by Dante
3
as it is struck from outside or within.
This thought, just as I phrase it, →
dropped into my mind the very instant
6
the glorious living soul of Thomas fell silent, →
because of the like effects that sprang →
from his speech and from the words of Beatrice,
9
who, responding, graciously began:
‘This man has need, but does not tell of it →
either by word or yet in thought,
12
because he seeks the root of still another truth.
‘Tell him if the light that blooms
and makes your substance radiant shall remain
15
with you eternally the way it shines today,
‘and, if it remains, tell him how,
when all of you are visible once more,
18
this would not prove distressing to your sight.’
As, impelled and drawn by heightened joy, →
dancers in a round may raise their voices,
21
their pleasure showing in their movements,
so, at that eager and devout appeal,
the holy circles showed new joy in wheeling
24
as well as in their wondrous song.
Whoever here on earth laments that we must die →
to find our life above knows not the fresh relief
27
found there in these eternal showers.
That ever-living One and Two and Three →
who reigns forever in Three and Two and One,
30
uncircumscribed and circumscribing all, →
was sung three times by each and every one →
of these spirits, and with such melody
33
as would be fit reward for any merit. →
And I heard in the most resplendent light → →
of the lesser circle a modest voice, →
36
such perhaps as the angel’s was to Mary, →
reply: ‘Just as long as the festival of Paradise → →
shall last, that is how long our love
39
shall dress us in this radiance.
‘Its brightness answers to our ardor, → →
the ardor to our vision, and that is given
42
in greater measure of grace than we deserve.
‘When we put on again our flesh,
glorified and holy, then our persons
45
will be more pleasing for being all complete,
‘so that the light, granted to us freely
by the Highest Good, shall increase,
48
the light that makes us fit to see Him.
‘From that light, vision must increase, →
and love increase what vision kindles,
51
and radiance increase, which comes from love.
‘But like a coal that shoots out flame →
and in its glowing center still outshines it
54
so that it does not lose its own appearance,
‘just so this splendor that enfolds us now
will be surpassed in brightness by the flesh
57
that earth as yet still covers.
‘Nor will such shining have the power to harm us, →
for our body’s organs shall be strengthened
60
to deal with all that can delight us.’
So quick and eager seemed to me both choirs →
to say their Amen that they clearly showed →
63
their desire for their dead bodies,
not perhaps for themselves alone, but for their mothers, →
for their fathers, and for others whom they loved
66
before they all became eternal flames.
And lo, all around and all of equal brightness, → →
rose a splendor, surpassing what had been, →
69
as the horizon, at the rising sun, grows brighter.
And just as, at the approach of evening, →
new lights begin to show throughout the sky,
72
so faint they seem both real and yet unreal,
it seemed to me that I began to see →
new subsistences there that formed a ring
75
beyond the other two circumferences.
Ah, true incandescence of the Holy Breath! →
How suddenly its glowing shone before me,
78
so bright my eyes could not endure it!
But Beatrice showed herself to me so fair
and smiling, this vision of her must remain
81
among those sights that have escaped my memory.
At this my eyes regained their sight and, raising them, →
I saw myself translated, alone now with my lady, →
84
to a more exalted state of bliss.
I was assured that I had risen higher
by the planet’s fiery smile. It seemed to me →
87
to glow more red than usual.
With all my heart and in that tongue → →
which is the same for all, I made →
90
burnt-offering to God befitting the new grace.
And the burning of the sacrifice
had not yet finished in my breast before I knew
93
my offering was propitious and accepted,
for splendors of such brightness, glowing red, →
appeared to me within two beams that I cried out: →
96
‘O Helios, who so adorn them!’ →
As the Milky Way, arrayed with greater and lesser lights, →
glows white between the universal poles,
99
making even sages wonder how and why,
these rays, thus constellated, made, deep within Mars,
the venerable sign that the crossing →
102
of its quadrants fixes in a circle.
Here my memory outstrips my skill, → →
for that cross so flamed forth Christ
105
that I can find no fit comparison.
But he who takes his cross and follows Christ →
shall yet forgive me what I leave untold,
108
for shining in that dawn I did see Christ. →
From arm to arm, and between the head → →
and foot, moved brilliant lights →
111
that scintillated as they met and passed.
Just so we see on earth, straight and slanting,
swift and slow, changing in appearance,
114
tiny motes of matter, long and short, →
move through the beam of light that sometimes streaks
the shades that men devise for their protection
117
both with cunning and with skill. →
And as viol and harp strung with many strings → →
in their harmony will sound sweet
120
even to one who fails to catch their tune,
so from the lights that there appeared to me
a melody gathered and came from the cross,
123
enchanting me, though I could not make out the hymn.
I could tell that it contained high praise,
for the words ‘Arise’ and ‘Conquer’ came to me
126
as to one who hears but does not understand.
I was moved to such great love by this →
that up until that moment I had not been bound
129
by chains so sweet and gentle.
My words, perhaps, may seem too bold,
→
slighting the beauty of those lovely eyes—
132
gazing into them my longing finds repose.
But one who understands that the living seals
of all that’s beautiful gain potency with each ascent
135
and that I had not turned to her eyes there
may excuse me for that of which, accusing myself,
I make my excuse and see that I speak the truth:
for holy beauty may not be excluded here
139
because, as it ascends, it gains in purity.
OUTLINE: PARADISO XV
MARS
1–6
the goodwill of these singers reduced them to silence
7–12
how will such souls as these be deaf to our prayers? and how right is it that those who commit their lives to lower things shall spend eternity in Hell?
