That which can die, and that which dieth not, From Him nor from the Love in them intrined, Things generated, which the heaven produces Remains immutable, and hence beneath If in perfection tempered were the wax, And were the heaven in its supremest virtue, But nature gives it evermore deficient, In the like manner working as the artist, Who has the skill of art and hand that trembles. If then the fervent Love, the Vision clear, Of primal Virtue do dispose and seal, Of all and every animal perfection; So that thine own opinion I commend, That human nature never yet has been, 'Then in what way was he without a peer?' But, that may well appear what now appears not, Think who he was, and what occasion moved him I've not so spoken that thou canst not see Clearly he was a king who asked for wisdom, 95 'Twas not to know the number in which are Or if in semicircle can be made Thou'lt see that it has reference alone And thus it can consist with thy belief To make thee, like a weary man, move slowly For very low among the fools is he Who affirms without distinction, or denies, As well in one as in the other case; Because it happens that full often bends Current opinion in the false direction, (Since he returneth not the same he went,) And in the world proofs manifest thereof 100 105 110 115 120 125 And many who went on and knew not whither; Thus did Sabellius, Arius, and those fools Who have been even as swords unto the Scriptures Nor yet shall people be too confident 130 In judging, even as he is who doth count For I have seen all winter long the thorn And I have seen a ship direct and swift Run o'er the sea throughout its course entire, 135 140 CANTO XIV. FROM centre unto rim, from rim to centre, What I am saying, at the moment when Of his discourse and that of Beatrice, Blossoms your substance shall remain with you And if it do remain, say in what manner, It can be that it injure not your sight.' As by a greater gladness urged and drawn So, at that orison devout and prompt, The holy circles a new joy displayed In their revolving and their wondrous song. Whoso lamenteth him that here we die That we may live above, has never there The One and Two and Three who ever liveth, And reigneth ever in Three and Two and One, Among those spirits, with such melody And, in the lustre most divine of all The lesser ring, I heard a modest voice, Answer: "As long as the festivity Of Paradise shall be, so long our love Its brightness is proportioned to the ardour, Is reassumed, then shall our persons be Of light gratuitous the Good Supreme, Light which enables us to look on Him; Therefore the vision must perforce increase, Increase the ardour which from that is kindled, Increase the radiance which from this proceeds. But even as a coal that sends forth flame, And by its vivid whiteness overpowers it Shall be o'erpowered in aspect by the flesh, Nor can so great a splendour weary us, For strong will be the organs of the body So sudden and alert appeared to me Both one and the other choir to say Amen, That well they showed desire for their dead bodies; Nor sole for them perhaps, but for the mothers, The fathers, and the rest who had been dear And lo! all round about of equal brightness And as at rise of early eve begin Along the welkin new appearances, So that the sight seems real and unreal, Began there to be seen, and make a circle O very sparkling of the Holy Spirit, How sudden and incandescent it became But Beatrice so beautiful and smiling Appeared to me, that with the other sights The power, and I beheld myself translated Well was I ware that I was more uplifted By the enkindled smiling of the star, Which is the same in all, such holocaust Splendours appeared to me in twofold rays, I said: "O Helios who dost so adorn them!" Even as distinct with less and greater lights Glimmers between the two poles of the world The Galaxy that maketh wise men doubt, Thus constellated in the depths of Mars, Those rays described the venerable sign For on that cross as levin gleamed forth Christ, But he who takes his cross and follows Christ From horn to horn, and 'twixt the top and base, We here behold, renewing still the sight, Across the sunbeam move, wherewith is listed Sometimes the shade, which for their own defence And as a lute and harp, accordant strung With many, strings, a dulcet tinkling make To him by whom the notes are not distinguished, So from the lights that there to me appeared Upgathered through the cross a melody, Well was I ware it was of lofty laud, Because there came to me, "Arise and conquer !" So much enamoured I became therewith, That until then there was not anything That e'er had fettered me with such sweet bonds. |