Paradiso: Canto XXVIII

When, counter to the present life of wretched mortals, the truth had been revealed by her who doth emparadise my mind;

as in the mirror a taper's flame, kindled behind a man, is seen of him or ere itself be in his sight or thought,

and he turneth back to see whether the glass speak truth to him, and seeth it accordant with it as song-words to their measure;

so doth my memory recall it chanced to me, gazing upon the beauteous eyes whence love had made the noose to capture me;

and when I turned, and mine own were smitten by what appeareth in that volume whene'er upon its circling the eye is rightly fixed,

a point I saw which rayed forth light so keen, needs must the vision that it flameth on be closed because of its strong poignancy;

and whatever star from here appeareth smallest, were seen a moon neighboured with it, as star with star is neighboured.

Perhaps as close as the halo seemeth to gird the luminary that doth paint it, whenso the vapour which supporteth it is thickest,

at such interval around the point there wheeled a circle of fire so rapidly it had surpassed the motion which doth swiftest gird the universe;

and this was by a second girt around, that by a third, and the third by a fourth, by a fifth the fourth, then by a sixth the fifth.

Thereafter followed the seventh, already in its stretch so far outspread that were the messenger of Juno made complete, it were too strait to hold it.

And so the eighth and ninth; and each one moved slower according as in number it was more remote from unity;

and that one had the clearest flame, from which the pure spark was least distant; because, I take it, it sinketh deepest into the truth thereof.

My Lady, who beheld me in toil of deep suspense, said: "From that point doth hang heaven and all nature.

Look on that circle which is most conjoint thereto, and know its movement is so swift by reason of the enkindled love whereby 'tis pierced."

And I to her: "Were the universe disposed in the order I behold in these wheelings, then were I satisfied with what is set before me.

But in the universe of sense we may see the circlings more divine as from the centre they are more removed.

Wherefore, if it behoveth my desire to find its goal in this wondrous and angelic temple which hath only love and light for boundary,

needs must I further hear wherefore the copy and the pattern go not in one fashion; for, for myself, I gaze on it in vain."

"And if for such a knot thy fingers are not able, no marvel is it; so hard hath it become by never being tried."

So my Lady; and then said: "Take that which I shall tell thee, wouldst thou be satisfied, and ply thy wit around it.

The corporeal circles are ample or strait according to the more or less of the virtue which spreadeth over all their parts.

Greater excellence hath purpose to work greater weal; and greater weal is comprehended in the greater body if that the parts be equally consummate.

Therefore the one which sweepeth with it all the rest of the universe, correspondeth to the circle that most loveth and most knoweth.

Wherefore, if thou draw thy measure round the virtue, not the semblance of the substances which appear to thee in circles,

thou wilt see a wondrous congruance of greater unto more and smaller unto less in every heaven to its intelligence."

As the hemisphere of air becometh shining and serene when Boreas bloweth from his gentler cheek,

whereby is purged and is resolved the film which erst obscured it, so that the heaven laugheth with the beauties of its every district;

so did I, when my Lady had made provision to me of her clear-shining answer; and like a star in heaven the truth was seen.

And when her words stayed, no otherwise doth iron shoot forth sparkles, when it boileth, than did the circles sparkle.

And every spark followed their blaze; and their numbers were such as ran to thousands beyond the duplication of the chessboard.

From choir to choir I heard Hosanna sung to that fixed point which holdeth and shall ever hold them to the where in which they have been ever;

and she who saw the questioning thoughts within my mind, said: "The first circles have revealed to thee the Seraphs and the Cherubs.

So swift they follow their withies that they may liken them unto the point as most they may; and they may in measure as they are sublime in vision.

Those other loves which course around them are named Thrones of the divine aspect, because they brought to its completion the first ternary.

And thou shouldst know that all have their delight in measure as their sight sinketh more deep into the truth wherein every intellect is stilled.

Hence may be seen how the being blessed is founded on the act that seeth, not that which loveth, which after followeth;

and the measure of sight is the merit which grace begetteth and the righteous will; and thus from rank to rank the progress goeth.

The second ternary which thus flowereth in this eternal spring which nightly Aries doth not despoil,

unceasingly unwintereth Hosanna with three melodies which sound in the three orders of gladness, whereof it is three-plied.

In that hierarchy are the three divinities, first Dominations, and then Virtues; the third order is of Powers.

Then in the two last-save-one upleapings. Principalities and Archangels whirl; the last consisteth all of Angelic sports.

These orders all gaze upward, and downward have such conquering might that toward God all are drawn and all draw.

And Dionysius with such yearning set himself to contemplate these orders that he named them and distinguished them as I.

But Gregory afterward departed from him, wherefore so soon as he opened his eye in this heaven he smiled at his own self.

And if so hidden truth was uttered forth by mortal upon earth, I would not have thee marvel; for he who saw it here above revealed it to him, with much beside of truth about these circles."