PARADISO CANTO 18 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.	Notes	Ann.
By now that blessed mirror was delighting in its own inner words; I, tasting mine, was tempering the bitter with the sweet. NOW was alone rejoicing in its word That soul beatified, and I was tasting My own, the bitter tempering with the sweet,	18.003
But she, the lady leading me to God, said: "Shift your thoughts: remember-I am close to Him who lightens every unjust hurt." And the Lady who to God was leading me Said: "Change thy thought; consider that I am Near unto Him who every wrong disburdens."	18.006
Hearing the loving sound my solace spoke, I turned. But here I have to leave untold what love I saw within her holy eyes, Unto the loving accents of my comfort I turned me round, and then what love I saw Within those holy eyes I here relinquish;	18.009
not just because I do not trust my speech, but, too, because recall cannot retrieve that much, unless Another is its guide. Not only that my language I distrust, But that my mind cannot return so far Above itself, unless another guide it.	18.012
This only-of that moment-can I tell: that even as I gazed at her, my soul was free from any other need as long Thus much upon that point can I repeat, That, her again beholding, my affection From every other longing was released.	18.015
as the Eternal Loveliness that shone on Beatrice directly, from her eyes, contented me with the reflected light. While the eternal pleasure, which direct Rayed upon Beatrice, from her fair face Contented me with its reflected aspect,	18.018
But, conquering my will with her smile's splendor, she told me: "Turn to him and listen-for not only in my eyes is Paradise." Conquering me with the radiance of a smile, She said to me, "Turn thee about and listen; Not in mine eyes alone is Paradise."	18.021
As, here on earth, at times our sentiment, if it be passionate enough to take the soul entirely, shows in the face, Even as sometimes here do we behold The affection in the look, if it be such That all the soul is wrapt away by it,	18.024
so, in the flaming of the holy fire to which I turned, I saw that he desired some further words with me. And he began: So, by the flaming of the effulgence holy To which I turned, I recognized therein The wish of speaking to me somewhat farther.	18.027
"In this fifth resting place, upon the tree that grows down from its crown and endlessly bears fruit and never loses any leaves, And it began: "In this fifth resting-place Upon the tree that liveth by its summit, And aye bears fruit, and never loses leaf,	18.030
are blessed souls that, down below, before they came to heaven, were so notable that any poem would be enriched by them. Are blessed spirits that below, ere yet They came to Heaven, were of such great renown That every Muse therewith would affluent be.	18.033
Therefore look at the cross, along its horns: those whom I name will race as swiftly as, within a cloud, its rapid lightnings flash." Therefore look thou upon the cross's horns; He whom I now shall name will there enact What doth within a cloud its own swift fire."	18.036
Then, just as soon as Joshua was named, I saw a splendor thrust along the cross, nor did I note the name before the act. I saw athwart the Cross a splendour drawn By naming Joshua, (even as he did it,) Nor noted I the word before the deed;	18.039
And at the name of noble Maccabeus, I saw another flame wheel round itself, and gladness was the whip that spurred that top. And at the name of the great Maccabee I saw another move itself revolving, And gladness was the whip unto that top.	18.042
So, too, for Charlemagne and Roland-my attentive eye held fast to that pair like a falconer who tracks his falcon's flight. Likewise for Charlemagne and for Orlando, Two of them my regard attentive followed As followeth the eye its falcon flying.	18.045
The next to draw my eyes along that cross were William and Renouard and, too, Duke Godfrey and Robert Guiscard. Then, when he had left me William thereafterward, and Renouard, And the Duke Godfrey, did attract my sight Along upon that Cross, and Robert Guiscard.	18.048
and mingled with the other lights, the soul who had addressed me showed his artistry, singing among the singers in that sphere. Then, moved and mingled with the other lights The soul that had addressed me showed how great An artist 'twas among the heavenly singers.	18.051
I turned to my right side to see if I might see if Beatrice had signified by word or gesture what I was to do To my right side I turned myself around, My duty to behold in Beatrice Either by words or gesture signified;	18.054
and saw such purity within her eyes, such joy, that her appearance now surpassed its guise at other times, even the last. And so translucent I beheld her eyes, So full of pleasure, that her countenance Surpassed its other and its latest wont.	18.057
And as, by feeling greater joyousness in doing good, a man becomes aware that day by day his virtue is advancing, And as, by feeling greater delectation, A man in doing good from day to day Becomes aware his virtue is increasing,	18.060
so I became aware that my revolving with heaven had increased its arc-by seeing that miracle becoming still more brilliant. So I became aware that my gyration With heaven together had increased its arc, That miracle beholding more adorned.	18.063
And like the rapid change that one can see in a pale woman's face when it has freed itself from bearing bashful modesty, And such as is the change, in little lapse Of time, in a pale woman, when her face Is from the load of bashfulness unladen.	18.066
such change I, turning, saw: the red of Mars was gone-and now the temperate sixth star's white heaven welcomed me into itself. Such was it in mine eyes, when I had turned, Caused by the whiteness of the temperate star, The sixth, which to itself had gathered me.	18.069
