Canto 32

Fixed in affection upon his Delight, that contemplator freely assumed the office of a teacher, and began these holy words: “The wound which Mary closed up and anointed, she who is so beautiful at her feet is she who opened it and who pierced it. Beneath her, in the order which the third seats make, sits Rachel with Beatrice, as thou seest. Sara, Rebecca, Judith, and she⁵⁸⁶ who was great-grandmother of the singer who, through sorrow for his sin, said Miserere mei,⁵⁸⁷ thou mayest see thus from step to step in gradation downward, as with the name of each I go downward through the rose from leaf to leaf. And from the seventh row downwards, even as down to it, Hebrew women follow in succession, dividing all the tresses of the flower; because these are the wall by which the sacred stairways are separated according to the look which faith turned on Christ. On this side, where the flower is mature with all its leaves, are seated those who believed in Christ about to come. On the other side, where the semicircles are broken by empty spaces, are those who turned their faces on Christ already come.⁵⁸⁸ And as on this side the glorious seat of the Lady of Heaven, and the other seats below it, make so great a division, thus, opposite, does that of the great John, who, ever holy, endured the desert and martyrdom, and then Hell for two years;⁵⁸⁹ and beneath him Francis and Benedict and Augustine and others are allotted thfis to divide, far down as here from circle to circle. Now behold the high divine foresight; for one and the other aspect of the faith will fill this garden equally. And know that downwards from the row which midway cleaves⁵⁹⁰ the two divisions, they are seated for no merit of their own, but for that of others, under certain conditions; for all these are spirits absolved ere they had true election. Well canst thou perceive it by their looks, and also by their childish voices, if thou lookest well upon them and if thou listenest to them. Now thou art perplexed, and in perplexity art silent; but I will loose for thee the strong bond in which thy subtile thoughts fetter thee.⁵⁹¹ Within the amplitude of this realm a casual point can have no place,⁵⁹² any more than sadness, or thirst, or hunger; for whatever thou seest is established by eternal law, so that here the ring answers exactly to the finger. And therefore this folk,⁵⁹³ hastened to true life, is not sine causa more and less excellent here among itself. The King through whom this realm reposes in such great love and in such great delight that no will is venturesome for more, creating all the minds in His own glad aspect, diversely endows with grace according to His own pleasure; and here let the fact suffice.⁵⁹⁴ And this is expressly and clearly noted for you in the Holy Scripture in those twins who, while within their mother, had their anger roused.⁵⁹⁵ Therefore, according to the color of the hair of such grace,⁵⁹⁶ it behoves the highest light befittingly to crown them. Without, then, merit from their modes of Efe, they are placed in different grades, differing only in their primary keenness of vision.⁵⁹⁷ Thus in the fresh centuries the faith of parents alone sufficed, together with innocence, to secure salvation. After the first ages were, complete, it was needful for males with their innocent plumage to acquire virtue through circumcision. But after the time of grace had come, without perfect baptism in Christ, such minocence was kept there below.

With his love fixed on his Delight, the contemplator willingly took on the role of teacher and began these holy words: “Mary closed and healed the wound. The woman so beautiful at her feet is the one who opened and pierced it. As you can see, Rachel sits below her, in the third row, beside Beatrice. Below them, you can see Sara, Rebecca, Judith, and the woman⁵⁸⁶ who was the great-grandmother of the singer. In sorrow for his sin, he said Miserere mei.⁵⁸⁷ As I name each woman, I descend through the rose, from petal to petal, and you can see them in successive rows. From the seventh row downward, as in the rows above, Hebrew women follow one another, dividing all the flower’s tiers. They form the wall that separates the sacred stairways according to how faith looked toward Christ. On this side, where the flower is full of petals, sit those who believed in Christ before he came. On the other side, where the semicircles have empty spaces, sit those who turned toward Christ after he came.⁵⁸⁸ “On this side, the glorious seat of the Lady of Heaven and the seats below it form a great dividing line. Opposite them, the seat of the great John forms another. Always holy, he endured the desert and martyrdom, and then Hell for two years.⁵⁸⁹ Below him, Francis, Benedict, Augustine, and others are appointed to divide the circles, one below another, as far down as this one. Now see the wisdom of divine foresight. Each of these two kinds of faith will fill half the garden. “Know that those seated below the row dividing⁵⁹⁰ the two sections midway are here through no merit of their own. They are here through the merit of others, under certain conditions. All these spirits were absolved before they could make a true choice. You can tell this by their appearance and their childish voices, if you look and listen carefully. Now you are puzzled and say nothing. But I will free you from the tight bond in which your subtle thoughts have trapped you.⁵⁹¹ “Nothing in this vast realm can happen by chance,⁵⁹² any more than sadness, thirst, or hunger can exist here. Everything you see is established by eternal law, so that here the ring fits the finger exactly. Therefore these people,⁵⁹³ who came quickly to true life, do not differ in excellence here without cause. The King grants this realm such great love and delight that no will dares desire more. He creates all minds in the joy of his own presence and grants them different measures of grace as he pleases. Let that fact be enough.⁵⁹⁴ Holy Scripture tells you this plainly in the story of the twins who grew angry with each other in their mother’s womb.⁵⁹⁵ So the highest light must crown them according to the color of the hair of such grace.⁵⁹⁶ They are placed at different levels, then, without earning their places through the way they lived. They differ only in how keen their vision was at the beginning.⁵⁹⁷ “In the earliest centuries, the parents’ faith alone, together with innocence, was enough to secure salvation. After those first ages ended, innocent males also had to gain virtue through circumcision. But after the time of grace came, such innocence was kept down below without complete baptism in Christ.

