Then, as a horologe that calleth us What time the Bride of God is rising up Ting ting resounding with so sweet a note, And render voice to voice, in modulation CANTO XI. O THOU insensate care of mortal men, That make thee beat thy wings in dowr.ward flight! Was going, and one following the priesthood, And one in theft, and one in state affairs, One in the pleasures of the flesh involved Wearied himself, one gave himself to ease; When I, from all these things emancipate, With Beatrice above there in the Heavens With such exceeding glory was received! When each one had returned unto that point Within the circle where it was before, It stood as in a candlestick a candle; And from within the effulgence which at first Had spoken unto me, I heard begin Smiling while it more luminous became : “Even as I am kindled in its ray, So, looking into the Eternal Light, My speech, that to thy sense it may be plain, (So that towards her own Beloved might go Two Princes did ordain in her behoof, The other by his wisdom upon earth In praising one, whichever may be taken, Because unto one end their labours were. Between Tupino and the stream that falls Down from the hill elect of blessed Ubald, Through Porta Sole, and behind it weep As this one does sometimes from out the Ganges; Before he had begun to make the earth For certain Dame, to whom, as unto death, The gate of pleasure no one doth unlock; And was before his spiritual court Et coram patre unto her united; years and more, Then day by day more fervently he loved her. But that too darkly I may not proceed, Francis and Poverty for these two lovers Take thou henceforward in my speech diffuse. 75 Their concord and their joyous semblances, The love, the wonder, and the sweet regard, They made to be the cause of holy thoughts; So much so that the venerable Bernard First bared his feet, and after so great peace Giles bares his feet, and bares his feet Sylvester Which now was girding on the humble cord; Nor for appearing marvellously scorned; But legally his hard determination To Innocent he opened, and from him After the people mendicant increased Behind this man, whose admirable life Better in glory of the heavens were sung, Incoronated with a second crown Was through Honorius by the Eternal Spirit The holy purpose of this Archimandrite. And when he had, through thirst of martyrdom, In the proud presence of the Sultan preached The folk, and not to tarry there in vain, On the rude rock 'twixt Tiber and the Arno When He, who chose him unto so much good, Unto his friars, as to the rightful heirs, His most dear Lady did he recommend, And bade that they should love her faithfully; And from her bosom the illustrious soul Wished to depart, returning to its realm, Companion over the high seas to keep And this man was our Patriarch; hence whoever They be not scattered over fields diverse; And vagabond go farther off from him, Verily some there are that fear a hurt, And keep close to the shepherd; but so few, Now if my utterance be not indistinct, If thine own hearing hath attentive been, In part contented shall thy wishes be; For thou shalt see the plant that's chipped away, And the rebuke that lieth in the words, 'Where well one fattens, if he strayeth not.'" CANTO XII. Soon as the blessed flame had taken up And motion joined to motion, song to song; Two rainbows parallel and like in colour, (The one without born of the one within, Like to the speaking of that vagrant one Whom love consumed as doth the sun the vapours,) And make the people here, through covenant God set with Noah, presageful of the world That shall no more be covered with a flood, In such wise of those sempiternal roses The garlands twain encompassed us about, 13 735 10 13 After the dance, and other grand rejoicings, Both of the singing, and the flaming forth Effulgence with effulgence blithe and tender, Together, at once, with one accord had stopped, (Even as the eyes, that, as volition moves them, Must needs together shut and lift themselves,) Out of the heart of one of the new lights There came a voice, that needle to the star That, as they were united in their warfare, So dear to arm again, behind the standard When the Emperor who reigneth evermore Provided for the host that was in peril, Through grace alone and not that it was worthy; And, as was said, he to his Bride brought succour With champions twain, at whose deed, at whose word Within that region where the sweet west wind Not far off from the beating of the waves, Behind which in his long career the sun Is situate the fortunate Calahorra, Under protection of the mighty shield In which the Lion subject is and sovereign. Therein was born the amorous paramour Of Christian Faith, the athlete consecrate, Replete with such a living energy, Between him and the Faith at holy font, Where they with mutual safety dowered each other, The woman, who for him had given assent, That issue would from him and from his heirs ; |