PARADISO CANTO 01 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.	Notes	Ann.
The glory of the One who moves all things permeates the universe and glows in one part more and in another less. THE glory of Him who moveth everything Doth penetrate the universe, and shine In one part more and in another less.	01.003
I was within the heaven that receives more of His light; and I saw things that he who from that height descends, forgets or can Within that heaven which most his light receives Was I, and things beheld which to repeat Nor knows, nor can, who from above descends;	01.006
not speak; for nearing its desired end, our intellect sinks into an abyss so deep that memory fails to follow it. Because in drawing near to its desire Our intellect ingulphs itself so far, That after it the memory cannot go.	01.009
Nevertheless, as much as I, within my mind, could treasure of the holy kingdom shall now become the matter of my song. Truly whatever of the holy realm I had the power to treasure in my mind Shall now become the subject of my song.	01.012
O good Apollo, for this final task make me the vessel of your excellence, what you, to merit your loved laurel, ask. O good Apollo, for this last emprise Make of me such a vessel of thy power As giving the beloved laurel asks!	01.015
Until this point, one of Parnassus' peaks sufficed for me; but now I face the test the agon that is left; I need both crests. One summit of Parnassus hitherto Has been enough for me, but now with both I needs must enter the arena left.	01.018
Enter into my breast; within me breathe the very power you made manifest when you drew Marsyas out from his limbs' sheath. Enter into my bosom, thou, and breathe As at the time when Marsyas thou didst draw Out of the scabbard of those limbs of his.	01.021
O godly force, if you so lend yourself to me, that I might show the shadow of the blessed realm inscribed within my mind, O power divine, lend'st thou thyself to me So that the shadow of the blessed realm Stamped in my brain I can make manifest,	01.024
then you would see me underneath the tree you love; there I shall take as crown the leaves of which my theme and you shall make me worthy. Thou'lt see me come unto thy darling tree, And crown myself thereafter with those leaves Of which the theme and thou shall make me worthy.	01.027
So seldom, father, are those garlands gathered for triumph of a ruler or a poet- a sign of fault or shame in human wills- So seldom, Father, do we gather them For triumph or of Caesar or of Poet, (The fault and shame of human inclinations,)	01.030
that when Peneian branches can incite someone to long and thirst for them, delight must fill the happy Delphic deity. That the Peneian foliage should bring forth Joy to the joyous Delphic deity, When any one it makes to thirst for it.	01.033
Great fire can follow a small spark: there may be better voices after me to pray to Cyrrha's god for aid-that he may answer. A little spark is followed by great flame; Perchance with better voices after me Shall prayer be made that Cyrrha may respond!	01.036
The lantern of the world approaches mortals by varied paths; but on that way which links four circles with three crosses, it emerges To mortal men by passages diverse Uprises the world's lamp; but by that one Which circles four uniteth with three crosses,	01.039
joined to a better constellation and along a better course, and it can temper and stamp the world's wax more in its own manner. With better course and with a better star Conjoined it issues, and the mundane wax Tempers and stamps more after its own fashion.	01.042
Its entry from that point of the horizon brought morning there and evening here; almost all of that hemisphere was white-while ours Almost that passage had made morning there And evening here, and there was wholly white That hemisphere, and black the other part,	01.045
was dark-when I saw Beatrice turn round and left, that she might see the sun; no eagle has ever stared so steadily at it. When Beatrice towards the left-hand side I saw turned round, and gazing at the sun; Never did eagle fasten so upon it!	01.048
And as a second ray will issue from the first and reascend, much like a pilgrim who seeks his home again, so on her action, And even as a second ray is wont To issue from the first and reascend, Like to a pilgrim who would fain return,	01.051
fed by my eyes to my imagination, my action drew, and on the sun I set my sight more than we usually do. Thus of her action, through the eyes infused In my imagination, mine I made, And sunward fixed mine eyes beyond our wont.	01.054
More is permitted to our powers there than is permitted here, by virtue of that place, made for mankind as its true home. There much is lawful which is here unlawful Unto our powers, by virtue of the place Made for the human species as its own.	01.057
I did not bear it long, but not so briefly as not to see it sparkling round about, like molten iron emerging from the fire; Not long I bore it, nor so little while But I beheld it sparkle round about Like iron that comes molten from the fire;	01.060
and suddenly it seemed that day had been added to day, as if the One who can had graced the heavens with a second sun. And suddenly it seemed that day to day Was added, as if He who has the power Had with another sun the heaven adorned.	01.063
The eyes of Beatrice were all intent on the eternal circles; from the sun, I turned aside; I set my eyes on her. With eyes upon the everlasting wheels Stood Beatrice all intent, and I, on her Fixing my vision from above removed,	01.066
In watching her, within me I was changed as Glaucus changed, tasting the herb that made him a companion of the other sea gods. Such at her aspect inwardly became As Glaucus, tasting of the herb that made him Peer of the other gods beneath the sea.	01.069
Passing beyond the human cannot be worded; let Glaucus serve as simile- until grace grant you the experience. To represent transhumanise in words Impossible were; the example, then, suffice Him for whom Grace the experience reserves.	01.072
