That through the rest below sounds so devoutly." "Thou hast thy hearing mortal as thy sight,"

they sing not here,

It answer made to me; (C For the same cause that Beatrice hath not smiled. Thus far adown the holy stairway's steps

Have I descended but to give thee welcome With words, and with the light that mantles me; Nor did more love cause me to be more ready, For love as much and more up there is burning, As doth the flaming manifest to thee. But the high charity, that makes us servants

Prompt to the counsel which controls the world, Allotteth here, even as thou dost observe." "I see full well," said I, "O sacred lamp! How love unfettered in this court sufficeth To follow the eternal Providence ; But this is what seems hard for me to see,

Wherefore predestinate wast thou alone Unto this office from among thy consorts." No sooner had I come to the last word,

Than of its middle made the light a centre, Whirling itself about like a swift millstone. Then answer made the love that was therein : "On me directed is a light divine,

Piercing through this in which I am embosomed, Of which the virtue with my sight conjoined Lifts me above myself so far, I see

The supreme essence from which this is drawn. Hence comes the joyfulness with which I flame, For to my sight, as far as it is clear,

The clearness of the flame I equal make.

Line 63. For the same cause that Beatrice has not smiled.

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But that soul in the heaven which is most pure,
That Seraph which his eye on God most fixes,
Could this demand of thine not satisfy;
Because so deeply sinks in the abyss

Of the eternal statute what thou askest,
From all created sight it is cut off.
And to the mortal world, when thou returnest,
This carry back, that it may not presume
Longer tow'rd such a goal to move its feet.
The mind, that shineth here, on earth doth smoke;
From this observe how can it do below

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That which it cannot though the heaven assume it?" Such limit did its words prescribe to me,

The question I relinquished, and restricted
Myself to ask it humbly who it was.
"Between two shores of Italy rise cliffs,

And not far distant from thy native place,
So high, the thunders far below them sound,

And form a ridge that Catria is called,

'Neath which is consecrate a hermitage Wont to be dedicate to worship only." Thus unto me the third speech recommenced, And then, continuing, it said: "Therein Unto God's service I became so steadfast, That feeding only on the juice of olives

Lightly I passed away the heats and frosts,
Contented in my thoughts contemplative.
That cloister used to render to these heavens

Abundantly, and now is empty grown,
So that perforce it soon must be revealed.
I in that place was Peter Damiano;

And Peter the Sinner was I in the house

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Of Our Lady on the Adriatic shore. Little of mortal life remained to me,

When I was called and dragged forth to the hat
Which shifteth evermore from bad to worse.
Came Cephas, and the mighty Vessel came

Of the Holy Spirit, meagre and barefooted,
Taking the food of any hostelry.

Now some one to support them on each side

The modern shepherds need, and some to lead

them,

So heavy are they, and to hold their trains. They cover up their palfreys with their cloaks,

So that two beasts go underneath one skin;
O Patience, that dost tolerate so much!"
At this voice saw I many little flames

From step to step descending and revolving,
And every revolution made them fairer.
Round about this one came they and stood still,
And a cry uttered of so loud a sound,
It here could find no parallel, nor I
Distinguished it, the thunder so o'ercame me.

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CANTO XXII

OPPRESSED with stupor, I unto my guide
Turned like a little child who always runs
For refuge there where he confideth most;
And she, even as a mother who straightway

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Gives comfort to her pale and breathless. boy With voice whose wont it is to reassure him, Said to me: "Knowest thou not thou art in heaven, And knowest thou not that heaven is holy all, And what is done here cometh from good zeal? After what wise the singing would have changed thee,

And I by smiling, thou canst now imagine,

Since that the cry has startled thee so much, In which if thou hadst understood its prayers Already would be known to thee the vengeance Which thou shalt look upon before thou diest. The sword above here smiteth not in haste Nor tardily, howe'er it seem to him Who fearing or desiring waiteth for it. But turn thee round towards the others now, For very illustrious spirits shalt thou see, If thou thy sight directest as I say." As it seemed good to her mine eyes I turned, And saw a hundred spherules that together With mutual rays each other more embellished. I stood as one who in himself represses

Line 18. Who fearing or desiring waits for it.

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The point of his desire, and ventures not To question, he so feareth the too much. And now the largest and most luculent

Among those pearls came forward, that it might
Make my desire concerning it content.
Within it then I heard: "If thou couldst see

Even as myself the charity that burns
Among us, thy conceits would be expressed;
But, that by waiting thou mayst not come late
To the high end, I will make answer even
Unto the thought of which thou art so chary.
That mountain on whose slope Cassino stands
Was frequented of old upon its summit
By a deluded folk and ill-disposed;
And I am he who first up thither bore

The name of Him who brought upon the earth
The truth that so much sublimateth us.

And such abundant grace upon me shone

That all the neighboring towns I drew away

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From the impious worship that seduced the world.

These other fires, each one of them, were men
Contemplative, enkindled by that heat
Which maketh holy flowers and fruits spring up.
Here is Macarius, here is Romualdus,

Here are my brethren, who within the cloisters Their footsteps stayed and kept a steadfast heart." And I to him : "The affection which thou showest

Speaking with me, and the good countenance
Which I behold and note in all your ardors,

In me have so my confidence dilated

As the sun doth the rose, when it becomes

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