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see； Or ever yet his warfare be completed。
The two remaining points； that not for knowledge Have been
demanded； but that he report How much this virtue unto thee is pleasing；
To him I leave； for hard he will not find them； Nor of self…praise； and
let him answer them； And may the grace of God in this assist him！〃
As a disciple； who his teacher follows； Ready and willing； where he is
expert； That his proficiency may be displayed；
〃Hope；〃 said I； 〃is the certain expectation Of future glory； which is the
effect Of grace divine and merit precedent。
From many stars this light comes unto me； But he instilled it first into
my heart Who was chief singer unto the chief captain。
'Sperent in te；' in the high Theody He sayeth； 'those who know thy
name；' and who Knoweth it not； if he my faith possess？
Thou didst instil me； then； with his instilling In the Epistle； so that I
am full； And upon others rain again your rain。〃
While I was speaking； in the living bosom Of that combustion
quivered an effulgence； Sudden and frequent； in the guise of lightning；
Then breathed： 〃The love wherewith I am inflamed Towards the virtue
still which followed me Unto the palm and issue of the field；
Wills that I breathe to thee that thou delight In her； and grateful to me
is thy telling Whatever things Hope promises to thee。〃
And I： 〃The ancient Scriptures and the new The mark establish； and
this shows it me； Of all the souls whom God hath made his friends。
Isaiah saith； that each one garmented In his own land shall be with
twofold garments； And his own land is this delightful life。
Thy brother； too； far more explicitly； There where he treateth of the
robes of white； This revelation manifests to us。〃
And first； and near the ending of these words； 〃Sperent in te〃 from
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over us was heard； To which responsive answered all the carols。
Thereafterward a light among them brightened； So that； if Cancer one
such crystal had； Winter would have a month of one sole day。
And as uprises； goes； and enters the dance A winsome maiden； only to
do honour To the new bride； and not from any failing；
Even thus did I behold the brightened splendour Approach the two；
who in a wheel revolved As was beseeming to their ardent love。
Into the song and music there it entered； And fixed on them my Lady
kept her look； Even as a bride silent and motionless。
〃This is the one who lay upon the breast Of him our Pelican； and this
is he To the great office from the cross elected。〃
My Lady thus； but therefore none the more Did move her sight from
its attentive gaze Before or afterward these words of hers。
Even as a man who gazes； and endeavours To see the eclipsing of the
sun a little； And who； by seeing； sightless doth become；
So I became before that latest fire； While it was said； 〃Why dost thou
daze thyself To see a thing which here hath no existence？
Earth in the earth my body is； and shall be With all the others there；
until our number With the eternal proposition tallies。
With the two garments in the blessed cloister Are the two lights alone
that have ascended： And this shalt thou take back into your world。〃
And at this utterance the flaming circle Grew quiet； with the dulcet
intermingling Of sound that by the trinal breath was made；
As to escape from danger or fatigue The oars that erst were in the
water beaten Are all suspended at a whistle's sound。
Ah； how much in my mind was I disturbed； When I turned round to
look on Beatrice； That her I could not see； although I was
Close at her side and in the Happy World！
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Paradiso： Canto XXVI
While I was doubting for my vision quenched； Out of the flame
refulgent that had quenched it Issued a breathing； that attentive made me；
Saying： 〃While thou recoverest the sense Of seeing which in me thou
hast consumed； 'Tis well that speaking thou shouldst compensate it。
Begin then； and declare to what thy soul Is aimed； and count it for a
certainty； Sight is in thee bewildered and not dead；
Because the Lady； who through this divine Region conducteth thee；
has in her look The power the hand of Ananias had。〃
I said： 〃As pleaseth her； or soon or late Let the cure come to eyes that
portals were When she with fire I ever burn with entered。
The Good； that gives contentment to this Court； The Alpha and Omega
is of all The writing that love reads me low or loud。〃
The selfsame voice； that taken had from me The terror of the sudden
dazzlement； To speak still farther put it in my thought；
And said： 〃In verity with finer sieve Behoveth thee to sift； thee it
behoveth To say who aimed thy bow at such a target。〃
And I： 〃By philosophic arguments； And by authority that hence
descends； Such love must needs imprint itself in me；
For Good； so far as good； when comprehended Doth straight enkindle
love； and so much greater As more of goodness in itself it holds；
Then to that Essence （whose is such advantage That every good which
out of it is found Is nothing but a ray of its own light）
More than elsewhither must the mind be moved Of every one； in
loving； who discerns The truth in which this evidence is founded。
Such truth he to my intellect reveals Who demonstrates to me the
primal love Of all the sempiternal substances。
The voice reveals it of the truthful Author； Who says to Moses；
speaking of Himself； 'I will make all my goodness pass before thee。'
Thou too revealest it to me； beginning The loud Evangel； that
proclaims the secret Of heaven to earth above all other edict。〃
And I heard say： 〃By human intellect And by authority concordant
with it； Of all thy loves reserve for God the highest。
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But say again if other cords thou feelest； Draw thee towards Him； that
thou mayst proclaim With how many teeth this love is biting thee。〃
The holy purpose of the Eagle of Christ Not latent was； nay； rather I
perceived Whither he fain would my profession lead。
Therefore I recommenced： 〃All of those bites Which have the power to
turn the heart to God Unto my charity have been concurrent。
The being of the world； and my own being； The death which He
endured that I may live； And that which all the faithful hope； as I do；
With the forementioned vivid consciousness Have drawn me from the
sea of love perverse； And of the right have placed me on the shore。
The leaves； wherewith embowered is all the garden Of the Eternal
Gardener； do I love As much as he has granted them of good。〃
As soon as I had ceased； a song most sweet Throughout the heaven
resounded； and my Lady Said with the others； 〃Holy； holy； holy！〃
And as at some keen light one wakes from sleep By reason of the
visual spirit that runs Unto the splendour passed from coat to coat；
And he who wakes abhorreth what he sees； So all unconscious is his
sudden waking； Until the judgment cometh to his aid；
So from before mine eyes did Beatrice Chase every mote with
radiance of her own； That cast its light a thousand miles and more。
Whence better after than before I saw； And in a kind of wonderment I
asked About a fourth light that I saw with us。
And said my Lady： 〃There within those rays Gazes upon its Maker the
first soul That ever the first virtue did create。〃
Even as the bough that downward bends its top At transit of the wind；
and then is lifted By its own virtue； which inclines it upward；
Likewise did I； the while that she was speaking； Being amazed； and
then I was made bold By a desire to speak wherewith I burned。
And I began： 〃O apple； that mature Alone hast been produced； O
ancient father； To whom each wife is daughter and daughter…in…law；
Devoutly as I can I supplicate thee That thou wouldst speak to