Part 24

and this heaven has no other where than the divine mind, in which is enkindled the love that turns it and the power it rains.

Light and love enclose it in one circle, just as this does the others; and that precinct is understood only by him who girds it.

Its motion is not distinct through other means, but the others are measured by this one, as ten is by half and by five;

and how time holds in such a text its roots and in the others its branches, now can be manifest to you.

O covetousness, that drownest mortals so beneath thee, that none has power to draw his eyes forth from thy waves!

Well blooms in men the will; but the continual rain converts the true sucklings into boughs.

Faith and innocence are found only in little children; then each flees before the cheeks are covered.

One, still stammering, fasts, who afterwards, with loosened tongue, devours whatever food in whatever moon;

and one, stammering, loves and listens to his mother, who, with full speech, then desires to see her buried.

Thus is the white skin made black at the first aspect of the fair daughter of him who brings morning and leaves evening.

Thou, that thou mayst not wonder, think that on earth there is none who governs; whence the human family goes astray.

But before January be wholly unwintered through the hundredth, which is neglected down there, these supernal circles shall so ray forth,

that Fortune, so long awaited, shall turn the breasts where the prows are, so that the fleet shall run direct;

and true fruit shall come after the flower."

Paradiso Canto XXVIII

After that, against the present life of wretched mortals, she opened the truth who paradises my mind,

as in a mirror the flame of a torch is seen by him whom it lights from behind, before he has it in sight or thought,

and turns himself to see if the glass tells him true, and sees that it accords with it as note with its measure;

so my memory recalls that I did, looking again into the fair eyes whereby Love made the cord to take me.

And as I turned and were touched my eyes by that which appears in that volume, whensoever it is well eyed in its revolution,

a point I saw that rayed light so acute, that the sight which it inflames must be closed for the strong keenness;

and what star appears smallest here would seem a moon, placed with it as star is placed with star.

Perchance as much as appears near to girding the light that paints it when the vapor that bears it is densest,

a circle of fire around the point distant was turning so swift, that it would have vanquished that motion which most quickly girds the world;

and this was by another circled, and that by the third, and the third then by the fourth, the fourth by the fifth, and then the fifth by the sixth.

Above followed the seventh, so spread already in width, that the messenger of Juno whole would be strait to contain it.

Thus the eighth and the ninth; and each one moved more slowly, according as it was in number more distant from the one;

and that had the most sincere flame which was least distant from the pure spark, believe, because it is most inverved by it.

My lady, who saw me in strong suspense, said: "From that point depend the heaven and all nature.

Mark that circle which is most conjoined to it; and know that its moving is so swift through the enkindled love wherewith it is pierced."

And I to her: "If the world were placed with the order that I see in those wheels, that which is proposed to me would satisfy me;

but in the sensible world can be seen the vaults so much the more divine, as they are more remote from the center.

Whence, if my desire must have end in this wondrous and angelic temple that has only love and light for confine,

I must hear yet how the exemplar and the example go not in one mode, for I through myself contemplate thereon in vain."

"If thy fingers are not sufficient to such knot, it is no marvel: so much, to not attempt it, is made solid!"

Thus my lady; then said: "Take that which I shall tell thee, if thou wouldst be satisfied; and around it refine thyself.

The corporeal circles are wide and narrow according to the more and less of the virtue that is spread through all their parts.

Greater goodness wills make greater well-being; greater well-being greater body holds, if it has its parts equally complete.

Whence he who all the other universe raps with him, corresponds to the circle that loves most and knows most:

wherefore, if thou circle thy measure with the virtue, not with the appearance of the substances that appear round to thee,

thou shalt see wondrous consequence of greater to more and of less to fewer, in each heaven, to its intelligence."

As remains splendid and serene the hemisphere of the air, when Boreas blows from that cheek where he is gentlest,

whereby the murk that troubled it is purged and resolved, so that the heaven smiles therewith with the beauties of all its little clouds;

so did I, after my lady provided me with her clear answer, and as star in heaven the truth was seen.

And after her words rested, not otherwise does iron spark that boils, than the circles sparkled.

Its fire followed every spark; and they were so many, that their number multiplies more than the doubling of the chessboard.

I heard Hosanna sung from choir to choir to the fixed point that holds them in their where, and shall ever hold, in which they ever were.

And she who saw the dubious thoughts in my mind, said: "The first circles have shown thee Seraphim and Cherubim.

So swiftly they follow its vim, to resemble the point as much as they can; and they can as much as they are sublime in seeing.

Those other loves that go around them, are called Thrones of the divine aspect, for that they terminate the first ternary;

and thou must know that all have delight as far as their sight is profound in the truth in which every intellect is at rest.

