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PARADISO CANTO 04
Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr. Notes Ann.

Before a man bit into one of two foods equally removed and tempting, he would die of hunger if his choice were free; BETWEEN two viands, equally removed And tempting, a free man would die of hunger Ere either he could bring unto his teeth.

04.003

so would a lamb stand motionless between the cravings of two savage wolves, in fear of both; so would a dog between two deer; So would a lamb between the ravenings Of two fierce wolves stand fearing both alike; And so would stand a dog between two does.

04.006

thus, I need neither blame nor praise myself when both my doubts compelled me equally: what kept me silent was necessity. Hence, if I held my peace, myself I blame not, Impelled in equal measure by my doubts, Since it must be so, nor do I commend.

04.009

I did not speak, but in my face were seen longing and questioning, more ardent than if spoken words had made them evident. I held my peace; but my desire was painted Upon my face, and questioning with that More fervent far than by articulate speech.

04.012

Then Beatrice did just as Daniel did, when he appeased Nebuchadnezzar's anger, the rage that made the king unjustly fierce. Beatrice did as Daniel had done Relieving Nebuchadnezzar from the wrath Which rendered him unjustly merciless,

04.015

She said: "I see how both desires draw you, so that your anxiousness to know is self- entangled and cannot express itself. And said: "Well see I how attracteth thee One and the other wish, so that thy care Binds itself so that forth it does not breathe.

04.018

You reason: 'If my will to good persists, why should the violence of others cause the measure of my merit to be less?' Thou arguest, if good will be permanent, The violence of others, for what reason Doth it decrease the measure of my merit?

04.021

And you are also led to doubt because the doctrine Plato taught would find support by souls' appearing to return to the stars. Again for doubting furnish thee occasion Souls seeming to return unto the stars, According to the sentiment of Plato.

04.024

These are the questions that, within your will, press equally for answers; therefore, I shall treat the most insidious question first. These are the questions which upon thy wish Are thrusting equally; and therefore first Will I treat that which hath the most of gall.

04.027

Neither the Seraph closest unto God, nor Moses, Samuel, nor either John- whichever one you will-nor Mary has, He of the Seraphim most absorbed in God, Moses, and Samuel, and whichever John Thou mayst select, I say, and even Mary,

04.030

I say, their place in any other heaven than that which houses those souls you just saw, nor will their blessedness last any longer. Have not in any other heaven their seats, Than have those spirits that just appeared to thee, Nor of existence more or fewer years;

04.033

But all those souls grace the Empyrean; and each of them has gentle life-though some sense the Eternal Spirit more, some less. But all make beautiful the primal circle, And have sweet life in different degrees, By feeling more or less the eternal breath.

04.036

They showed themselves to you here not because this is their sphere, but as a sign for you that in the Empyrean their place is lowest. They showed themselves here, not because allotted This sphere has been to them, but to give sign Of the celestial which is least exalted.

04.039

Such signs are suited to your mind, since from the senses only can it apprehend what then becomes fit for the intellect. To speak thus is adapted to your mind, Since only through the sense it apprehendeth What then it worthy makes of intellect.

04.042

And this is why the Bible condescends to human powers, assigning feet and hands to God, but meaning something else instead. On this account the Scripture condescends Unto your faculties, and feet and hands To God attributes, and means something else;

04.045

And Gabriel and Michael and the angel who healed the eyes of Tobit are portrayed by Holy Church with human visages. And Holy Church under an aspect human Gabriel and Michael represent to you, And him who made Tobias whole again.

04.048

That which Timaeus said in reasoning of souls does not describe what you have seen, since it would seem that as he speaks he thinks. That which Timceus argues of the soul Doth not resemble that which here is seen, Because it seems that as he speaks he thinks.

04.051

He says the soul returns to that same star from which-so he believes-it had been taken when nature sent that soul as form to body; He says the soul unto its star returns, Believing it to have been severed thence Whenever nature gave it as a form

04.054

but his opinion is, perhaps, to be taken in other guise than his words speak, intending something not to be derided. Perhaps his doctrine is of other guise Than the words sound, and possibly may be With meaning that is not to be derided.

