第二篇傍晚天色渐渐黑了，地上劳苦的动物也要休息了。只有我一个人正预备着去长途跋涉，硬着心肠去一看那些可怜虫。这些见闻，都靠我准确的记忆来叙述的。诗歌的女神呀、卓越的天才呀，请你们帮助我吧！记忆呀，请你把我所见闻的印象准确地留住罢，是你立功的时候到了！
于是我悦：“指引我的诗人呀！请考虑一下罢：我是否能有足够的能力，来承担这件艰难的工作呢？你说西尔维乌斯的父亲曾以血肉之躯走入永劫之邦，但是上帝允许他这样的特权不是没理由的：因为天上已经确定他做罗马的开山祖，那里是帝国的都城，又是从大彼得以来教皇座位的所在地。他从这一趟旅行中，得到了未来胜利和圣教光荣的启示。后来圣保罗为着巩固信仰，使人得到解救，也有这样一次的旅行。但是我呢，为什么要去？谁允许我去？我既不是埃阿斯又不是圣保罗；无论我自己或是别人看来都觉得我不够资格我要是冒昧地跟着你去，适足以证实我的愚蠢无知。你是哲人，虽然我的话说得不清楚。你总会明白我的意思罢。”
好像一个中途改变计划的人一样，不能不把已经动了手的工作放下，因此我逗留在昏黑的山路上，自悔不加思考，便轻易应允了这样重大的使命。
高贵的诗魂答道：“假使我十分明白你的说话，那就是你的心里生了畏惧。畏惧，它使人们在正大的事业面前望而却步，好像胆小的野兽，一听见风声就吓得逃跑一样。我要驱开你心里的畏惧，我要告诉你我为什么要来这里，我听了什么人的嘱托才来搭救你。
“我正在升沉未决的时候，一个美丽的子女叫着我，我上前去应命。她的一双眼睛比星光还要明亮；她用柔和而嘹亮的音调对我说：
“善良的曼图亚的幽魂呀！你的声名传遍世界，且可与日月同辉呢。我有一个不幸的朋友，他徘徊在荒漠的山林，正在惊惶失措，处在进退两难的境地，因为我在天上得着他的消息或许太迟了，恐怕他要迷途更远。现在请你去一趟罢，用你美妙动人的辞令，帮助他离开那里，这样我就放心了。我是贝雅特丽齐，是从天上下来，我是急着要回去的；是爱情感动了我，因此我不得不对你说。当我回到主人那里，我要常常在他面前称赞你呢。”
贝雅特丽齐静默了，于是我对她说：“善女人呀，因为你的缘故，地上的人类才成为万物之灵！你命令我这样做，正是你看重我；假使我现在已经办妥了，我还觉得服从你太迟了一点。你的意思固然用不着再向我解释，但是你为什么敢降临下地，而且又急着要回天国呢？”
她答道：“既然你要想知道，我就把他简单他说几句罢。宇宙间只有能够损害我的我才怕他；不然的话，又何必怕他呢！我得到上帝的恩惠，你们的痛苦触不到我，这里的火焰也触及不到我。……天上有一位高贵的圣女圣母马利亚，她对于我请你去搭救的这个人非常怜惜。她破例待他慈悲。她叫卢齐亚道：“现在你的一个忠实信徒正需要你的引导，我把他委托给你罢。”卢齐亚残酷之敌，马上到我那里去，那时我正和古时的拉结对坐着。卢齐亚说：“贝雅待丽齐，上帝之颂扬。你为什么不帮助爱你的人？他为着你超凡脱俗了。他的痛苦，你不可怜他么？你不看见他在那里和死挣紥么？人海波澜，不下于大洋的狂风怒涛呀！”我听了这番活以后，比地上的人趋福避祸还要快几倍，我从我的幸福地下来，信任了你的辞令，这个不正是你的光荣，就是听了他的人也有光荣呢。”
“她说了以后、掉转她明亮的眼睛全流泪了；因此使我加快地到你这里来；因此我把你从拦住去路的野兽那里救出来。现在你为什么迟疑不前？为什么一颗心被恐惧包围了？为什么不勇敢些？岂不辜负了大廷三个圣女和我的一片好心么？”
好比夜里受了霜打的花朵，垂头丧气的紧闭着，忽然受着太阳的照耀而又开放了；我的心也是这样，我的精神振奋了，我的勇气回复了，我就对他说：“解救我的人，她是多么慈悲呀！至于你呢，服从她的话这样快，是多么好心肠呀！我听了你的话，我下一个决心跟着你去了。现在我们两个人一条心，你是我的引路人，我的主人，我的老师。”
说完了，于是他移动他的脚步，我就走上崎岖荒野的路途。
Imbrown'd with shadows, from their toils releas'd
All animals on earth; and I alone
Prepar'd myself the conflict to sustain,
Both of sad pity, and that perilous road,
Which my unerring memory shall retrace.
O Muses! O high genius! now vouchsafe
Your aid! O mind! that all I saw hast kept
Safe in a written record, here thy worth
And eminent endowments come to proof.