Thence can be seen how the blessed being is founded in the act that sees, not in that which loves, which comes after;

and of the seeing the measure is reward, which grace engenders and good will: thus from grade to grade one proceeds.

The other ternary, which thus buds in this eternal spring that nocturnal Aries does not strip,

perpetually warbles 'Hosanna' with three melodies, that sound in three orders of joy wherewith it is innered.

In that hierarchy are the other deities: first Dominations, and then Virtues; the third order is of Powers.

Then in the two penultimate trippings Principalities and Archangels wheel; the last is all of Angelic sports.

These orders all admire from above, and from below conquer so, that toward God all are drawn and all draw.

And Dionysius with such desire to contemplate these orders applied himself, that he named and distinguished them as I.

But Gregory then diverged from him; wherefore, as soon as he opened his eyes in this heaven, he laughed at himself.

And if so secret truth a mortal declared on earth, I would not have thee marvel: for he who saw it up here disclosed it to him

with much else of the truth of these gyres."

Paradiso Canto XXIX

When both the children of Latona, covered by the Ram and by the Libra, make together zone of the horizon,

as much as from the point that the zenith balances unto that the one and the other from that girdle, changing hemisphere, are unbalanced,

so much, with countenance painted with smile, was silent Beatrice, looking fixed on the point that had vanquished me.

Then began: "I say, and ask not, what thou wouldst hear, because I have seen it there where every where and every when is punctuated.

Not to acquire good for itself, which cannot be, but that its splendor might, resplending, say 'I subsist',

in its eternity outside of time, beyond every other comprehension, as pleased it, opened itself in new loves the eternal Love.

Nor before, as torpid, did it lie; for neither before nor after proceeded the discoursing of God upon these waters.

Form and matter, conjoined and pure, issued into being that had no flaw, like from a three-stringed bow three arrows.

And as in glass, in amber, or in crystal a ray shines so, that from coming to being there is no interval,

so the triform effect of its Sire in its being rayed all together without distinction in beginning.

Concreated was order and constructed to the substances; and those were summit in the world where pure act was produced;

pure potency held the lowest part; in the middle it bound potency with act in such a bond, that it never is divided.

Jerome wrote to you of a long tract of centuries of the angels created before the other world was made;

but this truth is written in many places by the writers of the Holy Spirit, and thou shalt perceive it if well thou watch;

and also reason sees it somewhat, which would not grant that the movers without their perfection were so long.

Now knowest thou where and when these loves were created and how: so that extinguished in thy desire are already three ardors.

Nor would one, numbering, soon arrive at twenty, as part of the angels disturbed the subject of your nourishments.

The other remained, and began this art which thou discernest, with such delight, that never from circling does it depart.

Beginning of the fall was the accursed pride of him whom thou sawest by all the weights of the world constrained.

Those whom thou seest here were modest to recognize themselves from the goodness that had made them apt to understand so much:

wherefore their sights were exalted with illuminating grace and with their merit, so that they have firm and full will;

and I would not that thou doubt, but be certain, that to receive grace is meritorious according as the affection is open to it.

Now around this consistory thou canst contemplate enough, if my words are gathered, without other aid.

But because on earth through your schools it is read that the angelic nature is such, that it understands and remembers and wills,

I will say yet, that thou mayst see pure the truth that down there is confounded, equivocating in such a reading.

These substances, since they were made joyful by the face of God, turned not from it, from whom nothing is hidden:

wherefore they have not sight intercised by new object, and therefore there needs not to remember by divided concept;

so that down there, not sleeping, they dream, believing and not believing to speak truth; but in the one is more fault and more shame.

Ye go not down by one path in philosophizing: so much transports you the love of appearance and its thought!

And even this up here is borne with less disdain than when is postponed the divine Scripture or when it is twisted.

There is not thought how much blood it costs to sow it in the world and how pleasing is he who humbly draws near to it.

To appear each one strives and makes his inventions; and those are overrun by the preachers and the Gospel is silent.

One says that the moon turned back in the passion of Christ and interposed, so that the light of the sun was not poured down;

and lies, for the light hid itself: wherefore to the Spaniards and to the Indians as to the Jews such eclipse responded.

Florence has not so many Lapi and Bindi as such fables per year from the pulpit are cried hither and thither:

so that the sheep, who know not, return from the pasture fed with wind, and the not seeing the harm excuses them not.

Christ said not to his first convent: 'Go, and preach trifles to the world'; but gave them true foundation;

and that so sounded in his cheeks, that to fight for enkindling the faith of the Gospel they made shield and lance.

Now one goes with jests and with jibes to preach, and so long as one laughs well, the hood is puffed and naught else is asked.

But such a bird nests in the beak, that if the crowd saw it, it would see the pardon whereon he confides:

whereby so much folly grew on earth, that, without proof of any testimony, to every promise one would run.

