The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
Cawto VIII. PARADISE. 291 By thee is seen, as unto me bestowed, It pleases more, and even this is dear, That thou discem'st it, gazing upon God. ^ Thou'st made md joyful, so now make me clear. Since from thy words a doubt within doth glide, How from sweet seed can issue bitter cheer. This I to him, and he to me replied : " If any truth I can to thee dispense, •* This now behind thee, shall be frontways eyed.
God, who this realm thou rangest o'er contents Eevolving, in these starry forms doth place A power that worketh for His Providence. And not alone within His mind of grace ^^^ Is every nature in itself foreseen. But all things that their safety doth embrace. For every shaft shot forth from Heaven's serene Falleth prepared to some concerted end.
As to its mark wings straight the arrow keen. ^^ Were this not so, o' the Heavens where thou dost wend Every effect such weakness would inherit That not to art but ruin would they tend. Nor might this be, unless each guiding spirit That moves these stars deficient were and frail, "^ And God deficient making their demerit. Wouldst thou this truth even yet more clearly hail ?
And I ; " No more : it is impossible That Nature in such work of need should fail. "Whence he again : " Now tell me, were it well For man on earth were he not citizen ?" ** Surely," I answered, " is no need to tell. " And could it be so if the hive of men In different ways of Uying did not roam ? No, if your master this doth truly ken. So to the point deducing did he come.
And then concluded : " For each different bourn Mankind must different qualities assume : Hence one is Solon, one is Xerxes born, And one Melchisedek, another he ^^* Who flying in the air his son did mourn. Nature revolving stamps with her decree The mortal wax, and well her art hath thriven, Though note she takes not of each family. Line 120. Aristotle, in his treatise " De Kepnblica."
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p. 292Cafto IX. Hence is it Esau differed so in leaven ^ From Jacob, hence did Eomulus upspring From sire so vile, to Mars his birth was given. Nature begotten to its path would cling * To the begettsr aye in similar guise. If not o'ercome by Heaven's foreseeing King. What was behind is now before thy eyes. But still to show the joy thou givest ray mind, A sequent truth to adorn thee I devise. For ever Nature when she Fate doth find Discordant to herself, like other seed Succeedeth not, out of its place designed. And if the world below would only heed The sure foundation Nature doth impose, By following her mankind would better speed. But ye divert unto Religion's vows One who was bom to gird on him the blade, And one who's apt to preach, as king ye choose : Hence from the path so wide your steps have strayed." * Lioe 130. The difference in the nature of men does not spring from their progenitors, but from the influence of the stars, shown even in the case of the twins Esau and Jacob, whose birth, though so nearly simultaneous, was under different astrological influences, the smallest diversity of place being held sufficient to cause a diversity in the working of the heavenly bodies. Line 145. An evident sarcasm on the fighting Popes of the Middle Ages.
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CANTO IX. The spirit of Charles Martel retires, and Dante is then addressed by Cunizza, the sister of £zzelino, the tyrant of Romano, who foretells to him certain near events in Italian history. She is followed by Folco, the Frovengal poet of Genoa, who informs him that the spirit of the harlot Bahab holds the highest place in their sphere, and inveighs against the Fanacy for its neglect of the Uoly Land, for which Bahab served so faithfmiy.
After thy father Charles, Clemenza pure ! Had solved my doubts, he showed to me the fears Which his own seed were destined to endure. He told me : " Speak not, leave the rolling years ;" So I can tell thee nothing, but thy right * Will after be avenged with justest tears. Line 1. Clemenza, daughter of Charles Martel, and second wife to Louis X. of France.
The allusion in the following Hues is to the usurpation of the kingdom of Apulia by Robert, brother of Charles Meurtel, to the exclusion of the latter* s son Canrobert, avenged afterwards by the misfortunes of the former.
Cawto VIII. PARADISE. 291 By you is seen, as unto me bestowed, It pleases more, and even this is dear, That you discem'st it, gazing upon God. ^ You'st made md joyful, so now make me clear. Since from your words a doubt within does glide, How from sweet seed can issue bitter cheer." This I to him, and he to me replied : " If any truth I can to you dispense, •* This now behind you, shall be frontways eyed. God, who this realm you rangest o'er contents Eevolving, in these starry forms does place A power that works for His Providence. And not alone within His mind of grace ^^^ Is every nature in itself foreseen. But all things that their safety does embrace. For every shaft shot forth from Heaven's serene Falls prepared to some concerted end. As to its mark wings straight the arrow keen. ^^ Were this not so, o' the Heavens where you do wend Every effect such weakness would inherit That not to art but ruin would they tend. Nor might this be, unless each guiding spirit That moves these stars deficient were and frail, "^ And God deficient making their demerit. Wouldst you this truth even yet more clearly hail ?" And I ; " No more : it is impossible That Nature in such work of need should fail." "Whence he again : " Now tell me, were it well For man on earth were he not citizen ?" ** Surely," I answered, " is no need to tell." " And could it be so if the hive of men In different ways of Uying did not roam ? No, if your master this does truly ken." So to the point deducing did he come. And then concluded : " For each different bourn Mankind must different qualities assume : Hence one is Solon, one is Xerxes born, And one Melchisedek, another he ^^* Who flying in the air his son did mourn. Nature revolving stamps with her decree The mortal wax, and well her art has thriven, Though note she takes not of each family. Line 120. Aristotle, in his treatise " De Kepnblica."
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292 PARADISE. Cafto IX. Hence is it Esau differed so in leaven ^ From Jacob, hence did Eomulus upspring From sire so vile, to Mars his birth was given. Nature begotten to its path would cling * To the begettsr aye in similar guise. If not o'ercome by Heaven's foreseeing King. What was behind is now before your eyes. But still to show the joy you givest ray mind, A sequent truth to adorn you I devise. For ever Nature when she Fate does find Discordant to herself, like other seed Succeeds not, out of its place designed. And if the world below would only heed The sure foundation Nature does impose, By following her mankind would better speed. But you divert unto Religion's vows One who was bom to gird on him the blade, And one who's apt to preach, as king you choose : Hence from the path so wide your steps have strayed." * Lioe 130. The difference in the nature of men does not spring from their progenitors, but from the influence of the stars, shown even in the case of the twins Esau and Jacob, whose birth, though so nearly simultaneous, was under different astrological influences, the smallest diversity of place being held sufficient to cause a diversity in the working of the heavenly bodies. Line 145. An evident sarcasm on the fighting Popes of the Middle Ages.
p. 145
CANTO IX. The spirit of Charles Martel retires, and Dante is then addressed by Cunizza, the sister of £zzelino, the tyrant of Romano, who foretells to him certain near events in Italian history. She is followed by Folco, the Frovengal poet of Genoa, who informs him that the spirit of the harlot Bahab holds the highest place in their sphere, and inveighs against the Fanacy for its neglect of the Uoly Land, for which Bahab served so faithfmiy. After your father Charles, Clemenza pure ! Had solved my doubts, he showed to me the fears Which his own seed were destined to endure. He told me : " Speak not, leave the rolling years ;" So I can tell you nothing, but your right * Will after be avenged with justest tears. Line 1. Clemenza, daughter of Charles Martel, and second wife to Louis X. of France. The allusion in the following Hues is to the usurpation of the kingdom of Apulia by Robert, brother of Charles Meurtel, to the exclusion of the latter* s son Canrobert, avenged afterwards by the misfortunes of the former.
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