Canto 15

As much as appears, between the beginning of the day and the close of the third hour, of the sphere that ever in manner of a child is sporting, so much now, toward the evening, appeared to be remaining of his course for the sun.¹⁹² It was vespers¹⁹³ there,¹⁹⁴ and here midnight; and the rays struck us across the nose,¹⁹⁵ because the mountain had been so circled by us that we were now going straight toward the sunset, when I felt my forehead weighed down by the splendor far more than at first, and the things not known were a wonder to me.¹⁹⁶ Wherefore I lifted my hands toward the top of my brows, and made for myself the visor that lessens the excess of what is seen.

From daybreak to the end of the third hour, the sun travels part of its sphere, which is always playing like a child. Toward evening, that same distance seemed to remain in the sun's course.¹⁹² It was vespers¹⁹³ there,¹⁹⁴ and midnight here. The rays struck us across the nose,¹⁹⁵ because we had circled the mountain and were now walking straight toward the sunset. Then I felt a brightness pressing on my forehead, far stronger than before. I wondered at things I did not understand.¹⁹⁶ So I raised my hands above my brows to make a visor and shield my eyes from the glare.

As when from water, or from the mirror, the ray leaps to the opposite quarter, and, mounting up in like manner to that in which it descends, at equal distance departs as much from the falling of the stone,¹⁹⁷ as experiment and art show; so it seemed to me that I was struck by light reflected there in front of me, from which my sight was swift to fly. “What is that, sweet Father, from which I cannot screen my sight so that it avails me,” said I, “and which seems to be moving toward us?” “Marvel not if the family of Heaven still dazzle thee,” he replied to me; “it is a messenger that comes to invite men to ascend. Soon will it be that to see these things will not be grievous to thee, but will be delight to thee as great as nature fitted thee to feel.”

A ray of light may strike water or a mirror and bounce away in the opposite direction. It rises at the same angle at which it falls. On each side, it is equally distant from the line a falling stone would follow,¹⁹⁷ as experiment and science show. In the same way, a reflected light seemed to strike me from ahead, and I quickly turned my eyes away. “Sweet Father, what is that light moving toward us?” I said. “Why can I not shield my eyes enough to see?” “Do not be surprised if the family of Heaven still dazzles you,” he replied. “It is a messenger coming to invite people to climb. Soon, seeing such things will no longer be painful. Instead, it will delight you as much as your nature allows.”

When we had reached the blessed Angel, with a glad voice he said, “Enter ye here to a stairway far less steep than the others.”

When we reached the blessed Angel, he said joyfully, “Enter here. This stairway is far less steep than the others.”

We were mounting, already departed thence, and “Beati misericordes”¹⁹⁸ had been sung behind us, and “Rejoice thou that overcomest.”¹⁹⁹ My Master and I, we two alone, were going on upward, and I was thinking to win profit as we went from his words; and I addressed me to him, thus enquiring, “What did the spirit from Romagna mean, mentioning exclusion and companionship?”²⁰⁰ Wherefore he to me, “Of his own greatest fault he knows the harm, and therefore it is not to be wondered at if he reprove it, in order that there may be less lamenting on account of it. Because your desires are directed there, where, through companionship, a share is lessened, envy moves the bellows for your sighs. But if the love of the highest sphere²⁰¹ had turned your desire on high, that fear would not be in your breast; for the more there are who there say ‘ours,’ so much the more of good doth each possess, and the more of charity burns in that cloister.”²⁰² “I am more hungering to be contented,” said I, “than if I had at first been silent, and more of doubt I assemble in my mind. How can it be that a good distributed makes more possessors richer with itself, than if by few it is possessed?”²⁰³ And he to me, “Because thou fastenest thy mind only on earthly things, from true light thou gatherest darkness. That infinite and ineffable Good which is on high, runs to love even as the sunbeam comes to a lucid body. As much of itself it gives as it finds of ardor; so that how far soever charity extends, beyond it doth the eternal bounty increase. And the more the people who are intent on high the more there are for loving well, and the more love is there, and like a mirror one reflects to the other. And if my discourse appease not thy hunger, thou shalt see Beatrice, and she will fully take from thee this and every other longing. Strive only that soon may be extinct, as two already are, the five wounds that are closed up by being painful.”²⁰⁴

We were climbing, having already left that place, and “Beati misericordes”¹⁹⁸ had been sung behind us, followed by “Rejoice, you who overcome.”¹⁹⁹ My Master and I were climbing alone, and I hoped to learn from his words as we went. So I asked him, “What did the spirit from Romagna mean when he mentioned exclusion and companionship?”²⁰⁰ He answered, “He knows the harm caused by his own greatest fault. So it is no wonder he condemns it, hoping there will be less sorrow because of it. Your desires are fixed on things that must be divided among those who share them. That is why envy fans the flames of your sorrow. But if love for the highest sphere²⁰¹ had turned your desires upward, you would not have that fear in your heart. For the more people there are who say ‘ours’ there, the more good each possesses. And the more love burns in that cloister.”²⁰² “I am even more eager for an answer,” I said, “than if I had kept silent at first. And I have even more doubts in my mind. How can a good make more people richer when it is shared than when only a few possess it?”²⁰³ He said, “Because you fix your mind only on earthly things, you draw darkness from true light. The infinite and indescribable Good above flows toward love just as sunlight falls on a clear surface. It gives as much of itself as it finds ardor. So, however far love extends, the eternal bounty reaches even farther. And the more people who turn their minds toward heaven, the more people there are to love well. There is more love, and each reflects it to the other like a mirror. If my explanation does not satisfy your hunger, you will see Beatrice. She will fully satisfy this longing and every other one. Only strive to have the five wounds soon erased, as two already have been. These wounds are healed through pain.”²⁰⁴

