By　which　the　sacred　stairways　are　divided。
  Upon　this　side；　where　perfect　is　the　flower
  With　each　one　of　its　petals；　seated　are
  Those　who　believed　in　Christ　who　was　to　come。
  Upon　the　other　side；　where　intersected
  With　vacant　spaces　are　the　semicircles；
  Are　those　who　looked　to　Christ　already　come。
  And　as；　upon　this　side；　the　glorious　seat
  Of　the　Lady　of　Heaven；　and　the　other　seats
  Below　it；　such　a　great　division　make；
  So　opposite　doth　that　of　the　great　John；
  Who；　ever　holy；　desert　and　martyrdom
  Endured；　and　afterwards　two　years　in　Hell。
  And　under　him　thus　to　divide　were　chosen
  Francis；　and　Benedict；　and　Augustine；
  And　down　to　us　the　rest　from　round　to　round。
  Behold　now　the　high　providence　divine；
  For　one　and　other　aspect　of　the　Faith
  In　equal　measure　shall　this　garden　fill。
  And　know　that　downward　from　that　rank　which　cleaves
  Midway　the　sequence　of　the　two　divisions；
  Not　by　their　proper　merit　are　they　seated；
  But　by　another's　under　fixed　conditions；
  For　these　are　spirits　one　and　all　assoiled
  Before　they　any　true　election　had。
  Well　canst　thou　recognise　it　in　their　faces；
  And　also　in　their　voices　puerile；
  If　thou　regard　them　well　and　hearken　to　them。
  Now　doubtest　thou；　and　doubting　thou　art　silent；
  But　I　will　loosen　for　thee　the　strong　bond
  In　which　thy　subtile　fancies　hold　thee　fast。
  Within　the　amplitude　of　this　domain
  No　casual　point　can　possibly　find　place；
  No　more　than　sadness　can；　or　thirst；　or　hunger；
  For　by　eternal　law　has　been　established
  Whatever　thou　beholdest；　so　that　closely
  The　ring　is　fitted　to　the　finger　here。
  And　therefore　are　these　people；　festinate
  Unto　true　life；　not　'sine　causa'　here
  More　and　less　excellent　among　themselves。
  The　King；　by　means　of　whom　this　realm　reposes
  In　so　great　love　and　in　so　great　delight
  That　no　will　ventureth　to　ask　for　more；
  In　his　own　joyous　aspect　every　mind
  Creating；　at　his　pleasure　dowers　with　grace
  Diversely；　and　let　here　the　effect　suffice。
  And　this　is　clearly　and　expressly　noted
  For　you　in　Holy　Scripture；　in　those　twins
  Who　in　their　mother　had　their　anger　roused。
  According　to　the　colour　of　the　hair；
  Therefore；　with　such　a　grace　the　light　supreme
  Consenteth　that　they　worthily　be　crowned。
  Without；　then；　any　merit　of　their　deeds；
  Stationed　are　they　in　different　gradations；
  Differing　only　in　their　first　acuteness。
  'Tis　true　that　in　the　early　centuries；
  With　innocence；　to　work　out　their　salvation
  Sufficient　was　the　faith　of　parents　only。
  After　the　earlier　ages　were　completed；
  Behoved　it　that　the　males　by　circumcision
  Unto　their　innocent　wings　should　virtue　add；
  But　after　that　the　time　of　grace　had　come
  Without　the　baptism　absolute　of　Christ；
  Such　innocence　below　there　was　retained。
  Look　now　into　the　face　that　unto　Christ
  Hath　most　resemblance；　for　its　brightness　only
  Is　able　to　prepare　thee　to　see　Christ。〃
  On　her　did　I　behold　so　great　a　gladness
  Rain　down；　borne　onward　in　the　holy　minds
