Paradiso (The Divine Comedy series Book 3)
Page 22
for he who saw it here above revealed it then to him,
139
along with many other truths about these circlings.’
OUTLINE: PARADISO XXIX
CRYSTALLINE SPHERE
1–9
simile: the moment of the vernal equinox (sun and moon in “balance”) and Beatrice’s silent smile
10–12
Beatrice will tell Dante what he wants to know: she has seen his question in God.
Beatrice explains God’s creation of the angels:
13–21
motive: (WHY?) not for “gain” to Himself (impossible), but that His splendor might “subsist” (WHEN? & WHERE?) in time and space, after creation out of time and space
22–24
(HOW?) form (angels), unformed matter (earth), form and matter joined (heavens) all were created simultaneously
25–30
simile: instantaneous flash of light in clear objects and God’s three-stringed bow’s three creations
31–36
the three orders of the substances God made (repeated)
37–45
against Jerome [and with Thomas], angels not created before the material universe
46–48
now Dante knows where, when, and how angels were made
49–66
the fallen angels and the good: nearly immediate fall of first, while rest circle God in joy; Lucifer’s pride vs. humility of the good angels. Dante should not doubt their worth: it lies in their affection for God
67–69
Beatrice: this suffices for him to understand angels;
70–126
however, because Dante may have been incorrectly taught she digresses on how the angels, if they have intellection and will, do not need memory, since they always live in God’s present;
82–96
attack on vain philosophizing on earth (which is, nonetheless, not as troublesome as distortion of the Bible), and of foolish preachers; examples:
97–102
eclipse at Crucifixion: miracle, not natural
103–126
indulgences: lying clergy and foolish flocks
127–145
Beatrice adds further intelligence about the angels:
130–135
their number is beyond calculation;
136–141
the varying degrees in which they partake of God;
142–145
God’s glory is reflected in them.
PARADISO XXIX
When the two offspring of Latona, → → →
one covered by the Ram, one by the Scales,
3
together make a belt of the horizon
for the moment that the zenith →
holds them balanced, until each of them,
6
in changing hemispheres, now leaves that belt,
for just that long, her face lit by a smile, →
Beatrice was silent, staring intently
9
at the point that overcame me. →
Then she began: ‘I tell, I do not ask, →
what you would like to hear. For I have seen it there
12
where every ubi and every quando has its center.
‘Not to increase His store of goodness, →
a thing impossible, but that His splendor,
15
shining back, might say Subsisto, →
‘in His eternity, beyond time, beyond
any other limit, as it pleased Him, →
18
in these new loves, Eternal Love unfolded.
‘Nor, before then, did He rest in torpor, →
for until God moved upon these waters
21
there existed no “before,” there was no “after.”
‘Form and matter, conjoined and separate, → →
came into being without defect,
24
shot like three arrows from a three-stringed bow.
‘And, as a ray shines right through glass, amber, →
or crystal, so that between its presence →
27
and its shining there is no lapse of time,
‘just so did the threefold creation flash—
with no intervals in its beginning—
30
from its Lord into being, all at once.
‘With it, order was created and ordained → →
for the angels, and these were the summit
33
of the universe, for in them God produced pure act.
‘Pure potential held the lowest place.
Between them, potential and act were held together
36
by such a bond as may not be unbound.
‘Jerome’s writing tells you all the angels →
were created many centuries before
39
the rest of the universe came into being.
‘Yet the scribes of the Holy Ghost declare
the truth on many pages,
42
as you shall find on searching with some care.
‘And even reason sees it, in some measure, →
for it would not grant that the movers of the heavens
45
should remain so long without becoming perfect.
‘Now you know both where and when these loving spirits → →
were created, and you know how, as well.
48
And thus three flames of your desire have been quenched.
‘Then, sooner than one might count to twenty, →
one band of angels had disturbed →
51
the lowest of your elements. →
‘The other band remained and gave itself →
with such abandon to this task, which you behold,
54
that never does it cease its circling motion.
