The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

376 PARADISE. Cahto ZIX. Little by little from my sight withdrew, Whence love, and nought to gaze at, me constrained To turn my eyes on Beatrix anew. " If whatsoe'er till now of her was penned Were all included in one mighty praise, ^ It had not of this turn the height maintained. The beauty that I saw so passes ways Not merely human, but I think alone " Its Maker could its joyaunce all appraise. That I am conquered by this pass I own More than was ever bard of whom could boast The sock or buskin in a flight unknown. Por as the sun, the sight that trembles most, ** So the remembrance of that smile so sweet Prom my own self my mind has wholly lost. Prom the first day when I that face did greet In this our life until that sight divine My song to follow was not all unmeet ; ^ But now 'tis fit that henceforth I resign Her beauty to pursue in poet aim, As yields each artist to his art's confine. Such, then, I leave her to more high acclaim Than that of my weak trumpet, which draws on " Unto a final close its arduous theme. Of conquering chief with gesture and with tone She recommenced : " Now, issued forth, we move In the Heaven of purest light, from the ninth zone. Light intellectual, and full of love, ^ The love of Truth, all full of gladness aye. Gladness, all thought of sweetness far above. Here both the serried armies you shall see Of Paradise, and one in such a seeming As you shall see them on the judgment day." ** As sudden light that with its rapid gleaming Blinds the visual powers, depriving quite The eye of objects that are brightest beaming, So did there shine around me living light, And left me shrouded with such veiling stream ^ Of its own blaze that nothing met my sight. " Ever the love that stills the Heaven supreme With such a weal does welcome to its home, To make the taper fitted for its flame." Line 43. The hosts of Angels and of the sonls of the Blest, the latter appearing as they will do on the final day of doom.

Cahto ZXX. paradise. S77 Not a whit sooner than to me did come *' These words so brief or ere I felt again Mj soul surmounting, with new virtue bloom, And with new vision was I kindled then. Such that no glory's clearest lightening But that mj eyes were able to sustain. I saw the light in form of river fling Its blazing stream, the which two banks enfold, Impainted with the wonder-breathing Spring. From such a river living sparks uprolled. And everywhere they set them on the flowers, Like unto rubies girt around with gold. Then, as inebriate with the odorous showers, They plunged again into the wondrous stream. Whence one still issued as another lowers. ** The high desire that you does now inflame ^^ To seek for knowledge of what you do see Pleases me more the more it swells your aim. But ere such thirst be satisfied in you 'Tis needful of this wave that you should drink/' The daystar of my eyes thus spake to me. ^* Thereto : " The river, with its smiling brink Of flowers and topazes that- sink and glide, Of their own truth a shadowy prelude link. Not that themselves are not all glorified, But the defect is on your part alone, ®* Who have not yet your vision purified." An unweaned child had not so swiftly run With mouth towards the milk, when he does wi^e Ear later than his wont, than I flew on Yet better mirrors of my eyes to make, Inclining me with rapture to the waves That flow to heal whoe'er his thirst does slake. The instant that there drank of it the eaves Of my drooped lids the stream before my eyes Into a circling ring its length enweaves. Then like to people 'neath a masked disguise Who others seem than erst, themselves confest When stript away their semblant fantasies. So did there change to jubilee increased The flowers and sparkles that I there beheld •* Both Courts of Heaven before me manifest. Line 61. " Thepore river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb." Apocalypse zxii. 1. Line 64. Dante as yet beholds the vision dimly, and the Angels appear io him as sparks, the souis of the Blest as flowers. See line 97*

378 PARADISE. Cavto O splendour of my God, whence I beheld The lofty triumph of the truthful reign, Give me the power to say how I beheld I Light is above that makes visible plain ^^ The Maker to the creature, who alone In seeing Him does perfect peace attain. And in a circular shape it rays on. Of such a size that its circumference Unto the sun would be too large a zone. *®* Upon the primum mobile it hence Imprints its semblance with reflected sheen. Which thence does draw its life and influence. And like a cliff that o'er the wave serene Mirrors itself, as 'twere, to see how fair **® Is all its wealth of flowerets and of green. So standing o'er the light in circles there I saw them glassed on more than thousand thrones, All of our race who thither made repair. And as the central grade within it owns So great a light, how vast does spread in size This Eose's petals in its furthest zones ! In all its height and amplitude my eyes Were not bewildered, but took in it all. The quantity and nature of its joys. Nearness and distance do not there befall, For where God rules immediate and supernal The laws of Nature have no sway at all. Within the yellow of the Kose eternal, Which opens out in grades and breathes delight And odorous praise to the sun for ever vernal, Like one who, silent, fain would speak, forthright Beatrix led me on, and said, '* Behold How great the gathering of our stoles of white ! Behold what space our city does enfold ! Behold our seats already so complete That few more guests we wait to see enrolled. Where you do fix your eyes, on that high seat Marked with a crown, already o'er it placed. Or ere that you this nuptial supper greet, Shall sit the soul on earth Augustus graced Of the great Harry, who will come to heal Our Italy, or ere her mood be past. Line 136. Henry YII., who died in 1318, and on whom Dajite's hopes for the restoration of a united Italy were always tamed.