To　me　revolving　with　the　eternal　Twins；
  Was　all　apparent　made　from　hill　to　harbour！
  Then　to　the　beauteous　eyes　mine　eyes　I　turned。
  Paradiso：　Canto　XXIII
  Even　as　a　bird；　'mid　the　beloved　leaves；
  Quiet　upon　the　nest　of　her　sweet　brood
  Throughout　the　night；　that　hideth　all　things　from　us；
  Who；　that　she　may　behold　their　longed…for　looks
  And　find　the　food　wherewith　to　nourish　them；
  In　which；　to　her；　grave　labours　grateful　are；
  Anticipates　the　time　on　open　spray
  And　with　an　ardent　longing　waits　the　sun；
  Gazing　intent　as　soon　as　breaks　the　dawn：
  Even　thus　my　Lady　standing　was；　erect
  And　vigilant；　turned　round　towards　the　zone
  Underneath　which　the　sun　displays　less　haste；
  So　that　beholding　her　distraught　and　wistful；
  Such　I　became　as　he　is　who　desiring
  For　something　yearns；　and　hoping　is　appeased。
  But　brief　the　space　from　one　When　to　the　other；
  Of　my　awaiting；　say　I；　and　the　seeing
  The　welkin　grow　resplendent　more　and　more。
  And　Beatrice　exclaimed：　〃Behold　the　hosts
  Of　Christ's　triumphal　march；　and　all　the　fruit
  Harvested　by　the　rolling　of　these　spheres！〃
  It　seemed　to　me　her　face　was　all　aflame；
  And　eyes　she　had　so　full　of　ecstasy
  That　I　must　needs　pass　on　without　describing。
  As　when　in　nights　serene　of　the　full　moon
  Smiles　Trivia　among　the　nymphs　eternal
  Who　paint　the　firmament　through　all　its　gulfs；
  Saw　I；　above　the　myriads　of　lamps；
  A　Sun　that　one　and　all　of　them　enkindled；
  E'en　as　our　own　doth　the　supernal　sights；
  And　through　the　living　light　transparent　shone
  The　lucent　substance　so　intensely　clear
  Into　my　sight；　that　I　sustained　it　not。
  O　Beatrice；　thou　gentle　guide　and　dear！
  To　me　she　said：　〃What　overmasters　thee
  A　virtue　is　from　which　naught　shields　itself。
  There　are　the　wisdom　and　the　omnipotence
  That　oped　the　thoroughfares　'twixt　heaven　and　earth；
  For　which　there　erst　had　been　so　long　a　yearning。〃
  As　fire　from　out　a　cloud　unlocks　itself；
  Dilating　so　it　finds　not　room　therein；
  And　down；　against　its　nature；　falls　to　earth；
  So　did　my　mind；　among　those　aliments
  Becoming　larger；　issue　from　itself；
  And　that　which　it　became　cannot　remember。
  〃Open　thine　eyes；　and　look　at　what　I　am：
  Thou　hast　beheld　such　things；　that　strong　enough
  Hast　thou　become　to　tolerate　my　smile。〃
  I　was　as　one　who　still　retains　the　feeling
  Of　a　forgotten　vision；　and　endeavours
  In　vain　to　bring　it　back　into　his　mind；
  When　I　this　invitation　heard；　deserving
  Of　so　much　gratitude；　it　never　fades
  Out　of　the　book　that　chronicles　the　past。
  If　at　this　moment　sounded　all　the　tongues
  That　Polyhymnia　and　her　sisters　made
  Most　lubrical　with　their　delicious　milk；
  To　aid　me；　to　a　thousandth　of　the　truth
  It　would　not　reach；　singing　the　holy　smile
  And　how　the　holy　aspect　it　illumed。
  And　therefore；　representing　Paradise；
  The　sacred　poem　must　perforce　leap　over；
  Even　as　a　man　who　finds　his　way　cut　off；
  But　whoso　thinketh　of　the　ponderous　theme；
  And　of　the　mortal　shoulder　laden　with　it；
