Paradiso: Canto V

"If I flame on thee in the warmth of love, beyond the measure witnessed upon earth, and so vanquish the power of thine eyes,

marvel not; for this proceedeth from perfect vision, which, as it apprehendeth, so doth advance its foot in the apprehended good.

Well do I note how in thine intellect already doth reglow the eternal light, which only seen doth ever kindle love;

and if aught else seduce your love, naught is it save some vestige of this light, ill understood, that shineth through therein.

Thou wouldst know whether with other service reckoning may be paid for broken vow, so great as to secure the soul from process."

So Beatrice began this chant, and, as one who interrupteth not his speech, continued thus the sacred progress: "The greatest gift God of his largess made at the creation, and the most conformed to his own excellence, and which he most prizeth,

was the will's liberty, wherewith creatures intelligent, both all and only, were and are endowed.

Now will appear to thee (if thence thou draw due inference) the high worth of the vow, if so made that God consent when thou consentest;

for in establishing the compact between God and man, the victim is made from out this treasure, such as I pronounce it, and made by its own act.

What may be rendered, then, as restoration? If thou think to make good use of that which thou hadst consecrated, thou wouldst do good works from evil gains.

Thou art now assured as to the greater point; but since holy Church granteth herein dispensations, which seemeth counter to the truth I have unfolded to thee,

it behoves thee still to sit a while at table, because the stubborn food which thou hast taken demandeth further aid for thy digestion.

Open thy mind to that which I unfold to thee, and fix it there within; for to have understood without retaining maketh not knowledge.

Two things pertain to the essence of this sacrifice: first, that whereof it is composed, and then the compact's self.

This last can ne'er be cancelled save by being kept; and concerning this it is that the discourse above is so precise;

therefore it was imperative upon the Hebrews to offer sacrifice in any case, though the thing offered might sometimes be changed, as thou shouldst know.

The other thing, which hath been unfolded to thee as the matter, may in sooth be such that there is no offence if it be interchanged with other matter.

But let none shift the load upon his shoulder at his own judgment, without the turn both of the white and of the yellow key;

and let him hold all changing to be folly, unless the thing remitted be contained in that assumed in four to six proportion.

Wherefore what thing soe'er weigheth so heavy in virtue of its worth as to turn every scale, can never be made good by any other outlay.

Let mortals never take the vow in sport; be loyal, and in doing this not squint-eyed; like as was Jephthah in his firstling vow;

whom it had more become to say: I did amiss than keep it and do worse; and in like folly mayst thou track the great chief of the Greeks,

wherefore Iphigenia wept that her face was fair, and made simple and sage to weep for her, hearing of such a rite.

Ye Christians, be more sedate in moving, not like a feather unto every wind; nor think that every water cleanseth you.

Ye have the Old and the New Testament and the shepherd of the Church to guide you; let this suffice you, unto your salvation.

If sorry greed proclaim aught else to you, be men, not senseless sheep, lest the Jew in your midst should scoff at you.

Do not ye as the lamb who leaves his mother's milk, silly and wanton, fighting with himself for his disport."

Thus Beatrice to me, as I write; then turned her all in longing to that part where the world quickeneth most.

Her ceasing and her transmuted semblance enjoined silence on my eager wit, which already had new questionings before it.

And even as an arrow which smiteth the targe ere the cord be still, so fled we to the second realm.

There I beheld my Lady so glad, when to the light of this heaven she committed her, that the planet's self became the brighter for it.

And if the star was changed and laughed, what then did I, who of my very nature am subjected unto change through every guise!

As in a fish-pool still and clear, the fishes draw to aught that so droppeth from without as to make them deem it somewhat they may feed on,

so did I see more than a thousand splendours draw towards us, and in each one was heard: Lo! one who shall increase our loves.

And as each one came up to us, the shade appeared full filled with joy, by the bright glow that issued forth of it.

Think, reader, if what I now begin proceeded not, how thou would'st feel an anguished dearth of knowing more,

and by thyself thou shalt perceive how it was in my longing to hear from these concerning their estate, soon as they were revealed unto my eyes.

"O happy-born, to whom grace concedeth to look upon the Thrones of the eternal triumph ere thou abandonest thy time of warfare,

by the light that rangeth through all heaven are we enkindled; and therefore if thou desire to draw light from us, sate thee at thine own will."

Thus by one of those devout spirits was said to me, and by Beatrice: "Speak, speak securely, and believe as thou would'st deities." Verily, I see how thou dost nestle in thine own light, and that thou dost draw it through thine eyes, because they sparkle as thou smilest;

but I know nor who thou art, nor why, O worthy soul, thou art graded in this sphere, which veileth it to mortals in another's rays."

This I said, turned towards the light which first had spoken to me; whereat it glowed far brighter yet than what it was before.

Like as the sun which hideth him by excess of light when the heat hath gnawed away the tempering of the thick vapours,

so by access of joy the sacred figure hid him in his own rays, and thus enclosed, enclosed, answered me in such fashion as chanteth the following chant.