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Paradiso (The Divine Comedy series Book 3)

Page 24

by Dante


  138

  the least of these delights that came from her.

  Bernard, who saw my eyes were fixed, intent →

  upon the very fire that made him warm, →

  turned his own on her with such affection

  142

  that he made mine more ardent in their gaze.

  OUTLINE: PARADISO XXXII

  THE EMPYREAN

  1–3

  Bernard, still fixed on (1) Mary, assumes the role of teacher and names some inhabitants of Paradise:

  4–6

  (2) [Eve] (her original sin sealed and healed by Mary)

  7–9

  (3) Rachel and (4) Beatrice

  10–12

  (5) Sarah, (6) Rebecca, (7) Judith, and [David]’s great-grandmother, (8) [Ruth]

  13–15

  moving downward in the “petals” of the rose

  16–24

  from Ruth on down more Hebrew women marking off the OT side of the rose, those who believed in Christ to come;

  25–27

  the NT side, where there are vacancies, in Christ come

  28–33

  and where we see (9) John the Baptist in the first tier;

  34–36

  (10) Francis, (11) Benedict, (12) Augustine, and others;

  37–39

  God’s providence seen in so equal a division of the Rose;

  40–48

  all the lower half is children, saved by merit of others

  49–51

  Bernard sees that Dante is confused about this merit

  52–66

  Bernard: “Differences here reflect not merit but grace;

  67–75

  “think of [Jacob and Esau]; all these children are sorted not by their works but by their capacity to see God:

  76–78

  “from [Adam to Abraham]: faith of parents saved them

  79–81

  “from Abraham to Christ: circumcision

  82–84

  “from Christ to now: baptism

  85–87

  “look on the face [Mary’s] that most resembles Christ’s”;

  88–93

  this greatest similarity to God yet experienced by Dante

  94–99

  an angel [Gabriel] opens his wings and sings; the court of Heaven, replying, sings in rapture

  100–106

  Dante replies: gratitude and a question (about the angel)

  107–108

  simile: morning star to sun as Bernard to Mary

  109–114

  Bernard identifies Gabriel (still by periphrasis)

  115–117

  Bernard continues to identify the blessed:

  118–126

  (13) [Adam], (14) [Peter]

  127–132

  (15) [John], (16) [Moses]

  133–135

  (17) Anne

  136–138

  (18) Lucy

  139

  Bernard: “Since the time before your rapture grows short

  140–141

  (simile) “we must stop, as a tailor prepares his cloth;

  142–144

  “it is now time to penetrate God’s effulgence;

  145–150

  “for that, prayer to Mary is necessary; you should rehearse my words within you.”

  151

  Bernard’s prayer:

  PARADISO XXXII

  Absorbed in his delight, that man of contemplation →

  took upon himself the teacher’s role →

  3

  and spoke these holy words:

  ‘The wound that Mary closed up and anointed → →

  was opened and inflicted

  6

  by the lovely woman now at Mary’s feet.

  ‘Below her, in the order

  formed by the third tier of the seats, →

  9

  as you can see, Rachel sits with Beatrice. →

  ‘Sarah and Rebecca, Judith and she— →

  great-grandmother of that singer who, →

  12

  grieving for his sin, cried: “Miserere mei”—

  ‘may be seen there, one beneath the other, →

  in their ordered ranks, while I, pausing for each name,

  15

  move petal by petal down through the rose.

  ‘And downward from the seventh tier, or up, →

  parting all the petals of this flower,

  18

  are the appointed seats of Hebrew women.

  ‘For, according to whether in their faith

  they looked forward to Christ or back,

  21

  this is the wall that separates the sacred tiers.

  ‘On this side, where the flower is in fullest bloom

  with all its petals, those are seated

  24

  who believed in Christ as yet to come.

  ‘On the other side, where the semicircles →

  are interspersed with vacant spaces, are seated

  27

  those who kept their eyes on Christ already come.

  ‘And just as here the glorious seat

  of heaven’s lady and the other seats beneath it

  30

  form that long dividing line,

  ‘so, opposite, does that of the exalted soul of John, →

  who, holy since his birth, endured the wilderness →

  33

  and martyrdom, and then two years of Hell.

  ‘Below him, and continuing that line, →

  sit Francis, Benedict, Augustine, and others, →

  36

  assigned as far as this, down from tier to tier. →

  ‘Now behold the depth of God’s foreseeing, →

  for both the ways of showing faith →

  39

  shall fill this garden equally.

