The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
p. 984Cavto XZZU. So opposite, the seat of mighty John, Who holy aye, the wilds, and martyr's woe, And afterwards Hell's pains two years had known, And him beneath there separating go Francis, and Benedict, and Augustin, ^* With others lower down from row to row. Now see the lofty purposes divine. That one and other aspect of the faith Within this garden equally shall shine.
Know too that 'neath the grade, whose cincture rayeth ^ In equal portions the compartments two. Sit none by personal merit that he hath ; But by another's, with conditions too : For all of these are spirits who were freed Before that they had made election true. ** This by their faces thou mayst well aread, And even by their youthful voices clear. If well to look and listen thou dost heed.
Now thou dost doubt, nor dost thy doubtings bar : But I will loose for thee the mighty bond ^ On which thy subtile thoughts have bound thee here. Within the breadth of all this kingdom's bound A place chance granted never could upspring, As sadness, thirst, and hunger ne'er are found. For by the laws eternal, everything Which thou dost see is 'stablished, justly henco It answers as the finger to the ring.
Therefore these spirits rathely gathered thence, Have come not to true life without a cause : Here entering with degrees of excellence. The king, through whom this kingdom maketh pause In so great love, and in so great delight, That daring wUl its wish no farther draws. The minds of all, in its own aspect bright Creating, at his pleasure dowers with grace •* Diversely ; let the effect suffice thy sight. * Line 83.
St. Jolin the Baptist having to remain two years in Limbo, awaiting the death of Christ and his triumph over Hell. Line 49. The donbt unexpressed by Dante, and which Bernard endeavonrs to clear away, is why these souls of children, saved by no merit of their own, and only absolved from the stain of ori^nal sin by the Atonement, have in Paradise different grades of glory, which would appear to be^ granted by chance.
This difficulty Bernard answers b^ asserting the doctrine of Election, which must be accepted from its visible effect, and not further questioned. See line 66.
Cakto XXXII. PARADISE. 386 And this express, and clearly ye may trace In Holy Scripture, which those twins declare To have struggled in their mother's womb for place. Therefore according as is hued the hair ^^ Of such a granted grace, that highest light It fitteth worthily that one should wear.
Then without merit of their deeds done right, They here are placed in different grades of glory, Though differing only in their granted sight. ^* Sufficed it in the earliest years of story, With innocence, salvation to attain, Only their parents' faith hereditary. When the first ages were completed, then To males it needed for their innocent plume, ^ Through circumcision, virtue to obtain. But after that the time of grace had come.
Without the perfect baptism of Christ Such innocence was held below in doom. Now gaze upon the face, that unto Christ " Eesembles most, since that all crystal light Alone can thee dispose to look on Christ. I saw above her showered so great delight. Borne on the holy minds of the Angel brood.
Created aye to hover o'er that height, ^ That whatsoever I before had viewed Me in such admiration ne'er suspended, Nor of our God such semblance ever shewed. And the Angel love, who first had there descended Ave Maria, gratia plena, sung, *^ And over her his golden wings extended. Unto the song divine an answer rung From every portion of the blessed Court, That o'er each £a«ce serene new beauty sprung.
" holy father, who dost here resort ^ ^^ For my sake, leaving the sweet station higher In which thou sittest by eternal sort ; Who is that angel, that with such desire Looks in the eyes of our dear Queen so fair. Enamoured so, he seemeth all on fire ?" ^^' Line 68.
The doctrine of Meotion asserted by Saint Panl, and exemplified by the case of the twins Ssan and Jacob :—" K)r the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the promise of God accordmg to Election might i^and, not of worker but of him that oalleth. Romans ix. 10, 11. 2 C
p. 386Casto XXXH. Thus to the learning still did I repair Of him, who caught from Mary beauty free, As from the sun sweet Venus' morning star. " Boldness and gladness such," said he to me, " As e'er can be in angel or in spirit, "® Is all in Him, as fitly it should be. For this is He, who bore the palm of merit Below to Mary, when the Son of God Willed all our mortal burden to inherit.
But henceforth let thy eyes be cast abroad, ^^^ While my speech wandering, every leader shows Of this most pious and most just abode. The twauQ that most in happiness repose By being nearest to Augusta placed, Are as it were the twin roots of this Eose. ^^ The one who on her left hand sitteth graced Is the first sire, through whose heart lusting bold The human race such bitterness doth taste.
On her right hand thou seest the father old Of the Holy Church, to whom Christ gave the keys ^^ Of the garden which this crowning flower doth hold. He, who saw all the time of heaviness. Or ere he perished, of the beauteous bride, Whom by the lance and nails Christ won for his. Beside him sits : the other one beside, ^^^ Sesteth that chief, 'neath whom there lived on maima The people ingrate, fickle, cursed with pride.
To Peter opposite see seated Aima, To gaze upon her daughter so content Her eyes ^ moves not while she sings Hosanna. ^^^ Before the sire of all men's races blent. Sits Lucia, who thy lady moved to wonne, When thou didst bend thy brows, on ruin bent. But since thy vision to an end draws on, Here will we pause, like tailor who doth prove ^*® His skiU, as cloth is given to make the gown. Line 127.
St. John, wlio saw and related in the Apocalypse the early perseontions of the Ghuroh. Line 180. The Yiigin divides the saints of the old and new dispensations. On her left hand are Adam, Moses, &o, ; on her right Peter and John^ &o., until the semidrclesnnite in John the Baptist,. seated opposite to the Virgin.
John the Baptist has for his neighbonrs Anna and Luina, opposite to Peter and Adam, Lncia being supposed to represent Grace, though, from her rank in the first row of Pazndise, some real person would appear to be intended, as the poet's love Beatrice also represents Qpixitoal religion.
