Canto 29

When both the children of Latona, covered by the Ram and by the Scales, together make a zone of the horizon,⁵⁵⁰ as long as from the moment the zenith holds them in balance, till one and the other, changing their hemisphere, are unbalanced from that girdle, soloing, with her countenance painted with a smile, was Beatrice silent, looking fixedly upon the Point which had overcome me. Then she began: “I speak, and I ask not what thou wishest to hear, for I have seen it where every WHERE and every WHEN are centred. Not for the gain of good unto Himself, which cannot be, but that His splendor might, in resplendence, say, Subsisto; in His own eternity, outside of time, outside of every other limit, as pleased Him, the Eternal Love disclosed Himself in new loves. Nor before, as if inert, did He lie; for the going forth of God upon these waters had proceeded neither before nor after.⁵⁵¹ Form and matter, conjoined and simple, came forth to existence which had no defect, as three arrows from a three-stringed bow; and as in glass, in amber, or in crystal a ray shines so that there is no interval between its coining and its complete existence, so the triform effect⁵⁵² rayed forth from its Lord into its. existence all at once, without discrimination of beginning. Order was concreate, and established for the substances, and those were top of the world in which pure act was produced.⁵⁵³ Pure potency held the lowest part;⁵⁵⁴ in the middle such a bond unites potency with act, that it is never unbound.⁵⁵⁵ Jerome has written to you of the Angels, created a long tract of centuries before the rest of the world was made. But this truth⁵⁵⁶ is written on many pages by the writers of the that Holy Spirit: and thou wilt thyself discover it, if thou watchest well for it; and even the reason sees it somewhat, for it would not admit that the motors could be so long without their perfection.⁵⁵⁷ Now thou knowest where and when these loves were elected, and how; so that three flames of thy desire are already quenched.

When both children of Latona, covered by the Ram and the Scales, form a belt around the horizon,⁵⁵⁰ the zenith holds them in balance for a time. Then, as each moves into the other hemisphere, they leave that belt and are no longer balanced. For just that length of time, Beatrice remained silent, a smile on her face. She gazed steadily at the Point that had overwhelmed me. Then she began: “I speak without asking what you wish to hear. I have seen your wish where every WHERE and every WHEN are centered. Eternal Love did not reveal himself to gain goodness for himself, for that is impossible. He did so that his splendor might shine forth and say, Subsisto. In his own eternity, outside time and every other limit, he revealed himself in new loves, as he pleased. Nor did he lie idle beforehand. For God’s going forth upon these waters occurred neither before nor after.⁵⁵¹ Form and matter, both joined and separate, came into flawless existence. They came forth like three arrows from a three-stringed bow. A ray shines in glass, amber, or crystal with no interval between its arrival and its full presence. In the same way, the threefold effect⁵⁵² shone forth from its Lord into existence all at once. There was no difference in the moment of its beginning. Order was created and established along with these substances. Those in which pure act was produced occupied the top of the world.⁵⁵³ Pure potency occupied the lowest part.⁵⁵⁴ In the middle, a bond joins potency and act so closely that it is never broken.⁵⁵⁵ Jerome has written to you that the Angels were created many centuries before the rest of the world. But the writers inspired by the Holy Spirit have recorded this truth⁵⁵⁶ on many pages. You will discover it yourself if you watch carefully for it. Even reason sees it to some extent. Reason would not accept that the motors could have been without their perfection for so long.⁵⁵⁷ Now you know where and when these loves were chosen, and how. So three flames of your desire are already quenched.

One would not reach to twenty, in counting, so quickly as a part of the Angels disturbed the subject of your elements.⁵⁵⁸ The rest remained and began this art which thou beboldest, with such great delight that they never cease from circling. The origin of the fall was the accursed pride of him whom thou hast seen opprest by all the weights of the world. Those whom thou seest here were modest in grateful recognition of the goodness which had made them ready for intelligence so great; wherefore their vision was exalted with illuminant grace and with their merit, so that they have full and steadfast will. And I wish that thou doubt not, but be certain, that to receive grace is meritorious in proportion as the affection is open to it.

You could not count to twenty as quickly as some of the Angels disturbed the world of your elements.⁵⁵⁸ The rest remained and began the movement you see, with such delight that they never stop circling. The fall began with the accursed pride of the one you have seen crushed beneath all the weights of the world. Those you see here were humble and grateful for the goodness that had prepared them for such great intelligence. Therefore, their vision was raised by illuminating grace and by their own merit, so that their will is complete and steadfast. I want you to be certain, without doubt, that receiving grace is meritorious in proportion to how open the heart is to it.