  ‘And know that downward from the row →

  that midway cuts the two dividing lines

  42

  the seats are held by those who had no merit of their own,

  ‘but through deserving others, under fixed conditions, →

  were freed from sin, for all of these are spirits

  45

  released before they exercised free choice.

  ‘This, indeed, you may discover for yourself →

  from their faces and their childish voices,

  48

  if you look at them with care and if you listen.

  ‘Now you are perplexed and silent in perplexity. → → →

  Let me untie the complicated knot

  51

  in which your oversubtle thoughts have bound you.

  ‘In all the ample range of this domain

  no trace of chance can find a place—

  54

  no more than sorrow, thirst, or hunger,

  ‘for all you see here is ordained by law eternal,

  so that the circling ring here fits

  57

  the finger that was meant for it. →

  ‘Thus, the company of those who prematurely

  came to this true life are not sine causa

  60

  placed more and less exalted here among themselves.

  ‘The King, through whom this kingdom rests →

  in love so great and in so great delight

  63

  their will would never dare to ask for more,

  ‘creating every mind in His own bliss,

  variously bestows His grace and as He pleases—

  66

  and, in this case, let the fact suffice.

  ‘This is clearly and expressly noted for you → →

  by Holy Scripture in the account of twins

  69

  who, still in their mother’s womb, were moved to wrath.

  ‘Therefore, according to the color of the hair

  bestowed with so much grace, the Sovereign Light

  72

  will crown them with their fitting aureoles.

>   ‘Not for what they’ve done or have not done

  they thus are placed in separate ranks, separated

  75

  only by the keenness of the vision they were born to.

  ‘In early times their parents’ faith alone, →

  coupled with the innocence that they possessed,

  78

  gave sufficient proof of their salvation.

  ‘Once the first age had run its course, →

  male children had to find the strength

  81

  for innocent wings in circumcision.

  ‘But once the time of grace had come,

  then, without perfect baptism in Christ, →

  84

  such innocents were cast below.

  ‘Look now on the face that most resembles Christ, →

  for nothing but its brightness

  87

  can make you fit to look on Christ.’

  I saw such joy rain down on her, →

  conveyed within the minds and borne

  90

  by holy spirits framed to soar those heights,

  that, however much I had seen before,

  nothing had held me in such wonder and suspense,

  93

  nor shown me so close a likeness to God,

  and the loving spirit that had first descended,

  singing ‘Ave Maria, gratia plena’ →

  96

  hovered before her with his wings outspread.

  From every side the blessèd court all sang, → →

  responding to the solemn sacred chant,

  99

  so that each face became more luminous with joy.

  ‘O holy father, who on my behalf →

  deign to be here below, leaving the sweet place

  102

  where by eternal lot you have your seat,

  ‘who is the angel gazing with such joy →

  upon the eyes of her our Queen,

  105

  so much in love he seems to be a flame?’

  Thus I tried once more to gain instruction

  from him who glowed in Mary’s beauty →

  108

  as the morning star reflects the sun.

  And he: ‘All confidence and grace of movement →

  that can be found in angel or in any blessèd soul

  111

  are found in him—and we would have it so,

  ‘for it is he who brought the palm to Mary

  when the Son of God elected to take on

  114

  the burden of our flesh.

  ‘But let your eyes follow my words, as I continue, →

  noting the eminent patricians →

  117

  of this most just and pious empire.

  ‘These two who are seated there above us, →

  most happy for being so near the Empress, →

  120

  are, as it were, the two roots of this rose:

  ‘He who sits beside her to her left → →

  is that father for whose reckless tasting

  123

  mankind still tastes such bitterness.

  ‘To her right behold that ancient father

  of Holy Church to whose care Christ entrusted

  126

  the keys to this, the fairest flower.

  ‘And he who was doomed to see before he died →

  the years of grief of the beautiful bride,

  129

  she who was won with the lance and the nails,

  ‘sits next to him and, next to the other, rests →

  that leader under whose rule that stiff-necked people,

  132

  fickle and ungrateful, lived on manna.

  ‘Look at Anna, where she sits across from Peter, →

  so content merely to gaze upon her daughter

  135

  she does not move her eyes as she sings hosanna.

