Of　great　Costanza　this　is　the　effulgence；
  Who　from　the　second　wind　of　Suabia
  Brought　forth　the　third　and　latest　puissance。〃
  Thus　unto　me　she　spake；　and　then　began
  〃Ave　Maria〃　singing；　and　in　singing
  Vanished；　as　through　deep　water　something　heavy。
  My　sight；　that　followed　her　as　long　a　time
  As　it　was　possible；　when　it　had　lost　her
  Turned　round　unto　the　mark　of　more　desire；
  And　wholly　unto　Beatrice　reverted；
  But　she　such　lightnings　flashed　into　mine　eyes；
  That　at　the　first　my　sight　endured　it　not；
  And　this　in　questioning　more　backward　made　me。
  Paradiso：　Canto　IV
  Between　two　viands；　equally　removed
  And　tempting；　a　free　man　would　die　of　hunger
  Ere　either　he　could　bring　unto　his　teeth。
  So　would　a　lamb　between　the　ravenings
  Of　two　fierce　wolves　stand　fearing　both　alike；
  And　so　would　stand　a　dog　between　two　does。
  Hence；　if　I　held　my　peace；　myself　I　blame　not；
  Impelled　in　equal　measure　by　my　doubts；
  Since　it　must　be　so；　nor　do　I　commend。
  I　held　my　peace；　but　my　desire　was　painted
  Upon　my　face；　and　questioning　with　that
  More　fervent　far　than　by　articulate　speech。
  Beatrice　did　as　Daniel　had　done
  Relieving　Nebuchadnezzar　from　the　wrath
  Which　rendered　him　unjustly　merciless；
  And　said：　〃Well　see　I　how　attracteth　thee
  One　and　the　other　wish；　so　that　thy　care
  Binds　itself　so　that　forth　it　does　not　breathe。
  Thou　arguest；　if　good　will　be　permanent；
  The　violence　of　others；　for　what　reason
  Doth　it　decrease　the　measure　of　my　merit？
  Again　for　doubting　furnish　thee　occasion
  Souls　seeming　to　return　unto　the　stars；
  According　to　the　sentiment　of　Plato。
  These　are　the　questions　which　upon　thy　wish
  Are　thrusting　equally；　and　therefore　first
  Will　I　treat　that　which　hath　the　most　of　gall。
  He　of　the　Seraphim　most　absorbed　in　God；
  Moses；　and　Samuel；　and　whichever　John
  Thou　mayst　select；　I　say；　and　even　Mary；
  Have　not　in　any　other　heaven　their　seats；
  Than　have　those　spirits　that　just　appeared　to　thee；
  Nor　of　existence　more　or　fewer　years；
  But　all　make　beautiful　the　primal　circle；
  And　have　sweet　life　in　different　degrees；
  By　feeling　more　or　less　the　eternal　breath。
  They　showed　themselves　here；　not　because　allotted
  This　sphere　has　been　to　them；　but　to　give　sign
  Of　the　celestial　which　is　least　exalted。
  To　speak　thus　is　adapted　to　your　mind；
  Since　only　through　the　sense　it　apprehendeth
  What　then　it　worthy　makes　of　intellect。
  On　this　account　the　Scripture　condescends
  Unto　your　faculties；　and　feet　and　hands
  To　God　attributes；　and　means　something　else；
  And　Holy　Church　under　an　aspect　human
  Gabriel　and　Michael　represent　to　you；
  And　him　who　made　Tobias　whole　again。
  That　which　Timaeus　argues　of　the　soul
  Doth　not　resemble　that　which　here　is　seen；
  Because　it　seems　that　as　he　speaks　he　thinks。
  He　says　the　soul　unto　its　star　returns；
  Believing　it　to　have　been　severed　thence
  Whenever　nature　gave　it　as　a　form。
  Perhaps　his　doctrine　is　of　other　guise
  Than　the　words　sound；　and　possibly　may　be
