The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
p. 310Casto xm. Thou tbink'st that in that breast, from which a side Was taken, to create the cheek so fair, Whose craving cost the world such tearful tide. And in that breast, transpiercM by the spear, Which after and before so fully paid, It turned the balance 'gainst all sin and fear. Whatever on human nature might be laid Of wisdom's light, was in completion poured By G-od's high power, who one and the other made. ** Therefore 'twas thine to marvel at my word When I declared that he no second knew. The worth that in this fifth light is upstored. Now what I answer, ope thy eyes to view. And thou wilt see thy thought, and what I tell, . ^ Like circle in its centre meet i' the true. All things, eternal and corruptible. Must each be spark of that idea, the seed Our Father, loving, generates at will. Because that living Light which doth proceed " From the Father's shining, and is never known From Him, and from the Triune Spirit freed, By His own bounty sheds His rays adown. Mirrored as 'twere on new existences, Itself eternally remaining one. ^ Thence it descends to the lowest potencies. Downwards from act to act declining so. It makes no more than brief contingencies. And these contingencies thou here mayst know All generated things, the which unfolds " With seed, or even without, Heaven's moving flow. The native wax of those, and that which moulds Are not alike, and so ea-ch 'neath the seal Ideal, more or less of glory holds : Whence 'tis that trees of the same kind reveal ™ Diversity in fruitage which they bear. And ye your difference of talent feel. Were the wax printed perfectly and clear. And were the skies in influence supreme. The glory of the seal would all appear.
p. 75
Line 55. The living Light is the Second Person of the Trinity. Line 59.
The new existences are angels and human sonls; the lowMt potencies are the elements and hrute matter. Line 67* The native wax is the matter of which all generated things are made ; the seal which stamps it is the particular power that acts thereon.
Oahto xni. p. 311Bat Nature ever makes the process lame, And like an artist aye doth operate With trembling hand that blurs what skill would frame. But if Q-od*s warmth of love doth generate Of primal power the vision undefiled, ^ Entire perfection there He doth create. Thus fashioned was that clay, in which was piled Every perfection of mere living man ; Thus was the Holy Virgin found with child.
So I commend thy sentiment as plain, ^ That human nature never yet was known, Nor can be, such as in those persons twain. Now if no further had my reasoning gone, How then could this one be without a peer ? Thy words in answer would be thus begun. ^ But that what now is hidden may be clear, Think who he was, and what his answer bred, When he was told : what wouldst thou ask ? declare.
Thou well can see from that which I have said That he was king, who understanding sought, *" That worthily his kingship might be led. He did not seek to find the number out O' the Heavenly motors, nor if aye necesse With a contingency, necesse brought : Non si est dare primum motum esse, *®® Nor if to make triangle not a right From semicircle, were a problem easy.
If this, and what I've said, thou mark'st aright, That royal prudence, and that ken thou'lt learn On which the arrow of my aim did light. ^^ And if to that word, Eose, thy eyes dost turn, Thou'lt see it had respect to kings alone, Who're many, though few good ones we discern. With this distinction be my saying known, And thus with what thou thinkest 'twill agree. Of the first man, and Christ our joy alone. Line 79.
Where God Himself creates without the intermediate agency of Natnre, as in the cases of Adam and Christ, there mnst be perfection. Line 97* He did not ask questions of curiosity, of logical, metaphysical, or mathematical science, but for wisdom required by a king. Line 98. If a necessary premise, joined to a contingent one, produced a necessary consequence, which it does not, as conclusio sequitur debiliorem. Line 100.
If it is necessary to admit one first motion, which the rule in metaphysics forces one to do, to avoid an ad infinitum. Line 101. If the angle contained in a semicircle can ever be other than a right, which is a mathematical absurdity.
310 PARADISE. Casto xm. You tbink'st that in that breast, from which a side Was taken, to create the cheek so fair, Whose craving cost the world such tearful tide. And in that breast, transpiercM by the spear, Which after and before so fully paid, It turned the balance 'gainst all sin and fear. Whatever on human nature might be laid Of wisdom's light, was in completion poured By G-od's high power, who one and the other made. ** Therefore 'twas your to marvel at my word When I declared that he no second knew. The worth that in this fifth light is upstored. Now what I answer, ope your eyes to view. And you will see your thought, and what I tell, . ^ Like circle in its centre meet i' the true. All things, eternal and corruptible. Must each be spark of that idea, the seed Our Father, loving, generates at will. Because that living Light which does proceed " From the Father's shining, and is never known From Him, and from the Triune Spirit freed, By His own bounty sheds His rays adown. Mirrored as 'twere on new existences, Itself eternally remaining one. ^ Thence it descends to the lowest potencies. Downwards from act to act declining so. It makes no more than brief contingencies. And these contingencies you here mayst know All generated things, the which unfolds " With seed, or even without, Heaven's moving flow. The native wax of those, and that which moulds Are not alike, and so ea-ch 'neath the seal Ideal, more or less of glory holds : Whence 'tis that trees of the same kind reveal ™ Diversity in fruitage which they bear. And you your difference of talent feel. Were the wax printed perfectly and clear. And were the skies in influence supreme. The glory of the seal would all appear.
p. 75
Line 55. The living Light is the Second Person of the Trinity. Line 59.
The new existences are angels and human sonls; the lowMt potencies are the elements and hrute matter. Line 67* The native wax is the matter of which all generated things are made ; the seal which stamps it is the particular power that acts thereon.
Oahto xni. PARADISE. 311 Bat Nature ever makes the process lame, And like an artist aye does operate With trembling hand that blurs what skill would frame. But if Q-od*s warmth of love does generate Of primal power the vision undefiled, ^ Entire perfection there He does create. Thus fashioned was that clay, in which was piled Every perfection of mere living man ; Thus was the Holy Virgin found with child. So I commend your sentiment as plain, ^ That human nature never yet was known, Nor can be, such as in those persons twain. Now if no further had my reasoning gone, How then could this one be without a peer ? Your words in answer would be thus begun. ^ But that what now is hidden may be clear, Think who he was, and what his answer bred, When he was told : what would you ask ? declare. You well can see from that which I have said That he was king, who understanding sought, *" That worthily his kingship might be led. He did not seek to find the number out O' the Heavenly motors, nor if aye necesse With a contingency, necesse brought : Non si est dare primum motum esse, *®® Nor if to make triangle not a right From semicircle, were a problem easy. If this, and what I've said, you mark'st aright, That royal prudence, and that ken you'lt learn On which the arrow of my aim did light. ^^ And if to that word, Eose, your eyes do turn, You'lt see it had respect to kings alone, Who're many, though few good ones we discern. With this distinction be my saying known, And thus with what you think 'twill agree. Of the first man, and Christ our joy alone. Line 79. Where God Himself creates without the intermediate agency of Natnre, as in the cases of Adam and Christ, there mnst be perfection. Line 97* He did not ask questions of curiosity, of logical, metaphysical, or mathematical science, but for wisdom required by a king. Line 98. If a necessary premise, joined to a contingent one, produced a necessary consequence, which it does not, as conclusio sequitur debiliorem. Line 100. If it is necessary to admit one first motion, which the rule in metaphysics forces one to do, to avoid an ad infinitum. Line 101. If the angle contained in a semicircle can ever be other than a right, which is a mathematical absurdity.
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