31 35 40 From the first day that I beheld her face In this life, to the moment of this look, The sequence of my song has ne'er been severed ; But now perforce this sequence must desist From following her beauty with my verse, artist at his uttermost. Such as I leave her to a greater fame Than any of my trumpet, which is bringing Its arduous matter to a final close, She recommenced : “ We from the greatest body Have issued to the heaven that is pure light; Light intellectual replete with love, Love of true good replete with ecstasy, Ecstasy that transcendeth every sweetness. Here shalt thou see the one host and the other Of Paradise, and one in the same aspects Which at the final judgment thou shalt see.” Even as a sudden lightning that disperses The visual spirits, so that it deprives The eye of impress from the strongest objects, Thus round about me fashed a living light, And left me swathed around with such a veil Of its effulgence, that I nothing saw. “ Ever the Love which quieteth this heaven Welcomes into itself with such salute, To make the candle ready for its flame.” No sooner had within me these brief words An entrance found, than I perceived myself To be uplifted over my own power, And I with vision new rekindled me, Such that no light whatever is so pure 45 50 55 65 71 75 But that mine eyes were fortified against it. And light I saw in fashion of a river Fulvid with its effulgence, 'twixt two banks Depicted with an admirable Spring. Out of this river issued living sparks, And on all sides sank down into the flowers, Like unto rubies that are set in gold; And then, as if inebriate with the odors, They plunged again into the wondrous torrent, And as one entered issued forth another. “ The high desire, that now inflames and moves thee To have intelligence of what thou seest, Pleaseth me all the more, the more it swells. But of this water it behoves thee drink Before so great a thirst in thee be slaked.” Thus said to me the sunshine of mine eyes; And added : « The river and the topazes Going in and out, and the laughing of the herbage, Are of their truth foreshadowing prefaces; Not that these things are difficult in themselves, But the deficiency is on thy side, For yet thou hast not vision so exalted.” There is no babe that leaps so suddenly With face towards the milk, if he awake Much later than his usual custom is, Still of mine eyes, down stooping to the wave Which Aows that we therein be better made. And even as the penthouse of mine eyelids Drank of it, it forthwith appeared to me Out of its length to be transformed to round. Then as a folk who have been under masks 85 90 95 105 Seem other than before, if they divest The semblance not their own they disappeared in, Thus into greater pomp were changed for me The Aowerets and the sparks, so that I saw Both of the Courts of Heaven made manifest. O splendor of God! by means of which I saw The lofty triumph of the realm veracious, Give me the power to say how it I saw! There is a light above, which visible Makes the Creator unto every creature, Who only in beholding Him has peace, And it expands itself in circular form To such extent, that its circumference Would be too large a girdle for the sun. The semblance of it is all made of rays Reflected from the top of Primal Motion, Which takes therefrom vitality and power. And as a hill in water at its base Mirrors itself, as if to see its beauty When affluent most in verdure and in flowers, So, ranged aloft all round about the light, Mirrored I saw in more ranks than a thousand All who above there have from us returned. And if the lowest row collect within it So great a light, how vast the amplitude Is of this Rose in its extremest leaves ! My vision in the vastness and the height Lost not itself, but comprehended all The quantity and quality of that gladness. For there where God immediately doth govern, ΙΙΟ 115 I 20 126 130 135 Into the yellow of the Rose Eternal That spreads, and multiplies, and breathes an odor Of praise unto the ever-vernal Sun, Me Beatrice drew on, and said: “ Behold Of the white stoles how vast the convent is! Behold how vast the circuit of our city! Behold our seats so filled to overflowing, That here henceforward are few people wanting! On that great throne whereon thine eyes are fixed For the crown's sake already placed upon it, Before thou suppest at this wedding feast Shall sit the soul (that is to be Augustus On earth) of noble Henry, who shall come To redress Italy ere she be ready. you like unto the little child, Who dies of hunger and drives off the nurse. And in the sacred forum then shall be A Prefect such, that openly or covert On the same road he will not walk with him. But long of God he will not be endured In holy office; he shall be thrust down Where Simon Magus is for his deserts, And make him of Alagna lower go!” 140 145 CANTO XXXI 5 IC In fashion then as of a snow-white rose Displayed itself to me the saintly host, Whom Christ in his own blood had made his bride, But the other host, that Aying sees and sings The glory of Him who doth enamor it, And the goodness that created it so noble, Even as a swarm of bees, that sinks in flowers One moment, and the next returns again To where its labor is to sweetness turned, Sank into the great Aower, that is adorned With leaves so many, and thence reascended To where its love abideth evermore. Their faces had they all of living fame, And wings of gold, and all the rest so white No snow unto that limit doth attain. They carried something of the peace and ardor Which by the fanning of their Aanks they won. Nor did the interposing 'twixt the flower And what was o'er it of such plenitude Of Aying shapes impede the sight and splendor; Because the light divine so penetrates The universe, according to its merit, That naught can be an obstacle against it. Crowded with ancient people and with modern, -5 20 25 |