Paradiso: Canto XXXII

With his love fixed on his Delight, that contemplating saint took the free office of the teacher on him, and began these sacred words:

"The wound which Mary closed and annointed, she who is so beauteous at her feet opened and thrust.

In the order which the third rank maketh sitteth below her, Rachael with Beatrice, even as thou seest.

Sarah, Rebecca, Judith, and her from whom, third in descent, the singer came who for grief at his sin cried out have pity on me!

these mayst thou see from rank to rank descending; even as I, naming their proper names, go down the rose petal by petal.

And down from the seventh onward, even as thereto, follow Hebrew dames, disparting all the flower's locks;

because, accordant with the way faith looked to Christ, these are the partition-wall whereat the sacred steps are parted.

On this side, wherein the flower is mature in all its petals, are seated who believed in Christ to come.

On the other side, where they are broke by empty seats, abide in semi-circles such as had their sight turned to-wards Christ come.

And as on the one side the glorious seat of the Lady of heaven and the other seats below it make so great partition,

so, over against her, doth the seat of that great John who ever holy endured the desert and the martyr death and thereafter Hell for two years' space;

and beneath him the making of such severance hath been assigned to Francis, Benedict and Augustine, and others down to here from circle unto circle.

Now marvel at the deep divine provision; for either aspect of the faith, in equal measure shall fill full this garden.

And know that, downward from the rank which in mid line cleaveth the two divisions, in virtue of no merit of their own they have their seats,

but by another's, under fixed conditions; for these are spirits all released ere they had exercised true choice.

Well mayst thou perceive it by their faces, and also their child voices if thou look aright and if thou listen.

Now thou art perplexed, and in perplexity thou keepest silence; but I will loose the hard knot for thee wherein thy subtle thoughts are binding thee.

Within this kingdom's amplitude no chance point may have place, no more than sadness may nor thirst, nor hunger;

because established by eternal law is whatsoe'er thou seest, so that the correspondence is exact between the ring and finger.

Wherefore this swift-sped folk to the true life is here, not without cause, more or less excellent in mutual order.

The King through whom this realm resteth in so great love and in so great delight that never will hath daring for aught more,

as he createth all minds in his own glad sight, doth at his pleasure with grace endow them diversely; and here let the effect suffice.

And this, express and clear, is noted unto you in Holy Writ, anent those twins whose wrath was stirred within their mother's womb.

Wherefore accordant to the colour of the locks of such grace, needs must the lofty light enchaplet them after their worth.

Wherefore, without reward for their own ways, they are placed in different ranks, differing only in their primal keenness.

Thus, in the new-born ages the parents' faith alone sufficed, with innocence, to secure salvation;

when the first ages were complete male children behoved to gather power to their innocent wings by circumcision.

But when the time of grace had come, then without perfect baptism of Christ such innocence was held back there below.

Look now upon the face which is most likened Church unto Christ; for its brightness, and no other, triumphant hath power to fit thee to see Christ."

I saw rain down upon that face such joyance Mary (borne on the sacred minds created for flying through that lofty region),

that all which I had seen before held me not in suspense of so great marvelling, nor showed me so great semblance of God.

And that Love which first descended to her, singing: Hail, Mary, full of grace now spread his wings before her.

The divine canticle was answered from every side by the blest Court, so that every face thereby gathered serenity.

"O holy Father, who for my sake acceptest being here below, leaving the sweet place wherein thou sittest by eternal lot,

what is that angel who with such delight looketh our Queen in the eyes, enamoured so he seemeth all aflame?"

So did I turn again unto his teaching who drew beauty from Mary, as from the sun the morning star.

And he to me, Exultancy and winsomeness as much as there may be in angel or in soul, is all in him; and we would have it so,

for he it is who brought down the palm to Mary, when the Son of God willed to load him with our burden.

But come now with thine eyes even as I shall traverse in discourse, and note the great patricians of this most just and pious empire.

Those two who sit up there, most blest by being nearest to the Empress, are as two roots of this our rose.

He who neighboureth her upon the left is that Father because of whose audacious tasting the human race tasteth such bitterness.

On the right, look upon that ancient Father of Holy Church to whom Christ commended the keys of this lovesome flower.

And he who, ere he died, saw all the grievous seasons of that fair spouse who with the lance and with the nails was won,

sitteth by his side; and by the other resteth that leader under whom was fed by manna the folk ungrateful, fickle and mutinous.

Over against Peter see Anna sit, so satisfied to gaze upon her daughter that she removeth not her eyes to sing Hosanna.

And o'er against the greatest of housefathers sitteth Lucy who moved thy Lady when thou wert stooping down thy brows to thy destruction.

But since the time that doth entrance thee fleeth, here let us make a stop, like to the careful tailor who to the cloth he hath cutteth the garment;

and let us turn our eyes to the Primal Love, so that gazing toward him thou mayst pierce as far as may be into his shining.

But — lest perchance thou backward fall as thou dost ply thy wings, thinking to forward thee, — by prayer behoveth grace to be acquired,

grace from her who hath power to aid thee; and do thou follow me with such affection that from my words thy heart be severed not." And he began this holy prayer.