Act the Third: Scene VII
LUIS [aside]. True to my purpose on I go,With footsteps firm and bosom brave,Seeking for that mysterious caveWherein the pitying heavens will showHow I salvation there may gain,By bearing in this life the Purgatorial pain.Tell me, O holy woman! thouWho in these wilds a home hast found,A dweller in this mountain groundObedient to some sacred vow,Which is the road to Patrick's cave,Where penitential man his soul in life may save?
POLONIA. O, happy traveller! who hereHast come so far in storm and shine,Within this treasury divineTo feel and find salvation near,Well can I guide thee on thy way,Since 'tis for this alone amid these wilds I stray.
Seest thou this mountain?
LUIS. Ah! I seeMy death in it.
POLONIA [aside]. My heart grows cold.Ah! who is this that I behold?
LUIS [aside]. I cannot think it. Is it she?
POLONIA [aside]. 'Tis Luis, now I know.
LUIS [aside]. Perhaps illusion it may beTo baffle my intent, and leadMy erring feet astray. -- [to POLONIA}. Proceed.
POLONIA [aside]. Say, can it be to conquer meThe common enemy doth sendThis spectre here?
LUIS. You do not speak.
POLONIA. Attend.This mighty mountain, rock bestrown,Full well the dreaded secret knows;But no one to its centre goesBy any path o'er land alone:He who would see this wondrous caveMust in a bark put forth and tempt the lake's dark wave.
LUIS [aside]. It doth my happiness renewOnce more to see and hear her speak.
POLONIA [aside]. Within me opposite thoughts contend.
LUIS [aside]. Ah, me! I die. -- You do not speak.
POLONIA. Attend.This darksome lake doth all surroundThe lofty mountain's rugged base,And so to reach the awful placeAn easy passage may be found:A sacred convent in the island stands,Midway between the mountain and the sands.
Some pious priests inhabit there,And for this task alone they live,With loving zeal to freely giveThe helping hand, the strengthening prayer --Confession, and the Holy Mass,And every needful help to all who thither pass.
Telling them what they first must do,Before they dare presume to go,Alive, within the realm of woe.--[Aside.] Let not this enemy subdueMy soul, O Lord!
LUIS [aside]. My hopes are fair.Let me not feel, O Lord! the anguish of despair,
Seeing before my startled sightMy greatest, deepest crime arise;Let not the fiend my soul that tries,Subdue me in this dreadful fight.
POLONIA [aside]. 'Gainst what a powerful foe must I defendMyself to-day!
LUIS. You do not speak.
POLONIA. Attend.
LUIS. With quicker speed your story tell,For well I know my soul hath needThat I should go with swifter speed!
POLONIA. And me it doth import as wellThat you should go away.
LUIS. Agreed.Now, woman, point the way to where my path doth lead.
POLONIA. No one accompanied can braveThe terrors of this gloomy lake;And so a skiff you needs must take,And try alone the icy wave;Being in that most trying straitThe absolute master of your acts and fate.
Come where within a secret caveBeside the shore the boat doth lie,And trusting in the Lord on high,Embark upon the crystal waveOf this remote lone inland sea.
LUIS. My life and all I have I place, O Lord! in Thee.And so I trust me to the bark;But, O my soul! what sight is here,A coffin doth the bark appear;And I upon the waters darkAlone must cross the icy tide.
POLONIA. Oh! turn not back, but follow and confide
LUIS [within]. I've conquered! sweet Polonia's shade,Since sight of thee has not undoneMy shuddering soul.
POLONIA. And I have won,Here in this Babylon delayed,O'er wrath and rage the victory.
LUIS [within]. Thy feigned resemblance does not frighten me,Though thou dost take a formMight tempt my steps astrayAnd make me turn despairing from my way.
POLONIA. Thy fear doth badly thee inform,Poor to be brave and rich to be afraid,For I Polonia am, and not her shade,The same that thou didst slay,But who by God's decreeRestored to life, even in this misery,Is happier far to-day.
LUIS [within]. Since I my sinful stateConfess, and feel too well its fearful weight,Thy wrong, oh, pardon too!
POLONIA. I give it, and approve of thy design.
LUIS [within]. My faith, at least, I never will resign.
POLONIA. That grace will be thy safeguard.
LUIS [within]. Then, adieu!
POLONIA. Adieu!
LUIS [within]. May God in pity save.
