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PARADISO CANTO 06
Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.		 NotesAnn. 

	"After Constantine had turned the Eagle
counter to heaven's course, the course it took
behind the ancient one who wed Lavinia,

	"AFTER that Constantine the eagle turned
Against the course of heaven, which it had followed..
Behind the ancient who Lavinia took,








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	one hundred and one hundred years and more,
the bird of God remained near Europe's borders,
close to the peaks from which it first emerged;

	Two hundred years and more the bird of God
In the extreme of Europe held itself,
Near to the mountains whence it issued first;








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	beneath the shadow of the sacred wings,
it ruled the world, from hand to hand, until
that governing-changing-became my task.

	And under shadow of the sacred plumes
It governed there the world from hand to hand,
And, changing thus, upon mine own alighted.








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	Caesar I was and am Justinian,
who, through the will of Primal Love I feel,
removed the vain and needless from the laws.

	Caesar I was, and am Justinian,
Who, by the will of primal Love I feel,
Took from the laws the useless and redundant;








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	Before I grew attentive to this labor,
I held that but one nature-and no more-
was Christ's-and in that faith, I was content;

	And ere unto the work I was attent,
One nature to exist in Christ, not more,
Believed, and with such faith was I contented.








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	but then the blessed Agapetus, he
who was chief shepherd, with his words turned me
to that faith which has truth and purity.

	But blessed Agapetus, he who was
The supreme pastor, to the faith sincere
Pointed me out the way by words of his.








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	I did believe him, and now clearly see
his faith, as you with contradictories
can see that one is true and one is false.

	Him I believed, and what was his assertion
I now see clearly, even as thou seest
Each contradiction to be false and true.








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	As soon as my steps shared the Church's path,
God, of His grace, inspired my high task
as pleased Him. I was fully drawn to that.

	As soon as with the Church I moved my feet,
God in his grace it pleased with this high task
To inspire me, and I gave me wholly to it,








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	Entrusting to my Belisarius
my arms, I found a sign for me to rest
from war: Heaven's right hand so favored him.

	And to my Belisarius I commended
The arms, to which was heaven's right hand so joined
It was a signal that I should repose.








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	My answer to the question you first asked
ends here, and yet the nature of this answer
leads me to add a sequel, so that you

	Now here to the first question terminates
My answer; but the character thereof
Constrains me to continue with a sequel,








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	may see with how much reason they attack
the sacred standard-those who seem to act
on its behalf and those opposing it.

	In order that thou see with how great reason
Men move against the standard sacrosanct,
Both who appropriate and who oppose it.








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	See what great virtue made that Eagle worthy
of reverence, beginning from that hour
when Pallas died that it might gain a kingdom.

	Behold how great a power has made it worthy
Of reverence, beginning from the hour
When Pallas died to give it sovereignty.








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	You know that for three hundred years and more,
it lived in Alba, until, at the end,
three still fought three, contending for that standard.

	Thou knowest it made in Alba its abode
Three hundred years and upward, till at last
The three to three fought for it yet again.








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	You know how, under seven kings, it conquered
its neighbors-in the era reaching from
wronged Sabine women to Lucrece's grief-

	Thou knowest what it achieved from Sabine wrong
Down to Lucretia's sorrow, in seven kings
O'ercoming round about the neighboring nations;








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	and what it did when carried by courageous
Romans, who hurried to encounter Brennus,
Pyrrhus, and other principates and cities.

	Thou knowest what it achieved, borne by the Romans
Illustrious against Brennus, against Pyrrhus,
Against the other princes and confederates.








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	Through this, Torquatus, Quinctius (who is named
for his disheveled hair), the Decii,
and Fabii gained the fame I gladly honor.

	Torquatus thence and Quinctius, who from locks
Unkempt was named, Decii and Fabii,
Received the fame I willingly embalm;








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	That standard brought the pride of Arabs low
when they had followed Hannibal across
those Alpine rocks from which, Po, you descend.

	It struck to earth the pride of the Arabians,
Who, following Hannibal, had passed across
The Alpine ridges, Po, from which thou glidest;








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	Beneath that standard, Scipio, Pompey- 
though young-triumphed; and to that hill beneath
which you were born, that standard seemed most harsh.

	Beneath it triumphed while they yet were young
Pompey and Scipio, and to the hill
Beneath which thou wast born it bitter seemed;








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	Then, near the time when Heaven wished to bring
all of the world to Heaven's way-serene-
Caesar, as Rome had willed, took up that standard.

	Then, near unto the time when heaven had willed
To bring the whole world to its mood serene,
Did Caesar by the will of Rome assume it.








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	And what it did from Var to Rhine was seen
by the Isere, Saone, and Seine and all
the valley-floors whose rivers feed the Rhone.

	What it achieved from Var unto the Rhine,
Isere beheld and Saone, beheld the Seine,
And every valley whence the Rhone is filled;








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	And what it did, once it had left Ravenna
and leaped the Rubicon, was such a flight
as neither tongue nor writing can describe.

	What it achieved when it had left Ravenna,
And leaped the Rubicon, was such a flight
That neither tongue nor pen could follow it.     








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	That standard led the legions on to Spain,
then toward Durazzo, and it struck Pharsalia
so hard that the warm Nile could feel that hurt.

	Round towards Spain it wheeled its legions;
Towards Durazzo, and Pharsalia smote
That to the calid Nile was felt the pain.








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	It saw again its source, Antandros and
Simois, and the place where Hector lies;
then roused itself-the worse for Ptolemy.

	Antandros and the Simois, whence it started,
It saw again, and there where Hector lies,
And ill for Ptolemy then roused itself.








