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　proud　presence　of　the　Sultan　preached
  Christ　and　the　others　who　came　after　him；
  And；　finding　for　conversion　too　unripe
  The　folk；　and　not　to　tarry　there　in　vain；
  Returned　to　fruit　of　the　Italic　grass；
  On　the　rude　rock　'twixt　Tiber　and　the　Arno
  From　Christ　did　he　receive　the　final　seal；
  Which　during　two　whole　years　his　members　bore。
  When　He；　who　chose　him　unto　so　much　good；
  Was　pleased　to　draw　him　up　to　the　reward
  That　he　had　merited　by　being　lowly；
  Unto　his　friars；　as　to　the　rightful　heirs；
  His　most　dear　Lady　did　he　recommend；
  And　bade　that　they　should　love　her　faithfully；
  And　from　her　bosom　the　illustrious　soul
  Wished　to　depart；　returning　to　its　realm；
  And　for　its　body　wished　no　other　bier。
  Think　now　what　man　was　he；　who　was　a　fit
  Companion　over　the　high　seas　to　keep
  The　bark　of　Peter　to　its　proper　bearings。
  And　this　man　was　our　Patriarch；　hence　whoever
  Doth　follow　him　as　he　commands　can　see
  That　he　is　laden　with　good　merchandise。
  But　for　new　pasturage　his　flock　has　grown
  So　greedy；　that　it　is　impossible
  They　be　not　scattered　over　fields　diverse；
  And　in　proportion　as　his　sheep　remote
  And　vagabond　go　farther　off　from　him；
  More　void　of　milk　return　they　to　the　fold。
  Verily　some　there　are　that　fear　a　hurt；
  And　keep　close　to　the　shepherd；　but　so　few；
  That　little　cloth　doth　furnish　forth　their　hoods。
  Now　if　my　utterance　be　not　indistinct；
  If　thine　own　hearing　hath　attentive　been；
  If　thou　recall　to　mind　what　I　have　said；
  In　part　contented　shall　thy　wishes　be；
  For　thou　shalt　see　the　plant　that's　chipped　away；
  And　the　rebuke　that　lieth　in　the　words；
  'Where　well　one　fattens；　if　he　strayeth　not。'〃
  Paradiso：　Canto　XII
  Soon　as　the　blessed　flame　had　taken　up
  The　final　word　to　give　it　utterance；
  Began　the　holy　millstone　to　revolve；
  And　in　its　gyre　had　not　turned　wholly　round；
  Before　another　in　a　ring　enclosed　it；
  And　motion　joined　to　motion；　song　to　song；
  Song　that　as　greatly　doth　transcend　our　Muses；
  Our　Sirens；　in　those　dulcet　clarions；
  As　primal　splendour　that　which　is　reflected。
  And　as　are　spanned　athwart　a　tender　cloud
  Two　rainbows　parallel　and　like　in　colour；
  When　Juno　to　her　handmaid　gives　command；
  （The　one　without　born　of　the　one　within；
  Like　to　the　speaking　of　that　vagrant　one
  Whom　love　consumed　as　doth　the　sun　the　vapours；）
  And　make　the　people　here；　through　covenant
  God　set　with　Noah；　presageful　of　the　world
  That　shall　no　more　be　covered　with　a　flood；
  In　such　wise　of　those　sempiternal　roses
  The　garlands　twain　encompassed　us　about；
  And　thus　the　outer　to　the　inner　answered。
  After　the　dance；　and　other　grand　rejoicings；
  Both　of　the　singing；　and　the　flaming　forth
  Effulgence　with　effulgence　blithe　and　tender；
  Together；　at　once；　with　one　accord　had　stopped；
  （Even　as　the　eyes；　that；　as　volition　moves　them；
  Must　needs　together　shut　and　lift　themselves；）
  Out　of　the　heart　of　one　of　the　new　lights
  There　came　a　voice；　that　needle　to　the　star
  Made　me　appear　in　turning　thitherward。
  And　it　began：　〃The　love　that　makes　me　fair
  Draws　me　to　speak　about　the　other　leader；
  By　whom　so　well　is　spoken　here　of　mine。
  'Tis　right；　where　one　is；　to　bring　in　the　other；
  That；　as　they　were　united　in　their　warfare；
  Together　likewise　may　their　glory　shine。
  The　soldiery　of　Christ；　which　it　had　cost
  So　dear　to　arm　again；　behind　the　standard
  Moved　slow　and　doubtful　and　in　numbers　few；
  When　the　Emperor　who　reigneth　evermore
  Provided　for　the　host　that　was　in　peril；
  Through　grace　alone　and　not　that　it　was　worthy；
  And；　as　was　said；　he　to　his　Bride　brought　succour
  With　champions　twain；　at　whose　deed；　at　whose　word
  The　straggling　people　were　together　drawn。
  Within　that　region　where　the　sweet　west　wind
  Rises　to　open　the　new　leaves；　wherewith
  Europe　is　seen　to　clothe　herself　afresh；
  Not　far　off　from　the　beating　of　the　waves；
  Behind　which　in　his　long　career　the　sun
  Sometimes　conceals　himself　from　every　man；
  Is　situate　the　fortunate　Calahorra；
  Under　protection　of　the　mighty　shield
  In　which　the　Lion　subject　is　and　sovereign。
  Therein　was　born　the　amorous　paramour
  Of　Christian　Faith；　the　athlete　consecrate；
  Kind　to　his　own　and　cruel　to　his　foes；
  And　when　it　was　created　was　his　mind
  Replete　with　such　a　living　energy；
  That　in　his　mother　her　it　made　prophetic。
  As　soon　as　the　espousals　were　complete
  Between　him　and　the　Faith　at　holy　font；
  Where　they　with　mutual　safety　dowered　each　other；
  The　woman