04.057

If to these spheres he wanted to attribute honor and blame for what they influence, perhaps his arrow reaches something true. If he doth mean that to these wheels return The honour of their influence and the blame, Perhaps his bow doth hit upon some truth.

04.060

This principle, ill-understood, misled almost all of the world once, so that Jove and Mercury and Mars gave names to stars. This principle ill understood once warped The whole world nearly, till it went astray Invoking Jove and Mercury and Mars.

04.063

The other doubt that agitates you is less poisonous; for its insidiousness is not such as to lead you far from me. The other doubt which doth disquiet thee Less venom has, for its malevolence Could never lead thee otherwhere from me.

04.066

To mortal eyes our justice seems unjust; that this is so, should serve as evidence for faith-not heresy's depravity. That as unjust our justice should appear In eyes of mortals, is an argument Of faith, and not of sin heretical.

04.069

But that your intellect may penetrate more carefully into your other query, I shall-as you desire-explain it clearly. But still, that your perception may be able To thoroughly penetrate this verity, As thou desirest, I will satisfy thee.

04.072

If violence means that the one who suffers has not abetted force in any way, then there is no excuse these souls can claim: If it be violence when he who suffers Co-operates not with him who uses force, These souls were not on that account excused;

04.075

for will, if it resists, is never spent, but acts as nature acts when fire ascends, though force-a thousand times-tries to compel. For will is never quenched unless it will, But operates as nature doth in fire If violence a thousand times distort it.

04.078

So that, when will has yielded much or little, it has abetted force-as these souls did: they could have fled back to their holy shelter. Hence, if it yieldeth more or less, it seconds The force; and these have done so, having power Of turning back unto the holy place.

04.081

Had their will been as whole as that which held Lawrence fast to the grate and that which made of Mucius one who judged his own hand, then If their will had been perfect, like to that Which Lawrence fast upon his gridiron held, And Mutius made severe to his own hand,

04.084

once freed, they would have willed to find the faith from which they had been dragged; but it is all too seldom that a will is so intact. It would have urged them back along the road tab Whence they were dragged, as soon as they were free; But such a solid will is all too rare.

04.087

And through these words, if you have grasped their bent, you can eliminate the argument that would have troubled you again-and often. And by these words, if thou hast gathered them As thou shouldst do, the argument is refuted That would have still annoyed thee many times.

04.090

But now another obstacle obstructs your sight; you cannot overcome it by yourself-it is too wearying to try. But now another passage runs accross Before thine eyes, and such that by thyself Thou couldst not thread it ere thou wouldst be weary.

04.093

I've set it in your mind as something certain that souls in blessedness can never lie, since they are always near the Primal Truth. I have for certain put into thy mind That soul beatified could never lie. For it is near the primal Truth,

04.096

But from Piccarda you were also able to hear how Constance kept her love of the veil: and here Piccarda seems to contradict me. And then thou from Piccarda might'st have heard Costanza kept affection for the veil, So that she seemeth here to contradict me.

04.099

Before this-brother-it has often happened that, to flee menace, men unwillingly did what should not be done; so did Alcmaeon, Many times, brother, has it come to pass, That, to escape from peril, with reluctance That has been done it was not right to do,

04.102

to meet the wishes of his father, kill his mother-not to fail in filial piety, he acted ruthlessly. E'en as Alcaemon (who, being by his father Thereto entreated, his own mother slew) Not to lose pity pitiless became.

04.105

At that point-I would have you see-the forcea to which one yielded mingles with one's will; and no excuse can pardon their joint act. At this point I desire thee to remember That force with will commingles, and they cause That the offences cannot be excused.

04.108

Absolute will does not concur in wrong; but the contingent will, through fear that its resistance might bring greater harm, consents. Will absolute consenteth not to evil; But in so far consenteth as it fears, If it refrain, to fall into more harm

04.111

Therefore, Piccarda means the absolute will when she speaks, and I the relative; so that the two of us have spoken truth." Hence when Piccarda uses this expression, She meaneth the will absolute, and I The other, so that both of us speak truth."

