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Because our bliss is doubly sanctified,
In that the will of God, and our's, agree."
So by the image of that Bird divine

(Making my feeble vision more intense)
Was given to me a pleasant medicine.
And e'en as a good harper twangs the chord
In concert with the singer's voice, that thence
The greater pleasure may the song afford ;—
So, while it spoke, did those two sparks of love
(For I recal their perfect sympathies)

Their flames together with its accents move, Like the accordant twinkling of the eyes.

CANTO XXI.

ARGUMENT.

139

145

In the planet Saturn, or seventh heaven, are found contemplative spirits. A vision of Jacob's ladder. St. Pietro Damiano reproves the luxury of modern prelates. The voice of vengeance against them is heard to sound.

Now on the face of my loved Lady were
My eyes and mind again intently stayed;
Nor other object occupied my care:

1

Her look bore not the accustomed smile divine;
"And should I but indulge a smile," she said,
"The fate of Semele would soon be thine;
For since my beauty, higher as we rise

7

Towards the eternal palace, glows more bright
At every step, as witnessed by thine eyes,—

Were not a veil before its radiance cast,

Would shrink as leaves before the lightning blast.

13

Your mortal vision, dazzled at the sight,

Now to the seventh Light have we ascended,
Which underneath the Lion's burning breast
Is beaming downward, with his ardour blended.
Then let thine eyes afford a mirror true

Unto thy mind, that there may be expressed
What this resplendent glass shall give to view."

6. Semele having excited the jealousy of Juno, was instigated by her to ask Jupiter to reveal himself in all his majesty. He did so, and she was reduced to ashes. 13. The planet Saturn-in conjunction with Leo.

He who had relished the repast, whereon
Mine eyes were feasting in her holy face,
What time was changed their object, could alone
Know how delightful was to me the obeying

Her voice, which led me by celestial grace

19

The one against the other pleasure weighing. Within the crystal circling round the sky,

25

That bears its leader's name, beneath whose sway
Iniquity lay dead,-my soaring eye

Beheld a stair of golden colours bright,

On which so sharply fell the solar ray,
In vain I tried to reach its glorious height.
I saw too, coming down that brilliant stair,
Such multitude of splendours, that methought
Heaven's every light had been concentred there.

And as with one accord, at break of day,

31

The rooks bestir themselves, by nature taught
To chase the dew-drops from their wings away;

37

Some flying off, to re-appear no more—
Others repairing to their nests again,-

Some whirling round-then settling as before ;

Such to my fancy, and in substance like

To these, was that irradiate sparkling train,

As in their course a certain stair they strike:

And one among them, which approached the nearest, 43 Became so bright, I thought within my breast,

Full well I see the love to me thou bearest!

But she was silent, at whose signal I

Was wont to proffer or withhold request;
Wherefore I checked my speech, unwillingly.
Then she, who in the all-seeing eyes of Heaven
Was witness to my silence, said to me:
"Let reins unto thy strong desire be given."
And I: "No merit I myself possess

Makes me deserving of reply from thee:

But for her sake who bids me thee address,

49

19. i.e. "He only who knows the delight I experienced in gazing on Beatrice, can tell the pleasure wherewith I obeyed her voice."

Saturn.

25

28." And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending on it." Gen. xxviii. 12. Damiano. See line 121.

43 Pistro

O spirit blest, that dost thy form conceal
Within thine own delight, to me disclose
The reason of thy coming; and reveal
Why the sweet symphony of Paradise
In this high sphere is silent, when in those
Below, devoutly sound its melodies ?"
"Mortal thy hearing as thy sight," she said;
"And the same reason now forbids the song,
That late in Beatrice the smile forbade.
I have descended this most holy stair,

Solely thy festive joyance to prolong,
Both by my voice, and by the garb I wear.
Not through more love more speedily I came,

Since love on high as great or greater shines,
As manifested by the beaming flame;
But that high love which bends us to the will
Of Him who rules the universe, assigns
To each the office he may best fulfil.”
"O sacred Lamp," I said, "full well I see
Eternal Providence is here obeyed

Through love alone, that works spontaneously:
But what is difficult to understand

Is, why selection hath of thee been made
For this behest, from all thy numerous band."
Scarce utterance to these accents had I given,

Ere on its centre turned that Light, like mill
That whirls around, with rapid motion driven.
The love within it uttered then this sound:

"A heavenly lustre doth my spirit fill, Piercing the radiant vest that wraps me round; Whose ardent power, united with my sight,

So raises me above myself, I view

The essential Source of this celestial light, Hence is derived the joy wherewith I glow;

Since in proportion as my sight is true,
The more in likeness to the flame I grow :
But thy demand-not she who in the abode

Of heaven is brightest-not the Seraphin
Who keep their eyes most keenly fixed on God,
May answer;-since so deeply sunk it lies
The inscrutable decrees of God within,
No creature thither may extend his eyes.

