Previous or Next Canto

 
PARADISO CANTO 08
Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.		 NotesAnn. 

	The world, when still in peril, thought that, wheeling,
in the third epicycle, Cyprian
the fair sent down her rays of frenzied love,

	THE world used in its peril to believe
That the fair Cypria delirious love
Rayed out, in the third epicycle turning;








08.003
 






	so that, in ancient error, ancient peoples
not only honored her with sacrifices
and votive cries, but honored, too, Dione

	Wherefore not only unto her paid honour
Of sacrifices and of votive cry
The ancient nations in the ancient error,








08.006
 






	and Cupid, one as mother, one as son
of Cyprian, and told how Cupid sat
in Dido's lap; and gave the name of her

	But both Dione honoured they and Cupid,
That as her mother, this one as her son,
And said that he had sat in Dido's lap;








08.009
 






	with whom I have begun this canto, to
the planet that is courted by the sun,
at times behind her and at times in front.

	And they from her, whence I beginning take,
Took the denomination of the star
That wooes the sun, now following, now in front.








08.012
 






	I did not notice my ascent to it,
yet I was sure I was in Venus when
I saw my lady grow more beautiful.

	I was not ware of our ascending to it;
But of our being in it gave full faith
My Lady whom I saw more beauteous grow.








08.015
 






	And just as, in a flame, a spark is seen,
and as, in plainsong, voice in voice is heard‹
one holds the note, the other comes and goes‹

	And as within a flame a spark is seen,
And as within a voice a voice discerned,
When one is steadfast, and one comes and goes,








08.018
 






	I saw in that light other wheeling lamps,
some more and some less swift, yet in accord,
I think, with what their inner vision was.

	Within that light beheld I other lamps
Move in a circle, speeding more and less,
Methinks in measure of their inward vision.








08.021
 






	Winds, seen or unseen, never have descended
so swiftly from cold clouds as not to seem
impeded, slow, to any who had seen

	From a cold cloud descended never winds,
Or visible or not, so rapidly
They would not laggard and impeded seem








08.024
 






	those godly lights approaching us, halting
the circling dance those spirits had begun
within the heaven of high Seraphim;

	To any one who had those lights divine
Seen come towards us, leaving the gyration
Begun at first in the high Seraphim.








08.027
 






	and a "Hosanna" sounded from within
their front ranks‹such that I have never been
without desire to hear it sound again.

	And behind those that most in front appeared
Sounded "Osanna!"so that never since
To hear again was I without desire.








08.030
 






	Then one drew nearer us, and he began
alone: "We all are ready at your pleasure,
so that you may receive delight from us.

	Then unto us more nearly one approached,
And it alone began: "We all are ready
Unto thy pleasure, that thou joy in us.








08.033
 






	One circle and one circling and one thirst
are ours as we revolve with the celestial
Princes whom, from the world, you once invoked:

	We turn around with the celestial Princes,
One gyre and one gyration and one thirst,
To whom thou in the world of old didst say,








08.036
 






	'You who, through understanding, move the third
heaven.' Our love is so complete‹to bring
you joy, brief respite will not be less sweet."

	'Ye who, intelligent, the third heaven are moving;'
And are so full of love, to pleasure thee
A little quiet will not be less sweet."








08.039
 






	After my eyes had turned with reverence
to see my lady, after her consent
had brought them reassurance and content,

	After these eyes of mine themselves had offered
Unto my Lady reverently, and she
Content and certain of herself had made them,








08.042
 






	they turned back to the light that promised me
so much; and, "Tell me, who are you," I asked
in a voice stamped with loving sentiment.

	Back to the light they turned, which so great promise
Made of itself, and "Say, who art thou ?" was
My voice, imprinted with a great affection.








08.045
 






	And how much larger, brighter did I see
that spirit grow when, as I spoke, it felt
new gladness added to its gladnesses!

	O how and how much I beheld it grow
With the new joy that superadded was
Unto its joys, as soon as I had spoken!








08.048
 






	Thus changed, it then replied: "The world held me
briefly below; but had my stay been longer,
much evil that will be, would not have been.