04.114

Such was the rippling of the holy stream issuing from the fountain from which springs all truth: it set to rest both of my longings. Such was the flowing of the holy river That issued from the fount whence springs all truth; This put to rest my wishes one and all.

04.117

Then I said: "O beloved of the First Lover, o you-divine-whose speech so floods and warms me that I feel more and more life, "O love of the first lover, O divine," Said I forthwith, "whose speech inundates me And warms me so, it more and more revives me,

04.120

however deep my gratefulness, it can not match your grace with grace enough; but He who sees and can-may He grant recompense. My own affection is not so profound As to suffice in rendering grace for grace; Let Him, who sees and can, thereto respond.

04.123

I now see well: we cannot satisfy our mind unless it is enlightened by the truth beyond whose boundary no truth lies. Well I perceive that never sated is Our intellect unless the Truth illume it, Beyond which nothing true expands itself.

04.126

Mind, reaching that truth, rests within it as a beast within its lair; mind can attain that truth-if not, all our desires were vain. It rests therein, as wild beast in his lair, When it attains it; and it can attain it; If not, then each desire would frustrate be.

04.129

Therefore, our doubting blossoms like a shoot out from the root of truth; this natural urge spurs us toward the peak, from height to height. Therefore springs up, in fashion of a shoot, Doubt at the foot of truth; and this is nature, Which to the top from height to height impels us.

04.132

Lady, my knowing why we doubt, invites, sustains, my reverent asking you about another truth that is obscure to me. This doth invite me, this assurance give me With reverence, Lady, to inquire of you Another true, which is obscure to me.

04.135

I want to know if, in your eyes, one can amend for unkept vows with other acts- good works your balance will not find too scant." I wish to know if man can satisfy you For broken vows with other good deeds, so That in your balance they will not be light."

04.138

Then Beatrice looked at me with eyes so full of sparks of love, eyes so divine that my own force of sight was overcome, took flight, Beatrice gazed upon me with her eyes Full of the sparks of love, and so divine, That, overcome my power, I turned my back

04.141

and, eyes downcast, I almost lost my senses. And almost lost myself with eyes downcast.

