Paradiso
Canto 18
Translated by Robert Hollander
1 That blessèd mirror continued to rejoice
2 in his own thoughts and I was tasting mine,
3 tempering the bitter with the sweet,
4 when that lady, who was leading me to God,
5 said: 'Change your thoughts. Consider that I dwell
6 with Him who lifts the weight of every wrong.'
7 At the loving sound of my comfort's voice
8 I turned, and the great love I saw then,
9 in her holy eyes, I have to leave untold,
10 not just because I cannot trust my speech,
11 but because memory cannot retrace its path
12 that far unless Another guide it.
13 This much only of that moment can I tell again,
14 that, when I fixed my gaze on her,
15 my affections were released from any other longing
16 as long as the eternal Beauty,
17 shining its light on Beatrice, made me content
18 with its reflected glow in her fair eyes.
19 Conquering me with her radiant smile,
20 she said: 'Turn now and listen:
21 not in my eyes alone is Paradise.'
22 As, on occasion, here on earth, affection
23 may be read in someone's face
24 if it is strong enough to capture all the soul,
25 so, in the flaming of that holy radiance
26 to which I turned, I recognized his wish
27 to share some further thoughts with me.
28 And he began: 'On this fifth tier of the branches
29 of the tree that draws its sustenance from above
30 and always is in fruit and never sheds its leaves
31 'are blessèd spirits who below, on earth,
32 before they rose to Heaven, were of such renown
33 that any poet's page would be enriched by them.
34 'Look, therefore, at the two arms of the cross,
35 and each one whom I name will, flashing, dart
36 as does swift fire from within a cloud.'
37 I saw a streak of light drawn through the cross
38 at Joshua's name as soon as it was spoken,
39 nor could I tell the naming and the deed apart.
40 And, at the name of valorous Maccabaeus,
41 I saw shoot by another whirling light --
42 and it was joy that whipped that spinning top.
43 My watchful gaze was fastened
44 on Charlemagne and Roland there, as well,
45 just as the eye pursues the falcon in its flight.
46 William, Renouard, and then Duke Godfrey
47 next drew my eyes along that cross,
48 and Robert Guiscard also did so.
49 Then, leaving me to mingle with the other lights,
50 the soul who'd spoken last with me displayed
51 his artistry among the singers of that heaven.
52 I turned to my right to learn
53 from Beatrice what I ought to do,
54 whether signaled by some word or gesture,
55 and I saw her eyes so clear, so joyful,
56 that her aspect in its radiance outshone
57 her former glory, even that most recent.
58 And as, from feeling more delight in doing good,
59 a man becomes aware from day to day
60 of his increasing virtue,
61 seeing that miracle adorned with greater brightness,
62 I became aware my wheeling circles
63 through the heavens had grown wider in their arc.
64 And such a change as passes in a moment
65 from the blushing face of a fair-skinned lady,
66 unburdened of the reason for her shame,
67 greeted my eyes once I had turned around,
68 because of the white radiance of the temperate
69 sixth star, which had gathered me into itself.
70 In that torch of Jupiter I watched
71 the sparkling of the love resplendent there
72 make signs, before my eyes, of our speech.
73 And as birds risen from the river's edge,
74 seeming to celebrate their pleasure in their food,
75 form now a rounded arc, and now another shape,
76 so, radiant within their lights, the holy creatures
77 sang as they flew and shaped themselves
78 in figures, now D, now I, now L.
79 At first, singing, they danced to their own tune.
80 And then, taking on one of these shapes,
81 they paused in their movement and were silent.
82 O divine Pegasean, who bestow glory
83 and long life on genius, as, with your help,
84 it gives life to towns and kingdoms,
85 inspire me with your light so that I may set down
86 their shapes as I conceived them in my mind.
87 May your power appear in these few lines.
88 They then displayed themselves in five times seven
89 consonants and vowels, and I saw these letters
90 singly, and in the order they were traced.
91 DILIGITE IUSTITIAM -- these letters,
92 placed together, verb and noun, came first,
93 QUI IUDICATIS TERRAM, last.
94 Then they came to rest in the fifth word's M
95 so that this place in Jupiter was shining
96 as does silver overlaid with gold.
97 And I saw other lights descend and settle
98 on the M's high crest to sing, I think,
99 of that great Good which draws them to Itself.
100 Then, as when someone strikes a burning log,
101 causing innumerable sparks to fly,
102 sparks from which the foolish form their divinations,
103 just so a thousand lights and more appeared
104 to rise from there and mount, some more, some less,
105 as the Sun that kindles them ordained.
106 When each had settled in its place
107 I saw an eagle's head and neck
108 take shape out of that overlay of fire.
109 He who fashions there has need of none to guide Him
110 but Himself. Thus we recognize as His
111 the form that every bird takes for its nest.
112 The other blessèd spirits, who seemed at first content
113 to turn themselves into a lily on the M,
114 with gentle motion joined, completing the design.
115 O lovely star, how many and how bright the jewels
116 that showed me that our earthly justice
117 comes from that heaven, brilliant with your gems!
118 Therefore, I entreat the Mind, in which your motion
119 and your power begin, to look down on the source
120 of smoke that dims your radiant beam,
121 so that your wrath come down once more
122 on those who buy and sell within the temple,
123 whose walls were built of miracle and martyrdom.
124 O soldiery of Heaven, whom I contemplate,
125 pray for those still on the earth,
126 those led astray by bad example!
127 It was the custom once to go to war with swords.
128 Now wars are fought withholding here and there
129 the bread our loving Father keeps from none.
130 But you who write only to cancel,
131 remember this: Peter and Paul, who died
132 to save the vineyard you lay waste, still live.
133 Well may you say: 'I have so set my heart
134 on him who chose to live in solitude
135 and who for a dance was dragged to martyrdom
136 that I know neither the Fisherman nor Paul.'