Canto 11

O insensate care of mortals, how defective are those syllogisms which make thee downward beat thy wings! One was going after the Laws, and one after the Aphorisms,²⁰⁴ and one following the priesthood, and one to reign by force or by sophisms, and one to rob, and one to civic business; one, involved in pleasure of the flesh, was wearying himself, and one was giving himself to idleness, when I, loosed from all these things, with Beatrice, was thus gloriously received on high in Heaven.

O foolish cares of mortals, how flawed are the arguments that make you beat your wings downward! One person pursued law, another the Aphorisms,²⁰⁴ and another the priesthood. One sought to rule by force or clever arguments, another to rob, and another attended to civic affairs. One wore himself out with pleasures of the flesh, while another gave himself over to idleness. Meanwhile, freed from all these things, I was gloriously received high in Heaven with Beatrice.

When each²⁰⁵ had returned unto that point of the circle at which it was at first, it stayed, as a candle in a candlestick. And within that light which first had spoken to me I heard, as smiling it began, making itself more clear, “Even as I am resplendent with its radiance, so, looking into the Eternal Light, I apprehend whence thou drawest the occasion of thy thoughts. Thou art perplexed, and hast the wish that my speech be bolted again in language so open and so plain that it may be level to thy sense, where just now I said, 'where well one fattens,' and there where I said, 'the second has not been born;' and here is need that one distinguish well.

When each²⁰⁵ had returned to its starting point on the circle, it stopped, like a candle in a candlestick. The light that had first spoken to me grew brighter, and I heard it begin to speak, as if smiling. “Just as I shine with the Eternal Light’s radiance, so I see the source of your thoughts by looking into it. You are puzzled and want me to explain my words again in language plain enough for you to understand. I mean the words I just spoke, 'where well one fattens,' and 'the second has not been born.' Here we must make a careful distinction.

“The Providence which governs the world with that counsel, in which every created vision is vanquished ere it reach the depth, in order that the bride²⁰⁶ of Him, who with loud cries espoused her with His blessed blood, might go toward her beloved, secure in herself and also more faithful to Him, ordained two princes in her favor, who on this side and that should be to her for guides. The one was all seraphic in ardor,²⁰⁷ the other, through wisdom, was a splendor of cherubic light²⁰⁸ on earth. Of the one I will speak, because both are spoken of in praising one, whichever be taken, for unto one end were their works.

“Providence governs the world with wisdom too deep for any created being to understand fully. Providence ordained two princes to guide the bride²⁰⁶ from either side. He who took her as his bride did so with loud cries and with his blessed blood. The princes were to help her go toward her beloved, secure in herself and more faithful to him. One burned with seraphic love,²⁰⁷ while the other shone on earth with cherubic light²⁰⁸ through his wisdom. I will speak of one, because praising either one praises both, since their works served the same end.

“Between the Tupino and the water²⁰⁹ which descends from the hill chosen by the blessed Ubaldo, hangs the fertile slope of a high mountain, wherefrom Perugia at Porta Sole²¹⁰ feeleth cold and heat, while behind it Nocera and Gualdo weep because of their heavy yoke.²¹¹ On that slope, where it most breaks its steepness, rose a Sun upon the world, as this one sometimes does from the Ganges. Therefore let him who talks of that place not say Ascesi,²¹² for he would speak short, but Orient,²¹³ if be would speak properly. He was not yet very far from his rising when he began to make the earth feel some comfort from his great virtue. For, still a youth, he ran to strife²¹⁴ with his father for a lady such as unto whom, even as unto death, no one unlocks the gate of pleasure; and before his spiritual court et coram patre²¹⁵ to her he had himself united; thereafter from day to day he loved her more ardently. She, deprived of her first husband,²¹⁶ for one thousand and one hundred years and more, despised and obscure, had stood without wooing till he came;²¹⁷ nor had it availed²¹⁸ to hear, that he, who caused fear to all the world, found her at the sound of his voice secure with Amyclas;²¹⁹ nor had it availed to have been constant and bold, so that where Mary remained below, she wept with Christ upon the cross. But that I may not proceed too obscurely, take henceforth in my diffuse speech Francis and Poverty for these lovers. Their concord and their glad semblances made love, and wonder, and sweet regard to be the cause of holy thoughts;²²⁰ so that the venerable Bernard first bared his feet,²²¹ and ran following such great peace, and, running, it seemed to him that he was slow. Oh unknown riches! oh fertile good! Egidius bares his feet and Sylvester bares his feet, following the bridegroom; so pleasing is the bride. Then that father and that master goes on his way with his lady, and with that family which the humble cord was now girding.²²² Nor did baseness of heart weigh down his brow at being son of Pietro Bernardone,²²³ nor at appearing marvellously despised; but royally he opened his bard intention to Innocent, and received from bim the first seal for his Order.²²⁴ After the poor people had increased behind him, whose marvellous life would be better sung in glory of the heavens, the holy purpose of this archimandrite²²⁵ was adorned with a second crown by the Eternal Spirit, through Honorius.²²⁶ And when, through thirst for martyrdom, he had preached Christ and the rest who followed him in the proud presence of the Sultan,²²⁷ and because he found the people too unripe for conversion, and in order not to stay in vain, had returned to the fruit of the Italian grass,²²⁸ on the rude rock,²²⁹ between the Tiber and the Arno, he took from Christ the last seal,²³⁰ which his limbs bore for two years. When it pleased Him, who had allotted him to such great good, to draw him up to the reward which he had gained in making himself abject, he commended his most dear lady to his brethren as to rightful heirs, and commanded them to love her faithfully; and from her lap, his illustrious soul willed to depart, returning to its realm, and for his body he willed no other bier.²³¹