04.142

Previous or Next Canto

PARADISO CANTO 04 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.	*Notes*	*Ann.*
Before a man bit into one of two foods equally removed and tempting, he would die of hunger if his choice were free; BETWEEN two viands, equally removed And tempting, a free man would die of hunger Ere either he could bring unto his teeth.	04.003
so would a lamb stand motionless between the cravings of two savage wolves, in fear of both; so would a dog between two deer; So would a lamb between the ravenings Of two fierce wolves stand fearing both alike; And so would stand a dog between two does.	04.006
thus, I need neither blame nor praise myself when both my doubts compelled me equally: what kept me silent was necessity. Hence, if I held my peace, myself I blame not, Impelled in equal measure by my doubts, Since it must be so, nor do I commend.	04.009
I did not speak, but in my face were seen longing and questioning, more ardent than if spoken words had made them evident. I held my peace; but my desire was painted Upon my face, and questioning with that More fervent far than by articulate speech.	04.012
Then Beatrice did just as Daniel did, when he appeased Nebuchadnezzar's anger, the rage that made the king unjustly fierce. Beatrice did as Daniel had done Relieving Nebuchadnezzar from the wrath Which rendered him unjustly merciless,	04.015
She said: "I see how both desires draw you, so that your anxiousness to know is self- entangled and cannot express itself. And said: "Well see I how attracteth thee One and the other wish, so that thy care Binds itself so that forth it does not breathe.	04.018
You reason: 'If my will to good persists, why should the violence of others cause the measure of my merit to be less?' Thou arguest, if good will be permanent, The violence of others, for what reason Doth it decrease the measure of my merit?	04.021
And you are also led to doubt because the doctrine Plato taught would find support by souls' appearing to return to the stars. Again for doubting furnish thee occasion Souls seeming to return unto the stars, According to the sentiment of Plato.	04.024
These are the questions that, within your will, press equally for answers; therefore, I shall treat the most insidious question first. These are the questions which upon thy wish Are thrusting equally; and therefore first Will I treat that which hath the most of gall.	04.027
Neither the Seraph closest unto God, nor Moses, Samuel, nor either John- whichever one you will-nor Mary has, He of the Seraphim most absorbed in God, Moses, and Samuel, and whichever John Thou mayst select, I say, and even Mary,	04.030
I say, their place in any other heaven than that which houses those souls you just saw, nor will their blessedness last any longer. Have not in any other heaven their seats, Than have those spirits that just appeared to thee, Nor of existence more or fewer years;	04.033
But all those souls grace the Empyrean; and each of them has gentle life-though some sense the Eternal Spirit more, some less. But all make beautiful the primal circle, And have sweet life in different degrees, By feeling more or less the eternal breath.	04.036
They showed themselves to you here not because this is their sphere, but as a sign for you that in the Empyrean their place is lowest. They showed themselves here, not because allotted This sphere has been to them, but to give sign Of the celestial which is least exalted.	04.039
Such signs are suited to your mind, since from the senses only can it apprehend what then becomes fit for the intellect. To speak thus is adapted to your mind, Since only through the sense it apprehendeth What then it worthy makes of intellect.	04.042
And this is why the Bible condescends to human powers, assigning feet and hands to God, but meaning something else instead. On this account the Scripture condescends Unto your faculties, and feet and hands To God attributes, and means something else;	04.045
And Gabriel and Michael and the angel who healed the eyes of Tobit are portrayed by Holy Church with human visages. And Holy Church under an aspect human Gabriel and Michael represent to you, And him who made Tobias whole again.	04.048
That which Timaeus said in reasoning of souls does not describe what you have seen, since it would seem that as he speaks he thinks. That which Timceus argues of the soul Doth not resemble that which here is seen, Because it seems that as he speaks he thinks.	04.051
He says the soul returns to that same star from which-so he believes-it had been taken when nature sent that soul as form to body; He says the soul unto its star returns, Believing it to have been severed thence Whenever nature gave it as a form	04.054
but his opinion is, perhaps, to be taken in other guise than his words speak, intending something not to be derided. Perhaps his doctrine is of other guise Than the words sound, and possibly may be With meaning that is not to be derided.	04.057
If to these spheres he wanted to attribute honor and blame for what they influence, perhaps his arrow reaches something true. If he doth mean that to these wheels return The honour of their influence and the blame, Perhaps his bow doth hit upon some truth.	04.060
This principle, ill-understood, misled almost all of the world once, so that Jove and Mercury and Mars gave names to stars. This principle ill understood once warped The whole world nearly, till it went astray Invoking Jove and Mercury and Mars.	04.063
The other doubt that agitates you is less poisonous; for its insidiousness is not such as to lead you far from me. The other doubt which doth disquiet thee Less venom has, for its malevolence Could never lead thee otherwhere from me.	04.066
To mortal eyes our justice seems unjust; that this is so, should serve as evidence for faith-not heresy's depravity. That as unjust our justice should appear In eyes of mortals, is an argument Of faith, and not of sin heretical.	04.069
But that your intellect may penetrate more carefully into your other query, I shall-as you desire-explain it clearly. But still, that your perception may be able To thoroughly penetrate this verity, As thou desirest, I will satisfy thee.	04.072
