The　clearness　of　the　flame　I　equal　make。
  But　that　soul　in　the　heaven　which　is　most　pure；
  That　seraph　which　his　eye　on　God　most　fixes；
  Could　this　demand　of　thine　not　satisfy；
  Because　so　deeply　sinks　in　the　abyss
  Of　the　eternal　statute　what　thou　askest；
  From　all　created　sight　it　is　cut　off。
  And　to　the　mortal　world；　when　thou　returnest；
  This　carry　back；　that　it　may　not　presume
  Longer　tow'rd　such　a　goal　to　move　its　feet。
  The　mind；　that　shineth　here；　on　earth　doth　smoke；
  From　this　observe　how　can　it　do　below
  That　which　it　cannot　though　the　heaven　assume　it？〃
  Such　limit　did　its　words　prescribe　to　me；
  The　question　I　relinquished；　and　restricted
  Myself　to　ask　it　humbly　who　it　was。
  〃Between　two　shores　of　Italy　rise　cliffs；
  And　not　far　distant　from　thy　native　place；
  So　high；　the　thunders　far　below　them　sound；
  And　form　a　ridge　that　Catria　is　called；
  'Neath　which　is　consecrate　a　hermitage
  Wont　to　be　dedicate　to　worship　only。〃
  Thus　unto　me　the　third　speech　recommenced；
  And　then；　continuing；　it　said：　〃Therein
  Unto　God's　service　I　became　so　steadfast；
  That　feeding　only　on　the　juice　of　olives
  Lightly　I　passed　away　the　heats　and　frosts；
  Contented　in　my　thoughts　contemplative。
  That　cloister　used　to　render　to　these　heavens
  Abundantly；　and　now　is　empty　grown；
  So　that　perforce　it　soon　must　be　revealed。
  I　in　that　place　was　Peter　Damiano；
  And　Peter　the　Sinner　was　I　in　the　house
  Of　Our　Lady　on　the　Adriatic　shore。
  Little　of　mortal　life　remained　to　me；
  When　I　was　called　and　dragged　forth　to　the　hat
  Which　shifteth　evermore　from　bad　to　worse。
  Came　Cephas；　and　the　mighty　Vessel　came
  Of　the　Holy　Spirit；　meagre　and　barefooted；
  Taking　the　food　of　any　hostelry。
  Now　some　one　to　support　them　on　each　side
  The　modern　shepherds　need；　and　some　to　lead　them；
  So　heavy　are　they；　and　to　hold　their　trains。
  They　cover　up　their　palfreys　with　their　cloaks；
  So　that　two　beasts　go　underneath　one　skin；
  O　Patience；　that　dost　tolerate　so　much！〃
  At　this　voice　saw　I　many　little　flames
  From　step　to　step　descending　and　revolving；
  And　every　revolution　made　them　fairer。
  Round　about　this　one　came　they　and　stood　still；
  And　a　cry　uttered　of　so　loud　a　sound；
  It　here　could　find　no　parallel；　nor　I
  Distinguished　it；　the　thunder　so　o'ercame　me。
  Paradiso：　Canto　XXII
  Oppressed　with　stupor；　I　unto　my　guide
  Turned　like　a　little　child　who　always　runs
  For　refuge　there　where　he　confideth　most；
  And　she；　even　as　a　mother　who　straightway
  Gives　comfort　to　her　pale　and　breathless　boy
  With　voice　whose　wont　it　is　to　reassure　him；
  Said　to　me：　〃Knowest　thou　not　thou　art　in　heaven；
  And　knowest　thou　not　that　heaven　is　holy　all
  And　what　is　done　here　cometh　from　good　zeal？
  After　what　wise　the　singing　would　have　changed　thee
  And　I　by　smiling；　thou　canst　now　imagine；
  Since　that　the　cry　has　startled　thee　so　much；
  In　which　if　thou　hadst　understood　its　prayers
  Already　would　be　known　to　thee　the　vengeance
  Which　thou　shalt　look　upon　before　thou　diest。
