Canto 19

The beautiful image, which in its sweet fruition was making joyful the interwoven souls, appeared before me with outspread wings. Each soul appeared a little ruby on which a ray of the sun glowed so enkindled that it reflected him into My eyes. And that which it now behoves me to describe, no voice ever reported, nor ink wrote, nor was it ever conceived by the fancy; for I saw, and also heard the beak speaking, and uttering with the voice both I and MY, when in conception it was WE and OUR.³⁹⁸

The beautiful image appeared before me with its wings spread. The souls woven together in the image rejoiced in their sweet fulfillment. Each soul looked like a little ruby, lit so brightly by a ray of sunlight that it reflected the sun into my eyes. What I must now describe has never been spoken, written, or even imagined. For I saw and heard the beak speak, saying I and MY, though its meaning was WE and OUR.³⁹⁸

And it began, “Through being just and pious am I here exalted to that glory which lets not itself be conquered by desire; and on earth I left my memory such that the evil people there commend it, but continue not its story.” Thus a single heat makes itself felt from many embers, even as from many loves a single sound issued from that image. Wherefore I thereon, “O perpetual flowers of the eternal gladness, which make all your odors seem to me as only one, deliver me, by your breath, from the great fast which has held me long in hunger, not finding for it any food on earth. Well I know that if the Divine Justice makes any realm in heaven its mirror, yours does not apprehend it through a veil.³⁹⁹ Ye know how intently I address myself to listen; ye know what is that doubt⁴⁰⁰ which is so old a fast to me.”

And it began, “Because I was just and devout, I am raised here to a glory beyond all desire. On earth I left a memory that wicked people praise, but do not carry forward.” Just as many embers give off a single heat, many loves spoke with one voice from that image. So I said, “O everlasting flowers of eternal joy, all your fragrances seem to me to blend into one. With your breath, free me from the long fast that has left me hungry, finding no food on earth. I know well that if any realm in heaven reflects Divine Justice, yours sees it without a veil.³⁹⁹ You know how eagerly I am listening. You know the doubt⁴⁰⁰ that has kept me fasting so long.”

As a falcon which, issuing from his hood, moves his head, and claps his wings, showing desire, and making himself fine; so I saw this ensign, which was woven of praise of the Divine Grace, become, with songs such as he knows who thereabove rejoices. Then it began, “He who turned the compasses at the verge of the world, and distributed within it so much occult and manifest, could not so imprint His Power on all the universe that His Word should not remain in infinite excess.⁴⁰¹ And this makes certain that the first proud one, who was the top of every creature, through not awaiting light, fell immature.⁴⁰² And hence it appears, that every lesser nature is a scant receptacle for that Good which has no end and measures Itself by Itself. Wherefore our vision, which needs must be some ray of the Mind with which all things are full, cannot in its own nature be so potent that it may not discern its origin to be far beyond that which is apparent to it.⁴⁰³ Therefore the sight which your world receives⁴⁰⁴ penetrates into the eternal justice as the eye into the sea; which, though from the shore it can see the bottom, on the ocean sees it not, and nevertheless it is there, but the depth conceals it. There is no light but that which comes from the serene which is never clouded; nay, there is darkness, either shadow of the flesh, or its poison.⁴⁰⁵ The hiding place is now open enough to thee, which concealed from thee the living Justice concerning which thou madest such frequent question;⁴⁰⁶ for thou saidest,—'A man is born on the bank of the Indus, and no one is there who may speak of Christ, nor who may read, nor who may write; and all his wishes and acts are good so far as human reason sees, without sin in life or in speech. He dies unbaptized, and without faith: where is this Justice which condemns him? where is his sin if he does not believe?' Now who art thou, that wouldst sit upon a bench to judge a thousand miles away with the short vision of a single span? Assuredly, for him who subtilizes with me,⁴⁰⁷ if the Scripture were not above you, there would be occasion for doubting to a marvel. Oh earthly animals! oh gross minds!⁴⁰⁸

Like a falcon coming out of its hood, moving its head and beating its wings, eager and making itself ready, I saw the emblem stir. It was woven from praises of divine grace, and it sang songs known only to those who rejoice in heaven. Then it began, “He who set the compass at the edge of the world placed countless hidden and visible things within it. Yet he could not imprint his power on the entire universe without his Word remaining infinitely greater than it.⁴⁰¹ This makes it certain that the first proud one, the highest of all creatures, fell before he was fully formed because he did not wait for light.⁴⁰² So it is clear that every lesser nature can hold only a little of that Good which has no end and measures itself by itself. “Therefore, our vision must be a ray of the Mind that fills all things. But by its nature it cannot be powerful enough to see all the way to its source. It can only see that its source lies far beyond what is visible to it.⁴⁰³ So the sight granted to your world⁴⁰⁴ sees into eternal justice as the eye sees into the sea. From the shore, the eye can see the bottom. Out on the ocean, it cannot. Yet the bottom is still there, hidden by the depth. “There is no light except what comes from the clear sky that is never clouded. Everything else is darkness, either the shadow of the flesh or its poison.⁴⁰⁵ You can now see well enough what concealed living Justice from you, the Justice you questioned so often.⁴⁰⁶ For you said, 'A man is born on the bank of the Indus. No one there can speak of Christ, read, or write. As far as human reason can see, all his wishes and actions are good, and he commits no sin in life or speech. He dies unbaptized and without faith. Where is the Justice that condemns him? Where is his sin if he does not believe?' “Now who are you to sit on a judge's bench and judge something a thousand miles away, when you can see only a single span? Surely, for anyone who argues this point with me,⁴⁰⁷ if Scripture were not above you, there would be wonderful reason to doubt. Oh earthly animals! Oh dull minds!⁴⁰⁸

“The primal Will, which of Itself is good, never is moved from Itself, which is the Supreme Good. So much is just as is accordant to It; no created good draws It to itself, but It, raying forth, is the cause of that good.”