  Created　through　that　altitude　to　fly；
  That　whatsoever　I　had　seen　before
  Did　not　suspend　me　in　such　admiration；
  Nor　show　me　such　similitude　of　God。
  And　the　same　Love　that　first　descended　there；
  〃Ave　Maria；　gratia　plena；〃　singing；
  In　front　of　her　his　wings　expanded　wide。
  Unto　the　canticle　divine　responded
  From　every　part　the　court　beatified；
  So　that　each　sight　became　serener　for　it。
  〃O　holy　father；　who　for　me　endurest
  To　be　below　here；　leaving　the　sweet　place
  In　which　thou　sittest　by　eternal　lot；
  Who　is　the　Angel　that　with　so　much　joy
  Into　the　eyes　is　looking　of　our　Queen；
  Enamoured　so　that　he　seems　made　of　fire？〃
  Thus　I　again　recourse　had　to　the　teaching
  Of　that　one　who　delighted　him　in　Mary
  As　doth　the　star　of　morning　in　the　sun。
  And　he　to　me：　〃Such　gallantry　and　grace
  As　there　can　be　in　Angel　and　in　soul；
  All　is　in　him；　and　thus　we　fain　would　have　it；
  Because　he　is　the　one　who　bore　the　palm
  Down　unto　Mary；　when　the　Son　of　God
  To　take　our　burden　on　himself　decreed。
  But　now　come　onward　with　thine　eyes；　as　I
  Speaking　shall　go；　and　note　the　great　patricians
  Of　this　most　just　and　merciful　of　empires。
  Those　two　that　sit　above　there　most　enrapture
  As　being　very　near　unto　Augusta；
  Are　as　it　were　the　two　roots　of　this　Rose。
  He　who　upon　the　left　is　near　her　placed
  The　father　is；　by　whose　audacious　taste
  The　human　species　so　much　bitter　tastes。
  Upon　the　right　thou　seest　that　ancient　father
  Of　Holy　Church；　into　whose　keeping　Christ
  The　keys　committed　of　this　lovely　flower。
  And　he　who　all　the　evil　days　beheld；
  Before　his　death；　of　her　the　beauteous　bride
  Who　with　the　spear　and　with　the　nails　was　won；
  Beside　him　sits；　and　by　the　other　rests
  That　leader　under　whom　on　manna　lived
  The　people　ingrate；　fickle；　and　stiff…necked。
  Opposite　Peter　seest　thou　Anna　seated；
  So　well　content　to　look　upon　her　daughter；
  Her　eyes　she　moves　not　while　she　sings　Hosanna。
  And　opposite　the　eldest　household　father
  Lucia　sits；　she　who　thy　Lady　moved
  When　to　rush　downward　thou　didst　bend　thy　brows。
  But　since　the　moments　of　thy　vision　fly；
  Here　will　we　make　full　stop；　as　a　good　tailor
  Who　makes　the　gown　according　to　his　cloth；
  And　unto　the　first　Love　will　turn　our　eyes；
  That　looking　upon　Him　thou　penetrate
  As　far　as　possible　through　his　effulgence。
  Truly；　lest　peradventure　thou　recede；
  Moving　thy　wings　believing　to　advance；
  By　prayer　behoves　it　that　grace　be　obtained；
  Grace　from　that　one　who　has　the　power　to　aid　thee；
  And　thou　shalt　follow　me　with　thy　affection
  That　from　my　words　thy　heart　turn　not　aside。〃
  And　he　began　this　holy　orison。
  Paradiso：　Canto　XXXIII
  〃Thou　Virgin　Mother；　daughter　of　thy　Son；
  Humble　and　high　beyond　all　other　creature；
  The　limit　fixed　of　the　eternal　counsel；
  Thou　art　the　one　who　such　nobility
  To　human　nature　gave；　that　its　Creator
  Did　not　disdain　to　make　himself　its　creature。
  Within　thy　womb　rekindled　was　the　love；
  By　heat　of　which　in　the　eternal　peace