  The　sword　above　here　smiteth　not　in　haste
  Nor　tardily；　howe'er　it　seem　to　him
  Who　fearing　or　desiring　waits　for　it。
  But　turn　thee　round　towards　the　others　now；
  For　very　illustrious　spirits　shalt　thou　see；
  If　thou　thy　sight　directest　as　I　say。〃
  As　it　seemed　good　to　her　mine　eyes　I　turned；
  And　saw　a　hundred　spherules　that　together
  With　mutual　rays　each　other　more　embellished。
  I　stood　as　one　who　in　himself　represses
  The　point　of　his　desire；　and　ventures　not
  To　question；　he　so　feareth　the　too　much。
  And　now　the　largest　and　most　luculent
  Among　those　pearls　came　forward；　that　it　might
  Make　my　desire　concerning　it　content。
  Within　it　then　I　heard：　〃If　thou　couldst　see
  Even　as　myself　the　charity　that　burns
  Among　us；　thy　conceits　would　be　expressed；
  But；　that　by　waiting　thou　mayst　not　come　late
  To　the　high　end；　I　will　make　answer　even
  Unto　the　thought　of　which　thou　art　so　chary。
  That　mountain　on　whose　slope　Cassino　stands
  Was　frequented　of　old　upon　its　summit
  By　a　deluded　folk　and　ill…disposed；
  And　I　am　he　who　first　up　thither　bore
  The　name　of　Him　who　brought　upon　the　earth
  The　truth　that　so　much　sublimateth　us。
  And　such　abundant　grace　upon　me　shone
  That　all　the　neighbouring　towns　I　drew　away
  From　the　impious　worship　that　seduced　the　world。
  These　other　fires；　each　one　of　them；　were　men
  Contemplative；　enkindled　by　that　heat
  Which　maketh　holy　flowers　and　fruits　spring　up。
  Here　is　Macarius；　here　is　Romualdus；
  Here　are　my　brethren；　who　within　the　cloisters
  Their　footsteps　stayed　and　kept　a　steadfast　heart。〃
  And　I　to　him：　〃The　affection　which　thou　showest
  Speaking　with　me；　and　the　good　countenance
  Which　I　behold　and　note　in　all　your　ardours；
  In　me　have　so　my　confidence　dilated
  As　the　sun　doth　the　rose；　when　it　becomes
  As　far　unfolded　as　it　hath　the　power。
  Therefore　I　pray；　and　thou　assure　me；　father；
  If　I　may　so　much　grace　receive；　that　I
  May　thee　behold　with　countenance　unveiled。〃
  He　thereupon：　〃Brother；　thy　high　desire
  In　the　remotest　sphere　shall　be　fulfilled；
  Where　are　fulfilled　all　others　and　my　own。
  There　perfect　is；　and　ripened；　and　complete；
  Every　desire；　within　that　one　alone
  Is　every　part　where　it　has　always　been；
  For　it　is　not　in　space；　nor　turns　on　poles；
  And　unto　it　our　stairway　reaches　up；
  Whence　thus　from　out　thy　sight　it　steals　away。
  Up　to　that　height　the　Patriarch　Jacob　saw　it
  Extending　its　supernal　part；　what　time
  So　thronged　with　angels　it　appeared　to　him。
  But　to　ascend　it　now　no　one　uplifts
  His　feet　from　off　the　earth；　and　now　my　Rule
  Below　remaineth　for　mere　waste　of　paper。
  The　walls　that　used　of　old　to　be　an　Abbey
  Are　changed　to　dens　of　robbers；　and　the　cowls
  Are　sacks　filled　full　of　miserable　flour。
  But　heavy　usury　is　not　taken　up
  So　much　against　God's　pleasure　as　that　fruit
  Which　maketh　so　insane　the　heart　of　monks；
  For　whatsoever　hath　the　Church　in　keeping
  Is　for　the　folk　that　ask　it　in　God's　name；
  Not　for　one's　kindred　or　for　something　worse。