“The primal Will is good in itself and never departs from itself, the Supreme Good. Only what agrees with the primal Will is just. No created good draws the primal Will toward it. Instead, the primal Will shines outward and causes that good.”

As above her nest the stork circles, after she has fed her brood, and as he who has been fed looks up at her, such became (and I so raised my brows) the blessed image, which moved its wings urged by so many counsels. Wheeling it sang, and said, “As are my notes to thee who understandest them not, so is the eternal judgment to you mortals.”

A stork circles above her nest after feeding her young, and a fed chick looks up at her. In the same way, the blessed image circled, moving its wings, guided by so many counsels, and I looked up at it. As it circled, it sang and said, “Just as you cannot understand my song, you mortals cannot understand the eternal judgment.”

After those shining flames of the Holy Spirit became quiet, still in the sign which made the Romans reverend to the world, it began again, “To this kingdom no one ever ascended, who had not believed in Christ either before or after he was nailed to the tree. But behold, many cry Christ, Christ, who, at the Judgment, shall be far less near to him, than such an one who knew not Christ; and the Ethiop will condemn such Christians when the two companies shall be divided, the one forever rich, and the other poor. What will the Persians be able to say to your kings, when they shall see that volume open in which are written all their dispraises?⁴⁰⁹ There among the deeds of Albert shall be seen that which will soon set the pen in motion, by which the kingdom of Prague shall be made desert.⁴¹⁰ There shall be seen the woe which he who shall die by the blow of a wild boar is bringing upon the Seine by falsifying the coin.⁴¹¹ There shall be seen the pride that quickens thirst, which makes the Scot and the Englishman mad, so that neither can keep within his own bounds.⁴¹² The luxury shall be seen, and the effeminate living of him of Spain, and of him of Bohemia, who never knew valor, nor wished it.⁴¹³ The goodness of the Cripple of Jerusalem shall be seen marked with a I, while an M shall mark the contrary.⁴¹⁴ The avarice and the cowardice shall be seen of him⁴¹⁵ who guards the island of the fire, where Anchises ended his long life; and, to give to understand how little worth he is, the writing for him shall be in contracted letters which shall note much in small space. And to every one shall be apparent the foul deeds of his uncle and of his brother⁴¹⁶ who have dishonored so famous a nation and two crowns. And he of Portugal,⁴¹⁷ and he of Norway⁴¹⁸ shall be known there; and he of Rascia,⁴¹⁹ who, to his harm, has seen the coin of Venice. O happy Hungary, if she allow herself no longer to be maltreated! and happy Navarre, if she would arm herself with the mountains which bind her round!⁴²⁰ And every one must believe that now, for earnest of this, Nicosia and Famagosta are lamenting and complaining because of their beast which departs not from the flank of the others.⁴²¹

After those shining flames of the Holy Spirit fell silent, still in the sign that made the Romans revered throughout the world, it spoke again: “No one has ever entered this kingdom without believing in Christ, either before or after he was nailed to the tree. But look, many cry ‘Christ, Christ’ who, at the Judgment, will be much farther from him than someone who never knew Christ. The Ethiopian will condemn such Christians when the two groups are divided, one forever rich and the other poor. “What will the Persians be able to say to your kings when they see the open book where all their shameful deeds are recorded?⁴⁰⁹ Among Albert’s deeds will be one that will soon be recorded, the deed that will make the kingdom of Prague a desert.⁴¹⁰ There, too, will be the suffering that the man who will die from a wild boar’s blow is bringing upon the Seine by debasing the coinage.⁴¹¹ There will be the pride that fuels ambition and drives the Scots and the English mad, so that neither can stay within his own borders.⁴¹² There will be the luxury and effeminate living of the king of Spain and the king of Bohemia, who never knew valor or wished for it.⁴¹³ The goodness of the Cripple of Jerusalem will be marked with an I, while an M will mark the opposite.⁴¹⁴ “There, too, will be the greed and cowardice of the man⁴¹⁵ who rules the island of fire, where Anchises ended his long life. To show how little he is worth, his entry will be written in abbreviated letters, recording much in a small space. Everyone will see the foul deeds of his uncle and his brother,⁴¹⁶ who have dishonored so famous a nation and two crowns. The king of Portugal,⁴¹⁷ the king of Norway,⁴¹⁸ and the ruler of Rascia⁴¹⁹ will also be exposed there. The ruler of Rascia has seen the coin of Venice, to his own harm. “O happy Hungary, if she no longer allows herself to be mistreated! And happy Navarre, if she would defend herself with the mountains that surround her!⁴²⁰ Everyone must believe that, as a sign of this, Nicosia and Famagosta now lament and complain because of their beast, who stays close beside the others.⁴²¹