Paradiso: Canto XIII

Let him imagine, who to know doth long
That which I saw, and let the picture stay
While I am speaking, fixed as mountain strong.

Stars ten and five, which in the heavens display.
In different regions, light so wondrous clear
That densest air is conquered by its ray;

Let him imagine then the Wain appear.
For which our heaven sufficeth day and night,
So that to turn its pole it fails not there;

Imagine then the horn with opening bright,"
That from the point starts of that axle-tree
Round which the primal wheel revolves aright.

Had made two signs in Heaven for man to see.
Like that which Minos' daughter made of old.
Then when she felt death's chill and ceased to be;

And each of them round each its rays to fold.
And both go whirling onward in such mode
That one went first, the other, following, rolled;

Then will some shadow faint to him be showed
Of that true constellation, and the dance
Twofold that circled round me where I stood;

For it excels all wonted circumstance.
Far as outspeeds Chiana's sluggish flow
The highest heaven's revolving radiance.

No Paean nor "lo Bacche" sang they so,
But Persons Three who in one Nature shine,
And in one Person that in manhood show.

The song and dance each measured out its line,
And then those holy lights to us gave heed,
Joy growing, as they task with task combine.

At last the hush of saints in will agreed
Was broken by the light from which I knew
Of God's poor saint the wondrous life and deed.

It said: " One sheaf being threshed in measure due,
Now that the garner hath received the grain,
Love leads me on to thresh the other too.

Thou deem'st that in the breast from which was ta'en
The rib to form that cheek so wondrous fair.
Whose tasting wrought the world such bitter pain,

And in that other, pierced by the spear,
Which past and future so did satisfy.
That it outweighs all guilt that man doth bear,

Whate'er of light in our humanity
Is possible, was poured on each of those
By Him who fashioned both so gloriously.

And so thy gaze perplexed wonder shows.
Because I said that ne'er a second yet
Was like the good that fifth light did enclose.

Now on mine answer let thine eyes be set,
And thou wilt see thy thought and my reply"
Fit true, as centre with its circle met.

That which dies not, and that too which may die.
Are but the radiance of that Thought Supreme
Which, in His love, our Sire begets on high;

So that the living Light which forth doth stream"
From His effulgence, and ne'er from it strays,
Nor from the Love which is Triune with them.

Through its own goodness gathers all its rays,
As though reflected, in nine substances,
While in Itself for ever One it stays,

Thence to the lowest powers pours effluences,
Downward from act to act, and so doth end.
That all its works are brief contingencies:

I by these things contingent comprehend
All things created which the high heavens frame,
With or without seed, as their way they wend.

Their wax-like stuff, and that which moulds the same,
Are not alike in all, and, this being so.
The ideal stamp they more or less proclaim;

And thus it comes that on the same stock grow,
In varying kind, or worse or better fruit.
And ye are born with minds that diverse show.

If that same wax should quite exactly suit.
And did the Heaven's high virtue never fail.
Then nothing would the seal's bright stamp dis- pute;"

But Nature ever gives it weak and frail.
E'en as the artist works who hath the skill
Of art, and hands that, trembling, nought avail.

If then the burning Love that worketh still
Clear view of that first Virtue should assign,
Then all perfection doth the impress fill.

So once the earth was wrought to temper fine,
For highest animal perfection meet;
So was the Virgin for her birth divine.

So I thy judgment with approval greet,
That human nature ne'er was, nor will be.
Like that which had in those two forms its seat.

Now if no further I my way should see,
'How then to him was never equal known?'
So would thy questioning words proceed from thee.

But that the yet unseen may now be shown.
Think who he was, and what his motive too.
Who to his prayers the answer ' Ask thou ' won.

Not so I've spoken as to hide from view
That he was king who asked for wisdom's dower,
That a king's duty he might ably do;

'Twas not to know the number or the power
Of these high spheres, nor if necesse wed
With thing contingent, e'er necesse bore;

Nor si est dare primum motum said,
Or if in semicircle there can be
Triangle other than right-angled made.

Hence, if thou note what things I've said to thee.
That peerless sight as kingly wisdom's seen.
On which my meaning's arrow lighteth free.

And if, clear-eyed, thou scan what ' rose ' may mean,
Thou'lt see that it to kings alone referred.
Kings that are many, but few good, I ween.

With this distinction take what thou hast heard,
And thus it may accord with thy conceit""
Of our first sire, and Him to us endeared;

And let this be as lead unto thy feet,
That thou, like wearied man, ply slower pace
When ' Yes ' or ' No ' thou blindly would'st re- peat;

For he among the fools holds lowest place"
Who, without due distinction, or denies.
Or else affirms, and this in either case;

Because it chances oft men's judgment flies
With speed o'er-quick towards the falser part.
And self-love binds our understanding's eyes.

He more than vainly from the shore will start,
Since he returneth not as first he came,
Who angles for the truth yet fails in art;

And in the world, proofs open of the same,
Parmenides, Melissos, Brissos stand,
And many wanderers, more than I can name,

Sabellius and Arius, too, the band
Of fools, who were as swords to Scripture's sense.
To make its clear looks twist at their command.

Nor let men now with caution due dispense
In judging, as he does who ere the hour
Of ripeness counts the harvest's opulence.

For I have seen, through winter's frost and shower,
The briar appear all stiff and hard to see.
Then on its summit bear its roseate flower;

And I have seen a ship drive fast and free
O'er the wide waves in safety all the way.
And at the harbour's entrance shipwrecked be.

Let not Dame Berta or Ser Martin say,
Seeing one man rob, another sacrifice,
They see the doom of God's great judgment-day;

For one may fall, the other too may rise."