984 PARADISE. Cavto XZZU. So opposite, the seat of mighty John, Who holy aye, the wilds, and martyr's woe, And afterwards Hell's pains two years had known, And him beneath there separating go Francis, and Benedict, and Augustin, ^* With others lower down from row to row. Now see the lofty purposes divine. That one and other aspect of the faith Within this garden equally shall shine. Know too that 'neath the grade, whose cincture rays ^ In equal portions the compartments two. Sit none by personal merit that he has ; But by another's, with conditions too : For all of these are spirits who were freed Before that they had made election true. ** This by their faces you mayst well aread, And even by their youthful voices clear. If well to look and listen you do heed. Now you do doubt, nor do your doubtings bar : But I will loose for you the mighty bond ^ On which your subtile thoughts have bound you here. Within the breadth of all this kingdom's bound A place chance granted never could upspring, As sadness, thirst, and hunger ne'er are found. For by the laws eternal, everything Which you do see is 'stablished, justly henco It answers as the finger to the ring. Therefore these spirits rathely gathered thence, Have come not to true life without a cause : Here entering with degrees of excellence. The king, through whom this kingdom makes pause In so great love, and in so great delight, That daring wUl its wish no farther draws. The minds of all, in its own aspect bright Creating, at his pleasure dowers with grace •* Diversely ; let the effect suffice your sight. * Line 83. St. Jolin the Baptist having to remain two years in Limbo, awaiting the death of Christ and his triumph over Hell. Line 49. The donbt unexpressed by Dante, and which Bernard endeavonrs to clear away, is why these souls of children, saved by no merit of their own, and only absolved from the stain of ori^nal sin by the Atonement, have in Paradise different grades of glory, which would appear to be^ granted by chance. This difficulty Bernard answers b^ asserting the doctrine of Election, which must be accepted from its visible effect, and not further questioned. See line 66.
Cakto XXXII. PARADISE. 386 And this express, and clearly you may trace In Holy Scripture, which those twins declare To have struggled in their mother's womb for place. Therefore according as is hued the hair ^^ Of such a granted grace, that highest light It fits worthily that one should wear. Then without merit of their deeds done right, They here are placed in different grades of glory, Though differing only in their granted sight. ^* Sufficed it in the earliest years of story, With innocence, salvation to attain, Only their parents' faith hereditary. When the first ages were completed, then To males it needed for their innocent plume, ^ Through circumcision, virtue to obtain. But after that the time of grace had come. Without the perfect baptism of Christ Such innocence was held below in doom. Now gaze upon the face, that unto Christ " Eesembles most, since that all crystal light Alone can you dispose to look on Christ." I saw above her showered so great delight. Borne on the holy minds of the Angel brood. Created aye to hover o'er that height, ^ That whatsoever I before had viewed Me in such admiration ne'er suspended, Nor of our God such semblance ever showed. And the Angel love, who first had there descended Ave Maria, gratia plena, sung, *^ And over her his golden wings extended. Unto the song divine an answer rung From every portion of the blessed Court, That o'er each £a«ce serene new beauty sprung. " holy father, who do here resort ^ ^^ For my sake, leaving the sweet station higher In which you sittest by eternal sort ; Who is that angel, that with such desire Looks in the eyes of our dear Queen so fair. Enamoured so, he seems all on fire ?" ^^' Line 68. The doctrine of Meotion asserted by Saint Panl, and exemplified by the case of the twins Ssan and Jacob :—" K)r the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the promise of God accordmg to Election might i^and, not of worker but of him that oalls." Romans ix. 10, 11. 2 C
386 PARADISE. Casto XXXH. Thus to the learning still did I repair Of him, who caught from Mary beauty free, As from the sun sweet Venus' morning star. " Boldness and gladness such," said he to me, " As e'er can be in angel or in spirit, "® Is all in Him, as fitly it should be. For this is He, who bore the palm of merit Below to Mary, when the Son of God Willed all our mortal burden to inherit. But henceforth let your eyes be cast abroad, ^^^ While my speech wandering, every leader shows Of this most pious and most just abode. The twauQ that most in happiness repose By being nearest to Augusta placed, Are as it were the twin roots of this Eose. ^^ The one who on her left hand sits graced Is the first sire, through whose heart lusting bold The human race such bitterness does taste. On her right hand you seest the father old Of the Holy Church, to whom Christ gave the keys ^^ Of the garden which this crowning flower does hold. He, who saw all the time of heaviness. Or ere he perished, of the beauteous bride, Whom by the lance and nails Christ won for his. Beside him sits : the other one beside, ^^^ Sests that chief, 'neath whom there lived on maima The people ingrate, fickle, cursed with pride. To Peter opposite see seated Aima, To gaze upon her daughter so content Her eyes ^ moves not while she sings Hosanna. ^^^ Before the sire of all men's races blent. Sits Lucia, who your lady moved to wonne, When you did bend your brows, on ruin bent. But since your vision to an end draws on, Here will we pause, like tailor who does prove ^*® His skiU, as cloth is given to make the gown. Line 127. St. John, wlio saw and related in the Apocalypse the early perseontions of the Ghuroh. Line 180. The Yiigin divides the saints of the old and new dispensations. On her left hand are Adam, Moses, &o, ; on her right Peter and John^ &o., until the semidrclesnnite in John the Baptist,. seated opposite to the Virgin. John the Baptist has for his neighbonrs Anna and Luina, opposite to Peter and Adam, Lncia being supposed to represent Grace, though, from her rank in the first row of Pazndise, some real person would appear to be intended, as the poet's love Beatrice also represents Qpixitoal religion.
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