  With　meaning　that　is　not　to　be　derided。
  If　he　doth　mean　that　to　these　wheels　return
  The　honour　of　their　influence　and　the　blame；
  Perhaps　his　bow　doth　hit　upon　some　truth。
  This　principle　ill　understood　once　warped
  The　whole　world　nearly；　till　it　went　astray
  Invoking　Jove　and　Mercury　and　Mars。
  The　other　doubt　which　doth　disquiet　thee
  Less　venom　has；　for　its　malevolence
  Could　never　lead　thee　otherwhere　from　me。
  That　as　unjust　our　justice　should　appear
  In　eyes　of　mortals；　is　an　argument
  Of　faith；　and　not　of　sin　heretical。
  But　still；　that　your　perception　may　be　able
  To　thoroughly　penetrate　this　verity；
  As　thou　desirest；　I　will　satisfy　thee。
  If　it　be　violence　when　he　who　suffers
  Co…operates　not　with　him　who　uses　force；
  These　souls　were　not　on　that　account　excused；
  For　will　is　never　quenched　unless　it　will；
  But　operates　as　nature　doth　in　fire
  If　violence　a　thousand　times　distort　it。
  Hence；　if　it　yieldeth　more　or　less；　it　seconds
  The　force；　and　these　have　done　so；　having　power
  Of　turning　back　unto　the　holy　place。
  If　their　will　had　been　perfect；　like　to　that
  Which　Lawrence　fast　upon　his　gridiron　held；
  And　Mutius　made　severe　to　his　own　hand；
  It　would　have　urged　them　back　along　the　road
  Whence　they　were　dragged；　as　soon　as　they　were　free；
  But　such　a　solid　will　is　all　too　rare。
  And　by　these　words；　if　thou　hast　gathered　them
  As　thou　shouldst　do；　the　argument　is　refuted
  That　would　have　still　annoyed　thee　many　times。
  But　now　another　passage　runs　across
  Before　thine　eyes；　and　such　that　by　thyself
  Thou　couldst　not　thread　it　ere　thou　wouldst　be　weary。
  I　have　for　certain　put　into　thy　mind
  That　soul　beatified　could　never　lie；
  For　it　is　near　the　primal　Truth；
  And　then　thou　from　Piccarda　might'st　have　heard
  Costanza　kept　affection　for　the　veil；
  So　that　she　seemeth　here　to　contradict　me。
  Many　times；　brother；　has　it　come　to　pass；
  That；　to　escape　from　peril；　with　reluctance
  That　has　been　done　it　was　not　right　to　do；
  E'en　as　Alcmaeon　（who；　being　by　his　father
  Thereto　entreated；　his　own　mother　slew）
  Not　to　lose　pity　pitiless　became。
  At　this　point　I　desire　thee　to　remember
  That　force　with　will　commingles；　and　they　cause
  That　the　offences　cannot　be　excused。
  Will　absolute　consenteth　not　to　evil；
  But　in　so　far　consenteth　as　it　fears；
  If　it　refrain；　to　fall　into　more　harm。
  Hence　when　Piccarda　uses　this　expression；
  She　meaneth　the　will　absolute；　and　I
  The　other；　so　that　both　of　us　speak　truth。〃
  Such　was　the　flowing　of　the　holy　river
  That　issued　from　the　fount　whence　springs　all　truth；
  This　put　to　rest　my　wishes　one　and　all。
  〃O　love　of　the　first　lover；　O　divine；〃
  Said　I　forthwith；　〃whose　speech　inundates　me
  And　warms　me　so；　it　more　and　more　revives　me；
  My　own　affection　is　not　so　profound
  As　to　suffice　in　rendering　grace　for　grace；
  Let　Him；　who　sees　and　can；　thereto　respond。
  Well　I　perceive　that　never　sated　is
  Our　intellect　unless　the　Truth　illume　it；
  Beyond　which　nothing　true　expands　itself。
