“Going from the Florentino,
Through Valdarno to Casentino;
Where’er we see the olives bloom,
And smell the lily’s rich perfume,
And mountains rise and rivulets flow,
Thither, my lord, we two will go.”
To which the Emperor replied:
“Where’er you will, all things to see,
High or low—’tis all one to me,
If I can only happy be.”
So they travelled on through many places, but the Emperor was ever dull and sad; but when in Cortona he said that he felt a little better, and went forth with Virgil to look about the town.
[And it was unto this place and to a certain end that Virgil led his lord.]
Passing along a street, they saw at a window a girl of extraordinary beauty, who was knitting. . . . [187a]
The girl instead of being angered, laughed, showing two rows of beautiful teeth, and said:
“Thou mayst become gold, and the skein a twist of gold.”
The girl was utterly surprised and confused at this, and knew not whether to accept or refuse (the gift offered).
The Emperor said to Virgil: