I；　though　I　call　on　genius；　art；　and　practice；
  Cannot　so　tell　that　it　could　be　imagined；
  Believe　one　can；　and　let　him　long　to　see　it。
  And　if　our　fantasies　too　lowly　are
  For　altitude　so　great；　it　is　no　marvel；
  Since　o'er　the　sun　was　never　eye　could　go。
  Such　in　this　place　was　the　fourth　family
  Of　the　high　Father；　who　forever　sates　it；
  Showing　how　he　breathes　forth　and　how　begets。
  And　Beatrice　began：　〃Give　thanks；　give　thanks
  Unto　the　Sun　of　Angels；　who　to　this
  Sensible　one　has　raised　thee　by　his　grace！〃
  Never　was　heart　of　mortal　so　disposed
  To　worship；　nor　to　give　itself　to　God
  With　all　its　gratitude　was　it　so　ready；
  As　at　those　words　did　I　myself　become；
  And　all　my　love　was　so　absorbed　in　Him；
  That　in　oblivion　Beatrice　was　eclipsed。
  Nor　this　displeased　her；　but　she　smiled　at　it
  So　that　the　splendour　of　her　laughing　eyes
  My　single　mind　on　many　things　divided。
  Lights　many　saw　I；　vivid　and　triumphant；
  Make　us　a　centre　and　themselves　a　circle；
  More　sweet　in　voice　than　luminous　in　aspect。
  Thus　girt　about　the　daughter　of　Latona
  We　sometimes　see；　when　pregnant　is　the　air；
  So　that　it　holds　the　thread　which　makes　her　zone。
  Within　the　court　of　Heaven；　whence　I　return；
  Are　many　jewels　found；　so　fair　and　precious
  They　cannot　be　transported　from　the　realm；
  And　of　them　was　the　singing　of　those　lights。
  Who　takes　not　wings　that　he　may　fly　up　thither；
  The　tidings　thence　may　from　the　dumb　await！
  As　soon　as　singing　thus　those　burning　suns
  Had　round　about　us　whirled　themselves　three　times；
  Like　unto　stars　neighbouring　the　steadfast　poles；
  Ladies　they　seemed；　not　from　the　dance　released；
  But　who　stop　short；　in　silence　listening
  Till　they　have　gathered　the　new　melody。
  And　within　one　I　heard　beginning：　〃When
  The　radiance　of　grace；　by　which　is　kindled
  True　love；　and　which　thereafter　grows　by　loving；
  Within　thee　multiplied　is　so　resplendent
  That　it　conducts　thee　upward　by　that　stair；
  Where　without　reascending　none　descends；
  Who　should　deny　the　wine　out　of　his　vial
  Unto　thy　thirst；　in　liberty　were　not
  Except　as　water　which　descends　not　seaward。
  Fain　wouldst　thou　know　with　what　plants　is　enflowered
  This　garland　that　encircles　with　delight
  The　Lady　fair　who　makes　thee　strong　for　heaven。
  Of　the　lambs　was　I　of　the　holy　flock
  Which　Dominic　conducteth　by　a　road
  Where　well　one　fattens　if　he　strayeth　not。
  He　who　is　nearest　to　me　on　the　right
  My　brother　and　master　was；　and　he　Albertus
  Is　of　Cologne；　I　Thomas　of　Aquinum。
  If　thou　of　all　the　others　wouldst　be　certain；
  Follow　behind　my　speaking　with　thy　sight
  Upward　along　the　blessed　garland　turning。
  That　next　effulgence　issues　from　the　smile
  Of　Gratian；　who　assisted　both　the　courts
  In　such　wise　that　it　pleased　in　Paradise。
  The　other　which　near　by　adorns　our　choir
  That　Peter　was　who；　e'en　as　the　poor　widow；
  Offered　his　treasure　unto　Holy　Church。
  The　fifth　light；　that　among　us　is　the　fairest；
  Breathes　forth　from　such　a　love；　that　all　the　world