“Henceforth, if my words have been harvested, thou canst contemplate sufficiently round about this consistory without other assistance. But because on earth it is taught in your schools that the angelic nature is such that it understands, and remembers, and wills, I will speak further, in order that thou mayest see the truth pure, which there below is mixed, through the equivocation in such like teaching. These substances, from the time that they were glad in the face of God, have not turned their sight from it, from which nothing is concealed. Therefore they have not their vision interrupted by a new object, and therefore do not need because of divided thought to recollect.⁵⁵⁹ So that there below men dream when not asleep, believing and not believing to speak truth; but in the one is more fault and more shame.⁵⁶⁰ Ye below go not along one path in philosophizing; so much do the love of appearance⁵⁶¹ and the thought of it transport you; and yet this is endured hereabove with less indignation than when the divine Scripture is set aside, or when it is perverted. Men think not there how much blood it costs to sow it in the world, and how much he pleases who humbly keeps close to its side. Every one strives for appearance, and makes his own inventions, and those are discoursed of by the preachers, and the Gospel is silent. One says that the moon turned back at the passion of Christ and interposed herself, so that the light of the sun reached not down; and others that the light hid itself of its own accord, so that this eclipse answered for the Spaniards and for the Indians as well as for the Jews. Florence hath not so many Lapi and Bindi⁵⁶² as there are fables such as these shouted the year long from the pulpits, on every side; so that the poor flocks, who have no knowledge, return from the pasture fed with wind; and not seeing the harm does not excuse them. Christ did not say to his first company, 'Go, and preach idle stories to the world,' but he gave to them the true foundation; and that alone sounded in their cheeks, so that in the battle for kindling of the faith they made shield and lance of the Gospel. Now men go forth to preach with jests and with buffooneries, and provided only there is a good laugh the cowl puffs up, and nothing more is required. But such a bird is nesting in the tail of the hood, that if the crowd should see it, they would see the pardon in which they confide; through which such great folly has grown on earth, that, without proof of any testimony, men would flock to every indulgence. On this the pig of St. Antony fattens, and others also, who are far more pigs, paying with money that has no stamp of coinage.

“From now on, if you have taken in my words, you can look around this assembly well enough without further help. But your schools on earth teach that angels understand, remember, and will. So I will say more, so that you can see the truth clearly. Down below, such teaching obscures the truth with ambiguity. Ever since these beings first rejoiced in the sight of God, they have never turned their eyes from him. Nothing is hidden from God. So no new object interrupts their vision, and their thoughts are never divided. They therefore have no need to recall anything.⁵⁵⁹ Down below, people dream while they are awake. Some believe they speak the truth, and some do not, but one group bears greater fault and shame.⁵⁶⁰ “You on earth do not all follow one path in philosophy. The love of appearances⁵⁶¹ and concern for them carry you so far astray. Yet this is met with less indignation in heaven than the neglect or distortion of divine Scripture. People on earth do not consider how much blood it cost to spread Scripture throughout the world. Nor do they consider how much it pleases God when someone humbly stays close to Scripture. Everyone strives to impress and invents ideas of their own. Preachers talk about these inventions, while the Gospel is left unspoken. “One says that at Christ’s crucifixion, the moon turned back and came between the sun and the earth. This kept the sun’s light from reaching the earth. Others say that the light hid itself of its own accord. Thus the eclipse occurred for Spaniards and Indians as well as for Jews. Florence does not have as many Lapi and Bindi⁵⁶² as there are such fables. These are shouted from pulpits everywhere throughout the year. So the poor flocks, who know no better, return from the pasture fed on wind. And not seeing the harm does not excuse them. “Christ did not say to his first followers, ‘Go, and preach idle stories to the world.’ He gave them the true foundation. That alone came from their lips. So, in the battle to kindle faith, they made the Gospel their shield and lance. Now men go out to preach with jokes and clowning. As long as they get a good laugh, the cowl puffs up with pride, and nothing more is required. But such a bird nests in the tail of the hood that, if the crowd saw it, they would see the pardon they trust in for what it is. Such great folly has grown on earth because of this that people flock to every indulgence without any proof or testimony. St. Antony’s pig grows fat on this, and so do others who are much greater pigs. They pay with money that bears no stamp of coinage.”

“But because we have digressed enough, turn back thine eyes now toward the straight path, so that the way be shortened with the time. This nature⁵⁶³ so extends in number, that never was there speech or mortal concept that could go so far. And if thou considerest that which is revealed by Daniel thou wilt see that in his thousands⁵⁶⁴ a determinate number is concealed. The primal light that irradiates it all is received in it by as many modes as are the splendors with which the light pairs itself.⁵⁶⁵ Wherefore, since the affection follows upon the act⁵⁶⁶ that conceives, in this nature the sweetness of love diversely glows and warms. Behold now the height and the breadth of the Eternal Goodness, since it has made for itself so many mirrors on which it is broken, One in itself remaining as before.”

“But we have digressed enough. Turn your eyes back to the straight path now, so that time will shorten the way. This nature⁵⁶³ is so vast in number that no human speech or thought could ever reach that far. And if you consider what Daniel revealed, you will see that a definite number is hidden within his thousands.⁵⁶⁴ The primal light shines on all of this nature. It is received in as many ways as there are splendors with which it joins.⁵⁶⁵ Love follows the act⁵⁶⁶ of understanding. Therefore, in this nature, love’s sweetness glows and warms in different ways. Now behold the height and breadth of the Eternal Goodness. It has made so many mirrors for itself, in which its light is broken up. Yet it remains One in itself, as before.”