The Divine ComedyPurchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Another truth, which is obscure to me. 135 I wish to know if man can satisfy you For broken vows with other good deeds, so That in your balance they will not be light. Beatrice gazed upon me with her eyes Full of the sparks of love, and so divine, Mo That, overcome my power, I turned my back And almost lost myself with eyes downcast. CANTO V. If in the heat of love I flame upon thee Beyond the measure that on earth is seen, So that the valor of thine eyes I vanquish, Marvel thou not thereat; for this proceeds From perfect sight, which as it apprehends To the good apprehended moves its feet. Well I perceive how is already shining Into thine intellect the eternal light, That only seen enkindles always love; And if some other thing your love seduce, w 'T is nothing but a vestige of the same, 1ll understood, which there is shining through. Thou fain wouldst know if with another service For broken vow can such return be made As to secure the soul from further claim. is This Canto thus did Beatrice begin; And, as a man who breaks not off his speech, Continued thus her holy argument: The greatest gift that in his largess God Creating made, and unto his own goodness 20 Nearest conformed, and that which he doth prize Most highly, is the freedom of the will, Wherewith the creatures of intelligence Both all and only were and are endowed. Now wilt thou see, if thence thou reasonest, 21 The high worth of a vow, if it be made So that when thou consentest God consents; For, closing between God and man the compact, A sacrifice is of this treasure made, Such as I say, and made by its own act. a What can be rendered then as compensation ? Think'st thou to make good use of what thou 'st offered, With gains ... |