  Below　is　greedy　to　learn　tidings　of　it。
  Within　it　is　the　lofty　mind；　where　knowledge
  So　deep　was　put；　that；　if　the　true　be　true；
  To　see　so　much　there　never　rose　a　second。
  Thou　seest　next　the　lustre　of　that　taper；
  Which　in　the　flesh　below　looked　most　within
  The　angelic　nature　and　its　ministry。
  Within　that　other　little　light　is　smiling
  The　advocate　of　the　Christian　centuries；
  Out　of　whose　rhetoric　Augustine　was　furnished。
  Now　if　thou　trainest　thy　mind's　eye　along
  From　light　to　light　pursuant　of　my　praise；
  With　thirst　already　of　the　eighth　thou　waitest。
  By　seeing　every　good　therein　exults
  The　sainted　soul；　which　the　fallacious　world
  Makes　manifest　to　him　who　listeneth　well；
  The　body　whence　'twas　hunted　forth　is　lying
  Down　in　Cieldauro；　and　from　martyrdom
  And　banishment　it　came　unto　this　peace。
  See　farther　onward　flame　the　burning　breath
  Of　Isidore；　of　Beda；　and　of　Richard
  Who　was　in　contemplation　more　than　man。
  This；　whence　to　me　returneth　thy　regard；
  The　light　is　of　a　spirit　unto　whom
  In　his　grave　meditations　death　seemed　slow。
  It　is　the　light　eternal　of　Sigier；
  Who；　reading　lectures　in　the　Street　of　Straw；
  Did　syllogize　invidious　verities。〃
  Then；　as　a　horologe　that　calleth　us
  What　time　the　Bride　of　God　is　rising　up
  With　matins　to　her　Spouse　that　he　may　love　her；
  Wherein　one　part　the　other　draws　and　urges；
  Ting！　ting！　resounding　with　so　sweet　a　note；
  That　swells　with　love　the　spirit　well　disposed；
  Thus　I　beheld　the　glorious　wheel　move　round；
  And　render　voice　to　voice；　in　modulation
  And　sweetness　that　can　not　be　comprehended；
  Excepting　there　where　joy　is　made　eternal。
  Paradiso：　Canto　XI
  O　Thou　insensate　care　of　mortal　men；
  How　inconclusive　are　the　syllogisms
  That　make　thee　beat　thy　wings　in　downward　flight！
  One　after　laws　and　one　to　aphorisms
  Was　going；　and　one　following　the　priesthood；
  And　one　to　reign　by　force　or　sophistry；
  And　one　in　theft；　and　one　in　state　affairs；
  One　in　the　pleasures　of　the　flesh　involved
  Wearied　himself；　one　gave　himself　to　ease；
  When　I；　from　all　these　things　emancipate；
  With　Beatrice　above　there　in　the　Heavens
  With　such　exceeding　glory　was　received！
  When　each　one　had　returned　unto　that　point
  Within　the　circle　where　it　was　before；
  It　stood　as　in　a　candlestick　a　candle；
  And　from　within　the　effulgence　which　at　first
  Had　spoken　unto　me；　I　heard　begin
  Smiling　while　it　more　luminous　became：
  〃Even　as　I　am　kindled　in　its　ray；
  So；　looking　into　the　Eternal　Light；
  The　occasion　of　thy　thoughts　I　apprehend。
  Thou　doubtest；　and　wouldst　have　me　to　resift
  In　language　so　extended　and　so　open
  My　speech；　that　to　thy　sense　it　may　be　plain；
  Where　just　before　I　said；　'where　well　one　fattens；'
  And　where　I　said；　'there　never　rose　a　second；'
  And　here　'tis　needful　we　distinguish　well。
  The　Providence；　which　governeth　the　world
  With　counsel；　wherein　all　created　vision
  Is　vanquished　ere　it　reach　unto　the　bottom；
  （So　that　towards　her　own　Beloved　might　go
