Canto 18

Now was that blessed mirror enjoying alone its own word,³⁸³ and I was tasting mine, tempering the bitter with the sweet. and that Lady who to God was leading me said, “Change thy thought; think that I am near to Him who lifts the burden of every wrong.” I turned me round at the loving sound of my Comfort, and what love I then saw in the holy eyes, I here leave it; not only because I distrust my own speech, but because of the memory which cannot return so far above itself, unless another guide it. Thus much of that moment can I recount, that, again beholding her, my affection was free from every other desire.

Now that blessed mirror was enjoying its own words alone,³⁸³ while I savored what I had heard, mixing bitterness with sweetness. The Lady who was leading me to God said, “Change your thoughts. Remember that I am near him who lifts the burden of every wrong.” I turned at the loving voice of my Comfort. I will not describe the love I saw then in her holy eyes. This is not only because I distrust my ability to express it. My memory also cannot reach so far beyond itself unless another guides it. I can say this much about that moment: when I saw her again, my love was free from every other desire.

While the eternal pleasure, which was raying directly upon Beatrice, from her fair face was contenting me with its second aspect,³⁸⁴ vanquishing me with the light of a smile, she said to me, “Turn thee, and listen, for not only in my eyes is Paradise.”

The eternal joy shone directly on Beatrice and delighted me as it was reflected in her beautiful face.³⁸⁴ As the light of her smile overwhelmed me, she said, “Turn around and listen, for Paradise is not only in my eyes.”

As sometimes here one sees the affection in the countenance, if it be so great that by it the whole soul is occupied, so in the flaming of the holy effulgence to which I turned me, I recognized the will in it still to speak somewhat with me. It began, “In this fifth threshold of the tree, which lives from its top, and always bears fruit, and never loses leaf, are blessed spirits, who below, before they came to heaven, were of great renown, so that every Muse would be rich with them. Therefore gaze upon the arms of the Cross; he, whom I shall name, will there do that which within a cloud its own swift fire does.” At the naming of Joshua, even as he did it, I saw a light drawn over the Cross; nor was the word noted by me before the act. And at the name of the lofty Maccabeus³⁸⁵ I saw another move revolving, and gladness was the whip of the top. Thus for Charlemagne and for Roland my attentive gaze followed two of them, as the eye follows its falcon as be flies. Afterward William, and Renouard,³⁸⁶ and the duke Godfrey,³⁸⁷ and Robert Guiscard³⁸⁸ drew my sight over that Cross. Then, moving, and mingling among the other lights, the soul which had spoken with me showed me how great an artist it was among the singers of heaven.

Sometimes, here on earth, a feeling shows on a person’s face if it is strong enough to occupy the whole soul. In the same way, when I turned to the flaming holy light, I saw that the spirit wished to speak with me again. It began, “On this fifth level of the tree, which lives from its top, always bears fruit, and never loses a leaf, are blessed spirits. Before they came to heaven, they were so renowned on earth that every Muse would be enriched by them. So look at the arms of the Cross. The one I name will do there what lightning does within a cloud.” As the spirit named Joshua, I saw a light streak across the Cross. The act came before I even registered the name. At the name of the lofty Maccabeus³⁸⁵, I saw another light spin into motion, like a top whipped by joy. Then, as the spirit named Charlemagne and Roland, I watched two more lights as a falconer watches his falcon fly. Afterward, William, Renouard,³⁸⁶ the duke Godfrey,³⁸⁷ and Robert Guiscard³⁸⁸ drew my gaze across the Cross. Then the soul that had spoken with me moved and mingled among the other lights. In doing so, it showed me how great an artist it was among the singers of heaven.

I turned me round to my right side to see my duty signified in Beatrice either by speech or by act, and I saw her eyes so clear, so joyous, that her semblance surpassed her other and her latest wont. And even as, through feeling more delight in doing good, a man from day to day becomes aware that his virtue is advancing, so I became aware that my circling round together with the heaven had increased its are, seeing that miracle more adorned. And such as is the change, in brief passage of time, in a pale lady, when her countenance is unlading the load of bashfulness, such was there in my eyes, when I had turned, because of the whiteness of the temperate sixth star which had received, me within itself.³⁸⁹ I saw, within that torch of Jove, the sparkling of the love which was there shape out our speech to my eyes. And as birds, risen from the river-bank, as if rejoicing together over their food, make of themselves a troop now round, now of some other shape, so within the lights³⁹⁰ holy creatures were singing as they flew, and made of themselves now D, now I, now L, in their proper shapes.³⁹¹ First, singing, they moved to their melody, then becoming one of these characters, they stopped a little, and were silent.