‘The cause accounting for the fall
was the accursèd pride of him you saw
57
crushed beneath the weight of all the world.
‘These whom you observe here all were humble, →
acknowledging the Goodness that had made them fit
60
to be endowed with an intelligence so vast.
‘Thus their vision was exalted →
by illuminating grace, along with their own merit,
63
so that theirs is a will both whole and steadfast.
‘And I would not have you doubt, but rather be assured, →
that there is merit in receiving grace →
66
in measure as the heart inclines to it.
‘Henceforth, if you have understood my words,
you may examine anything you like
69
in this assembly without need of aid.
‘But since in schools on earth you still are taught → → →
that the angelic nature is possessed
72
of understanding, memory, and will,
‘I will continue, so that you clearly see
how truth is made unclear down there
75
by such equivocation in its teaching. →
‘These angelic beings, since they first rejoiced
in the face of God, from which nothing may be hidden,
78
have never turned their eyes away from it,
‘so that their sight is never interrupted →
by some new object. And thus they have no need
81
to search the past for some forgotten construct.
‘Thus down there men are dreaming while they wake, →
believing that they speak the truth. And those
84
who don’t believe so share the greater guilt and shame.
‘Down there, when you philosophize, you fail →
to follow one true path, so does the love of show
87
/>
preoccupy your mind and carry you away,
‘and even this is tolerated here
with less wrath than when holy Scripture
90
is neglected or its doctrines are mistaught.
‘There is no thought among you of the blood it costs →
to sow the world with it, or how acceptable he is
93
who humbly makes his way to it.
‘Each strives to gain attention by inventing new ideas, → →
expounded by the preachers at some length—
96
but the Gospel remains silent.
‘One says that at Christ’s passion the moon turned back →
and interposed itself in such a way
99
the sun’s light did not reach below.
‘He lies, for the light chose to hide itself. →
And therefore Spaniards and Indians,
102
as well as Jews, could all see that eclipse take place.
‘Florence has not as many named Lapo and Bindo → →
as it has tales like these that are proclaimed
105
from the pulpit, here and there, throughout the year, →
‘so that the ignorant flocks return from feeding →
fed on wind. And that they fail
108
to see their loss does not excuse them.
‘Christ did not say to His first congregation: →
“Go preach idle nonsense to the world,”
111
but gave to them a sound foundation. →
‘And that alone resounded from their lips, →
so that, in their warfare to ignite the faith,
114
they used the Gospel as their shield and lance.
‘Now preachers ply their trade with buffoonery and jokes,
their cowls inflating if they get a laugh,
117
and the people ask for nothing more. →
‘But such a bird nests in their hoods →
that, if the people saw it, they would see
120
the kind of pardoning to which they give their trust.
‘Because of these such foolishness has grown on earth →
that, with no warrant vouching for its truth,
123
they still would flock to any promise.
‘On this Saint Anthony fattens his swine, →
along with many others who are still more swinish,
126
repaying them with unstamped coin. →
‘But, since we have digressed enough, →
now turn your eyes to the true road again,
129
that the way may be made shorter—and the time.
‘The angelic host mounts by degrees →
to such high numbers, no mortal speech or thought
132
could ever count so far,
‘and, if you consider what Daniel reveals, →
you shall see that in his many thousands
135
a finite number stays concealed.
‘The Primal Light that irradiates them all →
is received by them in just as many ways
138
as there are splendors joined with It.
‘Therefore, since affection follows
the act of conceiving, love’s sweetness glows
141
with differing radiance, more brightly or subdued.
‘See now the height and breadth of the Eternal Worth, →
one light, which shines dispersed among
so many mirrors yet remains
145
in Itself one, just as It was before.’
