"And now, as in the haze of morning,

Mars, low on the western stretch of ocean,

sheds reddish light through those thick vapors,

there appeared to me--may I see it again!--

a light advancing swiftly on the sea:

no flight can match its rapid motion.

And in the moment I had turned away

to ask a question of my leader,

I saw it now enlarged and brighter.

Then on either side of it appeared

a whiteness--I knew not what--and just below,

little by little, another showed there too.

Still my master did not say a word

while the first whiteness took the shape of wings.

Then, once he saw the nature of the steersman,

he cried: 'Bend, bend your knees! Behold

the angel of the Lord and fold your hands in prayer.

From now on you shall see such ministers.

'Look how he scorns all human instruments

and wants no oar, nor other sail

beside his wings, between such distant shores.

'Look how those wings are raised into the sky,

fanning the air with his eternal pinions

which do not change like mortal plumage.'

Then, as the heavenly bird approached,

closer and closer, he appeared more radiant,

so that my eyes could not sustain his splendor,

and I looked down as he came shoreward

with a boat so swift and light

the water did not part to take it in.

At the stern stood the heavenly pilot--

his mere description would bring to bliss.

And more than a hundred souls were with him..."

 

Dante, Purgatorio II vv. 13-45 (the angel helmsman)

 

Thanks to "The Lady of Shalot"

 

And also a big thanks to Mr-Pan who have search and found the whole painting here

www.flickr.com/photos/mr-pan/4106048887/