heroes and hero worship-第20节
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f the world； working across all these perverse impediments； has arrived at such result。 Dante and Shakspeare are a peculiar Two。 They dwell apart； in a kind of royal solitude； none equal； none second to them： in the general feeling of the world； a certain transcendentalism； a glory as of complete perfection； invests these two。 They _are_ canonized； though no Pope or Cardinals took hand in doing it！ Such； in spite of every perverting influence； in the most unheroic times； is still our indestructible reverence for heroism。We will look a little at these Two； the Poet Dante and the Poet Shakspeare： what little it is permitted us to say here of the Hero as Poet will most fitly arrange itself in that fashion。
Many volumes have been written by way of commentary on Dante and his Book； yet； on the whole； with no great result。 His Biography is； as it were； irrecoverably lost for us。 An unimportant； wandering； sorrow…stricken man； not much note was taken of him while he lived； and the most of that has vanished； in the long space that now intervenes。 It is five centuries since he ceased writing and living here。 After all commentaries； the Book itself is mainly what we know of him。 The Book；and one might add that Portrait commonly attributed to Giotto； which； looking on it； you cannot help inclining to think genuine； whoever did it。 To me it is a most touching face； perhaps of all faces that I know； the most so。 Lonely there； painted as on vacancy； with the simple laurel wound round it； the deathless sorrow and pain； the known victory which is also deathless；significant of the whole history of Dante！ I think it is the mournfulest face that ever was painted from reality； an altogether tragic； heart…affecting face。 There is in it； as foundation of it； the softness； tenderness； gentle affection as of a child； but all this is as if congealed into sharp contradiction； into abnegation； isolation； proud hopeless pain。 A soft ethereal soul looking out so stern； implacable； grim…trenchant； as from imprisonment of thick…ribbed ice！ Withal it is a silent pain too； a silent scornful one： the lip is curled in a kind of godlike disdain of the thing that is eating out his heart；as if it were withal a mean insignificant thing； as if he whom it had power to torture and strangle were greater than it。 The face of one wholly in protest； and lifelong unsurrendering battle； against the world。 Affection all converted into indignation： an implacable indignation； slow； equable； silent； like that of a god！ The eye too； it looks out as in a kind of _surprise_； a kind of inquiry； Why the world was of such a sort？ This is Dante： so he looks； this 〃voice of ten silent centuries；〃 and sings us 〃his mystic unfathomable song。〃
The little that we know of Dante's Life corresponds well enough with this Portrait and this Book。 He was born at Florence； in the upper class of society； in the year 1265。 His education was the best then going； much school…divinity； Aristotelean logic； some Latin classics；no inconsiderable insight into certain provinces of things： and Dante； with his earnest intelligent nature； we need not doubt； learned better than most all that was learnable。 He has a clear cultivated understanding； and of great subtlety； this best fruit of education he had contrived to realize from these scholastics。 He knows accurately and well what lies close to him； but； in such a time； without printed books or free intercourse； he could not know well what was distant： the small clear light； most luminous for what is near； breaks itself into singular _chiaroscuro_ striking on what is far off。 This was Dante's learning from the schools。 In life； he had gone through the usual destinies； been twice out campaigning as a soldier for the Florentine State； been on embassy； had in his thirty…fifth year； by natural gradation of talent and service； become one of the Chief Magistrates of Florence。 He had met in boyhood a certain Beatrice Portinari； a beautiful little girl of his own age and rank； and grown up thenceforth in partial sight of her； in some distant intercourse with her。 All readers know his graceful affecting account of this； and then of their being parted； of her being wedded to another； and of her death soon after。 She makes a great figure in Dante's Poem； seems to have made a great figure in his life。 Of all beings it might seem as if she； held apart from him； far apart at last in the dim Eternity； were the only one he had ever with his whole strength of affection loved。 She died： Dante himself was wedded； but it seems not happily； far from happily。 I fancy； the rigorous earnest man； with his keen excitabilities； was not altogether easy to make happy。