I thus began: "Bard! thou who art my guide,
Consider well, if virtue be in me
Sufficient, ere to this high enterprise
Thou trust me. Thou hast told that Silvius' sire,
Yet cloth'd in corruptible flesh, among
Th' immortal tribes had entrance, and was there
Sensible present. Yet if heaven's great Lord,
Almighty foe to ill, such favour shew'd,
In contemplation of the high effect,
Both what and who from him should issue forth,
It seems in reason's judgment well deserv'd:
Sith he of Rome, and of Rome's empire wide,
In heaven's empyreal height was chosen sire:
Both which, if truth be spoken, were ordain'd
And 'stablish'd for the holy place, where sits
Who to great Peter's sacred chair succeeds.
He from this journey, in thy song renown'd,
Learn'd things, that to his victory gave rise
And to the papal robe. In after-times
The chosen vessel also travel'd there,
To bring us back assurance in that faith,
Which is the entrance to salvation's way.
But I, why should I there presume? or who
Permits it? not, Aeneas I nor Paul.
Myself I deem not worthy, and none else
Will deem me. I, if on this voyage then
I venture, fear it will in folly end.
Thou, who art wise, better my meaning know'st,
Than I can speak." As one, who unresolves
What he hath late resolv'd, and with new thoughts
Changes his purpose, from his first intent
Remov'd; e'en such was I on that dun coast,
Wasting in thought my enterprise, at first
So eagerly embrac'd. "If right thy words
I scan," replied that shade magnanimous,
"Thy soul is by vile fear assail'd, which oft
So overcasts a man, that he recoils
From noblest resolution, like a beast
At some false semblance in the twilight gloom.
That from this terror thou mayst free thyself,
I will instruct thee why I came, and what
I heard in that same instant, when for thee
Grief touch'd me first. I was among the tribe,
Who rest suspended, when a dame, so blest
And lovely, I besought her to command,
Call'd me; her eyes were brighter than the star
Of day; and she with gentle voice and soft
Angelically tun'd her speech address'd:
"O courteous shade of Mantua! thou whose fame
Yet lives, and shall live long as nature lasts!
A friend, not of my fortune but myself,
On the wide desert in his road has met
Hindrance so great, that he through fear has turn'd.
Now much I dread lest he past help have stray'd,
And I be ris'n too late for his relief,
From what in heaven of him I heard. Speed now,
And by thy eloquent persuasive tongue,
And by all means for his deliverance meet,
Assist him. So to me will comfort spring.
I who now bid thee on this errand forth
Am Beatrice; from a place I come.
(Note: Beatrice. I use this word, as it is
pronounced in the Italian, as consisting of four
syllables, of which the third is a long one.)
Revisited with joy. Love brought me thence,
Who prompts my speech. When in my Master's sight
I stand, thy praise to him I oft will tell."
She then was silent, and I thus began:
"O Lady! by whose influence alone,
Mankind excels whatever is contain'd
Within that heaven which hath the smallest orb,
So thy command delights me, that to obey,
If it were done already, would seem late.
No need hast thou farther to speak thy will;
Yet tell the reason, why thou art not loth
To leave that ample space, where to return
Thou burnest, for this centre here beneath."
She then: "Since thou so deeply wouldst inquire,
I will instruct thee briefly, why no dread
Hinders my entrance here. Those things alone
Are to be fear'd, whence evil may proceed,
None else, for none are terrible beside.
I am so fram'd by God, thanks to his grace!
That any suff'rance of your misery
Touches me not, nor flame of that fierce fire
Assails me. In high heaven a blessed dame
Besides, who mourns with such effectual grief
That hindrance, which I send thee to remove,
That God's stern judgment to her will inclines."
To Lucia calling, her she thus bespake:
"Now doth thy faithful servant need thy aid
And I commend him to thee." At her word
Sped Lucia, of all cruelty the foe,
And coming to the place, where I abode
Seated with Rachel, her of ancient days,
She thus address'd me: "Thou true praise of God!
Beatrice! why is not thy succour lent
To him, who so much lov'd thee, as to leave
For thy sake all the multitude admires?
Dost thou not hear how pitiful his wail,
Nor mark the death, which in the torrent flood,
Swoln mightier than a sea, him struggling holds?"
Ne'er among men did any with such speed
Haste to their profit, flee from their annoy,
As when these words were spoken, I came here,
Down from my blessed seat, trusting the force
Of thy pure eloquence, which thee, and all
Who well have mark'd it, into honour brings."
"When she had ended, her bright beaming eyes
Tearful she turn'd aside; whereat I felt
Redoubled zeal to serve thee. As she will'd,
Thus am I come: I sav'd thee from the beast,
Who thy near way across the goodly mount
Prevented. What is this comes o'er thee then?
Why, why dost thou hang back? why in thy breast
Harbour vile fear? why hast not courage there
And noble daring? Since three maids so blest
Thy safety plan, e'en in the court of heaven;
And so much certain good my words forebode."
As florets, by the frosty air of night
Bent down and clos'd, when day has blanch'd their leaves,
Rise all unfolded on their spiry stems;
So was my fainting vigour new restor'd,
And to my heart such kindly courage ran,
That I as one undaunted soon replied:
"O full of pity she, who undertook
My succour! and thou kind who didst perform
So soon her true behest! With such desire
Thou hast dispos'd me to renew my voyage,
That my first purpose fully is resum'd.
Lead on: one only will is in us both.
Thou art my guide, my master thou, and lord."
So spake I; and when he had onward mov'd,
I enter'd on the deep and woody way.