Canto 13

Let him imagine,²⁷⁵ who desires to understand well that which I now saw (and let him retain the image like a firm rock, while I am speaking), fifteen stars which in different regions vivify the heaven with brightness so great that it overcomes all thickness of the air; let him imagine that Wain²⁷⁶ for which the bosom of our heaven suffices both night and day, so that in the turning of its pole it disappears not; let him imagine the mouth of that horn²⁷⁷ which begins at the point of the axle on which the primal wheel goes round,—to have made of themselves two signs in the heavens, like that which the daughter of Minos made, when she felt the frost of death,²⁷⁸ and one to have its rays within the other, and both to revolve in such manner that one should go first and the other after; and he will have as it were the shadow of the true constellation, and of the double dance, which was circling the point where I was; because it is as much beyond our wont as the motion of the heaven which outspeeds all the rest is swifter than the movement of the Chiana.²⁷⁹ There was sung riot Bacchus, not Paean, but three Persons in a divine nature, and it and the human in one Person. The singing and the revolving completed each its measure, and those holy lights gave attention to us, making themselves happy from care to care.²⁸⁰

Let anyone who wants to understand clearly what I now saw imagine this.²⁷⁵ As I speak, let him hold the image as firmly as a rock. Let him imagine fifteen stars in different regions of the sky. Their brightness lights up the heavens and pierces even the thickest air. Let him imagine the Wain,²⁷⁶ which remains within our sky both night and day. As it turns around the pole, it never disappears. Let him imagine the mouth of the horn²⁷⁷ that begins at the tip of the axle on which the first wheel turns. Let him imagine all these stars forming two signs in the heavens. Each is like the sign made by the daughter of Minos when she felt the chill of death.²⁷⁸ Let him imagine one circle of rays within the other, both revolving, one leading and the other following. Then he will have a mere shadow of the real constellation and the double dance circling the point where I stood. The sight is as far beyond our experience as the fastest-moving heaven is swifter than the Chiana.²⁷⁹ They sang not of Bacchus or Paean, but of three Persons in one divine nature, and of the divine and human natures in one Person. The singing and the circling each completed their measure. Then those holy lights turned their attention to us, finding happiness in each new care.²⁸⁰

Then the light in which the marvellous life of the poor man of God had been narrated to me broke the silence among those concordant deities, and said, “Since one straw is threshed, since its seed is now garnered, sweet love invites me to beat out the other. Thou believest that in the breast, wherefrom the rib was drawn to form the beautiful cheek whose taste costs dear to all the world, and in that which, pierced. by the lance, both after and before made such satisfaction that it overcomes the balance of all sin, whatever of light it is allowed to human nature to have was all infused. by that Power which made one and the other; and therefore thou wonderest at that which I said above, when I told that the good which in the fifth light is inclosed had no second. Now open thine eyes to that which I answer to thee, and thou wilt see thy belief and my speech become in the truth as the centre in a circle.

Then the light that had told me about the wonderful life of the poor man of God broke the silence among those harmonious divine beings. It said, “One stalk has been threshed, and its grain gathered. Now sweet love invites me to thresh the other. You believe that the power that made both bodies filled each with all the light human nature can receive. One was the body from which the rib was taken to form the beautiful cheek whose taste costs the whole world dearly. The other was the body pierced by the lance, which made such satisfaction for sins committed both before and after that it outweighs all sin. So you wonder about what I said earlier. I told you that the good enclosed in the fifth light had no equal. Now open your eyes to my answer. You will see your belief and my words come together in the truth, as radii meet at the center of a circle.”

“That which dies not and that which can die are naught but the splendor of that idea which in His love our Lord God brings to birth;²⁸¹ for that living Light which so proceeds from its Lucent Source that It is not disunited from It, nor from the Love which with them is intrined, through Its own bounty collects Its radiance, as it were mirrored, in nine subsistences, Itself eternally remaining one. Thence It descends to the ultimate potentialities, downward from act to act, becoming such that finally It makes naught save brief contingencies: and these contingencies I understand. to be the generated things which the heavens in their motion produce with seed and without.²⁸² The wax of these, and that which moulds it, are not of one mode, and therefore under the ideal stamp it shines now more now less;²⁸³ whence it comes to pass that one same plant in respect to species bears better or worse fruit, and that ye are born with diverse dispositions. If the wax were exactly worked,²⁸⁴ and the heavens were supreme in their power, the whole light of the seal would be apparent. But nature always gives it defective,²⁸⁵ working like the artist who has the practice of his art and a hand that trembles. Nevertheless if the fervent Love disposes and imprints the clear Light of the primal Power, complete perfection is acquired here.²⁸⁶ Thus of old the earth was made worthy of the complete perfection of the living being;²⁸⁷ thus was the Virgin made impregnate;²⁸⁸ so that I commend thy opinion that human nature never was, nor will be, what it was in those two persons.