  After　such　wise　this　flower　has　germinated。
  Here　unto　us　thou　art　a　noonday　torch
  Of　charity；　and　below　there　among　mortals
  Thou　art　the　living　fountain…head　of　hope。
  Lady；　thou　art　so　great；　and　so　prevailing；
  That　he　who　wishes　grace；　nor　runs　to　thee；
  His　aspirations　without　wings　would　fly。
  Not　only　thy　benignity　gives　succour
  To　him　who　asketh　it；　but　oftentimes
  Forerunneth　of　its　own　accord　the　asking。
  In　thee　compassion　is；　in　thee　is　pity；
  In　thee　magnificence；　in　thee　unites
  Whate'er　of　goodness　is　in　any　creature。
  Now　doth　this　man；　who　from　the　lowest　depth
  Of　the　universe　as　far　as　here　has　seen
  One　after　one　the　spiritual　lives；
  Supplicate　thee　through　grace　for　so　much　power
  That　with　his　eyes　he　may　uplift　himself
  Higher　towards　the　uttermost　salvation。
  And　I；　who　never　burned　for　my　own　seeing
  More　than　I　do　for　his；　all　of　my　prayers
  Proffer　to　thee；　and　pray　they　come　not　short；
  That　thou　wouldst　scatter　from　him　every　cloud
  Of　his　mortality　so　with　thy　prayers；
  That　the　Chief　Pleasure　be　to　him　displayed。
  Still　farther　do　I　pray　thee；　Queen；　who　canst
  Whate'er　thou　wilt；　that　sound　thou　mayst　preserve
  After　so　great　a　vision　his　affections。
  Let　thy　protection　conquer　human　movements；
  See　Beatrice　and　all　the　blessed　ones
  My　prayers　to　second　clasp　their　hands　to　thee！〃
  The　eyes　beloved　and　revered　of　God；
  Fastened　upon　the　speaker；　showed　to　us
  How　grateful　unto　her　are　prayers　devout；
  Then　unto　the　Eternal　Light　they　turned；
  On　which　it　is　not　credible　could　be
  By　any　creature　bent　an　eye　so　clear。
  And　I；　who　to　the　end　of　all　desires
  Was　now　approaching；　even　as　I　ought
  The　ardour　of　desire　within　me　ended。
  Bernard　was　beckoning　unto　me；　and　smiling；
  That　I　should　upward　look；　but　I　already
  Was　of　my　own　accord　such　as　he　wished；
  Because　my　sight；　becoming　purified；
  Was　entering　more　and　more　into　the　ray
  Of　the　High　Light　which　of　itself　is　true。
  From　that　time　forward　what　I　saw　was　greater
  Than　our　discourse；　that　to　such　vision　yields；
  And　yields　the　memory　unto　such　excess。
  Even　as　he　is　who　seeth　in　a　dream；
  And　after　dreaming　the　imprinted　passion
  Remains；　and　to　his　mind　the　rest　returns　not；
  Even　such　am　I；　for　almost　utterly
  Ceases　my　vision；　and　distilleth　yet
  Within　my　heart　the　sweetness　born　of　it；
  Even　thus　the　snow　is　in　the　sun　unsealed；
  Even　thus　upon　the　wind　in　the　light　leaves
  Were　the　soothsayings　of　the　Sibyl　lost。
  O　Light　Supreme；　that　dost　so　far　uplift　thee
  From　the　conceits　of　mortals；　to　my　mind
  Of　what　thou　didst　appear　re…lend　a　little；
  And　make　my　tongue　of　so　great　puissance；
  That　but　a　single　sparkle　of　thy　glory
  It　may　bequeath　unto　the　future　people；
  For　by　returning　to　my　memory　somewhat；
  And　by　a　little　sounding　in　these　verses；
  More　of　thy　victory　shall　be　conceived！
  I　think　the　keenness　of　the　living　ray
  Which　I　endured　would　have　bewildered　me；
  If　but　mine　eyes　had　been　averted　from　it；
  And　I　reme