Canto 15

A benign will, wherein the love which righteously inspires always manifests itself, as cupidity does in the evil will, imposed silence on that sweet lyre, and quieted the holy strings which the right hand of heaven slackens and draws tight. How unto just petitions shall those substances be deaf, who, in order to give me wish to pray unto them, were concordant in silence? Well is it that be endlessly should grieve who, for the love of thing which endures not eternally, despoils him of that love.

A kindly will silenced that sweet lyre and stilled its holy strings, which heaven’s right hand loosens and tightens. The love that rightly inspires such a will always shows itself in it, just as greed shows itself in an evil will. How could those spirits be deaf to just requests, when they fell silent together to encourage me to pray to them? It is right that anyone who gives up that love for love of something that does not last forever should grieve endlessly.

As, through the tranquil and pure evening skies, a sudden fire shoots from time to time, moving the eyes which were at rest, and seems to be a star which changes place, except that from the region where it is kindled nothing is lost, and it lasts short while, so, from the arm which extends on the right, to the foot of that Cross, ran a star of the constellation which is resplendent there. Nor from its ribbon did the gem depart, but through the radial strip it ran along and seemed like fire behind alabaster. Thus did the pious shade of Anchises advance (if our greatest Muse merits belief), when in Elysium he perceived. his son.³¹⁰

At times, a sudden streak of fire shoots across the calm, clear evening sky, catching the eyes of those at rest. It seems to be a star changing place, except that no star disappears from where the light first appears. The streak also lasts only a short while. Just like that, a star in the constellation shining there ran from the right arm to the foot of the Cross. The jewel did not leave its ribbon. Instead, it ran along the radiant band, looking like fire behind alabaster. In the same way, the faithful shade of Anchises came forward when he saw his son in Elysium. That is, if our greatest Muse deserves to be believed.³¹⁰

“O sanguis meus! o superinfusa gratia Dei! sicut tibi, cui bis unquam coeli janua reclusa?”³¹¹ Thus that light; whereat I gave heed to it; then I turned my sight to my Lady, and on this side and that I was wonderstruck; for within her eyes was glowing such a smile, that with my own I thought to touch the depth of my grace and of my Paradise.

“O my blood! O abundant grace of God! Who else has ever had heaven’s gate opened to him twice, as you have?”³¹¹ So spoke the light, and I listened. Then I turned to look at my Lady. I was filled with wonder at both the light and my Lady. For such a smile glowed in her eyes that I thought I could see the very depths of my grace and my Paradise.

Then, gladsome to hear and to see, the spirit joined to his beginning things which I understood not, he spoke so profoundly. Nor did he hide himself to me by choice, but by necessity, for his conception was set above the mark of mortals. And when the bow of his ardent affection was so relaxed that his speech descended towards the mark of our understanding, the first thing that was understood by me was, “Blessed be Thou, Trinal, and One who in my offspring art so courteous.” And he went on, “Grateful and long hunger, derived from reading in the great vouime where white or dark is never changed,³¹² thou hast relieved, my son, within this light in which I speak to thee, thanks to Her who clothed thee with plumes for the lofty flight. Thou believest that thy thought flows to me from that which is first; even as from the unit, if that be known, ray out the five and six. And therefore who I am, and why I appear to thee more joyous than any other in this glad crowd, thou askest me not. Thou believest the truth; for the less and the great of this life gaze upon the mirror in which, before thou thinkest, thou dost display thy thought. But in order that the sacred Love, in which I watch with perpetual sight, and which makes me thirst with sweet desire, may be fulfilled the better, let thy voice, secure, bold, and glad, utter the wish, utter the desire, to which my answer is already decreed.”

Then the spirit, delightful to hear and see, added things to his opening words that I did not understand. He spoke so profoundly. He did not conceal his meaning from me by choice, but out of necessity. His thoughts reached beyond the limits of mortal understanding. At last, the bow of his ardent affection relaxed, and his speech descended toward the level of our understanding. The first words I understood were, “Blessed are you, Three in One, who are so gracious to my descendant.” He went on, “My son, you have satisfied a long and welcome hunger of mine. It came from reading the great book where white and dark never change.³¹² You have satisfied it here within this light from which I speak to you. I thank Her who gave you wings for this lofty flight. You believe that your thoughts flow to me from the First, just as five and six follow from one, once one is known. And so you do not ask who I am, or why I appear happier than anyone else in this joyful crowd. You believe the truth. For both the least and the greatest in this life gaze into the mirror where you reveal your thoughts before you think them. But speak your wish, speak your desire, in a voice that is confident, bold, and glad. Then the sacred Love may be more fully satisfied. I gaze on that Love forever, and it makes me thirst with sweet desire. My answer to your desire has already been decided.”

