Canto 8

The world in its peril¹¹² was wont to believe that the beautiful Cypriote¹¹³ revolving in the third epicycle rayed out mad love; wherefore the ancient people in their ancient error not only unto her did honor with sacrifice and with votive cry, but they honored Dione¹¹⁴ also and Cupid, the one as her mother, the other as her son, and they said that he had sat in Dido's lap¹¹⁵ And from her, from whom I take my beginning, they took the name of the star which the sun wooes, now at her back now at her front.¹¹⁶ I was not aware of the ascent to it; but of being in it, my Lady, whom I saw become more beautiful, gave me full assurance.

The world, to its peril,¹¹² once believed that the beautiful Cypriote,¹¹³ circling in the third epicycle, sent out the rays of maddening love. So, in their ancient error, people honored her with sacrifices and prayers. They also honored Dione¹¹⁴ as her mother and Cupid as her son. They said that Cupid had sat in Dido's lap.¹¹⁵ The star I begin by describing was named after the Cypriote. The sun courts this star, now following behind her, now going before her.¹¹⁶ I did not notice our ascent to the star. But my Lady, whom I saw become more beautiful, gave me complete assurance that we had reached it.

And even as in a flame a spark is seen, and as voice from voice is distinguished when one is steady and the other goes and returns, I saw in that light other lamps moving in a circle more and less rapidly, in the measure, I believe, of their inward vision. From a cold cloud winds never descended, or visible or not, go swift, that they would not seem impeded and slow to him who had seen these divine lights coming to us, leaving the circling begun first among the high Seraphim. And within those who appeared most in front was sounding HOSANNA, so that never since have I been without desire of hearing it again. Then one came nearer to us, and alone began, “We all are ready to thy pleasure, that thou mayest joy in us. With one circle, with one circling, and with one thirst,¹¹⁷ we revolve with the celestial Princes,¹¹⁸ to whom thou in the world once said: 'Ye who intelligent move the third heaven;' and we are so full of love that, to please thee, a little quiet will not be less sweet to us.”

Just as a spark can be seen in a flame, I saw other lights within that light. And just as one voice can be distinguished from another when one holds a note and the other rises and falls, I could distinguish these lights as they moved in a circle. Some moved faster than others, I believe, according to how deeply they saw within themselves. Winds have never descended from a cold cloud so swiftly, whether visible or not, that they would not seem slow and hindered to anyone who had seen these divine lights coming toward us. The lights had left the circling they had begun among the high Seraphim. From those that appeared closest to us came the sound of HOSANNA. Ever since, I have longed to hear it again. Then one came closer to us and began to speak alone: “We are all ready to do as you wish, so that you may take joy in us. In one circle, with one circling, and with one thirst,¹¹⁷ we revolve with the celestial Princes.¹¹⁸ You once said to them in the world: 'You who through your intelligence move the third heaven.' We are so full of love that, to please you, a little rest will be just as sweet to us.”

After my eyes had offered themselves reverently to my Lady, and she had of herself made them contented and assured, they turned again to the light which had promised so much; and, “Tell who ye are,” was my utterance, stamped with great affection. And how much greater alike in quantity and quality did I see it become, through the new gladness which was added to its gladnesses when I spoke! Become thus, it said to me,¹¹⁹ “The world had me below short while; and had it been longer much evil had not been which will be. My joy which rays around me, and hides me like a creature swathed in its own silk, holds me concealed from thee. Much didst thou love me, and thou hadst good reason; for had I stayed below I had showed thee of my love far more than the leaves. That left bank which is bathed by the Rhone, after it has mingled with the Sorgue, awaited me in due time for its lord;¹²⁰ and that born of Ansonia¹²¹ which is towned with Bari, with Gaeta, and with Catona,¹²² whence the Tronto and the Verde disgorge into the sea. Already was shining on my brow the crown of that land which the Danube waters after it abandons its German banks;¹²³ and the fair Trinacria¹²⁴ (which is darkened, not by Typhoeus but by nascent sulphur, on the gulf between Pachynus and Pelorus which receives greatest annoy from Eurus¹²⁵) would be still awaiting its kings descended through me from Charles and Rudolph,¹²⁶ if evil rule, which always embitters the subject people, had not moved Palermo to shout, 'Die! Die!'¹²⁷ And if my brother had taken note of this,¹²⁸ he would already put to flight the greedy poverty of Catalonia, in order that it might not do him harm: for truly there is need for him or for some other to look to it, so that on his laden bark more load be not put. His own nature, which descended niggardly from a liberal one, would have need of such a soldiery as should not care to put into a chest.”¹²⁹

I turned my eyes reverently toward my Lady, and she put me at ease and reassured me. Then I looked again at the light that had promised so much. With great affection, I asked, “Tell me who you are.” When I spoke, its joy grew even greater. How much brighter and larger I saw the light become! Then it said to me,¹¹⁹ “I lived on earth only a short while. Had I lived longer, much evil that will come to pass would not have happened. The joy that shines around me hides me from you, like a creature wrapped in its own silk. You loved me deeply, and you had good reason. Had I stayed on earth, I would have shown you far more of my love than its leaves. “In time, I was to become lord of the land on the left bank of the Rhone, below its meeting with the Sorgue.¹²⁰ I was also to rule the land born of Ansonia,¹²¹ with its towns of Bari, Gaeta, and Catona.¹²² From there the Tronto and the Verde flow into the sea. The crown of the land watered by the Danube, after it leaves its German banks, was already shining on my brow.¹²³ And fair Trinacria¹²⁴ would still be awaiting kings descended through me from Charles and Rudolph.¹²⁶ But evil rule, which always embitters the people it governs, drove Palermo to shout, 'Die! Die!'¹²⁷ Trinacria is darkened not by Typhoeus but by forming sulphur. It lies on the gulf between Pachynus and Pelorus, which suffers most from Eurus.¹²⁵ “If my brother had learned from this,¹²⁸ he would already be driving away the greedy, impoverished Catalans, so they could not harm him. Truly, he or someone else must see to it that no more cargo is added to his already laden boat. Though descended from a generous father, my brother is stingy by nature. He would need soldiers who did not care to fill their own chests.”¹²⁹

