Cacciaguida was again silent; but his descendant begged him to speak yet a little more.  He had heard, as he came through the nether regions, alarming intimations of the ill fortune that awaited him, and he was anxious to know, from so high and certain an authority, what it would really be.

Cacciaguida said, “As Hippolytus was forced to depart from Athens by the wiles of his cruel step-dame, so must even thou depart out of Florence.  Such is the wish, such this very moment the plot, and soon will it be the deed, of those, the business of whose lives is to make a traffic of Christ with Rome.  Thou shalt quit every thing that is dearest to thee in the world.  That is the first arrow shot from the bow of exile.  Thou shalt experience how salt is the taste of bread eaten at the expense of others; how hard is the going up and down others’ stairs.  But what shall most bow thee down, is the worthless and disgusting company with whom thy lot must be partaken; for they shall all turn against thee, the whole mad, heartless, and ungrateful set.  Nevertheless, it shall not be long first, before themselves, and not thou, shall have cause to hang down their heads for shame.  The brutishness of all they do, will shew how well it became thee to be of no party, but the party of thyself.[20]

“Thy first refuge thou shalt owe to the courtesy of the great Lombard, who bears the Ladder charged with the Holy Bird.[21] So benignly shall he regard thee, that in the matter of asking and receiving, the customary order of things shall be reversed between you two, and the gift anticipate the request.  With him thou shalt behold the mortal, born under so strong an influence of this our star, that the nations shall take note of him.  They are not aware of him yet, by reason of his tender age; but ere the Gascon practise on the great Henry, sparkles of his worth shall break forth in his contempt of money and of ease; and when his munificence appears in all its lustre, his very enemies shall not be able to hold their tongues for admiration.[22] Look thou to this second benefactor also; for many a change of the lots of people shall he make, both rich and poor; and do thou bear in mind, but repeat not, what further I shall now tell thee of thy life.”  Here the spirit, says the poet, foretold things which afterwards appeared incredible to their very beholders;—­and then added:  “Such, my son, is the heart and mystery of the things thou hast desired to learn.  The snares will shortly gather about thee; but wish not to change places with the contrivers; for thy days will outlast those of their retribution.”

Again was the spirit silent; and yet again once more did his descendant question him, anxious to have the advice of one that saw so far, and that spoke the truth so purely, and loved him so well.