POLONIA. And bring thee back victorious from the cave.
Words in this poem 21
- pitying a.
- Expressing pity; as, a pitying eye, glance, or word.
- purgatorial a.
- Of or pertaining to purgatory; expiatory.
- hast
- , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
- amid prep.
- In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among. [OE. amidde, amiddes, on midden, AS. on middan, in the middle, fr. midde the middle. The s is an adverbial ending, originally marking the genitive; the t is a la]
- baffle v. i.
- To cause to undergo a disgraceful punishment, as a recreant knight. [Cf. Lowland Scotch bauchle to treat contemptuously, bauch tasteless, abashed, jaded, Icel. bagr uneasy, poor, or bagr, n., struggle, bægja to push, treat harshl]
- spectre n.
- Something preternaturally visible; an apparition; a ghost; a phantom. [F. spectre, fr. L. spectrum an appearance, image, specter, fr. specere to look. See Spy, and cf. Spectrum.]
- centre v. i.
- To be placed in a center; to be central.
- wondrous adv.
- In a wonderful or surprising manner or degree; wonderfully. [OE. wonders, adv. (later also adj.). See Wonder, n., and cf. -wards.]
- darksome a.
- Dark; gloomy; obscure; shaded; cheerless.
- midway n.
- The middle of the way or distance; a middle way or course.
- needful a.
- Full of need; in need or want; needy; distressing.
- presume v. t.
- To assume or take beforehand; esp., to do or undertake without leave or authority previously obtained. [F. présumer, L. praesumere, praesumptum; prae before + sumere to take. See Assume, Redeem.]
- dreadful a.
- Full of dread or terror; fearful.
- swifter v. t.
- To tighten, as slack standing rigging, by bringing the opposite shrouds nearer.
- skiff n.
- A small, light boat. [F. esquif, fr. OHG. skif, G. schiff. See Ship.]
- needs adv.
- Of necessity; necessarily; indispensably; -- often with must, and equivalent to of need. [Orig. gen. of need, used as an adverb. Cf. - wards.]
- lone n.
- A lane. See Loanin.
- undone a.
- Not done or performed; neglected. [Pref. un- not + done.]
- despairing a.
- Feeling or expressing despair; hopeless.
- didst
- , the 2d pers. sing. imp. of Do.
- safeguard n.
- One who, or that which, defends or protects; defense; protection. [Safe = guard: cf. F. sauvegarde.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Act the Third: Scene VII is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Purgatory of St. Patrick, Project Gutenberg ebook #6371, the Denis Florence MacCarthy translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Act the Third: Scene VII, in The Purgatory of St. Patrick (1873), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #6371, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/calderon-purgatorio-san-patricio/act-the-third-scene-vii.html, id L26694.
Form and metre
Act the Third: Scene VII is 123 lines in 41 stanzas. This poem did not settle on a metre of its own; the book it comes from is in trochaic tetrameter.
See other poems in trochaic tetrameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 ABBACCDEEDFF goA · braveB · caveB · showA · gainC · painC · thouD · foundE · groundE · vowD · caveF · saveF
- 2 GHHGII hereG · shineH · divineH · nearG · wayI · strayI
- 4 J- seeJ · it
- 5 KK coldK · beholdK
- 6 J sheJ
- 8 J-- beJ · lead · proceed
- 9 JL- meJ · sendL · here
- 11 LMNNMOO attendL · bestrownM · knowsN · goesN · aloneM · caveO · waveO
- 13 P contendP
- 15 PQRRQSS attendP · surroundQ · baseR · placeR · foundQ · standsS · sandsS
- 16 T--TUU thereT · live · give · prayerT · massU · passU
- 17 VWWV- doV · goW · woeW · subdueV · lord
- 18 XX fairX · despairX
- 19 YZZY sightY · ariseZ · triesZ · fightY
- 20 a- defenda · day
- 22 a attenda
- 23 bcc tellb · needc · speedc
- 24 b- wellb · away
- 25 c- agreedc · lead
- 26 deedff braved · lakee · takee · waved · straitf · fatef
- 27 dggdh caved · lieg · highg · waved · seah
- 28 hijjik theeh · barki · herej · appearj · darki · tidek
- 29 k confidek
- 30 lm- shadel · undonem · soul
- 31 ml- wonm · delayedl · victory