As I was about to say “Thou satisfiest me,” I saw myself arrived on the next round,²⁰⁵ so that my eager eyes made me silent. There it seemed to me I was of a sudden rapt in an ecstatic vision, and saw many persons in a temple, and a lady at the entrance, with the sweet action of a mother, saying, “My son, why hast thou done thus toward us? Lo, sorrowing, thy father and I were seeking thee;” and when here she was silent, that which first appeared, disappeared.

As I was about to say, “You have satisfied me,” I found that I had reached the next terrace.²⁰⁵ My eagerness to look around silenced me. There, I seemed to be suddenly caught up in an ecstatic vision. I saw many people in a temple and a lady at the entrance. With a mother’s gentle manner, she said, “My son, why have you treated us this way? Your father and I have been searching for you in sorrow.” When she fell silent, the vision disappeared.

Then appeared to me another, with those waters down along her cheeks which grief distils when it springs from great despite toward others, and she was saying, “If thou art lord of the city about whose name was such great strife among the gods, and whence every science sparkles forth, avenge thyself on those audacious arms, that have embraced our daughter, O Pisistratus.” And the lord appeared to me, benign and mild, to answer her, with temperate look, “What shall we do to him who desires ill for us, if he who loves us is by us condemned?”²⁰⁶

Then I saw another woman, with tears running down her cheeks. They were the tears of grief born from deep anger at others. She was saying, “O Pisistratus, if you are lord of the city whose name the gods disputed so fiercely, and from which every science shines forth, take revenge on those daring arms that have embraced our daughter.” The lord appeared to me, kind and gentle. With a calm look, he answered her, “What shall we do to someone who wishes us harm, if we condemn someone who loves us?”²⁰⁶

Then I saw people kindled with fire of wrath, killing a youth with stones, loudly crying to each other only, “Slay, slay.” And I saw him bowed by death, which now was weighing on him, toward the ground, but in such great strife he ever made of his eyes gates for heaven, praying to the high Lord, that He would pardon his persecutors, with that aspect which unlocks pity.²⁰⁷

Then I saw people burning with anger, killing a young man with stones. They shouted to each other only, “Kill, kill.” I saw him sinking toward the ground as death weighed upon him. But even in that great struggle, he kept his eyes raised toward heaven. He prayed to the high Lord to forgive his persecutors, with a look that inspires pity.²⁰⁷

When my mind returned outwardly to the things which outside of it are true, I recognized my not false errors. My Leader, who could see me do like a man who looses himself from slumber, said, “What ails thee, that thou canst not support thyself? but art come more than a half league veiling thine eyes, and with thy legs staggering like one whom wine or slumber bends.” “O sweet Father mine, if thou harkenest to me I will tell thee,” said I, “what appeared to me when my legs were thus taken from me.” And he, “If thou hadst a hundred masks upon thy face, thy thoughts howsoever small would not be hidden from me. That which thou hast seen was in order that thou excuse not thyself from opening thy heart to the waters of peace which are poured forth from the eternal fountain. I did not ask, ‘What ails thee?’ for the reason that he does who looks only with the eye which hath no seeing when the body lies inanimate; but I asked, in order to give vigor to the foot; thus it behoves to spur the sluggards, slow to use their wakefulness when it returns.”

When my mind returned to the real things outside it, I recognized the truth in my delusions. My Leader saw me act like a man waking from sleep. He said, “What is wrong with you? Why can’t you keep your balance? You have walked more than half a league with your eyes covered and your legs staggering, like someone overcome by wine or sleep.” “O my sweet Father, if you will listen, I will tell you what appeared to me when my legs failed me,” I said. And he replied, “If you had a hundred masks on your face, even your smallest thoughts would not be hidden from me. You saw what you did so that you would have no excuse for not opening your heart to the waters of peace. They flow from the eternal fountain. I did not ask, ‘What is wrong with you?’ for the reason someone asks who sees only with the eye. That eye cannot see when the body lies lifeless. I asked to give strength to your feet. This is how we must urge on the sluggish, who are slow to make use of their wakefulness when it returns.”

We were going on through the vesper time, forward intent so far as the eyes could reach against the bright evening rays; when, lo, little by little, a smoke came toward us, dark as night; iior was there place to shelter ourselves from it. This took from us our eyes and the pure air.

We continued on through the evening, looking ahead as far as we could see against the bright evening rays. Then, slowly, smoke as dark as night came toward us. There was nowhere to shelter from it. The smoke blinded us and took away the clean air.