Paradise
Canto 12
Second circle of the spirits of wise religious men, doctors of the Church and teachers.—St. Bonaventura narrates the life of St. Dominic, and tells the names of those who form the circle with him.
The second circle consists of the spirits of wise religious men, doctors of the Church, and teachers. St. Bonaventura tells the story of St. Dominic’s life and names those who form the circle with him.
Soon as the blessed flame uttered the last word of its speech the holy mill-stone began to rotate, and had not wholly turned in its gyration before another enclosed it with a circle, and matched motion with motion, song with song; song which in those sweet pipes so surpasses our Muses, our Sirens, as a primal splendor that which it reflects. As two bows parallel and of like colors are turned across a thin cloud when Juno gives the order to her handmaid (the outer one born of that within, after the manner of the speech of that wandering one whom love consumed, as the sun does vapors), and make the people here presageful, because of the covenant which God established with Noah concerning the world, that it is nevermore to be flooded; so the two garlands of those sempiternal roses turned around us, and so the outer responded to the inner. After the dance and the other great festivity, alike of the singing and of the flaming, light with light joyous and courteous, had become quiet together at an instant and with one will (just as the eyes which must needs together close and open to the pleasure that moves them), from the heart of one of the new lights a voice proceeded, which made me seem as the needle to the star in turning me to its place and it began, “The love which makes me beautiful draws me to speak of the other leader by whom so well has been spoken here of mine. It is fit that where one is the other be led in, so that as they served in war with one another, together likewise may their glory shine.
As soon as the blessed flame spoke the last word of its speech, the holy millstone began to turn. Before it had completed one rotation, another circle enclosed it. The outer circle matched the inner one motion for motion, song for song. The song from those sweet voices surpassed our Muses and our Sirens as a source of light surpasses its reflection. When Juno gives the order to her handmaid, two parallel rainbows of the same colors stretch across a thin cloud. The outer rainbow is born from the inner one, like the speech of that wanderer whom love consumed, as the sun consumes vapor. The rainbows lead people on earth to foresee what is to come. For God made a covenant with Noah that the world would never again be flooded. In the same way, the two garlands of eternal roses turned around us, and the outer one answered the inner. After the dance and the other great celebration of singing and flaming, all the lights grew quiet together. Joyful and courteous toward one another, they stopped at the same instant, with a single will. They were like eyes that must close and open together in response to the pleasure that moves them. Then a voice came from the heart of one of the new lights. It turned me toward its source like a needle turning toward the star, and began, “The love that makes me beautiful draws me to speak of the other leader, who has spoken so well here of mine. It is fitting that wherever one appears, the other should be brought in too. For they served together in war, and so their glory should shine together as well.
The ring of spirits surrounding Beatrice and Dante.
As a direct ray is brighter than a reflected one.
Iris.
Echo.
St. Bonaventura, who wrote the biography of St. Francis, is speaking. He became General of the Order in 1256 and died in 1276.
By whom, through one of his brothers.
“The army of Christ, which it had cost so dear to arm afresh, was moving slow, mistrustful, and scattered, behind the standard, when the Emperor who forever reigns provided for the soldiery that was in peril, through grace alone, not because it was worthy, and, as has been said, succored his Bride with two champions, by whose deed, by whose word, the people gone astray were rallied.
“The army of Christ had been armed again at great cost. It was moving slowly behind the standard, scattered and distrustful. Then the Emperor who reigns forever came to the aid of his soldiers in peril. He did so through grace alone, not because they were worthy. As has been said, he helped his Bride by sending two champions. Through their deeds and words, they rallied the people who had gone astray.
The elect had lost grace through Adam's sin. The costly sacrifice of the Son of God armed them again.
The Cross.
“In that region where the sweet west wind rises to open the new leaves wherewith Europe is seen to reclothe herself, not very far from the beating of the waves behind which, over their long course, the sun sometimes bides himself to all men, sits the fortunate Callaroga, under the protection of the great shield on which the Lion is subject and subjugates. Therein was born the amorous lover of the Christian faith, the holy athlete, benignant to his own, and to his enemies harsh. And when it was created, his mind was so replete with living virtue, that in his mother it made her a prophetess. After the espousals between him and the faith were completed at the sacred font, where they dowered each other with mutual safety, the lady who gave the assent for him saw in a dream the marvellous fruit which was to proceed from him and from his heirs; and in order that he might be spoken of as he was, a spirit went forth from here to name him with the possessive of Him whose he wholly was. Dominic he was called; and I speak of him as of the husbandman whom Christ elected to his garden to assist him. Truly he seemed the messenger and familiar of Christ; for the first love that was manifest in him was for the first counsel that Christ gave. Oftentimes was he found by his nurse upon the ground silent and awake, as though he said, 'I am come for this.' O father of him truly Felix! Omother of him truly Joan, if this, being interpreted, means as is said!
