Canto 30

When the septentrion of the first heaven⁴³⁶ which never setting knew, nor rising, nor veil of other cloud than sin,—and which was making every one there acquainted with his duty, as the lower⁴³⁷ makes whoever turns the helm to come to port,—stopped still, the truthful people⁴³⁸ who had come first between the griffon and it,⁴³⁹ turned to the chariot as to their peace, and one of them, as if sent from heaven, singing, cried thrice, “Veni, sponsa, de Libano,”⁴⁴⁰ and all the others after.

When the seven stars of the first heaven⁴³⁶ stopped, they had never risen or set, and no cloud but sin had ever veiled them. They showed everyone there their duty, just as the seven stars below⁴³⁷ guide anyone steering a ship to port. The truthful people⁴³⁸ who had come first between the griffon and the seven stars of the first heaven⁴³⁹ turned toward the chariot as the source of their peace. Then one of them, as if sent from heaven, sang out three times, “Veni, sponsa, de Libano,”⁴⁴⁰ and all the others sang after him.

As time blessed at the last trump will arise swiftly, each from his tomb, singing hallelujah with recovered voice,⁴⁴¹ so upon the divine chariot, ad vocem tanti senis,⁴⁴² rose up a hundred ministers and messengers of life eternal. All were saying, “Benedictus, qui venis,”⁴⁴³ and, scattering flowers above and around, “Manibus o date lilia plenis.”⁴⁴⁴

Just as the blessed will rise swiftly from their tombs at the last trumpet, singing hallelujah with their restored voices,⁴⁴¹ so a hundred ministers and messengers of eternal life rose upon the divine chariot, ad vocem tanti senis.⁴⁴² All were saying, “Benedictus, qui venis,”⁴⁴³ and scattering flowers above and around them, saying, “Manibus o date lilia plenis.”⁴⁴⁴

I have seen ere now at the beginning of the day the eastern region all rosy, while the rest of heaven was beautiful with fair clear sky; and the face of the sun rise shaded, so that through the tempering of vapors the eye sustained it a long while. Thus within a cloud of flowers, which from the angelic hands was ascending, and falling down again within and without, a lady, with olive wreath above a white veil, appeared to me, robed with the color of living flame beneath a green mantle.⁴⁴⁵ And my spirit that now for so long a time had not been broken down, trembling with amazement at her presence, without having more knowledge by the eyes, through occult virtue that proceeded from her, felt the great potency of ancient love.

I have seen the eastern sky turn all rosy at dawn, while the rest of the heavens were beautiful and clear. I have seen the sun rise dimmed by mist, so that the eye could bear to look at it for a long time. In the same way, a lady appeared to me in a cloud of flowers. The flowers rose from angelic hands and fell again, inside and outside the cloud. She wore an olive wreath over a white veil and a green mantle over a dress the color of living flame.⁴⁴⁵ My spirit had not been overcome for a very long time. Yet it trembled in amazement at her presence. Before my eyes could tell me more, a hidden power flowing from her made my spirit feel the great force of an old love.

Soon as upon my sight the lofty virtue smote, which already had transfixed me ere I was out of boyhood, I turned me to the left with the confidence with which the little child runs to his mother when he is frightened, or when he is troubled, to say to Virgil, “Less than a drachm of blood remains in me that doth not tremble; I recognize the signals of the ancient flame,”⁴⁴⁶—but Virgil had left us deprived of himself; Virgil, sweetest Father, Virgil to whom I for my salvation gave me. Nor did all which the ancient mother lost⁴⁴⁷ avail unto my cheeks, cleansed with dew,⁴⁴⁸ that they should not turn dark again with tears.

As soon as I saw that lofty virtue, which had pierced my heart before I left boyhood, I turned left. I turned with the confidence of a little child running to his mother when frightened or troubled. I wanted to say to Virgil, “Less than a drachm of blood remains in me that does not tremble. I recognize the signs of the ancient flame,”⁴⁴⁶ but Virgil had left us, and we were deprived of him. Virgil, my sweetest Father, Virgil, to whom I had entrusted myself for my salvation. All that the ancient mother lost⁴⁴⁷ could not prevent my cheeks, cleansed with dew,⁴⁴⁸ from darkening again with tears.

“Dante, though Virgil be gone away, weep not yet, weep not yet, for it behoves thee to weep by another sword.”

“Dante, though Virgil is gone, do not weep yet. Do not weep yet, for another sword must make you weep.”

