Canto 23

As the bird, among the beloved leaves, reposing on the nest of her sweet brood through the night which hides things from us, who, in order to see their longed-for looks and to find the food wherewith she may feed them, in which heavy toils are pleasing to her, anticipates the time upon the open twig, and with ardent affection awaits the sun, fixedly looking till the dawn may break; thus my Lady was standing erect and attentive, turned toward the region beneath which the sun shows least haste;⁴⁶¹ so that I, seeing her rapt and eager, became such as he who in desire should wish for something, and in hope is satisfied. But short while was there between one and the other WHEN: that of my awaiting, I mean, and of my seeing the heavens become brighter and brighter. And Beatrice said, “Behold the hosts of the triumph of Christ, and all the fruit harvested by the revolution of these spheres.”⁴⁶² It seemed to me her face was all aflame, and her eyes were so full of joy that I must needs pass it over without description.

A bird rests among beloved leaves on the nest of her sweet young, through the night that hides things from us. She longs to see their faces and find food to feed them. Though the work is hard, it pleases her. Before dawn, she waits on an open branch, watching eagerly for the sun with deep affection. She keeps looking until daybreak. In the same way, my Lady stood upright and attentive. She faced the region of the sky beneath which the sun moves most slowly.⁴⁶¹ Seeing her so absorbed and eager, I felt like someone who longs for something but is satisfied by hope. But little time passed between my waiting and my seeing the heavens grow brighter and brighter. Beatrice said, “Behold the hosts of Christ’s triumph, and all the fruit harvested by the turning of these spheres.”⁴⁶² Her face seemed to be entirely aflame, and her eyes were so full of joy that I cannot describe them.

As in the clear skies at the full moon Trivia⁴⁶³ smiles among the eternal nymphs who paint the heaven through all its depths, I saw, above myriads of lights, a Sun that was enkindling each and all of them, as ours kindles the supernal shows;⁴⁶⁴ and through its living light the lucent Substance⁴⁶⁵ shone so bright upon my face that I sustained it not.

In the clear sky at the full moon, Trivia⁴⁶³ smiles among the eternal nymphs who color the heavens throughout their depths. Just so, I saw a Sun above countless lights, kindling each and every one, as our sun lights up the sights of heaven.⁴⁶⁴ Through its living light, the radiant Substance⁴⁶⁵ shone so brightly on my face that I could not bear it.

O Beatrice, sweet guide and dear!

Oh, Beatrice, my sweet and beloved guide!

She said to me, “That which overcomes thee is a power from which naught defends itself. Here is the Wisdom and the Power that opened the roads between heaven and earth, for which there had already been such long desire.”

She said to me, “What overcomes you is a power that nothing can resist. Here are the Wisdom and Power that opened the roads between heaven and earth. Those roads had been long desired.”

As fire from a cloud unlocks itself by dilating, so that it is not contained therein, and against its own nature falls down to earth, so my mind, becoming greater amid those feasts, issued from itself; and what it became cannot remember.

Fire expands within a cloud until the cloud can no longer contain it. It then breaks free and falls to earth, against its own nature. Just so, my mind expanded amid those feasts and passed beyond itself. It cannot remember what it became.

“Open thine eyes and look at what I am; thou hast seen things such that thou art become able to sustain my smile.” I was as one who awakes from a forgotten dream and endeavors in vain to bring it back again to memory, when I heard this invitation, worthy of such gratitude that it is never effaced from the book which records the past. If now all those tongues which Polyhymnia and her sisters made most fat with their sweetest milk should sound to aid me, one would not come to a thousandth of the truth in singing the holy smile and how it made the holy face resplendent. And thus in depicting Paradise the consecrated poem needs must make a leap, even as one who finds his way cut off. But whoso should consider the ponderous theme and the mortal shoulder which therewith is laden would not blame it if under this it tremble. It is no coasting voyage for a little barque, this which the intrepid prow goes cleaving, nor for a pilot who would spare himself.

“Open your eyes and look at me. You have seen things that have made you able to bear my smile.” When I heard this invitation, I was like someone waking from a forgotten dream, trying in vain to remember it. The invitation deserved such gratitude that it will never be erased from the book that records the past. Even if all the voices that Polyhymnia and her sisters nourished most richly with their sweetest milk were to help me, they could not express one thousandth of the truth. They could not fully sing of that holy smile or how it made the holy face radiant. And so, in describing Paradise, the sacred poem must make a leap, like someone who finds the way blocked. But anyone who considered the weight of the subject and the mortal shoulder burdened with it would not blame the poem for trembling under the load. The waters my fearless prow cuts through are no coastal voyage for a little boat, nor for a pilot who wants to spare himself.

