The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

p. 276Canto IV. Upon this point thou must bethink thee true That force with men can mingle with their will, So that it cannot shrive the sins they do. Absolute will consents not to the ill : But yet consents so far, in that it fears ^'" n it hold back, some greater evU stiU.

Piccarda, therefore, when she this declares, Meaneth the will thus absolute, and I The other, neither thus the truth impairs," Thus surged that holy river, which on high ^^* Sprang from the fountain whence all truth doth move ; Thus both my wishes did it satisfy. " O Goddess, loved one of the Primal Love," I said, '^ whose parlance floodeth me around.

And vivifies with warmth from Qod above : ^^® Suffices not my love, though so profound, XJntoyour grace, with fit grace to reply, Let Ham who sees and can to this respond. Clearly I see that nought can satisfy Our intellect, unless that truth shine there, ^^ Beyond whose bounds can roam no verity. Therein it resteth, like a beast in lair, When it has joined it, and has power to join. If not, each wish would be but empty air.

Through that desire is bom, like weeds that twine *^ Beside the truth, the doubt ; and Nature's lure Thus leads from peak to peak to truth divine. This doth invite me, this doth make me sure, With reverence, lady, to request aright Another truth which still remains obscure. ^^^ I now would know, if man can e'er requite With other good deeds vows he failed to pay. That in your balance may not weigh as light.

Gazed on me Beatrix, with eye whose ray Beamed with such sparks of love, and so divine, ^*® That all my power o'ercome, I turned away, And lost as 'twere my drooping lids incline. Line 118. Piocarda merely meant that Constance's inclination still tamed to the monastic life. Beatrix asserts that her wiU was not strong enough to resist adverse circumstances.

CANTO V. Beatrice answers Dante's question concerning the possibility of rendering other satisfaction for a broken vow. They then ascend to the sphere of Mercury, where they are met by a troop of spirits, one of whom o£E!ars to ezplaon to Dante anything he may wish to know.

" If I with warmtli of love upon thee flame, Beyond the fashion which on earth is seen, So that the valour of thy eyes I tame, Marvel thou not ; for that proceeds I ween From perfect vision, which at once doth turn * To meet the good it apprehended keen. How now there shineth, clearly I discern, Within thy intellect the eternal light. Which seen alone makes love for ever burn.

And if aught else would win your love's delight, ^° It cannot be except some vestige true Be shining there, not recognised aright. Thou wouldest know if other service new For broken vows in any way can pay, And free the spirit from the judgment due. " Thus Beatrice did begin this lay, And like an orator who doth not cease.

Thus she continued on her holy way : " The greatest gift which God's creating grace Made in His largess, to His clemency ^^ The most conformed, and prized as first in place. Was of the will the perfect liberty, With which the creatures of intelligence Were dowered, and are, and they alone. Thou'lt see Henceforth from this, if thou dost argue hence, ^ The high worth of a vow which so is made. That what time thou consentest God consents.

For when 'twixt God and man this pact is laid, This treasure as a victim doth one slay By his own act, even such as now displayed. ^ What compensation therefore can one pay ? If what thou'st offered thou wouldst use for good. Thou wouldst give alms of what thou'st ta'en in prey. The greater point thou now hast understood. But since the Church dispensing doth permit ^ This seems opposed unto the truth I showed. Line 29. The treasure of free-will, just described as the greatest gift of God.

278 PABADISE. Cahto V. A little at the board thou yet must sit, Since the crude fare which thou hast swallowed now For its digestion claims assistance jet. Open thy mind to that which I will show ^ And guard within, for nought can make ye wise Though understood, unless retained enow.

Unto the essence of this sacrifice Two things pertain, the one what ye agree To do, the other in the covenant lies. ^ This last can neyer wholly cancelled be, Unless 'tis kept, concerning it I trow, Was what I spake above so rigidly. Therefore 'twas needful for the Hebrew's vow To offer something, though the offering ^^ For other might be changed, as thou shouldst know. The other, which was shown thee as the thing.

May well be such that without erring ye May in its stead some other payment bring. But from the load your back you cannot free At your own judgment nor without the will Both of the inlver and the golden key. And think each change is empty to fulfil, Unless the old is in the new contained. As in the six the four remaineth still. ^ Therefore whatever vow such weight hath gained By its own worth that it outweigheth all.

With other deed it cannot be maintained. Mortals should take no vow at idle call ; Perform your vows, and therefore be not bUnd « As Jephtha was to what might first befall : To whom 'twere better to have said, Fve sinned. Than keep his oath by worse ; in such mad gear The mighty leader of the Greeks thou'lt find : Iphigenia thence, bewailed, so fair, '® And made to weep the foolish and the wise Who ever of her sacrifice did hear.

Christians, your movements ye should better poise : Be not like feathers in each wind that blew, And think not that all water purifies. ^* Ye have the Testaments, the Old and New, And the Shepherd of the Church to be your guide, This for salvation should suffice to you. Line 57. See " Purgatory. Canto IX., the gold key denoting the Divine Antiiorit^ exercised by the Ghnrch, the silver key the learning required for using it fitly.