Canto 10

Looking upon His Son with the Love which the one and the other eternally breathe forth, the Primal and Ineffable Power made everything which revolves through the mind or through space with such order that he who contemplates it cannot be without taste of Him.¹⁷⁸ Lift then thy sight, Reader, with me to the lofty wheels, straight to that region where the one motion strikes on the other;¹⁷⁹ and there begin to gaze with delight on the art of that Master who within Himself so loves it that His eye never departs from it. See how from that point the oblique circle which bears the planets¹⁸⁰ branches off, to satisfy the world which calls on them;¹⁸¹ and if their road had not been bent, much virtue in the heavens would be in vain, and well-nigh every potency dead here below.¹⁸² And if from the straight line its departure had been more or less distant, much of the order of the world, both below and above, would be defective. Now do thou remain, Reader, upon thy bench,¹⁸³ following in thought that which is fore. tasted, if thou wouldst be glad far sooner than weary. I have set before thee; henceforth feed thee by thyself, for that theme whereof I have been made scribe wrests all my care unto itself.

Looking upon his Son with the Love that both eternally breathe forth, the Primal and Ineffable Power made all things. He ordered everything that moves through the mind or through space so perfectly that anyone who contemplates it must taste something of him.¹⁷⁸ So lift your eyes with me, Reader, to the lofty wheels of heaven. Look straight to the region where one motion meets the other.¹⁷⁹ There, begin to gaze with delight on the work of that Master. He loves his work so deeply that his gaze never leaves it. See how the slanting circle that carries the planets¹⁸⁰ branches off from that point, to satisfy the world that calls on them.¹⁸¹ If their path had not been bent, much of the power in the heavens would be wasted. Nearly every power here below would be lifeless.¹⁸² And if the circle had departed more or less from the straight line, much of the world’s order, both below and above, would be flawed. Now remain on your bench, Reader,¹⁸³ and think through what you have had a foretaste of, if you would find joy long before you grow weary. I have set food before you. From now on, feed yourself, for the subject I have been appointed to record demands all my attention.

The greatest minister of nature, which imprints the world with the power of the heavens, and with its light measures the time for us, in conjunction with that region called to mind above, was circling through the spirals in which from day to day he earlier presents himself.¹⁸⁴ And I was with him; but of the ascent I was not aware, otherwise than as a man is aware, before his first thought, of its coming. Beatrice is she who thus conducts from good to better so swiftly that her act extends not through time.

The sun, nature’s greatest servant, fills the world with the power of the heavens. Its light also measures time for us. In conjunction with the region mentioned above, the sun was circling along the spirals where it appears earlier each day.¹⁸⁴ And I was with the sun. But I was no more aware of my ascent than a person is aware of a first thought before it comes. Beatrice is the one who leads us from good to better. She does so so swiftly that her act takes no time at all.

How lucent of itself must that have been which, within the sun where I entered, was appareiit not by color but by light! Though I should call on genius, art, and use, I could not tell it so that it could ever be imagined; but it may be believed, and sight of it longed for. And if our fancies are low for such loftiness, it is no marvel, for beyond the sun was never eye could go. Such¹⁸⁵ was here the fourth family of the High Father, who always satisfies it, showing how He breathes forth, and how He begets.¹⁸⁶ And Beatrice began, “Thank, thank thou the Sun of the Angels, who to this visible one has raised thee by His grace.” Heart of mortal was never so disposed to devotion, and so ready, with its own entire pleasure, to give itself to God, as I became at those words; and all my love was so set on Him that Beatrice was eclipsed in oblivion. It displeased her not; but she so smiled thereat that the splendor of her smiling eyes divided upon many things my singly intent mind.

How radiant in itself must that have been, which I saw within the sun I entered, visible not by color but by light! Even if I called on genius, art, and practice, I could not describe it well enough for anyone to imagine it. But it can be believed in, and one can long to see it. If our imagination falls short of such heights, that is no wonder. No eye has ever been able to look beyond the sun. Such¹⁸⁵ was the fourth family of the High Father gathered here. He always satisfies them, showing them how he breathes forth and how he begets.¹⁸⁶ Then Beatrice said, “Thank, thank the Sun of the Angels, who by his grace has raised you to this visible sun.” No mortal heart was ever so devoted, or so ready to give itself wholly and gladly to God, as mine became at her words. All my love was so fixed on him that I forgot Beatrice. She was not displeased. Instead, she smiled so brightly that the splendor of her eyes turned my single-minded attention to many things.

I saw many living and surpassing effulgences make a centre of us, and make a crown of themselves, more sweet in voice than shining in aspect. Thus girt we sometimes see the daughter of Latona, when the air is pregnant so that it holds the thread which makes the girdle.¹⁸⁷ In the court of Heaven, wherefrom I return, are found many jewels so precious and beautiful that they cannot be brought from the kingdom, and of these was the song of those lights. Who wings not himself so that he may fly up thither, let him await the tidings thence from the dumb.

I saw many brilliant living lights form a crown around us. Their voices were sweeter than their appearance was bright. We sometimes see the daughter of Latona surrounded by such a ring, when the air is full enough to hold the thread that makes it.¹⁸⁷ In the court of Heaven, from which I return, there are many jewels so precious and beautiful that they cannot be brought out of the kingdom. The song of those lights was one of these jewels. Anyone who does not give themselves wings to fly up there must await news of it from the speechless.

