitary way Among the rocks and ridges of the crag, The foot without the hand sped not at all.