〃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　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