Thence　happens　it　that　Esau　differeth
  In　seed　from　Jacob；　and　Quirinus　comes
  From　sire　so　vile　that　he　is　given　to　Mars。
  A　generated　nature　its　own　way
  Would　always　make　like　its　progenitors；
  If　Providence　divine　were　not　triumphant。
  Now　that　which　was　behind　thee　is　before　thee；
  But　that　thou　know　that　I　with　thee　am　pleased；
  With　a　corollary　will　I　mantle　thee。
  Evermore　nature；　if　it　fortune　find
  Discordant　to　it；　like　each　other　seed
  Out　of　its　region；　maketh　evil　thrift；
  And　if　the　world　below　would　fix　its　mind
  On　the　foundation　which　is　laid　by　nature；
  Pursuing　that；　'twould　have　the　people　good。
  But　you　unto　religion　wrench　aside
  Him　who　was　born　to　gird　him　with　the　sword；
  And　make　a　king　of　him　who　is　for　sermons；
  Therefore　your　footsteps　wander　from　the　road。〃
  Paradiso：　Canto　IX
  Beautiful　Clemence；　after　that　thy　Charles
  Had　me　enlightened；　he　narrated　to　me
  The　treacheries　his　seed　should　undergo；
  But　said：　〃Be　still　and　let　the　years　roll　round；〃
  So　I　can　only　say；　that　lamentation
  Legitimate　shall　follow　on　your　wrongs。
  And　of　that　holy　light　the　life　already
  Had　to　the　Sun　which　fills　it　turned　again；
  As　to　that　good　which　for　each　thing　sufficeth。
  Ah；　souls　deceived；　and　creatures　impious；
  Who　from　such　good　do　turn　away　your　hearts；
  Directing　upon　vanity　your　foreheads！
  And　now；　behold；　another　of　those　splendours
  Approached　me；　and　its　will　to　pleasure　me
  It　signified　by　brightening　outwardly。
  The　eyes　of　Beatrice；　that　fastened　were
  Upon　me；　as　before；　of　dear　assent
  To　my　desire　assurance　gave　to　me。
  〃Ah；　bring　swift　compensation　to　my　wish；
  Thou　blessed　spirit；〃　I　said；　〃and　give　me　proof
  That　what　I　think　in　thee　I　can　reflect！〃
  Whereat　the　light；　that　still　was　new　to　me；
  Out　of　its　depths；　whence　it　before　was　singing；
  As　one　delighted　to　do　good；　continued：
  〃Within　that　region　of　the　land　depraved
  Of　Italy；　that　lies　between　Rialto
  And　fountain…heads　of　Brenta　and　of　Piava；
  Rises　a　hill；　and　mounts　not　very　high；
  Wherefrom　descended　formerly　a　torch
  That　made　upon　that　region　great　assault。
  Out　of　one　root　were　born　both　I　and　it；
  Cunizza　was　I　called；　and　here　I　shine
  Because　the　splendour　of　this　star　o'ercame　me。
  But　gladly　to　myself　the　cause　I　pardon
  Of　my　allotment；　and　it　does　not　grieve　me；
  Which　would　perhaps　seem　strong　unto　your　vulgar。
  Of　this　so　luculent　and　precious　jewel；
  Which　of　our　heaven　is　nearest　unto　me；
  Great　fame　remained；　and　ere　it　die　away
  This　hundredth　year　shall　yet　quintupled　be。
  See　if　man　ought　to　make　him　excellent；
  So　that　another　life　the　first　may　leave！
  And　thus　thinks　not　the　present　multitude
  Shut　in　by　Adige　and　Tagliamento；
  Nor　yet　for　being　scourged　is　penitent。
  But　soon　'twill　be　that　Padua　in　the　marsh
  Will　change　the　water　that　Vicenza　bathes；
  Because　the　folk　are　stubborn　against　duty；
  And　where　the　Sile　and　Cagnano　join
  One　lordeth　it；　and　goes　with　lofty　head；