	Thus changed, it said to me: "The world possessed me
Short time below; and, if it had been more,
Much evil will be which would not have been.








08.051
 






	My happiness, surrounding me with rays,
keeps me concealed from you; it hides me like
a creature that is swathed in its own silk.

	My gladness keepeth me concealed from thee,
Which rayeth round about me, and doth hide me
Like as a creature swathed in its own silk.








08.054
 






	You loved me much and had good cause for that;
for had I stayed below, I should have showed
you more of my love than the leaves alone.

	Much didst thou love me, and thou hadst good reason;  
For had I been below, I should have shown thee
Somewhat beyond the foliage of my love.








08.057
 






	The left bank that the Rhone bathes after it
has mingled with the waters of the Sorgue,
awaited me in due time as its lord,

	That left-hand margin, which doth bathe itself
In Rhone, when it is mingled with the Sorgue,
Me for its lord awaited in due time,








08.060
 






	as did Ausonia's horn, which‹south of where
the Tronto and the Verde reach the sea‹
Catona, Bari, and Gaeta border.

	And that horn of Ausonia, which is towned
With Bari, with Gaeta and Catona,
Whence Tronto and Verde in the sea disgorge.








08.063
 






	Upon my brow a crown already shone‹
the crown of that land where the Danube flows
when it has left behind its German shores.

	Already flashed upon my brow the crown
Of that dominion which the Danube waters
After the German borders it abandons;








08.066
 






	And fair Trinacria, whom ashes (these
result from surging sulphur, not Typhoeus)
cover between Pachynus and Pelorus,

	And beautiful Trinacria, that is murky
'Twixt Pachino and Peloro, (on the gulf
Which greatest scath from Eurus doth receive,)








08.069
 






	along the gulf that Eurus vexes most,
would still await its rulers born‹through me‹
from Charles and Rudolph, if ill sovereignty,

	Not through Typhceus, but through nascent sulphur,
Would have awaited her own monarchs still,
Through me from Charles descended and from Rudolph,








08.072
 






	which always hurts the heart of subject peoples,
had not provoked Palermo to cry out:
'Die! Die!' And if my brother could foresee

	If evil lordship, that exasperates ever
The subject populations, had not moved
Palermo to the outcry of ' Death! death! '








08.075
 






	what ill-rule brings, he would already flee
from Catalonia's grasping poverty,
aware that it may cause him injury;

	And if my brother could but this foresee,
The greedy poverty of Catalonia
Straight would he flee, that it might not molest him;








08.078
 






	for truly there is need for either him
or others to prevent his loaded boat
from having to take on still greater loads.

	For verily 'tis needful to provide,
Through him or other, so that on his bark
Already freighted no more freight be placed.








08.081
 






	His niggard nature is descended from
one who was generous; and he needs soldiers
who are not bent on filling up their coffers."

	His nature, which from liberal covetous
Descended, such a soldiery would need
As should not care for hoarding in a chest."








08.084
 






	"My lord, since I believe that you perceive
completely‹where all good begins and ends‹
the joy I see within myself on hearing

	"Because I do believe the lofty joy
Thy speech infuses into me, my Lord,
Where every good thing doth begin and end








08.087
 






	your words to me, my joy is felt more freely;
and I joy, too, in knowing you are blessed,
since you perceived this as you gazed at God.

	Thou seest as I see it, the more grateful
Is it to me; and this too hold I dear,
That gazing upon God thou dost discern it.








08.090
 






	You made me glad; so may you clear the doubt
that rose in me when you‹before‹described
how from a gentle seed, harsh fruit derives."

	Glad hast thou made me; so make clear to me,
Since speaking thou hast stirred me up to doubt,
How from sweet seed can bitter issue forth."








08.093
 






	These were my words to him, and he replied:
"If I can show one certain truth to you,
you will confront what now is at your back.

	This I to him; and he to me: "If I
Can show to thee a truth, to what thou askest
Thy face thou'lt hold as thou dost hold thy back.