After those burning suns, thus singing, had circled three times round about us, like stars near fixed poles, they seemed to me as ladies not loosed from a dance, but who stop silent, listening till they have caught the new notes. And within one I heard begin, “Since the ray of grace, whereby true love is kindled, and which thereafter grows multiplied in loving, so shines on thee that it conducts thee upward by that stair upon which, without reascending, no one descends, he who should deny to thee the wine of his flask for thy thirst, would not be more at liberty than water which descends not to the sea.¹⁸⁸ Thou wishest to know with what plants this garland is enflowered, which, round about her, gazes with delight upon the, beautiful Lady who strengthens thee for heaven. I was of the lambs of the holy flock¹⁸⁹ which Dominic leads along the way where one fattens well if he stray not.¹⁹⁰ This one who is nearest to me on the right was my brother and master; and he was Albert of Cologne,¹⁹¹ and I Thomas of Aquino. If thus of all the rest thou wishest to be informed, come, following my speech, with thy sight circling around upon the blessed chaplet. That next flaming issues from the smile of Gratian, who so assisted one court and the other that it pleases in Paradise.¹⁹² The next, who at his side adorns our choir, was that Peter who, like the poor woman, offered his treasure to Holy Church.¹⁹³ The fifth light, which is most beautiful among us,¹⁹⁴ breathes from such love, that all the world there below is greedy to know tidings of it.¹⁹⁵ Within it is the lofty mind, wherein wisdom so profound was put, that, if the truth is true, to see so much no second has arisen.¹⁹⁶ At his side thou seest the light of that candle, which, below in the flesh, saw most inwardly the angelic nature, and its ministry.¹⁹⁷ In the next little light smiles that advocate of the Christian times, with whose discourse Augustine provided himself.¹⁹⁸ Now if thou leadest the eye of the mind, following my praises, from light to light, thou remainest already thirsting for the eighth. Therewithin, through seeing every good, the holy soul rejoices which makes the deceit of the world manifest to whoso hears him well.¹⁹⁹ The body whence it was hunted out lies below in Cieldauro,²⁰⁰ and from martyrdom and from exile it came unto this peace. Beyond thou seest flaming the burning breath of Isidore, of Bede, and of Richard who in contemplation was more than man.²⁰¹ The one from whom thy look returns to me is the light of a spirit to whom in grave thoughts death seemed to come slow. It is the eternal light of Sigier,²⁰² who reading in the Street of Straw syllogized truths which were hated.”

After those burning suns had sung and circled us three times, like stars around fixed poles, they seemed to stop. They were like ladies who pause in a dance, not leaving it, but listening silently for the next notes. Then I heard a voice begin inside one of the suns. “The ray of grace, which kindles true love and grows stronger through loving, shines on you. It leads you up that stair from which no one descends without ascending again. So anyone who denied you wine from his flask to quench your thirst would be no freer than water that refuses to flow to the sea.¹⁸⁸ You want to know what plants make up this garland of flowers. It circles the beautiful Lady who strengthens you for heaven, gazing at her with delight. “I was one of the lambs of the holy flock¹⁸⁹ that Dominic leads along the path where one grows fat if he does not stray.¹⁹⁰ The one closest to me on the right was my brother and master. He was Albert of Cologne,¹⁹¹ and I am Thomas of Aquino. If you wish to learn about all the others, follow my words and look around the blessed circle. The next flame comes from the smile of Gratian. He helped both courts so well that his work is pleasing in Paradise.¹⁹² The next, who adorns our choir beside him, was that Peter who offered his treasure to Holy Church, like the poor woman.¹⁹³ “The fifth light, the most beautiful among us,¹⁹⁴ shines with such love that everyone in the world below is eager for news of it.¹⁹⁵ Within it is the lofty mind in which such profound wisdom was placed that, if the truth is true, no second person has arisen who could see so much.¹⁹⁶ Beside him you see the light of that candle. When he lived below in the flesh, he saw more deeply than anyone into the nature and ministry of angels.¹⁹⁷ In the next little light smiles that defender of Christian times, whose writings Augustine drew upon.¹⁹⁸ “Now, if your mind’s eye has followed my praises from light to light, you are already eager to know the eighth. Within it, the holy soul rejoices in seeing every good. He reveals the deceit of the world to whoever listens closely to him.¹⁹⁹ The body from which his soul was driven lies below in Cieldauro.²⁰⁰ Through martyrdom and exile, he came to this peace. Beyond him you see the burning spirits of Isidore, Bede, and Richard, who was more than human in contemplation.²⁰¹ The one from whom your gaze returns to me is the light of a spirit who, in his grave thoughts, felt that death came slowly. This is the eternal light of Sigier,²⁰² who taught in the Street of Straw and reasoned through syllogisms to truths that were hated.”

Then, as a horologe which calls us at the hour when the Bride of God²⁰³ rises to sing matins to her Bridegroom that he may love her, in which the one part draws and urges the other, sounding ting! ting! with such sweet note that the well-disposed spirit swells with love, so saw I the glorious wheel move, and render voice to voice in concord and in sweetness which cannot be known save there where joy becomes eternal.

A clock calls us at the hour when the Bride of God²⁰³ rises to sing matins to her Bridegroom, so that he may love her. Each part of the clock draws and drives the next, sounding ting! ting! Its notes are so sweet that a receptive spirit swells with love. In the same way, I saw the glorious wheel move, its voices answering one another in harmony and sweetness. Such harmony and sweetness can only be known where joy becomes eternal.