The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (13 inch ebook reader .txt) 📕

to me somewhat farther.
And it began: “In this fifth resting-place
Upon the tree that liveth by its summit,1687
And aye bears fruit, and never loses leaf,
Are blessed spirits that below, ere yet
They came to Heaven, were of such great renown
That every Muse therewith would affluent be.
Therefore look thou upon the cross’s horns;
He whom I now shall name will there enact
What doth within a cloud its own swift fire.”
I saw athwart the Cross a splendor drawn
By naming Joshua, (even as he did it,)1688
Nor noted I the word before the deed;
And at the name of the great Maccabee1689
I saw another move itself revolving,
And gladness was the whip unto that top.1690
Likewise for Charlemagne and for Orlando,1691
Two of them my regard attentive followed
As followeth the eye its falcon flying.
William thereafterward, and Renouard,1692
And the Duke Godfrey, did attract my sight1693
Along upon that Cross, and Robert Guiscard.1694
Then, moved and mingled with the other lights,
The soul that had addressed me showed how great
An artist ’twas among the heavenly singers.
To my right side I turned myself around,
My duty to behold in Beatrice
Either by words or gesture signified;
And so translucent I beheld her eyes,
So full of pleasure, that her countenance
Surpassed its other and its latest wont.
And as, by feeling greater delectation,
A man in doing good from day to day
Becomes aware his virtue is increasing,
So I became aware that my gyration
With heaven together had increased its arc,
That miracle beholding more adorned.1695
And such as is the change, in little lapse
Of time, in a pale woman, when her face
Is from the load of bashfulness unladen,
Such was it in mine eyes, when I had turned,1696
Caused by the whiteness of the temperate star,
The sixth, which to itself had gathered me.
Within that Jovial torch did I behold
The sparkling of the love which was therein
Delineate our language to mine eyes.
And even as birds uprisen from the shore,
As in congratulation o’er their food,
Make squadrons of themselves, now round, now long,1697
So from within those lights the holy creatures
Sang flying to and fro, and in their figures
Made of themselves now d, now i, now l.1698
First singing they to their own music moved;
Then one becoming of these characters,
A little while they rested and were silent.
O divine Pegasea, thou who genius1699
Dost glorious make, and render it long-lived,
And this through thee the cities and the kingdoms,
Illume me with thyself, that I may bring
Their figures out as I have them conceived!
Apparent be thy power in these brief verses!
Themselves then they displayed in five times seven
Vowels and consonants; and I observed
The parts as they seemed spoken unto me.
Diligite justitiam, these were
First verb and noun of all that was depicted;
Qui judicatis terram were the last.1700
Thereafter in the m of the fifth word
Remained they so arranged, that Jupiter
Seemed to be silver there with gold inlaid.
And other lights I saw descend where was
The summit of the m, and pause there singing
The good, I think, that draws them to itself.
Then, as in striking upon burning logs1701
Upward there fly innumerable sparks,
Whence fools are wont to look for auguries,
More than a thousand lights seemed thence to rise,1702
And to ascend, some more, and others less,
Even as the Sun that lights them had allotted;
And, each one being quiet in its place,
The head and neck beheld I of an eagle1703
Delineated by that inlaid fire.
He who there paints has none to be his guide;
But Himself guides; and is from Him remembered
That virtue which is form unto the nest.1704
The other beatitude, that contented seemed1705
At first to bloom a lily on the m,
By a slight motion followed out the imprint.
O gentle star! what and how many gems
Did demonstrate to me, that all our justice
Effect is of that heaven which thou ingemmest!
Wherefore I pray the Mind, in which begin
Thy motion and thy virtue, to regard
Whence comes the smoke that vitiates thy rays;
So that a second time it now be wroth
With buying and with selling in the temple
Whose walls were built with signs and martyrdoms!1706
O soldiery of heaven, whom I contemplate,
Implore for those who are upon the earth
All gone astray after the bad example!1707
Once ’twas the custom to make war with swords;
But now ’tis made by taking here and there1708
The bread the pitying Father shuts from none.
Yet thou, who writest but to cancel, think1709
That Peter and that Paul, who for this vineyard
Which thou art spoiling died, are still alive!
Well canst thou say: “So steadfast my desire
Is unto him who willed to live alone,
And for a dance was led to martyrdom,1710
That I know not the Fisherman nor Paul.” Canto XIX

The eagle discourses of salvation by faith.

Appeared before me with its wings outspread1711
The beautiful image that in sweet fruition
Made jubilant the interwoven souls;
Appeared a little ruby each, wherein
Ray of the sun was burning so enkindled
That each into mine eyes refracted it.
And what it now behoves me to retrace
Nor voice has e’er reported, nor ink written,
Nor was by fantasy e’er comprehended;
For speak I saw, and likewise heard, the beak,
And utter with its voice both I and My,
When in conception it was We and Our.1712
And it began: “Being just and merciful
Am I exalted here unto that glory
Which cannot be exceeded by desire;
And upon earth I