Purgatory: Canto XXIX. The Earthly Paradise
The Earthly Paradise.--Mystic Procession or Triumph
of the Church.
Singing like a lady enamored, she, at the ending of her words,
continued: "Beati, quorum tecta sunt peccata;"[1] and, like
nymphs who were wont to go solitary through the sylvan shades,
this one desiring to see and that to avoid the sun, she moved on
then counter to the stream, going up along the bank, and I at
even pace with her, following her little step with little. Of her
steps and mine were not a hundred, when the banks both like gave
a turn, in such wise that toward the east I faced again. Nor thus
had our way been long, when the lady wholly turned round to me,
saying, "My brother, look and listen." And lo! a sudden lustre
ran from all quarters through the great forest, so that it put me
in suspect of lightning. But because the lightning ceases even as
it comes, and this, hasting, became more and more resplendent, in
my thought I said, "What thing is this?" And a sweet melody ran
through the luminous air; whereupon a righteous zeal caused me to
blame the temerity of Eve, that, there, where time earth and the
heavens were obedient, the woman only, and but just now formed,
did not endure to stay under any veil; under which if she had
devoutly stayed I should have tasted those ineffable delights
before, and for a longer time. While I was going on and such
first fruits of the eternal pleasure, all enrapt, and still
desirous of more joys, in front of us the air under the green
branches became like a blazing fire, and the sweet sound was now
heard as a song.
[1] "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven."--Psalm
xxxii. 1.
O Virgins sacrosanct, if ever hunger, cold, or vigils I have
endured for you, time occasion spurs me that I claim reward
therefor. Now it behoves that Helicon pour forth for me, and
Urania aid me with her choir to put in verse things difficult to
think.
A little further on, the long tract of space which was still
between us and them presented falsely what seemed seven trees of
gold. But when I had come so near to them that the common object,
which deceives the sense,[1] lost not through distance any of its
attributes, the power which supplies discourse to reason
distinguished them as candlesticks,[2] and in the voices of the
song, "Hosanna." From above the fair array was flaming, brighter
by far than the Moon in the serene of midnight, in the middle of
her month. I turned me round full of wonder to the good Virgil,
and he replied to me with a look charged not less with amazement.
Then I turned back my face to the high things that were moving
toward us so slowly they would have been outstripped by new-made
brides. The lady cried to me, "Why burnest thou only thus with
affection for the living lights, and lookest not at that which
comes behind them?" Then saw I folk coming behind, as if after
their leaders, clothed in white, and such purity there never was
on earth. The water was resplendent on the left flank, and
reflected to me my left side, if I looked in it, even as a
mirror. When on my bank I had such position that only the stream
separated me, in order to see better, I gave halt to my steps.
And I saw the flamelets go forward heaving the air behind them
painted, and they had the semblance of streaming pennons, so that
there above it remained divided by seven stripes all in those
colors whereof the sun makes his bow, and Delia her girdle.[3]
These banners to the rear were longer than my sight, and
according to my judgment the outermost were ten paces apart.
Under so fair a sky as I describe, twenty-four elders,[4] two by
two, were coming crowned with flower-de-luce. All were singing,
"Blessed thou among the daughters of Adam, and blessed forever be
thy beauties."
[1] An object which has properties common to many things, so that
at a distance the sight cannot distinguish its specific nature.
[2] The imagery of the Triumph of the Church here described is
largely taken from this Apocalypse. "And I turned to see the
voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden
candlesticks."--Revelation, i. 12. "And there were seven lamps
of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of
God."--Id., iv. 5. "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon
him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of
counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the
Lord."--Isiah xi. 2.
[3] Delia, the moon, and her girdle the halo.
[4] "And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and
upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in
white raiment."--Revelation, iv. 4. These four and twenty elders
in white raiment, and crowned with white lilies, white being the
color of faith, symbolize the books of the Old Testament.
After the flowers, and the other fresh herbage opposite to me on
the other bank, were free from those folk elect, even as light
followeth light in heaven, came behind them four living
creatures, crowned each one with green leaves. Every one was
feathered with six wings, the feathers full of eyes; and the eyes
of Argus were they living would be such. To describe their forms
I scatter rhymes no more, Reader; for other spending constrains
me so that in this I cannot be liberal. But read Ezekiel, who
depicts them as he saw them coming from the cold region with
wind, with cloud, and with fire; and such as thou wilt find them
in his pages such were they here, save that as to the wings John
is with me, and differs from him.[1]
[1] These four living creatures symbolize the Gospels. Ezekiel
(i.6) describes the creatures with four wings, but in the
Revelation (iv. 8) John assigns to each of them six wings: "and
they were full of eyes within." They are crowned with green, as
the color of hope.
The space between these four contained a triumphal chariot upon
two wheels, which by the neck of a griffon[1] came drawn along.
