Canto 30

The sixth hour is glowing perhaps six thousand miles distant from us, and this world now inclines its shadow almost to a level bed, when the mid heaven, deep above us, begins to become such that some one star loses its show so far as to this depth;⁵⁶⁷ and as the brightest handmaid of the sun comes farther on, so the heaven is closed from light to light, even to the most beautiful. Not otherwise the Triumph, that plays forever round the Point which vanquished me, seeming enclosed by that which it encloses, little by little to my sight was extinguished;⁵⁶⁸ wherefore my seeing nothing, and my love constrained me to turn with my eyes to Beatrice. If what has been said of her so far as here were all included in a single praise, it would be little to furnish out this turn. The beauty which I saw transcends measure not only by us, but truly I believe that its Maker alone can enjoy it all.

Perhaps six thousand miles away, it is noon, and our world now casts its shadow almost level with the ground. High above us, the sky begins to change, so that one star’s light no longer reaches down to us.⁵⁶⁷ As the sun’s brightest attendant moves farther across the sky, the stars disappear one by one, even the most beautiful. In the same way, the Triumph that plays forever around the Point that overwhelmed me gradually faded from my sight. It seemed to be enclosed by the very thing it encloses.⁵⁶⁸ Unable to see anything, and moved by love, I turned my eyes to Beatrice. If everything said of her up to this point were gathered into a single expression of praise, it would be little for describing this moment. The beauty I saw is beyond our ability to measure. Indeed, I believe that its Maker alone can fully enjoy it.

By this pass I concede myself vanquished more than ever comic or tragic poet was overcome by crisis of his theme. For as the sun does to the sight which trembles most, even so remembrance of the sweet smile deprives my mind of its very self. From the first day that I saw her face in this life, even to this look, the following with my song has not been interrupted for me, but now needs must my pursuit desist from further following her beauty in my verse, as at his utmost every artist.

At this point, I admit defeat more completely than any comic or tragic poet ever defeated by the demands of a subject. For the memory of her sweet smile overwhelms my mind, just as the sun overwhelms the most sensitive eyes. From the first day I saw her face in this life until this moment, I have never stopped following her in my song. But now I must stop trying to capture her beauty in verse, as every artist must upon reaching the limit of their skill.

Such, as I leave her to a greater heralding than that of my trumpet, which is bringing its arduous theme to a close, with act and voice of a trusty leader she began again. “We have issued forth from the greatest body⁵⁶⁹ to the Heaven⁵⁷⁰ which is pure light: light intellectual full of love, love of true good, full of joy; joy which transcends every sweetness. Here thou shalt see one and the other host of Paradise;⁵⁷¹ and the one in those aspects which thou shalt see at the Last Judgment.”

As she was then, I leave her to a greater voice than my own trumpet. My trumpet is bringing its difficult theme to a close. With the gestures and voice of a trustworthy guide, she began again. “We have come out of the greatest body⁵⁶⁹ into the Heaven⁵⁷⁰ of pure light: the light of the intellect, full of love. It is love of the true good, full of joy, and that joy surpasses every sweetness. Here you will see both hosts of Paradise.⁵⁷¹ You will see one of them in the forms you will see at the Last Judgment.”

As a sudden flash which scatters the spirits of the sight so that it deprives the eye of the action of the strongest objects, thus a vivid light shone round about me, and left me swathed with such a veil of its own effulgence that nothing was visible to me.

A sudden flash can scatter the spirits of sight, leaving the eye unable to see even the brightest objects. Just so, a vivid light shone around me. It wrapped me in a veil of its own brilliance, so that I could see nothing.

1] So that the clearest objects produce no effect upon the eye.

1] So that even the clearest objects have no effect on the eye.

“The Love which quieteth this Heaven always welcomes to itself with such a salutation, in order to make the candle ready for its flame.” No sooner had these brief words come within me than I comprehended that I was surmounting above my own power; and I rekindled me with a new vision, such that no light is so pure that my eyes had not sustained it. And I saw light in form of a river, bright with effulgence, between two banks painted with a marvellous spring. Out of this stream were issuing living sparks, and on every side were setting themselves in the flowers, like rubies which gold encompasses. Then, as if inebriated by the odors, they plunged again into the wonderful flood, and as one was entering another was issuing forth.

“The Love that keeps this Heaven at peace always welcomes souls with a greeting like this, to prepare the candle for its flame.” As soon as I heard these brief words, I understood that I was rising beyond my own power. I was filled with new vision, and my eyes could now bear even the purest light. I saw light in the form of a river, shining brilliantly between two banks painted with a marvelous spring. Living sparks streamed out of the river and settled among the flowers on every side, like rubies set in gold. Then, as if drunk on the scents, they plunged back into the wonderful river. As one spark entered, another came out.

“The high desire which now inflames and urges thee to have knowledge concerning that which thou seest, Pleases me the more the more it swells, but thou must needs drink of this water before so great a thirst, in thee be slaked.” Thus the Sun of my eyes said to me; thereon she added, “The stream, and the topazes which enter and issue, and the smiling of the herbage, are foreshadowing prefaces of their truth;⁵⁷² not that these things are in themselves immature,⁵⁷³ but there is defect on thy part who hast not yet vision so lofty.”

