The Divine Comedy by Dante, Illustrated, Paradise, Complete. Dante Alighieri

"Hear now and wonder at what next I tell.

       After with Titus it was sent to wreak

       Vengeance for vengeance of the ancient sin,

       And, when the Lombard tooth, with fangs impure,

       Did gore the bosom of the holy church,

       Under its wings victorious, Charlemagne

       Sped to her rescue. Judge then for thyself

       Of those, whom I erewhile accus'd to thee,

       What they are, and how grievous their offending,

       Who are the cause of all your ills. The one

       Against the universal ensign rears

       The yellow lilies, and with partial aim

       That to himself the other arrogates:

       So that 't is hard to see which more offends.

       Be yours, ye Ghibellines, to veil your arts

       Beneath another standard: ill is this

       Follow'd of him, who severs it and justice:

       And let not with his Guelphs the new-crown'd Charles

       Assail it, but those talons hold in dread,

       Which from a lion of more lofty port

       Have rent the easing. Many a time ere now

       The sons have for the sire's transgression wail'd;

       Nor let him trust the fond belief, that heav'n

       Will truck its armour for his lilied shield.

       "This little star is furnish'd with good spirits,

       Whose mortal lives were busied to that end,

       That honour and renown might wait on them:

       And, when desires thus err in their intention,

       True love must needs ascend with slacker beam.

       But it is part of our delight, to measure

       Our wages with the merit; and admire

       The close proportion. Hence doth heav'nly justice

       Temper so evenly affection in us,

       It ne'er can warp to any wrongfulness.

       Of diverse voices is sweet music made:

       So in our life the different degrees

       Render sweet harmony among these wheels.

       "Within the pearl, that now encloseth us,

       Shines Romeo's light, whose goodly deed and fair

       Met ill acceptance. But the Provencals,

       That were his foes, have little cause for mirth.

       Ill shapes that man his course, who makes his wrong

       Of other's worth. Four daughters were there born

       To Raymond Berenger, and every one

       Became a queen; and this for him did Romeo,

       Though of mean state and from a foreign land.

       Yet envious tongues incited him to ask

       A reckoning of that just one, who return'd

       Twelve fold to him for ten. Aged and poor

       He parted thence: and if the world did know

       The heart he had, begging his life by morsels,

       'T would deem the praise, it yields him, scantly dealt."

CANTO VII

       Table of Contents

       "Hosanna Sanctus Deus Sabaoth

       Superillustrans claritate tua

       Felices ignes horum malahoth!"

       Thus chanting saw I turn that substance bright

       With fourfold lustre to its orb again,

       Revolving; and the rest unto their dance

       With it mov'd also; and like swiftest sparks,

       In sudden distance from my sight were veil'd.

       Me doubt possess'd, and "Speak," it whisper'd me,

       "Speak, speak unto thy lady, that she quench

       Thy thirst with drops of sweetness." Yet blank awe,

       Which lords it o'er me, even at the sound

       Of Beatrice's name, did bow me down

       As one in slumber held. Not long that mood

       Beatrice suffer'd: she, with such a smile,

       As might have made one blest amid the flames,

       Beaming upon me, thus her words began:

       "Thou in thy thought art pond'ring (as I deem),

       And what I deem is truth how just revenge

       Could be with justice punish'd: from which doubt

       I soon will free thee; so thou mark my words;

       For they of weighty matter shall possess thee.

       "That man, who was unborn, himself condemn'd,

       And, in himself, all, who since him have liv'd,

       His offspring: whence, below, the human kind

       Lay sick in grievous error many an age;

       Until it pleas'd the Word of God to come

       Amongst them down, to his own person joining

       The nature, from its Maker far estrang'd,

       By the mere act of his eternal love.

       Contemplate here the wonder I unfold.

       The nature with its Maker thus conjoin'd,

       Created first was blameless, pure and good;

       But through itself alone was driven forth

       From Paradise, because it had eschew'd

       The way of truth and life, to evil turn'd.

       Ne'er then was penalty so just as that

       Inflicted by the cross, if thou regard

       The nature in assumption doom'd: ne'er wrong

       So great, in reference to him, who took

       Such nature on him, and endur'd the doom.

       God therefore and the Jews one sentence pleased:

       So different effects flow'd from one act,

       And heav'n was open'd, though the earth did quake.

       Count it not hard henceforth, when thou dost hear

       That a just vengeance was by righteous court

       Justly reveng'd. But yet I see thy mind

       By thought on thought arising sore perplex'd,

       And with how vehement desire it asks

       Solution of the maze. What I have heard,

       Is plain, thou sayst: but wherefore God this way

       For our redemption chose, eludes my search.

       "Brother! no eye of man not perfected,

       Nor fully ripen'd in the flame of love,

       May fathom this decree. It is a mark,

       In sooth, much aim'd at, and but little kenn'd:

       And I will therefore show thee why such way

       Was worthiest. The celestial love, that spume

       All envying in its bounty, in itself