Paradiso Read online

  ‘If I am correct, you should no more wonder →

  at your rising than at a stream’s descent

  138

  from a mountain’s peak down to its foot.

  ‘It would be as astounding if you, set free

  from every hindrance, had remained below,

  as if on earth a living flame held still.’

  142

  Then she turned her face up to the heavens. →

  OUTLINE: PARADISO II

  MOON

  1–9

  apostrophe of readers (class one): turn back

  1–6

  certain readers are warned not to read Paradiso

  7–9

  the untraveled sea of the poem and Dante’s guides

  10–18

  apostrophe of readers (class two): you may follow

  10–15

  if early on you tasted the bread of angels

  16–18

  implicit simile: readers/Dante = Jason’s crew/Jason

  19–30

  ascent to the Moon

  19–26

  flight upward toward the Moon

  27–30

  Beatrice to Dante: thank God for bringing us here

  31–45

  arrival in the lunar landscape

  31–36

  Dante’s penetration of this space

  37–45

  this possible penetration of matter by matter stirs further thought (relating to the Incarnation)

  46–51

  Dante’s question: what accounts for these moonspots?

  52–148

  Beatrice’s answer: not the quantity (density and rarity), but the quality of light

  52–58

  incorrect sense-based reason surely won’t help here; but tell me what you think of this problem

  59–60

  Dante: I think it’s about rare and dense matter

  61–63

  Beatrice: you don’t know what you are talking about

  64–148

  Beatrice’s exposition:

  64–72

  (a) the fixed stars, too, seem diverse; if rarity and density were the only distinguishing marks for them, no other power would mark them;

  73–84

  (b) further, if rarity caused the dark spots, then the Moon would (i) either have “holes” or (ii) be mixed in its composition. Eclipses show (i) is false. Therefore, I shall work on (ii) and destroy that argument as well.

  85–111

  the experiment involving three mirrors

  112–148

  the “formal principle” of distribution for the universe’s matter is spiritual, not physical.

  PARADISO II

  O you, eager to hear more, → → →

  who have followed in your little bark →

  3

  my ship that singing makes its way, →

  turn back if you would see your shores again. →

  Do not set forth upon the deep,

  6

  for, losing sight of me, you would be lost.

  The seas I sail were never sailed before. → →

  Minerva fills my sails, Apollo is my guide,

  9

  nine Muses point me toward the Bears. →

  You other few who craned your necks in time → →

  to reach for angels’ bread, which gives us life on earth, →

  12

  yet never leaves us satisfied, →

  you may indeed set out, your ship afloat →

  upon the salty deep, keeping to the furrow

  15

  I have made, before the sea goes smooth again.

  Those famous men who made their way to Colchis, →

  when they saw Jason had become a plowman, →

  18

  were not as stunned as you shall be.

  The innate and never-ending thirst for God →

  in His own kingdom drew us up,

  21

  almost as swiftly as you know the heavens turn. →

  Beatrice was gazing upward, my gaze fixed on her,

  when, perhaps as quickly as a bolt strikes, →

  24

  flies, and releases from its catch,

  suddenly I found myself there

  where my eyes were drawn to an astounding sight.

  27

  And she, from whom my thoughts could not be kept

  turned to me, as full of joy as she was fair,

  to say: ‘Direct your grateful mind to God,

  30

  who has conjoined us with the nearest star.’ →

  It seemed to me that we were in a cloud, →

  shining, dense, solid, and unmarred, →

  33

  like a diamond struck by sunlight.

  The eternal pearl received us in itself,

  as water does a ray of light

  36

  and yet remains unsundered and serene.

  If I was there in flesh—on earth we can’t conceive →

  how matter may admit another matter to it,

  39

  when body flows into, becomes another body— →

  that, all the more, should kindle our desire

  to see the very One who lets us see

  42

  the way our nature was conjoined with God.

  What now we take on faith will then be seen,

  not demonstrated but made manifest,

  45

  like a priori truths, which we accept.

  I replied: ‘My Lady, with absolute devotion →

  I offer thanks to Him

  48

  who has removed me from the world of death.

