Nor for appearing marvellously scorned; But regally his hard determination

To Innocent he opened, and from him Received the primal seal upon his Order. After the people mendicant increased

Behind this man, whose admirable life
Better in glory of the heavens were sung,
Incoronated with a second crown

Was through Honorius by the Eternal Spirit
The holy purpose of this Archimandrite.
And when he had, through thirst of martyrdom,

In the proud presence of the Sultan preached
Christ and the others who came after him,
And, finding for conversion too unripe

The folk, and not to tarry there in vain,
Returned to fruit of the Italic grass,

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On the rude rock 'twixt Tiber and the Arno
From Christ did he receive the final seal,
Which during two whole years his members bore.
When He, who chose him unto so much good,

Was pleased to draw him up to the reward
That he had merited by being lowly,

Unto his friars, as to the rightful heirs,

His most dear Lady did he recommend,

And bade that they should love her faithfully;
And from her bosom the illustrious soul

Wished to depart, returning to its realm,
And for its body wished no other bier.
Think now what man was he, who was a fit
Companion over the high seas to keep
The bark of Peter to its proper bearings.
And this man was our Patriarch; hence whoever

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Doth follow him as he commands can see That he is laden with good merchandise. But for new pasturage his flock hath grown So greedy, that it is impossible

They be not scattered over fields diverse; And in proportion as his sheep remote

And vagabond go farther off from him, More void of milk return they to the fold. Verily some there are that fear a hurt,

And keep close to the shepherd; but so few, That little cloth doth furnish forth their hoods. Now if my utterance be not indistinct,

If thine own hearing hath attentive been,

If thou recall to mind what I have said, In part contented shall thy wishes be;

For thou shalt see the plant that's chipped away, And the rebuke that lieth in the words,

• Where well one fattens, if he strayeth not.'

Line 124. But for new pasturage his flock has grown

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CANTO XII

SOON as the blessed flame had taken up
The final word to give it utterance,
Began the holy millstone to revolve,

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And in its gyre had not turned wholly round,
Before another in a ring enclosed it,
And motion joined to motion, song to song;
Song that as greatly doth transcend our Muses,
Our Sirens, in those dulcet clarions,
As primal splendor that which is reflected.
And as are spanned athwart a tender cloud
Two rainbows parallel and like in color,
When Juno to her handmaid gives command
(The one without born of the one within,
Like to the speaking of that vagrant one
Whom love consumed as doth the sun the vapors),
And make the people here, through covenant
God set with Noah, presageful of the world
That shall no more be covered with a flood,
In such wise of those sempiternal roses

The garlands twain encompassed us about,
And thus the outer to the inner answered.
After the dance, and other grand rejoicings,
Both of the singing, and the flaming forth
Effulgence with effulgence blithe and tender,
Together, at once, with one volition stopped
(Even as the eyes, that, as volition moves them,

Line 25. Together, at once, with one accord had stopped,

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Must needs together shut and lift themselves),
Out of the heart of one of the new lights

There came a voice, that needle to the star
Made me appear in turning thitherward.
And it began: "The love that makes me fair
Draws me to speak about the other leader,
By whom so well is spoken here of mine.
'Tis right, where one is, to bring in the other,
That, as they were united in their warfare,
Together likewise may their glory shine.
The soldiery of Christ, which it had cost

So dear to arm again, behind the standard
Moved slow and doubtful and in numbers few,
When the Emperor who reigneth evermore

Provided for the host that was in peril,

Through grace alone and not that it was worthy; And, as was said, he to his Bride brought succor With champions twain, at whose deed, at whose word

The straggling people were together drawn.
Within that region where the sweet west wind
Rises to open the new leaves, wherewith
Europe is seen to clothe herself afresh,
Not far off from the beating of the waves,
Behind which in his long career the sun
Sometimes conceals himself from every man,
Is situate the fortunate Calahorra,

Under protection of the mighty shield
In which the Lion subject is and sovereign.
Therein was born the amorous paramour
Of Christian Faith, the athlete consecrate,
Kind to his own and cruel to his foes;

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And when it was created was his mind
Replete with such a living energy,
That in his mother her it made prophetic.
As soon as the espousals were complete

Between him and the Faith at holy font,

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Where they with mutual safety dowered each other, The woman, who for him had given assent,

Saw in a dream the admirable fruit

That issue would from him and from his heirs; And that he might be construed as he was,

A spirit from this place went forth to name him With His possessive whose he wholly was. Dominic was he called; and him I speak of Even as of the husbandman whom Christ Elected to his garden to assist him. Envoy and servant sooth he seemed of Christ, For the first love made manifest in him

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Was the first counsel that was given by Christ. 75 Silent and wakeful many a time was he

Discovered by his nurse upon the ground,

As if he would have said, For this I came.'

O thou his father, Felix verily !

O thou his mother, verily Joanna,

If this, interpreted, means as is said!

Not for the world which people toil for now
In following Ostiense and Taddeo,

But through his longing after the true manna,
He in short time became so great a teacher,

That he began to go about the vineyard, Which fadeth soon, if faithless be the dresser; And of the See (that once was more benignant Unto the righteous poor, not through itself,

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