“Your great desire to understand what you see pleases me more as it grows stronger. But you must drink this water before such a great thirst can be satisfied.” So the Sun of my eyes said to me. Then she added, “The stream, the topazes that enter and emerge, and the smiling grass are previews of their true nature.⁵⁷² These things are not themselves incomplete.⁵⁷³ Rather, the shortcoming is yours, because your vision is not yet high enough.”

There is no babe who so hastily springs with face toward the milk, if he awake much later than his wont, as I did, to make better mirrors yet of my eyes, stooping to the wave which flows in order that one may be bettered in it. And even as the eaves of my eyelids drank of it, so it seemed to me from its length to become round. Then as folk who have been under masks, who seem other than before, if they divest themselves of the semblance not their own in which they disappeared, thus for me the flowers and the sparks were changed into greater festival, so that I saw both the Courts of Heaven manifest.

No baby who wakes much later than usual turns toward milk more eagerly than I bent toward the stream. Its waters flow so that those who drink may be made better, and I wanted to make my eyes better mirrors. As soon as my eyelids drank from the stream, it seemed to change from a long river into a circle. Just as people look different when they take off masks that hid their true faces, the flowers and sparks changed before me into a greater celebration. Then I could clearly see both Courts of Heaven.

O splendor of God, by means of which I saw the high triumph of the true kingdom, give me power to tell how I saw it!

O glory of God, through you I saw the great triumph of the true kingdom. Give me the power to describe what I saw!

Light is thereabove which makes the Creator visible to that creature which has its peace only in seeing Him; and it is extended in a circular figure so far that its circumference would be too wide a girdle for the sun. Its whole appearance is made of a ray reflected from the summit of the First Moving Heaven,⁵⁷⁴ which therefrom takes its life and potency. And as a hill mirrors itself in water at its base, as if to see itself adorned, rich as it is with verdure and with flowers, so ranged above the light, round and round about, on more than a thousand seats, I saw mirrored all who of us have returned on high. And if the lowest row gather within itself so great a light, how vast is the spread of this rose in its outermost leaves! My sight lost not itself in the breadth and in the height, but took in all the quantity and the quality of that joy. There near and far nor add nor take away; for where God immediately governs the natural law is of no relevancy.

There is a light above that makes the Creator visible to the creature who finds peace only in seeing him. The light spreads in a circle so wide that its circumference would make a belt too large for the sun. All its visible form comes from a ray reflected from the summit of the First Moving Heaven,⁵⁷⁴ which draws its life and power from that light. A hill reflects itself in the water at its base, as if to see itself adorned with its abundant greenery and flowers. In the same way, I saw reflected in the light all those among us who have returned to heaven. They were seated above it, in circles on more than a thousand seats. And if the lowest row holds so much light, how vast is the spread of this rose in its outermost petals! My sight did not lose itself in the rose's breadth and height. Instead, I took in the full extent and nature of that joy. There, distance makes no difference to sight. For where God governs directly, natural law has no relevance.

Into the yellow of the sempiternal rose, which spreads wide, rises in steps, and is redolent with odor of praise unto the Sun that makes perpetual spring, Beatrice, like one who is silent and wishes to speak, drew me, and said, “Behold, how vast is the convent of the white stoles!⁵⁷⁵ See our city, how wide its circuit! See our benches so full that few people are now awaited here. On that great seat, on which thou holdest thine eye because of the crown which already is set above it, ere thou suppest at this wedding feast will sit the soul (which below will be imperial) of the high Henry who, to set Italy straight, will come ere she is ready.⁵⁷⁶ The blind cupidity which bewitches you has made you like the little child who dies of hunger, and drives away his nurse. And such a one will then be prefect in the divine forum that openly or covertly he will not go with him along one road;⁵⁷⁷ but short while thereafter shall he be endured by God in the holy office; for he shall be thrust down for his deserts, there where Simon Magus is, and shall make him of Anagna go lower.”

Beatrice drew me into the yellow center of the eternal rose. The rose spreads wide and rises in tiers, fragrant with praise for the Sun that makes spring last forever. Like someone who has been silent and wishes to speak, she said, “Look how vast this gathering of souls in white robes is!⁵⁷⁵ See how wide our city stretches! See how full our seats are. Few people are still expected here. Your eyes are fixed on that great seat because a crown already hangs above it. Before you feast at this wedding, the soul of the noble Henry will sit there. He will be emperor on earth and will come to set Italy right before she is ready.⁵⁷⁶ The blind greed that bewitches you has made you like a little child who dies of hunger while pushing away his nurse. At that time, the one presiding over the divine court will not follow Henry’s path, either openly or in secret.⁵⁷⁷ But God will allow him to remain in his holy office only a short while after that. He will be cast down as he deserves, to the place where Simon Magus is, and will drive the one from Anagna lower.”