The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
p. 125
p. 304Cauto XII. Unto his brethren, as his heirs, the heed He recommended of his lady dear, That they with faith should love her he decreed. Then from his bosom sought his spirit clear ^^* To soar aloft, returning to hi^ reign. And for his body asked no other bier. Think henceforth to what height he must attain Deemed his fit colleague to support the bark Of Peter, struggling in the stormy main. ^^ And this one was our own blest patriarch. Then whoso follows him as he commands A worthy meed doth bear thou well mayst mark. But his own flock grown gluttonous, demands New provender, or else they now would not In diverse pastures spread o'er all the lands. And aye so much the more his sheep remote From their own fold in wandering spirit go, More milkless they return unto the cote. In truth there still are some who fear their woe ^^ And cling unto their shepherd, but so few A little cloth would make them cowls enow. Now if my words are not obscure to you, If in thy audience thou hast been intent, If what I've said thou dost in mind review, Thy wish in part by this is made content. Because thou'lt see the plant from which they fly, And the rebuke within my argument, * Where they thrive well if free from vanity.' " Line 117. He is said to have refused all pomp at bis funeral, and directed that be sbonld be bnried witb the common malefactors. Line 121. St. Dominic, of wbose order Thomas Aquinas was a member. Line 137. The plant is the rule of the order, from which so many of the modern Dominicans went astray.
p. 135
CANTO XII. As St. Thomas ceases speaking, a second circle of twelve blessed spirits surrounds the first. One of these, St. Buonaventura, relates to Dante the life of St. Dominic, and then regrets the decay of his own Franciscan order.
He then names the twelve spirits who compose the outer wreath, newly arrived. Soon as the blessed flame, the latest sound Of that oration from its lips let fall, The holy millstone 'gan to wheel around :
Cahto Xn. p. 805Nor had it gone around its circle all, Before another ring did round it close, ' And step on step, and song on song did call : Song, that as far above our Muses rose, Our sirens in their sweetest melody. As light o'er the reflected rays it throws. As circle through a vaporous cloud on high ^^ Two rainbows parallel and like in hue, When Juno bids her handmaid deck the sky.
The outer from the inner springs to view, As sprang the echo from the beauteous maid Whom love^consumed, as does the sun the dew : ^^ And show the people upon earth, arrayed That sign of pact, which God to Noah sware, That never more should floods the earth invade : So, of those sempiternal roses there Circled around us the bright garlands twain, ^® And so the one to the other answered fair.
What time that merriment, and festal train, Both from their song, and from their flaming brand, Each light with light, rejoicing and serene, Together at one point in quiet stand ; ^ (Just like the eyes which at one's pleasure move.
Must close and ope together at command ;) From the heart of one of those new flames of love Issued a voice, like needle to the star My being to its presence did it move : ^ And it began : " The love which makes me fair. Prompts me to tell thee of that other guide. For whom, of mine was told the merit rare. Fitly does one stand by the other's side.
Since, as they both for the same object strove, ^ So now together shines their glory's pride The host of Christ that cost so dear to love To furnish with their panoply again, Behind their standard, slow and scattered move : What time the Emperor, who aye doth reign, *° Provideth his militia in their stress, Not for their worth, but of his grace so fain : Line 14. An allusion to the story of the nymph Hoho, oonsumed by her love for Narcissus.
As she echoes sonnds, so one rainbow echoes the other. The prodigality of illnstration in this passage constitutes its only difficulty. Line 31. The speaker is a Franciscan, who in return for Thomas Aquinas' glorification of his master St. Francis, proclaims the praises of St. Dominic. Buonaventura, thou|;h a Franciscan monk, became a Cardinal and Minister- General, to which dignities he afterwards alludes. X
p. 125
304 PARADISE. Cauto XII. Unto his brethren, as his heirs, the heed He recommended of his lady dear, That they with faith should love her he decreed. Then from his bosom sought his spirit clear ^^* To soar aloft, returning to hi^ reign. And for his body asked no other bier. Think henceforth to what height he must attain Deemed his fit colleague to support the bark Of Peter, struggling in the stormy main. ^^ And this one was our own blest patriarch. Then whoso follows him as he commands A worthy meed does bear you well mayst mark. But his own flock grown gluttonous, demands New provender, or else they now would not In diverse pastures spread o'er all the lands. And aye so much the more his sheep remote From their own fold in wandering spirit go, More milkless they return unto the cote. In truth there still are some who fear their woe ^^ And cling unto their shepherd, but so few A little cloth would make them cowls enow. Now if my words are not obscure to you, If in your audience you have been intent, If what I've said you do in mind review, Your wish in part by this is made content. Because you'lt see the plant from which they fly, And the rebuke within my argument, * Where they thrive well if free from vanity.' " Line 117. He is said to have refused all pomp at bis funeral, and directed that be sbonld be bnried witb the common malefactors. Line 121. St. Dominic, of wbose order Thomas Aquinas was a member. Line 137. The plant is the rule of the order, from which so many of the modern Dominicans went astray.
p. 135
CANTO XII. As St. Thomas ceases speaking, a second circle of twelve blessed spirits surrounds the first. One of these, St. Buonaventura, relates to Dante the life of St. Dominic, and then regrets the decay of his own Franciscan order.
He then names the twelve spirits who compose the outer wreath, newly arrived. Soon as the blessed flame, the latest sound Of that oration from its lips let fall, The holy millstone 'gan to wheel around :
Cahto Xn. PARADISE. 805 Nor had it gone around its circle all, Before another ring did round it close, ' And step on step, and song on song did call : Song, that as far above our Muses rose, Our sirens in their sweetest melody. As light o'er the reflected rays it throws. As circle through a vaporous cloud on high ^^ Two rainbows parallel and like in hue, When Juno bids her handmaid deck the sky. The outer from the inner springs to view, As sprang the echo from the beauteous maid Whom love^consumed, as does the sun the dew : ^^ And show the people upon earth, arrayed That sign of pact, which God to Noah sware, That never more should floods the earth invade : So, of those sempiternal roses there Circled around us the bright garlands twain, ^® And so the one to the other answered fair. What time that merriment, and festal train, Both from their song, and from their flaming brand, Each light with light, rejoicing and serene, Together at one point in quiet stand ; ^ (Just like the eyes which at one's pleasure move. Must close and ope together at command ;) From the heart of one of those new flames of love Issued a voice, like needle to the star My being to its presence did it move : ^ And it began : " The love which makes me fair. Prompts me to tell you of that other guide. For whom, of mine was told the merit rare. Fitly does one stand by the other's side. Since, as they both for the same object strove, ^ So now together shines their glory's pride The host of Christ that cost so dear to love To furnish with their panoply again, Behind their standard, slow and scattered move : What time the Emperor, who aye does reign, *° Provides his militia in their stress, Not for their worth, but of his grace so fain : Line 14. An allusion to the story of the nymph Hoho, oonsumed by her love for Narcissus. As she echoes sonnds, so one rainbow echoes the other. The prodigality of illnstration in this passage constitutes its only difficulty. Line 31. The speaker is a Franciscan, who in return for Thomas Aquinas' glorification of his master St. Francis, proclaims the praises of St. Dominic. Buonaventura, you|;h a Franciscan monk, became a Cardinal and Minister- General, to which dignities he afterwards alludes. X
No commentary for this page under the selected tracks.
There is commentary on page 1.