| PARADISO CANTO 10 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr. | Notes | Ann. |
Gazing upon His Son with that Love which One and the Other breathe eternally, the Power-first and inexpressible- LOOKING into his Son with all the Love Which each of them eternally breathes forth The Primal and unutterable Power |
10.003 |
|
made everything that wheels through mind and space so orderly that one who contemplates that harmony cannot but taste of Him. Whate'er before the mind or eye revolves With so much order made, there can be none Who this beholds without enjoying Him. |
10.006 |
|
Then, reader, lift your eyes with me to see the high wheels; gaze directly at that part where the one motion strikes against the other; Lift up then, Reader, to the lofty wheels With me thy vision straight unto that part Where the one motion on the other strikes, |
10.009 |
|
and there begin to look with longing at that Master's art, which in Himself he loves so much that his eye never parts from it. And there begin to contemplate with joy 'That Master's art, who in himself so loves it That never doth his eye depart therefrom. |
10.012 |
|
See there the circle branching from that cross-point obliquely: zodiac to bear the planets that satisfy the world in need of them. Behold how from that point goes branching off The oblique circle, which conveys the planets, To satisfy the world that calls upon them |
10.015 |
|
For if the planets' path were not aslant, much of the heavens' virtue would be wasted and almost every power on earth be dead; And if their pathway were not thus inflected, Much virtue in the heavens would be in vain, And almost every power below here dead. |
10.018 |
|
and if the zodiac swerved more or less far from the straight course, then earth's harmony would be defective in both hemispheres. If from the straight line distant more or less Were the departure, much would wanting be Above and underneath of mundane order. |
10.021 |
|
Now, reader, do not leave your bench, but stay to think on that of which you have foretaste; you will have much delight before you tire. Remain now, Reader, still upon thy bench, In thought pursuing that which is foretasted, If thou wouldst jocund be instead of weary. |
10.024 |
|
I have prepared your fare; now feed yourself, because that matter of which I am made the scribe calls all my care unto itself. I've set before thee; henceforth feed thyself, For to itself diverteth all my care That theme whereof I have been made the scribe. |
10.027 |
|
The greatest minister of nature-he who imprints earth with heaven's worth and, with his light, provides the measurement for time- The greatest of the ministers of nature, Who with the power of heaven the world imprints And measures with his light the time for us, |
10.030 |
|
since he was in conjunction with the part I noted, now was wheeling through the spirals where he appears more early every day. With that part which above is called to mind Conjoined, along the spirals was revolving, Where each time earlier he presents himself |
10.033 |
|
And I was with him, but no more aware of the ascent than one can be aware of any sudden thought before it starts. And I was with him; but of the ascending I was not conscious, saving as a man Of a first thought is conscious ere it come; |
10.036 |
|
The one who guides me so from good to better is Beatrice, and on our path her acts have so much swiftness that they span no time. And Beatrice, she who is seen to pass From good to better, and so suddenly That not by time her action is expressed, |
10.039 |
|
How bright within themselves must be the lights I saw on entering the Sun, for they were known to me by splendor, not by color! How lucent in herself must she have been! And what was in the sun, wherein I entered, Apparent not by colour but by light, |
10.042 |
|
Though I should call on talent, craft, and practice, my telling cannot help them be imagined; but you can trust-and may you long to see it. I, though I call on genius, art, and practice, Cannot so tell that it could be imagined; Believe one can, and let him long to see it. |
10.045 |
|
And if our fantasies fall short before such heights, there is no need to wonder; for no eye has seen light brighter than the Sun's. And if our fantasies too lowly are For altitude so great, it is no marvel, Since o'er the sun was never eye could go. |
10.048 |
|
Such was the sphere of His fourth family, whom the High Father always satisfies, showing how He engenders and breathes forth. Such in this place was the fourth family Of the high Father, who forever sates it, Showing how he breathes forth and how begets |
10.051 |
|
And Beatrice began: "Give thanks, give thanks to Him, the angels' Sun, who, through His grace, has lifted you to this embodied sun." And Beatrice began: "Give thanks, give thanks Unto the Sun of Angels, who to this Sensible one has raised thee by his grace!" |
10.054 |
|
No mortal heart was ever so disposed to worship, or so quick to yield itself to God with all its gratefulness, as I Never was heart of mortal so disposed To worship, nor to give itself to God With all its gratitude was it so ready, |
10.057 |
|
was when I heard those words, and all my love was so intent on Him that Beatrice was then eclipsed within forgetfulness. As at those words did I myself become; And all my love was so absorbed in Him, That in oblivion Beatrice was eclipsed. |
10.060 |
|
And she was not displeased, but smiled at this, so that the splendor of her smiling eyes divided my rapt mind between two objects. Nor this displeased her; but she smiled at it So that the splendour of her laughing eyes My single mind on many things divided. |
10.063 |
|
And I saw many lights, alive, most bright; we formed the center, they became a crown, their voices even sweeter than their splendor: Lights many saw I, vivid and triumphant, Make us a centre and themselves a circle, More sweet in voice than luminous in aspect. |
10.066 |
|
just so, at times, we see Latona's daughter circled when saturated air holds fast the thread that forms the girdle of her halo. Thus girt about the daughter of Latona We sometimes see, when pregnant is the air, So that it holds the thread which makes her zone. |
10.069 |
|
In Heaven's court, from which I have returned, one finds so many fair and precious gems that are not to be taken from that kingdom: Within the court of Heaven, whence I return, Are many jewels found, so fair and precious They cannot be transported from the realm; |
10.072 |
|
one of those gems, the song those splendors sang. He who does not take wings to reach that realm, may wait for tidings of it from the mute. And of them was the singing of those lights. Who takes not wings that he may fly up thither, The tidings thence may from the dumb await! |
