The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

3G6| PARADISE. Cabto XII. And as was told you now; his bride to bless Gave champions twain, whose council and emprise The hosts so widely scattered would redress. ** Within that region where the zephyrs rise To ope new budding leaves with kisses sweet, Whence Europe issues clad in vernal dyes. Not very far from where the sea waves beat, Behind the which, in a long track of flame, At times the sun from all men hides his heat, Lies Callaroga, town of blessed name, 'Neath the protection of the mighty shield, Whose arms two lions and two castles claim. Within that amorous lover was revealed ** O' the Christian faith,4hat holy athlete strong. Kind to his own, and to^his enemies steeled. And as he was created, so did throng The living virtue in his mind, ere bom He made his mother prophesy. Ere long When finally were the*espousals sworn 'Twixt him and Faith, before the holy fount. Where mutual safety each in dower had borne ; She, who assented there on his account, Beheld the wonderful result in dream ** Which would from him and his successors mount : And as in fact, that he might be in name, The spirit moved her hence his name to take From that possessive which filled aU his frame. Dominicus was he called ; of him I speak As of the skilful husbandman whom Christ Chose for His garden, as a helpmate meek. Well did he seem familiar friend of Christ, Since the first love which in the child was shown, Was for the one chief counsel told by Christ. Oft by his nurse was he discovered thrown. Wakeful in silent prayer, upon the ground, As though he said, * I've come for this alone.' Line 46. In Spain, the birthplace of St. Dominic, Callaroga being in Castile. Line 60. Before he was bom his mother dreamed that she wonld be delivered of a black and white dog with a burning torch in his month, the former prefiguring the future dress of his order, and the latter his fiery zeal. Line 65. His godmother dreamed that the child had a star on his forehead and another at the back of his head, illuminating the East and West. Line 69. He was called Dominicus, the Latin possessive of Dominus.

Oahto xn. PARADISE. 807 Truly his father was a Felix found ! Truly hi& mother bore Giovanna's name, ^ If right they tell the meaning of that sound. Not for the world, for which men toil with shame, Following Taddeo's and Ostiensi's lore, But the true manna loving, he became In briefest time a doctor learned galore, ^ So that he set himself to trench the vine, Which idly tended soon grows wan and poor. And at the seat, of old far more benign To righteous poor than now, (on it I lay No fault, 'tis his who sits there to decline,) ' ®° No dispensation lightly bought, to pray, Not to make interest for a vacant berth, Non dedmaSf quce stmt pauperum Dei, Were his to seek, but 'gainst the wandering earth Licence to combat for the holy seed, ®* From which these four-and-twenty plants had birth. Then armed with doctrine, and delight in deed, On his apostleship he moved along Like torrent rushing from a lofty head : And on the trunks of Heresy he swung, ^^ With impetus more lively on the. land j Where most he found opposed resistance strong. After from him were various streamlets drained Watering the garden Catholic so fair. So that its trees in living beauty stand. ^^^ I If such was one wheel of that two- wheeled car In which the holy Church her combat made. And conquered in the field of civil war. Clearly and well ^before you is displayed The other's excellence, with courtesies "® Which Thomas ere I came did now parade. But the track's orbit, which of old did please That wheel to follow, is no longer trod, That now is mouldiness where erst were lees. His family, that once straightforward strode "'^ Upon his footsteps, is so turned away, That backwards many now retrace their road. Line 80. Gioyanna is interpreted Grace, the gift of the Lord. Line 83. Taddeo was a lawyer of Bologna, and Ostiensi a Cardinal who wrote a commentary on the Decretals. Line 93. Not the tenths, which belong to the poor of God. Line 112. The rule of the order founded by the other wheel of the car, St. Francis, which is now neglected by his followers.

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808 BARADISE. Civro ml. And soon of sucli bad culture sliall we see The harvest, when the tares are brought to count, And wail, thrust outwards from the bam for aye. ^^ Certes I say, who leaf by leaf will hunt Our volume through, some single page may find Where he will read, * I am, as I was wont.' But not Casal's nor Acquasparta's kind, Where they who come the Scripture construe so. That one does loose, and one too strict does bind. Buonaventura's life within me know, From Bagnoreggio, in high place austere All objects sinister I thrust below. Illuminato, Agostino here, Were 'mongst the first of the barefooted poor Who with their cord to G-od became so dear. Hugh of San Victor, Pietro Mangiador, Are with them here, and Pietro he of Spain, Who shines below in twelve books' learned lore. ^^ Nathan the Prophet, Metropolitan Chrysostom, Anselm, and Donate who To the first art to place his hand did deign. Eaban is here, beside him shines in view The Abbot of Calabria, Joachin, Whom God with power prophetic did endue. To chant the praise of such high Paladin Excited me the flaming courtesy Of Friar Thomas and his speech serene. And with me moved all this brave company."

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Line 124. These two were Ministers-General of the Franciscan order, the first of whom relaxed its roles into licence, and the latter confined them too stringently. Line 130. Early Franciscan monks : those whose names follow are chiefly forgotten divines, whose personalities it is not worth while to trace from the Commentaries. Line 138. Donato wrote a treatise on grammar.