The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
p. 298Caitto X. All ! Beatrice, she who ever ran From good to better with such sudden flight That Time her action nerer yet could scan, How needed now that she should grow more bright ! ^ What, entering in the sun, was seen by me. Not as a colour, but apparent light. Genius, art, practice could I summon free.
To fancy's eyesight I could nerer show, One can believe alone, and long to see. *f And if our fantasies indeed are low To such a height no marvel this I ween, For o'er the sun no eye did ever go. Here the great Sire's fourth family was seen. To whom the sight of His Begotten Son ^" And Spirit proceeding aye gives joy serene. " Now thank, O thank," thus Beatrix begun, " The angel's sun, who by His grace has reared Thee to such sensible perception.
Sure mortal heart was never so prepared ^ For prayer, and never sought so yearningly Wholly to yield itself to God all bared. As at those words of holy counsel, I, And so my love on Him was fixt ; it e'en Eclipsed my Beatrix in memory. *" It vexed her not : thereat she smiled serene. So that the splendour of her smiling eyes My centered mind recalled to the outrord scene.
There many clear, surpassing brilliances I saw make us the centre of their crown, ®^ Even sweeter in their voice than clear in guise. Thus do we sometimes see around the moon A halo, where so pregnant is the air It can retain the Ught that makes the zone. Within the court of Heaven, whence I repair, ^° Such that they cannot from that realm be brought. Are found a store of jewels rich and fair.
Such must the song of those pure lights be thought : Who hath not plumage for a heavenward flight. By him the account from silence must be sought. When singing thus, those suns so burning bright. Three times had moved in circle us around. Like stars that wheel close round the polar light, Line 49. The spirits of the fourth H«aven.
They seemed like ladies to the dance still bound, But who, in silence while their dance they cease, Listen to gather the new burden's sound. And one of them I heard begin : " Of grace, Since the pure ray of love its light doth gain, Which afterwards by loving doth increase, Within thee multiplied so shines amain That it conducts thee upwards by this stair, Which none descends who will not climb again.
Who to thy thirst the wine of his flask to share Would fain deny, possesses such a power As water, that to ocean must repair. Thou wouldest know what plants are those that flower Around this garland that wooes lovingly The lady fair that wins thee Heaven as dower. One of the lambs of the holy flock was I Which Dominic alon^ the path leads right. Where well they thrive who're free from vanity.
He who stands nearest to me on the right Was erst my master, Albert of Cologne, And I am Thomas of Aquinum hight. If thou wouldst all the others should be known ^^ As I describe them let thy sight the while Around the blessed garlaiid circling wonne.
That other flaming issues from the smile Of Gratian, who gave joy in Paradise When either forum he did reconcile. ^^* He who the next doth in our chorus rise Was Peter, he who with the widow gave His treasure to the Church as benefice. The fifth light, and the &iresfc which we have. Such love inspires that all the world below ^^^ Of his soul's doom to learn the tidings crave.
Within it is that light wherein doth glow Knowledge so deep that if the truth be true No second ever rose so much to know: Line 80. In those days the performance consisted of dance and song united, to which ballata, as it was called, Dante compares the choral circlings of his spirits in Paradise. Line 94. The speaker is Thomas Aquinas, of the Dominican order. Line 104.
Gratian of Chinsi, another Benedictine monk, who reconciled the canon and civil law by his compilation of the Decretals. Line 107* Fietro Lombardo, who commenced his " Liber Sententiamm" by comparing it to the two mites offered by the poor widow to the treasury. Line 109. Solomon, concerning whom in the Middle Ages it was a common question whether his soul was saved or not.
Next him that taper's splendour thou dost view, Who, while in flesh, the most did penetrate The angelic nature and their ministering crew. He, of the Christian temples advocate, Smileth within that other little light, From whom Augustus borrowed stores of weight. Now if thou passest o'er thy mental sight From flame to flame behind mj praises due, Already on the eighth thy thirst doth light.
Of every good rejoiceth in the view The holy soul, who the fallacious world Made clear to all who hear his teaching true. His body, whence by violence 'twas hurled. Lies in Cieldauro, this from martyrdom And exile came unto this peaceful world. Behold, beyond the ardent spirits loom Of Isidore, and Bede, and Richard too, Who in the power of thought past mortal doom.
This, where thy gaze returns to me anew, Is splendour of a soul whose thoughts of bliss Made death seem tardy in his longing view. The eternal light of Sigisbert is this. Who, reading deep at Paris, in Straw Street, Truths against envy well did syllogise.
Then, like a clock which doth the hour repeat, What time the bride of God with joy doth rise, The spouse she loves with matin song to greet, That one part with the other rolls and flies, Sounding its chiming bells with such sweet tone. It Alls the pious soid with loving sighs, So did I see that glorious wheel move on, In harmony so mingling voice with voice, And sweetness, such as never can be known Save there, where one for ever will rejoice.
Line 115. Dionysins the Areopa^te, author of the mystical works ** De Caalesti Hierarchia/' from which Dante borrowed his scheme of the celestial hierarchy. Line 118. Supposed to be Paulas Orosins, a father of the fifth century. Line 126. Boetius, author of the work " De Consolatione Philosophi®," here alluded to, and put to death by command of Theodoric. He was buried in a monastery in Favia called Ciel d'Oro. Line 181.
The Venerable Bede is known as an Englishman. It is not worth while to occupy space by copying from the Commentaries notices of the remainder of these forgotten fathers of the Church. Line 140. The Church, the spouse of Christ.
