CANTO IV. ETWEEN two viands, equally removed BET Band tempting, a free man would die of hunger Ere either he could bring unto his teeth. So would a lamb between the ravenings Of two fierce wolves stand fearing both alike; 5 Relieving Nebuchadnezzar from the wrath Thou arguest, if good will be permanent, Again for doubting furnish thee occasion. 15 20 These are the questions which upon thy wish 25 30 Moses, and Samuel, and whichever John To speak thus is adapted to your mind, 35 40 To God attributes, and means something else; 45 And Holy Church under an aspect human Gabriel and Michael represents to you, And the other who made Tobit whole again. That which Timæus argues of the soul Doth not resemble that which here is seen, He Because it seems that as he speaks he thinks. says the soul unto its star returns, Believing it to have been severed thence B 50 Perhaps his doctrine is of other guise Than the words sound, and possibly may be The whole world nearly, till it went astray Could never lead thee otherwhere from me. That as unjust our justice should appear In eyes of mortals, is an argument Of faith, and not of sin heretical. To thoroughly penetrate this verity, 55 60 65 70 Co-operates not with him who uses force, These souls were not on that account excused; 75 For will is never quenched unless it will, But operates as nature doth in fire, If violence a thousand times distort it. Hence, if it yieldeth more or less, it seconds The force; and these have done so, having power Of turning back unto the holy place. If their will had been perfect, like to that Which Lawrence fast upon his gridiron held, 85 It would have urged them back along the road 90 Before thine eyes, and such that by thyself I have for certain put into thy mind That soul beatified could never lie, [weary. For it is ever near the primal Truth, And then thou from Piccarda might'st have heard Costanza kept affection for the veil, So that she seemeth here to contradict me. Many times, brother, has it come to pass, That, to escape from peril, with reluctance That has been done it was not right to do, F'en as Alcmæon (who, being by his father Thereto entreated, his own mother slew) Not to lose pity pitiless became. At this point I desire thee to remember 95 100 105 That force with will commingles, and they cause That the offences cannot be excused. Will absolute consenteth not to evil; But in so far consenteth as it fears, If it refrain, to fall into more harm. Hence when Piccarda uses this expression, She meaneth the will absolute, and I The other, so that both of us speak truth." ΙΙΟ Such was the flowing of the holy river 115 That issued from the fount whence springs all This put to rest my wishes one and all. "O love of the first lover, O divine," [truth; Said I forthwith, "whose speech inundates me And warms me so, it more and more revives me, 120 My own affection is not so profound As to suffice in rendering grace for grace; Let Him, who sees and can, thereto respond. Well I perceive that never sated is Our intellect unless the Truth illume it, When it attains it; and it can attain it; 65 125 130 Doubt at the foot of truth; and this is nature, Which to the top from height to height impels us. This doth invite me, this assurance give me With reverence, Lady, to inquire of you Another truth, which is obscure to me. I wish to know if man can satisfy you For broken vows with other good deeds, so That in your balance they will not be light." Beatrice gazed upon me with her eyes back Full of the sparks of love, and so divine, That, overcome my power, I turned my And almost lost myself with eyes downcast. 135 140 |