Canto 32

So fixed and intent were mine eyes to relieve their ten years’ thirst, that my other senses were all extinct: and they themselves, on one side and the other, had a wall of disregard, so did the holy smile draw them to itself with the old net; when perforce my sight was turned toward my left by those goddesses,⁴⁶⁸ because I heard from them a “Too fixedly.”⁴⁶⁹ And the condition which exists for seeing in eyes but just now smitten by the sun caused me to be some time without sight. But when the sight reshaped itself to the little (I say to the little, in respect to the great object of the sense wherefrom by force I had removed myself), I saw that the glorious army had wheeled upon its right flank, and was returning with the sun and with the seven flames in its face.

My eyes were so fixed and intent on relieving their ten years’ thirst that all my other senses went dead. My eyes themselves were shut off on both sides by a wall of disregard. For the holy smile drew them to itself with its old net. Then the goddesses⁴⁶⁸ forced me to turn my gaze to the left, because I heard them say, “Too fixedly.”⁴⁶⁹ For a while I could not see, like someone whose eyes have just been struck by the sun. But my sight adjusted again to lesser things. I call them lesser things compared with the great object of sight from which I had been forced to turn away. Then I saw that the glorious army had wheeled to its right and was returning, facing the sun and the seven flames.

As under its shields to save itself a troop turns and wheels with its banner, before it all can change about, that soldiery of the celestial realm which was in advance had wholly gone past us before its front beam⁴⁷⁰ had bent the chariot round. Then to the wheels the ladies returned, and the griffon moved his blessed burden, in such wise however that no feather of him shook. The beautiful lady who had drawn me at the ford, and Statius and I were following the wheel which made its orbit with the smaller arc. So walking through the lofty wood, empty through fault of her who trusted to the serpent, an angelic song set the time to our steps. Perhaps an arrow loosed from the bow had in three flights reached such a distance as we had advanced, when Beatrice descended. I heard “Adam!” murmured by all:⁴⁷¹ then they circled a plant despoiled of flowers and of other leafage on every bough.⁴⁷² Its branches, which so much the wider spread the higher up they are,⁴⁷³ would be wondered at for height by the Indians in their woods.

Just as a troop turns and wheels under its shields to protect itself, following its banner, so did the soldiers of the celestial realm. Those in front had passed us completely before the chariot’s front beam⁴⁷⁰ had turned it around. Then the ladies returned to the wheels, and the griffon moved his blessed burden without shaking a single feather. The beautiful lady who had led me through the ford followed the wheel that turned in the smaller arc. Statius and I followed it with her. As we walked through the lofty forest, an angelic song set the pace of our steps. The forest was empty because of the fault of the woman who trusted the serpent. We had perhaps gone as far as an arrow shot three times from a bow when Beatrice stepped down. I heard everyone murmur “Adam!”⁴⁷¹ Then they gathered around a tree whose branches were stripped of flowers and leaves.⁴⁷² Its branches spread wider the higher they grew.⁴⁷³ Even the Indians would marvel at its height, though they lived among forests.

“Blessed art thou, Griffon, that thou dost not break off with thy beak of this wood sweet to the taste, since the belly is ill racked thereby.”⁴⁷⁴ Thus around the sturdy tree the others cried; and the animal of two natures: “So is preserved the seed of all righteousness.”⁴⁷⁵ And turning to the pole that he had drawn, he dragged it to the foot of the widowed trunk, and that which was of it⁴⁷⁶ he left bound to it.

“Blessed are you, Griffon, for not breaking off and tasting this sweet wood with your beak. Eating it causes terrible pain in the belly.”⁴⁷⁴ The others cried this around the sturdy tree. The animal of two natures replied, “This is how the seed of all righteousness is preserved.”⁴⁷⁵ Then he turned to the pole he had drawn and dragged it to the foot of the widowed trunk. He left the part that had come from the tree⁴⁷⁶ bound to it.

