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infused By the same power that both of them created；
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And hence at what I said above dost wonder； When I narrated that no
second had The good which in the fifth light is enclosed。
Now ope thine eyes to what I answer thee； And thou shalt see thy
creed and my discourse Fit in the truth as centre in a circle。
That which can die； and that which dieth not； Are nothing but the
splendour of the idea Which by his love our Lord brings into being；
Because that living Light； which from its fount Effulgent flows； so that
it disunites not From Him nor from the Love in them intrined；
Through its own goodness reunites its rays In nine subsistences； as in a
mirror； Itself eternally remaining One。
Thence it descends to the last potencies； Downward from act to act
becoming such That only brief contingencies it makes；
And these contingencies I hold to be Things generated； which the
heaven produces By its own motion； with seed and without。
Neither their wax； nor that which tempers it； Remains immutable； and
hence beneath The ideal signet more and less shines through；
Therefore it happens； that the selfsame tree After its kind bears worse
and better fruit； And ye are born with characters diverse。
If in perfection tempered were the wax； And were the heaven in its
supremest virtue； The brilliance of the seal would all appear；
But nature gives it evermore deficient； In the like manner working as
the artist； Who has the skill of art and hand that trembles。
If then the fervent Love； the Vision clear； Of primal Virtue do dispose
and seal； Perfection absolute is there acquired。
Thus was of old the earth created worthy Of all and every animal
perfection； And thus the Virgin was impregnate made；
So that thine own opinion I commend； That human nature never yet
has been； Nor will be； what it was in those two persons。
Now if no farther forth I should proceed； 'Then in what way was he
without a peer？' Would be the first beginning of thy words。
But； that may well appear what now appears not； Think who he was；
and what occasion moved him To make request； when it was told him；
'Ask。'
I've not so spoken that thou canst not see Clearly he was a king who
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asked for wisdom； That he might be sufficiently a king；
'Twas not to know the number in which are The motors here above； or
if 'necesse' With a contingent e'er 'necesse' make；
'Non si est dare primum motum esse；' Or if in semicircle can be made
Triangle so that it have no right angle。
Whence； if thou notest this and what I said； A regal prudence is that
peerless seeing In which the shaft of my intention strikes。
And if on 'rose' thou turnest thy clear eyes； Thou'lt see that it has
reference alone To kings who're many； and the good are rare。
With this distinction take thou what I said； And thus it can consist with
thy belief Of the first father and of our Delight。
And lead shall this be always to thy feet； To make thee； like a weary
man； move slowly Both to the Yes and No thou seest not；
For very low among the fools is he Who affirms without distinction； or
denies； As well in one as in the other case；
Because it happens that full often bends Current opinion in the false
direction； And then the feelings bind the intellect。
Far more than uselessly he leaves the shore； （Since he returneth not the
same he went；） Who fishes for the truth； and has no skill；
And in the world proofs manifest thereof Parmenides； Melissus；
Brissus are； And many who went on and knew not whither；
Thus did Sabellius； Arius； and those fools Who have been even as
swords unto the Scriptures In rendering distorted their straight faces。
Nor yet shall people be too confident In judging； even as he is who
doth count The corn in field or ever it be ripe。
For I have seen all winter long the thorn First show itself intractable
and fierce； And after bear the rose upon its top；
And I have seen a ship direct and swift Run o'er the sea throughout its
course entire； To perish at the harbour's mouth at last。
Let not Dame Bertha nor Ser Martin think； Seeing one steal； another
offering make； To see them in the arbitrament divine；
For one may rise； and fall the other may。〃
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Paradiso： Canto XIV
From centre unto rim； from rim to centre； In a round vase the water
moves itself； As from without 'tis struck or from within。
Into my mind upon a sudden dropped What I am saying； at the
moment when Silent became the glorious life of Thomas；
Because of the resemblance that was born Of his discourse and that of
Beatrice； Whom； after him； it pleased thus to begin：
〃This man has need （and does not tell you so； Nor with the voice； nor
even in his thought） Of going to the root of one truth more。
Declare unto him if the light wherewith Blossoms your substance shall
remain with you Eternally the same that it is now；
And if it do remain； say in what manner； After ye are again made
visible； It can be that it injure not your sight。〃
As by a greater gladness urged and drawn They who are dancing in a
ring sometimes Uplift their voices and their motions quicken；
So； at that orison devout and prompt； The holy circles a new joy
displayed In their revolving and their wondrous song。
Whoso lamenteth him that here we die That we may live above； has
never there Seen the refreshment of the eternal rain。
The One and Two and Three who ever liveth； And reigneth ever in
Three and Two and One； Not circumscribed and all things circumscribing；
Three several times was chanted by each one Among those spirits；
with such melody That for all merit it were just reward；
And； in the lustre most divine of all The lesser ring； I heard a modest
voice； Such as perhaps the Angel's was to Mary；
Answer： 〃As long as the festivity Of Paradise shall be； so long our
love Shall radiate round about us such a vesture。
Its brightness is proportioned to the ardour； The ardour to the vision；
and the vision Equals what grace it has above its worth。
When； glorious and sanctified； our flesh Is reassumed； then shall our
persons be More pleasing by their being all complete；
For will increase whate'er bestows on us Of light gratuitous the Good
Supreme； Light which enables us to look on Him；
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Therefore the vision must perforce increase； Increase the ardour which
from that is kindled； Increase the radiance which from this proceeds。
But even as a coal that sends forth flame； And by its vivid whiteness
overpowers it So that its own appearance it maintains；
Thus the effulgence that surrounds us now Shall be o'erpowered in
aspect by the flesh； Which still to…day the earth doth cover up；
Nor can so great a splendour weary us； For strong will be the organs of
the body To everything which hath the power to please us。〃
So sudden and alert appeared to me Both one and the other choir to
say Amen； That well they showed desire for their dead bodies；
Nor sole for them perhaps； but for the mothers； The fathers； and the
rest who had been dear Or ever they became eternal flames。
And lo！ all round about of equal brightness Arose a lustre over what
was there； Like an horizon that is clearing up。
And as at rise of early eve begin Along the welkin new appearances；
So that the sight seems real and unreal；
It seemed to me that new subsistences Began there to be seen； and
make a circle Outside the other two circumferences。
O very sparkling of the Holy Spirit； How sudden and incandescent it
became Unto mine eyes； that vanquished bore it not！
But Beatrice so beautiful and smiling Appeared to me； that with the
other sights That followed not my memory I must leave her。
Then to uplift themselves m