  ‘And opposite the greatest father of a family →

  sits Lucy, who urged on your lady, when

  138

  with lowered gaze, you headed on your path to ruin.

  ‘But since the time runs short that readies you for sleep, →

  let us stop here, as a good tailor would, →

  141

  who cuts the cloak as he is stocked with cloth.

  ‘And let us fix our eyes on Primal Love, →

  so that, looking up toward Him, you penetrate,

  144

  as far as may be done, His brilliance.

  ‘But, lest by any chance, beating your wings → →

  and thinking to advance, you should fall back, →

  147

  you must gain your grace through prayer,

  ‘grace from her who has the power to help you.

  You shall follow me with your devotion →

  so your heart does not stray from my words.’

  151

  He then began this holy supplication: →

  OUTLINE: PARADISO XXXIII

  THE EMPYREAN

  1–39

  Bernard’s prayer:

  1–12

  salutatio

  1–6

  “[Mary defined in terms of four paradoxes];

  7–9

  in your womb was rekindled love that made the Rose

  10–12

  here you are torch of love; below, torch of hope

  13–21

  exordium

  13–15

  grace comes only through your intercession,

  16–18

  love for those who ask it (even before the asking)

  19–21

  your mercy, pity, and munificence account for whatever goodness exists in us

  22–27

  narratio

  22–27

  this man begs, by your grace, to see God

  28–33

  repetitio

  28–33

  and I pray for this, too

  34–39

  peroratio

  34–37

  finally, preserve his affections after such vision

  38–39

  see how Beatrice, other saved souls pray for this”

  40–45

  Mary accepts his prayer, then turns her eyes to God.

  46–51

  Dante’s ardor anticipates Bernard’s signal to look up

  52–54

  Dante’s sight entering the ray of light

  55–57

  what he saw exceeds his speech and his memory

  58–63

  simile: feelings of dreamer after dream and the sweet remnant of Dante’s vision

  64

  simile: what he saw as pattern in snow melted by sun,

  65–66

  simile: as leaves of Sibyl’s prophecies in the wind;

  67–75

  ninth invocation: to God as Light to grant humans power to conceive, if only a little, the nature of His being

  76–81

  danger of losing vision and thus his clasping of it

  82–84

  apostrophe: grace that allowed his sight into the Light

  85–93

  his vision of all things as unity

  94–96

  his momentary vision is more forgotten than Neptune’s vision of the Argo 2,500 years ago

  97–99

  simile: Dante as Neptune

  100–105

  perfection of Dante’s intellect and will

  106–108

  his words will fall shorter, even of what he remembers, than those of a nursing infant

  109–120

  his view of the changing Godhead in its three circles

  121–123

  Dante’s speech falls short of his conception

  124–126

  apostrophe: Light that loves and knows Itself

  127–132

  the second circling bears our likeness

  133–139

  simile: Dante as geometer
trying to square the circle

  140–141

  the flash that makes all plain at last;

  142–145

  his vision failed, but his intellect and will rotate, both spun by the love that moves the heavens.

  PARADISO XXXIII

  ‘Virgin Mother, daughter of your Son, → →

  more humble and exalted than any other creature, →

  3

  fixed goal of the eternal plan, →

  ‘you are the one who so ennobled human nature →

  that He, who made it first, did not disdain

  6

  to make Himself of its own making.

  ‘Your womb relit the flame of love— →

  its heat has made this blossom seed →

  9

  and flower in eternal peace.

  ‘To us you are a noonday torch of charity, →

  while down below, among those still in flesh, →

  12

  you are the living fountainhead of hope.

  ‘Lady, you are so great and so prevail above,

  should he who longs for grace not turn to you, →

  15

  his longing would be doomed to wingless flight. →

  ‘Your loving kindness does not only aid

  whoever seeks it, but many times →

  18

  gives freely what has yet to be implored.

  ‘In you clemency, in you compassion, →

  in you munificence, in you are joined

  21

  all virtues found in any creature.

  ‘This man who, from within the deepest pit →

  the universe contains up to these heights

  24

  has seen the disembodied spirits, one by one,

  ‘now begs you, by your grace, to grant such power

  that, by lifting up his eyes,

  27

  he may rise higher toward his ultimate salvation.

  ‘And I, who never burned for my own seeing →

  more than now I burn for his, offer all my prayers, →

 

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