Such was it in mine eyes, when I had turned, Within that Jovial torch did I behold The sparkling of the love which was therein And even as birds uprisen from the shore, Make squadrons of themselves, now round, now long, So from within those lights the holy creatures Sang flying to and fro, and in their figures O divine Pegasea, thou who genius Dost glorious make, and render it long-lived, And this through thee the cities and the kingdoms, Illume me with thyself, that I may bring Their figures out as I have them conceived! First verb and noun of all that was depicted; Thereafter in the M of the fifth word Remained they so arranged, that Jupiter The summit of the M, and pause there singing Then, as in striking upon burning logs Upward there fly innumerable sparks, And, each one being quiet in its place, The head and neck beheld I of an eagle He who there paints has none to be his guide; But Himself guides; and is from Him remembered The other beatitude, that contented seemed By a slight motion followed out the imprint. Did demonstrate to me, that all our justice Effect is of that heaven which thou ingemmest ! Wherefore I pray the Mind, in which begin Thy motion and thy virtue, to regard Whence comes the smoke that vitiates thy rays; So that a second time it now be wroth With buying and with selling in the temple O soldiery of heaven, whom I contemplate, Implore for those who are upon the earth Yet thou, who writest but to cancel, think That Peter and that Paul, who for this vineyard ་་་ 120 25 140 135 CANTO XIX. APPEARED before me with its wings outspread Appeared a little ruby each, wherein Ray of the sun was burning so enkindled And what it now behoves me to retrace Nor voice has e'er reported, nor ink written, For speak I saw, and likewise heard, the beak, And upon earth I left my memory Such, that the evil-minded people there Make itself felt, even as from many loves Make me perceive your odours manifold, Which a long season has in hunger held me, Justice Divine another realm doth make, To listen; and you know what is the doubt Even as a falcon, issuing from his hood, Doth move his head, and with his wings applaud him, Saw I become that standard, which of lauds With such songs as he knows who there rejoices. On the world's outer verge, and who within it Could not the impress of his power so make Should not remain in infinite excess. And this makes certain that the first proud being, And hence appears it, that each minor nature Which has no end, and by itself is measured. In consequence our vision, which perforce That it shall not its origin discern Therefore into the justice sempiternal The power of vision that your world receives, 15 10 3 Οι Which, though it see the bottom near the shore, Upon the deep perceives it not, and yet 'Tis there, but it is hidden by the depth. There is no light but comes from the serene That never is o'ercast, nay, it is darkness Or shadow of the flesh, or else its poison. Amply to thee is opened now the cavern Which has concealed from thee the living justice Of Indus, and is none who there can speak Are good, so far as human reason sees, He dieth unbaptised and without faith; Where is this justice that condemneth him? Now who art thou, that on the bench wouldst sit If so the Scripture were not over you, For doubting there were marvellous occasion. O animals terrene, O stolid minds, The primal will, that in itself is good, Ne'er from itself, the Good Supreme, has moved. The stork when she has fed her little ones, So lifted I my brows, and even such Becarie the blessed image, which its wings Circling around it sang, and said: “As are My notes to thee, who dost not comprehend them, Those lucent splendours of the Holy Spirit Grew quiet then, but still within the standard It recommenced: "Unto this kingdom never But look thou, many crying are, 'Christ, Christ!' To him than some shall be who knew not Christ. When the two companies shall be divided, The one for ever rich, the other poor. What to your kings may not the Persians say, When they that volume opened shall behoid That which ere long shall set the pen in motion, Who by the blow of a wild boar shall die. 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 valour never knew and never wished; Be seen the Cripple of Jerusalem, His goodness represented by an I, Be seen the avarice and poltroonery Of him who guards the Island of the Fire, And to declare how pitiful he is Shall be his record in contracted letters And shall appear to each one the foul deeds Of uncle and of brother who a nation So famous have dishonoured, and two crowns. And he of Portugal and he of Norway Shall there be known, and he of Rascia too, O happy Hungary, if she let herself 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." |