With what amazement must I have been filled! And as a pilgrim who delighteth him In gazing round the temple of his vow, And hopes some day to retell how it was, So through the living light my way pursuing Directed I mine eyes o'er all the ranks, Now up, now down, and now all round about. Embellished by His light and their own smile, My glance had comprehended as a whole, Concerning which my mind was in suspense. I thought I should see Beatrice, and saw With joy benign, in attitude of pity Of the first rank, again shalt thou behold her And saw her, as she made herself a crown Reflecting from herself the eternal rays. In whatsoever sea it deepest sinks, Was nothing unto me; because her image Of whatsoever things I have beheld, As coming from thy power and from thy goodness Thou from a slave hast brought me unto freedom, So that this soul of mine, which thou hast healed, Smiled, as it seemed, and looked once more at me ; And said the Old Man holy: "That thou mayst Whereunto prayer and holy love have sent me, And she, the Queen of Heaven, for whom I burn As he who peradventure from Croatia Cometh to gaze at our Veronica, Who through its ancient fame is never sated, But says in thought, the while it is displayed, "My Lord, Christ Jesus, God of very God, Now was your semblance made like unto this?" Even such was I while gazing at the living Charity of the man, who in this world By contemplation tasted of that peace. "Thou son of grace, this jocund life," began he, "Will not be known to thee by keeping ever Thine eyes below here on the lowest place; But mark the circles to the most remote, Until thou shalt behold enthroned the Queen The oriental part of the horizon To mount, I saw a part in the remoteness Gleamed brightest in the centre, and each side And at that centre, with their wings expanded, More than a thousand jubilant Angels saw I, A beauty smiling, which the gladness was Fixed and intent upon its fervid fervour, 130 835 240 CANTO XXXII. ABSORBED in his delight, that contemplator She is the one who opened it and pierced it. Is seated Rachel, lower than the other, Above the same, succeed the Hebrew women, In Christ had taken, these are the partition With each one of its petals, seated are Those who believed in Christ who was to come. Upon the other side, where intersected With vacant spaces are the semicircles, Are those who looked to Christ already come. And as, upon this side, the glorious seat Of the Lady of Heaven, and the other seats So opposite doth that of the great John, Who, ever holy, desert and martyrdom Endured, and afterwards two years in Hell. And under him thus to divide were chosen Francis, and Benedict, and Augustine, Behold now the high providence divine; 30 35 And down to us the rest from round to round. For one and other aspect of the Faith 40 45 55 60 And know that downward from that rank which cleaves But by another's under fixed conditions ; For these are spirits one and all assoiled Well canst thou recognise it in their faces, If thou regard them well and hearken to them. Now doubtest thou, and doubting thou art silent; In which thy subtile fancies hold thee fast. Within the amplitude of this domain No casual point can possibly find place, No more than sadness can, or thirst, or hunger; For by eternal law has been established And therefore are these people, festinate More and less excellent among themselves. The King, by means of whom this realm reposes In his own joyous aspect every mind Creating, at his pleasure dowers with grace And this is clearly and expressly noted For you in Holy Scripture, in those twins According to the colour of the hair, anger roused. Therefore, with such a grace the light supreme 50 Without, then, any merit of their deeds, 'Tis true that in the early centuries, With innocence, to work out their salvation Sufficient was the faith of parents only. After the earlier ages were completed, Behoved it that the males by circumcision Without the baptism absolute of Christ, Look now into the face that unto Christ Hath most resemblance; for its brightness only On her did I behold so great a gladness Rain down, borne onward in the holy minds That whatsoever I had seen before Did not suspend me in such admiration, Unto the canticle divine responded From every part the court beatified, "O holy father, who for me endurest To be below here, leaving the sweet place Into the eyes is looking of our Queen, Of that one who delighted him in Mary As there can be in Angel and in soul, Down unto Mary, when the Son of God |