Canto 17

As he who still makes fathers chary toward their sons³⁷⁶ came to Clymene, to ascertain concerning that which he had heard against himself; such was I, and such was I perceived to be both by Beatrice, and by the holy lamp which first for my sake had changed its station. Whereon my Lady said to me, “Send forth the flame of thy desire so that it may issue sealed well by the internal stamp; not in order that our knowledge may increase through thy speech, but that thou accustom thyself to tell thy thirst, so that one may give thee drink.”

The one who still makes fathers wary of their sons³⁷⁶ went to Clymene to learn the truth about what he had heard said against him. I was like him, and both Beatrice and the holy lamp saw that I was. The lamp had first moved from its place for my sake. Then my Lady said to me, “Let the flame of your desire come forth, clearly shaped by what you feel inside. Speak not to increase our knowledge, but to grow used to expressing your thirst, so that someone may give you drink.”

“O dear plant of me, who so upliftest thyself that, even as earthly minds see that two obtuse angles are not contained in a triangle, so thou, gazing upon the point to which all times are present, seest contingent things, ere in themselves they are; while I was conjoined with Virgil up over the mountain which cures the souls, and while descending in the world of the dead, grave words were said to me of my future life; although I feel myself truly four-square against the blows of chance. Wherefore my wish would be content by hearing what sort of fortune is drawing near me; for arrow foreseen comes more slack.” Thus said I unto that same light which before had spoken to me, and as Beatrice willed was my wish confessed.

“O dear descendant of mine, you have risen so high that you gaze upon the point where all times are present. You see things that may happen before they happen, just as earthly minds see that a triangle cannot contain two obtuse angles. While I was with Virgil, climbing the mountain that heals souls and descending into the world of the dead, grave things were said to me about my future life. Yet I feel myself firmly braced against the blows of chance. Still, I would be satisfied to hear what kind of fortune awaits me, for an arrow seen in advance strikes less hard.” I said this to the same light that had spoken to me before, and I expressed my wish as Beatrice wanted me to.

Not with ambiguous terms in which the foolish folk erst were entangled,³⁷⁷ ere yet the Lamb of God which taketh away sins had been slain, but with clear words and with distinct speech that paternal love, hid and apparent by his own proper smile, made answer: “Contingency, which extends not outside the volume of your matter, is all depicted in the eternal aspect. Therefrom, however, it takes not necessity, more than from the eye in which it is mirrored does a ship which descends with the downward current. Thence, even as sweet harmony comes to the ear from an organ, comes to my sight the time that is preparing for thee. As Hippolytus departed from Athens, by reason of his pitiless and perfidious stepmother, so out from Florence thou must needs depart. This is willed, this is already sought for, and soon it shall be brought to pass, by him I who designs it there where every day Christ is bought and sold. The blame will follow the injured party, in outcry, as it is wont; but the vengeance will be testimony to the truth which dispenses it. Thou shalt leave everything beloved most dearly; and this is the arrow which the bow of exile first shoots. Thou shalt prove how the bread of others savors of salt, and how the descending and the mounting of another's stairs is a hard path. And that which will heaviest weigh upon thy shoulders will be the evil and foolish company³⁷⁸³⁷⁹ with which into this valley thou shalt fall; which all ungrateful, all senseless, and impious will turn against thee; but short while after, it, not thou, shall have the forehead red therefor. Of its bestiality, its own procedure will give the proof; so that it will be seemly for thee to have made thyself a party by thyself.

The loving father, hidden yet revealed by his own smile, answered in clear and direct words. He did not use the ambiguous language that once entangled foolish people,³⁷⁷ before the Lamb of God, who takes away sins, had been slain. “All chance events, which occur only within your material world, are visible to the eternal gaze. But that gaze does not make them necessary, any more than an eye makes a ship sail downstream by reflecting it. From that gaze, I see the time being prepared for you, just as sweet harmony from an organ reaches the ear. Just as Hippolytus left Athens because of his pitiless and treacherous stepmother, so you must leave Florence. Your departure is willed and already being sought. Soon the one who plans it will bring it about, there where Christ is bought and sold every day. As usual, the injured party will be blamed in the public outcry. But the vengeance will bear witness to the truth that sends it. “You will leave everything you love most dearly. This is the first arrow that the bow of exile shoots. You will learn how salty another person's bread tastes, and how hard it is to climb and descend another person's stairs. But the heaviest burden on your shoulders will be the evil and foolish company³⁷⁸³⁷⁹ with whom you will fall into this valley. All ungrateful, all senseless, and impious, they will turn against you. But soon afterward, their foreheads, not yours, will be red with shame for it. Their own actions will prove their bestiality, so that it will be fitting for you to have made a party of yourself alone.