I turned to my right to see whether Beatrice would tell me what to do, either in words or by a gesture. Her eyes were so clear and joyful that she looked more radiant than ever before. A person may notice his virtue growing when he takes more pleasure in doing good each day. In the same way, I saw that my circling with the heavens had covered a greater arc, because that miracle appeared more radiant. A pale lady's face can change in a moment as the burden of shyness leaves it. In the same way, what I saw changed when I turned around, because the whiteness of the temperate sixth star had received me within itself.³⁸⁹ Within that torch of Jove, I saw the sparkling love there form the words of our speech before my eyes. Birds rise from a riverbank, as if rejoicing together over their food. They gather in a flock, now round, now in some other shape. So, within the lights³⁹⁰ holy creatures sang as they flew, forming the proper shapes of D, then I, then L.³⁹¹ First they sang and moved to their melody. Then, after forming one of these letters, they paused briefly and fell silent.

O divine Pegasea,³⁹² who makest the wits of men glorious, and renderest them long-lived, as they, through thee, the cities and the kingdoms, illume me with thyself that I may set in relief their shapes, as I have conceived them I let thy power appear in these brief verses!

O divine Pegasea,³⁹² you make human minds glorious and give them lasting life, just as they, through you, give lasting life to cities and kingdoms. Fill me with your light so that I may bring their forms to life as I have imagined them. Let your power shine through these brief verses!

They showed themselves then in five times seven vowels and consonants; and I noted the parts as they seemed spoken to me. Diligite justitiam were first verb and noun of all the picture; qui judicatis terram³⁹³ were the last. Then in the M of the fifth word they remained arranged, so that Jove seemed silver patterned there with gold. And I saw other lights descending where the top of the M was, and become quiet there, singing, I believe, the Good which moves them to itself. Then, as on the striking of burnt logs rise innumerable sparks, wherefrom the foolish are wont to draw auguries, there seemed to rise again thence more than a thousand lights, and mount, one much and one little, according as the Sun which kindles them allotted them; and, each having become quiet in its place, I saw the head and the neck of an eagle represented by that patterned fire. He who paints there, has none who may guide Him, but Himself guides, and by Him is inspired that virtue which is form for the nests.³⁹⁴ The rest of the blessed spirits, which at first seemed content to be enlilied³⁹⁵ on the M, with a slight motion followed out the imprint.

Then they appeared as thirty-five vowels and consonants. I noted each part as it seemed spoken to me. Diligite justitiam, a verb and noun, came first in the whole picture. Qui judicatis terram³⁹³ came last. Then they remained arranged in the M of the fifth word, so that Jove looked like silver patterned with gold. I saw other lights descend to the top of the M and settle there. They sang, I believe, of the Good that draws them to itself. Then more than a thousand lights seemed to rise again from there. They rose like countless sparks from struck, burned logs, sparks that foolish people often use to predict the future. Some lights rose higher than others, as the Sun that kindles them allotted to each. When each had settled in its place, I saw the head and neck of an eagle formed by the patterned fire. He who paints there has no one to guide him. Instead, he guides all things himself, and he inspires the virtue that gives form to the nests.³⁹⁴ The other blessed spirits had at first seemed content to form lilies³⁹⁵ on the M. Now, with a slight movement, they completed the design.

O sweet star, how great gems and how many showed to me that our justice is the effect of that heaven which thou ingemmest! Wherefore I pray the Mind, in which thy motion and thy virtue have their source, that It regard whence issues the smoke which spoils thy radiance, so that now a second time It may be wroth at the buying and selling within the temple which was walled with signs and martyrdoms. O soldiery of the Heaven on which I gaze, pray ye for those who are on earth all gone astray after the bad example! Of old it was the wont to make war with swords, but now it is made by taking, now here now there, the bread which the piteous Father locks up from none.

O sweet star, how many great gems showed me that our justice comes from the heaven you adorn! So I pray to the Mind from which your movement and power come. May it see where the smoke that dims your radiance comes from. May it once again grow angry at the buying and selling within the temple whose walls were built with miracles and martyrdoms. O soldiers of the heaven I gaze upon, pray for those on earth. They have all gone astray by following that bad example! In the past, wars were fought with swords. But now war is waged by taking bread from people here and there, bread the merciful Father denies to no one.

But thou that writest only in order to cancel,³⁹⁶ bethink thee that Peter and Paul, who died for the vineyard which thou art laying waste, are still alive. Thou mayest indeed say, “I have my desire set so on him who willed to live alone, and for a dance was dragged to martyrdom³⁹⁷ that I know not the Fisherman nor Paul.”

But you who write only to cancel,³⁹⁶ remember that Peter and Paul are still alive. They died for the vineyard you are laying waste. You may indeed say, “My heart is so set on him who chose to live alone and was dragged to martyrdom because of a dance³⁹⁷ that I know neither the Fisherman nor Paul.”