- 32 -noo me · formn · astrayo · wayo
- 33 nppo--o informn · afraidp · shadep · slayo · decree · misery · dayo
- 34 qqr stateq · weightq · toor
- 35 s designs
- 36 s resigns
- 38 r adieur
- 39 r adieur
- 40 t savet
- 41 t cavet
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against trochaic tetrameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| LUIS [aside]. True to my purpose on I go, | 12 | ˘/˘/···/˘··· |
| With footsteps firm and bosom brave, | 8 | ·/···/˘· |
| Seeking for that mysterious cave | 8 | /˘··˘/˘· |
| Wherein the pitying heavens will show | 9 | ···/˘/˘·· |
| How I salvation there may gain, | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| By bearing in this life the Purgatorial pain. | 12 | ·/˘········· |
| Tell me, O holy woman! thou | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| Who in these wilds a home hast found, | 8 | ········ |
| A dweller in this mountain ground | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Obedient to some sacred vow, | 8 | ˘/˘··/˘· |
| Which is the road to Patrick's cave, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Where penitential man his soul in life may save? | 12 | ············ |
| POLONIA. O, happy traveller! who here | 10 | ····/˘/˘·· |
| Hast come so far in storm and shine, | 8 | ········ |
| Within this treasury divine | 8 | ···/˘˘˘/ |
| To feel and find salvation near, | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| Well can I guide thee on thy way, | 8 | ········ |
| Since 'tis for this alone amid these wilds I stray. | 12 | ····˘/˘/···· |
| Seest thou this mountain? | 5 | ···/˘ |
| LUIS. Ah! I see | 5 | ˘/··· |
| My death in it. | 4 | ···· |
| POLONIA [aside]. My heart grows cold. | 9 | ···˘/···· |
| Ah! who is this that I behold? | 8 | ······˘/ |
| LUIS [aside]. I cannot think it. Is it she? | 12 | ˘/˘/·/˘····· |
| POLONIA [aside]. 'Tis Luis, now I know. | 11 | ···˘/·˘/··· |
| LUIS [aside]. Perhaps illusion it may be | 12 | ˘/˘/˘/˘/˘··· |
| To baffle my intent, and lead | 8 | ·/˘·˘/·· |
| My erring feet astray. -- [to POLONIA}. Proceed. | 12 | ·/˘·˘/····˘/ |
| POLONIA [aside]. Say, can it be to conquer me | 13 | ···˘/·····/˘· |
| The common enemy doth send | 8 | ·/˘/˘˘·· |
| This spectre here? | 4 | ·/˘· |
| LUIS. You do not speak. | 6 | ˘/···· |
| POLONIA. Attend. | 5 | ···˘/ |
| This mighty mountain, rock bestrown, | 8 | ·/˘/˘·˘/ |
| Full well the dreaded secret knows; | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| But no one to its centre goes | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| By any path o'er land alone: | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| He who would see this wondrous cave | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Must in a bark put forth and tempt the lake's dark wave. | 12 | ············ |
| LUIS [aside]. It doth my happiness renew | 11 | ˘/˘/···/˘˘/ |
| Once more to see and hear her speak. | 8 | ········ |
| POLONIA [aside]. Within me opposite thoughts contend. | 13 | ···˘/···/˘·˘/ |
| LUIS [aside]. Ah, me! I die. -- You do not speak. | 12 | ˘/˘/········ |
| POLONIA. Attend. | 5 | ···˘/ |
| This darksome lake doth all surround | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| The lofty mountain's rugged base, | 8 | ·/˘/˘/˘· |
| And so to reach the awful place | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| An easy passage may be found: | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| A sacred convent in the island stands, | 10 | ·/˘/˘··/˘· |
| Midway between the mountain and the sands. | 10 | /····/˘··· |
| Some pious priests inhabit there, | 8 | ·/˘·˘/˘· |
| And for this task alone they live, | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| With loving zeal to freely give | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| The helping hand, the strengthening prayer -- | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Confession, and the Holy Mass, | 8 | ˘/˘··/˘· |
| And every needful help to all who thither pass. | 12 | ·/˘/˘····/˘· |
| Telling them what they first must do, | 8 | /˘······ |
