Paradise, Canto XXI

Already on my Lady's face mine eyes

Again were fastened, and with these my mind,

And from all other purpose was withdrawn;

And she smiled not; but "If I were to smile,"

She unto me began, "thou wouldst become

Like Semele, when she was turned to ashes.

Because my beauty, that along the stairs

Of the eternal palace more enkindles,

As thou hast seen, the farther we ascend,

If it were tempered not, is so resplendent

That all thy mortal power in its effulgence

Would seem a leaflet that the thunder crushes.

We are uplifted to the seventh splendour,

That underneath the burning Lion's breast

Now radiates downward mingled with his power.

Fix in direction of thine eyes the mind,

And make of them a mirror for the figure

That in this mirror shall appear to thee."

He who could know what was the pasturage

My sight had in that blessed countenance,

When I transferred me to another care,

Would recognize how grateful was to me

Obedience unto my celestial escort,

By counterpoising one side with the other.

Within the crystal which, around the world

Revolving, bears the name of its dear leader,

Under whom every wickedness lay dead,

Coloured like gold, on which the sunshine gleams,

A stairway I beheld to such a height

Uplifted, that mine eye pursued it not.

Likewise beheld I down the steps descending

So many splendours, that I thought each light

That in the heaven appears was there diffused.

And as accordant with their natural custom

The rooks together at the break of day

Bestir themselves to warm their feathers cold;

Then some of them fly off without return,

Others come back to where they started from,

And others, wheeling round, still keep at home;

Such fashion it appeared to me was there

Within the sparkling that together came,

As soon as on a certain step it struck,

And that which nearest unto us remained

Became so clear, that in my thought I said,

"Well I perceive the love thou showest me;

But she, from whom I wait the how and when

Of speech and silence, standeth still; whence I

Against desire do well if I ask not."

She thereupon, who saw my silentness

In the sight of Him who seeth everything,

Said unto me, "Let loose thy warm desire."

And I began: "No merit of my own

Renders me worthy of response from thee;

But for her sake who granteth me the asking,

Thou blessed life that dost remain concealed

In thy beatitude, make known to me

The cause which draweth thee so near my side;

And tell me why is silent in this wheel

The dulcet symphony of Paradise,

That through the rest below sounds so devoutly."

"Thou hast thy hearing mortal as thy sight,"

It answer made to me; "they sing not here,

For the same cause that Beatrice has not smiled.

Thus far adown the holy stairway's steps

Have I descended but to give thee welcome

With words, and with the light that mantles me;

Nor did more love cause me to be more ready,

For love as much and more up there is burning,

As doth the flaming manifest to thee.

But the high charity, that makes us servants

Prompt to the counsel which controls the world,

Allotteth here, even as thou dost observe."

"I see full well," said I, "O sacred lamp!

How love unfettered in this court sufficeth

To follow the eternal Providence;

But this is what seems hard for me to see,

Wherefore predestinate wast thou alone

Unto this office from among thy consorts."

No sooner had I come to the last word,

Than of its middle made the light a centre,

Whirling itself about like a swift millstone.

When answer made the love that was therein:

"On me directed is a light divine,

Piercing through this in which I am embosomed,

Of which the virtue with my sight conjoined

Lifts me above myself so far, I see

The supreme essence from which this is drawn.

Hence comes the joyfulness with which I flame,

For to my sight, as far as it is clear,

The clearness of the flame I equal make.

But that soul in the heaven which is most pure,

That seraph which his eye on God most fixes,

Could this demand of thine not satisfy;

Because so deeply sinks in the abyss

Of the eternal statute what thou askest,

From all created sight it is cut off.

And to the mortal world, when thou returnest,

This carry back, that it may not presume

Longer tow'rd such a goal to move its feet.

The mind, that shineth here, on earth doth smoke;

From this observe how can it do below

That which it cannot though the heaven assume it?"

Such limit did its words prescribe to me,

The question I relinquished, and restricted

Myself to ask it humbly who it was.

"Between two shores of Italy rise cliffs,

And not far distant from thy native place,

So high, the thunders far below them sound,

And form a ridge that Catria is called,

'Neath which is consecrate a hermitage

Wont to be dedicate to worship only."

Thus unto me the third speech recommenced,

And then, continuing, it said: "Therein

Unto God's service I became so steadfast,

That feeding only on the juice of olives

Lightly I passed away the heats and frosts,

Contented in my thoughts contemplative.

That cloister used to render to these heavens

Abundantly, and now is empty grown,

So that perforce it soon must be revealed.

I in that place was Peter Damiano;

And Peter the Sinner was I in the house

Of Our Lady on the Adriatic shore.

Little of mortal life remained to me,

When I was called and dragged forth to the hat

Which shifteth evermore from bad to worse.

Came Cephas, and the mighty Vessel came

Of the Holy Spirit, meagre and barefooted,

Taking the food of any hostelry.

Now some one to support them on each side

The modern shepherds need, and some to lead them,

So heavy are they, and to hold their trains.

They cover up their palfreys with their cloaks,

So that two beasts go underneath one skin;

O Patience, that dost tolerate so much!"

At this voice saw I many little flames

From step to step descending and revolving,

And every revolution made them fairer.

Round about this one came they and stood still,

And a cry uttered of so loud a sound,

It here could find no parallel, nor I

Distinguished it, the thunder so o'ercame me.