“Because I believe that the deep joy which thy speech, my lord, infuses in me is seen by thee there where every good ends and begins¹³⁰ even as I see it in myself, it is the more grateful to me; and this also I hold dear, that thou discernest it, gazing upon God.¹³¹ Thou hast made me glad; and in like wise do thou make clear to me (since in speaking thou bast moved me to doubt) how bitter can issue from sweet seed.” This I to him; and he to me, “If I am able to show to thee a truth, thou wilt hold thy face to that which thou askest, as thou dost hold thy back. The Good which turns and contents all the realm which thou ascendest, makes its providence to be a power in these great bodies.¹³² And not the natures only are foreseen in the Mind which by itself is perfect, but they together with their salvation.¹³³ For whatsoever this bow shoots falls disposed to its foreseen end, even as a thing directed to its aim. Were this not so, the heavens through which thou journeyest would produce their effects in such wise that they would not be works of art but ruins; and that cannot be, if the Intelligences which move these stars are not defective, and defective also the prime Intelligence which has not made them perfect.¹³⁴ Dost thou wish that this truth be made still clearer to thee?” And I, “No, truly; because I see it to be impossible that Nature should weary in that which is needful.”¹³⁵ Whereupon he again, “Now say, would it be worse for man on earth if he were not a citizen?”¹³⁶ “Yes,” answered I, “and here I ask not the reason.”¹³⁷ “And can he be so, unless he live there below in divers manner through divers offices?¹³⁸ No; if your master¹³⁹ writes well of this.” So he went on deducing far as here; then he concluded, “Hence it behoves that the roots of your works must be diverse.¹⁴⁰ Wherefore one is born Solon, and another Xerxes, another Melchisedech, and another he who, flying through the air, lost his son. The revolving nature, which is the seal of the mortal wax, performs its art well, but does not distinguish one inn from another.¹⁴¹ Hence it happens that Esau differs in seed from Jacob, and Quirinus comes from so mean a father that he is ascribed to Mars. The generated nature would always make its path like its progenitors, if the divine foresight did not conquer. Now that which was behind thee is before thee, but that thou mayest know that I have joy in thee, I wish that thou cloak thee with a corollary.¹⁴² Nature, if she find fortune discordant with herself, like every other seed out of its region, always makes bad result. And if the world down there would fix attention on the foundation which nature lays, following that, it would have its people good. But ye wrest to religion one who shall be born to gird on the sword, and ye make a king of one who is for preaching; wherefore your track is out of the road.”

“My lord, your speech fills me with deep joy. I believe you see that joy as clearly as I do, there where every good thing begins and ends.¹³⁰ That makes my joy all the greater. I also cherish the fact that you see it as you gaze upon God.¹³¹ You have made me glad. Now please make something clear to me, for your words have raised a doubt in my mind. How can bitter fruit come from sweet seed?” I said this to him, and he replied, “If I can show you a truth, you will see the answer to your question. You now have your back turned to it. The Good turns and satisfies the whole realm you are ascending. It makes its providence a power in these great heavenly bodies.¹³² The Mind that is perfect in itself foresees not only the natures of things, but also their preservation.¹³³ Whatever this bow shoots is guided to its foreseen end, like a thing aimed at a target. If this were not so, the heavens through which you travel would produce ruins rather than works of art. And that cannot be, unless the Intelligences that move these stars are imperfect. The prime Intelligence that failed to make them perfect would also have to be imperfect.¹³⁴ Would you like me to make this truth still clearer?” And I said, “No, truly. I see that Nature cannot fail to provide what is necessary.”¹³⁵ Then he said again, “Now tell me, would it be worse for a person on earth not to be a citizen?”¹³⁶ “Yes,” I answered, “and I do not need to ask why.”¹³⁷ “And can a person be a citizen unless people live in different ways and perform different roles there below?¹³⁸ No, if your master¹³⁹ is right about this.” So he carried his reasoning this far, then concluded, “Therefore, the roots of your activities must be diverse.¹⁴⁰ That is why one man is born a Solon, another a Xerxes, another a Melchisedech, and another the man who lost his son while flying through the air. The revolving heavens shape mortal nature as a seal shapes wax. They do their work well, but they make no distinction between one home and another.¹⁴¹ That is why Esau differs in his nature from Jacob. It is also why Quirinus comes from so humble a father that he is said to be the son of Mars. A child’s nature would always follow the path of its parents if divine foresight did not prevail. “Now you can see what was hidden from you before. But to show you that I take joy in you, I want to clothe you with one further conclusion.¹⁴² When Nature finds circumstances opposed to her, she always produces a poor result. She is like any other seed sown outside its proper region. If the world below paid attention to the foundation Nature lays and followed it, its people would be good. But you force into religion someone born to take up the sword, and make a king of someone suited to preaching. That is why you have gone astray.”