Heroes of Modern Europe

								

life began, for he idealized her loveliness from that first youthful
meeting.
"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.  At that moment I say most truly that the spirit of life,
which hath its dwelling in the secretest chamber of the heart, began to
tremble so violently that the least pulses of my body shook therewith;
and in trembling it said these words--'Ecce Deus fortior me, qui
veniens dominabitur mihi.'  From that time Love ruled my soul. . . ."
Henceforth, Dante watched for the vision of Beatrice, weaving about her
all the poetic fancies of his youth.  He must have seen her many times,
but no words passed {22} between them till nine years had sped and he
chanced to come upon her in all the radiance of her womanhood.  She was
"between two gentle ladies who were older than she; and passing by in
the street, she turned her eyes towards that place where I stood very
timidly, and in her ineffable courtesy saluted me so graciously that I
seemed then to see the heights of all blessedness.  And because this
was the first time her words came to my ears, it was so sweet to me
that, like one intoxicated, I left all my companions, and retiring to
the solitary refuge of my chamber I set myself to think of that most
courteous one, and thinking of her, there fell upon me a sweet sleep,
in which a marvellous vision appeared to me."  The poet described the
vision in verse--it was Love carrying a sleeping lady in one arm and in
the other the burning heart of Dante.  He wished that the sonnet he
wrote should be answered by "all the faithful followers of love," and
was gratified by the prompt reply of Guido Cavalcanti, who had won
renown as a knight and minstrel.
Dante became the friend of this elder poet, and was encouraged to
pursue his visionary history of the earlier years of his life and his
fantastic adoration for Beatrice Portinari.  The Vita Nuova was read
by the poet's circle, who had a sympathetic interest in the details of
the drama.  The young lover did not confess his love to "the youngest
of the angels," but he continued to worship her long after she had
married Simone de Bardi.
Yet Dante entered into the ruder life of Florence, and took up arms for
the Guelf faction, to which his family belonged.  He fought in 1289 at
the battle of Campaldino against the city of Arezzo and the Ghibellines
who had taken possession of that city.  Florence had been strangely
peaceful in his childhood because the Guelfs were her unquestioned
masters at the time.  It must have {23} been a relief to Florentines to
go forth to external warfare!
Dante played his part valiantly on the battle-field, then returned to
wonderful aloofness from the strife of factions.  He was stricken with