Like an admiral who, on poop or on prow, comes to see the people that are serving on the other ships, and encourages them to do well, upon the left border of the chariot,—when I turned me at the sound of my own name, which of necessity is registered here,—I saw the Lady, who had first appeared to me veiled beneath the angelic festival, directing her eyes toward me across the stream although the veil, which descended from her head, circled by the leaf of Minerva, did not allow her to appear distinctly. Royally, still haughty in her mien, she went on, as one who speaks, and keeps back his warmest speech: “Look at me well: I am, indeed, I am, indeed, Beatrice. How hast thou deigned to approach the mountain? Didst thou know that man is happy here?” My eyes fell down into the clear fount; but seeing myself in it I drew them to the grass, such great shame burdened my brow. As to the son the mother seems proud, so she seemed to me; for somewhat bitter tasteth the savor of stern pity. She was silent, and the angels sang of a sudden, “In te, Domine, speravi;” but beyond “pedes meos”⁴⁴⁹ they did not pass. Even as the snow, among the living rafters upon the back of Italy, is congealed, blown and packed by Sclavonian winds, then melting trickles through itself, if only the land that loses shadow breathe,⁴⁵⁰ so that it seems a fire that melts the candle: so was I without tears and sighs before the song of those who time their notes after the notes of the eternal circles. But when I heard in their sweet accords their compassion for me, more than if they had said, “Lady, why dost thou so confound him?” the ice that was bound tight around my heart became breath and water, and with anguish poured from my breast through my mouth and eyes.

An admiral might walk to the stern or bow to inspect the crews serving on other ships and encourage them to do well. In the same way, the Lady stood on the left side of the chariot. I turned at the sound of my own name, which must be recorded here, and saw her looking at me across the stream. She had first appeared to me veiled amid the celebration of the angels. A veil hung from her head, which was crowned with the leaves of Minerva, and kept me from seeing her clearly. Still regal and proud in manner, she continued, holding back her strongest words: “Look at me carefully. I am, I truly am, Beatrice. How did you dare approach the mountain? Did you not know that man is happy here?” I lowered my eyes to the clear water. But when I saw my reflection, I looked down at the grass, so heavily did shame weigh on me. She seemed stern to me, as a mother does to her son. For stern pity has a bitter taste. She fell silent, and the angels suddenly sang, “In te, Domine, speravi.” But they sang no further than “pedes meos.”⁴⁴⁹ Snow freezes among the living rafters on the backbone of Italy, blown and packed by Sclavonian winds. Then, if only the land that loses its shadow breathes,⁴⁵⁰ the snow melts and trickles through itself. It is as though a fire were melting a candle. Just so, I shed no tears and gave no sighs before those who time their notes to the music of the eternal circles began to sing. But in their sweet harmony, I heard their compassion for me. It spoke more clearly than if they had said, “Lady, why do you shame him so?” Then the ice tightly bound around my heart turned to breath and water. In anguish, it poured from my breast through my mouth and eyes.

She, still standing motionless on the aforesaid side of the chariot, then turned her words to those pious⁴⁵¹ beings thus: “Ye watch in the eternal day, so that nor night nor slumber robs from you one step the world may make along its ways; wherefore my reply is with greater care, that he who is weeping yonder may understand me, so that fault and grief may be of one measure. Not only through the working of the great wheels,⁴⁵² which direct every seed to some end according as the stars are its companions, but through largess of divine graces, which have for their rain vapors so lofty that our sight goes not near thereto,—this man was such in his new life, virtually, that every right habit would have made admirable proof in him. But so much the more malign and more savage becomes the land ill-sown and untilled, as it has more of good terrestrial vigor. Some time did I sustain him with my face; showing my youthful eyes to him I led him with me turned in right direction. So soon as I was upon the threshold of my second age, and had changed life, this one took himself from me, and gave himself to others. When from flesh to spirit I had ascended, and beauty and virtue were increased in me, I was less dear and less pleasing to him; and he turned his steps along a way not true, following false images of good, which pay no promise in full. Nor did it avail me to obtain⁴⁵³ inspirations with which, both in dream and otherwise, I called him back; so little did he heed them. So low he fell that all means for his salvation were already short, save showing him the lost people. For this I visited the gate of the dead, and to him, who has conducted him up hither, my prayers were borne with weeping. The high decree of God would be broken, if Lethe should be passed, and such viands should be tasted without any scot of repentance which may pour forth tears.”

Still standing motionless on the same side of the chariot, she turned to those pious⁴⁵¹ beings and said: “You watch in eternal daylight. Neither night nor sleep can hide a single step the world takes on its course from you. So I answer with special care, so that the man weeping over there may understand me. Then his sorrow can be equal to his fault. “Through the working of the great wheels,⁴⁵² every seed is guided toward an end, according to the stars accompanying it. But this man was shaped not only by the wheels, but also by abundant divine grace. The vapors that rain down this grace rise so high that our sight cannot reach them. In his new life, he had such potential that every good habit would have flourished wonderfully in him. But the richer the soil, the more harmful and wild the land becomes when it is poorly sown and left untilled. “For a time, I sustained him with my presence. By showing him my youthful eyes, I led him with me in the right direction. But as soon as I reached the threshold of my second age and passed from this life, he turned away from me and gave himself to others. When I had risen from flesh to spirit, my beauty and virtue increased. Yet I became less dear and less pleasing to him. He set his steps on a false path, following false images of goodness that never fully deliver on their promises. “I obtained⁴⁵³ inspirations to call him back, in dreams and by other means, but they did no good. He paid them so little attention. He fell so low that all other means of saving him had already failed. Only showing him the lost souls remained. For this reason, I visited the gate of the dead. Weeping, I sent my prayers to the one who has led him up here. God’s high decree would be broken if he crossed Lethe and tasted such food without paying the price of repentance that brings tears.”