And he stretched up one and the other of his wings between the
midmost stripe, and the three and three, so that he did harm to
no one of them by cleaving it. So far they rose that they were
not seen. His members were of gold so far as he was bird, and the
rest were white mixed with red. Not Africanus, or indeed
Augustus, gladdened Rome with so beautiful a chariot; but even
that of the Sun would be poor to it,--that of the Sun which,
going astray,[2] was consumed at the prayer of the devout Earth,
when Jove in his secrecy was just. Three ladies,[3] at the right
wheel, came dancing in a circle; one so ruddy that hardly would
she have been noted in the fire; the next was as if her flesh and
bones had been made of emerald; the third seemed snow just
fallen. And now they seemed led by the white, now by the red, and
from her song the others took their step both slow and swift. On
the left four[4] robed in purple made festival, following the
measure of one of them who had three eyes in her head.
[1] The griffon, half eagle and half lion, represents Christ in
his double nature, divine and human. The car which he draws is
the Church.
[2] When driven by Phaethon.
[3] The theological virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity, of the
colors respectively appropriate to them.
[4] The four cardinal Virtues, in purple, the imperial color,
typifying their rule over human conduct. Prudence has three eyes,
as looking at the past, the present, and the future.
Next after all the group described, I saw two old men, unlike in
dress, but like in action, both dignified and staid. The one
showed himself one of the familiars of that supreme Hippocrates
whom Nature made for the creatures that she holds most dear[1]
the other showed the contrary care,[2] with a shining and sharp
sword, such that it caused me fear on the hither side of the
stream. Then I saw four humble in appearance, and behind all an
old man solitary coming asleep with lively countenance.[3] And
these seven were robed like the first band; but they made not a
thicket of lilies round their heads, rather of roses, and of
other red flowers. The sight at little distance would have sworn
that all were aflame above their brows. And when the chariot was
opposite to me thunder was heard, and those worthy people seemed
to have further progress interdicted, stopping there with the
first ensigns.
[1] The book of Acts, represented under rho type of its author,
St. Luke, "the beloved physician." Colossians, iv. 14. Man is the
creature whom Nature holds dearest.
[2] The Pauline Epistles, typified by their writer, whose sword
is the symbol of war and martyrdom, a contrary care to the
healing of men.
[3] The four humble in appearance are personifications of the
writers of the minor Epistles, followed by St. John, as the
writer of the Revelation, asleep, and yet with lively
countenance, because he was "in the Spirit" when he beheld his
vision.
of the Church.
Singing like a lady enamored, she, at the ending of her words,
continued: "Beati, quorum tecta sunt peccata;"[1] and, like
nymphs who were wont to go solitary through the sylvan shades,
this one desiring to see and that to avoid the sun, she moved on
then counter to the stream, going up along the bank, and I at
even pace with her, following her little step with little. Of her
steps and mine were not a hundred, when the banks both like gave
a turn, in such wise that toward the east I faced again. Nor thus
had our way been long, when the lady wholly turned round to me,
saying, "My brother, look and listen." And lo! a sudden lustre
ran from all quarters through the great forest, so that it put me
in suspect of lightning. But because the lightning ceases even as
it comes, and this, hasting, became more and more resplendent, in
my thought I said, "What thing is this?" And a sweet melody ran
through the luminous air; whereupon a righteous zeal caused me to
blame the temerity of Eve, that, there, where time earth and the
heavens were obedient, the woman only, and but just now formed,
did not endure to stay under any veil; under which if she had
devoutly stayed I should have tasted those ineffable delights
before, and for a longer time. While I was going on and such
first fruits of the eternal pleasure, all enrapt, and still
desirous of more joys, in front of us the air under the green
branches became like a blazing fire, and the sweet sound was now
heard as a song.
[1] "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven."--Psalm
xxxii. 1.
O Virgins sacrosanct, if ever hunger, cold, or vigils I have
endured for you, time occasion spurs me that I claim reward
therefor. Now it behoves that Helicon pour forth for me, and
Urania aid me with her choir to put in verse things difficult to
think.
A little further on, the long tract of space which was still
between us and them presented falsely what seemed seven trees of
gold. But when I had come so near to them that the common object,
which deceives the sense,[1] lost not through distance any of its
attributes, the power which supplies discourse to reason
distinguished them as candlesticks,[2] and in the voices of the
song, "Hosanna." From above the fair array was flaming, brighter
by far than the Moon in the serene of midnight, in the middle of
her month. I turned me round full of wonder to the good Virgil,
and he replied to me with a look charged not less with amazement.
Then I turned back my face to the high things that were moving
toward us so slowly they would have been outstripped by new-made
brides. The lady cried to me, "Why burnest thou only thus with
affection for the living lights, and lookest not at that which
comes behind them?" Then saw I folk coming behind, as if after
their leaders, clothed in white, and such purity there never was
on earth. The water was resplendent on the left flank, and
reflected to me my left side, if I looked in it, even as a
mirror. When on my bank I had such position that only the stream
separated me, in order to see better, I gave halt to my steps.
