Canto 31

In form then of a pure white rose the holy host was shown to me, which, in His own blood, Christ made His bride. But the other,⁵⁷⁸ which, flying, sees and sings the glory of Him who enamours it, and the goodness which made it so great, like a swarm of bees which one while are among the flowers and anon return to the place where their work gets its savor, were descending into the great flower which is adorned with so many leaves, and thence rising up again to where their love always abides. Their faces all were of living flame, and their wings of gold, and the rest so white that no snow reaches that extreme. When they descended into the flower, from bench to bench, they imparted somewhat of the peace and of the ardor which they acquired as they fanned their sides. Nor did the interposing of such a flying plenitude between what was above and the flower impede the sight and the splendor; for the divine light penetrates through the universe, according as it is worthy, so that naught can be an obstacle to it. This secure and joyous realm, thronged with aneient and with modern folk, had all its look and love upon one mark.

I saw the holy host in the form of a pure white rose. Christ made the host his bride with his own blood. But the other host,⁵⁷⁸ as it flies, sees and sings the glory of the one it loves, and the goodness that made it so great. Like a swarm of bees that moves between flowers and the place where its work gains its flavor, the host descended into the great flower, adorned with so many petals. Then it rose again to where its love always abides. Their faces were all living flame, their wings were gold, and the rest of them was whiter than any snow. As they descended into the flower, they passed from bench to bench. They shared some of the peace and ardor they gained as they fanned their sides. Though this great flying multitude came between the flower and what was above it, it blocked neither the view nor the radiance. For divine light penetrates the universe according to its worthiness, so that nothing can stand in its way. All the people in this safe and joyful realm, thronged with those from ancient and recent times, fixed their gaze and love on one point.

O Trinal Light, which in a single star, scintillating on their sight, so satisfies them, look down here upon our tempest!

O threefold Light, shining in a single star before their eyes and satisfying them so completely, look down on our storm!

If the Barbarians, coming from a region such that every day it is covered by Helice,⁵⁷⁹ revolving with her son of whom she is fond, when they beheld Rome and her arduous work, were wonderstruck, what time Lateran rose above mortal things,⁵⁸⁰ I, who to the divine from the human, to the eternal from the temporal, had come, and from Florence to a people just and sane, with what amazement must I have been full! Surely what with it and the joy I was well pleased not to hear, and to stand mute. And as a pilgrim who is refreshed in the temple of his vow in looking round, and hopes now to report how it was, so, journeying through the living light, I carried my eyes over the ranks, now up, now down, and now circling about. I saw faces persuasive to love, beautified by the light of Another and by their own smile, and actions ornate with every dignity.

The Barbarians came from a region covered every day by Helice,⁵⁷⁹ as she circles with her beloved son. When they saw Rome and its great works, they were amazed. This was when the Lateran rose above all mortal things.⁵⁸⁰ If they were amazed, how much more amazed must I have been! I had come from the human to the divine, from the temporary to the eternal, and from Florence to a just and sane people. My amazement and joy made me glad to hear nothing and stand silent. A pilgrim, refreshed by looking around the temple he has vowed to visit, hopes to tell others what it was like. Just so, as I traveled through the living light, I looked over the ranks, now up, now down, and now all around. I saw faces that inspired love, made beautiful by another’s light and by their own smiles. I saw gestures full of dignity.

My look had now comprehended the general form of Paradise as a whole, and on no part yet my sight was fixed; and I turned me with re-enkindled wish to ask my Lady about things concerning which my mind was in suspense. One thing I was meaning, and another answered me; I was thinking to see Beatrice, and I saw an old man, robed like the people in glory. His eyes and his cheeks were overspread with benignant joy, in pious mien such as befits a tender father. And, “Where is she?” on a sudden said I. Whereon he, “To terminate thy desire, Beatrice urged me from my place, and if thou lookest up to the third circle from the highest step, thou wilt again see her upon the throne which her merits have allotted to her.” Without answering I lifted up my eyes, and saw her as she made for herself a crown, reflecting from herself the eternal rays. From that region which thunders highest up no mortal eye is so far distant, in whatsoever sea it loses itself the lowest,⁵⁸¹ as there from Beatrice was my sight. But this was naught to me, for her image did not descend to me blurred by aught between.

My gaze had now taken in the general form of Paradise as a whole, without yet resting on any one part. I turned, eager once more to ask my Lady about things that still puzzled me. But someone other than the person I expected answered me. I thought I would see Beatrice, but instead I saw an old man, dressed like those in glory. Gentle joy shone in his eyes and on his cheeks. His reverent manner was that of a tender father. Suddenly I asked, “Where is she?” He replied, “To fulfill your desire, Beatrice sent me from my place. If you look up to the third circle from the highest tier, you will see her again. She sits on the throne her merits have earned her.” Without answering, I raised my eyes and saw her. The eternal rays reflected from her, forming a crown around her. No mortal eye, wherever it sinks lowest in the sea,⁵⁸¹ is as far from the highest region of thunder as my gaze was from Beatrice. But that distance meant nothing to me, for nothing between us blurred her image as it reached me.

