The lesser ring, I heard a modest voice, Such as perhaps the Angel's was to Mary, Answer: "As long as the festivity

Of Paradise shall be, so long our love

Shall radiate round about us such a vesture. Its brightness is proportioned to the ardor, The ardor to the vision; and the vision Equals what grace it has above its worth. When, glorious and sanctified, our flesh

45

Is reassumed, then shall our persons be More pleasing by their being all complete; For will increase whate'er bestows on us Of light gratuitous the Good Supreme, Light which enables us to look on Him; Therefore the vision must perforce increase, Increase the ardor which from that is kindled, 50 Increase the radiance which from this proceeds. But even as a coal that sends forth flame, And by its vivid whiteness overpowers it So that its own appearance it maintains, Thus the effulgence that surrounds us now

Shall be o'erpowered in aspect by the flesh, Which still to-day the earth doth cover up; Nor can so great a splendor weary us,

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For strong will be the organs of the body
To everything which hath the power to please

So sudden and alert appeared to me

Both one and the other choir to say Amen,

60

That well they showed desire for their dead

bodies;

Nor sole for them perhaps, but for the mothers,

The fathers, and the rest who had been dear 65

Or ever they became eternal flames.
And lo! all round about of equal brightness

Arose a lustre over what was there,
Like an horizon that is clearing up.
And as at rise of early eve begin

Along the welkin new appearances,
So that the sight seems real and unreal,
It seemed to me that new subsistences

Began there to be seen, and make a circle
Outside the other two circumferences.

O very sparkling of the Holy Spirit,

How sudden and incandescent it became Unto mine eyes, that vanquished bore it not! But Beatrice so beautiful and smiling

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Appeared to me, that with the other sights
That followed not my memory I must leave her.

Then to uplift themselves mine eyes resumed
The power, and I beheld myself translated
To higher salvation with my Lady only.
Well was I ware that I was more uplifted

By the enkindled smiling of the star,
That seemed to me more ruddy than its wont.
With all my heart, and in that dialect

Which is the same in all, such holocaust
To God I made as the new grace beseemed;
And not yet from my bosom was exhausted
The ardor of sacrifice, before I knew
This offering was accepted and auspicious;
For with so great a lustre and so red

Splendors appeared to me in twofold rays,
I said: "O Helios, who dost so adorn them!"
Even as distinct with less and greater lights

Glimmers between the two poles of the world

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The Galaxy that maketh wise men doubt, Thus constellated in the depths of Mars,

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Those rays described the venerable sign That quadrants joining in a circle make. Here doth my memory overcome my genius; For on that cross as levin gleamed forth Christ, So that I cannot find ensample worthy; But he who takes his cross and follows Christ Again will pardon me what I omit, Seeing in that aurora lighten Christ. From horn to horn, and 'twixt the top and base, Lights were in motion, brightly scintillating 110 As they together met and passed each other; Thus level and aslant and swift and slow

We here behold, renewing still the sight, The particles of bodies long and short, Across the sunbeam move, wherewith is listed Sometimes the shade, which for their own defence

People with cunning and with art contrive. And as a lute and harp, accordant strung

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With many strings, a dulcet tinkling make To him by whom the notes are not distinguished, So from the lights that there to me appeared

Upgathered through the cross a melody, Which rapt me, not distinguishing the hymn. Well was I ware it was of lofty laud,

Because there came to me, "Arise and

conquer

As unto him who hears and comprehends not. So much enamored I became therewith,

That until then there was not anything

!

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That e'er had fettered me with such sweet bonds. Perhaps my word appears somewhat too bold,

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Postponing the delight of those fair eyes, Into which gazing my desire hath rest; But who bethinks him that the living seals

Of every beauty grow in power ascending, And that I there had not turned round to those, Can me excuse, if I myself accuse

To excuse myself, and see that I speak truly: For here the holy joy is not disclosed, Because it grows, ascending, more sincere.

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CANTO XV.

A will benign, in which reveals itself
Ever the love that righteously inspires,
As in the iniquitous, cupidity,

Silence imposed upon that dulcet lyre,

And quieted the consecrated chords,

That Heaven's right hand doth tighten and relax. How unto just entreaties shall be deaf

Those substances, which, to give me desire Of praying them, with one accord grew silent? "T is well that without end he should lament,

Who for the love of thing that doth not last
Eternally despoils him of that love!

As through the pure and tranquil evening air

There shoots from time to time a sudden fire,
Moving the eyes that steadfast were before,
And seems to be a star that changeth place,
Except that in the part where it is kindled
Nothing is missed, and this endureth little;
So from the horn that to the right extends
Unto that cross's foot there ran a star

Line 132. Into which gazing my desire has rest;

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10

15

20

Out of the constellation shining there;

Nor was the gem dissevered from its ribbon,
But down the radiant fillet ran along,

So that fire seemed it behind alabaster.
Thus piteous did Anchises' shade reach forward, 25
If any faith our greatest Muse deserve,
When in Elysium he his son perceived.
"O sanguis meus, O super infusa
Gratia Dei, sicut tibi, cui

30

Bis unquam Cæli janua reclusa?"
Thus that effulgence; whence I gave it heed;
Then round unto my Lady turned my sight,
And on this side and that was stupefied;
For in her eyes was burning such a smile
That with mine own methought I touched the
bottom

Both of my grace and of my Paradise!
Then, pleasant to the hearing and the sight,
The spirit joined to its beginning things
I understood not, so profound it spake ;
Nor did it hide itself from me by choice,

But by necessity; for its conception
Above the mark of mortals set itself.
And when the bow of burning sympathy

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Was so far slackened, that its speech descended Towards the mark of our intelligence, The first thing that was understood by me Was," Benedight be Thou, O Trine and One, Who hast unto my seed so courteous been!" And it continued: "Hunger long and grateful, Drawn from the reading of the mighty volume 50 Wherein is never changed the white or dark,

Line 51. Wherein is never changed the white nor dark,