10.075 |
|
After those ardent suns, while singing so, had wheeled three times around us, even as stars that are close to the fixed poles, they seemed As soon as singing thus those burning suns Had round about us whirled themselves three times, Like unto stars neighbouring the steadfast poles, |
10.078 |
|
to me like women who, though not released from dancing, pause in silence, listening until new notes invite to new dancing. Ladies they seemed, not from the dance released, But who stop short, in silence listening Till they have gathered the new melody. |
10.081 |
|
And from within one light I heard begin: "Because the ray of grace, from which true love is kindled first and then, in loving, grows, And within one I heard beginning: "When The radiance of grace, by which is kindled True love, and which thereafter grows by loving, |
10.084 |
|
shines with such splendor, multiplied, in you, that it has led you up the stair that none descends who will not climb that stair again, Within thee multiplied is so resplendent That it conducts thee upward by that stair, Where without reascending none descends, |
10.087 |
|
whoever would refuse to quench your thirst with wine from his flask, would be no more free than water that does not flow toward the sea. Who should deny the wine out of his vial Unto thy thirst, in liberty were not Except as water which descends not seaward. |
10.090 |
|
You want to know what plants bloom in this garland that, circling, contemplates with love the fair lady who strengthens your ascent to heaven. Fain wouldst thou know with what plants is enflowered This garland that encircles with delight The Lady fair who makes thee strong for heaven. |
10.093 |
|
I was a lamb among the holy flock that Dominic leads on the path where one may fatten well if one does not stray off. Of the lambs was I of the holy flock Which Dominic conducteth by a road Where well one fattens if he strayeth not. |
10.096 |
|
He who is nearest on my right was both my brother and my teacher: from Cologne, Albert, and I am Thomas of Aquino. He who is nearest to me on the right My brother and master was; and he Albertus Is of Cologne, I Thomas of Aquinum. |
10.099 |
|
If you would know who all the others are, then even as I speak let your eyes follow, making their way around the holy wreath. If thou of all the others wouldst be certain, Follow behind my speaking with thy sight Upward along the blessed garland turning. |
10.102 |
|
That next flame issues from the smile of Gratian, who served one and the other court of law so well that his work pleases Paradise. That next effulgence issues from the smile Of Gratian, who assisted both the courts In such wise that it pleased in Paradise. |
10.105 |
|
That other, who adorns our choir next- he was that Peter who, like the poor widow, offered his treasure to the Holy Church. The other which near by adorns our choir That Peter was who, e'en as the poor widow, Offered his treasure unto Holy Church. |
10.108 |
|
The fifth light, and the fairest light among us, breathes forth such love that all the world below hungers for tidings of it; in that flame The fifth light, that among us is the fairest, Breathes forth from such a love, that all the world Below is greedy to learn tidings of it. |
10.111 |
|
there is the lofty mind where such profound wisdom was placed that, if the truth be true, no other ever rose with so much vision. Within it is the lofty mind, where knowledge So deep was put, that, if the true be true, To see so much there never rose a second. |
10.114 |
|
Next you can see the radiance of that candle which, in the flesh, below, beheld most deeply the angels' nature and their ministry. Thou seest next the lustre of that taper, Which in the flesh below looked most within The angelic nature and its ministry. |
10.117 |
|
Within the other little light there smiles that champion of the Christian centuries whose narrative was used by Augustine. Within that other little light is smiling The advocate of the Christian centuries, Out of whose rhetoric Augustine was furnished. |
10.120 |
|
Now, if your mind's eye, following my praising, was drawn from light to light, you must already be thirsting for the eighth: within that light, Now if thou trainest thy mind's eye along From light to light pursuant of my praise, With thirst already of the eighth thou waitest. |
10.123 |
|
because he saw the Greatest Good, rejoices the blessed soul who makes the world's deceit most plain to all who hear him carefully. By seeing every good therein exults The sainted soul, which the fallacious world Makes manifest to him who listeneth well; |
10.126 |
|
The flesh from which his soul was banished lies below, within Cieldauro, and he came from martyrdom and exile to this peace. The body whence 'twas hunted forth is Iying Down in Cieldauro, and from martyrdom And banishment it came unto this peace. |
10.129 |
|
Beyond, you see, flaming, the ardent spirits of Isidore and Bede and Richard-he whose meditation made him more than man. See farther onward flame the burning breath Of Isidore, of Beda, and of Richard Who was in contemplation more than man. |
10.132 |
|
This light from whom your gaze returns to me contains a spirit whose oppressive thoughts made him see death as coming much too slowly: This, whence to me returneth thy regard, The light is of a spirit unto whom In his grave meditations death seemed slow. |
10.135 |
|
it is the everlasting light of Siger, who when he lectured in the Street of Straw demonstrated truths that earned him envy." It is the light eternal of Sigier, Who, reading lectures in the Street of Straw, Did syllogize invidious verities." |
10.138 |
|
Then, like a clock that calls us at the hour in which the Bride of God, on waking, sings matins to her Bridegroom, encouraging Then, as a horologe that calleth us What time the Bride of God is rising up With matins to her Spouse that he may love her, |
10.141 |
|
His love (when each clock-part both drives and draws), chiming the sounds with notes so sweet that those with spirit well-disposed feel their love grow; Wherein one part the other draws and urges, Ting! ting! resounding with so sweet a note, That swells with love the spirit well disposed, |
10.144 |
|
so did I see the wheel that moved in glory go round and render voice to voice with such sweetness and such accord that they can not Thus I beheld the glorious wheel move round, And render voice to voice, in modulation And sweetness that can not be comprehended, |
10.147 |
|
be known except where joy is everlasting Excepting there where joy is made eternal. |
10.148 |