  Should　blame　it　not；　if　under　this　it　tremble。
  It　is　no　passage　for　a　little　boat
  This　which　goes　cleaving　the　audacious　prow；
  Nor　for　a　pilot　who　would　spare　himself。
  〃Why　doth　my　face　so　much　enamour　thee；
  That　to　the　garden　fair　thou　turnest　not；
  Which　under　the　rays　of　Christ　is　blossoming？
  There　is　the　Rose　in　which　the　Word　Divine
  Became　incarnate；　there　the　lilies　are
  By　whose　perfume　the　good　way　was　discovered。〃
  Thus　Beatrice；　and　I；　who　to　her　counsels
  Was　wholly　ready；　once　again　betook　me
  Unto　the　battle　of　the　feeble　brows。
  As　in　the　sunshine；　that　unsullied　streams
  Through　fractured　cloud；　ere　now　a　meadow　of　flowers
  Mine　eyes　with　shadow　covered　o'er　have　seen；
  So　troops　of　splendours　manifold　I　saw
  Illumined　from　above　with　burning　rays；
  Beholding　not　the　source　of　the　effulgence。
  O　power　benignant　that　dost　so　imprint　them！
  Thou　didst　exalt　thyself　to　give　more　scope
  There　to　mine　eyes；　that　were　not　strong　enough。
  The　name　of　that　fair　flower　I　e'er　invoke
  Morning　and　evening　utterly　enthralled
  My　soul　to　gaze　upon　the　greater　fire。
  And　when　in　both　mine　eyes　depicted　were
  The　glory　and　greatness　of　the　living　star
  Which　there　excelleth；　as　it　here　excelled；
  Athwart　the　heavens　a　little　torch　descended
  Formed　in　a　circle　like　a　coronal；
  And　cinctured　it；　and　whirled　itself　about　it。
  Whatever　melody　most　sweetly　soundeth
  On　earth；　and　to　itself　most　draws　the　soul；
  Would　seem　a　cloud　that；　rent　asunder；　thunders；
  Compared　unto　the　sounding　of　that　lyre
  Wherewith　was　crowned　the　sapphire　beautiful；
  Which　gives　the　clearest　heaven　its　sapphire　hue。
  〃I　am　Angelic　Love；　that　circle　round
  The　joy　sublime　which　breathes　from　out　the　womb
  That　was　the　hostelry　of　our　Desire；
  And　I　shall　circle；　Lady　of　Heaven；　while
  Thou　followest　thy　Son；　and　mak'st　diviner
  The　sphere　supreme；　because　thou　enterest　there。〃
  Thus　did　the　circulated　melody
  Seal　itself　up；　and　all　the　other　lights
  Were　making　to　resound　the　name　of　Mary。
  The　regal　mantle　of　the　volumes　all
  Of　that　world；　which　most　fervid　is　and　living
  With　breath　of　God　and　with　his　works　and　ways；
  Extended　over　us　its　inner　border；
  So　very　distant；　that　the　semblance　of　it
  There　where　I　was　not　yet　appeared　to　me。
  Therefore　mine　eyes　did　not　possess　the　power
  Of　following　the　incoronated　flame；
  Which　mounted　upward　near　to　its　own　seed。
  And　as　a　little　child；　that　towards　its　mother
  Stretches　its　arms；　when　it　the　milk　has　taken；
  Through　impulse　kindled　into　outward　flame；
  Each　of　those　gleams　of　whiteness　upward　reached
  So　with　its　summit；　that　the　deep　affection
  They　had　for　Mary　was　revealed　to　me。
  Thereafter　they　remained　there　in　my　sight；
  'Regina　coeli'　singing　with　such　sweetness；
  That　ne'er　from　me　has　the　delight　departed。
  O；　what　exuberance　is　garnered　up
  Within　those　richest　coffers；　which　had　been
  Good　husbandmen　for　sowing　here　below！
  There　they　enjoy　and　live　upon　the　treasure
