Eli he then was called, and that is proper, On bough, which goeth and another cometh. From the first hour to that which is the second, As the sun changes quadrant, to the sixth." 136 140 "G CANTO XXVII. LORY be to the Father, to the Son, So that the melody inebriate made me. Of the universe; for my inebriation Found entrance through the hearing and the sight. O joy! O gladness inexpressible ! O perfect life of love and peacefulness! O riches without hankering secure ! Before mine eyes were standing the four torches And even such in semblance it became 5 ΤΟ As Jupiter would become, if he and Mars [plumes. Were birds, and they should interchange their That Providence, which here distributeth Season and service, in the blessed choir 16 When I heard say: If I my color change, Marvel not at it; for while I am speaking Thou shalt behold all these their color change. He who usurps upon the earth my place, My place, my place, which vacant has become Before the presence of the Son of God, Has of my cemetery made a sewer 20 25 Of blood and stench, whereby the Perverse One, Who fell from here, below there is appeased!" With the same color which, through sun adverse, Painteth the clouds at evening or at morn, And as a modest woman, who abides Sure of herself, and at another's failing, With voice so much transmuted from itself, Sixtus and Pius, Urban and Calixtus, 30 35 40 45 Nor that the keys which were to me confided Should e'er become the escutcheon on a banner, 50 That should wage war on those who are baptized; Nor I be made the figure of a seal To privileges venal and mendacious, Whereat I often redden and flash with fire. In garb of shepherds the rapacious wolves Are seen from here above o'er all the pastures! O wrath of God, why dost thou slumber still ? To drink our blood the Caorsines and Gascons Are making ready. O thou good beginning, Unto how vile an end must thou needs fall! But the high Providence, that with Scipio At Rome the glory of the world defended, Will speedily bring aid, as I conceive; And thou, my son, who by thy mortal weight Shalt down return again, open thy mouth ; What I conceal not, do not thou conceal." As with its frozen vapors downward falls In flakes our atmosphere, what time the horn Of the celestial Goat doth touch the sun, Upward in such array saw I the ether 55 60 65 70 Become, and flaked with the triumphant vapors, Which there together with us had remained. My sight was following up their semblances, And followed till the medium, by excess, The passing farther onward took from it; Whereat the Lady, who beheld me freed From gazing upward, said to me : "Cast down Thy sight, and see how far thou art turned round." 75 Since the first time that I had downward looked, I saw that I had moved through the whole arc 80 Which the first climate makes from midst to end; So that I saw the mad track of Ulysses Past Gades, and this side, well nigh the shore 85 Were more unveiled, but the sun was proceeding Under my feet, a sign and more removed. My mind enamored, which is dallying At all times with my Lady, to bring back To her mine eyes was more than ever ardent. And if or Art or Nature has made bait To catch the eyes and so possess the mind, To the divine delight which shone upon me From the fair nest of Leda tore me forth, Are all so uniform, I cannot say But she, who was aware of my desire, Began, the while she smiled so joyously 'That God seemed in her countenance to rejoice: 105 "The nature of that motion, which keeps quiet The centre, and all the rest about it moves, From hence begins as from its starting point. And in this heaven there is no other Where Than in the Mind Divine, wherein is kindled 110 The love that turns it, and the power it rains. Within a circle light and love embrace it, Even as this doth the others, and that precinct He who encircles it alone controls. Its motion is not by another meted, But all the others measured are by this, May have its roots, and in the rest its leaves, Beneath thee so, that no one hath the power Of drawing back his eyes from out thy waves! Full fairly blossoms in mankind the will; But the uninterrupted rain converts Into abortive wildings the true plums. Fidelity and innocence are found Only in children; afterwards they both 115 120 125 [ered. Take flight or e'er the cheeks with down are covOne, while he prattles still, observes the fasts, 130 Who, when his tongue is loosed, forthwith devours Another, while he prattles, loves and listens In its first aspect of the daughter fair 135 Of him who brings the morn, and leaves the night. |