（Since　he　returneth　not　the　same　he　went；）
  Who　fishes　for　the　truth；　and　has　no　skill；
  And　in　the　world　proofs　manifest　thereof
  Parmenides；　Melissus；　Brissus　are；
  And　many　who　went　on　and　knew　not　whither；
  Thus　did　Sabellius；　Arius；　and　those　fools
  Who　have　been　even　as　swords　unto　the　Scriptures
  In　rendering　distorted　their　straight　faces。
  Nor　yet　shall　people　be　too　confident
  In　judging；　even　as　he　is　who　doth　count
  The　corn　in　field　or　ever　it　be　ripe。
  For　I　have　seen　all　winter　long　the　thorn
  First　show　itself　intractable　and　fierce；
  And　after　bear　the　rose　upon　its　top；
  And　I　have　seen　a　ship　direct　and　swift
  Run　o'er　the　sea　throughout　its　course　entire；
  To　perish　at　the　harbour's　mouth　at　last。
  Let　not　Dame　Bertha　nor　Ser　Martin　think；
  Seeing　one　steal；　another　offering　make；
  To　see　them　in　the　arbitrament　divine；
  For　one　may　rise；　and　fall　the　other　may。〃
  Paradiso：　Canto　XIV
  From　centre　unto　rim；　from　rim　to　centre；
  In　a　round　vase　the　water　moves　itself；
  As　from　without　'tis　struck　or　from　within。
  Into　my　mind　upon　a　sudden　dropped
  What　I　am　saying；　at　the　moment　when
  Silent　became　the　glorious　life　of　Thomas；
  Because　of　the　resemblance　that　was　born
  Of　his　discourse　and　that　of　Beatrice；
  Whom；　after　him；　it　pleased　thus　to　begin：
  〃This　man　has　need　（and　does　not　tell　you　so；
  Nor　with　the　voice；　nor　even　in　his　thought）
  Of　going　to　the　root　of　one　truth　more。
  Declare　unto　him　if　the　light　wherewith
  Blossoms　your　substance　shall　remain　with　you
  Eternally　the　same　that　it　is　now；
  And　if　it　do　remain；　say　in　what　manner；
  After　ye　are　again　made　visible；
  It　can　be　that　it　injure　not　your　sight。〃
  As　by　a　greater　gladness　urged　and　drawn
  They　who　are　dancing　in　a　ring　sometimes
  Uplift　their　voices　and　their　motions　quicken；
  So；　at　that　orison　devout　and　prompt；
  The　holy　circles　a　new　joy　displayed
  In　their　revolving　and　their　wondrous　song。
  Whoso　lamenteth　him　that　here　we　die
  That　we　may　live　above；　has　never　there
  Seen　the　refreshment　of　the　eternal　rain。
  The　One　and　Two　and　Three　who　ever　liveth；
  And　reigneth　ever　in　Three　and　Two　and　One；
  Not　circumscribed　and　all　things　circumscribing；
  Three　several　times　was　chanted　by　each　one
  Among　those　spirits；　with　such　melody
  That　for　all　merit　it　were　just　reward；
  And；　in　the　lustre　most　divine　of　all
  The　lesser　ring；　I　heard　a　modest　voice；
  Such　as　perhaps　the　Angel's　was　to　Mary；
  Answer：　〃As　long　as　the　festivity
  Of　Paradise　shall　be；　so　long　our　love
  Shall　radiate　round　about　us　such　a　vesture。
  Its　brightness　is　proportioned　to　the　ardour；
  The　ardour　to　the　vision；　and　the　vision
  Equals　what　grace　it　has　above　its　worth。
  When；　glorious　and　sanctified；　our　flesh
  Is　reassumed；　then　shall　our　persons　be
  More　pleasing　by　their　being　all　complete；
  For　will　increase　whate'er　bestows　on　us
  Of　light　gratuitous　the　Good　Supreme；
  Light　which　enables　us　to　look　on　Him；
  Therefore　the　vision　must　perforce　increase；
