But it, by raying forth, occasions that." Even as above her nest goes circling round The stork when she has fed her little ones, And he who has been fed looks up at her, So lifted I my brows, and even such Became the blessed image, which its wings Was moving, by so many counsels urged. Circling around it sang, and said: “As are 90 95 My notes to thee, who dost not comprehend them, Such is the eternal judgment to you mortals." Those lucent splendors of the Holy Spirit Grew quiet then, but still within the standard That made the Romans reverend to the world. It recommenced: "Unto this kingdom never 100 105 Ascended one who had not faith in Christ, Before or since he to the tree was nailed. But look thou, many crying are, Christ, Christ!' Who at the judgment shall be far less near To him than some shall be who knew not Christ. Such Christians shall the Ethiop condemn, 110 When the two companies shall be divided, The one forever rich, the other poor. What to your kings may not the Persians say, When they that volume opened shall behold In which are written down all their dispraises? There shall be seen, among the deeds of Albert, 115 That which erelong shall set the pen in motion, For which the realm of Prague shall be deserted. There shall be seen the woe that on the Seine 120 He brings by falsifying of the coin, Who by the blow of a wild boar shall die. There shall be seen the pride that causes thirst, Which makes the Scot and Englishman so mad That they within their boundaries cannot rest; Be seen the luxury and effeminate life Of him of Spain, and the Bohemian, Who valor never knew and never wished; Be seen the Cripple of Jerusalem, His goodness represented by an I, Of him who guards the Island of the Fire, Shall be his record in contracted letters 125 130 Which shall make note of much in little space. 135 And shall appear to each one the foul deeds Of uncle and of brother who a nation Shall there be known, and he of Rascia too, O happy Hungary, if she let herself 140 145 Be wronged no farther! and Navarre the happy, If with the hills that gird her she be armed! And each one may believe that now, as hansel Thereof, do Nicosia and Famagosta Lament and rage because of their own beast, Who from the others' flank departeth not." CANTO XX. When he who all the world illuminates Doth suddenly reveal itself again By many lights, wherein is one resplendent. And came into my mind this act of heaven, When the ensign of the world and of its leaders Had silent in the blessed beak become; Because those living luminaries all, By far more luminous, did songs begin Lapsing and falling from my memory. O gentle Love, that with a smile dost cloak thee, How ardent in those sparks didst thou appear, That had the breath alone of holy thoughts! After the precious and pellucid crystals, 5 10 15 With which begemmed the sixth light I beheld, Silence imposed on the angelic bells, 21 I seemed to hear the murmuring of a river "Now fixedly must needs be looked upon; He who is shining in the midst as pupil 35 Was once the singer of the Holy Spirit, Not following Christ, by the experience Of which I speak, upon its highest arc, Suffers no change, albeit worthy prayer 50 55 From his good action is not harmful to him, Although the world thereby may be destroyed. 60 And he whom in the downward arc thou seest Guglielmo was, whom the same land deplores That weepeth Charles and Frederick yet alive; Now knoweth he how heaven enamored is With a just king; and in the outward show Who would believe, down in the errant world, That e'er the Trojan Ripheus in this round Could be the fifth one of the holy lights? Now knoweth he enough of what the world 65 7 Has not the power to see of grace divine, Although his sight may not discern the bottom." Like as a lark that in the air expatiates, First singing and then silent with content 75 80 To wait the time in silence it endured not, But forth from out my mouth, "What things are these?" Extorted with the force of its own weight; 85 Because I say them, but thou seest not how; So that, although believed in, they are hidden. 90 Thou doest as he doth who a thing by name Well apprehendeth, but its quiddity Cannot perceive, unless another show it. Regnum cælorum suffereth violence From fervent love, and from that living hope 95 Not in the guise that man o'ercometh man, Cause thee astonishment, because with them 100 |