  Which　was　acquired　while　weeping　in　the　exile
  Of　Babylon；　wherein　the　gold　was　left。
  There　triumpheth；　beneath　the　exalted　Son
  Of　God　and　Mary；　in　his　victory；
  Both　with　the　ancient　council　and　the　new；
  He　who　doth　keep　the　keys　of　such　a　glory。
  Paradiso：　Canto　XXIV
  〃O　company　elect　to　the　great　supper
  Of　the　Lamb　benedight；　who　feedeth　you
  So　that　for　ever　full　is　your　desire；
  If　by　the　grace　of　God　this　man　foretaste
  Something　of　that　which　falleth　from　your　table；
  Or　ever　death　prescribe　to　him　the　time；
  Direct　your　mind　to　his　immense　desire；
  And　him　somewhat　bedew；　ye　drinking　are
  For　ever　at　the　fount　whence　comes　his　thought。〃
  Thus　Beatrice；　and　those　souls　beatified
  Transformed　themselves　to　spheres　on　steadfast　poles；
  Flaming　intensely　in　the　guise　of　comets。
  And　as　the　wheels　in　works　of　horologes
  Revolve　so　that　the　first　to　the　beholder
  Motionless　seems；　and　the　last　one　to　fly；
  So　in　like　manner　did　those　carols；　dancing
  In　different　measure；　of　their　affluence
  Give　me　the　gauge；　as　they　were　swift　or　slow。
  From　that　one　which　I　noted　of　most　beauty
  Beheld　I　issue　forth　a　fire　so　happy
  That　none　it　left　there　of　a　greater　brightness；
  And　around　Beatrice　three　several　times
  It　whirled　itself　with　so　divine　a　song；
  My　fantasy　repeats　it　not　to　me；
  Therefore　the　pen　skips；　and　I　write　it　not；
  Since　our　imagination　for　such　folds；
  Much　more　our　speech；　is　of　a　tint　too　glaring。
  〃O　holy　sister　mine；　who　us　implorest
  With　such　devotion；　by　thine　ardent　love
  Thou　dost　unbind　me　from　that　beautiful　sphere！〃
  Thereafter；　having　stopped；　the　blessed　fire
  Unto　my　Lady　did　direct　its　breath；
  Which　spake　in　fashion　as　I　here　have　said。
  And　she：　〃O　light　eterne　of　the　great　man
  To　whom　our　Lord　delivered　up　the　keys
  He　carried　down　of　this　miraculous　joy；
  This　one　examine　on　points　light　and　grave；
  As　good　beseemeth　thee；　about　the　Faith
  By　means　of　which　thou　on　the　sea　didst　walk。
  If　he　love　well；　and　hope　well；　and　believe；
  From　thee　'tis　hid　not；　for　thou　hast　thy　sight
  There　where　depicted　everything　is　seen。
  But　since　this　kingdom　has　made　citizens
  By　means　of　the　true　Faith；　to　glorify　it
  'Tis　well　he　have　the　chance　to　speak　thereof。〃
  As　baccalaureate　arms　himself；　and　speaks　not
  Until　the　master　doth　propose　the　question；
  To　argue　it；　and　not　to　terminate　it；
  So　did　I　arm　myself　with　every　reason；
  While　she　was　speaking；　that　I　might　be　ready
  For　such　a　questioner　and　such　profession。
  〃Say；　thou　good　Christian；　manifest　thyself；
  What　is　the　Faith？〃　　Whereat　I　raised　my　brow
  Unto　that　light　wherefrom　was　this　breathed　forth。
  Then　turned　I　round　to　Beatrice；　and　she
  Prompt　signals　made　to　me　that　I　should　pour
  The　water　forth　from　my　internal　fountain。
  〃May　grace；　that　suffers　me　to　make　confession；〃
  Began　I；　〃to　the　great　centurion；
  Cause　my　conceptions　all　to　be　explicit！〃
  And　I　continued：　〃As　the　truthful　pen；
  Father；　of　thy　dear　brother　wr