Paradiso: Canto XII

Soon as the blessed flame had taken up the final word to speak, began the sacred millstone to revolve,

and in its rolling had not turned full round ere a second, circling, embraced it and struck motion to its motion and song to its song;

song which so far surpasseth our Muses, our Sirens, in those sweet tubes, as the first splendour that which it back throweth.

As sweep o'er the thin mist two bows, parallel and like in colour, when Juno maketh behest to her handmaiden,

the one without born from the one within — in fashion of the speech of that wandering nymph whom love consumed as the sun doth the vapours, —

making folk here on earth foreknow, in virtue of the compact that God made with Noah, that the world never shall be drowned again;

so of those sempiternal roses revolved around us the two garlands, and so the outmost answered to the other.

Soon as the dance and high great festival, — alike of song and flashing light with light, gladsome and benign, —

Accordant at a point of time and act of will had stilled them, like to the eyes which at the pleasure that moveth them must needs be closed and lifted in accord,

from out the heart of one of the new lights there moved a voice which made me seem the needle to the star in turning me to where it was;

and it began: "The love which maketh me beautiful draweth me to discourse of the other chief, on whose account such fair utterance is made to us concerning mine.

Meet is it that wherever is the one the other be lead in, that, as they warred together, so may their glory shine in union.

Christ's army, which it cost so dear to re-equip, was following the standard, laggard, fearsome and thin-ranked;

when the Emperor who ever reigneth took counsel for his soldiery that was in peril, of his grace only, not that it was worthy;

and, as hath been said, came to the succour of his spouse with two champions, at whose doing, at whose saying, the straggling squadron gathered itself again.

To-wards that part where sweet Zephyr riseth to open the new leaves, wherewith Europe seeth herself reclad,

not far off from the smiting of the waves, behind the which, because of their long stretch, the sun sometimes hideth himself from all,

the fortune-favoured Calahorra sitteth under protection of the mighty shield, whereon submits the lion, and subdueth.

Therewithin was born the amorous frere of the Christian faith, the sacred athlete, benignant to his own and cruel to his foes;

and, so soon as created, his mind was so replete with living virtue, that in his mother's womb he made her prophetess.

When the espousals were complete at the sacred font, betwixt him and the faith, where they gave dower of mutual salvation,

the lady who for him gave the assent saw in her sleep the marvellous fruit destined to issue from him and from his heirs;

and that he might in very construing be what he was, a spirit from up here moved them to call him by the possessive adjective of him whose he all was.

Dominic was he named; and I speak of him as of the husbandman whom Christ chose for his orchard, to bring aid to it.

Well did he show himself a messenger and a familiar of Christ, for the first love made manifest in him was to the first counsel that Christ gave.

Many a time, silent and awake, was he found on the floor, by her who nursed him, as who should say, 'was for this I came.

Oh father his, Felice in good sooth! Oh mother his, Giovanna in good sooth, if the word means, translated, what they say!

Not for the world for whose sake now men toil after him of Ostia and Thaddeus, but for love of the true manna,

in short season he became a mighty teacher, such that he set him to go round the vineyard, which soon turneth gray if the vine-dresser be to blame;

and from the seat which erst was more benign to the just poor — not in itself, but in him who sitteth on it, and degenerateth —

not to dispense or two or three for six, not for the fortune of the next vacancy, not for the tithes belonging to God's poor,

he made demand; but for leave against the erring world to fight for that seed wherefrom these four and twenty plants ensheaf thee.

Then with teaching and with will together, with the apostolic office he moved forth, like a torrent that a deep vein out-presseth,

and his rush smote amongst the stumps of heresy most livingly where the resistances were grossest.

From him then diverse streamlets sprung, whereby the Catholic orchard is so watered that its shrubs have the fuller life.

If such was the one wheel of the chariot wherein Holy Church defended her, and won in open field her civil strife,

clear enough should be to thee the excellence of that other, concerning whom, ere my coming, Thomas was so courteous.

But the track which the highest part of its circumference took hath been so abandoned, that there now is mold where once was crust.

His household, who marched straight with feet in his footprints, hath turned so round, that the toe striketh on the heel's imprint;

and soon shall sight be had of the harvest of the ill-culture, when the tare shall wail that the chest is reft from it.

I well allow that whoso should search leaf after leaf through our volume, might yet find a page where he might read: I am as I 'was wont;

but not from Casale, nor from Acquasparta shall he be, whence come such to our Scripture that the one shirketh, the other draweth it yet tighter.

I am the life of Bonaventura of Bagnoregio, who in the great offices did ever place behind the lefthand care.

Illuminato and Augustine are here, who were of the first unshod poor brethren, that with the cord made themselves friends to God.

Hugh of St Victor is here with them, and Pietro Mangiadore, and Pietro Ispano, who giveth light below in twelve booklets;

Nathan the prophet, the metropolitan Chrysostom, and Anselm, and that Donatus who deigned to set his hand to the first art;

Rabanus is here, and there shineth at my side the Calabrian abbott Joachim, dowed with prophetic spirit.

To emulous speech of so great paladin moved me the enkindled courtesy of brother Thomas and his well-judged discourse, and moved this company with me."