Canto 21

Now were my eyes fixed again upon the countenance of my Lady, and my mind with them, and from every other intent it was withdrawn; and she was not smiling, but, “If I should smile,” she began to me, “thou wouldst become such as Semele was when she became ashes; for my beauty, which along the stairs of the eternal palace is kindled the more, as thou hast seen, the higher it ascends, is so resplendent that, if it were not tempered, at its effulgence thy mortal power would be as a bough shattered by thunder. We are lifted to the seventh splendor which beneath the breast of the burning Lion now radiates downward mingled with his strength.⁴⁴¹ Fix thy mind behind thine eyes, and make of them mirrors for the shape which in this mirror shall be apparent to thee.”

My eyes were fixed again on my Lady’s face, and my mind was fixed on her too, drawn away from everything else. She was not smiling. “If I smiled,” she began, “you would become like Semele when she was reduced to ashes. For my beauty grows brighter as it climbs the stairs of the eternal palace, as you have seen. It is so radiant that, if its light were not softened, your mortal strength would be shattered like a branch struck by thunder. We have risen to the seventh splendor. Beneath the breast of the burning Lion, it now shines downward, mingled with his strength.⁴⁴¹ Focus your mind on what your eyes see, and make them mirrors for the form that will appear to you in this mirror.”

He who should know what was the pasture of my sight in her blessed aspect, when I transferred me to another care, would recognize, by counterposing one side with the other, how pleasing it was to me to obey my celestial escort.

Anyone who knew how my eyes had feasted on her blessed face when I turned to another concern could compare the two. They would understand how pleasing it was to obey my heavenly guide.

Within the crystal which, circling round the world, bears the name of its shining leader, under whom all wickedness lay dead,⁴⁴² I saw, of the color of gold through which a sunbeam is shining,⁴⁴³ a stairway rising up so high that my eye followed it not. I saw, moreover, so many splendors descending, along the steps, that I thought every light which appears in heaven was there diffused.

Inside the crystal sphere that circles the world, I saw a stairway. The sphere bears the name of its shining leader, under whom all wickedness lay dead.⁴⁴² The stairway was the color of gold with a sunbeam shining through it.⁴⁴³ It rose so high that my eyes could not follow it to the top. I also saw so many splendors descending the steps that I thought every light in heaven was scattered there.

And as, according to their natural custom, the rooks, at the beginning of the day, move about together, in order to warm their cold feathers; then some go away without return, others wheel round to whence they had set forth, and others, circling, make a stay; such fashion it seemed to me was here in that sparkling which came together, so soon as it struck on a certain step; and that which stopped nearest to us became so bright that I said in my thought, “I clearly see the love which thou signifiest to me. But she, from whom I await the how and the when of speech and of silence, stays still; wherefore I, contrary to desire, do well that I ask not.” Whereupon she, who saw my silence, in the sight of Him who sees everything, said to me, “Let loose thy warm desire.”

At daybreak, rooks gather as they usually do, moving about together to warm their cold feathers. Then some fly away and do not return. Others circle back to where they started, while others circle and stay. The sparkling lights that gathered there seemed to me to do the same when they reached a certain step. The one that stopped nearest us became so bright that I thought, “I can clearly see the love you show me. But she, on whom I depend to tell me how and when to speak or stay silent, remains quiet. So, though I want to ask, I am right not to.” Then she, who saw my silence in the sight of him who sees everything, said to me, “Let your eager desire speak.”

And I began, “My own merit makes me not worthy of thy answer; but for her sake who concedes to me the asking, O blessed life, that keepest thyself hidden within thine own joy, make known to me the cause which has placed thee so near me; and tell why in this wheel the sweet symphony of Paradise is silent, which below through the others so devoutly sounds.” “Thou hast thy hearing mortal, as thy sight,” it replied to me; “therefore no song is here for the same reason that Beatrice has no smile. Down along the steps of the holy stairway I have thus far descended, only to give thee glad welcome with my speech and with the light that mantles me; nor has more love made me to be more ready, for as much and more love is burning here above, even as the flaming manifests to thee; but the high charity, which makes us ready servants to the counsel that governs the world, allots here,⁴⁴⁴ even as thou observest.” “I see well,” said I, “O sacred lamp, how the free will of love suffices in this Court for following the eternal Providence. But this is what seems to me hard to discern, why thou alone wert predestined to this office among thy consorts.” I had not come to the last word before the light made a centre of its middle, whirling like a swift milestone. Then the love that was within it answered, “A divine light strikes upon me, penetrating through this wherein I embosom me: the virtue of which, conjoined with my vision, lifts me above myself so far that I see the Supreme Essence from which it emanates. Thence comes the joy wherewith I flame, because to my vision, in proportion as it is clear, I match the clearness of my flame. But that soul in Heaven which is most enlightened,⁴⁴⁵ that Seraph who has his eye most fixed on God, could not satisfy thy demand; because that which thou askest lies so deep within the abyss of the eternal statute, that from every created sight it is cut off. And when thou retumest to the mortal world, carry this back, so that it may no more presume to move its feet toward such a goal. The mind which shines here, on earth is smoky; wherefore consider how there below it can do that which it cannot do though Heaven assume it.”

