Paradiso (26 page)

               
and I saw her eyes so clear, so joyful,

               
that her aspect in its radiance outshone   
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her former glory, even that most recent.

               
And as, from feeling more delight in doing good,

               
a man becomes aware from day to day

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of his increasing virtue,

               
seeing that miracle adorned with greater brightness,   
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I became aware my wheeling circles

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through the heavens had grown wider in their arc.

               
And such a change as passes in a moment   
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from the blushing face of a fair-skinned lady,

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unburdened of the reason for her shame,

               
greeted my eyes once I had turned around,

               
because of the white radiance of the temperate

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sixth star, which had gathered me into itself.

               
In that torch of Jupiter I watched   
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the sparkling of the love resplendent there

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make signs, before my eyes, of our speech.   
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And as birds risen from the river’s edge,   
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seeming to celebrate their pleasure in their food,   
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form now a rounded arc, and now another shape,

               
so, radiant within their lights, the holy creatures   
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sang as they flew and shaped themselves

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in figures, now
D
, now
I
, now
L
.

               
At first, singing, they danced to their own tune.

               
And then, taking on one of these shapes,

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they paused in their movement and were silent.

               
O divine Pegasean, who bestow glory   
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and long life on genius, as, with your help,

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it gives life to towns and kingdoms,

               
inspire me with your light so that I may set down

               
their shapes as I conceived them in my mind.

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May your power appear in these few lines.

               
They then displayed themselves in five times seven   
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consonants and vowels, and I saw these letters

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singly, and in the order they were traced.

               
DILIGITE IUSTITIAM
—these letters,   
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placed together, verb and noun, came first,

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QUI IUDICATIS TERRAM
, last.

               
Then they came to rest in the fifth word’s
M
   
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so that this place in Jupiter was shining   
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as does silver overlaid with gold.

               
And I saw other lights descend and settle   
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on the
M
’s high crest to sing, I think,

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of that great Good which draws them to Itself.   
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Then, as when someone strikes a burning log,   
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causing innumerable sparks to fly,   
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sparks from which the foolish form their divinations,

               
just so a thousand lights and more appeared

               
to rise from there and mount, some more, some less,

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as the Sun that kindles them ordained.   
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When each had settled in its place

               
I saw an eagle’s head and neck

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take shape out of that overlay of fire.

               
He who fashions there has need of none to guide Him   
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but Himself. Thus we recognize as His

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the form that every bird takes for its nest.

               
The other blessèd spirits, who seemed at first content   
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to turn themselves into a lily on the
M
,   
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with gentle motion joined, completing the design.

               
O lovely star, how many and how bright the jewels   
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that showed me that our earthly justice

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comes from that heaven, brilliant with your gems!

               
Therefore, I entreat the Mind, in which your motion   
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and your power begin, to look down on the source

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of smoke that dims your radiant beam,

               
so that your wrath come down once more

               
on those who buy and sell within the temple,   
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whose walls were built of miracle and martyrdom.

               
O soldiery of Heaven, whom I contemplate,   
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pray for those still on the earth,

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those led astray by bad example!   
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It was the custom once to go to war with swords.   
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Now wars are fought withholding here and there

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the bread our loving Father keeps from none.

               
But you who write only to cancel,   
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remember this: Peter and Paul, who died   
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to save the vineyard you lay waste, still live.

               
Well may you say: ‘I have so set my heart

               
on him who chose to live in solitude

               
and who for a dance was dragged to martyrdom

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that I know neither the Fisherman nor Paul.’

               
Before my eyes, its open wings outstretched,   
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appeared the lovely image of those interwoven souls,   
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reveling in sweet enjoyment.

               
Each one seemed to be a single ruby

               
in which the sun’s ray burned with such a flame

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it felt as though a sunbeam struck my eyes.

               
And what I now must tell   
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no voice has ever uttered, nor ink ever wrote,

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nor was it ever seen in phantasy.   
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For I saw and heard it was the beak that spoke,   
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sounding with its voice the words for
I
and
my

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when, in conception, it meant
we
and
our
.

               
It said: ‘For being just and merciful   
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I here am raised unto that glory   
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which by itself desire cannot attain.