CANTO XII. OON as the blessed flame had taken up Began the holy millstone to revolve, . And motion joined to motion, song to song; Song that as greatly doth transcend our Muses, Our Sirens, in those dulcet clarions, As primal splendor that which is reflected. And as are spanned athwart a tender cloud Two rainbows parallel and like in color, When Juno to her handmaid gives command, (The one without born of the one within, 5 10 Like to the speaking of that vagrant one Whom love consumed as doth the sun the vapors,) And make the people here, through covenant God set with Noah, presageful of the world That shall no more be covered with a flood, In such wise of those sempiternal roses The garlands twain encompassed us about, And thus the outer to the inner answered. After the dance, and other grand rejoicings, Both of the singing, and the flaming forth Effulgence with effulgence blithe and tender, 16 20 Together, at once, with one volition stopped, There came a voice, that needle to the star That, as they were united in their warfare, So dear to arm again, behind the standard Moved slow and doubtful and in numbers few, When the Emperor who reigneth evermore Provided for the host that was in peril, 25 30 35 40 Through grace alone and not that it was worthy; And, as was said, he to his Bride brought succor With champions twain, at whose deed, at whose The straggling people were together drawn. [word Within that region where the sweet west wind Behind which in his long career the sun Is situate the fortunate Calahorra, Under protection of the mighty shield In which the Lion subject is and sovereign. 46 50 Therein was born the amorous paramour Of Christian Faith, the athlete consecrate, Between him and the Faith at holy font, Where they with mutual safety dowered each other, The woman, who for him had given assent, Saw in a dream the admirable fruit That issue would from him and from his heirs ; And that he might be construed as he was, A spirit from this place went forth to name him Envoy and servant sooth he seemed of Christ, 65 70 Was the first counsel that was given by Christ. 75 Silent and wakeful many a time was he Discovered by his nurse upon the ground, As if he would have said, 'For this I came.' O thou his father, Felix verily ! O thou his mother, verily Joanna, If this, interpreted, means as is said! Not for the world which people toil for now In following Ostiense and Taddeo, But through his longing after the true manna, 80 He in short time became so great a teacher, 85 90 95 Of which these four and twenty plants surround Then with the doctrine and the will together, [thee. With office apostolical he moved, Like torrent which some lofty vein out-presses; And in among the shoots heretical His impetus with greater fury smote, In which the Holy Church itself defended The excellence of the other, unto whom Thomas so courteous was before my coming. But still the orbit, which the highest part Of its circumference made, is derelict, So that the mould is where was once the crust. 100 105 His family, that had straight forward moved With feet upon his footprints, are turned round So that they set the point upon the heel. And soon aware they will be of the harvest Of this bad husbandry, when shall the tares Complain the granary is taken from them. Yet say I, he who searcheth leaf by leaf 115 120 Our volume through, would still some page discover Where he could read, 'I am as I am wont.' 'T will not be from Casal nor Acquasparta, From whence come such unto the written word 125 That one avoids it, and the other narrows. Bonaventura of Bagnoregio's life Am I, who always in great offices Postponed considerations sinister. Here are Illuminato and Agostino, 130 Who of the first barefooted beggars were That with the halter friends of God became. Hugh of Saint Victor is among them here, And Peter Mangiador, and Peter of Spain, Who down below in volumes twelve is shining; 135 Nathan the seer, and metropolitan Chrysostom, and Anselmus, and Donatus Who deigned to lay his hand to the first art; Here is Rabanus, and beside me here Shines the Calabrian Abbot Joachim, He with the spirit of prophecy endowed. To celebrate so great a paladin Have moved me the impassioned courtesy Of Fra Tommaso, and his speech discreet; And with me they have moved this company." 140 145 |