“In the region where the gentle west wind rises, it opens the new leaves that clothe Europe again. Not far away, waves beat on the shore. Beyond those waves, the sun sometimes hides itself from all people after its long journey. There lies fortunate Callaroga, under the protection of the great shield on which the Lion is both subject and ruler. There was born the devoted lover of the Christian faith, the holy athlete, kind to his own people and harsh to his enemies. From the moment his mind was created, it was so full of living virtue that it made his mother a prophetess. He was married to the faith at the sacred font, where each gave the other the gift of safety. Afterward, the lady who gave her assent on his behalf dreamed of the marvelous fruit that would come from him and his heirs. So that he might be described by a name that suited him, a spirit went forth from here to name him with the possessive form of the name of him to whom he wholly belonged. He was called Dominic. I speak of him as the gardener whom Christ chose to help him tend his garden. He truly seemed Christ’s messenger and close companion, for the first love he showed was for the first counsel Christ gave. His nurse often found him lying silently on the ground, awake, as though he were saying, 'I have come for this.' O father of his, truly Felix! O mother of his, truly Joan, if the name, interpreted, means what people say!
The shield of Castile is divided into four sections, with two lions and two castles. One lion is above and one below.
St. Dominic was born in 1170.
His mother dreamed that she gave birth to a black and white dog carrying a lit torch in its mouth. The torch set the world on fire. These symbolized the Order’s black and white robes and the fiery zeal of its members. This led to a play on their name, Domini cani, “the dogs of the Lord.”
Dominic's godmother dreamed of a star on his forehead and another on the back of his head. The stars represented the light he would spread across the East and West.
So that his name might reflect his nature.
From heaven.
Dominicus is the possessive form of Dominus, meaning “Belonging to the Lord.”
“Sell that thou hast and give to the poor.” (Matthew 19:21)
Felix means “happy,” and Joanna means “full of grace.”
“Not for the world, for which men now toil, following him of Ostia and Thaddeus, but for the love of the true manna, be became in short time a great teacher, such that he set himself to go about the vineyard, which quickly fades if the vinedresser is bad; and of the Seat which was formerly more benign unto the righteous poor (not through itself but through him who sits there and degenerates), he asked not to dispense or two or three for six, not the fortune of the first vacancy, non decimas, quae sunt pauperum Dei, but leave to fight against the errant world for that seed of which four and twenty plants are girding thee. Then with doctrine and with will, together with the apostolic office, he went forth like a torrent which a lofty vein pours out, and on the heretical stocks his onset smote with most vigor there where the resistance was the greatest. From him proceeded thereafter divers streams wherewith the catholic garden is watered, so that its bushes stand more living.
“Not for the world, for which people now labor, following him of Ostia and Thaddeus, but for love of the true manna, he soon became a great teacher. He set out to tend the vineyard, which quickly fades if the vinedresser is bad. The Seat was once kinder to the righteous poor. This was not the fault of the Seat itself, but of the man who sits there and degenerates. He did not ask the Seat for permission to dispense or two or three for six, nor for the income from the first vacancy, nor for tithes, which belong to God's poor. Instead, he asked permission to fight against the errant world for that seed whose four and twenty plants surround you. Then, armed with learning, determination, and apostolic office, he went forth like a torrent pouring from a high spring. He struck at the roots of heresy, with the greatest force where resistance was strongest. Afterward, many streams flowed from him, watering the Catholic garden so that its bushes grow more vigorous.
The worldly goods.
Henry of Susa, cardinal of Ostia, wrote a widely studied commentary on the Decretals. Giovanni Villani says that Thaddeus of Bologna “was the greatest physician in Christendom.” The idea is the same as at the beginning of Canto XI, where Dante speaks of “one following the Laws, and one the Aphorisms.”
The pope's seat.
The grammar is imperfect. The meaning is that the change in the character of the see of Rome is the Pope’s fault, not the Church’s.
Not permission to make up for ill-gotten gains by giving part of them to religious causes.
“Not the tithes that belong to God's poor.”
The true faith: “the seed is the word of God.” Luke, viii. 11.
The authority given to him by Innocent III.