  For　catching　whom　e'en　now　the　net　is　making。
  Feltro　moreover　of　her　impious　pastor
  Shall　weep　the　crime；　which　shall　so　monstrous　be
  That　for　the　like　none　ever　entered　Malta。
  Ample　exceedingly　would　be　the　vat
  That　of　the　Ferrarese　could　hold　the　blood；
  And　weary　who　should　weigh　it　ounce　by　ounce；
  Of　which　this　courteous　priest　shall　make　a　gift
  To　show　himself　a　partisan；　and　such　gifts
  Will　to　the　living　of　the　land　conform。
  Above　us　there　are　mirrors；　Thrones　you　call　them；
  From　which　shines　out　on　us　God　Judicant；
  So　that　this　utterance　seems　good　to　us。〃
  Here　it　was　silent；　and　it　had　the　semblance
  Of　being　turned　elsewhither；　by　the　wheel
  On　which　it　entered　as　it　was　before。
  The　other　joy；　already　known　to　me；
  Became　a　thing　transplendent　in　my　sight；
  As　a　fine　ruby　smitten　by　the　sun。
  Through　joy　effulgence　is　acquired　above；
  As　here　a　smile；　but　down　below；　the　shade
  Outwardly　darkens；　as　the　mind　is　sad。
  〃God　seeth　all　things；　and　in　Him；　blest　spirit；
  Thy　sight　is；〃　said　I；　〃so　that　never　will
  Of　his　can　possibly　from　thee　be　hidden；
  Thy　voice；　then；　that　for　ever　makes　the　heavens
  Glad；　with　the　singing　of　those　holy　fires
  Which　of　their　six　wings　make　themselves　a　cowl；
  Wherefore　does　it　not　satisfy　my　longings？
  Indeed；　I　would　not　wait　thy　questioning
  If　I　in　thee　were　as　thou　art　in　me。〃
  〃The　greatest　of　the　valleys　where　the　water
  Expands　itself；〃　forthwith　its　words　began；
  〃That　sea　excepted　which　the　earth　engarlands；
  Between　discordant　shores　against　the　sun
  Extends　so　far；　that　it　meridian　makes
  Where　it　was　wont　before　to　make　the　horizon。
  I　was　a　dweller　on　that　valley's　shore
  'Twixt　Ebro　and　Magra　that　with　journey　short
  Doth　from　the　Tuscan　part　the　Genoese。
  With　the　same　sunset　and　same　sunrise　nearly
  Sit　Buggia　and　the　city　whence　I　was；
  That　with　its　blood　once　made　the　harbour　hot。
  Folco　that　people　called　me　unto　whom
  My　name　was　known；　and　now　with　me　this　heaven
  Imprints　itself；　as　I　did　once　with　it；
  For　more　the　daughter　of　Belus　never　burned；
  Offending　both　Sichaeus　and　Creusa；
  Than　I；　so　long　as　it　became　my　locks；
  Nor　yet　that　Rodophean；　who　deluded
  was　by　Demophoon；　nor　yet　Alcides；
  When　Iole　he　in　his　heart　had　locked。
  Yet　here　is　no　repenting；　but　we　smile；
  Not　at　the　fault；　which　comes　not　back　to　mind；
  But　at　the　power　which　ordered　and　foresaw。
  Here　we　behold　the　art　that　doth　adorn
  With　such　affection；　and　the　good　discover
  Whereby　the　world　above　turns　that　below。
  But　that　thou　wholly　satisfied　mayst　bear
  Thy　wishes　hence　which　in　this　sphere　are　born；
  Still　farther　to　proceed　behoveth　me。
  Thou　fain　wouldst　know　who　is　within　this　light
  That　here　beside　me　thus　is　scintillating；
  Even　as　a　sunbeam　in　the　limpid　water。
  Then　know　thou；　that　within　there　is　at　rest
  Rahab；　and　being　to　our　order　joined；
  With　her　in　its　supremest　grade　'tis　sealed。
  Into　this　heaven；　where　ends　the　shadowy　cone