08.096
 






	The Good that moves and makes content the realm
through which you now ascend, makes providence
act as a force in these great heavens' bodies;

	The Good which all the realm thou art ascending
Turns and contents, maketh its providence
To be a power within these bodies vast








08.099
 






	and in the Mind that, in itself, is perfect,
not only are the natures of His creatures
but their well-being, too, provided for;

	And not alone the natures are foreseen
Within the mind that in itself is perfect,
But they together with their preservation.








08.102
 






	and thus, whatever this bow shoots must fall
according to a providential end,
just like a shaft directed to its target.

	For whatsoever thing this bow shoots forth
Falls foreordained unto an end foreseen,
Even as a shaft directed to its mark.








08.105
 






	Were this not so, the heavens you traverse
would bring about effects in such a way
that they would not be things of art but shards.

	Ii that were not, the heaven which thou dost walk
Would in such manner its effects produce,
That they no longer would be arts, but ruins.








08.108
 






	That cannot be unless the Minds that move
these planets are defective and, defective,
the First Mind, which had failed to make them perfect.

	This cannot be, if the Intelligences
That keep these stars in motion are not maimed,
And maimed the First that has not made them perfect.








08.111
 






	Would you have this truth still more clear to you?"
I: "No. I see it is impossible
for nature to fall short of what is needed."

	Wilt thou this truth have clearer made to thee ?"
And I: "Not so; for 'tis impossible
That nature tire, I see, in what is needful."








08.114
 






	He added: "Tell me, would a man on earth
be worse if he were not a citizen?"
"Yes," I replied, "and here I need no proof."

	Whence he again: "Now say, would it be worse
For men on earth were they not citizens ?"
" Yes," I replied; "and here I ask no reason.".








08.117
 






	"Can there be citizens if men below
are not diverse, with diverse duties? No,
if what your master writes is accurate."

	"And can they be so, if below they live not
Diversely unto offices diverse ?
No, if your master writeth well for you.'   








08.120
 






	Until this point that shade went on, deducing;
then he concluded: "Thus, the roots from which
your tasks proceed must needs be different:

	So came he with deductions to this point;
Then he concluded: "Therefore it behoves
The roots of your effects to be diverse.








08.123
 






	so, one is born a Solon, one a Xerxes,
and one a Melchizedek, and another,
he who flew through the air and lost his son.

	Hence one is Solon born, another Xerxes,
Another Melchisedec, and another he
Who, flying through the air, his son did lose.








08.126
 






	Revolving nature, serving as a seal
for mortal wax, plies well its art, but it
does not distinguish one house from another.

	Revolving Nature, which a signet is
To mortal wax, doth practise well her art,
But not one inn distinguish from another;








08.129
 






	Thus, even from the seed, Esau takes leave
of Jacob; and because he had a father
so base, they said Quirinus was Mars' son.

	Thence happens it that Esau differeth
In seed from Jacob; and Quirinus comes
From sire so vile that he is given to Mars.








08.132
 






	Engendered natures would forever take
the path of those who had engendered them,
did not Divine provision intervene.

	A generated nature its own way
Would always make like its progenitors,
If Providence divine were not triumphant.








08.135
 






	Now that which stood behind you, stands in front:
but so that you may know the joy you give me,
I now would cloak you with a corollary.

	Now that which was behind thee is before thee;
But that thou know that I with thee am pleased,
With a corollary will I mantle thee.








08.138
 






	Where Nature comes upon discrepant fortune,
like any seed outside its proper region,
Nature will always yield results awry.

	Evermore nature, if it fortune find
Discordant to it, like each other seed
Out of its region, maketh evil thrift;








08.141
 






	But if the world below would set its mind
on the foundation Nature lays as base
to follow, it would have its people worthy.

	And if the world below would fix its mind
On the foundation which is laid by nature,
Pursuing that, 'twould have the people good.








08.144
 






	But you twist to religion one whose birth
made him more fit to gird a sword, and make
a king of one more fit for sermoning,

	But you unto religion wrench aside
Him who was born to gird him with the sword,
And make a king of him who is for sermons;








08.147
 






	so that the track you take is off the road."

	Therefore your footsteps wander from the road."




08.148

Previous or Next Canto