Ecce Statius

Canto 21, 7-14:

And behold -- even as Luke records for us
that Christ, new risen from his burial cave,
appeared to two along his way -- a shade

appeared, and he advanced behind our backs
while we were careful not to trample on
the outstretched crowd. We did not notice him

until he had addressed us with: "God give
you, o my brothers, peace!"

Many have puzzled over the way in which Statius sort of appears before he appears, and how it's not unlike what's happening in a passage from the last book of Luke that Dante refers to:

On the Road to Emmaus

13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him.

17He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

19"What things?" he asked.

"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ[b] have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.

30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

The Vulgate version:

# et ecce duo ex illis ibant ipsa die in castellum quod erat in spatio stadiorum sexaginta ab Hierusalem nomine Emmaus
# et ipsi loquebantur ad invicem de his omnibus quae acciderant
# et factum est dum fabularentur et secum quaererent et ipse Iesus adpropinquans ibat cum illis
# oculi autem illorum tenebantur ne eum agnoscerent
# et ait ad illos qui sunt hii sermones quos confertis ad invicem ambulantes et estis tristes
# et respondens unus cui nomen Cleopas dixit ei tu solus peregrinus es in Hierusalem et non cognovisti quae facta sunt in illa his diebus
# quibus ille dixit quae et dixerunt de Iesu Nazareno qui fuit vir propheta potens in opere et sermone coram Deo et omni populo
# et quomodo eum tradiderunt summi sacerdotum et principes nostri in damnationem mortis et crucifixerunt eum
# nos autem sperabamus quia ipse esset redempturus Israhel et nunc super haec omnia tertia dies hodie quod haec facta sunt
# sed et mulieres quaedam ex nostris terruerunt nos quae ante lucem fuerunt ad monumentum
# et non invento corpore eius venerunt dicentes se etiam visionem angelorum vidisse qui dicunt eum vivere
# et abierunt quidam ex nostris ad monumentum et ita invenerunt sicut mulieres dixerunt ipsum vero non viderunt
# et ipse dixit ad eos o stulti et tardi corde ad credendum in omnibus quae locuti sunt prophetae
# nonne haec oportuit pati Christum et ita intrare in gloriam suam
# et incipiens a Mose et omnibus prophetis interpretabatur illis in omnibus scripturis quae de ipso erant
# et adpropinquaverunt castello quo ibant et ipse se finxit longius ire
# et coegerunt illum dicentes mane nobiscum quoniam advesperascit et inclinata est iam dies et intravit cum illis
# et factum est dum recumberet cum illis accepit panem et benedixit ac fregit et porrigebat illis
# et aperti sunt oculi eorum et cognoverunt eum et ipse evanuit ex oculis eorum
# et dixerunt ad invicem nonne cor nostrum ardens erat in nobis dum loqueretur in via et aperiret nobis scripturas