Previous or Next Canto

 
PARADISO CANTO 17
Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.		 NotesAnn. 

	Like Phaethon (one who still makes fathers wary
of sons) when he had heard insinuations,
and he, to be assured, came to Clymene,

	AS came to Clymene, to be made certain
Of that which he had heard against himself,
He who makes fathers chary still t  children,








17.003
 






	such was I and such was I seen to be
by Beatrice and by the holy lamp
that-earlier-had shifted place for me.

	Even such was I, and such was I perceived
By Beatrice and by the holy light
That first on my account had changed its place.








17.006
 






	Therefore my lady said to me: "Display
the flame of your desire, that it may
be seen well-stamped with your internal seal,

	Therefore my Lady said to me: "Send forth
The flame of thy desire, so that it issue
Imprinted well with the internal stamp;








17.009
 






	not that we need to know what you'd reveal,
but that you learn the way that would disclose
your thirst, and you be quenched by what we pour."

	Not that our knowledge may be greater made
By speech of thine, but to accustom thee
To tell thy thirst, that we may give thee drink."








17.012
 






	"O my dear root, who, since you rise so high,
can see the Point in which all times are present-
for just as earthly minds are able to

	"O my beloved tree, (that so dost lift thee,
That even as minds terrestrial perceive
No triangle containeth two obtuse,








17.015
 






	see that two obtuse angles cannot be
contained in a triangle, you can see
contingent things before they come to be-

	So thou beholdest the contingent things
Ere in themselves they are, fixing thine eyes
Upon the point in which all times are present,)








17.018
 






	while I was in the company of Virgil,
both on the mountain that heals souls and when
descending to the dead world, what I heard

	While I was with Virgilius conjoined
Upon the mountain that the souls doth heal,
And when descending into the dead world,








17.021
 






	about my future life were grievous words-
although, against the blows of chance I feel
myself as firmly planted as a cube.

	Were spoken to me of my future life
Some grievous words; although I feel myself
ln sooth foursquare against the blows of chance.








17.024
 






	Thus my desire would be appeased if I
might know what fortune is approaching me:
the arrow one foresees arrives more gently."

	On this account my wish would be content
To hear what fortune is approaching me,
Because foreseen an arrow comes more slowly."








17.027
 






	So did I speak to the same living light
that spoke to me before; as Beatrice
had wished, what was my wish was now confessed.

	Thus did I say unto that selfsame light
That unto me had spoken before, and even
As Beatrice willed was my own will confessed.








17.030
 






	Not with the maze of words that used to snare
the fools upon this earth before the Lamb
of God who takes away our sins was slain,

	Not in vague phrase, in which the foolish folk
Ensnared themselves of old, ere yet was slain
The Lamb of God who taketh sins away,








17.033
 






	but with words plain and unambiguous,
that loving father, hidden, yet revealed
by his own smile, replied: "Contingency,

	But with clear words and unambiguous
Language responded that paternal love,  
Hid and revealed by its own proper smile:








17.036
 






	while not extending past the book in which
your world of matter has been writ, is yet
in the Eternal Vision all depicted

	"Contingency, that outside of the volume
Of your materiality extends not,
Is all depicted in the eternal aspect.








17.039
 






	(but this does not imply necessity,
just as a ship that sails downstream is not
determined by the eye that watches it).

	Necessity however thence it takes not,
Except as from the eye, in which 'tis mirrored,
A ship that with the current down descends.








17.042
 






	And from that Vision-just as from an organ
the ear receives a gentle harmony-
what time prepares for you appears to me.

	From thence, e'en as there cometh to the ear
Sweet harmony from an organ, comes in sight
To me the time that is preparing for thee.








17.045
 






	Hippolytus was forced to leave his Athens
because of his stepmother, faithless, fierce;
and so must you depart from Florence: this

	As forth from Athens went Hippolytus,
By reason of his step-dame false and cruel,
So thou from Florence must perforce depart.








17.048
 






	is willed already, sought for, soon to be
accomplished by the one who plans and plots
where-every day-Christ is both sold and bought.

	Already this is willed, and this is sought for;
And soon it shall be done by him who thinks it,
Where every day the Christ is bought and sold.








17.051
 






	The blame, as usual, will be cried out
against the injured party; but just vengeance
will serve as witness to the truth that wields it.

	The blame shall follow the offended party
In outcry as is usual; but the vengeance
Shall witness to the truth that doth dispense it.








17.054
 






	You shall leave everything you love most dearly:
this is the arrow that the bow of exile
shoots first. You are to know the bitter taste

	Thou shalt abandon everything beloved
Most tenderly, and this the arrow is
Which first the bow of banishment shoots forth.








17.057
 






	of others' bread, how salt it is, and know
how hard a path it is for one who goes
descending and ascending others' stairs.

	Thou shalt have proof how savoureth of salt
The bread of others, and how hard a road
The going down and up another's stairs.








17.060
 






	And what will be most hard for you to bear
will be the scheming, senseless company
that is to share your fall into this valley;

	And that which most shall weigh upon thy shoulders
Will be the bad and foolish company
With which into this valley thou shalt fall;








17.063
 






	against you they will be insane, completely
ungrateful and profane; and yet, soon after,
not you but they will have their brows bloodred.

	For all ingrate, all mad and impious
Will they become against thee; but soon after
They, and not thou, shall have the forehead scarlet








17.066
 






	Of their insensate acts, the proof will be
in the effects; and thus, your honor will
be best kept if your party is your self.

	Of their bestiality their own proceedings
Shall furnish proof; so 'twill be well for thee
A party to have made thee by thyself.