  It　rests　therein；　as　wild　beast　in　his　lair；
  When　it　attains　it；　and　it　can　attain　it；
  If　not；　then　each　desire　would　frustrate　be。
  Therefore　springs　up；　in　fashion　of　a　shoot；
  Doubt　at　the　foot　of　truth；　and　this　is　nature；
  Which　to　the　top　from　height　to　height　impels　us。
  This　doth　invite　me；　this　assurance　give　me
  With　reverence；　Lady；　to　inquire　of　you
  Another　truth；　which　is　obscure　to　me。
  I　wish　to　know　if　man　can　satisfy　you
  For　broken　vows　with　other　good　deeds；　so
  That　in　your　balance　they　will　not　be　light。〃
  Beatrice　gazed　upon　me　with　her　eyes
  Full　of　the　sparks　of　love；　and　so　divine；
  That；　overcome　my　power；　I　turned　my　back
  And　almost　lost　myself　with　eyes　downcast。
  Paradiso：　Canto　V
  〃If　in　the　heat　of　love　I　flame　upon　thee
  Beyond　the　measure　that　on　earth　is　seen；
  So　that　the　valour　of　thine　eyes　I　vanquish；
  Marvel　thou　not　thereat；　for　this　proceeds
  From　perfect　sight；　which　as　it　apprehends
  To　the　good　apprehended　moves　its　feet。
  Well　I　perceive　how　is　already　shining
  Into　thine　intellect　the　eternal　light；
  That　only　seen　enkindles　always　love；
  And　if　some　other　thing　your　love　seduce；
  'Tis　nothing　but　a　vestige　of　the　same；
  Ill　understood；　which　there　is　shining　through。
  Thou　fain　wouldst　know　if　with　another　service
  For　broken　vow　can　such　return　be　made
  As　to　secure　the　soul　from　further　claim。〃
  This　Canto　thus　did　Beatrice　begin；
  And；　as　a　man　who　breaks　not　off　his　speech；
  Continued　thus　her　holy　argument：
  〃The　greatest　gift　that　in　his　largess　God
  Creating　made；　and　unto　his　own　goodness
  Nearest　conformed；　and　that　which　he　doth　prize
  Most　highly；　is　the　freedom　of　the　will；
  Wherewith　the　creatures　of　intelligence
  Both　all　and　only　were　and　are　endowed。
  Now　wilt　thou　see；　if　thence　thou　reasonest；
  The　high　worth　of　a　vow；　if　it　he　made
  So　that　when　thou　consentest　God　consents：
  For；　closing　between　God　and　man　the　compact；
  A　sacrifice　is　of　this　treasure　made；
  Such　as　I　say；　and　made　by　its　own　act。
  What　can　be　rendered　then　as　compensation？
  Think'st　thou　to　make　good　use　of　what　thou'st　offered；
  With　gains　ill　gotten　thou　wouldst　do　good　deed。
  Now　art　thou　certain　of　the　greater　point；
  But　because　Holy　Church　in　this　dispenses；
  Which　seems　against　the　truth　which　I　have　shown　thee；
  Behoves　thee　still　to　sit　awhile　at　table；
  Because　the　solid　food　which　thou　hast　taken
  Requireth　further　aid　for　thy　digestion。
  Open　thy　mind　to　that　which　I　reveal；
  And　fix　it　there　within；　for　'tis　not　knowledge；
  The　having　heard　without　retaining　it。
  In　the　essence　of　this　sacrifice　two　things
  Convene　together；　and　the　one　is　that
  Of　which　'tis　made；　the　other　is　the　agreement。
  This　last　for　evermore　is　cancelled　not
  Unless　complied　with；　and　concerning　this
  With　such　precision　has　above　been　spoken。
  Therefore　it　was　enjoined　upon　the　Hebrews
  To　offer　still；　though　sometimes　what　was　offered
  Might　be　commuted；　as　thou