Therewith the pig Saint Anthony fattens, and many others who are yet more pigs, paying with coin without minting.

But because we have digressed enough, turn thine eyes now toward the right road, so that the way with time be shortened.

This nature so far advances in number, that never was speech nor mortal concept that went so far;

and if thou guardest that which is revealed through Daniel, thou shalt see that in his thousands a determined number is concealed.

The first light, that rays it all, through so many modes is received in it, as are the splendors that appear to it.

Whence, because to the act that conceives follows the affection, of loving the sweetness diversely in it boils and warms.

See now the height and the largeness of the eternal valor, since so many mirrors it has made in which it breaks,

one remaining in itself as before."

Paradiso Canto XXX

Perchance six thousand miles distant the sixth hour glows for us, and this world already slopes its shadow almost to the level bed,

when the mid-heaven, to us profound, begins to make itself such, that some star loses its appearance down to this depth;

and as comes the most clear handmaid of the sun further, so the heaven closes from sight to sight unto the fairest.

Not otherwise the triumph that plays always around the point that vanquished me, appearing enclosed by that which it encloses,

to my sight little by little was extinguished: wherefore to turn my eyes to Beatrice nothing seeing and love constrained me.

If all that hitherto of her is said were enclosed all in one praise, little it were to furnish this turn.

The beauty that I saw transcends not only beyond us, but certainly I believe that only its Maker enjoys it all.

By this pass vanquished I concede more than ever comic or tragic was surpassed by any point of his theme:

for, as sun in face that most trembles, so the remembering of the sweet smile diminishes my mind from myself.

From the first day that I saw her face in this life, unto this sight, not has the following to my song been denied me;

but now must my following desist further behind her beauty, poetizing, as at the last his every artist.

Such as I leave her to greater bidding than that of my trumpet, which leads down the arduous matter terminating it,

with act and voice of a dispatched leader she recommenced: "We are issued forth from the greatest body into the heaven that is pure light:

intellectual light, full of love; love of true good, full of joy; joy that transcends every sweetness.

Here shalt thou see the one and the other militia of paradise, and the one in those aspects that thou shalt see at the final justice."

As sudden lightning that dissevers the visual spirits, so that it prives from the act the eye of stronger objects,

so did a living light encircle me, and left me wrapped in such a veil of its effulgence, that nothing appeared to me.

"Always the love that quiets this heaven receives in itself with such health, to make disposed to its flame the candle."

Not more soon were these brief words come within me, than I comprehended myself to mount above my virtue;

and with new sight I was rekindled such, that no light is so pure, that my eyes would not have been defended;

and I saw light in form of a river fulvid with effulgence, between two banks painted with wondrous spring.

From such stream issued living sparks, and on every side placed themselves in the flowers, as ruby that gold circumscribes;

then, as inebriated by the odors, they reprophounded themselves in the wondrous surge, and if one entered, another issued forth.

"The high desire that now inflames and urges thee, to have knowledge of what thou seest, pleases me the more as it more swells;

but of this water it behooves that thou drink first, ere such thirst in thee be satisfied": thus said to me the sun of my eyes.

Also she added: "The river and the topazes that enter and issue and the smiling of the grass are of their true umbriferous prefaces.

Not that these things are harsh of themselves; but it is defect from thy part, that thou hast not yet seen so high."

Not is there infant that so suddenly throws its face toward the milk, if it awake much delayed by its custom,

as did I, to make better mirrors yet of the eyes, bowing me to the wave that is derived that one may be bettered therein;

and as from it drank the gutter of my eyelids, so it seemed to me to have become round of its length.

Then, as folk that were under masks, who appear other than before, if they divest the semblance not theirs wherein they vanished,

so to me were changed into greater festivity the flowers and the sparks, so that I saw both the courts of heaven manifest.

O splendor of God, through whom I saw the high triumph of the veracious kingdom, give me virtue to say how I saw it!

Light is up there that makes visible the Creator to that creature that only in him has its peace to see.

And it extends in circular figure, insomuch that its circumference would be too large a girdle for the sun.

All its appearance is made of ray reflected to the summit of the first movable, that takes thence life and potency.

And as a slope in water of its bottom mirrors itself, almost to see itself adorned, when it is in the green and in the little flowers opime,

so, overstanding the light around around, I saw mirrored in more than a thousand thresholds whatever of us up there has returned.

And if the lowest grade in itself gathers such great light, how great is the width of this rose in the extreme leaves!

My sight in the wide and in the height was not lost, but all took the how much and the how of that joy.

Near and far, there, neither places nor removes: for where God without mean governs, the natural law avails nothing.

In the yellow of the eternal rose, that grades itself down and spreads and breathes odor of praise to the sun that ever vernal is,

as is he who is silent and would speak, Beatrice drew me, and said: "See how great is the convent of the white stoles!

