There triumpheth, beneath the exalted Son Both with the ancient council and the new, แ CANTO XXIV. "O COMPANY elect to the great supper Of the Lamb benedight, who feedeth you If by the grace of God this man foretaste Something of that which falleth from your table, 5 Direct your mind to his immense desire, Forever at the fount whence comes his thought." Thus Beatrice; and those souls beatified 10 Transformed themselves to spheres on steadfast poles, Flaming intensely in the guise of comets. And as the wheels in works of horologes Give me the gauge, as they were swift or slow. That none it left there of a greater brightness; Therefore the pen skips, and I write it not, Much more our speech, is of a tint too glaring. "O holy sister mine, who us implorest With such devotion, by thine ardent love Thou dost unbind me from that beautiful sphere!" As good beseemeth thee, about the Faith From thee 'tis hid not; for thou hast thy sight While she was speaking, that I might be ready What is the Faith?" Whereat I raised my brow Then turned I round to Beatrice, and she Prompt signals made to me that I should pour Who put with thee Rome into the good way, Faith is the substance of the things we hope for, That they exist there only in belief, Upon the which is founded the high hope, And hence it takes the nature of a substance. 75 And it behoveth us from this belief To reason without having other sight, 80 Thus was breathed forth from that enkindled love; Then added: "Very well has been gone over But tell me if thou hast it in thy purse?" 85 And I: "Yes, both so shining and so round, That in its stamp there is no peradventure." Thereafter issued from the light profound That there resplendent was: "This precious jewel, 90 Whence hadst thou it?" And I: "The large outpouring A syllogism is, which proved it to me With such acuteness, that, compared therewith, 95 And then I heard: "The ancient and the new And I: "The proofs, which show the truth to me, That must be proved, naught else to thee affirms it." "Were the world to Christianity converted," I said, "withouten miracles, this one Resounded through the spheres, "One God we praise!" 100 105 110 And then that Baron, who from branch to branch, 115 Till the extremest leaves we were approaching, Again began: "The Grace that dallying Plays with thine intellect thy mouth has opened, 120 So that I do approve what forth emerged; But now thou must express what thou believest, And whence to thy belief it was presented." "O holy father, spirit who beholdest What thou believedst so that thou o'ercamest, Towards the sepulchre, more youthful feet," Began I, "thou dost wish me in this place 125 The form to manifest of my prompt belief, And I respond: In one God I believe, 130 Sole,and eterne, who moveth all the heavens And of such faith not only have I proofs Physical and metaphysical, but gives them. Likewise the truth that from this place rains down 135 Through Moses, through the Prophets and the Psalms, In Persons three eterne believe, and these One essence I believe, so one and trine 140 They bear conjunction both with sunt and est. With the profound condition and divine Which now I touch upon, doth stamp my mind This the beginning is, this is the spark 145 And, like a star in heaven, is sparkling in me." Even as a lord who hears what pleaseth him Three times encircled me, when I was silent, CANTO XXV. IF e'er it happen that the Poem Sacred, To which both heaven and earth have set their hand, O'ercome the cruelty that bars me out From the fair sheepfold, where a lamb I slumbered, All souls to God there entered I, and then 150 5 10 |