With you was born, and hid himself with you, 115 And then when grace was freely given to me To enter the high wheel which turns you round, 120 To you devoutly at this hour my soul Is sighing, that it virtue may acquire That comes rejoicing through this rounded ether." 125 130 I with my sight returned through one and all 135 And that opinion I approve as best Which doth account it least; and he who thinks I saw the daughter of Latona shining Without that shadow, which to me was cause The aspect of thy son, Hyperion, 140 Here I sustained, and saw how move themselves 145 How great they are, and eke how swift they are, 150 The threshing-floor that maketh us so proud, CANTO XXIII. EVEN as a bird, 'mid the beloved leaves, Throughout the night, that hideth all things from us, And with an ardent longing waits the sun, 'Gazing intent as soon as breaks the dawn: Even thus my Lady standing was, erect And vigilant, turned round towards the zone Of Christ's triumphal march, and all the fruit And eyes she had so full of ecstasy Who paint the firmament through all its gulfs, Saw I, above the myriads of lamps, A Sun that one and all of them enkindled, To me she said: "What overmasters thee That oped the thoroughfares 'twixt heaven and earth, Dilating so it finds not room therein, And down, against its nature, falls to earth, So did my mind, among those aliments Becoming larger, issue from itself, แ And that which it became cannot remember. "Open thine eyes, and look at what I am: 30 335 40 45 Thou hast beheld such things, that strong enough I was as one who still retains the feeling Of so much gratitude, it never fades It would not reach, singing the holy smile And therefore, representing Paradise, The sacred poem must perforce leap over, But whoso thinketh of the ponderous theme, This which goes cleaving the audacious prow, That to the garden fair thou turnest not, Which under the rays of Christ is blossoming? There is the Rose in which the Word Divine Became incarnate; there the lilies are By whose perfume the good way was discovered." Was wholly ready, once again betook me As in the sunshine, that unsullied streams Through fractured cloud, ere now a meadow of flowers 80 Mine eyes with shadow covered o'er have seen, So troops of splendors manifold I saw Illumined from above with burning rays, O power benignant that dost so imprint them! 85 The name of that fair flower I e'er invoke The glory and greatness of the living star And cinctured it, and whirled itself about it. Whatever melody most sweetly soundeth On earth, and to itself most draws the soul, Would seem a cloud that, rent asunder, thunders, 90 95 Compared unto the sounding of that lyre Wherewith was crowned the sapphire beautiful, "I am Angelic Love, that circle round 100 The joy sublime which breathes from out the womb 105 And I shall circle, Lady of Heaven, while Thou followest thy Son, and mak'st diviner The sphere supreme, because thou enterest there." Thus did the circulated melody Seal itself up; and all the other lights 110 Were making to resound the name of Mary. The regal mantle of the volumes all Of that world, which most fervid is and living With breath of God and with his works and ways, Extended over us its inner border, 115 So very distant, that the semblance of it There where I was not yet appeared to me. Therefore mine eyes did not possess the power Of following the incoronated flame, Which mounted upward near to its own seed. Stretches its arms, when it the milk has taken, 120 125 130 Within those richest coffers, which had been Good husbandmen for sowing here below! There they enjoy and live upon the treasure Which was acquired while weeping in the exile 135 |