The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• The Trinity of Love
• Preface
• Paradiso I
• Paradiso Ii
• Paradiso Iii
• Paradiso Iv
• Paradiso V
• Paradiso Vi
• Paradiso Vii
• Paradiso Viii
• Paradiso Ix
• Paradiso X
• Paradiso Xi
• Paradiso Xii
• Paradiso Xiii
• Paradiso Xiv
• Paradiso Xv
• Paradiso Xvi
• Paradiso Xvii
• Paradiso Xviii
• Paradiso Xix
• Paradiso Xx
• Paradiso Xxi
• Paradiso Xxii
• Paradiso Xxiii
• Paradiso Xxiv
• Paradiso Xxv
• Paradiso Xxvi
• Paradiso Xxvii
• Paradiso Xxviii
• Paradiso Xxix
• Paradiso Xxx
• Paradiso Xxxi
• Paradiso Xxxii
• Paradiso Xxxiii

PARADISO XXIX

• When, by the Ram and by the Scales surmounted,
• both children of Latona make together
• a girdle of the earth’s horizon line,
• as long as from the moment when the zenith
• holds them in equipoise, till from that girdle
• both free themselves by changing hemisphere;
• only so long did Beatrice keep silent,
• a smile her face adorning, as she gazed
• intently on the Point which vanquished me.

• She then began: “I tell, but do not ask,
• what thou art fain to hear, for I have seen it
• where every Where and every When is fixed.

• Not for the gain of good unto Himself,
• which is not possible, but that His Splendor
• might in resplendency declare ‘I AM,’
• in His Eternity, outside of time,
• out of all limits else, the Eternal Love,
• as pleased Him, in new loves disclosed Himself.
• Nor yet ere this did He remain inert,
• for neither after nor before, occurred
• God’s going to and fro upon these waters.

• Both form and matter, simple and conjoined,
• came into being which had no defect,
• even as three arrows from a three-stringed bow;
• and as in glass, in amber or in crystal,
• a ray so shines, that from the time it comes
• till its completion, is no interval;
• thus from its Lord did that triform effect
• ray forth into its being all at once,
• without distinction as to its beginning.

• Order was concreate, and for the substances
• ordained; and highest in the world were those
• in whom activity was brought forth pure.
• Pure potentiality the lowest place assumed;
• and ’tween these two so strong a bond activity
• and potentiality conjoined, that never will it be unbound.

• Jerome concerning Angels wrote for you
• that their creation was an age-long tract
• of time before the remnant world was made;
• but written is this truth in many places
• by writers of the Holy Ghost; and there
• thou ’lt see it, if but carefully thou look;
• and reason, too, sees this to some extent,
• for it could not acknowledge that the Motors
• could be so long deprived of their perfection.

• And now thou knowest where and when these loves
• created were, and how; hence in thy longing
• three ardors have already been extinguished.

• Nor, counting, would one reach as far as twenty,
• as quickly as a portion of the Angels
• disturbed the lowest of your elements.
• The rest remained; and with such great delight
• began the art, which thou beholdest here,
• that never from their circling have they ceased.
• The Fall’s occasion was the cursèd pride
• of him, whom thou didst see oppressed by all
• the burdens of the world. Those whom thou here
• beholdest, modest were, and recognized
• themselves as from that Goodness sprung, which apt
• had made them for such great intelligence.
• And therefore by illuminating Grace,
• and by their merit, was their sight so raised,
• that now a full and steadfast will is theirs.
• Nor would I have thee doubt, but be assured,
• that to receive God’s Grace is meritorious,
• according as affection opes to it.

• And now concerning this consistory,
• much canst thou contemplate without more help,
• if thou hast apprehended well my words.
• But seeing that on earth throughout your schools
• men teach that such the Angelic nature is,
• that it both understands, recalls and wills,
• I’ll further speak, that thou the simple truth
• mayst see, which there below confounded is,
• because the doctrine taught equivocates.

• These substances, e’er since the face of God
• first gladdened them, have not withdrawn
• their eyes therefrom, whence nothing is concealed.
• They have no vision which is interrupted,
• therefore, by objects new to them, and hence
• need not remember by divided thought;
• folk, therefore, dream down there, though not asleep,
• some thinking that their words are true, some not;
• but greater is the latter’s sin and shame.

• And ye down yonder follow not one path,
• when ye philosophize; so much doth love
• of show, and being famed for it, transport you.
• And yet with even less disdain is this
• endured up here, than when the Holy Scripture
• is set aside, or turned to wrong account.
• No one considers there how much it costs
• to sow it in the world, or how much he,
• who humbly clings to it, gives pleasure here.
• Each strives to call attention to himself,
• making his own inventions; these are taught
• by preachers, while the Gospel’s voice is stilled.
• One says that while the Christ was suffering death
• the moon turned back, and interposed herself;
• and hence the sun’s light failed to reach the earth;
• others that of its own accord the light
• concealed itself, hence its eclipse affected
• Spaniards and Hindoos, as it did the Jews.

• Florence hath not so many Lapi and Bindi
• as fables such as these, which all year long
• are shouted from the pulpits everywhere;
• hence the poor sheep, who do not know, return
• from pasture fed on wind; nor doth the fact
• that they see not that they are harmed, excuse them.
• Christ did not say to His first company:
• “Go and preach idle stories to the world!”
• but gave them a foundation for the truth;
• and that alone found utterance from their lips;
• therefore, when striving to enkindle faith,
• they used the Gospel as their shield and lance.
• Men now go forth to preach with jests and tricks,
• and so, if but a hearty laugh is raised,
• the cowl puffs up, and nothing more is asked.
• But in its tail there nestles such a bird,
• that if the crowd perceived it, it would see
• what that forgiveness is, in which it trusts;
• therefore such folly hath increased on earth,
• that without proof or other attestation,
• to any kind of promise men would flock.
• Saint Anthony is fattening thus his pig,
• and others also fouler far than his,
• by paying money void of coinage stamp.

• But since a great digression we have made,
• turn thine eyes backward to the straight road now,
• that thus our way be shortened with our time.

• This nature so exceedingly extends
• in number, that there never was or speech,
• or mortal thought, that could extend so far.
• And if thou look at that which is disclosed
• by Daniel, thou wilt see that in his ‘thousands’
• no well determined number is revealed.

• The Primal Light, which rays out on it all,
• is in as many ways therein received,
• as are the lights wherewith It pairs Itself;
• hence, since affection follows on the act
• which understands, love’s sweetness is therein
• burning or warm in different degrees.

• And now see how exceeding high and broad
• is that Eternal Worth, which makes Itself
• so many mirrors, whereupon It breaks,
• while in Itself, as erst, remaining One!”