298 PARADISE. Caitto X. All ! Beatrice, she who ever ran From good to better with such sudden flight That Time her action nerer yet could scan, How needed now that she should grow more bright ! ^ What, entering in the sun, was seen by me. Not as a colour, but apparent light. Genius, art, practice could I summon free. To fancy's eyesight I could nerer show, One can believe alone, and long to see. *f And if our fantasies indeed are low To such a height no marvel this I ween, For o'er the sun no eye did ever go. Here the great Sire's fourth family was seen. To whom the sight of His Begotten Son ^" And Spirit proceeding aye gives joy serene. " Now thank, O thank," thus Beatrix begun, " The angel's sun, who by His grace has reared You to such sensible perception." Sure mortal heart was never so prepared ^ For prayer, and never sought so yearningly Wholly to yield itself to God all bared. As at those words of holy counsel, I, And so my love on Him was fixt ; it e'en Eclipsed my Beatrix in memory. *" It vexed her not : thereat she smiled serene. So that the splendour of her smiling eyes My centered mind recalled to the outrord scene. There many clear, surpassing brilliances I saw make us the centre of their crown, ®^ Even sweeter in their voice than clear in guise. Thus do we sometimes see around the moon A halo, where so pregnant is the air It can retain the Ught that makes the zone. Within the court of Heaven, whence I repair, ^° Such that they cannot from that realm be brought. Are found a store of jewels rich and fair. Such must the song of those pure lights be thought : Who has not plumage for a heavenward flight. By him the account from silence must be sought. When singing thus, those suns so burning bright. Three times had moved in circle us around. Like stars that wheel close round the polar light, Line 49. The spirits of the fourth H«aven.
They seemed like ladies to the dance still bound, But who, in silence while their dance they cease, Listen to gather the new burden's sound. And one of them I heard begin : " Of grace, Since the pure ray of love its light does gain, Which afterwards by loving does increase, Within you multiplied so shines amain That it conducts you upwards by this stair, Which none descends who will not climb again. Who to your thirst the wine of his flask to share Would fain deny, possesses such a power As water, that to ocean must repair. You wouldest know what plants are those that flower Around this garland that wooes lovingly The lady fair that wins you Heaven as dower. One of the lambs of the holy flock was I Which Dominic alon^ the path leads right. Where well they thrive who're free from vanity. He who stands nearest to me on the right Was erst my master, Albert of Cologne, And I am Thomas of Aquinum hight. If you would all the others should be known ^^ As I describe them let your sight the while Around the blessed garlaiid circling wonne. That other flaming issues from the smile Of Gratian, who gave joy in Paradise When either forum he did reconcile. ^^* He who the next does in our chorus rise Was Peter, he who with the widow gave His treasure to the Church as benefice. The fifth light, and the &iresfc which we have. Such love inspires that all the world below ^^^ Of his soul's doom to learn the tidings crave. Within it is that light wherein does glow Knowledge so deep that if the truth be true No second ever rose so much to know: Line 80. In those days the performance consisted of dance and song united, to which ballata, as it was called, Dante compares the choral circlings of his spirits in Paradise. Line 94. The speaker is Thomas Aquinas, of the Dominican order. Line 104. Gratian of Chinsi, another Benedictine monk, who reconciled the canon and civil law by his compilation of the Decretals. Line 107* Fietro Lombardo, who commenced his " Liber Sententiamm" by comparing it to the two mites offered by the poor widow to the treasury. Line 109. Solomon, concerning whom in the Middle Ages it was a common question whether his soul was saved or not.
Next him that taper's splendour you do view, Who, while in flesh, the most did penetrate The angelic nature and their ministering crew. He, of the Christian temples advocate, Smils within that other little light, From whom Augustus borrowed stores of weight. Now if you passest o'er your mental sight From flame to flame behind mj praises due, Already on the eighth your thirst does light. Of every good rejoices in the view The holy soul, who the fallacious world Made clear to all who hear his teaching true. His body, whence by violence 'twas hurled. Lies in Cieldauro, this from martyrdom And exile came unto this peaceful world. Behold, beyond the ardent spirits loom Of Isidore, and Bede, and Richard too, Who in the power of thought past mortal doom. This, where your gaze returns to me anew, Is splendour of a soul whose thoughts of bliss Made death seem tardy in his longing view. The eternal light of Sigisbert is this. Who, reading deep at Paris, in Straw Street, Truths against envy well did syllogise." Then, like a clock which does the hour repeat, What time the bride of God with joy does rise, The spouse she loves with matin song to greet, That one part with the other rolls and flies, Sounding its chiming bells with such sweet tone. It Alls the pious soid with loving sighs, So did I see that glorious wheel move on, In harmony so mingling voice with voice, And sweetness, such as never can be known Save there, where one for ever will rejoice. Line 115. Dionysins the Areopa^te, author of the mystical works ** De Caalesti Hierarchia/' from which Dante borrowed his scheme of the celestial hierarchy. Line 118. Supposed to be Paulas Orosins, a father of the fifth century. Line 126. Boetius, author of the work " De Consolatione Philosophi®," here alluded to, and put to death by command of Theodoric. He was buried in a monastery in Favia called Ciel d'Oro. Line 181. The Venerable Bede is known as an Englishman. It is not worth while to occupy space by copying from the Commentaries notices of the remainder of these forgotten fathers of the Church. Line 140. The Church, the spouse of Christ.
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