And I began, “My own merits do not make me worthy of your answer. But for the sake of the woman who allows me to ask, tell me why you have been placed so near me. O blessed soul, you remain hidden within your own joy. Tell me also why the sweet harmony of Paradise is silent in this sphere. In the other spheres below, it sounds so devoutly.” “Your hearing is mortal, like your sight,” the soul replied. “So there is no song here for the same reason that Beatrice does not smile. I have descended this far down the steps of the holy stairway only to welcome you gladly. I welcome you with my words and with the light that surrounds me. It is not because I have more love that I was more willing to come. As the flames show you, as much love and more burns here above. But the supreme love that makes us willing servants of the counsel governing the world assigns roles here,⁴⁴⁴ as you can see.” “I see clearly, sacred lamp,” I said, “how love freely chooses to follow eternal Providence in this Court. But I find it hard to understand why you alone were destined for this task among your companions.” Before I had finished speaking, the light began to whirl around its center like a swiftly turning millstone. Then the love within it answered, “A divine light strikes me, penetrating the light that surrounds me. Its power joins with my sight and lifts me so far above myself that I see the Supreme Essence from which it comes. From that vision comes the joy that makes me flame. For the brightness of my flame matches the clarity of my vision. But the most enlightened soul in Heaven,⁴⁴⁵ the Seraph whose eye is most fixed on God, could not answer your question. What you ask lies so deep within the abyss of the eternal decree that no created being can see it. When you return to the mortal world, take this message back, so that it will no longer presume to set out toward such a goal. The mind that shines here is clouded on earth. So consider how it can do there below what it cannot do even when Heaven raises it up.”

So did its words prescribe to me, that I left the question, and drew me back to ask it humbly who it was. “Between the two shores of Italy, and not very distant from thy native land, rise rocks so lofty that the thunders sound far lower down, and they make a height which is called Catria, beneath which a hermitage is consecrated which is wont to be devoted to worship only.”⁴⁴⁶ Thus it began again to me with its third speech, and then, continuing, it said, “Here in the service of God I became so steadfast, that, with food of olive juice alone, lightly I used to pass the heats and frosts, content in contemplative thoughts. That cloister was wont to render in abundance to these heavens; and now it is become so empty as needs must soon be revealed. In that place I was Peter Damian,⁴⁴⁷ and Peter a sinner had I been in the house of Our Lady on the Adriatic shore.⁴⁴⁸ Little of mortal life was remaining for me, when I was sought for and dragged to that hat⁴⁴⁹ which ever is passed down from bad to worse. Cephas⁴⁵⁰ came, and the great vessel of the Holy Spirit⁴⁵¹ came, lean and barefoot, taking the food of whatsoever inn. Now the modern pastors require one to hold them up on this side and that, and one to lead them, so heavy are they, and one to support them behind. They cover their palfreys with their mantles, so that two beasts go under one skin. O Patience, that endurest so much!” At this voice I saw more flamelets from step to step descending and revolving, and each revolution made them more beautiful. Round about this one they came, and stopped, and uttered a cry of such deep sound that here could be none like it, nor did I understand it, the thunder so overcame me.

Its words instructed me to leave my question. So I drew back and humbly asked who it was. “Between the two shores of Italy, not far from your native land, mountains rise so high that thunder sounds far below them. They form a peak called Catria. Beneath it stands a consecrated hermitage, traditionally devoted to worship alone.”⁴⁴⁶ Thus it began speaking to me for the third time, and then it continued, “Here I became so steadfast in God’s service that I lived on food made with olive oil alone. I passed easily through heat and frost, content with my contemplative thoughts. That cloister once sent many souls to these heavens. Now it has become so empty that its emptiness must soon be revealed. In that place I was Peter Damian,⁴⁴⁷ and I had been Peter the sinner in the house of Our Lady on the Adriatic shore.⁴⁴⁸ Little of my mortal life remained when I was sought out and dragged into accepting that hat,⁴⁴⁹ which is always passed down from bad to worse. Cephas⁴⁵⁰ came, and the great vessel of the Holy Spirit⁴⁵¹ came. They were lean and barefoot, eating whatever food they found at an inn. Now the pastors of today are so heavy that they need people to hold them up on either side. They need someone to lead them and someone else to support them from behind. They cover their horses with their mantles, so that two beasts go under one skin. O Patience, you endure so much!” At these words, I saw more little flames descend from step to step, turning as they came. Each turn made them more beautiful. They gathered around the flame that had spoken, stopped, and let out a cry of such a deep sound that nothing here could equal it. I did not understand the cry, for its thunder overwhelmed me.