XI. THE PLACE OF DRAGONS 393

nature may appoint, so man, being of other family-these dreamers belonged to a very “pre-scientific epoch”-has his roots in heaven, and has the power of moving to and fro over the earth for service to the Law of Heaven, and as sign of his free descent. Of these diviner roots the hair is visible type. Plato tells us,* that of innocent, light-hearted men, “whose thoughts were turned heavenward,” but “who imagined in their simplicity that the clearest demonstration of things above was to be obtained by sight,” the race of birds had being, by change of external shape into due harmony with the soul “meterruqmixeto”)-such persons growing feathers instead of hair.† We have in Dante,‡ too, an inversion of tree nature parallel to that of the head here. The tree, with roots in air, whose sweet fruit is, in Purgatory, alternately, to gluttonous souls, temptation, and purifying punishment-watered, Landino interprets, by the descending spray of Lethe-signifies that these souls have forgotten the source and limits of earthly pleasure, seeking vainly in it satisfaction for the hungry and immortal spirit. So here, this blackened head of the sensual sinner is rooted to earth, the sign of strength drawn from above is stripped from off it, and beside it on the sand are laid, as in hideous mockery, the feet that might have been beautiful upon the mountains. Think of the woman’s body beyond, and then of this head-“instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of well-set hair, baldness.” The worm’s brethren, the Dragon’s elect, wear such shameful tonsure, unencircled by the symbolic crown; prodigal of life, “risurgeranno,” from no quiet grave, but from this haunt of horror, “co crin mozzi”§-in piteous witness of wealth ruinously cast away. Then compare, in light of the

* Plato, Tim., 91 D, E.

† The most devoid of wisdom were stretched on earth, becoming footless and creeping things, or sunk as fish in the sea. So, we saw Venus’ chosen transmigration was into the form of an eel-other authorities say, of a fish.

‡ Dante, Purg., XXII., XXIII.

§ Dante, Inf., VII. 57; Purg., XXII. 46.

[Version 0.04: March 2008]