Notes.
35 The voice is that of Solomon.
85 The poet realizes he has risen to the
fifth heaven, Mars.
96 Dante here refers to God as Helios, Greek
for "sun" and a title of Apollo.
100 The fifth sphere, Mars, in the shape of a
Greek cross, and in the center of the nine heavens, is the abode of God's holy
warriors and knights of the cross (Crusaders=Cross-bearers).
104 This vision of the cross within the
circle is Dante’s second vision of Christ, after the insight into the griffin’s
nature in Purgatorio XXXI, ll. 118-126.
104-108 The Italian word for Christ, Cristo,
for Dante cannot rhyme with any other word but itself (cfr. ll. 104, 106, and 108 of
the original text. See also Cantos XII, ll. 71-75, XIX, ll. 104-108, and XXXII, ll.
83-87).
133 Beatrice’s eyes are compared to
seals that stamp their impress on wax. |
|
- From
center to rim and rim to center, water
-
Inside a round bowl moves, depending on
-
Whether it’s struck from outside or within.
-
- So
this image all of a sudden dropped
- 5
Into my mind, just as the glorious
- Life
of Thomas fell back into silence,
-
-
Because of the resemblance which arose
-
Between this speech of his and that of Beatrice
- Who
was pleased to begin by following him:
-
- 10
"This man still needs, although he will not tell you
-
Either by his talk or yet in thought,
- To
probe another truth down to its root.
-
-
"Tell him if the light with which your substance
-
Breaks into blossoms shall remain with you
- 15
Eternally, just as it now exists;
-
-
"And if the light remains, then tell him how,
- When
you are once again made visible,
-
It’s possible it will not hurt your sight."
-
- As
when those dancing in a ring, urged on
- 20
And drawn by more delight, from time to time
-
Gladden their gestures and lift up their voices,
-
- So at
that eager and devout petition
- The
saintly circles in their gay gyrations
- And
marvelous melodies displayed new joy.
-
- 25
Whoever grieves because we must die here
- To
live above has never witnessed there
- The
sweet refreshment of the endless shower.
-
- The
One and Two and Three that lives forever
- And
ever reigns in Three and Two and One,
- 30
Uncircumscribed and circumscribing all,
-
- Three
times was sung by each one of the spirits
- Of
those two rings, with such a melody
- As
would be fit reward for every merit.
-
- And I
heard in the most resplendent light
- 35
Of the smaller circle a voice as modest,
-
Perhaps, as was the angel’s voice to Mary,
-
-
Replying, "As long as the festival
- Of
paradise shall last, so long our love
- Shall
radiate around us like a robe.
-
- 40
"Its brightness is proportioned to our fervor,
- Our
fervor to our vision, in the measure
- That
each possesses grace beyond his merit.
-
-
"When our flesh, made glorious and holy,
- Shall
clothe us once again, our persons then
- 45
Will be more welcome being all complete.
-
-
"For whatever unearned light the Highest Good
-
Freely bestows on us will be increased —
- Light
which enables us to look on him,
-
-
"So that for us our vision must increase,
- 50
Our fervor increase kindled by the vision,
- Our
splendor increase coming from the fervor.
-
-
"But as a coal in giving off its flame
-
Outshines the fire with its burning glow,
- And
in this way keeps its apparent shape,
-
- 55
"So this effulgence now encircling us
- Shall
be outshone in brilliance by the flesh
- Which
all this while lies buried in the ground.
-
-
"Nor will so bright a light cause us fatigue,
- Since
the organs of our bodies will be strong
- 60
To everything that can bring us delight."
-
- So
ready and alert to cry Amen
- One
chorus and the other seemed to me
- That
clearly they desired their dead bodies,
-
- Not
only for themselves but for their mothers,
- 65
Their fathers, and the others dear to them
-
Before their flesh became eternal flame.
-
- And
look! a lustre of steady brightness rose
-
Around about, beyond the shining there,
- Like
a horizon growing ever lighter.
-
- 70
And as at the first rise of early evening
- New
objects start to show up in the sky,
- So
that their sight seems, and does not seem, real,
-
- I
thought I there began to see new beings
-
Approaching to form still another circle
- 75
Outside the other two’s circumferences.
-
- O the
true sparkle of the Holy Spirit!
- How
suddenly full of glory it became
-
Before my eyes which, beaten, could not bear it!
-
- But
Beatrice showed herself to me so smiling
- 80
And so beautiful that I must leave it there
- Among
the sights beyond my memory.
-
- From
this, my eyes recovered strength to raise
-
Themselves once more: I saw myself translated
- Alone
with my lady to a higher bliss.
-
- 85
I clearly grasped that I had risen farther
- By
the glittering smile of the next planet
- Which
I found ruddier than usual.
-
- With
all my heart, and in the tongue which sounds
- The
same in all, I gave God a burnt offering
- 90
To thank him for this gift of his new grace.
-
- Nor
had the burning of this sacrifice
- Yet
ended in my breast when I knew that
- My
offering had been favorably accepted
-
-
Because, with such a glow of ruby red,
- 95
Splendors so shone before me in two rays
- I
cried, "O Helios who adorns them brightly!"
-
- Just
as the Milky Way, pricked out by greater
- And
lesser lights, gleams so from pole to pole
- That
even the wisest minds are thunderstruck,
-
- 100
So constellated, in the depths of Mars
- Those
two beams formed the venerable sign
- Which
the crossed quadrant lines made in a circle.
-
- Here
now my memory outruns my talent,
- For
Christ flamed from that cross with such a flash
- 105
That I can find no pattern fit for it.
-
- But
he who takes his cross to follow Christ
- Will
pardon me for what I leave untold
- When
he looks at Christ gleaming in that dawn.
-
- From
tip to tip, between the top and bottom,
- 110
Light-rays were moving, brightly glittering
- As
they all met together and passed by:
-
- So
here on earth we see the motes of dust
- Drift
straight or slanting, swift or slow of motion,
-
Changing in appearance, long or little,
-
- 115
Sifting through the sunbeams sometimes streaking
-
Through the shaded rooms which men have built
- With
skill and talent for their own protection.
-
- And
as a harp or viol that is strung
- With
many cords for harmony chimes sweetly
- 120
On ears that cannot catch the melody,
-
- So
from the lights appearing to me there,
- A
music swelled throughout the cross and held me
-
Enraptured though I could not tell the hymn.
-
- I
firmly marked it was a song of praise
- 125
Because "Rise up," and "Conquer" came to me
- As
one who hears but does not understand.
-
- I was
so moved with loving by this strain
- That
nothing until then that I had felt
- Had
bound my being with such dulcet fetters.
-
- 130
Perhaps these words of mine appear too daring,
-
Seeming to slight the bliss of those bright eyes
- In
which my longing gaze finds its repose.
-
- But
one who considers how the living seals
- Of
every beauty grow with their ascent,
- 135
And how I there had not yet turned to them,
-
- He
may excuse me of my self-accusation
- So
that I can excuse myself, and see
- I
speak the truth, for holy joy’s not lost
-
- By
growing ever purer as one rises.
|
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to Paradiso XIII