If such was one wheel of the chariot on which the Holy Church defended itself and vanquished in the field its civil strife, surely the excellence of the other should be very plain to thee, concerning which Thomas before my coming was so courteous. But the track which the highest part of its circumference made is derelict; So that the mould is where the crust was. His household, which set forth straight with their feet upon his footprints, are so turned round that they set the forward foot on that behind; and soon the quality of the barvest of this bad culture shall be seen, when the tare will complain that the chest is taken from it. Yet I say, he who should search our volume leaf by leaf might still find a page where he would read, 'I am that which I am wont:' but it will not be from Casale nor from Acquasparta, whence such come unto the Written Rule that one flies from it, and the other contracts it.
If such was one wheel of the chariot on which the Holy Church defended itself and won its internal struggle, surely you can see the excellence of the other wheel. Thomas spoke so graciously of it before I came. But the track made by the highest part of its rim has been abandoned, so that mold now grows where the crust once was. His followers first set out walking straight in his footsteps. Now they have turned around and place one foot behind the other. Soon the harvest from this poor cultivation will reveal its quality, when the weed complains that it is kept out of the chest. Yet I say, anyone who searched our book page by page might still find a page reading, 'I am what I have always been:' but it will not be from Casale or Acquasparta. From these places come men who approach the Written Rule in opposite ways: one runs away from it, and the other makes it narrower.
The heresies within its own borders.
The path St. Francis made has been abandoned.
The metaphor changes suddenly. Good wine forms a crust in the barrel, while bad wine grows mold.
They go in the opposite direction from the saint.
That it is taken from the chest in the granary and burned.
Frate Ubertino of Casale led a group of zealots among the Franciscans. He enforced the Rule of the Order too strictly. Matteo of Acquasparta, general of the Franciscans in 1257, relaxed the Rule.
“I am the life of Bonaventura of Bagnoregio, who in great offices always set sinister care behind me. Illuminato and Augustin are here, who were among the first barefoot poor that in the cord made themselves friends to God. Hugh of St. Victor is here with them, and Peter Mangiadore, and Peter of Spain, who down below shines in twelve books; Nathan the prophet, and the Metropolitan Chrysostom, and Anselm, and that Donatus who deigned to set his hand to the first art; Raban is here, and at my side shines the Calabrian abbot Joachim, endowed with prophetic spirit.
“I am the spirit of Bonaventura of Bagnoregio. In my high offices, I always put worldly concerns behind me. Illuminato and Augustin are here. They were among the first barefoot followers who embraced poverty and became friends of God by wearing the cord. Hugh of St. Victor is here with them. So are Peter Mangiadore and Peter of Spain, who is renowned on earth for his twelve books. Nathan the prophet is here, as are the Metropolitan Chrysostom, Anselm, and Donatus, who condescended to teach the first art. Raban is here too. At my side shines Joachim, the Calabrian abbot, who was gifted with a prophetic spirit.
Sinister, meaning worldly.
Hugh (1097-1141), a noted scholar at the famous monastery of St. Victor in Paris.
Peter Mangiador, or Comestor, was called “the Eater” because he devoured books. He also wrote books that were famous in his time. He was chancellor of the University at Paris and died in 1198. The Summae logicales of Peter of Spain, in twelve books, was highly regarded for a long time. Peter of Spain became Cardinal Bishop of Tusculum in 1273. He was elected Pope in 1276 and took the name John XXI. In May, 1277, he was killed when the ceiling of his sleeping chamber collapsed in the Papal palace at Viterbo. He is the only Pope of recent times whom Dante meets in Paradise.
The famous Doctor of the Church and patriarch of Constantinople.
Born around 1033 in Aosta, Piedmont, he was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093 and died in 1109. He was a “magnus et subtilis doctor in theologia.”
The compiler of the grammar treatise used throughout the Middle Ages. Grammar was the first of the seven arts of the Trivium and the Quadrivium.
Rabanus Maurus was Archbishop of Mainz in the ninth century. He was a great scholar and teacher, “cui similem suo tempore non habuit Ecelesia.”
Joachim, Abbot of Flora, whose mystical prophecies were very popular.
“The flaming courtesy of Brother Thomas, and his discreet discourse, moved me to celebrate so great a paladin; and with me moved this company.”
“Brother Thomas’s ardent courtesy and thoughtful words moved me to praise such a great champion. They moved this company to do the same.”
Literally, “to envy,” and perhaps “to admire,” “to praise,” or “to celebrate.” But the meaning is uncertain.