“O Lady, in whom my hope is strong, and who, for my salvation, didst endure to leave thy footprints in Hell, of all those things which I have seen, I recognize by thy power and by thy goodness the grace and the virtue. Thou hast drawn me from servitude to liberty by all those ways, by all the modes whereby thou hadst the power to do this. Guard thou in me thine own magnificence so that my soul, which thou hast made whole, may, pleasing to thee, be unloosed from the body.” Thus I prayed; and she, so distant, smiled, as it seemed, and looked at me; then turned to the eternal fountain.

“O Lady, in whom I place my hope, you endured leaving your footprints in Hell for my salvation. I recognize that the grace and power in all I have seen come from your power and goodness. You have led me from slavery to freedom by every path and every means within your power. Preserve your great work in me, so that my soul, which you have made whole, may leave my body pleasing to you.” So I prayed. Though she was far away, she seemed to smile and look at me. Then she turned to the eternal fountain.

And the holy old man, “In order that thou mayest complete perfectly,” he said, “thy journey, whereto prayer and holy love sent me, fly with thy eyes through this garden; for seeing it will prepare thy look to mount further through the divine radiance. And the Queen of Heaven, for whom I burn wholly with love, will grant us every grace, because I am her faithful Bernard.”⁵⁸²

And the holy old man said, “To complete your journey perfectly, look across this garden. Prayer and holy love sent me to help you complete it. Seeing the garden will prepare your eyes to look higher into the divine radiance. And the Queen of Heaven, whom I love with all my heart, will grant us every grace. For I am her faithful Bernard.”⁵⁸²

As is he who comes perchance from Croatia to see our Veronica,⁵⁸³ who is not satisfied by its ancient fame, but says in thought, while it is shown, “My Lord Jesus Christ, true God, now was your semblance like to this?” such was I, gazing on the living charity of him who, in this world, in contemplation, tasted of that peace.

Imagine someone who has come, perhaps from Croatia, to see our Veronica.⁵⁸³ Its ancient fame is not enough for him. As it is shown to him, he thinks, “My Lord Jesus Christ, true God, did you really look like this?” I was like him as I gazed on the living charity of the one who, in this world, tasted that peace through contemplation.

“Son of Grace, this glad existence,” began he, “will not be known to thee holding thine eyes only below here at the bottom, but look on the circles even to the most remote, until thou seest upon her seat the Queen to whom this realm is subject and devoted.” I lifted up my eyes; and as at morning the eastern parts of the horizon surpass that where the sun declines, thus, as if going with my eyes from valley to mountain, I saw a part on the extreme verge vanquishing in light all the other front. And even as there where the pole which Phaeton guided ill is awaited,⁵⁸⁴ the flame is brighter, and on this side and that the light grows less, so that pacific oriflamme was vivid at the middle, and on each side in equal measure the flame slackened. And at that mid part I saw more than a thousand jubilant Angels with wings outspread, each distinct both in brightness and in act. I saw there, smiling at their sports and at their songs, a Beauty⁵⁸⁵ which was joy in the eyes of all the other saints. And if I had such wealth in speech as in imagining, I should. not dare to attempt the least of its delightfulness. Bernard, when he saw my eyes fixed and intent upon its warm glow, turned his own with such affection to it, that he made mine more ardent to gaze anew.

“Son of Grace,” he began, “you will not understand this joyful existence if you keep your eyes fixed down here. Look up through the circles, all the way to the farthest one. Look until you see the Queen on her throne, the Queen this realm obeys and honors.” I raised my eyes. At dawn, the eastern horizon outshines the place where the sun sets. Just so, as if my eyes were traveling from a valley up a mountain, I saw a place at the farthest edge. Its light outshone everything else before me. The sky is brightest where we await the rising of the sun, whose chariot Phaeton guided badly.⁵⁸⁴ On either side, the light gradually fades. So, too, that peaceful banner blazed at its center, and its flame faded equally on both sides. At the center I saw more than a thousand joyful Angels with their wings spread. Each was distinct in brightness and action. There I saw a Beauty⁵⁸⁵ smiling at their play and their songs. She was a joy to the eyes of all the other saints. Even if I had words as rich as my imagination, I would not dare attempt to describe the least of her loveliness. Bernard saw my eyes fixed on her warm glow. He turned his own eyes toward her with such affection that he made me even more eager to gaze again.