“Both what is immortal and what can die are nothing but the radiance of the idea that our Lord God brings forth in his love;²⁸¹ for the living Light proceeds from its shining Source without being separated from it. Nor is the Light separated from the Love that is joined with them. In its own generosity, the Light gathers its radiance, as if reflected in a mirror, in nine beings. Yet it remains eternally one. From there, the Light descends through successive acts to the lowest potentialities. At last it produces nothing but things that exist for a short time. By these I mean the things that the moving heavens generate, with or without seed.²⁸² The wax of these things and what shapes it are not always the same. Therefore, the ideal seal shines through them more or less clearly;²⁸³ so plants of the same species bear better or worse fruit, and you are born with different dispositions. If the wax were perfectly prepared,²⁸⁴ and the heavens were at the height of their power, the whole light of the seal would be visible. But nature always leaves the imprint imperfect,²⁸⁵ like an artist who knows the craft but whose hand trembles. Nevertheless, when fervent Love shapes and imprints the clear Light of the primal Power, complete perfection is achieved here.²⁸⁶ Thus, long ago, the earth was made worthy to receive the complete perfection of a living being;²⁸⁷ and thus the Virgin was made pregnant;²⁸⁸ so I agree with your opinion that human nature never was, and never will be, what it was in those two persons.

“Now, if I should not proceed further, 'Then how was this man without peer?' would thy words begin. But, in order that that which is not apparent may clearly appear, consider who he was, and the occasion which moved him to request, when it was said to him, 'Ask.' I have not so spoken that thou canst not clearly see that he was a king, who asked for wisdom, in order that he might be a worthy king; not to know the number of the motors here on high, or if necesse with a contingent ever made necesse;²⁸⁹ non si est dare primum motum esse,²⁹⁰ or if in the semicircle a triangle can be made so that it should not have one right angle.²⁹¹ Wherefore if thou notest this and what I said, a kingly prudence is that peerless seeing, on which the arrow of ray intention strikes.²⁹² And if thou directest clear eyes to the 'has arisen' thou wilt see it has respect only to kings, who are many, and the good are few. With this distinction²⁹³ take thou my saying, and thus it can stand with that which thou believest of the first father, and of our Delight.²⁹⁴ And let this be ever as lead to thy feet, to make thee move slow as a weary man, both to the YES and to the NO which thou seest not; for he is very low among the fools who affirms or denies without distinction, alike in the one and in the other case: because it happens, that oftentimes the current opinion bends in false direction, and then the inclination binds the understanding. Far more than vainly does he leave the bank, since he returns not such as be sets out, who fishes for the truth, and has not the art;²⁹⁵ and of this are manifest proofs to the world Parmenides, Melissus, Bryson,²⁹⁶ and many others who went on and knew not whither. So did Sabellius, and Arius,²⁹⁷ and those fools who were as swords unto the Scriptures in making their straight faces crooked. Let not the people still be too secure in judgment, like him who reckons up the blades in the field ere they are ripe. For I have seen the briar first show itself stiff and wild all winter long, then bear the rose upon its top. And I have seen a bark ere now ran straight and swift across the sea through all its course, to perish at last at entrance of the harbor. Let not dame Bertha and master Martin, seeing one rob, and another make offering, believe to see them within the Divine counsel:²⁹⁸ for the one may rise and the other may fall.”

“Now, if I went no further, you would begin to ask, 'Then how was this man without equal?' But consider who he was and why he made his request when he was told, 'Ask.' Then what is not apparent will become clear. I have said enough for you to see that he was a king. He asked for wisdom so that he might be a worthy king. He did not ask to know the number of the movers in the heavens. Nor did he ask whether a necessary premise and a contingent one ever produce a necessary conclusion,²⁸⁹ whether a first motion can be said to exist,²⁹⁰ or whether a triangle can be drawn in a semicircle without a right angle.²⁹¹ So, if you consider this and what I said, you will see what I meant by his unequaled vision. The arrow of my intention was aimed at the prudence needed by a king.²⁹² And if you look closely at 'has arisen,' you will see that it refers only to kings. Kings are many, and good kings are few. Take my words with this distinction in mind,²⁹³ and they can agree with what you believe about the first father and our Delight.²⁹⁴ “And let this always weigh on your feet like lead. Let it make you as slow as a weary man to say YES or NO about what you cannot see. For anyone who affirms or denies without making distinctions ranks very low among fools in either case. Often, the prevailing opinion leads in a false direction, and then our own inclinations bind our understanding to it. A person who fishes for truth without knowing the art leaves the shore for more than nothing. He does not return as he set out.²⁹⁵ Parmenides, Melissus, Bryson,²⁹⁶ and many others are clear examples for the world. They went on without knowing where they were going. So did Sabellius, and Arius,²⁹⁷ and those fools who were like swords to the Scriptures, twisting their straight faces. “Let people not be too confident in their judgments, like someone who counts the blades of grain before they ripen. For I have seen a briar stand stiff and wild all winter, then bear a rose at its tip. And I have seen a ship sail straight and swiftly across the sea, only to perish at the harbor entrance. Let not dame Bertha and master Martin think they can see into the Divine counsel²⁹⁸ when they see one person rob and another make an offering. For the one may rise and the other may fall.”