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thee the living justice Of which thou mad'st such frequent questioning。
For saidst thou： 'Born a man is on the shore Of Indus； and is none who
there can speak Of Christ； nor who can read； nor who can write；
And all his inclinations and his actions Are good； so far as human
reason sees； Without a sin in life or in discourse：
He dieth unbaptised and without faith； Where is this justice that
condemneth him？ Where is his fault； if he do not believe？'
Now who art thou； that on the bench wouldst sit In judgment at a
thousand miles away； With the short vision of a single span？
Truly to him who with me subtilizes； If so the Scripture were not over
you； For doubting there were marvellous occasion。
O animals terrene； O stolid minds； The primal will； that in itself is
good； Ne'er from itself； the Good Supreme； has moved。
So much is just as is accordant with it； No good created draws it to
itself； But it； by raying forth； occasions that。〃
Even as above her nest goes circling round The stork when she has fed
her little ones； And he who has been fed looks up at her；
So lifted I my brows； and even such Became the blessed image； which
its wings Was moving； by so many counsels urged。
Circling around it sang； and said： 〃As are My notes to thee； who dost
not comprehend them； Such is the eternal judgment to you mortals。〃
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Those lucent splendours of the Holy Spirit Grew quiet then； but still
within the standard That made the Romans reverend to the world。
It recommenced： 〃Unto this kingdom never Ascended one who had not
faith in Christ； Before or since he to the tree was nailed。
But look thou； many crying are； 'Christ； Christ！' Who at the judgment
shall be far less near To him than some shall be who knew not Christ。
Such Christians shall the Ethiop condemn； When the two companies
shall be divided； The one for ever rich； the other poor。
What to your kings may not the Persians say； When they that volume
opened shall behold In which are written down all their dispraises？
There shall be seen； among the deeds of Albert； That which ere long
shall set the pen in motion； For which the realm of Prague shall be
deserted。
There shall be seen the woe that on the Seine He brings by falsifying
of the coin； Who by the blow of a wild boar shall die。
There shall be seen the pride that causes thirst； Which makes the Scot
and Englishman so mad That they within their boundaries cannot rest；
Be seen the luxury and effeminate life Of him of Spain； and the
Bohemian； Who valour never knew and never wished；
Be seen the Cripple of Jerusalem； His goodness represented by an I；
While the reverse an M shall represent；
Be seen the avarice and poltroonery Of him who guards the Island of
the Fire； Wherein Anchises finished his long life；
And to declare how pitiful he is Shall be his record in contracted
letters Which shall make note of much in little space。
And shall appear to each one the foul deeds Of uncle and of brother
who a nation So famous have dishonoured； and two crowns。
And he of Portugal and he of Norway Shall there be known； and he of
Rascia too； Who saw in evil hour the coin of Venice。
O happy Hungary； if she let herself Be wronged no farther！ and
Navarre the happy； If with the hills that gird her she be armed！
And each one may believe that now； as hansel Thereof； do Nicosia and
Famagosta Lament and rage because of their own beast；
Who from the others' flank departeth not。〃
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Paradiso： Canto XX
When he who all the world illuminates Out of our hemisphere so far
descends That on all sides the daylight is consumed；
The heaven； that erst by him alone was kindled； Doth suddenly reveal
itself again By many lights； wherein is one resplendent。
And came into my mind this act of heaven； When the ensign of the
world and of its leaders Had silent in the blessed beak become；
Because those living luminaries all； By far more luminous； did songs
begin Lapsing and falling from my memory。
O gentle Love； that with a smile dost cloak thee； How ardent in those
sparks didst thou appear； That had the breath alone of holy thoughts！
After the precious and pellucid crystals； With which begemmed the
sixth light I beheld； Silence imposed on the angelic bells；
I seemed to hear the murmuring of a river That clear descendeth down
from rock to rock； Showing the affluence of its mountain…top。
And as the sound upon the cithern's neck Taketh its form； and as upon
the vent Of rustic pipe the wind that enters it；
Even thus； relieved from the delay of waiting； That murmuring of the
eagle mounted up Along its neck； as if it had been hollow。
There it became a voice； and issued thence From out its beak； in such a
form of words As the heart waited for wherein I wrote them。
〃The part in me which sees and bears the sun In mortal eagles；〃 it
began to me； 〃Now fixedly must needs be looked upon；
For of the fires of which I make my figure； Those whence the eye doth
sparkle in my head Of all their orders the supremest are。
He who is shining in the midst as pupil Was once the singer of the
Holy Spirit； Who bore the ark from city unto city；
Now knoweth he the merit of his song； In so far as effect of his own
counsel； By the reward which is commensurate。
Of five； that make a circle for my brow； He that approacheth nearest to
my beak Did the poor widow for her son console；
Now knoweth he how dearly it doth cost Not following Christ； by the
experience Of this sweet life and of its opposite。
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He who comes next in the circumference Of which I speak； upon its
highest arc； Did death postpone by penitence sincere；
Now knoweth he that the eternal judgment Suffers no change； albeit
worthy prayer Maketh below to…morrow of to…day。
The next who follows； with the laws and me； Under the good intent
that bore bad fruit Became a Greek by ceding to the pastor；
Now knoweth he how all the ill deduced From his good action is not
harmful to him； Although the world thereby may be destroyed。
And he； whom in the downward arc thou seest； Guglielmo was； whom
the same land deplores That weepeth Charles and Frederick yet alive；
Now knoweth he how heaven enamoured is With a just king； and in
the outward show Of his effulgence he reveals it still。
Who would believe； down in the errant world； That e'er the Trojan
Ripheus in this round Could be the fifth one of the holy lights？
Now knoweth he enough of what the world Has not the power to see
of grace divine； Although his sight may not discern the bottom。〃
Like as a lark that in the air expatiates； First singing and then silent
with content Of the last sweetness that doth satisfy her；
Such seemed to me the image of the imprint Of the eternal pleasure；
by whose will Doth everything become the thing it is。
And notwithstanding to my doubt I was As glass is to the colour that
invests it； To wait the time in silence it endured not；
But forth from out my mouth； 〃What things are these？〃 Extorted with
the force of its own weight； Whereat I saw great joy of coruscation。
Thereafterward with eye still more enkindled The blessed standard
made to me reply； To keep me not in wonderment suspended：
〃I see that thou believest in these things Because I say them； but thou
seest not how； So that； although believed in； they are hidden。
Thou doest as he doth who a thing by name Well apprehendeth； but its
quiddity Cannot perceive； unless another show it。
'Regnum coelorum' suffereth violence From fervent love； and from
that living hope That overcometh the Divine volition；
Not in the guise that man o'ercometh man； But conquers it because it
will be conquered； And conquered conquers by benignity。
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