Paradiso: Canto VIII

To its own cost, the world to hear was found
How the fair Cyprian darted love insane.
In that third epicycle moving round;

Wherefore not only in old error vain
Did ancient nations give her honour due
Of votive cries and sacrifices slain.

But worshipped Cupid and Dione too,
This as her mother, that as her dear son,
And said that Dido's lap his presence knew;

And so from her, through whom my song's begun,
They took the name of that same planet fair.
Which, from one side or the other, woos the sun.

I did not see that I had mounted there.
But proof enough my Lady gave to me
Through wondrous increase of her beauty rare."

And as within a flame a spark we see,
And as within a voice a voice we hear,
When one is firm, one changes fitfully,

So then in that light other lamps appear.
Moving in circle, more or less in speed,
Methinks, as is their gaze eternal clear.

Never did winds from chilly clouds proceed
So swift, invisible or visible.
That would not seem as slack and slow indeed

To one who had those lights divine seen well,
Come to us, leaving off their winding dance,
Begun where Seraphim in glory dwell.

And behind those that did in front advance
Sounded " Hosanna," so that aye since then
I long it should once more my soul entrance.

And one of them drew nigh, and in this strain
Began alone: " All ready now are we
To do thy will, that in us joy thou gain.

We turn with princedoms that in high Heaven be.
One orbit, one revolving, and one love,
As in the world 'twas said of old by thee,

'Te who with simple will the third Heaven move,''
And are so full of love, that, thee to please,
Rest for a while shall not less welcome prove.

And when mine eyes had turned away from these
To seek my Lady with due reverence.
And were by her content and set at case,

Back to that light they turned whose eloquence
So much had promised, and " Speak, who are ye?"
My voice exclaimed with eagerness intense.

Ah! how that light grew more and more to see
When I thus spoke, through that great gladness new
Which came to crown its old felicity.

Thus changed, it spake: " The world my presence knew
Short time below, and had it been but more,
Much ill that shall be then should not ensue.

My great joy hides me from thee, and doth pour
Its radiance round about me, and conceals,
Like creature whom its own silk covers o'er.

Thou lov'dst me much, good cause that love reveals;"
For had I stayed below I then had shown
More than the budding leaves of what love feels.

That left bank that is watered by the Rhone
Where with the Sorga's waters it is blent
Me for a while as sovereign lord did own,

And that horn of Ausonia whose extent
Bari, Catona, Gaeta doth hold,
Whence to the sea are Tronto, Verde sent.

Already did my brow the crown enfold
Of that fair land where Danube's waters flow,
When they no more their German banks behold;

And fair Trinacria, which doth darkened show
Between Pachynum and Pelorus, near
The gulf where Eurus doth most fiercely blow,

(Not through Typhoeus, but the sulphur there,)
Would have still waited for the kingly line
That through me Charles' and Rudolph's stamp doth bear.

If evil rule, which ever wrath doth twine
Round subjects' hearts, had let Palermo be.
Nor to the cry of 'Death! Death! Death! 'incline,

And if my brother had foreseen this,
The greedy Catalonians' poverty
Had fled, that he from trouble might be free;

For truly there is need of heedful eye,
His own, or others', that upon his boat,
O'erladen, no more heavy load should lie.

His nature, which doth bear degenerate note,
Niggard from bounteous, such troops had employed
As had not cared o'er heaped-up chest to gloat."

"Because I deem the lofty bliss enjoyed
Through this thy speech, by me, O Master mine.
There, whence all good starts, where its goal doth bide.

Is, as I see it, seen by eyes of thine.
It more delights me, and this too is dear.
That thou discern'st it in the Mind divine.

Glad hast thou made me; e'en so make it clear.
Since in thy speech I find perplexity.
How from sweet seed can bitter plant appear."

So I to him; and he to me: " Could I
To this thy question but one truth explain,
To what thou turn'st thy back thou'lt turn thine eye.

The Good which all this realm thy steps attain
Turns and contents, so works that, as a might,
Its Providence in these vast orbs doth reign:

And not alone things seen with prescient sight
Dwell in that Mind that's in itself complete.
But with them all that works to keep them right.

And so where'er this bow sends arrow fleet.
It falls, predestined, to its end foreseen,
As dart directed to its centre meet.

If this were not so, then this Heaven had been.
Where now thou walkest, such that it would be
Of ruin, not of wisest art the scene.

This cannot chance unless those stars we see
Be ruled by Minds that feeble are and frail,"
The First Cause failing to work perfectly.

Would'st thou this truth should more itself unveil?"
"Not so," said I, " for 'tis impossible
That Nature should in necessaries fail."

Then he: " Now say if it would be less well"'
For man on earth were he not citizen."
"Yea," said I; " here no reason need'st thou tell."

And can this be unless the lives of men
Differ on earth, through office different?
No, if your Master writes with wisdom's pen."

So to this point deductively he went,
And then concluded: " Therefore needs must be
That diverse are the roots of each man's bent:

So here a Solon, Xerxes there we see,
Here a Melchizedek, and there the man
Whose flight through air marred his son's destiny;

The spheral nature, which, like seal, its plan
Stamps on man's mortal wax, works well its art,
But difference of hostel doth not scan.

Thence comes it Esau hath his separate part
In birth from Jacob, that Quirinus came
From sire so base he claims from Mars to start.

A generated nature still the same
Pathway would take as those that generate
Unless God's providence that law o'ercame.

Now before thee is that behind of late.
But that thou know that I in thee delight,
Thee with corollary I'll decorate.

Ever doth Nature, if perchance it light
On alien fortune, like all other seed"
Out of its own soil, fail to work aright;

And if the world below would give good heed
To Nature's first and fundamental rule.
Then would it have a virtuous race indeed;

But ye still turn off to religion's school
One who was born to gird himself with sword,
And take as king some sermonising fool;

And so your track the right road hath ignored."