  ‘But tell me, what are the dark spots

  on this body that make those down on earth

  51

  repeat their preposterous tales of Cain?’ →

  She smiled a little, then: ‘If the understanding →

  of mortals errs,’ she said, ‘there where the key

  54

  of the senses fails in its unlocking,

  ‘surely the shafts of wonder should no longer

  strike you, since you see that, dependent

  57

  on the senses, reason’s wings fall short.

  ‘But tell me what you make of this yourself.’ →

  And I: ‘The different shadings here →

  60

  are caused, I think, by bodies rare or dense.’

  And she: ‘No doubt but you shall see that this belief →

  lies deep in error—if you consider well

  63

  the arguments that I shall lodge against it.

  ‘The eighth sphere shows you many lights, → →

  which, both in magnitude and luminosity,

  66

  may be seen as having different aspects.

  ‘If this were caused by rare and dense alone,

  a single power would be in them all:

  69

  here more, there less—or equally.

  ‘Different powers must be the fruit resulting from

  formative principles, but these, except for one,

  72

  according to your reasoning, would be annulled.

  ‘What is more, if that dark of which you ask → →

  had rareness as its cause, this planet

  75

  would be lacking matter in some parts,

  ‘or else, just as fat and lean

  alternate in mass upon a body, this planet

  78

  would alternate the pages of its volume.

  Were the first case true, this would be shown

  in the sun’s eclipse, when light showed through,

  81

  as when it shines through any rarer medium.

  ‘But such is not the case: therefore, let us consider

  your other argument and, if I show it to be false, →

  84

  then your opinion will be proven wrong.

  ‘If this r
arer substance does not go all the way,

  there must be a point at which its denser opposite

  87

  would not allow the light to pass on through

  ‘and thus a ray of light would be thrown back

  just as color is reflected from the glass

  90

  by the hidden layer of lead that lies beneath.

  ‘Now, you will object, the ray shows dark there →

  more than in the other parts

  93

  because it is reflected from a farther source.

  ‘From this objection, an experiment— →

  should you ever try it—may set you free, experiment,

  96

  the source that feeds the streams of all your arts.

  ‘Take three mirrors, placing two at equal distance

  from you, letting the third, from farther off,

  99

  also meet your eyes, between the other two.

  ‘Still turned to them, have someone set,

  well back of you, a light that, shining out,

  102

  returns as bright reflection from all three.

  ‘Although the light seen farthest off

  seems smaller in its size, still you will observe

  105

  that it must shine with equal brightness.

  ‘Now, as the substantial form of snow, →

  if struck by warming rays, is then deprived

  108

  both of its former color and its cold,

  ‘I shall now reshape your intellect,

  thus deprived, with a light so vibrant

  111

  that your mind will quiver at the sight.

  ‘Beneath the heaven of divine repose →

  revolves a body in whose power resides

  114

  the being of all things contained in it.

  ‘The next heaven, which holds so many sights, →

  distributes its being among various forms,

  117

  contained in it and yet distinct from it.

  ‘All the other spheres, in varying ways, →

  direct their distinctive qualities

  120

  to their own purposes and influence.

  ‘Thus do these organs of the universe proceed, →

  as now you see, step by step,

  123

  rendering below what they take from above.

  ‘Observe well how I pass along this way →

  to the truth you seek, so that in time

  126

  you may know how to ford the stream alone.

  ‘The motion and the power of the holy wheels →

  must be derived from the blessèd movers,

  129

  as the work of the hammer from the smith.

  ‘And the heaven made fair by all these lights →

  takes its stamp from the intellect that makes it turn,

  132

  making of itself the very seal of that imprinting.

  ‘And as the soul within your dust →

  is distributed through the different members,

  135

  conforming to their various faculties,

  ‘so angelic intelligence unfolds its bounty,

  multiplied down through the stars,

  138

  while revolving in its separate oneness.

  ‘Each differentiated power makes a different alloy →

  with each precious body that it quickens,

  141

  with which, even as does life in you, it binds.

  ‘From the joyous nature whence it springs, →

  the mingled potency shines through its star,

  144

  as joy shines in the living pupil of an eye.

  ‘From this power is derived the difference seen →

  from light to light, and not from dense and rare.

