And thou from this mayst argue furthermore Your resurrection, if thou think again How human flesh was fashioned at that time When the first parents both of them were made." 145 CANTO VIII. `HE world used in its peril to believe That the fair Cypria delirious love Rayed out, in the third epicycle turning ; Wherefore not only unto her paid honor Of sacrifices and of votive cry The ancient nations in the ancient error, That as her mother, this one as her son, And they from her, whence I beginning take, That wooes the sun, now following, now in front. I was not ware of our ascending to it; But of our being in it gave full faith My Lady whom I saw more beauteous grow. And as within a flame a spark is seen, And as within a voice a voice discerned, When one is steadfast, and one comes and goes, Within that light beheld I other lamps 15 Move in a circle, speeding more and less, 20 From a cold cloud descended never winds, They would not laggard and impeded seem Seen come towards us, leaving the gyration And it alone began: "We all are ready 'Ye who, intelligent, the third heaven are moving'; 25 30 35 40 Content and certain of herself had made them, Back to the light they turned, which so great promise Made of itself, and "Say, who art thou?" was My voice, imprinted with a great affection. O how and how much I beheld it grow With the new joy that superadded was Unto its joys, as soon as I had spoken! 45 [me Thus changed, it said to me: "The world possessed Short time below; and, if it had been more, Much evil will be which would not have been. 50 My gladness keepeth me concealed from thee, 54 Which rayeth round about me, and doth hide me Like as a creature swathed in its own silk. Much didst thou love me, and thou hadst good reason; For had I been below, I should have shown thee Somewhat beyond the foliage of my love. That left-hand margin, which doth bathe itself In Rhone, when it is mingled with the Sorgue, Me for its lord awaited in due time, And that horn of Ausonia, which is towned With Bari, with Gaeta and Catona, Whence Tronto and Verde in the sea disgorge. Already flashed upon my brow the crown 60 65 Of that dominion which the Danube waters After the German borders it abandons ; And beautiful Trinacria, that is murky "Twixt Pachino and Peloro, (on the gulf Which greatest scath from Eurus doth receive,) Not through Typhoeus, but through nascent sulphur, Would have awaited her own monarchs still, Through me from Charles descended and from RuIf evil lordship, that exasperates ever The subject populations, had not moved 71 [dolph, Palermo to the outcry of 'Death! death!' And if my brother could but this foresee, 75 Straight would he flee, that it might not molest him; For verily 't is needful to provide, Through him or other, so that on his bark 80 His nature, which from liberal covetous Thy speech infuses into me, my Lord, 85 90 Is it to me; and this too hold I dear, That gazing upon God thou dost discern it. Glad hast thou made me; so make clear to me, Since speaking thou hast stirred me up to doubt, How from sweet seed can bitter issue forth." This I to him; and he to me: "If I Can show to thee a truth, to what thou askest 95 Thy face thou 'lt hold as thou dost hold thy back. The Good which all the realm thou art ascending Turns and contents, maketh its providence To be a power within these bodies vast; And not alone the natures are foreseen Within the mind that in itself is perfect, But they together with their preservation. For whatsoever thing this bow shoots forth Falls foreordained unto an end foreseen, Even as a shaft directed to its mark. 100 105 If that were not, the heaven which thou dost walk 110 That keep these stars in motion are not maimed, And maimed the First, who hath not made them perfect. Wilt thou this truth have clearer made to thee?" That nature tire, I see, in what is needful." Whence he again: "Now say, would it be worse 115 For men on earth were they not citizens?" "Yes," I replied; "and here I ask no reason." "And can they be so, if below they live not Diversely unto offices diverse? No, if your master writeth well for you." Another Melchisedec, and another he To mortal wax, doth practise well her art, In seed from Jacob; and Quirinus comes From sire so vile that he is given to Mars. A generated nature its own way Would always make like its progenitors, 120 125 130 135 If Providence divine were not triumphant. Now that which was behind thee is before thee; But that thou know that I with thee am pleased, With a corollary will I mantle thee. Evermore nature, if it fortune find Discordant to it, like each other seed Out of its region, maketh evil thrift; 140 |