E pensando molto a ciò, pareami avere impresa troppo alta matera quanto a me, sí che non ardía di cominciare; e cosi dimorai alquanti di con desideri… - Dante Alighieri

e così dimorai alquanti dì con disiderio di dire e con paura di cominciare.

Through me the way into the suffering city,
Through me the way into eternal pain,
Through me the way that runs among the lost.

My son, you've seen the temporary fire
and the eternal fire; you have reached
the place past which my powers cannot see.
I've brought you here through intellect and art;
from now on, let your pleasure be your guide;
you're past the steep and past the narrow paths.
Look at the sun that shines upon your brow;
look at the grasses, flowers, and the shrubs
born here, spontaneously, of the earth.
Among them, you can rest or walk until
the coming of the glad and lovely eyes — those eyes that weeping, sent me to your side.
Await no further word or sign from me:
your will is free, erect, and whole — to act
against that will would be to err: therefore
I crown and miter you over yourself

I wept not, so to stone within I grew.