“Between the Tupino and the water²⁰⁹ that flows down from the hill chosen by the blessed Ubaldo lies a fertile slope. It is part of a high mountain, from which Perugia, at Porta Sole,²¹⁰ feels cold and heat. Behind the mountain, Nocera and Gualdo weep under their heavy yoke.²¹¹ On that slope, where it becomes less steep, a Sun rose upon the world, as the sun sometimes does from the Ganges. So anyone who speaks of that place should not call it Ascesi,²¹² for that name falls short. To name it properly, one should call it Orient.²¹³ He had not risen far when his great virtue began to bring some comfort to the earth. While still a youth, he quarreled²¹⁴ with his father over a lady. No one opens the door to pleasure for her, any more than for death. He had himself joined to her before his spiritual court et coram patre.²¹⁵ From that day on, he loved her more passionately each day. She had been without her first husband²¹⁶ for more than eleven hundred years. Despised and unknown, she had stood with no one to court her until he came.²¹⁷ It had done her no good²¹⁸ for people to hear how the man who struck fear into all the world found her. At the sound of his voice, she was safe with Amyclas.²¹⁹ Nor had it helped her to be steadfast and brave. For while Mary remained below, she wept with Christ upon the cross. But so that I do not speak too obscurely, take Francis and Poverty as the lovers I have been describing. Their harmony and joyful faces inspired love, wonder, and tender regard, which gave rise to holy thoughts.²²⁰ So the venerable Bernard was the first to bare his feet.²²¹ He ran after such great peace, and even as he ran, he thought he was too slow. Oh, unknown riches! Oh, fruitful goodness! Egidius bares his feet, and Sylvester bares his feet, following the bridegroom. So pleasing is the bride. Then that father and master went on his way with his lady and his family, who now wore the humble cord.²²² He felt no shame at being the son of Pietro Bernardone²²³ or at appearing so utterly despised. With royal confidence, he set his hard purpose before Innocent and received from him the first seal for his Order.²²⁴ After the poor people following him had grown in number, his holy purpose received a second crown. The Eternal Spirit bestowed it on this archimandrite²²⁵ through Honorius.²²⁶ Their marvelous life would be better sung in the glory of the heavens. Thirsting for martyrdom, Francis preached Christ and the others who followed him in the proud presence of the Sultan.²²⁷ But he found the people too unready for conversion. So, rather than stay in vain, he returned to the fruit of the Italian grass.²²⁸ On the rugged rock²²⁹ between the Tiber and the Arno, he received from Christ the final seal.²³⁰ He bore it on his limbs for two years. The time came when he who had chosen Francis for such great good wished to draw him up to his reward. Francis had earned it by making himself lowly. He entrusted his dearest lady to his brothers as her rightful heirs and commanded them to love her faithfully. From her lap, his illustrious soul chose to depart and return to its realm. For his body, he wanted no other bier.²³¹”

“Think now of what sort was he,²³² who was a worthy colleague to keep the bark of Peter on the deep sea to its right aim; and this was our Patriarch:²³³ wherefore thou canst see that whoever follows him as he commands loads good merchandise. But his flock has become so greedy of strange food that. it cannot but be scattered over diverse meadows; and as his sheep, remote and vagabond, go farther from him, the emptier of milk they return to the fold. Truly there are some of them who fear the harm, and keep close to the shepherd; but they are so few that little cloth suffices for their cowls. Now if my words are not obscure, if thy hearing has been attentive, if thou recallest to mind that which I have said, thy wish will be content in part, because thou wilt see the plant wherefrom they are hewn,²³⁴ and thou wilt see how the wearer of the thong reasons—'Where well one fattens if one does not stray.'

“Think now of the kind of man he was,²³² who was a worthy partner in steering Peter’s ship across the deep sea toward its true goal. This man was our Patriarch.²³³ So you can see that anyone who follows his commands takes on good cargo. But his flock has grown so greedy for strange food that it cannot help scattering across different meadows. And the farther his wandering sheep stray from him, the less milk they bring back to the fold. Some do fear the harm and stay close to the shepherd. But they are so few that little cloth is needed for their cowls. Now, if my words are clear, if you have listened closely, and if you remember what I have said, your wish will be partly satisfied. For you will see the plant from which they are cut,²³⁴ and you will see what the wearer of the cord means by the words: 'Where one grows fat if one does not stray.'