I turned me to Beatrice, and she heard before I spoke, and smiled to me a sign which made the wings to my desire grow: and I began thus: “When the first Equality appeared to you, the affection and the intelligence became of one weight for each of you; because the Sun which illumined and warmed you is of such equality in its heat and in its light that all similitudes are defective. But will and discourse in mortals, for the reason which is manifest to you, are diversely feathered in their wings.³¹³ Wherefore I, who am mortal, feel myself in this inequality,³¹⁴ and therefore I give not thanks, save with my heart, for thy paternal welcome. Truly I beseech thee, living topaz that dost ingem this precious jewel, that thou make me content with thy name?” “O leaf of mine, in whom, while only awaiting, I took pleasure, I was thy root.” Such a beginning he, answering, made to me. Then he said to me: “He from whom thy family is named,³¹⁵ and who for a hundred years and more has circled the mountain on the first ledge, was my son and was thy great-grandsire. Truly it behoves that thou shorten for him his long fatigue with thy works. Florence, within the ancient circle wherefrom she still takes both tierce and nones,³¹⁶ was abiding in sober and modest peace. She had not necklace nor coronal, nor dames with ornamented shoes, nor girdle which was more to be looked at than the person. Not yet did the daughter at her birth cause fear to the father, for the time and dowry did not evade measure on this side and that.³¹⁷ She had not houses void of families;³¹⁸ Sardanapalus had not yet arrived³¹⁹ there to show what can be done in a chamber. Not yet by your Uccellatoio was Montemalo surpassed, which, as it has been surpassed in its rise, shall be so in its fall.³²⁰ I saw Bellineoin Berti³²¹ go girt with leather and bone,³²² and his dame come from her mirror without a painted face. And I saw them of the Nerli, and them of the Vecchio,³²³ contented with the uncovered skin,³²⁴ and their dames with the spindle and the distaff. O fortunate women! Every one was sure of her burial place;³²⁵ and as yet no one was deserted in her bed for France.³²⁶ One over the cradle kept her careful watch, and, comforting, she used the idiom which first amuses fathers and mothers. Another, drawing the tresses from her distaff, told tales to her household of the Trojans, and of Fiesole, and of Rome.³²⁷ A Cianghella,³²⁸ a Lapo Salterello would then have been held as great a marvel as Cincinnatus or Cornelia would be now.

I turned to Beatrice. Before I spoke, she understood and smiled, giving me a sign that gave wings to my desire. I began: “When the first Equality appeared to you, love and understanding became equally strong in each of you. For the Sun that lit and warmed you gives heat and light so equally that every comparison falls short. But in mortals, will and speech have differently feathered wings, for a reason clear to you.³¹³ As a mortal, I feel this imbalance in myself.³¹⁴ So I can thank you for your fatherly welcome only in my heart. I earnestly ask you, living topaz set in this precious jewel, to satisfy me by telling me your name.” “O leaf of mine, I took pleasure in you even while I waited for you. I was your root.” So he began his reply. Then he said: “The man from whom your family takes its name was my son and your great-grandfather.³¹⁵ For more than a hundred years, he has circled the mountain on its first ledge. You must shorten his long labor through your good works. “Florence lived in sober and modest peace within its ancient walls. From there it still hears the bells for tierce and nones.³¹⁶ Its women wore no necklaces or crowns, no decorated shoes or belts that drew more attention than the wearer. A daughter’s birth did not yet frighten her father. Neither the age of marriage nor the size of the dowry exceeded reasonable bounds, one too low and the other too high.³¹⁷ Florence had no houses empty of families.³¹⁸ Sardanapalus had not yet arrived³¹⁹ there to show what can be done in a bedroom. Your Uccellatoio had not yet surpassed Montemalo. But just as it has surpassed Montemalo in its rise, so it will in its fall.³²⁰ “I saw Bellineoin Berti³²¹ wearing a belt of leather and bone.³²² I saw his wife leave her mirror with her face unpainted. I saw the men of the Nerli and the Vecchio³²³ content with plain leather clothing,³²⁴ and their wives with spindle and distaff. O fortunate women! Each was sure of her burial place.³²⁵ And no woman had yet been left alone in her bed while her husband went to France.³²⁶ One woman watched over the cradle and comforted her child with the baby talk that first delights fathers and mothers. Another spun thread from her distaff and told her household stories of the Trojans, Fiesole, and Rome.³²⁷ In those days, a Cianghella³²⁸ or a Lapo Salterello would have been as great a marvel as a Cincinnatus or a Cornelia would be now.

“To such a tranquil, to such a beautiful life of citizens, to such a trusty citizenship, to such a sweet inn, Mary, called on with loud cries,³²⁹ gave me; and in your ancient Baptistery I became at once a Christian and Cacciaguida. Moronto was my brother, and Eliseo; my dame came to me from the valley of the Po, and thence was thy surname. Afterward I followed the emperor Conrad.³³⁰ and he belted me of his soldiery,³³¹ so much by good deeds did I come into his favor. Following him I went against the iniquity of that law³³² whose people usurp your right,³³³ though fault of the shepherd. There by that base folk was I released from the deceitful world, the love of which pollutes many souls, and I came from martyrdom to this peace.”

“Mary, called upon with loud cries,³²⁹ brought me into such a peaceful, beautiful life among citizens, into such a trustworthy community, such a sweet home. In your ancient Baptistery, I became both a Christian and Cacciaguida. Moronto and Eliseo were my brothers. My wife came to me from the valley of the Po, and your surname came from there. Later I followed the emperor Conrad.³³⁰ My good deeds won me so much favor with him that he made me one of his knights.³³¹ I followed him to fight against the injustice of that law,³³² whose people take what is yours by right,³³³ through the shepherd’s fault. There, those base people freed me from this deceitful world. Love of the world pollutes many souls. Through martyrdom, I came to this peace.”