The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
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Cahto XXyn. p. 363That man should speak is work of Nature still : ^^ But so and so to speak doth Nature leave Unto yourselves, according to your will. Ere I descended to the infernal grave, The Highest Good on earth was called El, From whom doth now this joy around me weave. ^^ Eli 'twas after called : the change is well ; For use of mortals is like leaf on bough Which goes, and other cometh whence it fell. On the highest mount that soars o*er ocean's flow Was I in life of purity and shame. From the first hour until the seventh, whereto Changes its quadrant the sun's westering flame." > Line 140. The stay of our first parents in Eden, botli before and after their fall, amounted to seven hours : such from a legend of the Middle Ages was the belief accepted by Dante, for which there is probably as much authority as for the Miltonio theory by which Protestant belief is guided as to the Adamite period. •
CANTO xxvn. After a chorus of praise to the Holy Trinity, the spirits listen silently to Saint Peter, who in an indignant outburst rebukes the government of his successors in the Apostolic See. The Heavenly Host glow with sympathetic indignation at his words, and all then vanish in the height. Beatrice then raises Dante to the ninth Heaven, the nature of which she explains to him, and blames the perversity of mankind, whose aims are set at a lower goal. Unto the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Glory throughout all Paradise began, That in the sweet song were my senses lost. That which I saw, meseemed a smile that ran Throughout the universe, since rapture newer * By sight and hearing through my being ran. O joy ineffable ! O gladness pure ! life entire of love and tranquil good ! O free from every longing wealth secure ! Before me the four torches kindled stood, ^® And the Apostle who the first did come, With growing brilliancy before me glowed : And in his semblance such did he become As Jove might do, were he and Mars's pride. Grown birds, to interchange them plume for plume. ^ Line 15. St. Peter, glowing with indignation, assumed the sanguine hue of Mars in plaoe of his former silvery light.
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p. 364Cawto XXVIL The Providence which order doth provide And change of duty here, *mid this blest crew Had silence now imposed on every side What time I heard : " If I take colour new Marvel thou not, for while my words begin ^ Thou wilt behold each one of these change hue. He who usurps on earth that place of mine, That place of mine/ that place of mine now vacant.
Within the presence of Grod's Son Divine, Has of my cemetery made a fecant Cesspool of blood and £lth, whence the perverse Who fell from Heaven, in Hell doth joy complacent. That roseate hue, which o'er a cloud adverse The sun d,oth paint at eventide and mom, Beheld I then o'er all the Heaven asperse. And like a virtuous lady who would scorn All sin herself, if only she doth hear Of others' frailty, groweth all forlo^:n.
So Beatrice changed her semblance here. And so methinks eclipsed the Heavens that hour ^ In which the Christ was suffering mortal fear : Proceeded then his words of angry power. With voice so changed from its own former tone.
That even his semblance was not altered more. ** The spouse of Christ was fed not with my own, *® With Linus', and with Cletus' blood for this, Now as a thing of purchase to be known : But to acquire this perfect life of bliss. Urban, Calixtus, Sextus, Pius too. Their lifeblood shed, after long agonies. ^ It was not our intention that a few Alone should sit at our successors' right, And at his left the rest o' the Christian crew.
Nor that the keys, granted to me with might. Should e'er become the standard in a war *® For those who 'gainst their christened foemen fight : Nor that my image should be signet for Mendacious privileges sold for gain. At which I oft glow red and sparkle o'er. Line 41. All the martyrs named by St. Peter were amongst his snocessors, the Bishops of Borne in the second and fourth centuries. Line 47.
Alluding to the division between Guelphs and Ghibelines, factions fomented by the PopeSj who of course favoured their own party. Line 52. The seal of St. Peter being affixed to the Papal Bulls, by which were often purchased iniquitous privileges.
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Cahto XXyn. PARADISE. 363 That man should speak is work of Nature still : ^^ But so and so to speak does Nature leave Unto yourselves, according to your will. Ere I descended to the infernal grave, The Highest Good on earth was called El, From whom does now this joy around me weave. ^^ Eli 'twas after called : the change is well ; For use of mortals is like leaf on bough Which goes, and other comes whence it fell. On the highest mount that soars o*er ocean's flow Was I in life of purity and shame. From the first hour until the seventh, whereto Changes its quadrant the sun's westering flame." > Line 140. The stay of our first parents in Eden, botli before and after their fall, amounted to seven hours : such from a legend of the Middle Ages was the belief accepted by Dante, for which there is probably as much authority as for the Miltonio theory by which Protestant belief is guided as to the Adamite period. •
CANTO xxvn. After a chorus of praise to the Holy Trinity, the spirits listen silently to Saint Peter, who in an indignant outburst rebukes the government of his successors in the Apostolic See. The Heavenly Host glow with sympathetic indignation at his words, and all then vanish in the height. Beatrice then raises Dante to the ninth Heaven, the nature of which she explains to him, and blames the perversity of mankind, whose aims are set at a lower goal. Unto the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Glory throughout all Paradise began, That in the sweet song were my senses lost. That which I saw, meseemed a smile that ran Throughout the universe, since rapture newer * By sight and hearing through my being ran. O joy ineffable ! O gladness pure ! life entire of love and tranquil good ! O free from every longing wealth secure ! Before me the four torches kindled stood, ^® And the Apostle who the first did come, With growing brilliancy before me glowed : And in his semblance such did he become As Jove might do, were he and Mars's pride. Grown birds, to interchange them plume for plume. ^ Line 15. St. Peter, glowing with indignation, assumed the sanguine hue of Mars in plaoe of his former silvery light.
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364 PARADISE. Cawto XXVIL The Providence which order does provide And change of duty here, *mid this blest crew Had silence now imposed on every side What time I heard : " If I take colour new Marvel you not, for while my words begin ^ You will behold each one of these change hue. He who usurps on earth that place of mine, That place of mine/ that place of mine now vacant. Within the presence of Grod's Son Divine, Has of my cemetery made a fecant Cesspool of blood and £lth, whence the perverse Who fell from Heaven, in Hell does joy complacent." That roseate hue, which o'er a cloud adverse The sun d,oth paint at eventide and mom, Beheld I then o'er all the Heaven asperse. And like a virtuous lady who would scorn All sin herself, if only she does hear Of others' frailty, grows all forlo^:n. So Beatrice changed her semblance here. And so methinks eclipsed the Heavens that hour ^ In which the Christ was suffering mortal fear : Proceeded then his words of angry power. With voice so changed from its own former tone. That even his semblance was not altered more. ** The spouse of Christ was fed not with my own, *® With Linus', and with Cletus' blood for this, Now as a thing of purchase to be known : But to acquire this perfect life of bliss. Urban, Calixtus, Sextus, Pius too. Their lifeblood shed, after long agonies. ^ It was not our intention that a few Alone should sit at our successors' right, And at his left the rest o' the Christian crew. Nor that the keys, granted to me with might. Should e'er become the standard in a war *® For those who 'gainst their christened foemen fight : Nor that my image should be signet for Mendacious privileges sold for gain. At which I oft glow red and sparkle o'er. Line 41. All the martyrs named by St. Peter were amongst his snocessors, the Bishops of Borne in the second and fourth centuries. Line 47. Alluding to the division between Guelphs and Ghibelines, factions fomented by the PopeSj who of course favoured their own party. Line 52. The seal of St. Peter being affixed to the Papal Bulls, by which were often purchased iniquitous privileges.
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