So hard hath it become for want of trying." The circles corporal are wide and narrow Of more to greater, and of less to smaller, Is blowing from that cheek where he is mildest, Because is purified and resolved the rack That erst disturbed it, till the welkin laughs Thus did I likewise, after that my Lady Had me provided with her clear response, And like a star in heaven the truth was seen. And soon as to a stop her words had come, Not otherwise does iron scintillate When molten, than those circles scintillated. Their coruscation all the sparks repeated, 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 And they so many were, their number makes More millions than the doubling of the chess. I heard them sing hosanna choir by choir 100 To the fixed point which holds them at the Ubi, 95 And ever will, where they have ever been. And she, who saw the dubious meditations Within my mind, “ The primal circles,” said, "Have shown thee Seraphim and Cherubim. Thus rapidly they follow their own bonds, To be as like the point as most they can, And can as far as they are high in vision. Those other Loves, that round about them go, Thrones of the countenance divine are called, Because they terminate the primal Triad. And thou shouldst know that they all have delight As much as their own vision penetrates The Truth, in which all intellect finds rest. From this it may be seen how blessedness Is founded in the faculty which sees, And not in that which loves, and follows next; And of this seeing merit is the measure, 105 Which is brought forth by grace, and by good will With threefold melody, that sounds in three First the Dominions, and the Virtues next; 1; 115 120 Then in the dances twain penultimate To contemplate these Orders set himself, And if so much of secret truth a mortal Proffered on earth, I would not have thee marvel, For he who saw it here revealed it to him, With much more of the truth about these circles." 125 130 135 CANTO XXIX AT what time both the children of Latona, As long as from the time the zenith holds them Did Beatrice keep silence while she gazed What thou dost wish to hear, for I have seen it Where centres every When and every Ubi. Not to acquire some good unto himself, Which is impossible, but that his splendor In its resplendency may say, 'Subsisto,' In his eternity outside of time, Outside all other limits, as it pleased him, Into new Loves the Eternal Love unfolded. Nor as if torpid did he lie before; For neither after nor before proceeded The going forth of God upon these waters. Matter and form unmingled and conjoined Came into being that had no defect, E'en as three arrows from a three-stringed bow. And as in glass, in amber, or in crystal A sunbeam flashes so, that from its coming 5 ΙΟ 15 20 25 |