“Why doth my face so enamour thee that thou turnest not to the fair garden which beneath the rays of Christ is blossoming? Here is the rose,⁴⁶⁶ in which the Divine Word became flesh: here are the lilies⁴⁶⁷ by whose odor the good way was taken.” Thus Beatrice, and I, who to her counsel was wholly prompt, again betook me unto the battle of the feeble brows.

“Why are you so captivated by my face that you do not turn to the beautiful garden blossoming beneath Christ’s rays? Here is the rose,⁴⁶⁶ in which the Divine Word became flesh. Here are the lilies⁴⁶⁷ whose fragrance led people to take the good path.” So Beatrice spoke, and I, always ready to follow her advice, returned to the struggle of my weak eyes.

As my eyes, covered with a shadow, have ere now seen a meadow of flowers in a sunbeam which streamed bright through a rifted cloud, so saw I many throngs of splendors flashed-upon from above with burning rays, without seeing the source of the gleams. O benignant Power which so dost impress them, upwards didst thou exalt thyself to bestow space there for my eyes, which were powerless.⁴⁶⁸

In the past, I have stood in shadow and seen a meadow of flowers lit by sunlight streaming through a break in the clouds. In the same way, I saw many groups of shining souls lit from above by burning rays, though I could not see the source of the light. O gracious Power, whose light shines so upon them, you rose higher to make room there for my eyes, which were too weak to see you.⁴⁶⁸

The name of the fair flower which I ever invoke both morning and evening, wholly constrained my mind to gaze upon the greater fire.⁴⁶⁹ And when the form and the glory of the living star, which up. there surpasses as here below it surpassed, were depicted in both my eyes, through the mid heavens a torch, formed in a circle in fashion of a crown, descended, and engirt it, and revolved around it. Whatever melody sounds sweetest here below, and to itself most draws the soul, would seem a cloud which, rent apart, thunders, compared with the sound of that lyre wherewith was crowned the beauteous sapphire by which the brightest Heaven is ensapphired. “I am angelic Love, and I circle round the lofty joy which breathes from the bosom which was the hostelry of our desire; and I shall circle, Lady of Heaven, while thou shalt follow thy Son and make the supreme sphere more divine because thou enterest it.” Thus the circling melody sealed itself up, and all the other lights made resound the name of Mary.

The name of the beautiful flower, whom I always invoke morning and evening, drew my mind completely toward the greater fire.⁴⁶⁹ The form and glory of the living star filled both my eyes. She surpasses all others in heaven, just as she surpassed them here below. Then a torch descended through the middle of heaven, forming a circle like a crown. It surrounded the star and revolved around her. The sweetest melody heard here below, the one that most draws the soul to itself, would sound like a thundercloud breaking apart. So it would sound beside the music of that lyre, which crowned the beautiful sapphire that gives the brightest Heaven its sapphire color. “I am angelic Love, and I circle around the exalted joy that shines from the breast that sheltered our desire. Lady of Heaven, I will circle as long as you follow your Son and make the highest sphere more divine by entering it.” With these words, the circling melody came to an end, and all the other lights made the name of Mary ring out.

The royal mantle⁴⁷⁰ of all the volumes⁴⁷¹ of the world, which is most fervid and most quickened in the breath of God and in His ways, had its inner shore so distant above us that sight of it, there where I was, did not yet appear to me. Therefore my eyes had not the power to follow the incoronate flame, which mounted upward following her own seed. And as a little child which, when it has taken the milk, stretches its arms toward its mother, through the spirit that flames up outwardly, each of these white splendors stretched upward with its summit, so that the deep aflection which they had for Mary was manifest to me. Then they remained there in ray sight, singing “Regina coeli “ so sweetly that never has the delight departed from me. Oh how great is the plenty that is heaped up in those most rich chests which were good laborers in sowing here below! Here they live and enjoy the treasure that was acquired while weeping in the exile of Babylon, where the gold was left aside.⁴⁷² Here triumphs, under the high Son of God and of Mary, in his victory, both with the ancient and with the new council, he who holds the keys of such glory.⁴⁷³

The royal mantle⁴⁷⁰ of all the spheres⁴⁷¹ of the world was so high above us that I could not yet see its inner edge. Of all the spheres, it burns most fiercely and is most alive with the breath of God and his ways. So my eyes could not follow the crowned flame as she rose after her own child. Just as a little child, after nursing, reaches toward its mother, driven by love that shows itself outwardly, each of these white lights stretched its tip upward. In this way, their deep love for Mary became clear to me. Then they remained there in my sight, singing “Regina coeli” so sweetly that the delight has never left me. Oh, how great is the abundance stored in those richest chests, who worked so well at sowing here below! Here they live and enjoy the treasure they gained while weeping in exile in Babylon, where they left gold aside.⁴⁷² Here, beneath the exalted Son of God and of Mary, the holder of the keys to such glory celebrates his victory, together with the ancient and the new assembly.⁴⁷³