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	From Egypt, lightning-like, it fell on Juba;
and then it hurried to the west of you,
where it could hear the trumpet of Pompey.

	From thence it came like lightning upon Juba;
Then wheeled itself again into your West,
Where the Pompeian clarion it heard.








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	Because of what that standard did, with him
who bore it next, Brutus and Cassius howl
in Hell, and grief seized Modena, Perugia.

	From what it wrought with the next standard-bearer
Brutus and Cassius howl in Hell together,
And Modena and Perugia dolent were;








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	Because of it, sad Cleopatra weeps
still; as she fled that standard, from the asp
she drew a sudden and atrocious death.

	Still doth the mournful Cleopatra weep
Because thereof, who, fleeing from before it,
Took from the adder sudden and black death.








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	And, with that very bearer, it then reached
the Red Sea shore: with him, that emblem brought
the world such peace that Janus' shrine was shut.

	With him it ran even to the Red Sea shore;
With him it placed the world in so great peace,
That unto Janus was his temple closed.








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	But what the standard that has made me speak
had done before or then was yet to do
throughout the mortal realm where it holds rule,

	But what the standard that has made me speak
Achieved before, and after should achieve
Throughout the mortal realm that lies beneath it,








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	comes to seem faint and insignificant
if one, with clear sight and pure sentiment,
sees what it did in the third Caesar's hand;

	Becometh in appearance mean and dim,
If in the hand of the third Caesar seen
With eye unclouded and affection pure,








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	for the true Justice that inspires me
granted to it-in that next Caesar's hand-
the glory of avenging His own wrath.

	Because the living Justice that inspires me
Granted it, in the hand of him I speak of,
The glory of doing vengeance for its wrath. 








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	Now marvel here at what I show to you:
with Titus-afterward-it hurried toward
avenging vengeance for the ancient sin.

	Now here attend to what I answer thee;
Later it ran with Titus to do vengeance
Upon the vengeance of the ancient sin.








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	And when the Lombard tooth bit Holy Church,
then Charlemagne, under the Eagle's wings,
through victories he gained, brought help to her.

	And when the tooth of Lombardy had bitten
The Holy Church, then underneath its wings
Did Charlemagne victorious succor her.








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	Now you can judge those I condemned above,
and judge how such men have offended, have
become the origin of all your evils.

	Now hast thou power to judge of such as those
Whom I accused above, and of their crimes,
Which are the cause of all your miseries.








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	For some oppose the universal emblem
with yellow lilies; others claim that emblem
for party: it is hard to see who is worse.

	To the public standard one the yellow lilies
Opposes, the other claims it for a party,
So that 'tis hard to see which sins the most.








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	Let Ghibellines pursue their undertakings
beneath another sign, for those who sever
this sign and justice are bad followers.

	Let, let the Ghibellines ply their handicraft
Beneath some other standard; for this ever
Ill follows he who it and justice parts.








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	And let not this new Charles strike at it with
his Guelphs-but let him fear the claws that stripped
a more courageous lion of its hide.

	And let not this new Charles e'er strike it down,
He and his Guelfs, but let him fear the talons
That from a nobler lion stripped the fell.








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	The sons have often wept for a father's fault;
and let this son not think that God will change
the emblem of His force for Charles's lilies.

	Already oftentimes the sons have wept
The father's crime; and let him not believe
That God will change His scutcheon for the lilies.








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	This little planet is adorned with spirits
whose acts were righteous, but who acted for
the honor and the fame that they would gain:

	This little planet doth adorn itself
With the good spirits that have active been,
That fame and honour might come after them;








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	and when desires tend toward earthly ends,
then, so deflected, rays of the true love
mount toward the life above with lesser force.

	And whensoever the desires mount thither,
Thus deviating, must perforce the rays
Of the true love less vividly mount upward.








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	But part of our delight is measuring
rewards against our merit, and we see
that our rewards are neither less nor more.

	But in commensuration of our wages
With our desert is portion of our joy,
Because we see them neither less nor greater.








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	Thus does the Living Justice make so sweet
the sentiments in us, that we are free
of any turning toward iniquity.

	Herein doth living Justice sweeten so
Affection in us, that for evermore
It cannot warp to any iniquity.








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	Differing voices join to sound sweet music;
so do the different orders in our life
render sweet harmony among these spheres.

	Voices diverse make up sweet melodies
So in this life of ours the seats diverse
Render sweet harmony among these spheres;








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	And in this very pearl there also shines
the light of Romeo, of one whose acts,
though great and noble, met ungratefulness.

	And in the compass of this present pearl
Shineth the sheen of Romeo, of whom
The grand and beauteous work was ill rewarded.








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	And yet those Provencals who schemed against him
had little chance to laugh, for he who finds
harm to himself in others' righteous acts

	But the Provencals who against him wrought,
They have not laughed, and therefore ill goes he
Who makes his hurt of the good deeds of others.








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	takes the wrong path. Of Raymond Berenger's
four daughters, each became a queen-and this,
poor and a stranger, Romeo accomplished.

	Four daughters, and each one of them a queen,
Had Raymond Berenger, and this for him
Did Romeo, a poor man and a pilgrim;








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	Then Berenger was moved by vicious tongues
to ask this just man for accounting-one
who, given ten, gave Raymond five and seven.

	And then malicious words incited him
To summon to a reckoning this just man,
Who rendered to him seven and five for ten.








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	And Romeo, the poor, the old, departed;
and were the world to know the heart he had
while begging, crust by crust, for his life-bread,

	Then he departed poor and stricken in years,
And if the world could know the heart he had,
In begging bit by bit his livelihood,








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	it-though it praise him now-would praise him more."

	pard Though much it laud him, it would laud him more."




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