  The　bride　of　Him　who；　uttering　a　loud　cry；
  Espoused　her　with　his　consecrated　blood；
  Self…confident　and　unto　Him　more　faithful；）
  Two　Princes　did　ordain　in　her　behoof；
  Which　on　this　side　and　that　might　be　her　guide。
  The　one　was　all　seraphical　in　ardour；
  The　other　by　his　wisdom　upon　earth
  A　splendour　was　of　light　cherubical。
  One　will　I　speak　of；　for　of　both　is　spoken
  In　praising　one；　whichever　may　be　taken；
  Because　unto　one　end　their　labours　were。
  Between　Tupino　and　the　stream　that　falls
  Down　from　the　hill　elect　of　blessed　Ubald；
  A　fertile　slope　of　lofty　mountain　hangs；
  From　which　Perugia　feels　the　cold　and　heat
  Through　Porta　Sole；　and　behind　it　weep
  Gualdo　and　Nocera　their　grievous　yoke。
  From　out　that　slope；　there　where　it　breaketh　most
  Its　steepness；　rose　upon　the　world　a　sun
  As　this　one　does　sometimes　from　out　the　Ganges；
  Therefore　let　him　who　speaketh　of　that　place；
  Say　not　Ascesi；　for　he　would　say　little；
  But　Orient；　if　he　properly　would　speak。
  He　was　not　yet　far　distant　from　his　rising
  Before　he　had　begun　to　make　the　earth
  Some　comfort　from　his　mighty　virtue　feel。
  For　he　in　youth　his　father's　wrath　incurred
  For　certain　Dame；　to　whom；　as　unto　death；
  The　gate　of　pleasure　no　one　doth　unlock；
  And　was　before　his　spiritual　court
  'Et　coram　patre'　unto　her　united；
  Then　day　by　day　more　fervently　he　loved　her。
  She；　reft　of　her　first　husband；　scorned；　obscure；
  One　thousand　and　one　hundred　years　and　more；
  Waited　without　a　suitor　till　he　came。
  Naught　it　availed　to　hear；　that　with　Amyclas
  Found　her　unmoved　at　sounding　of　his　voice
  He　who　struck　terror　into　all　the　world；
  Naught　it　availed　being　constant　and　undaunted；
  So　that；　when　Mary　still　remained　below；
  She　mounted　up　with　Christ　upon　the　cross。
  But　that　too　darkly　I　may　not　proceed；
  Francis　and　Poverty　for　these　two　lovers
  Take　thou　henceforward　in　my　speech　diffuse。
  Their　concord　and　their　joyous　semblances；
  The　love；　the　wonder；　and　the　sweet　regard；
  They　made　to　be　the　cause　of　holy　thoughts；
  So　much　so　that　the　venerable　Bernard
  First　bared　his　feet；　and　after　so　great　peace
  Ran；　and；　in　running；　thought　himself　too　slow。
  O　wealth　unknown！　　O　veritable　good！
  Giles　bares　his　feet；　and　bares　his　feet　Sylvester
  Behind　the　bridegroom；　so　doth　please　the　bride！
  Then　goes　his　way　that　father　and　that　master；
  He　and　his　Lady　and　that　family
  Which　now　was　girding　on　the　humble　cord；
  Nor　cowardice　of　heart　weighed　down　his　brow
  At　being　son　of　Peter　Bernardone；
  Nor　for　appearing　marvellously　scorned；
  But　regally　his　hard　determination
  To　Innocent　he　opened；　and　from　him
  Received　the　primal　seal　upon　his　Order。
  After　the　people　mendicant　increased
  Behind　this　man；　whose　admirable　life
  Better　in　glory　of　the　heavens　were　sung；
  Incoronated　with　a　second　crown
  Was　through　Honorius　by　the　Eternal　Spirit
  The　holy　purpose　of　this　Archimandrite。
  And　when　he　had；　through　thirst　of　martyrdom；
  In　the　p