Paradiso: Canto XXIV

"O HAPPY band, elect to fullest joy,
At the blest Lamb's great supper duly placed,
Who feeds you still with bliss that cannot cloy!

If by God's grace this man before doth taste
Of that which falleth from your well-filled board,
Ere death the limit of his life hath traced,

To his immense desire your heed accord,
And somewhat him bedew; to you 'tis given
To drink of that fount whence his thought hath poured."

Thus Beatrice, and those souls in Heaven
Became as spheres that move on fixed pole.
Like comets bright that flashing on are driven;

And, as the wheels in ordered clock-work roll,
So that the first we look at seems at rest,
The last to fly, such skill hath framed the whole,

So were the carols of those spirits blest.
Whose movements, as I saw them, swift or slow,
The variance of their riches did attest.

From that wherein did fullest beauty show
I saw emerge a flame so full of bliss
That none it left there with a brighter glow;

And moving thrice around my Beatrice,
It wheeled with so divine a melody
That fancy fails to tell me what it is.

So my pen skips; to write is not for me;
For, not alone our speech, our highest thought
For such fine touch hath colours all too free.

"O holy Sister mine, whose prayers have wrought
Such wondrous issue, by thy strong desire
Thou sett'st me free from that sphere, beauty- fraught.""

Then, halting in its course, that blessed fire.
And speaking thus, as I but now have told.
Did to my Lady thus with voice respire.

And she: " O light eterne of hero old.
To whom our Lord assigned the sacred keys
He bore, of wondrous joys and manifold.

Take thou this man, and test him, if thou please.
In points or hard or light that Faith concern.
That Faith whereby thou walked'st on the seas.

If with true Faith, true Hope, true Love, he burn,
It is not hid from thee, since thou dost gaze
Where all things clearly mirrored we discern.

But since this Kingdom draws within its ways.
Through the true faith, of citizens not few,
'Tis meet thou give him scope to speak its praise.'

As bachelere his armour doth indue.
And speaks not till the Master puts case clear.
Not judging, but debating if 'tis true.

So with my proofs I armed my memory there,
E'en while she spake, that I might ready prove
For such profession, such a questioner.

"Speak, O good Christian, now thyself approve;
Say, what is Faith? " and then I raised my brow
Towards the light whence these words seemed to move.

Then I to Beatrice turned, and now"
Prompt signs she made to me that I should pour
The streams that from my inner fountain flow.

"May Grace, which grants profession of true lore,"
So spake I to the great Centurion,
"Now of clear thoughts well uttered give me dower!

As his true pen doth write," I then went on,
"My father, thy dear brother's, who with thee
Rome to the good and holy pathway won,

Faith is the proof of things we do not see.
The substance of things hoped for, and from hence
I find what seems its formal quiddity."

Then heard I: "Thou full rightly dost commence,
If thou know'st well why he assigns its place
First as a substance, then as evidence."

And I went on and said, " The depths of grace,
Which here to me themselves make manifest.
Below, men cannot look on face to face.

So that on Faith alone their truth they rest —
Faith on which soaring Hope doth supervene,
And hence the note of substance is imprest.

And from this Faith it ever right hath been
To syllogise, though nothing meet our sense;
And here the note of evidence is seen."

And then I heard: " If every inference
Doctrinal were on earth thus understood,
The Sophist's craft had found no permanence."

So breathed that flame, with burning love endued.
Then added: " Of this coin the alloy and weight
Full well the test of thine assay have stood;

But if thou hast it in thy purse, pray state."
And I: " Oh yes, it shines so round and bright,
That of its mintage none can raise debate."

Then from the depths of that transcendent light
There came a voice, " This jewel rich and true,
From whence each virtue draweth all its might,

Whence came it to thee? " " The abundant dew
Of the most Holy Spirit," then said I,
"Poured out upon the Scriptures Old and New,

A syllogism is which doth supply
A force so keen, that all that's else inferred"
Would seem, compared with it, as fallacy."

And then, "Those axioms new and old," I heard,
"From whence thou dost such fixed conclusions draw.
Why dost thou hold them as God's living word?'

And I: " The proofs through which the truth I saw
Are outcome of results where Nature's care
Ne'er heated iron nor plied the anvil's law."

Then answered he: " Say who doth witness bear
Such works were wrought? What doth the story tell
Itself needs proof; none else the fact declare.""

"Nay," said I, "if without a miracle
The world was turned to Christ, that were alone
A marvel which all else doth far excel.

For thou didst come, as poor and fasting known.
To sow the field with that good seed that bore
Of old a vine, and now a thorn is grown."

That high and holy Court, when this was o'er.
Their clear Te Deum through the spheres did sing,
Set to the music sung where saints adore.

And then that Baron, who, examining,
Had led me on from branch to branch, until
We to the farthest leaves our flight did wing.

Began once more: " The grace, that with thy will
As mistress works, thy lips oped hitherto.
As it were well that it should open still,

So that I praise what thence came out to view;
But now 'tis meet thou tell thy faith to me.
And whence to thy belief it came as true."

"O holy father, spirit who dost see
What thou didst so believe that younger feet
Were at the sepulchre outstripped by thee,"

I then began, " thou tell'st me it is meet
I show the form to which assent I give.
And of the grounds thereof should also treat.

And I respond: In one God I believe,
Alone, eternal, who all Heaven doth move.
Unmoved Himself, with love and will that live.

And this my faith I do not seek to prove
Only by physic, metaphysic, lore,
But Truth bestows it, dropping from above,

Through Moses, Psalms, and Prophets, and yet more.
Through the great Gospel, and through you who wrote.
Made holy by the Spirit's fire of yore.

And to Three Persons I ray faith devote.
One Essence in that Trinal Unity,"
In whom both Sunt and Est combined we note.

With that profound estate of Deity
Whereof I speak, my mind hath been imprest
Full often by the Gospel mystery.

Here is my ground-belief, the spark at rest,
Which in me spreads into a living fire.
And, as a star in Heaven, is manifest."

As master hearing what he doth desire.
Joyous, his servant straightway doth embrace
For that good news, when he of speech doth tire.

So, blessing me and chanting words of grace.
That Apostolic light, when I did cease,
Thrice circled round me, he who bade me trace

What thus I spake, so much my words did please.