If violence means that the one who suffers has not abetted force in any way, then there is no excuse these souls can claim: If it be violence when he who suffers Co-operates not with him who uses force, These souls were not on that account excused;	04.075
for will, if it resists, is never spent, but acts as nature acts when fire ascends, though force-a thousand times-tries to compel. For will is never quenched unless it will, But operates as nature doth in fire If violence a thousand times distort it.	04.078
So that, when will has yielded much or little, it has abetted force-as these souls did: they could have fled back to their holy shelter. Hence, if it yieldeth more or less, it seconds The force; and these have done so, having power Of turning back unto the holy place.	04.081
Had their will been as whole as that which held Lawrence fast to the grate and that which made of Mucius one who judged his own hand, then If their will had been perfect, like to that Which Lawrence fast upon his gridiron held, And Mutius made severe to his own hand,	04.084
once freed, they would have willed to find the faith from which they had been dragged; but it is all too seldom that a will is so intact. It would have urged them back along the road tab Whence they were dragged, as soon as they were free; But such a solid will is all too rare.	04.087
And through these words, if you have grasped their bent, you can eliminate the argument that would have troubled you again-and often. And by these words, if thou hast gathered them As thou shouldst do, the argument is refuted That would have still annoyed thee many times.	04.090
But now another obstacle obstructs your sight; you cannot overcome it by yourself-it is too wearying to try. But now another passage runs accross Before thine eyes, and such that by thyself Thou couldst not thread it ere thou wouldst be weary.	04.093
I've set it in your mind as something certain that souls in blessedness can never lie, since they are always near the Primal Truth. I have for certain put into thy mind That soul beatified could never lie. For it is near the primal Truth,	04.096
But from Piccarda you were also able to hear how Constance kept her love of the veil: and here Piccarda seems to contradict me. And then thou from Piccarda might'st have heard Costanza kept affection for the veil, So that she seemeth here to contradict me.	04.099
Before this-brother-it has often happened that, to flee menace, men unwillingly did what should not be done; so did Alcmaeon, Many times, brother, has it come to pass, That, to escape from peril, with reluctance That has been done it was not right to do,	04.102
to meet the wishes of his father, kill his mother-not to fail in filial piety, he acted ruthlessly. E'en as Alcaemon (who, being by his father Thereto entreated, his own mother slew) Not to lose pity pitiless became.	04.105
At that point-I would have you see-the forcea to which one yielded mingles with one's will; and no excuse can pardon their joint act. At this point I desire thee to remember That force with will commingles, and they cause That the offences cannot be excused.	04.108
Absolute will does not concur in wrong; but the contingent will, through fear that its resistance might bring greater harm, consents. Will absolute consenteth not to evil; But in so far consenteth as it fears, If it refrain, to fall into more harm	04.111
Therefore, Piccarda means the absolute will when she speaks, and I the relative; so that the two of us have spoken truth." Hence when Piccarda uses this expression, She meaneth the will absolute, and I The other, so that both of us speak truth."	04.114
Such was the rippling of the holy stream issuing from the fountain from which springs all truth: it set to rest both of my longings. Such was the flowing of the holy river That issued from the fount whence springs all truth; This put to rest my wishes one and all.	04.117
Then I said: "O beloved of the First Lover, o you-divine-whose speech so floods and warms me that I feel more and more life, "O love of the first lover, O divine," Said I forthwith, "whose speech inundates me And warms me so, it more and more revives me,	04.120
however deep my gratefulness, it can not match your grace with grace enough; but He who sees and can-may He grant recompense. My own affection is not so profound As to suffice in rendering grace for grace; Let Him, who sees and can, thereto respond.	04.123
I now see well: we cannot satisfy our mind unless it is enlightened by the truth beyond whose boundary no truth lies. Well I perceive that never sated is Our intellect unless the Truth illume it, Beyond which nothing true expands itself.	04.126
Mind, reaching that truth, rests within it as a beast within its lair; mind can attain that truth-if not, all our desires were vain. It rests therein, as wild beast in his lair, When it attains it; and it can attain it; If not, then each desire would frustrate be.	04.129
Therefore, our doubting blossoms like a shoot out from the root of truth; this natural urge spurs us toward the peak, from height to height. Therefore springs up, in fashion of a shoot, Doubt at the foot of truth; and this is nature, Which to the top from height to height impels us.	04.132
Lady, my knowing why we doubt, invites, sustains, my reverent asking you about another truth that is obscure to me. This doth invite me, this assurance give me With reverence, Lady, to inquire of you Another true, which is obscure to me.	04.135
I want to know if, in your eyes, one can amend for unkept vows with other acts- good works your balance will not find too scant." I wish to know if man can satisfy you For broken vows with other good deeds, so That in your balance they will not be light."	04.138
Then Beatrice looked at me with eyes so full of sparks of love, eyes so divine that my own force of sight was overcome, took flight, Beatrice gazed upon me with her eyes Full of the sparks of love, and so divine, That, overcome my power, I turned my back	04.141
and, eyes downcast, I almost lost my senses. And almost lost myself with eyes downcast.	04.142