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　wrote　of　it；
  Who　put　with　thee　Rome　into　the　good　way；
  Faith　is　the　substance　of　the　things　we　hope　for；
  And　evidence　of　those　that　are　not　seen；
  And　this　appears　to　me　its　quiddity。〃
  Then　heard　I：　〃Very　rightly　thou　perceivest；
  If　well　thou　understandest　why　he　placed　it
  With　substances　and　then　with　evidences。〃
  And　I　thereafterward：　〃The　things　profound；
  That　here　vouchsafe　to　me　their　apparition；
  Unto　all　eyes　below　are　so　concealed；
  That　they　exist　there　only　in　belief；
  Upon　the　which　is　founded　the　high　hope；
  And　hence　it　takes　the　nature　of　a　substance。
  And　it　behoveth　us　from　this　belief
  To　reason　without　having　other　sight；
  And　hence　it　has　the　nature　of　evidence。〃
  Then　heard　I：　〃If　whatever　is　acquired
  Below　by　doctrine　were　thus　understood；
  No　sophist's　subtlety　would　there　find　place。〃
  Thus　was　breathed　forth　from　that　enkindled　love；
  Then　added：　〃Very　well　has　been　gone　over
  Already　of　this　coin　the　alloy　and　weight；
  But　tell　me　if　thou　hast　it　in　thy　purse？〃
  And　I：　〃Yes；　both　so　shining　and　so　round
  That　in　its　stamp　there　is　no　peradventure。〃
  Thereafter　issued　from　the　light　profound
  That　there　resplendent　was：　〃This　precious　jewel；
  Upon　the　which　is　every　virtue　founded；
  Whence　hadst　thou　it？〃　　And　I：　〃The　large　outpouring
  Of　Holy　Spirit；　which　has　been　diffused
  Upon　the　ancient　parchments　and　the　new；
  A　syllogism　is；　which　proved　it　to　me
  With　such　acuteness；　that；　compared　therewith；
  All　demonstration　seems　to　me　obtuse。〃
  And　then　I　heard：　〃The　ancient　and　the　new
  Postulates；　that　to　thee　are　so　conclusive；
  Why　dost　thou　take　them　for　the　word　divine？〃
  And　I：　〃The　proofs；　which　show　the　truth　to　me；
  Are　the　works　subsequent；　whereunto　Nature
  Ne'er　heated　iron　yet；　nor　anvil　beat。〃
  'Twas　answered　me：　〃Say；　who　assureth　thee
  That　those　works　ever　were？　the　thing　itself
  That　must　be　proved；　nought　else　to　thee　affirms　it。〃
  〃Were　the　world　to　Christianity　converted；〃
  I　said；　〃withouten　miracles；　this　one
  Is　such；　the　rest　are　not　its　hundredth　part；
  Because　that　poor　and　fasting　thou　didst　enter
  Into　the　field　to　sow　there　the　good　plant；
  Which　was　a　vine　and　has　become　a　thorn！〃
  This　being　finished；　the　high；　holy　Court
  Resounded　through　the　spheres；　〃One　God　we　praise！〃
  In　melody　that　there　above　is　chanted。
  And　then　that　Baron；　who　from　branch　to　branch；
  Examining；　had　thus　conducted　me；
  Till　the　extremest　leaves　we　were　approaching；
  Again　began：　〃The　Grace　that　dallying
  Plays　with　thine　intellect　thy　mouth　has　opened；
  Up　to　this　point；　as　it　should　opened　be；
  So　that　I　do　approve　what　forth　emerged；
  But　now　thou　must　express　what　thou　believest；
  And　whence　to　thy　belief　it　was　presented。〃
  〃O　holy　father；　spirit　who　beholdest
  What　thou　believedst　so　that　thou　o'ercamest；
  Towards　the　sepulchre；　more　youthful　feet；〃
  Began　I；　〃thou　dost　wish　me　in　this　place
  The　form　to　manifest　of　my　prompt　belief；
  And　likewise　thou　the　cause　thereof　demandest。
  And　I　respond：　In　one　God　I　believe；
  Sole　and　eterne；　who　moveth　all　the　heavens
  With　love　and　with　desire；　himself　unmoved；
  And　of　such　faith　not　only　have　I　proofs
  Physical　and　metaphysical；　but　gives　them
  Likewise　the　truth　that　from　this　place　rains　down
  Through　Moses；　through　the　Prophets　and　the　Psalms；
  Through　the　Evangel；　and　through　you；　who　wrote
  After　the　fiery　Spirit　sanctified　you；
  In　Persons　three　eterne　believe；　and　these
  One　essence　I　believe；　so　one　and　trine
  They　bear　conjunction　both　with　'sunt'　and　'est。'
  With　the　profound　condition　and　divine
  Which　now　I　touch　upon；　doth　stamp　my　mind
  Ofttimes　the　doctrine　evangelical。
  This　the　beginning　is；　this　is　the　spark
  Which　afterwards　dilates　to　vivid　flame；
  And；　like　a　star　in　heaven；　is　sparkling　in　me。〃
  Even　as　a　lord　who　hears　what　pleaseth　him
  His　servant　straight　embraces；　gratulating
  For　the　good　news　as　soon　as　he　is　silent；
  So；　giving　me　its　benediction；　singing；
  Three　times　encircled　me；　when　I　was　silent；
  The　apostolic　light；　at　whose　command
  I　spoken　had；　in　speaking　I　so　pleased　him。
  Paradiso：　Canto　XXV
  If　e'er　it　happen　that　the　Poem　Sacred；
  To　which　both　heaven　and　earth　have　set　their　hand；
  So　that　it　many　a　year　hath　made　me　lean；
  O'ercome　the　cruelty　that　bars　me　out
  From　the　fair　sheepfold；　where　a　lamb　I　slumbered；
  An　enemy　to　the　wolves　that　war　upon　it；
  With　other　voice　forthwith；