See our city how much it girds; see our seats so full, that little folk more is desired there.

And in that great seat to which thou hold thine eyes for the crown that already is placed there above, before thou sup at these nuptials,

shall sit the soul, that down there shall be august, of the high Henry, who to right Italy shall come ere she be disposed.

The blind covetousness that bewitches you has made you like the little child that dies of hunger and drives away the nurse.

And shall be prefect in the divine forum then such, that open and covert shall not go with him by one path.

But little then shall he be suffered by God in the holy office; for he shall be thrust down there where Simon Magus is for his merit,

and shall make him of Alagna enter yet lower."

Paradiso Canto XXXI

In form then of a white rose was shown to me the holy militia that in his blood Christ made his spouse;

but the other, that flying sees and sings the glory of him who enamors it and the goodness that made it so great,

as a swarm of bees that inflowers itself once and once returns there where its labor is savored,

into the great flower descended that adorns itself with so many leaves, and thence resurged there where its love ever sojourns.

The faces all had of living flame and the wings of gold, and the rest so white, that no snow arrives to that term.

When they descended in the flower, from bank to bank they offered of the peace and of the ardor that they acquired ventilating the flank.

Nor the interposing between the above and the flower of so great a flying multitude impeded the sight and the splendor:

for the divine light is penetrating through the universe according as it is worthy, so that naught can be opposite to it.

This secure and joyous kingdom, frequent in ancient and in new people, had face and love all to one mark.

O trine light that in a single star scintillating to their sight, so satisfies them! look down here to our storm!

If the barbarians, coming from such clime that each day is covered by Helice, rotating with its son whereof she is vain,

seeing Rome and its arduous work, stupified themselves, when Lateran went above mortal things;

I, who from the divine to the human, from the eternal to time was come, and from Florence into a just and sound people,

with what stupor must I have been filled! Certainly between that and the joy it made me wish not to hear and to stay mute.

And as pilgrim that recreates himself in the temple of his vow looking around, and hopes already to tell again how it was,

up through the living light walking, I led my eyes through the grades, now up, now down and now recircling.

I saw faces to charity persuaded, with other's light decked and with his own smile, and acts adorned with all honesties.

The general form of paradise already all my glance had comprehended, in no part yet fixed firm;

and I was turning with rekindled will to ask my lady of things whereof my mind was suspended.

One I intended, and another answered me: I thought to see Beatrice and saw an elder clothed with the glorious folk.

Diffused was through the eyes and through the cheeks of benign gladness, in pious act such as to a tender father is becoming.

And "Where is she?", suddenly said I. Whereon he: "To terminate thy desire Beatrice moved me from my place;

and if thou look up in the third circle from the highest grade, thou shalt see her again in the throne that her merits sorted to her."

Without answering, I lifted my eyes up, and saw her who was making herself a crown reflecting from herself the eternal rays.

From that region that most high thunders no mortal eye is so distant, whosoever in the sea most low abandons himself,

as there from Beatrice was my sight; but naught did it to me, for her image descended not to me through mixed mean.

"O lady in whom my hope lives, and who didst suffer for my salvation in hell to leave thy vestiges,

of so many things as I have seen, from thy power and from thy goodness I recognize the grace and the virtue.

Thou hast from servant drawn me to liberty through all those ways, through all those modes that to do so I had the power.

Thy magnificence in me preserve, so that the soul, which thou hast made whole, please thee from the body be unbound."

Thus I prayed; and she, so far as she appeared, smiled and looked on me; then returned to the eternal fountain.

And the holy elder: "That thou mayst sum perfectly," said he, "thy way, to which prayer and holy love sent me,

fly with the eyes through this garden; for to see it shall mend thy glance more to the mounting through the divine ray.

And the queen of heaven, whereof I burn all with love, shall make every grace, for I am her faithful Bernard."

As is he who perchance from Croatia comes to see our Veronica, who through the ancient hunger is not sated thereof,

but says in thought, until it is shown: 'Lord my Jesus Christ, true God, was then such made your semblance?';

such was I beholding the living charity of him who in this world, contemplating, tasted of that peace.

"Son of grace, this joyous being," began he, "shall not be known to thee, keeping the eyes only down here at the bottom;

but look at the circles unto the most remote, so far that thou see sit the queen to whom this kingdom is subject and devout."

I lifted my eyes; and as from morning the eastern part of the horizon excels that where the sun declines,

so, almost from vale going to mount with the eyes, I saw part in the extreme vanquish in light all the other front.

And as there where is expected the pole that ill guided Phaeton, more inflames, and hence and hence the light is made less,

so that peaceful gold-flame in the middle quickened, and on every part equally slackened the flame;

“Stories of the world, in your language.”