  Increase　the　ardour　which　from　that　is　kindled；
  Increase　the　radiance　which　from　this　proceeds。
  But　even　as　a　coal　that　sends　forth　flame；
  And　by　its　vivid　whiteness　overpowers　it
  So　that　its　own　appearance　it　maintains；
  Thus　the　effulgence　that　surrounds　us　now
  Shall　be　o'erpowered　in　aspect　by　the　flesh；
  Which　still　to…day　the　earth　doth　cover　up；
  Nor　can　so　great　a　splendour　weary　us；
  For　strong　will　be　the　organs　of　the　body
  To　everything　which　hath　the　power　to　please　us。〃
  So　sudden　and　alert　appeared　to　me
  Both　one　and　the　other　choir　to　say　Amen；
  That　well　they　showed　desire　for　their　dead　bodies；
  Nor　sole　for　them　perhaps；　but　for　the　mothers；
  The　fathers；　and　the　rest　who　had　been　dear
  Or　ever　they　became　eternal　flames。
  And　lo！　all　round　about　of　equal　brightness
  Arose　a　lustre　over　what　was　there；
  Like　an　horizon　that　is　clearing　up。
  And　as　at　rise　of　early　eve　begin
  Along　the　welkin　new　appearances；
  So　that　the　sight　seems　real　and　unreal；
  It　seemed　to　me　that　new　subsistences
  Began　there　to　be　seen；　and　make　a　circle
  Outside　the　other　two　circumferences。
  O　very　sparkling　of　the　Holy　Spirit；
  How　sudden　and　incandescent　it　became
  Unto　mine　eyes；　that　vanquished　bore　it　not！
  But　Beatrice　so　beautiful　and　smiling
  Appeared　to　me；　that　with　the　other　sights
  That　followed　not　my　memory　I　must　leave　her。
  Then　to　uplift　themselves　mine　eyes　resumed
  The　power；　and　I　beheld　myself　translated
  To　higher　salvation　with　my　Lady　only。
  Well　was　I　ware　that　I　was　more　uplifted
  By　the　enkindled　smiling　of　the　star；
  That　seemed　to　me　more　ruddy　than　its　wont。
  With　all　my　heart；　and　in　that　dialect
  Which　is　the　same　in　all；　such　holocaust
  To　God　I　made　as　the　new　grace　beseemed；
  And　not　yet　from　my　bosom　was　exhausted
  The　ardour　of　sacrifice；　before　I　knew
  This　offering　was　accepted　and　auspicious；
  For　with　so　great　a　lustre　and　so　red
  Splendours　appeared　to　me　in　twofold　rays；
  I　said：　〃O　Helios　who　dost　so　adorn　them！〃
  Even　as　distinct　with　less　and　greater　lights
  Glimmers　between　the　two　poles　of　the　world
  The　Galaxy　that　maketh　wise　men　doubt；
  Thus　constellated　in　the　depths　of　Mars；
  Those　rays　described　the　venerable　sign
  That　quadrants　joining　in　a　circle　make。
  Here　doth　my　memory　overcome　my　genius；
  For　on　that　cross　as　levin　gleamed　forth　Christ；
  So　that　I　cannot　find　ensample　worthy；
  But　he　who　takes　his　cross　and　follows　Christ
  Again　will　pardon　me　what　I　omit；
  Seeing　in　that　aurora　lighten　Christ。
  From　horn　to　horn；　and　'twixt　the　top　and　base；
  Lights　were　in　motion；　brightly　scintillating
  As　they　together　met　and　passed　each　other；
  Thus　level　and　aslant　and　swift　and　slow
  We　here　behold；　renewing　still　the　sight；
  The　particles　of　bodies　long　and　short；
  Across　the　sunbeam　move；　wherewith　is　listed
  Sometimes　the　shade；　which　for　their　own　defence
  People　with　cunning　and　with　art　contrive。
  And　as　a　lute　and　harp；　accordant　strung