And I saw the flamelets go forward heaving the air behind them
painted, and they had the semblance of streaming pennons, so that
there above it remained divided by seven stripes all in those
colors whereof the sun makes his bow, and Delia her girdle.[3]
These banners to the rear were longer than my sight, and
according to my judgment the outermost were ten paces apart.
Under so fair a sky as I describe, twenty-four elders,[4] two by
two, were coming crowned with flower-de-luce. All were singing,
"Blessed thou among the daughters of Adam, and blessed forever be
thy beauties."
[1] An object which has properties common to many things, so that
at a distance the sight cannot distinguish its specific nature.
[2] The imagery of the Triumph of the Church here described is
largely taken from this Apocalypse. "And I turned to see the
voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden
candlesticks."--Revelation, i. 12. "And there were seven lamps
of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of
God."--Id., iv. 5. "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon
him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of
counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the
Lord."--Isiah xi. 2.
[3] Delia, the moon, and her girdle the halo.
[4] "And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and
upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in
white raiment."--Revelation, iv. 4. These four and twenty elders
in white raiment, and crowned with white lilies, white being the
color of faith, symbolize the books of the Old Testament.
After the flowers, and the other fresh herbage opposite to me on
the other bank, were free from those folk elect, even as light
followeth light in heaven, came behind them four living
creatures, crowned each one with green leaves. Every one was
feathered with six wings, the feathers full of eyes; and the eyes
of Argus were they living would be such. To describe their forms
I scatter rhymes no more, Reader; for other spending constrains
me so that in this I cannot be liberal. But read Ezekiel, who
depicts them as he saw them coming from the cold region with
wind, with cloud, and with fire; and such as thou wilt find them
in his pages such were they here, save that as to the wings John
is with me, and differs from him.[1]
[1] These four living creatures symbolize the Gospels. Ezekiel
(i.6) describes the creatures with four wings, but in the
Revelation (iv. 8) John assigns to each of them six wings: "and
they were full of eyes within." They are crowned with green, as
the color of hope.
The space between these four contained a triumphal chariot upon
two wheels, which by the neck of a griffon[1] came drawn along.
And he stretched up one and the other of his wings between the
midmost stripe, and the three and three, so that he did harm to
no one of them by cleaving it. So far they rose that they were
not seen. His members were of gold so far as he was bird, and the
rest were white mixed with red. Not Africanus, or indeed
Augustus, gladdened Rome with so beautiful a chariot; but even
that of the Sun would be poor to it,--that of the Sun which,
going astray,[2] was consumed at the prayer of the devout Earth,
when Jove in his secrecy was just. Three ladies,[3] at the right
wheel, came dancing in a circle; one so ruddy that hardly would
she have been noted in the fire; the next was as if her flesh and
bones had been made of emerald; the third seemed snow just
fallen. And now they seemed led by the white, now by the red, and
from her song the others took their step both slow and swift. On
the left four[4] robed in purple made festival, following the
measure of one of them who had three eyes in her head.
[1] The griffon, half eagle and half lion, represents Christ in
his double nature, divine and human. The car which he draws is
the Church.
[2] When driven by Phaethon.
[3] The theological virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity, of the
colors respectively appropriate to them.
[4] The four cardinal Virtues, in purple, the imperial color,
typifying their rule over human conduct. Prudence has three eyes,
as looking at the past, the present, and the future.
Next after all the group described, I saw two old men, unlike in
dress, but like in action, both dignified and staid. The one
showed himself one of the familiars of that supreme Hippocrates
whom Nature made for the creatures that she holds most dear[1]
the other showed the contrary care,[2] with a shining and sharp
sword, such that it caused me fear on the hither side of the
stream. Then I saw four humble in appearance, and behind all an
old man solitary coming asleep with lively countenance.[3] And
these seven were robed like the first band; but they made not a
thicket of lilies round their heads, rather of roses, and of
other red flowers. The sight at little distance would have sworn
that all were aflame above their brows. And when the chariot was
opposite to me thunder was heard, and those worthy people seemed
to have further progress interdicted, stopping there with the
first ensigns.
[1] The book of Acts, represented under rho type of its author,
St. Luke, "the beloved physician." Colossians, iv. 14. Man is the
creature whom Nature holds dearest.
[2] The Pauline Epistles, typified by their writer, whose sword
is the symbol of war and martyrdom, a contrary care to the
healing of men.
[3] The four humble in appearance are personifications of the
writers of the minor Epistles, followed by St. John, as the
writer of the Revelation, asleep, and yet with lively
countenance, because he was "in the Spirit" when he beheld his
vision.
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