OUTLINE: PARADISO XXX
PRIMUM MOBILE; EMPYREAN
1–13
simile: advancing dawn hiding stars, God hiding angels
14–15
blinded by the light and constrained by love: Beatrice
16–21
her beauty greater than ever; only God can truly enjoy it
22–24
the poet defeated by his subject
25–27
comparison: sun on eyes, as her smile blots out his memory
28–33
elaboration: his continual praise has reached its limit
34–36
and so he leaves her to a greater trumpeting
37–45
Beatrice, her task over, tells Dante where he is and that here he will see angels and saints, the latter in flesh
46–51
simile: lightning and perceived objects; the point of light and Dante’s blindness
52–54
a voice within Dante: so this Light welcomes here
55–60
Dante, enraptured, gradually can see the Light
61–69
his first vision: light as river, two banks, sparks
70–75
Beatrice commends his desire to know; first he must drink
76–81
she indicates the relation between what he sees and what he will see once he can really see
82–87
simile: babe awaking moves to suckle, Dante bends to river
88–90
even as he drinks the river becomes round, not linear
91–96
simile: unmasked revelers, flowers and sparks
97–99
eighth invocation: splendor of God
100–102
the new place: God as Light that his creatures can see
103–105
its circumference wider than the sun’s
106–108
it is formed by a ray reflected from the Primum Mobile, which in turn takes its movement and influence from it
109–114
simile: hill reflected in river, one thousand tiers above the Light
115–117
if the lowest ring encloses the Light, imagine the upper circumference of the Rose!
118–123
Dante sees it all as one, since where God rules without mediation far and near do not matter
124–148
Beatrice’s last speaking role in the poem:
124–132
she draws Dante into the Rose: “see the blessed”
133–138
Henry VII, the first soul, seen as coming to Paradise
139–141
Italy’s failure to welcome Henry
142–144
the devious behavior of Clement V
145–148
Clement will soon go to Hell and displace Boniface.
PARADISO XXX
About six thousand miles away from here → →
the sixth hour burns and even now this world →
3
inclines its shadow almost to a level bed, →
when, deep in intervening air, above us, → →
begins such change that here and there,
6
at our depth, a star is lost to sight.
And, as that brightest handmaid of the sun advances, →
the sky extinguishes its lights,
9
even the most beautiful, one by one. →
Not otherwise the victory that revels →
in eternal joy around the point that overcame me →
12
and seems enclosed by that which it encloses →
little by little faded from my sight,
so that, compelled by seeing nothing and by love,
15
I turned my eyes to gaze on Beatrice.
If all things said of her up to this point →
were gathered in a single hymn of praise, →
18
it would be paltry, matched to what is due. →
The beauty that I saw transcends →
all thought of beauty, and I must believe
21
that only its maker may savor it
all.
I declare myself defeated at this point →
more than any poet, whether comic or tragic,
24
was ever thwarted by a topic in his theme,
for, like sunlight striking on the weakest eyes, →
the memory of the sweetness of that smile
27
deprives me of my mental powers. →
From the first day, when in this life I saw her face → →
until my vision of her now, pursuit
30
of her in song has never been cut off. →
But now I must desist in my pursuit, →
no longer following her beauty in my verse,
33
as every artist, having reached his limit, must. →
Thus I leave her to more glorious trumpeting →
than that of my own music, as, laboring on,
36
I bring my difficult subject toward its close.
With the voice and bearing of a guide
who has discharged his duty, she began: ‘We have issued →
39
from the largest body to the Heaven of pure light, →
‘light intellectual, full of love,
love of true good, full of joy,
42
joy that surpasses every sweetness.
‘Here you shall see both soldieries of Paradise, →
one of them in just such form →
45
as you shall see it at the final judgment.’
Like sudden lightning that confounds →
the faculty of sight, depriving eyes
48
of taking in the clearest objects,
thus did a living light shine all around me, →
leaving me so swathed in the veil of its effulgence
51
that I saw nothing else.
‘The love that calms this heaven →
always offers welcome with such greetings, →