'Where,' he cries, 'are the doctors of old times, the saints, the learning, charity, chastity of the past ?' The Church answers by displaying her rent raiment and wounded body, and by pointing to the cavern in which she has to make her home.

'Who,' exclaims the poet, 'has wrought this wrong ?' _Una fallace, superba meretrice_--Rome! Then indeed the passion of the novice breaks in fire:-- Deh! per Dio, donna, Se romper si potria quelle grandi ale! The Church replies:-- Tu piangi e taci: e questo meglio parmi.
No other answer could be given to Savonarola's impatient yearnings even by his own hot heart, while he yet remained a young and unknown monk in Bologna.

Nor, strive as he might strive through all his life, was it granted to him to break those outspread wings of arrogant Rome.
The career of Savonarola as a preacher began in 1482, when he was sent first to Ferrara and then to Florence on missions by his superiors.

But at neither place did he find acceptance.

A prophet has no honor in his own country; and for pagan-hearted Florence, though destined to be the theater of his life-drama, Savonarola had as yet no thundrous burden of invective to utter.