Is in the flame of love not yet adult. Verily, inasmuch as at this mark say. One gazes long and little is discerned, Has afterwards no end, for ne'er removed Unless he fill up where transgression empties In its own seed, out of these dignities. 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 Had pardon granted, or that man himself Of the eternal counsel, to my speech To satisfy, not having power to sink Far as he disobeying thought to rise; And for this reason man has been from power Therefore it God behoved in his own ways Man to restore unto his perfect life, I say in one, or else in both of them. But since the action of the doer is So much more grateful, as it more presents The goodness of the heart from which it issues, Goodness Divine, that doth imprint the world, Has been contented to proceed by each Return I to elucidate one place, In order that thou there mayst see as I do. Thou sayst: I see the air, I see the fire, The water, and the earth, and all their mixtures 125 Come to corruption, and short while endure; And these things notwithstanding were created; Therefore if that which I have said were true, They should have been secure against corruption. The Angels, brother, and the land sincere In which thou art, created may be called Just as they are in their entire existence; But all the elements which thou hast named, 130 And all those things which out of them are made, By a created virtue are informed. Created was the matter which they have; Created was the informing influence Within these stars that round about them go. How human flesh was fashioned at that time 135 140 145 CANTO VIII THE world used in its peril to believe The ancient nations in the ancient error, That as her mother, this one as her son, And said that he had sat in Dido's lap; And they from her, whence I beginning take, Took the denomination of the star ΤΟ That woos the sun, now following, now in front. I was not ware of our ascending to it; But of our being in it gave full faith My Lady whom I saw more beauteous grow. And as within a flame a spark is seen, And as within a voice a voice discerned, When one is steadfast, and one comes and goes, Within that light beheld I other lamps Move in a circle, speeding more and less, They would not laggard and impeded seem Seen come towards us, leaving the gyration 5 15 20 25 And behind those that most in front appeared Content and certain of herself had made them, Back to the light they turned, which so great promise Made of itself, and "Say, who art thou? was My voice, imprinted with a great affection. 45 Oh how and how much I beheld it grow Unto its joys, as soon as I had spoken ! Thus changed, it said to me: "The world possessed me Short time below; and, if it had been more, 50 Much evil will be which would not have been. My gladness keepeth me concealed from thee, Which rayeth round about me, and doth hide me Like as a creature swathed in its own silk. Much didst thou love me, and thou hadst good reason; For had I been below, I should have shown thee Somewhat beyond the foliage of my love. That left-hand margin, which doth bathe itself 54 |