As our plants, when the great light falls downward mingled with that which shines behind the celestial Carp,⁴⁷⁷ become swollen, and then renew themselves, each in its own color, ere the sun yoke his coursers under another star, so disclosing a color less than of roses and more than of violets, the plant renewed itself, which first had its boughs so bare.⁴⁷⁸ I did not understand the hymn, and it is not sung here,⁴⁷⁹ which that folk then sang, nor did I hear the melody to the end.

When the great light descends and mingles with the light shining behind the celestial Carp, our plants swell with buds.⁴⁷⁷ Before the sun harnesses his horses under another star, each plant blooms again in its own color. So the plant, whose branches had first been so bare, bloomed again in a color between rose and violet.⁴⁷⁸ The people then sang a hymn that I did not understand and that is not sung here.⁴⁷⁹ I did not hear the melody to the end.

If I could portray how the pitiless eyes⁴⁸⁰ sank to slumber, while hearing of Syrinx, the eyes to which too much watching cost so dear, hike a painter who paints from a model I would depict how I fell asleep; but whoso would, let him be one who can picture slumber well.⁴⁸¹ Therefore I pass on to when I awoke, and say that a splendor rent for me the veil of sleep, and a call, “Arise, what doest thou?”

If I could portray how the pitiless eyes⁴⁸⁰ fell asleep while hearing about Syrinx, I would depict how I fell asleep. Those eyes paid dearly for watching too long. I would be like a painter working from a model. But let anyone who can portray sleep well take on the task.⁴⁸¹ So I will move on to when I woke. A bright light tore away the veil of sleep, and a voice called, “Rise, what are you doing?”

As, to see some of the flowerets of the apple-tree⁴⁸² which makes the Angels greedy of its fruit,⁴⁸³ and makes perpetual bridal feasts in Heaven,⁴⁸⁴ Peter and John and James were led,⁴⁸⁵ and being overcome, came to themselves at the word by which greater slumbers⁴⁸⁶ were broken, and saw their band diminished alike by Moses and Elias, and the raiment of their Master changed, so I came to myself, and saw that compassionate one standing above me, who first had been conductress of my steps along the stream; and all in doubt I said, “Where is Beatrice?” And she, “Behold her under the new leafage sitting upon its root. Behold the company that surrounds her; the rest are going on high behind the griffon, with sweeter song and more profound.”⁴⁸⁷ And if her speech was more diffuse I know not, because already in my eyes was she who from attending to aught else had closed me in. Alone she was sitting upon the bare ground, like a guard left there of the chariot which I had seen bound by the biform animal. In a circle the seven Nymphs were making of themselves an enclosure for her, with those lights in their hands that are secure from Aquilo and from Auster.⁴⁸⁸

Peter, John, and James were led to see some blossoms of the apple tree.⁴⁸² This tree makes the Angels eager for its fruit⁴⁸³ and provides endless wedding feasts in Heaven.⁴⁸⁴ Overcome by what they saw, the three came to themselves at the word that had broken deeper sleeps.^{485 486} They saw that Moses and Elias had left their company and that their Master’s clothing had changed. Just as they came to themselves, so I came to myself. I saw the compassionate woman standing over me, the one who had first guided my steps along the stream. Full of doubt, I said, “Where is Beatrice?” She replied, “Look at her sitting under the new leaves, at the tree’s root. Look at the company around her. The others are going up behind the griffon, singing a sweeter and deeper song.”⁴⁸⁷ I do not know whether she said more, because I had already seen Beatrice and could pay attention to nothing else. Beatrice sat alone on the bare ground, like a guard left beside the chariot I had seen bound to the two-formed animal. The seven Nymphs formed a circle around her. In their hands they held those lights that are safe from Aquilo and Auster.⁴⁸⁸

“Here shalt thou be short time a forester; and thou shalt be with me without end a citizen of that Rome whereof Christ is a Roman. Therefore for profit of the world that lives ill, keep now thine eyes upon the chariot; amid what thou seest, having returned to earth, mind that thou write.” Thus Beatrice; and I, who at the feet of her commands was all devout, gave my mind and my eyes where she willed.

