PARADISO XVII
Like him who came to Clymene to cast out doubt → →
upon the rumor he had heard against himself,
3
who still makes fathers cautious with their sons,
such was I and such was I perceived to be
both by Beatrice and by the holy light
6
that earlier for me had changed its place.
And so my lady said to me: ‘Send forth →
the flame of your desire, and let it issue
9
with the clear imprint of its inner stamp,
‘not that our knowledge be increased by what you say
but that you rehearse the telling of your thirst
12
so that the drink be poured for you.’
‘O my precious root, you are raised so high → →
that, even as earthly minds discern no triangle
15
can contain two angles, both of them obtuse, →
‘so you, gazing on the point that holds all time
are able to discern contingencies
18
before they are apparent in themselves.
‘While I was still in Virgil’s company, → →
both on the mountain that restores our souls
21
and during our descent into the region of the dead,
‘grave words were said to me about my future life—
however much I feel myself prepared
24
foursquare against the blows of chance— →
‘so that my will would be content
if I could know what fate draws near,
27
for the arrow one expects comes slower.’ →
I said these words to the very light
that had just spoken and, as Beatrice wished,
30
my wish was now declared.
Not with cloudy sayings, by which the foolish folk → →
were once ensnared, before the Lamb of God, →
33
who takes away our sins, was slain,
but in plain words and with clear speech →
that paternal love replied,
36
hidden and yet revealed in his own smile:
‘Contingent things, which do not extend → →
beyond the pages of your material world,
39
are all depicted in the Eternal Sight,
‘yet are by that no more enjoined
than is a ship, moved downstream on a river’s flow,
42
by the eyes that mirror it.
‘And thus, as harmony’s sweet sound may rise → →
from mingled voices to the ear, so rises to my sight
45
a vision of the time that lies in store for you.
‘As Hippolytus was forced to flee from Athens, → →
because of his stepmother, treacherous and fierce,
48
so shall you be forced to flee from Florence.
‘This is the plan, already set in motion, →
that soon will bring success to him who plots it
51
where Christ is bought and sold all day. →
‘The populace shall blame the injured party, →
as it always does, but vengeance
54
shall bear witness to the Truth that metes it out.
‘You shall leave behind all you most dearly love, →
and that shall be the arrow
57
first loosed from exile’s bow.
‘You shall learn how salt is the taste → →
of another man’s bread and how hard is the way,
60
going down and then up another man’s stairs.
‘But the heaviest burden your shoulders must bear →
shall be the companions, wicked and witless,
63
among whom you shall fall in your descent.
‘They, utterly ungrateful, mad, and faithless,
shall turn against you. But soon enough they, not you, →
66
shall feel their faces blushing past their brows.
‘Of their brutish state the results →
shall offer proof. And it shall bring you honor
69
‘You shall find welcome and a first refuge →
in the courtesy of the noble Lombard,
72
the one who bears the sacred bird above the ladder. →
‘It is he who will hold you in such gracious favor →
that, as for granting and asking, between you two,
75
that shall be first which, between all others, happens after.
‘In his company you shall find one who, at birth, →
so took the imprint of this mighty star
78
that his deeds will truly be renowned. →
‘As yet the people, because of his youth, →
take small note of him, since these wheels
81
have revolved above him only for nine years.
‘But, before the Gascon can deceive the noble Henry, →
sparks of his virtue shall at first shine forth
84
in his indifference to wealth or toil,
‘and his munificence shall one day be so widely known →
even his enemies will not contrive
87
to keep their tongues from praising it.
‘Look to him and trust his gracious deeds.
On his account many will find alteration, →
90
rich men changing states with beggars.
‘And you shall bear this written in your memory, →
but shall not tell of it’—and he foretold events
93
that even those who witness them shall not believe.
Then he added: ‘Son, these are the glosses →
on what was told you, these are the snares
96
that lurk behind a few revolving years.
