Paradiso: Canto V

"If I SO glowing seem in heat of love,
Beyond the fashion that on earth is known,
So that too much for thine eyes' strength I prove.

Marvel thou not; from perfect sight alone
Doth this proceed, which, as it sees aright,
To the good seen still moves its footsteps on.

Well I perceive how that Eternal Light
Already shines on thine intelligence.
Which, when 'tis seen, makes love's flame ever bright;

And if aught else thy love seduces thence,
'Tis nothing but its vestige which is tracked,
Ill understood, that penetrates the sense.

Thou seek'st to know if thou canst give in act
For broken vow some service, which, when paid,
Should keep the soul from claim of law intact."

So Beatrice this Canto's opening made.
And, as a man who tells his tale apace,
Her holy argument full open laid.

"The greatest gift that God of His free grace
Gave at creation, and most near in kind
To His own goodness, foremost in the race

For praise, is freedom of the will and mind,
Which to all living things intelligent,
And those alone, hath been and is assigned.

Now thou wilt see in this high argument
How high the worth of vows, if made but so
That God consenteth unto thy consent;

For in this bond 'twixt God and man we show
We of this treasure make a sacrifice,
Such as I tell; its own act bids it go.

What then can come as compensating price?
Think'st thou to use well things thus consecrate,
'Twere to do good with wealth obtained by vice.

Now art thou certain of that problem great:
But since the Church doth oft dispense with it, —
Which seems against the truth I showed of late, —

'Tis meet that thou awhile at table sit,
Because the strong meat thou hast ta'en doth call
For aid, thy stomach's feeble power to fit.

Open thy mind to that which I let fall,
And fix it there, for knowledge is not found
In having heard, without retaining all.

Two things there are as with the essence bound
Of that same sacrifice; the one is that
Of which 'tis made, and one the compact's ground.

This last is never cancelled save by what
Fulfils it, and of this enough I said,
In words that pointed specially thereat

So on the Hebrews it was binding made
To offer, though the things they offered might
Be changed, and this should in thy mind be weighed.

The other, which as matter meets thy sight.
May well be such that promise doth not fail.
If it for somewhat else be changed aright.

But no one may to shift the load prevail
By his own choice, unless the keys shall turn.
One golden and the other silver pale;

And every change to count as foolish learn.
Unless the old in that which takes its place
As four in six included thou discern.

Therefore, whatever hath such weight of grace
That it doth every counterpoise outweigh.
No other spending ever can replace.

Let mortals then no vows in jesting say:
Be faithful, nor to act so rashly stirred,
As Jephthah was his 'first chance ' vow to pay,

Who more becomingly had said, 'I've erred,'
Than to do worse in bondage to such ties.
Nor less the blame the Greeks' great duke incurred.

Whence wept Iphigenia her fair eyes,
And made tears flow alike from fool and sage,
When they heard tell of such a sacrifice.

O Christians! with less haste yourselves engage;
Be not like feather blown by every wind,
Nor think all streams can cleanse guilt's heritage.

Ye have the Scriptures Old and New in mind,
The Pastor of the Church to be your guide;
Enough for your salvation there ye'll find.

If evil lust aught else to you hath cried,
Be ye as men, and not like silly beasts,
Lest e'en the Jews among you you deride.

Be not like lamb that leaves its mother's breasts.
And, in its wanton and unwise delight.
At its own pleasure, with itself contests."

So Beatrice spake, and so I write,
And then again she turned with yearning keen,
There where the world shows most of life and light.

Her silence, and the change in look and mien.
Restraint to my desire administ'red.
Which still new questions in advance had seen;

And as an arrow hits, ere yet hath fled
The bow-string's trembling, that whereto 'twas sent,
So to the Second Realm our way we sped.

And there my Lady saw I so content,
As she within that light of Heaven passed on,
That brighter glory she the planet lent.

And if the star, thus changed, in smiling shone,
What should I do, of nature frail the heir,
Who in all ways as changeable am known?

As, in a fishpond which is calm and clear,
The fishes draw to what may on it light.
In way that shows they count on new food there.

So I saw more than thousand splendours bright
Draw nigh towards us, and from each was heard,
"Lo! this is she who shall increase Love's might."

And as each one of them our presence neared,
The shade was seen as full of blessedness,
By the clear light that streaming forth appeared.

Bethink thee, Reader, how it would distress
Thy mind, how eager thou would'st be to know,"
If the tale thus begun should not progress;

And thou wilt see within thyself that so
I sought to hear them tell me of their state.
As to mine eyes their forms themselves did show.

"O born to good, to whom the favour great"
Is given to see the eternal Triumph's throne,
Ere thou thy warfare's close canst celebrate.

We by the light that o'er all Heaven is thrown
Are kindled, wherefore if 'tis thy desire
To know us, all shall at thy will be shown."

Such words from lips of one of that blest choir
I heard, and " Speak, speak," Beatrice said;
"Trust them as gods; let nothing doubt inspire."

"I see full well how thou a nest hast made
In thine own light, and draw'st it from thine eyes,
For lo! they flashed as thy smiles on me played;

But thee I know not, nor why for thee lies,
O worthiest soul, thy home within the sphere,
Veiled from men's eyes by rays that elsewhere rise."

So spake I straight towards that radiance clear
Who first had spoken, and so it became
More lucid than at first it did appear:

And like the sun, that in excess of flame
Hides himself, when the heat hath scatter
The vapours dense that did his glory maim,

So in their joy o'er-great had vanished
In their own light those holy lineaments;
And hidden, hidden, thus the answer said.

Which the next Canto in its song presents.