He sent, who by their deeds and words might join Of the great shield, wherein the lion lies 15 The dame, who was his surety, in her sleep Beheld the wondrous fruit, that was from him Whom Christ in His own garden chose to be "In that clime." Spain. 13 Dominic was born April 5, 1170, and died August 6, 1221. His birthplace Callaroga; his father and mother's names, Felix, and Joanna; his mother's dream; his name of Dominic, given him in consequence of a vision by his godmother, are all told in an anonymous life of the saint, said to have been written in the thirteenth century. 14 His mother, when pregnant with 16 him, is said to have dreamt that she should bring forth a white and black dog with a lighted torch in his mouth, which were signs of the habit to be worn by his order, and of his fervent zeal. 15 His godmother's dream was. that he had one star in his forehead and another in the nape of his neck, from which he communicated light to the east and the west. 16 If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me.' -Matt. xix. 21. Dominic followed this advice. Many a time" his nurse, at entering, found 18 O favour'd mother! rightly named Joanna; Not for the world's sake, for which now they toil 20 But for the real manna, soon he grew 25 Their living waters, and have fed its plants. 17 His nurse, when she returned to him, often found that he was prostrate, and in prayer. 18" Felix." Felix Gusman. 19 Grace or gift of the Lord. 20 Arrigo (about 1250 A. D.), a native of Susa, and cardinal of Ostia and Velletri, hence his name of Ostiense, was celebrated for his lectures on the Decretals. of Bologna, left no writings behind him. 22 The apostolic see, which no longer continues its wonted liberality toward the indigent and deserving; not indeed through its own fault, but through the fault of the pontiff who is seated in it. 23 Dominic did not ask for license to compound for the use of unjust acquisitions by dedicating a part of them to pious purposes. 24 The first benefice that fell vacant. 25" For that seed of the divine Word, from which have sprung up these four-and-twenty plants, these holy spirits that now environ thee." 26 28 "If such, one wheel of that two-yoked car, 30 From Bagnoregio; one, who, in discharge All sinister aim. Illuminato here, 31 And Agostino join me: two they were, Among the first of those barefooted meek ones, 26 Dominic; as the other wheel is Francis. 27" Thomas." Thomas Aquinas. 28" But the track." "But the rule of St. Francis is already deserted; and the lees of the wine are turned into mouldiness." 29" Tares." He adverts to the parable of the tares and the wheat. 30" I question not." "Some indeed might be found, who still observe the rule of the order; but such would come neither from Casale nor Acquasparta." At Casale, in Monferrat, the discipline had been enforced by Uberto with unnecessary rigor; and at Acquasparta, in the territory of Todi, it had been equally relaxed by the Cardinal Matteo, general of the order. 31 Two among the earliest follow. ers of St. Francis. 32"Hugues of Saint Victor." He was of the monastery of St. Victor at Paris, and died in 1142, at the age of forty-four. His ten books, illustrative of the celestial hierarchy of Dionysius the Areopagite, ac cording to the translation of Joannes Scotus, are inscribed to King Louis, son of Louis le Gros, by whom the monastery had been founded. 33 Pietro Mangiadore." Petrus Comestor, or the Eater, born at Troyes, was canon and dean of that church, and afterward chancellor of the church of Paris. He relinquished these benefices to become a regular canon of St. Victor at Paris, where he died in 1198. And he of Spain in his twelve volumes shining; 35 Chrysostom; and Anselmo;" and, who deign'd .39 So worthy; and with me have moved this throng." CANTO XIII ARGUMENT.-Thomas Aquinas resumes his speech. He solves the other of those doubts which he discerned in the mind of Dante, and warns him earnestly against assenting to any proposition without having duly examined it. ET him,' who would conceive what now I saw, L Imagine, (and retain the image firm As mountain rock, the whilst he hears me speak,) O'ercome the massiest air: thereto imagine 34 To Pope Adrian V succeeded John XXI, a native of Lisbon; a man of great genius and extraordinary acquirements, especially in logic and in medicine, as his books, written in the name of Peter of Spain (by which he was known before he became Pope), may testify. He was killed at Viterbo, by the falling in of the roof of his chamber, after he had been pontiff only eight months and as many days, A. D. 1277. 35" Chrysostom." The eloquent Patriarch of Constantinople. 36 Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, was born at Aosta, about 1034, and studied under Lanfranc, at the monastery of Bec in Normandy, where he afterward devoted himself to a religious life, in his twenty-seventh year. In three years he was made prior, and then abbot of that monastery; from whence he was taken, in 1093, to succeed to the archbishopric, vacant by the death of Lanfranc. He enjoyed this dignity till his death in 1109, though it was disturbed by many dissensions with William II and Henry I respecting immunities and investitures. 37 Rabanus Maurus, Archbishop of Mentz, 847, is placed at the head of the Latin writers of this age. 38 Abbot of Flora in Calabria; whom the multitude revered as divinely inspired, and equal to the most illustrious prophets of ancient times. 39 " A peer." St. Dominic. 1" Let him." Whoever would conceive the sight that now presented itself to me, must imagine to himself fifteen of the brightest stars in heaven, together with seven stars of Arcturus Major and two of Arcturus Minor, ranged in two circles, one within the other, each resembling the crown of Ariadne, and moving round in opposite directions. With the bright summit of that horn, which swells When death's chill seized her; and that one of them In such sort whirl around, that each should tend As 'twere the shadow; for things there as much Three Persons in the Godhead, and in one The song and round were measured: and to us That luminary, in which the wondrous life 'Thou know'st, that in the bosom, whence the rib See "Hell," Canto xxix. 45. St. Francis. See Canto xi. 25. "Thou knowest that in the breast of Adam, whence the rib was taken to make the fair cheek of Eve, which, by tasting the apple, brought death into the world; and also in the breast of Christ, which, being pierced by the lance, made satisfaction for the sins of the whole world; as much wisdom resided, as human nature was capable of: and thou dost therefore wonder that I should have spoken of Solomon as the wisest." See Canto x. 105. |