‘Yet I would not have you feel envious disdain →
for your fellow-townsmen, since your life shall far outlast
99
the punishment of their treachery.’
After the holy soul, by falling silent, →
showed that he had done with putting the woof
102
into the web for which I had set the warp,
I began, like a man in doubt, →
but one filled with great desire for advice
105
from someone of clear sight, right will, and love:
‘I can see, father, that time is spurring toward me →
to deal me such a blow as falls most heavily
108
on one proceeding heedless on his way. →
‘Thus it is good I arm myself with forethought →
so that, if my belovèd town is torn from me,
111
I may not lose still others through my songs. →
‘Down through the world of endless bitterness, →
and upward on the mountain from whose lovely peak
114
my lady raised me with her eyes,
‘and after, rising through the heavens, light to light,
I have learned things that, should I retell them,
117
would discomfort many with their bitter taste.
‘Yet, should I be a timid friend to truth, →
I fear that I shall not live on for those →
120
to whom our times will be the ancient days.’
The light, in which the treasure that I found there →
had been smiling, now became resplendent
123
as a mirror, golden in the sun,
and
then made this reply: ‘A conscience dark, →
whether with its own or with a kinsman’s shame,
126
is sure to feel your words are harsh.
‘Nonetheless, forswear all falsehood, →
revealing all that you have seen,
129
and then let him who itches scratch.
‘For, if your voice is bitter at first taste, →
it will later furnish vital nourishment
132
once it has been swallowed and digested.
‘This cry of yours shall do as does the wind → →
that strikes the highest peaks with greater force—
135
this loftiness itself no little sign of honor.
‘That is why you have been shown, within these wheels,
upon the mountain, and in the woeful valley,
138
those souls alone that are well known to fame,
‘since the mind of one who listens will not heed →
nor fix its faith on an example
that has its roots in things unknown or hidden
142
or on some other proof not clearly shown.’ →
OUTLINE: PARADISO XVIII
MARS; JUPITER
1–3
Cacciaguida and Dante with their different thoughts;
4–6
Beatrice: “There is no need to be pessimistic here.”
7–12
Beatrice, Dante’s “comfort,” showed such love for him in her eyes that he can neither describe nor recall it;
13–18
he says he was loving God in the “mirror” of Beatrice;
19–21
her third and last speech in Mars is accompanied by her third and last smile in this heaven
22–27
simile: here on earth a face shows that all its soul is suffused by love as there Cacciaguida’s flaming glow reveals his desire for further speaking
28–36
Cacciaguida’s last (eighth) speech: metaphor of tree
37–48
Dante’s “Nine Worthies”
49–51
Cacciaguida’s singing makes him an “artista”
52–57
Dante seeks a sign from Beatrice as to what to do next and finds her aspect more joyous than ever before
58–69
the ascent to Jupiter
58–63
simile: Dante, like a man improving day by day, finds himself making a greater arc
64–69
simile: the change from the red of Mars to the white of Jupiter is like a blush leaving a face
70–72
Dante watches as souls in Jupiter spell out five words
73–78
simile: waterbirds, rising, like the souls, spelling;
79–81
at first they sang, then, forming a letter, fell silent
82–87
sixth invocation: “divine Pegasean”
88–93
Dante is shown thirty-five letters, one by one, and
94–96
(1) the souls linger on the “m”;
97–99
(2) they are joined by new souls that form a lily
100–108
(3) simile: sparks flying up from burning logs when they are struck, from which fools make augury, compared to the souls atop the “M” rising higher: the Eagle
109–111
and He who depicts there needs no model as His guide, by the same principle by which birds make their nests
112–114
the new souls, who had first formed the lily, now finish their design
115–117
apostrophe: “O [Jupiter], I understood that earthly justice is the effect of the heaven that you engem!”
118–123
Dante’s prayer to God that He look down with wrath upon the corruption of the [papacy]
124–126
apostrophe: “O heavenly militia, whom I look upon, pray for all those led astray by its example!”