We will not complain of Dante's miseries： had all gone right with him as he wished it； he might have been Prior； Podesta； or whatsoever they call it； of Florence； well accepted among neighbors；and the world had wanted one of the most notable words ever spoken or sung。 Florence would have had another prosperous Lord Mayor； and the ten dumb centuries continued voiceless； and the ten other listening centuries （for there will be ten of them and more） had no _Divina Commedia_ to hear！ We will complain of nothing。 A nobler destiny was appointed for this Dante； and he； struggling like a man led towards death and crucifixion； could not help fulfilling it。 Give _him_ the choice of his happiness！ He knew not； more than we do； what was really happy； what was really miserable。
In Dante's Priorship； the Guelf…Ghibelline； Bianchi…Neri； or some other confused disturbances rose to such a height； that Dante； whose party had seemed the stronger； was with his friends cast unexpectedly forth into banishment； doomed thenceforth to a life of woe and wandering。 His property was all confiscated and more； he had the fiercest feeling that it was entirely unjust； nefarious in the sight of God and man。 He tried what was in him to get reinstated； tried even by warlike surprisal； with arms in his hand： but it would not do； bad only had become worse。 There is a record； I believe； still extant in the Florence Archives； dooming this Dante； wheresoever caught； to be burnt alive。 Burnt alive； so it stands； they say： a very curious civic document。 Another curious document； some considerable number of years later； is a Letter of Dante's to the Florentine Magistrates； written in answer to a milder proposal of theirs； that he should return on condition of apologizing and paying a fine。 He answers； with fixed stern pride： 〃If I cannot return without calling myself guilty； I will never return； _nunquam revertar_。〃
For Dante there was now no home in this world。 He wandered from patron to patron； from place to place； proving； in his own bitter words； 〃How hard is the path； _Come e duro calle_。〃 The wretched are not cheerful company。 Dante； poor and banished； with his proud earnest nature； with his moody humors； was not a man to conciliate men。 Petrarch reports of him that being at Can della Scala's court； and blamed one day for his gloom and taciturnity； he answered in no courtier…like way。 Della Scala stood among his courtiers； with mimes and buffoons （_nebulones ac histriones_） making him heartily merry； when turning to Dante； he said： 〃Is it not strange； now； that this poor fool should make himself so entertaining； while you； a wise man； sit there day after day； and have nothing to amuse us with at all？〃 Dante answered bitterly： 〃No； not strange； your Highness is to recollect the Proverb； _Like to Like_；〃given the amuser； the amusee must also be given！ Such a man； with his proud silent ways； with his sarcasms and sorrows； was not made to succeed at court。 By degrees； it came to be evident to him that he had no longer any resting…place； or hope of benefit； in this earth。 The earthly world had cast him forth； to wander； wander； no living heart to love him now； for his sore miseries there was no solace here。
The deeper naturally would the Eternal World impress itself on him； that awful reality over which； after all； this Time…world； with its Florences and banishments； only flutters as an unreal shadow。 Florence thou shalt never see： but Hell and Purgatory and Heaven thou shalt surely see！ What is Florence； Can della Scala； and the World and Life altogether？ ETERNITY： thither； of a truth； not elsewhither； art thou and all things bound！ The great soul of Dante； homeless on earth； made its home more and more in that awful other world。 Naturally his thoughts brooded on that； as on the one fact important for him。 Bodied or bodiless； it is the one fact important for all men：but to Dante； in that age； it was bodied in fixed certainty of scientific shape； he no more doubted of that _Malebolge_ Pool； that it all lay there with its gloomy circles； with its _alti guai_； and that he himself should see it； than we doubt that we should see Constantinople if we went thither。 Dante's heart； long filled with this； brooding over it in speechless thought and awe； bursts forth at length into 〃mystic unfathomable song； 〃 and this his _Divine Comedy_； the most remarkable of all modern Books； is the result。
It must have been a great solacement to Dante； and was； as we can see； a proud thought for him at times； Th