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When thou returnest to the abode of man,
This truth bear with thee;—that hereafter none
Presume such mighty mysteries to scan.
The mind enlightened here, on earth is dim ;

How can it then discern those things, which one
In heaven acknowledges too high for him ?"
Such limit to my speech his words assigned,

I persevered not; but, with reverent fear, To ask his name my question I confined. ""Twixt the two shores of Italy are found

A line of hills so steep, thy country near,
That under them is heard the thunder-sound:
They form a ridge, by name of Catria known;
Beneath whose shelter, dedicate to prayer,
Standeth a holy hermitage alone."

Thus the third time the spirit spake ;-then said,

His speech continuing:-" My thoughts were there
On God so wholly and intently stayed,

That though on olives it were mine to live,

I bore with ease the extremes of heat and cold,
Feeding my mind with thoughts contemplative.
That cloister to these heavens was wont to yield
Rich harvest once; but empty now the fold;
A truth ere many years to be revealed.
There Pietro Damiano was I hight;

(Pietro the Sinner dwelt upon the shore
Of Adria in our Lady's house) :-and slight
The remnant of my life, when I was doomed

To wear that hat, degraded more and more,
As by successive heads it is assumed.
Cephas began his course barefoot and lean,
And the blest vessel of the Holy Ghost,-
With food contented howsoever mean.
Now are the modern Pastors so refined,

Attendants they require, a numerous host,

97

103

109

115

121

127

106. i.e. Betwixt the Tuscan Sea and the Adriatic rise the Apennines. 109. Of these Catria is the highest, and at the foot of it is the Abbey, now called Santa Croce. 118. By "that cloister" is mean: the Abbey. 121. A Bishop of Ostia, distinguished by the pains he took to correct the abuses of the clergy. He here distinguishes himself from Pietro degli Onesti, surnamed Il Peccator." 125. He says the clergy in his time were so depraved that he was reluctantly made a Cardinal.

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To ease their sides and prop them from behind. Their palfreys they o'erlay with mantles wide,

133

So that one skin doth o'er two beasts extend: How long will heaven with patience view such pride!" This spoken, I beheld full many a flame

From step to step in circling form descend; While, every turn, more beauteous they became. About the flame which spake to me they drew, Uttering a cry that in my ears so sounded, Nought upon earth might give a semblance true: I understood not, by the crash confounded.

CANTO XXII.

ARGUMENT.

139

Among other contemplative spirits in the planet Saturn, Dante meets St. Benedict, who inveighs against the corruption of the monks. Mounting to the constellation of the Gemini, or eighth heaven, he looks down upon the earth.

OPPRESSED with stupor, turned I to my guide,

E'en as an infant, ever wont to run
Thither where most 'tis able to confide:
And she, like to a mother, who gives aid
In haste unto her pale and panting son,
By words of well known consolation, said:

1

"Dost thou not know thou art in heaven ?—not know 7
That Holiness pervades each part of heaven,
And that from righteous zeal such blessings flow?
Now judge what change in thee the song had wrought,
What change too, had one smile by me been given,
Since with such power the shout alone is fraught.

And had the entreaty uttered in that cry

Been understood, to thee had then been known
The vengeance thou shalt witness ere thou die.

Not hastily the sword is brandished here,
Or tardily, save in his view alone,

137. i.e. From the steps of the above mentioned stair.

13

140. In

this cry are denounced the vices of the Priests. See next canto, line 13.

1 See note to last canto, line 140.

7. Beatrice tells him that the

13. i.e." If the

shout he heard was the effect of righteous zeal. prayer of that cry had been understood, you would have foreknown the vengeance impending upon the Priests.""

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