  With　many　strings；　a　dulcet　tinkling　make
  To　him　by　whom　the　notes　are　not　distinguished；
  So　from　the　lights　that　there　to　me　appeared
  Upgathered　through　the　cross　a　melody；
  Which　rapt　me；　not　distinguishing　the　hymn。
  Well　was　I　ware　it　was　of　lofty　laud；
  Because　there　came　to　me；　〃Arise　and　conquer！〃
  As　unto　him　who　hears　and　comprehends　not。
  So　much　enamoured　I　became　therewith；
  That　until　then　there　was　not　anything
  That　e'er　had　fettered　me　with　such　sweet　bonds。
  Perhaps　my　word　appears　somewhat　too　bold；
  Postponing　the　delight　of　those　fair　eyes；
  Into　which　gazing　my　desire　has　rest；
  But　who　bethinks　him　that　the　living　seals
  Of　every　beauty　grow　in　power　ascending；
  And　that　I　there　had　not　turned　round　to　those；
  Can　me　excuse；　if　I　myself　accuse
  To　excuse　myself；　and　see　that　I　speak　truly：
  For　here　the　holy　joy　is　not　disclosed；
  Because　ascending　it　becomes　more　pure。
  Paradiso：　Canto　XV
  A　will　benign；　in　which　reveals　itself
  Ever　the　love　that　righteously　inspires；
  As　in　the　iniquitous；　cupidity；
  Silence　imposed　upon　that　dulcet　lyre；
  And　quieted　the　consecrated　chords；
  That　Heaven's　right　hand　doth　tighten　and　relax。
  How　unto　just　entreaties　shall　be　deaf
  Those　substances；　which；　to　give　me　desire
  Of　praying　them；　with　one　accord　grew　silent？
  'Tis　well　that　without　end　he　should　lament；
  Who　for　the　love　of　thing　that　doth　not　last
  Eternally　despoils　him　of　that　love！
  As　through　the　pure　and　tranquil　evening　air
  There　shoots　from　time　to　time　a　sudden　fire；
  Moving　the　eyes　that　steadfast　were　before；
  And　seems　to　be　a　star　that　changeth　place；
  Except　that　in　the　part　where　it　is　kindled
  Nothing　is　missed；　and　this　endureth　little；
  So　from　the　horn　that　to　the　right　extends
  Unto　that　cross's　foot　there　ran　a　star
  Out　of　the　constellation　shining　there；
  Nor　was　the　gem　dissevered　from　its　ribbon；
  But　down　the　radiant　fillet　ran　along；
  So　that　fire　seemed　it　behind　alabaster。
  Thus　piteous　did　Anchises'　shade　reach　forward；
  If　any　faith　our　greatest　Muse　deserve；
  When　in　Elysium　he　his　son　perceived。
  〃O　sanguis　meus；　O　superinfusa
  Gratia　Dei；　sicut　tibi；　cui
  Bis　unquam　Coeli　janua　reclusa？〃
  Thus　that　effulgence；　whence　I　gave　it　heed；
  Then　round　unto　my　Lady　turned　my　sight；
  And　on　this　side　and　that　was　stupefied；
  For　in　her　eyes　was　burning　such　a　smile
  That　with　mine　own　methought　I　touched　the　bottom
  Both　of　my　grace　and　of　my　Paradise！
  Then；　pleasant　to　the　hearing　and　the　sight；
  The　spirit　joined　to　its　beginning　things
  I　understood　not；　so　profound　it　spake；
  Nor　did　it　hide　itself　from　me　by　choice；
  But　by　necessity；　for　its　conception
  Above　the　mark　of　mortals　set　itself。
  And　when　the　bow　of　burning　sympathy
  Was　so　far　slackened；　that　its　speech　descended
  Towards　the　mark　of　our　intelligence；
  The　first　thing　that　was　understood　by　me
  Was　〃Benedight　be　Thou；　O　Trine　and　One；
  Who　hast　unto　my　seed　so　courteous　been！〃
  And　i