A CANTO XIX. PPEARED before me with its wings outspread The beautiful image that in sweet fruition Made jubilant the interwoven souls; Appeared a little ruby each, wherein Ray of the sun was burning so enkindled Nor voice has e'er reported, nor ink written, Am I exalted here unto that glory Such, that the evil-minded people there Make itself felt, even as from many loves 5 10 20 Exhaling, break within me the great fast Which a long season has in hunger held me, veil. To listen; and you know what is the doubt Even as a falcon, issuing from his hood, 25 30 [him, Doth move his head, and with his wings applaud Saw I become that standard, which of lauds 36 With such songs as he knows who there rejoices. Then it began: "He who a compass turned On the world's outer verge, and who within it On all the universe, as that his Word Should not remain in infinite excess. And this makes certain that the first proud being, Who was the paragon of every creature, By not awaiting light fell immature. And hence appears it, that each minor nature Is scant receptacle unto that good Which has no end, and by itself is measured. 40 45 50 Cannot in its own nature be so potent, Far beyond that which is apparent to it. The power of vision that your world receives, Upon the deep perceives it not, and yet "T is there, but it is hidden by the depth. There is no light but comes from the serene That never is o'ercast, nay, it is darkness Or shadow of the flesh, or else its poison. Amply to thee is opened now the cavern 55 66 65 Which has concealed from thee the living justice Of which thou mad'st such frequent questioning. For saidst thou: Born a man is on the shore 70 Of Indus, and is none who there can speak Of Christ, nor who can read, nor who can write; And all his inclinations and his actions Are good, so far as human reason sees, If so the Scripture were not over you, 75 80 O animals terrene, O stolid minds, The primal will, that in itself is good, 85 90 Ne'er from itself, the Good Supreme, has moved. So much is just as is accordant with it; No good created draws it to itself, But it, by raying forth, occasions that." Even as above her nest goes circling round The stork when she has fed her little ones, And he who has been fed looks up at her, So lifted I my brows, and even such Became the blessed image, which its wings Was moving, by so many counsels urged. Circling around it sang, and said: "As are 95 My notes to thee, who dost not comprehend them, Such is the eternal judgment to you mortals." Those lucent splendors of the Holy Spirit 100 105 Grew quiet then, but still within the standard That made the Romans reverend to the world. It recommenced: "Unto this kingdom never Ascended one who had not faith in Christ, Before or since he to the tree was nailed. But look thou, many crying are, 'Christ, Christ!' Who at the judgment shall be far less near To him than some shall be who knew not Christ. Such Christians shall the Ethiop condemn, When the two companies shall be divided, The one forever rich, the other poor. What to your kings may not the Persians say, When they that volume opened shall behold In which are written down all their dispraises? There shall be seen, among the deeds of Albert, 115 That which erelong shall set the pen in motion, For which the realm of Prague shall be deserted. There shall be seen the woe that on the Seine He brings by falsifying of the coin, Who by the blow of a wild boar shall die. There shall be seen the pride that causes thirst, Which makes the Scot and Englishman so mad That they within their boundaries cannot rest; Be seen the luxury and effeminate life Of him of Spain, and the Bohemian, Who valor never knew and never wished; Be seen the Cripple of Jerusalem, His goodness represented by an I, Of him who guards the Island of the Fire, And to declare how pitiful he is Shall be his record in contracted letters 120 125 130 Which shall make note of much in little space. 135 And shall appear to each one the foul deeds Of uncle and of brother who a nation So famous have dishonored, and two crowns. And he of Portugal and he of Norway Shall there be known, and he of Rascia too, O happy Hungary, if she let herself Be wronged no farther! and Navarre the happy, If with the hills that gird her she be armed! 140 |