Paradiso: Canto XI

Insensate care, that haunts each mortal breast,
How inconclusive are those syllogisms
Which make thee flutter down to baser rest!

This man to law turns, that to aphorisms,
And one the priesthood takes with lower aim,
And one seeks power by force or by sophisms;

One seeks the robber's, one the statesman's fame;
One, whom the pleasures of the flesh ensnare,
Sinks back exhausted to inaction tame.

While I, set free from every clinging care,
With Beatrice in that Heaven on high
Received, so gloriously am welcomed there.

And then, when each to that point had passed by
O' the circle where he was before, he stayed.
As candle in its stand stays fixedly."

And from within that form, in light arrayed,
Who spake to me before, now seen more bright
With smiles and purer, words I heard conveyed:

"As I in His rays kindle into light,
So, looking on that light which is eterne,
What stirreth now thy thoughts I read aright.

Thou doubtest, and dost wish my speech should turn
To words so open and intelligent
That to thy sense it should be plain to learn

What, when I said 'he fattens well,' I meant,
And when I said no second e'er arose;'
And here we must distinguish each intent.

The Providence, — which all things doth dispose
With such deep counsels that all mortal gaze
Is baffled ere to that great depth it goes —

That unto Him she loves might bend her ways
The Bride of Him who, with a bitter cry.
Espoused her with the blood we bless and praise,

In fuller peace, more steadfast loyalty, —
Her, for her good, with two high chiefs endowed,
That they on either side her guides might be.

The soul of one with love seraphic glowed;
The other by his wisdom on our earth
A splendour of cherubic glory showed.

Of one I'll speak; for, if we tell the worth
Of one, 'tis true of both, whichever we take.
For to one end each laboured from his birth.

Between Tupino and the streams that break
From the hill chosen by Ubaldo blest,
A lofty mount a fertile slope doth make;

Perugia's Sun-gate from that lofty crest
Feels heat and cold; Nocer' and Gualdo pine
Behind it, by their heavy yoke opprest.

On this slope, where less steeply doth incline
The hill, was born into this world a sun,
Bright as this orb doth oft o'er Ganges shine.

Whence, naming this spot, let not any one
Call it ' Ascesi ' — that were tame in sense; —
As ' Orient ' doth its proper title run.

Such was his rise, nor was he far from thence,
When he began to make the wide earth share
Some comfort from his glorious excellence;

For he, a youth, his father's wrath did dare
For maid, for whom not one of all the crowd,
As she were death, would pleasure's gates unbar.

And then before court spiritual he vowed
Et coram patre — marriage-pledge to her.
And day by day more fervent love he showed.

Of her first spouse bereaved, a thousand were.
And more, the years she lived, despised, obscure,"
And, till he came, none did his suit prefer.

Nought it availed that she was found secure
With that Amyclas when the voice was heard
Which made the world great terror-pangs endure;

Nought it availed that she nor shrank nor feared,
So that, when Mary tarried yet below.
She on the Cross above with Christ appeared.

But lest I tell it too obscurely so,
By these two lovers, in my speech diffuse.
Thou Poverty and Francis now may'st know.

Their concord and their looks of joy profuse.
The love, the wonder, and the aspect sweet,
Made men in holy meditation muse;

So that the holy Bernard bared his feet.
The first to start, and for such peace so tried,"
That slow he thought his pace, though it was fleet.

O wealth unknown, true good that doth abide!
Ægidius bared his feet, Sylvester too.
Following the Bridegroom, so they loved the Bride.

Then went that Father and that Master true
With that his Bride and that his family,
Who round their loins the lowly girdle drew;

Nor was faint heart betrayed in downcast eye,
As being Pietro Bernardone's son,
Nor yet as one despised wondrously;

But like a king his stern intention
To Innocent he opened, who did give
The first seal to that new religion.

Then, when the race content as poor to live
Grew behind him, whose life, so high renowned,
Would, in Heaven's glory, higher songs receive.

With a new diadem once more was crowned
By Pope Honorius, from on high inspired,
This Archimandrite's purpose, holy found.

And after that, with martyr zeal untired,
He, in the presence of the Soldan proud
Preached Christ, and those whom His example fired;

And finding that that race no ripeness showed
For their conversion, not to toil in vain,
He to Italians fields his labours vowed.

On the rough rock 'twixt Tiber's, Arno's, plain,
From Christ received he the last seal's impress.
Which he two years did in his limbs sustain.

When it pleased Him, who chose him thus to bless.
To lead him up the high reward to share
Which he had merited by lowliness.

Then to his brothers, each as rightful heir.
Me gave in charge his lady-love most dear.
And bade them love her with a steadfast care;

And from her breast that soul so high and clear
Would fain depart and to its kingdom turn.
Nor for his body sought another bier.

Think now what he was who the fame did earn
To be his comrade, and for Peter's barque
On the high seas the true path to discern.

And such was he, our honoured Patriarch;
Wherefore, who follows him as he commands,
Him laden with rich treasures thou may'st mark.

But now his flock so eagerly demands
New food, that it, of sheer necessity,
In pastures widely different strays and stands.

And as the more his sheep thus scattered lie,
And further from him wander to and fro,
With less milk come they for the fold's supply.

Some are there who, in fear of that loss,
Back to their shepherd, but so few they be.
That little cloth would make them cowls, I trow.

Now, if my words are not obscure to thee,
If thine own ears have been to learn intent,
If what I said thou call'st to memory,

In part at least thy wish shall find content;
For thou shalt see the plant which thus decays,
Shalt see what he, the leather-girded, meant

By ' well he fattens who ne'er vainly strays.'"