“Look now upon the face which most resembles Christ, for only its brightness can prepare thee to see Christ.”

“Look now at the face that most resembles Christ. Only its brightness can prepare you to see Christ.”

I saw raining upon her such great joy borne in the holy minds created to fly across through that height, that whatsoever I had seen before had not rapt me with such great admiration, nor shown to me such likeness to God. And that love which had first descended there, in front of her spread wide his wings, singing “Ave, Maria, gratia plena.” The blessed Court responded to the divine song from all parts, so that every countenance became thereby serener.

I saw great joy raining down on her from the holy spirits created to fly through those heights. Nothing I had seen before had filled me with such wonder or shown me such a likeness to God. The love that had first descended there spread his wings before her, singing “Ave, Maria, gratia plena.” The blessed Court answered the divine song from every side, so that every face grew more serene.

“O holy Father, who for me submittest to be below here, leaving the sweet place in which thou sittest through eternal allotment, who is that Angel who with such jubilee looks into the eyes of our Queen, so enamoured that he seems of fire?” Thus I again had recourse to the teaching of him who was made beautiful by Mary, as the morning star by the sun. And he to me, “Confidence and grace as much as there can be in Angel and in soul, axe all in him, and so we would have it be, for he it is who bore the palm down to Mary, when the Son of God willed to load Himself with our burden.

“O holy Father, you have come down here for my sake, leaving the sweet place assigned to you forever. Who is that Angel gazing so joyfully into the eyes of our Queen? He is so in love that he seems to be on fire.” Once again, I turned for guidance to the one made beautiful by Mary, as the morning star is made beautiful by the sun. He said to me, “All the confidence and grace possible in an Angel or a soul are in him. And we would have it so, for he is the one who brought the palm down to Mary. He brought it when the Son of God chose to take on our burden.

“But come now with thine eyes, as I shall go on speaking, and note the great patricians of this most just and pious empire. Those two who sit there above, most happy through being nearest to the Empress, are, as it were, the two roots of this rose. He who on the left is close to her is the Father through whose rash taste the human race tastes so much bitterness. On the right thou seest that ancient Father of Holy Church, to whom Christ entrusted the keys of this lovely flower. And he who saw before his death all the heavy times of the beautiful bride, who was won with the lance and with the nails, sits at his side; and alongside the other rests that leader, under whom the ingrate, fickle and stubborn people lived on manna. Opposite Peter thou seest Anna sitting, so content to gaze upon her daughter, that she moves not her eyes while singing Hosannah; and opposite the eldest father of a family sits Lucia, who moved thy Lady, when thou didst bend thy brow to rush downward.

“But now follow with your eyes as I continue speaking. Look at the great nobles of this most just and holy empire. The two sitting above are happiest because they are closest to the Empress. They are, as it were, the two roots of this rose. The one on her left is the Father whose rash taste brought so much bitterness to the human race. On her right you see the ancient Father of Holy Church, to whom Christ entrusted the keys of this lovely flower. Beside him sits the one who, before his death, saw all the troubled times of the beautiful bride. She was won with the lance and the nails. Beside the other rests the leader under whom the ungrateful, fickle, and stubborn people lived on manna. Opposite Peter you see Anna sitting. She is so happy to gaze at her daughter that she never looks away, even while singing Hosannah. Opposite the eldest father of a family sits Lucia, who moved your Lady when you were about to rush downward.”

“But because the time flies which holds thee slumbering,⁵⁹⁸ here will we make a stop, like a good tailor who makes the gown according as he has cloth, and we will direct our eyes to the First Love, so that, looking towards Him, thou mayst penetrate so far as is possible through His effulgence. Truly, lest perchance, moving thy wings, thou go backward, believing to advance, it is needful that grace be obtained by prayer; grace from her who has the power to aid thee; and do thou follow me with thy affection so that thy heart depart not from my speech.”

“But time is flying by while you sleep,⁵⁹⁸ so we will stop here. We will be like a good tailor who makes a gown to fit the cloth he has. We will turn our eyes to the First Love, so that you may see as far as possible through his radiance. But first, you must pray for grace from her who has the power to help you. Otherwise, you might move your wings and go backward while believing you are advancing. Follow me with your love, so that your heart does not stray from my words.”

And he began this holy supplication.

And he began this holy prayer.