127–129
the Church once made war with swords but now by decree
130–136
apostrophe: but you who write only to cancel, remember that Peter and Paul, who died for the vineyard that you lay waste, still live.
PARADISO XVIII
That blessèd mirror continued to rejoice →
in his own thoughts and I was tasting mine,
3
tempering the bitter with the sweet, →
when that lady, who was leading me to God,
said: ‘Change your thoughts. Consider that I dwell →
6
with Him who lifts the weight of every wrong.’
At the loving sound of my comfort’s voice →
I turned, and the great love I saw then, → →
9
in her holy eyes, I have to leave untold,
not just because I cannot trust my speech,
but because memory cannot retrace its path
12
that far unless Another guide it.
This much only of that moment can I tell again,
that, when I fixed my gaze on her,
15
my affections were released from any other longing
as long as the eternal Beauty, →
shining its light on Beatrice, made me content
18
with its reflected glow in her fair eyes.
Conquering me with her radiant smile, →
she said: ‘Turn now and listen:
21
not in my eyes alone is Paradise.’
As, on occasion, here on earth, affection →
may be read in someone’s face
24
if it is strong enough to capture all the soul,
so, in the flaming of that holy radiance
to which I turned, I recognized his wish
27
to share some further thoughts with me.
And he began: ‘On this fifth tier of the branches →
of the tree that draws its sustenance from above →
30
and always is in fruit and never sheds its leaves
‘are blessèd spirits who below, on earth, →
before they rose to Heaven, were of such renown
33
that any poet’s page would be enriched by them. →
‘Look, therefore, at the two arms of the cross, →
and each one whom I name will, flashing, dart
36
as does swift fire from within a cloud.’ →
I saw a streak of light drawn through the cross →
at Joshua’s name as soon as it was spoken, →
39
nor could I tell the naming and the deed apart. →
And, at the name of valorous Maccabaeus, →
I saw shoot by another whirling light—
42
and it was joy that whipped that spinning top. →
My watchful gaze was fastened →
on Charlemagne and Roland there, as well,
45
just as the eye pursues the falcon in its flight.
William, Renouard, and then Duke Godfrey →
next drew my eyes along that cross, →
48
and Robert Guiscard also did so. →
Then, leaving me to mingle with the other lights, →
the soul who’d spoken last with me displayed
51
his artistry among the singers of that heaven. →
I turned to my right to learn →
from Beatrice what I ought to do,
54
whether signaled by some word or gesture,
and I saw her eyes so clear, so joyful,
that her aspect in its radiance outshone →
57
her former glory, even that most recent.
And as, from feeling more delight in d
oing good,
a man becomes aware from day to day
60
of his increasing virtue,
seeing that miracle adorned with greater brightness, →
I became aware my wheeling circles
63
through the heavens had grown wider in their arc.
And such a change as passes in a moment →
from the blushing face of a fair-skinned lady,
66
unburdened of the reason for her shame,
greeted my eyes once I had turned around,
because of the white radiance of the temperate
69
sixth star, which had gathered me into itself.
In that torch of Jupiter I watched →
the sparkling of the love resplendent there
72
make signs, before my eyes, of our speech. →
And as birds risen from the river’s edge, → →
seeming to celebrate their pleasure in their food, →
75
form now a rounded arc, and now another shape,
so, radiant within their lights, the holy creatures →
sang as they flew and shaped themselves
78
in figures, now D, now I, now L.
At first, singing, they danced to their own tune.
And then, taking on one of these shapes,
81
they paused in their movement and were silent.
O divine Pegasean, who bestow glory → →
and long life on genius, as, with your help,
84
it gives life to towns and kingdoms,
inspire me with your light so that I may set down
their shapes as I conceived them in my mind.
87
May your power appear in these few lines.
They then displayed themselves in five times seven → →