Paradiso: Canto VI

"After Constantine had wheeled back the eagle, counter to the course of heaven which it had followed in train of the ancient wight who took Lavinia,

a hundred and a hundred years and more the bird of God abode on Europe's limit, neighbouring the mountains whence he first had issued;

and there he governed the world beneath the shadow of his sacred wings from hand to hand till by succeeding change he came to mine.

Caesar I was, and am Justinian, who, by will of the Primal Love which now I feel, withdrew from out the Laws excess and inefficiency;

and ere I fixed my mind upon the work, one nature, and no more, I held to be in Christ, and with such faith was I content;

but the blessed Agapetus, who was high pastor, to the faith without alloy directed me by his discourse.

Him I believed, and now the content of his faith I see as clear as thou dost see that every contradiction is both false and true.

So soon as with the Church I moved my feet, God of his grace it pleased to inspire me with the high task, and all to it I gave me;

and to my Belisarius committed arms; to whom heaven's right-hand was so conjoined it was a signal I should rest me from them.

Now here already is my answer's close to thy first question; but its conditions force me to go on to some addition.

That thou mayst see with how good right against the sacred standard doth proceed both he who doth annex it to himself and he who doth oppose him to it,

see how great virtue hath made it worthy of reverence, beginning from the hour when Pallas died to give it sway.

Thou knowest that it made its sojourn in Alba for three hundred years and more, until the close, when three with three yet fought for it.

And thou knowest what it wrought from the Sabine women's wrong unto Lucretia's woe, through seven kings, conquering around the neighbour folk.

Thou knowest what it wrought, borne by the chosen Romans against Brennus, against Pyrrhus and against the rest, princes and governments;

whence Torquatus and Quinctius, named from his neglected locks, the Decii and the Fabii, drew the fame which I rejoice in thus embalming.

It cast down the pride of the Arabs that followed Hannibal across the Alpine rocks, whence, Po, thou glidest.

Under it, Scipio and Pompey triumphed, yet in their youth, and bitter did it seem unto those hills beneath which thou wast born.

Then, nigh the time when all heaven willed to bring the world to its own serene mood, Caesar, at Rome's behest, laid hold of it;

and what it wrought from Var to Rhine knoweth Isère and Arar, knoweth Seine and every valley by which Rhone is filled.

What it then wrought when he issued forth of Ravenna and sprang the Rubicon, was of such flight that neither tongue nor pen might follow it.

Towards Spain it wheeled the host, then to-wards Durazzo, and so smote Pharsalia that to hot Nile was felt the woe.

Antandros and Simois, whence it first came, it saw once more, and saw the spot where Hector lieth couched; and then (alas for Ptolemy! ) ruffled itself again;

thereafter swooped in lightning upon Juba, then wheeled to-wards your west, where it heard the Pompeian trumpet.

For what it wrought with the succeeding marshal Brutus and Cassius howl in hell; and Modena and Perugia it made doleful.

Yet doth wail for it the wretched Cleopatra, who, as she fled before it, caught from the viper sudden and black death.

With him it coursed unto the Red -Sea shore, with him it set the world in so deep peace that Janus saw his temple barred upon him.

But what the ensign that doth make me speak had done before, what it was yet to do throughout the mortal realm subject unto it,

becometh small and dusky to behold, if it be looked upon in the third Caesar's hand with clear eye and pure heart;

for the living justice that inspireth me, granted it, in his hand of whom I speak, the glory of wreaking vengeance for his wrath.

Now find a marvel in the double thing I tell thee! Thereafter, under Titus, to wreak vengeance on the vengeance on the ancient sin it rushed.

And when the Lombard tooth bit into Holy Church, under its wings did Charlemagne victorious succour her.

Now mayst thou judge of such as I accused but now, and of their sins, which are the cause of all your ills.

The one opposeth to the public standard the yellow lilies, and the other doth annex it to a faction, so that 'tis hard to see which most offendeth.

Ply, ply the Ghibellines their arts under some other standard! for this he ever followeth ill who cleaveth justice from it;

and let not that new Charles down beat it with his Guelfs, but let him fear talons that have ripped its fell from mightier lion.

Many a time ere now have children wailed for father's fault, and let him not suppose God will change arms for those his lilies.

This little star adorneth her with good spirits who were active that honour and that fame might come to them;

and when hereon desire, thus swerving, leaneth, needs must the rays of the true love mount upward with less life.

But in the commeasuring of our rewards to our desert is part of our joy, because we see them neither less nor more.

Whereby the living justice so sweeteneth our affection that it may ne'er be wrenched aside to any malice.

Divers voices upon earth make sweet melody, and so the divers seats in our life render sweet harmony amongst these wheels.

And within the present pearl shineth the light of Romeo, whose beauteous and great work was so ill answered.

But the Provencals who wrought against him have not the laugh; wherefore he taketh an ill path who maketh of another's good work his own loss.

Four daughters, and each one a queen, had Raymond Berengar; and this was wrought for him by Romeo, a lowly and an alien man;

then words uttered askance moved him to demand account of this just man, who gave him five and seven for every ten;

then took his way in poverty and age; and might the world know the heart he had within him, begging his life by crust and crust, much as it praiseth, it would praise him more."'