  The　flesh　of　mortals　is　so　very　soft；
  That　good　beginnings　down　below　suffice　not
  From　springing　of　the　oak　to　bearing　acorns。
  Peter　began　with　neither　gold　nor　silver；
  And　I　with　orison　and　abstinence；
  And　Francis　with　humility　his　convent。
  And　if　thou　lookest　at　each　one's　beginning；
  And　then　regardest　whither　he　has　run；
  Thou　shalt　behold　the　white　changed　into　brown。
  In　verity　the　Jordan　backward　turned；
  And　the　sea's　fleeing；　when　God　willed　were　more
  A　wonder　to　behold；　than　succour　here。〃
  Thus　unto　me　he　said；　and　then　withdrew
  To　his　own　band；　and　the　band　closed　together；
  Then　like　a　whirlwind　all　was　upward　rapt。
  The　gentle　Lady　urged　me　on　behind　them
  Up　o'er　that　stairway　by　a　single　sign；
  So　did　her　virtue　overcome　my　nature；
  Nor　here　below；　where　one　goes　up　and　down
  By　natural　law；　was　motion　e'er　so　swift
  That　it　could　be　compared　unto　my　wing。
  Reader；　as　I　may　unto　that　devout
  Triumph　return；　on　whose　account　I　often
  For　my　transgressions　weep　and　beat　my　breast；
  Thou　hadst　not　thrust　thy　finger　in　the　fire
  And　drawn　it　out　again；　before　I　saw
  The　sign　that　follows　Taurus；　and　was　in　it。
  O　glorious　stars；　O　light　impregnated
  With　mighty　virtue；　from　which　I　acknowledge
  All　of　my　genius；　whatsoe'er　it　be；
  With　you　was　born；　and　hid　himself　with　you；
  He　who　is　father　of　all　mortal　life；
  When　first　I　tasted　of　the　Tuscan　air；
  And　then　when　grace　was　freely　given　to　me
  To　enter　the　high　wheel　which　turns　you　round；
  Your　region　was　allotted　unto　me。
  To　you　devoutly　at　this　hour　my　soul
  Is　sighing；　that　it　virtue　may　acquire
  For　the　stern　pass　that　draws　it　to　itself。
  〃Thou　art　so　near　unto　the　last　salvation；〃
  Thus　Beatrice　began；　〃thou　oughtest　now
  To　have　thine　eves　unclouded　and　acute；
  And　therefore；　ere　thou　enter　farther　in；
  Look　down　once　more；　and　see　how　vast　a　world
  Thou　hast　already　put　beneath　thy　feet；
  So　that　thy　heart；　as　jocund　as　it　may；
  Present　itself　to　the　triumphant　throng
  That　comes　rejoicing　through　this　rounded　ether。〃
  I　with　my　sight　returned　through　one　and　all
  The　sevenfold　spheres；　and　I　beheld　this　globe
  Such　that　I　smiled　at　its　ignoble　semblance；
  And　that　opinion　I　approve　as　best
  Which　doth　account　it　least；　and　he　who　thinks
  Of　something　else　may　truly　be　called　just。
  I　saw　the　daughter　of　Latona　shining
  Without　that　shadow；　which　to　me　was　cause
  That　once　I　had　believed　her　rare　and　dense。
  The　aspect　of　thy　son；　Hyperion；
  Here　I　sustained；　and　saw　how　move　themselves
  Around　and　near　him　Maia　and　Dione。
  Thence　there　appeared　the　temperateness　of　Jove
  'Twixt　son　and　father；　and　to　me　was　clear
  The　change　that　of　their　whereabout　they　make；
  And　all　the　seven　made　manifest　to　me
  How　great　they　are；　and　eke　how　swift　they　are；
  And　how　they　are　in　distant　habitations。
  The　threshing…floor　that　maketh　us　so　proud；
  To　me　revolving　with　the　eternal　Twins；
  Was　all　apparent　made　from　hill