And as good singer a good lutanist Accompanies with vibrations of the chords, Whereby more pleasantness the song acquires, So, while it spake, do I remember me That I beheld both of those blessed lights, Even as the winking of the eyes concords, Moving unto the words their little flames. 145 A CANTO XXI. LREADY on my Lady's face mine eyes Again were fastened, and with these my mind, And from all other purpose was withdrawn ; And she smiled not; but "If I were to smile," She unto me began, "thou wouldst become Like Semele, when she was turned to ashes. Because my beauty, that along the stairs Of the eternal palace more enkindles, As thou hast seen, the farther we ascend, If it were tempered not, is so resplendent That all thy mortal power in its effulgence Would seem a leaflet that the thunder crushes. We are uplifted to the seventh splendor, That underneath the burning Lion's breast Fix in direction of thine eyes the mind, That in this mirror shall appear to thee." He who could know what was the pasturage By counterpoising one side with the other. Revolving, bears the name of its dear leader, So many splendors, that I thought each light 20 25 30 35 The rooks together at the break of day Such fashion it appeared to me was there Within the sparkling that together came, Of speech and silence, standeth still; whence I 40 45 ་ She thereupon, who saw my silentness In the sight of Him who seeth everything, Said unto me, "Let loose thy warm desire." And I began: "No merit of my own Renders me worthy of response from thee; But for her sake who granteth me the asking, Thou blessed life that dost remain concealed In thy beatitude, make known to me The cause which draweth thee so near my side; And tell me why is silent in this wheel The dulcet symphony of Paradise, That through the rest below sounds so devoutly." "Thou hast thy hearing mortal as thy sight," 50 55 60 It answer made to me; "they sing not here, For the same cause that Beatrice hath not smiled. Thus far adown the holy stairway's steps 65 Have I descended but to give thee welcome With words, and with the light that mantles me; Nor did more love cause me to be more ready, For love as much and more up there is burning, As doth the flaming manifest to thee. But the high charity, that makes us servants Prompt to the counsel which controls the world, Allotteth here, even as thou dost observe.” "I see full well," said I, "O sacred lamp! How love unfettered in this court sufficeth 70 75 No sooner had I come to the last word, 80 Than of its middle made the light a centre, Whirling itself about like a swift millstone. Then answer made the love that was therein : "On me directed is a light divine, Piercing through this in which I am embosomed, Of which the virtue with my sight conjoined Lifts me above myself so far, I see The supreme essence from which this is drawn. Hence comes the joyfulness with which I flame, For to my sight, as far as it is clear, The clearness of the flame I equal make. Of the eternal statute what thou askest, 85 90 95 100 And to the mortal world, when thou returnest, The question I relinquished, and restricted And not far distant from thy native place, [it?" 105 And form a ridge that Catria is called, Lightly I passed away the heats and frosts, So that perforce it soon must be revealed. I in that place was Peter Damiano; And Peter the Sinner was I in the house Of Our Lady on the Adriatic shore. Little of mortal life remained to me, When I was called and dragged forth to the hat 125 Which shifteth evermore from bad to worse. Came Cephas, and the mighty Vessel came Of the Holy Spirit, meagre and barefooted, Taking the food of any hostelry. Now some one to support them on each side 130 The modern shepherds need, and some to lead them, From step to step descending and revolving, 135 |