| Before they dare presume to go, | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| Alive, within the realm of woe.-- | 8 | ˘/······ |
| [Aside.] Let not this enemy subdue | 9 | ˘/···/˘˘/ |
| My soul, O Lord! | 4 | ···· |
| LUIS [aside]. My hopes are fair. | 8 | ˘/˘/···· |
| Let me not feel, O Lord! the anguish of despair, | 12 | ·······/˘·˘/ |
| Seeing before my startled sight | 8 | /˘···/˘· |
| My greatest, deepest crime arise; | 8 | ·/˘/˘·˘/ |
| Let not the fiend my soul that tries, | 8 | ········ |
| Subdue me in this dreadful fight. | 8 | ˘/···/˘· |
| POLONIA [aside]. 'Gainst what a powerful foe must I defend | 15 | ···˘/···/˘···˘/ |
| Myself to-day! | 4 | ·/·· |
| LUIS. You do not speak. | 6 | ˘/···· |
| POLONIA. Attend. | 5 | ···˘/ |
| LUIS. With quicker speed your story tell, | 10 | ˘/·/˘··/˘· |
| For well I know my soul hath need | 8 | ········ |
| That I should go with swifter speed! | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| POLONIA. And me it doth import as well | 11 | ·······˘/·· |
| That you should go away. | 6 | ····˘/ |
| LUIS. Agreed. | 4 | ˘/˘/ |
| Now, woman, point the way to where my path doth lead. | 12 | ·/˘········· |
| POLONIA. No one accompanied can brave | 10 | ·····˘/˘·· |
| The terrors of this gloomy lake; | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| And so a skiff you needs must take, | 8 | ········ |
| And try alone the icy wave; | 8 | ··˘/·/˘· |
| Being in that most trying strait | 8 | /˘···/˘· |
| The absolute master of your acts and fate. | 11 | ·/˘·/˘····· |
| Come where within a secret cave | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Beside the shore the boat doth lie, | 8 | ˘/······ |
| And trusting in the Lord on high, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Embark upon the crystal wave | 8 | ˘/···/˘· |
| Of this remote lone inland sea. | 8 | ··˘/·/·· |
| LUIS. My life and all I have I place, O Lord! in Thee. | 14 | ˘/············ |
| And so I trust me to the bark; | 8 | ········ |
| But, O my soul! what sight is here, | 8 | ········ |
| A coffin doth the bark appear; | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| And I upon the waters dark | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Alone must cross the icy tide. | 8 | ˘/···/˘· |
| POLONIA. Oh! turn not back, but follow and confide | 13 | ········/˘·˘/ |
| LUIS [within]. I've conquered! sweet Polonia's shade, | 12 | ˘/···/˘····· |
| Since sight of thee has not undone | 8 | ······˘/ |
| My shuddering soul. | 5 | ·/˘˘· |
| POLONIA. And I have won, | 7 | ······· |
| Here in this Babylon delayed, | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| O'er wrath and rage the victory. | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| LUIS [within]. Thy feigned resemblance does not frighten me, | 14 | ˘/····˘/˘··/˘· |
| Though thou dost take a form | 6 | ······ |
| Might tempt my steps astray | 6 | ····˘/ |
| And make me turn despairing from my way. | 10 | ····˘/˘··· |
| POLONIA. Thy fear doth badly thee inform, | 11 | ······/˘·˘/ |
| Poor to be brave and rich to be afraid, | 10 | ········˘/ |
| For I Polonia am, and not her shade, | 10 | ·········· |
| The same that thou didst slay, | 6 | ······ |
| But who by God's decree | 6 | ····˘/ |
| Restored to life, even in this misery, | 9 | ˘/··/··/˘ |
| Is happier far to-day. | 7 | ·/˘˘··· |
| LUIS [within]. Since I my sinful state | 10 | ˘/·····/˘· |
| Confess, and feel too well its fearful weight, | 10 | ˘/·····/˘· |
| Thy wrong, oh, pardon too! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| POLONIA. I give it, and approve of thy design. | 13 | ·······˘/··˘/ |
| LUIS [within]. My faith, at least, I never will resign. | 13 | ˘/·······/·˘/ |
| POLONIA. That grace will be thy safeguard. | 10 | ········/· |
| LUIS [within]. Then, adieu! | 7 | ˘/···˘/ |
| POLONIA. Adieu! | 5 | ···˘/ |
| LUIS [within]. May God in pity save. | 10 | ˘/·····/˘· |
| POLONIA. And bring thee back victorious from the cave. | 13 | ·······˘/˘··· |
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