17.069
 






	Your first refuge and your first inn shall be
the courtesy of the great Lombard, he
who on the ladder bears the sacred bird;

	Thine earliest refuge and thine earliest inn
Shall be the mighty Lombard's courtesy,
Who on the Ladder bears the holy bird,








17.072
 






	and so benign will be his care for you
that, with you two, in giving and in asking,
that shall be first which is, with others, last.

	Who such benign regard shall have for thee
That 'twixt you twain, in doing and in asking,
That shall be first which is with others last.








17.075
 






	You shall-beside him-see one who, at birth,
had so received the seal of this strong star
that what he does will be remarkable.

	With him shalt thou see one who at his birth
Has by this star of strength been so impressed,
That notable shall his achievements be.








17.078
 






	People have yet to notice him because
he is a boy-for nine years and no more
have these spheres wheeled around him-but before

	Not yet the people are aware of him
Through his young age, since only nine years yet
Around about him have these wheels revolved








17.081
 






	the Gascon gulls the noble Henry, some
sparks will have marked the virtue of the Lombard:
hard labor and his disregard for silver.

	But ere the Gascon cheat the noble Henry,
Some sparkles of his virtue shall appear
In caring not for silver nor for toil.








17.084
 






	His generosity is yet to be
so notable that even enemies
will never hope to treat it silently.

	So recognized shall his magnificence
Become hereafter, that his enemies
Will not have power to keep mute tongues about it.








17.087
 






	Put trust in him and in his benefits:
his gifts will bring much metamorphosis-
rich men and beggars will exchange their states.

	On him rely, and on his benefits;
By him shall many people be transformed,
Changing condition rich and mendicant;








17.090
 






	What I tell you about him you will bear
inscribed within your mind-but hide it there";
and he told things beyond belief even

	And written in thy mind thou hence shalt bear
Of him, but shalt not say it" -- and things said he
Incredible to those who shall be present.








17.093
 






	for those who will yet see them. Then he added:
"Son, these are glosses of what you had heard;
these are the snares that hide beneath brief years.

	Then added: "Son, these are the commentaries
On what was said to thee; behold the snares
That are concealed behind few revolutions;








17.096
 






	Yet I'd not have you envying your neighbors;
your life will long outlast the punishment
that is to fall upon their treacheries."

	Yet would I not thy neighbours thou shouldst envy,
Because thy life into the future reaches
Beyond the punishment of their perfidies."








17.099
 






	After that holy soul had, with his silence,
showed he was freed from putting in the woof
across the web whose warp I set for him,

	When by its silence showed that sainted soul
That it had finished putting in the woof
Into that web which I had given it warped,








17.102
 






	I like a man who, doubting, craves for counsel
from one who sees and rightly wills and loves,
replied to him: "I clearly see, my father,

	Began I, even as he who yearneth after,
Being in doubt, some counsel from a person
Who seeth, and uprightly wills, and loves:








17.105
 






	how time is hurrying toward me in order
to deal me such a blow as would be most
grievous for him who is not set for it;

	"Well see I, father mine, how spurreth on
The time towards me such a blow to deal me
As heaviest is to him who most gives way.








17.108
 






	thus, it is right to arm myself with foresight,
that if I lose the place most dear, I may
not lose the rest through what my poems say.

	Therefore with foresight it is well I arm me,
That, if the dearest place be taken from me,
I may not lose the others by my songs.








17.111
 






	Down in the world of endless bitterness,
and on the mountain from whose lovely peak
I was drawn upward by my lady's eyes,

	Down through the world of infinite bitterness,
And o'er the mountain, from whose beauteous summit
The eyes of my own Lady lifted me,








17.114
 






	and afterward, from light to light in Heaven,
I learned that which, if I retell it, must
for many have a taste too sharp, too harsh;

	And afterward through heaven from light to light, 
I have learned that which, if I tell again,
Will be a savour of strong herbs to many.








17.117
 






	yet if I am a timid friend of truth,
I fear that I may lose my life among
those who will call this present, ancient times."

	And if I am a timid friend to truth,
I fear lest I may lose my life with those
Who will hereafter call this time the olden."








17.120
 






	The light in which there smiled the treasure I
had found within it, first began to dazzle,
as would a golden mirror in the sun,

	The light in which was smiling my own treasure
Which there I had discovered, flashed at first
As in the sunshine doth a golden mirror;








17.123
 






	then it replied: "A conscience that is dark-
either through its or through another's shame-
indeed will find that what you speak is harsh.

	Then made reply: "A conscience overcast
Or with its own or with another's shame,
Will taste forsooth the tartness of thy word;








17.126
 






	Nevertheless, all falsehood set aside,
let all that you have seen be manifest,
and let them scratch wherever it may itch.

	But ne'ertheless, ail falsehood laid aside,
Make manifest thy vision utterly,
And let them scratch wherever is the itch;








17.129
 






	For if, at the first taste, your words molest,
they will, when they have been digested, end
as living nourishment. As does the wind,

	For if thine utterance shall offensive be
At the first taste, a vital nutriment
'Twill leave thereafter, when it is digested.








17.132
 






	so shall your outcry do-the wind that sends
its roughest blows against the highest peaks;
that is no little cause for claiming honor.

	This cry of thine shall do as doth the wind,
Which smiteth most the most exalted summits,
And that is no slight argument of honour.








17.135
 






	Therefore, within these spheres, upon the mountain,
and in the dismal valley, you were shown
only those souls that unto fame are known-

	Therefore are shown to thee within these wheels,
Upon the mount and in the dolorous valley,
Only the souls that unto fame are known;








17.138
 






	because the mind of one who hears will not
put doubt to rest, put trust in you, if given
examples with their roots unknown and hidden,

	Because the spirit of the hearer rests not,
Nor doth confirm its faith by an example
Which has the root of it unknown and hidden,








17.141
 






	or arguments too dim, too unapparent."

	Or other reason that is not apparent."




17.142

Previous or Next Canto