I saw within that torch of Jupiter the sparkling of the love that it contained design before my eyes the signs we speak. Within that Jovial torch did I behold The sparkling of the love which was therein Delineate our language to mine eyes.	18.072
And just as birds that rise from riverbanks, as if rejoicing after feeding there, will form a round flock or another shape, And even as birds uprisen from the shore, As in congratulation o'er their food, Make squadrons of themselves, now round, now long,	18.075
so, in their lights, the saintly beings sang and, in their flight, the figures that they spelled were now a D, now I, and now an L. So from within those lights the holy creatures Sang flying to and fro, and in their figures Made of themselves now D, now I, now L.	18.078
First, they moved to the rhythm of their song; then, after they had finished forming one letter, they halted for a while, in silence. First singing they to their own music moved; Then one becoming of these characters, A little while they rested and were silent.	18.081
O godly Pegasea, you who give to genius glory and long life, as it, through you, gives these to kingdoms and to cities, O divine Pegasea, thou who genius Dost glorious make, and render it long-lived, And this through thee the cities and the kingdoms,	18.084
give me your light that I may emphasize these signs as I inscribed them in my mind: your power-may it appear in these brief lines! Illume me with thyself, that I may bring Their figures out as 1 have them conceived! Apparent be thy power in these brief verses!	18.087
Those blessed spirits took the shape of five times seven vowels and consonants, and I noted the parts as they were spelled for me. Themselves then they displayed in five times seven Vowels and consonants; and I observed The parts as they seemed spoken unto me.	18.090
DILIGITE IUSTITIAM were the verb and noun that first appeared in that depiction; QUI IUDICATIS TERRAM followed after. Diligite justitian, these were First verb and noun of all that was depicted; Qui judicatis terram were the last.	18.093
Then, having formed the M of the fifth word, those spirits kept their order; Jupiter's silver, at that point, seemed embossed with gold. Thereafter in the M of the fifth word Remained they so arranged, that Jupiter Seemed to be silver there with gold inlaid.	18.096
And I saw other lights descending on the apex of the M and, settling, singing- I think-the Good that draws them to Itself. And other lights I saw descend where was The summit of the M, and pause there singing The good, I think, that draws them to itself	18.099
Then, as innumerable sparks rise up when one strikes burning logs (and in those sparks fools have a way of reading auguries), Then, as in striking upon burning logs Upward there fly innumerable sparks, Whence fools are wont to look for auguries,	18.102
from that M seemed to surge more than a thousand lights; and they climbed, some high, some low, just as the Sun that kindles them assigned positions. More than a thousand lights seemed thence to rise, And to ascend, some more, and others less, Even as the Sun that lights them had allotted;	18.105
With each light settled quietly in place, I saw that the array of fire had shaped the image of an eagle's head and neck. And, each one being quiet in its place, The head and neck beheld I of an eagle Delineated by that inlaid fire.	18.108
He who paints there has no one as His guide: He guides Himself; in Him we recognize the shaping force that flows from nest to nest. He who there paints has none to be his guide; But Himself guides; and is from Him remembered That virtue which is form unto the nest.	18.111
The other lights, who were, it seemed, content at first to form a lily on the M, moving a little, formed the eagle's frame. The other beatitude, that contented seemed At first to bloom a lily on the M, By a slight motion followed out the imprint.	18.114
O gentle star, what-and how many-gems made plain to me that justice here on earth depends upon the heaven you engem! O gentle star! what and how many gems Did demonstrate to me, that all our justice Effect is of that heaven which thou ingemmest!	18.117
Therefore I pray the Mind in which begin your motion and your force, to watch that place which has produced the smoke that dims your rays, Wherefore I pray the Mind, in which begin Thy motion and thy virtue, to regard Whence comes the smoke that vitiates thy rays;	18.120
that once again His anger fall upon those who would buy and sell within that temple whose walls were built by miracles and martyrs. So that a second time it now be wroth With buying and with selling in the temple Whose walls were built with signs and martyrdoms!	18.123
O hosts of Heaven whom I contemplate, for all who, led by bad example, stray within the life they live on earth, do pray! O soldiery of heaven, whom I contemplate, Implore for those who are upon the earth All gone astray after the bad example!	18.126
Men once were used to waging war with swords; now war means seizing here and there the bread the tender Father would deny to none. Once 'twas the custom to make war with swords; But now 'tis made by taking here and there The bread the pitying Father shuts from none.	18.129
But you who only write to then erase, remember this: Peter and Paul, who died to save the vines you spoil, are still alive. Yet thou, who writest but to cancel, think That Peter and that Paul, who for this vineyard Which thou art spoiling died, are still alive!	18.132
Well may you say:"My longing is so bent on him who chose the solitary life and for a dance was dragged to martyrdom- Well canst thou say: "So steadfast my desire Is unto him who willed to live alone, And for a dance was led to martyrdom,	18.135
I do not know the Fisherman or Paul." That I know not the Fisherman nor Paul."	18.136

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