The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

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Oahto XXXIII. paradise. 387 And we will raise our eyes to the primal love, That looking towards it thou mayst penetrate, As far as possible, its beams above. Yet of a truth, the while thy pinions beat. Thou dost fall back, believing thou dost speed, 'Tis fit that first for grace I should entreat : G-race given by her, who hath the power to aid : And thou wilt follow me with yearning there. That to my words thy heart be closely laid." Therewith he thus began this holy prayer.

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CANTO xxxin. Saint Bernard prays to the Virgin that Dante may receive grace to contemplate the Divine Essence, and the prayer is granted. Dante then prays that he may have power to record some portion of the glory he beholdsi and describes his final vision of the Supreme Mystery. " O Virgin Mother, daughter of thy Son, Humble and lofty more than any creature. The fixt bound where the eternal councils run, Thou art the perfect one who human nature Didst so ennoble that did not disdain ^ Its Maker from thee to take form and feature. Within thy womb the love was lit again. Through warmth of which in its eternal peace This flower in beauty hath thus bloomed amain. Thou art the midday torch within this place ^° Of charity, and unto mortals lower The living fountain of all hope and grace. Lady, thou art so great and hast such power That whoso willeth grace and runs to thee. Would without pinions wish his will could soar. ^* Not only succours thy benignity Whoso demands it, but full many a time. Or ere the prayer be formed, 'tis offered free. In thee fair Mercy, in thee Pity's prime. In thee magnificence, in thee unite ^^ Whatever goodness doth in creature limn. Behold this man, who from the lowest pit 0' the universe unto this height hath seen Of spiritual life the phases infinite. Of grace he prays to thee for virtue keen, -^ Such that his human eyes may upwards yearn Until the sovran mystery be seen.

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388 PAEADISE. Cahto XXXm. And I, who for my vision ne'er did bum More than I do for his, my prayers in whole Offer, and pray they have not scant return. Thou, therefore, from him every cloud uproll Of his mortality with prayers of thine, So that the highest bliss shine on his soul. Again I pray to thee, O queen benign, Who canst whatever thou wilt, his passions aU Keep ever pure after such sight divine. Let thy protection guard him from a fall.

See Beatrice with all these the blest Join their raised palms in furtherance of my call. The eyes by God for ever loved the best *• Fixt on the speaker, then how holy prayers Are grateful to them made all manifest. Thence to the Eternal Light their vision rears.

In which believe that never creature higher Within its mystery such clear eye bears : ^ And I, who to the end of all desire Was then approaching, as was fit the while, Finisht the ardour of my yearning's fire. Then beckoned to me Bernard with a smile That I should upwards gaze, but I, in sooth. Already gazed where he my sight would guile.

And as my vision more of strength endueth Yet more and more it entered through the ray 0' the sovran light, which in itself is truth. From here henceforward more than parlance may My vision knew ; here words to sight must yield, And memory to such excess give way.

Like one who sees in dreaming things revealed, And when the dream is o'er passion's impress Eemains, while to the mind all else is sealed, ^ So am I now, that all, as 'twere, doth cease My vision, while there yet on me distils Within the heart, bom from it. Heavenly peace. Thus in the sun the snow dissolves in rills ; Thus in the wind, inscribed in flying leaves, ** Are lost for aye the sibyl's oracles.

O highest light, that so itself upheaves Above all mortal thought, upon me shower Some likeness which thy witnessed image leaves. And make this tongue of mine possess such power ^" That of thy glory but one spark alone To future ages it may lea^e as dower.