  This is the formative principle that creates,

  148

  according to its worth, the dark and bright.’

  OUTLINE: PARADISO III

  MOON (continues)

  1–9

  Dante’s intellect corrected (about the moonspots)

  1–9

  Dante would confess his error and newfound certitude, but he is distracted by a presence

  10–24

  souls in the Moon

  10–18

  simile: image in Moon and reflection on mirror or water

  19–24

  Dante as counter-Narcissus, looking away

  25–33

  Beatrice’s smiling reproof and correction

  25–27

  silly fellow, looking into vacancy,

  28–33

  these are real beings; speak to them

  34–41

  Dante focuses on questioning Piccarda:

  34–41

  (a) who are you? (b) what is your condition?

  42–57

  Piccarda’s responses

  42–45

  our charity conforms to such a wish as yours

  46–51

  (a) I am the nun Piccarda

  52–57

  (b) with cause are we low in celestial rank

  58–66

  Dante’s reaction and follow-up question

  58–63

  your words allow me to recognize you

  64–66

  don’t you long to be higher in the heavens?

  67–87

  Piccarda’s response

  67–87

  our will is His will

  88–96

  Dante returns to his first question

  88–90

  Dante understands Piccarda’s precision

  91–96

  simile: Dante wants to order a second course

  97–108

  Piccarda’s response

  97–108

  Piccarda narrates her vocation and dereliction

  109–120

  Piccarda tells of Costanza

  109–120

  she never gave up her will to be a nun

  121–130

  Piccarda withdraws

  121–125

  Dante follows the sight of her as long as he can,

  126–130

  then turns back to Beatrice, whose splendor quiets his questioning.

  PARADISO III

  That sun which first made warm my breast with love → →

  had now disclosed, by proof and refutation, →

  3

  the sweet and lovely features of the truth.

  To confess myself corrected and convinced →

  I raised my head no higher

  6

  than saying so required,

  but then appeared a sight →

  which so drew my attention

  9

  that my confession quickly slipped from mind.

  As through clear, transparent glass →

  or through still and limpid water,

  12

  not so deep that its bed is lost from view,

  the outlines of our faces are returned

  so faint a pearl on a pallid forehead

  15

  comes no less clearly to our eyes,

  I saw many such faces eager to speak,

  at which I fell into the error opposite to that →

  18

  which inflamed a man to love a fountain.

  As soon as I became aware of them, →

  believing them to be reflections,

  21

  I turned around to see from whom they came

  and, seeing nothing, I returned my gaze

  to the light of my sweet guide,

  24

  whose holy eyes were glowing as she smiled.

  ‘Be not surprised,’ she said, ‘if I am smiling →

  at your childish thoughts, since they as yet trust not

  27

  their steps to truth but turn you back,

  ‘as is their custom,
toward emptiness.

  These are real beings that you see, →

  30

  assigned this place for failing in their vows.

  ‘Therefore speak with them, listen, and believe, →

  for the true light that brings them peace

  33

  does not allow their steps to stray.’

  And, addressing myself to the shade →

  that seemed most keen to speak, I began, →

  36

  like a man muddled by excessive zeal:

  ‘O spirit made for bliss, who in the beams →

  of life eternal savor the sweetness

  39

  that, untasted, cannot be understood,

  ‘I shall take it as a kindness if you share with me

  your name and lot, and the lot of others here.’

  42

  Then she, eager and with smiling eyes:

  ‘Our love shuts not its doors against just will, →

  any more than does the love of God, who wills

  45

  that all His court be like Himself.

  ‘In the world I was a virgin sister. →

  If you search your memory, →

  48

  my having grown more fair will not conceal my name

  ‘and you will recognize me as Piccarda, →

  placed here among these other blessèd souls,

  51

  and blessèd am I in the slowest of these spheres. →

  ‘Our affections, which are inflamed →

  only when they please the Holy Spirit,

  54

  take joy in their adherence to His plan,

  ‘and this our lot, which seems so very low, →

  is given us because of vows neglected

  57

  and, in part, no longer valid.’

  Then I said to her: ‘From your transfigured faces →