  Cast　by　your　world；　before　all　other　souls
  First　of　Christ's　triumph　was　she　taken　up。
  Full　meet　it　was　to　leave　her　in　some　heaven；
  Even　as　a　palm　of　the　high　victory
  Which　he　acquired　with　one　palm　and　the　other；
  Because　she　favoured　the　first　glorious　deed
  Of　Joshua　upon　the　Holy　Land；
  That　little　stirs　the　memory　of　the　Pope。
  Thy　city；　which　an　offshoot　is　of　him
  Who　first　upon　his　Maker　turned　his　back；
  And　whose　ambition　is　so　sorely　wept；
  Brings　forth　and　scatters　the　accursed　flower
  Which　both　the　sheep　and　lambs　hath　led　astray
  Since　it　has　turned　the　shepherd　to　a　wolf。
  For　this　the　Evangel　and　the　mighty　Doctors
  Are　derelict；　and　only　the　Decretals
  So　studied　that　it　shows　upon　their　margins。
  On　this　are　Pope　and　Cardinals　intent；
  Their　meditations　reach　not　Nazareth；
  There　where　his　pinions　Gabriel　unfolded；
  But　Vatican　and　the　other　parts　elect
  Of　Rome；　which　have　a　cemetery　been
  Unto　the　soldiery　that　followed　Peter
  Shall　soon　be　free　from　this　adultery。〃
  Paradiso：　Canto　X
  Looking　into　his　Son　with　all　the　Love
  Which　each　of　them　eternally　breathes　forth；
  The　Primal　and　unutterable　Power
  Whate'er　before　the　mind　or　eye　revolves
  With　so　much　order　made；　there　can　be　none
  Who　this　beholds　without　enjoying　Him。
  Lift　up　then；　Reader；　to　the　lofty　wheels
  With　me　thy　vision　straight　unto　that　part
  Where　the　one　motion　on　the　other　strikes；
  And　there　begin　to　contemplate　with　joy
  That　Master's　art；　who　in　himself　so　loves　it
  That　never　doth　his　eye　depart　therefrom。
  Behold　how　from　that　point　goes　branching　off
  The　oblique　circle；　which　conveys　the　planets；
  To　satisfy　the　world　that　calls　upon　them；
  And　if　their　pathway　were　not　thus　inflected；
  Much　virtue　in　the　heavens　would　be　in　vain；
  And　almost　every　power　below　here　dead。
  If　from　the　straight　line　distant　more　or　less
  Were　the　departure；　much　would　wanting　be
  Above　and　underneath　of　mundane　order。
  Remain　now；　Reader；　still　upon　thy　bench；
  In　thought　pursuing　that　which　is　foretasted；
  If　thou　wouldst　jocund　be　instead　of　weary。
  I've　set　before　thee；　henceforth　feed　thyself；
  For　to　itself　diverteth　all　my　care
  That　theme　whereof　I　have　been　made　the　scribe。
  The　greatest　of　the　ministers　of　nature；
  Who　with　the　power　of　heaven　the　world　imprints
  And　measures　with　his　light　the　time　for　us；
  With　that　part　which　above　is　called　to　mind
  Conjoined；　along　the　spirals　was　revolving；
  Where　each　time　earlier　he　presents　himself；
  And　I　was　with　him；　but　of　the　ascending
  I　was　not　conscious；　saving　as　a　man
  Of　a　first　thought　is　conscious　ere　it　come；
  And　Beatrice；　she　who　is　seen　to　pass
  From　good　to　better；　and　so　suddenly
  That　not　by　time　her　action　is　expressed；
  How　lucent　in　herself　must　she　have　been！
  And　what　was　in　the　sun；　wherein　I　entered；
  Apparent　not　by　colour　but　by　light；
  I；　though　I　call　on　genius；　art；　and　practice；
  Cannot　so　tell　that　it　could　be　imagined；
  Believe　one　can；　and　let　him　long