“Thy first refuge and first inn shall be the courtesy of the great Lombard,³⁸⁰ who upon the ladder bears the holy bird, who will turn such benign regard on thee that, in doing and in asking, between you two, that will be first, which between others is the slowest. With him shalt thou see one,³⁸¹ who was so impressed, at his birth, by this strong star, that his deeds will be notable. Not yet are the people aware of him, because of his young age; for only nine years have these wheels revolved around him. But ere the Gascon cheat the lofty Henry³⁸² some sparkles of his virtue shall appear, in caring not for silver nor for toils. His magnificences shall hereafter be so known, that his enemies shall not be able to keep their tongues mute about them. Await thou for him, and for his benefits; by him shall many people be transformed, rich and mendicant changing condition. And thou shalt bear hence written of him in thy mind, but thou shalt not tell it;” and he said things incredible to those who shall be present. Then he added, “Son, these are the glosses on what was said to thee; behold the ambushes which are bidden behind few revolutions. Yet would I not that thou bate thy neighbors, because thy life hath a future far beyond the punishment of their perfidies.”

“Your first refuge and lodging will come from the kindness of the great Lombard,³⁸⁰ who bears the holy bird on his ladder. He will look on you so kindly that he will give before you ask, though among others giving comes last. With him you will see someone³⁸¹ who was so strongly influenced by this star at birth that his deeds will be remarkable. People do not yet know him because he is young. These wheels have revolved around him for only nine years. But before the Gascon deceives the noble Henry,³⁸² some sparks of his virtue will appear. He will care nothing for silver or hardship. In time, his magnificent deeds will become so well known that even his enemies will not be able to remain silent about them. Wait for him and for the benefits he will bring. He will transform the lives of many people, with the rich becoming beggars and beggars becoming rich. You will carry away what I tell you about him written in your mind, but you must not repeat it.” And he said things that those who live to see them will find incredible. Then he added, “Son, these are the explanations of what was said to you. Look at the ambushes hidden just a few revolutions ahead. Yet I would not have you envy your neighbors, because your life will extend far beyond the punishment of their betrayals.”

When by its silence that holy soul showed it had finished putting the woof into that web which I had given it warped, I began, as he who, in doubt, longs for counsel from a person who sees, and uprightly wills, and loves: “I see well, my Father, how the time spurs on toward me to give me such a blow as is heaviest to him who most deserts himself; wherefore it is good that I arm me with foresight, so that if the place most dear be taken from me, I should not lose the others by my songs. Down through the world of endless bitterness, and over the mountain from whose fair summit the eyes of my Lady have lifted me, and afterward through the heavens from light to light, I have learned that which, if I repeat it, shall be to many a savor keenly sour; and if I am a timid friend to the truth I fear to lose life among those who will call this time the olden.” The light, in which my treasure which I had found there was smiling, first became flashing as a mirror of gold in the sunbeam; then it replied, “A conscience dark, either with its own or with another's shame, will indeed feel thy speech as harsh; but nevertheless, all falsehood laid aside, make thy whole vision manifest, and let the scratching be even where the itch is; for if at the first taste thy voice shall be molestful, afterwards, when it shall be digested, it will leave vital nourishment. This cry of thine shall do as the wind, which heaviest strikes the loftiest summits; and that will be no little argument of honor. Therefore to thee have been shown within these wheels, upon the mountain, and in the woeful valley, only the souls which are known of fame. For the mind of him who bears rests not, nor confirms its faith, through an example which has its root unknown and hidden, nor by other argument which is not apparent.”

When the holy soul fell silent, I knew he had finished weaving the thread into the web I had begun. I spoke like someone in doubt who longs for advice from a person who sees clearly, wills what is right, and loves: “I can see, Father, how time is rushing toward me with a blow. The person who abandons himself feels such a blow most heavily. So I should prepare myself through foresight. Then, if the place dearest to me is taken away, my songs will not cost me the others. I have traveled down through the world of endless bitterness and over the mountain. From its beautiful summit, my Lady’s eyes lifted me. Afterward, I passed through the heavens from light to light. I have learned things that, if I repeat them, will taste sharply bitter to many. Yet if I am a timid friend to the truth, I fear losing life among those who will call our time the old days.” The light holding the treasure I had found there was smiling. First, it flashed like a gold mirror in a sunbeam. Then it replied, “A conscience darkened by its own shame or another’s will indeed find your words harsh. But set aside all falsehood and reveal your whole vision. Let your words scratch wherever there is an itch. Your voice may trouble people at the first taste. But once digested, it will leave vital nourishment. Your cry will be like the wind, which strikes the highest summits most fiercely. And that will be no small mark of honor. This is why you have been shown only famous souls in these heavenly spheres, on the mountain, and in the sorrowful valley. A listener’s mind finds no assurance, and its faith is not strengthened, by an example whose roots are unknown and hidden. Nor is it persuaded by any other argument that is not clear.”