Whether I only was the part of me that You created last, You-governing the heavens-know: it was Your light that raised me. If I was merely what of me thou newly Createdst, Love who governest the heaven, Thou knowest, who didst lift me with thy light!	01.075
When that wheel which You make eternal through the heavens' longing for You drew me with the harmony You temper and distinguish, When now the wheel, which thou dost make eternal Desiring thee, made me attentive to it By harmony thou dost modulate and measure,	01.078
the fire of the sun then seemed to me to kindle so much of the sky, that rain or river never formed so broad a lake. Then seemed to me so much of heaven enkindled By the sun's flame, that neither rain nor river E'er made a lake so widely spread abroad.	01.081
The newness of the sound and the great light incited me to learn their cause-I was more keen than I had ever been before. The newness of the sound and the great light Kindled in me a longing for their cause, Never before with such acuteness felt;	01.084
And she who read me as I read myself, to quiet the commotion in my mind, opened her lips before I opened mine Whence she, who saw me as I saw myself, To quiet in me my perturbed mind, Opened her mouth, ere I did mine to ask,	01.087
to ask, and she began: "You make yourself obtuse with false imagining; you can not see what you would see if you dispelled it. And she began: "Thou makest thyself so dull With false imagining, that thou seest not What thou wouldst see if thou hadst shaken it	01.090
You are not on the earth as you believe; but lightning, flying from its own abode, is less swift than you are, returning home." Thou art not upon earth, as thou believest; But lightning, fleeing its appropriate site, Ne'er ran as thou, who thitherward returnest."	01.093
While I was freed from my first doubt by these brief words she smiled to me, I was yet caught in new perplexity. I said: "I was If of my former doubt I was divested By these brief little words more smiled than spoken, I in a new one was the more ensnared;	01.096
content already; after such great wonder, I rested. But again I wonder how my body rises past these lighter bodies." And said: "Already did I rest content From great amazement; but am now amazed In what way I transcend these bodies light."	01.099
At which, after a sigh of pity, she settled her eyes on me with the same look a mother casts upon a raving child, Whereupon she, after a pitying sigh, Her eyes directed tow'rds me with that look A mother casts on a delirious child;	01.102
and she began: "All things, among themselves, possess an order; and this order is the form that makes the universe like God. And she began: "All things whate'er they be Have order among themselves, and this is form, That makes the universe resemble God.	01.105
Here do the higher beings see the imprint of the Eternal Worth, which is the end to which the pattern I have mentioned tends. Here do the higher creatures see the footprints Of the Eternal Power, which is the end Whereto is made the law already mentioned.	01.108
Within that order, every nature has its bent, according to a different station, nearer or less near to its origin. In the order that I speak of are inclined All natures, by their destinies diverse, More or less near unto their origin;	01.111
Therefore, these natures move to different ports across the mighty sea of being, each given the impulse that will bear it on. Hence they move onward unto ports diverse O'er the great sea of being; and each one With instinct given it which bears it on.	01.114
This impulse carries fire to the moon; this is the motive force in mortal creatures; this binds the earth together, makes it one. This bears away the fire towards the moon; This is in mortal hearts the motive power This binds together and unites the earth.	01.117
Not only does the shaft shot from this bow strike creatures lacking intellect, but those who have intelligence, and who can love. Nor only the created things that are Without intelligence this bow shoots forth, But those that have both intellect and love.	01.120
The Providence that has arrayed all this forever quiets-with Its light-that heaven in which the swiftest of the spheres revolves; The Providence that regulates all this Makes with its light the heaven forever quiet, Wherein that turns which has the greatest haste.	01.123
to there, as toward a destined place, we now are carried by the power of the bow that always aims its shaft at a glad mark. And thither now, as to a site decreed, Bears us away the virtue of that cord Which aims its arrows at a joyous mark.	01.126
Yet it is true that, even as a shape may, often, not accord with art's intent, since matter may be unresponsive, deaf, True is it, that as oftentimes the form Accords not with the intention of the art, Because in answering is matter deaf,	01.129
so, from this course, the creature strays at times because he has the power, once impelled, to swerve elsewhere; as lightning from a cloud So likewise from this course doth deviate Sometimes the creature, who the power possesses, Though thus impelled, to swerve some other way,	01.132
is seen to fall, so does the first impulse, when man has been diverted by false pleasure, turn him toward earth. You should-if I am right- (In the same wise as one may see the fire Fall from a cloud,) if the first impetus Earthward is wrested by some false delight.	01.135
not feel more marvel at your climbing than you would were you considering a stream that from a mountain's height falls to its base. Thou shouldst not wonder more, if well I judge, At thine ascent, than at a rivulet From some high mount descending to the lowland.	01.138
It would be cause for wonder in you if, no longer hindered, you remained below, as if, on earth, a living flame stood still." Marvel it would be in thee, if deprived Of hindrance, thou wert seated down below, As if on earth the living fire were quiet."	01.141
Then she again turned her gaze heavenward. Thereat she heavenward turned again her face.	01.142

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