13–24
simile: the soul descending from the cross compared to a shooting star
25–27
simile: Cacciaguida compared to Anchises
28–30
his first words, the only Latin tercet in the poem
31–36
Dante’s stupefaction and Beatrice’s smile
37–42
Cacciaguida’s second “tongue”: ununderstandable speech
43–48
his third “tongue”: thanks to God for His grace to Dante
49–69
Cacciaguida’s first discourse:
49–54
Dante has pleased him by coming, winged by Beatrice
55–69
he understands that Dante is silent because he knows that his ancestor intuits both his questions, but urges him to speak that he may be moved by his words
70–72
Dante turns to Beatrice, who smiles her assent,
73–84
and addresses himself to Cacciaguida, expressing the reasons for his inability to offer adequate thanks
85–87
Dante concludes, after all that, by asking his name
88–148
Cacciaguida’s second discourse:
88–96
family history: Dante’s name (Alighiero) from Cacciaguida’s son, Dante’s great-grandfather; Dante should pray for him, since he’s in Purgatory
97–129
the “good old days” in early-twelfth-century Florence:
97–99
peace within the ancient walls
100–102
pomp was a thing unknown
103–105
neither marriage age nor dowries were askew
106–108
no families were childless; no unbridled luxury
109–111
Rome was not yet bested in show by Florence:
112–114
Bellincion Berti and his family lived modestly
115–117
as did the de’ Nerli and del Vecchio families
118–120
Florentine wives were neither exiled with their husbands nor left alone by husbands in France
121–126
portrait of family life: baby talk and woolwork
127–129
bad citizens then (Cianghella or Lapo Salterello) would have been as surprising as good ones (Cincinnatus or Cornelia) today
130–148
Cacciaguida’s vita: his birth, baptism (Baptistry), family (Moronto, Eliseo [brothers]), wife, warfare (under emperor, Conrad), martyr’s death, salvation.
PARADISO XV
Benevolent will, in which a righteous love → → →
whose breath is true must always show itself,
3
as does cupidity within an evil will,
had silenced the sweet-sounding lyre →
and hushed the sacred strings that Heaven’s right hand
6
loosens and draws taut.
How can they be deaf to righteous prayers, →
the very spirits who, to prompt my prayers, →
9
fell silent as with one accord?
It is well that endless be his grief
who, for love of things that do not last,
12
casts off a love that never dies. →
As through the clear and tranquil evening sky →
from time to time a sudden fire will shoot,
15
drawing the eyes that just before had calmly gazed,
and seems a star escaping from its place—
except from where it first was kindled
18
no star is missing and it lasts but a brief while—
so from the arm of that great cross
extending on the right a star raced to the foot
21
of the resplendent constellation there.
Nor did this jewel leave its ribbon, →
but ran along the shining band so that
24
it seemed a flame that glows in alabaster. →
With such affection did Anchises’ shade reach out, →
if our greatest muse is owed belief, →
27
when in Elysium he knew his son.
‘O sanguis meus, o superinfusa → →
gratïa Deï, sicut tibi cui →
30
bis unquam celi ianüa reclusa?’ →
Thus spoke that light. And I gave heed, →
then turned my eyes back to my lady— →
33
whichever way I looked I was amazed,
for there glowed such a smile within her eyes →
I thought that with my own I had attained
36
my ultimate bliss, my final paradise.
Then, a joy to hear and a joy to see, →
the spirit added to what first he said
39
words so profound I could not understand them. →
Nor did he hide his thoughts from me by choice →
but by necessity, for his conceptions
42
were set beyond our mortal limit.
And when his bow of ardent love →
relaxed enough to let his speech descend
45
down toward the limits of our intellect,
the first thing I could understand was:
‘May you be blessed, Threefold and One,
48
who show such favor to my seed!’ →
And he went on: ‘That long and welcome craving,
derived from reading in the massive book → →
51
where neither black nor white is ever altered, →
‘you have satisfied, my son, within this light
from which I speak to you by grace of her
54
who dressed you out in wings for this high flight. →
‘You think your thoughts flow into mine through Him →
who is the First, as from the number one →
57
will radiate the five and six, if one is known.
‘For that reason you do not ask me who I am
nor why I seem to you more filled with joy
60
than any other in this happy throng.
‘And you are right, for the humble and the mighty
up here in this life gaze into the mirror
63
in which before you think them, thoughts shine clear.
‘But, that the sacred love, which keeps me watching
with enduring vision and makes me thirst
66
with sweet desire, may be more happily fulfilled,
‘let your voice resound sure, bold, and joyful,
to proclaim the will, proclaim the desire, →
69
for which my answer is already set.’
I turned to Beatrice, who had heard
before I spoke and smiled a sign
72
th
at made my will put forth its wings. →
And I began: ‘Love and intelligence, →
once the prime Equality appeared to you, →
75
then became yours in equal measure,
‘since that Sun that lit your way and made you warm
distributes both its heat and light so evenly
78
that all comparisons fall short.
‘But for mortals, as you well know,
the will to act and the power to carry through
81
have wings that are not feathered equally, →
‘so that I, who am mortal, feel in myself
this inequality and thus can only offer thanks
84
for your paternal welcome with my heart.
‘But I implore you, living topaz →
set into this priceless ornament,
87
that you reward my longing with your name.’ →
‘O bough of my tree, in whom I have rejoiced → →
even in expectation, I was your root.’
90
Such was the preface of his words to me.
Then: ‘He from whom your house derives its name →
and who for a hundred years and more
93
has circled the mountain on its lowest bank
‘was your great-grandfather and my son.
It is most fitting that you shorten →
96
his long and weary labor with your prayers.
‘Florence, within the circle of her ancient walls →
from which she still hears tierce and nones,
99
dwelled then in peace, temperate and chaste.
‘No bracelet, no tiara did she wear, →
no embroidered gown, no waistband
102
more striking to the eye than was its wearer.