“Here you will live in the forest for a short time. Then you will live with me forever as a citizen of that Rome where Christ is a Roman. So, for the benefit of the world that lives wrongly, keep your eyes on the chariot. When you return to earth, remember to write what you see.” So Beatrice spoke, and I, wholly devoted to obeying her commands, turned my mind and eyes where she wished.

Never with so swift a motion did fire descend from a dense cloud, when it is raining from that region which stretches most remote, as I saw the bird of Jove stoop downward through the tree, breaking the bark, as well as the flowers and new leaves; and he struck the chariot with all his force, whereat it reeled, like a ship in a tempest beaten by the waves now to starboard, now to larboard.⁴⁸⁹ Then I saw leap into the body of the triumphal vehicle a she fox,⁴⁹⁰ which seemed fasting from all good food; but rebuking her for her foul sins my Lady turned her to such flight as her fleshless bones allowed. Then, from there whence he had first come, I saw the eagle descend down into the ark of the chariot and leave it feathered from himself.⁴⁹¹ And a voice such as issues from a heart that is afflicted issued from Heaven, and thus spake, “O little bark of mine, how ill art thou laden!” Then it seemed to me that the earth opened between the two wheels, and I saw a dragon issue from it, which through the chariot upward fixed his tail: and, like a wasp that retracts its sting, drawing to himself his malign tail, drew out part of the bottom, and went wandering away.⁴⁹² That which remained covered itself again, as lively soil with grass, with the plumage, offered perhaps with sane and benign intention; and both one and the other wheel and the pole were again covered with it in such time that a sigh holds the mouth open longer.⁴⁹³ Thus transformed, the holy structure put forth heads upon its parts, three upon the pole, and one on each corner. The first were horned like oxen, but the four had a single horn upon the forehead.⁴⁹⁴ A like prodigy was never seen before. Secure, as fortress on a high mountain, there appeared to me a loose harlot sitting upon it, with eyes roving around. And, as if in order that she should not be taken from him, I saw standing at her side a giant, and some while they kissed each other. But because she turned her lustful and wandering eye on me that fierce paramour scourged her from head to foot. Then full of jealousy, and cruel with anger, he loosed the monster, and drew it through the wood so far that only of that he made a shield from me for the harlot and for the strange beast.⁴⁹⁵

Never did lightning fall so quickly from a dense cloud, when rain falls from the highest region of the sky, as I saw the bird of Jove swoop down through the tree. It broke the bark, flowers, and new leaves. Then it struck the chariot with all its force. The chariot reeled like a ship in a storm, battered by waves first on one side, then on the other.⁴⁸⁹ Then I saw a female fox⁴⁹⁰ leap into the body of the triumphal chariot. She looked as though she had gone without any good food. But my Lady rebuked her for her foul sins and sent her fleeing as fast as her fleshless bones allowed. Then I saw the eagle descend from where it had first come. It landed in the chariot’s body and left it covered with its feathers.⁴⁹¹ A voice came from Heaven, like the voice of a grieving heart, and said, “O my little ship, how badly you are burdened!” Then the earth seemed to open between the two wheels. I saw a dragon emerge and thrust its tail up through the chariot. Like a wasp drawing back its sting, the dragon pulled back its evil tail. It tore away part of the chariot’s bottom and wandered off.⁴⁹² The feathers, perhaps given with good and kind intentions, covered what remained, as grass covers fertile soil. They covered both wheels and the pole again in less time than a sigh keeps the mouth open.⁴⁹³ The holy structure was transformed, and heads grew from its parts. Three grew on the pole, and one on each corner. The first three had horns like oxen, but each of the other four had a single horn on its forehead.⁴⁹⁴ Nothing so strange had ever been seen before. I saw a shameless prostitute sitting on it, secure as a fortress on a high mountain. Her eyes wandered all around. A giant stood beside her, as if to keep her from being taken from him. They kissed for a while. But because she turned her lustful, wandering eyes on me, her fierce lover whipped her from head to foot. Then, full of jealousy and cruel with anger, he untied the monster and dragged it through the woods. He went so far that the woods alone hid the prostitute and the strange beast from me.⁴⁹⁵