The Portable Dante (68 page)

Imagine, you who wish to visualize what I saw next (and while I speak hold hard as rock in your mind’s eye this image),

the fifteen brightest stars in all of heaven, the ones whose light is of such magnitude that it can penetrate the thickest mist;

imagine next the turnings of the Wain through night and day and all contained within the spacious vault of heaven’s hemisphere;

imagine, too, the bell-mouth of that Horn whose tip is marked by that bright star which serves as axis for the Primum Mobile—

all joined into a double constellation (like that one which the daughter of Minos left in the sky when stricken by Death’s chill),

one’s rays within the other shining forth, and both of them revolving, synchronized at different speeds but moving light with light—

and you will have some shadowy idea of the true nature of that constellation and of the double dance encircling me,

for these things far exceed our cognizance, as far as movement of the swiftest sphere outspeeds the current of Chiana’s flow.

No Bacchic hymn or Paean did they sing, but of three Persons in one God they sang and in One Person human and Divine.

When song and circling reached the final note, those holy lights then turned to wait on us, rejoicing as they moved from task to task.

The hush of that concordant group of souls was broken by that light from which had poured the wondrous story of God’s pauper-saint;

and he said: “Now that one sheaf has been threshed and all its grain is garnered, God’s sweet love invites me now to thresh the other one.

Into that breast, you think, from which was drawn the rib that was to form the lovely face whose palate was to cost mankind so dear,

and into That One Who pierced by the lance gave satisfaction for future and past, such that it outweighed all of mankind’s guilt,

as much of wisdom’s radiance as is given to human nature was infused by Him whose power created their humanity;

and so, you must have been surprised to hear what I said earlier of our fifth light: that he possessed a wisdom without equal.

Open your eyes to what I now reveal, and you will see your thoughts and my words join as one truth at the center of the round.

All that which dies and all that cannot die reflect the radiance of that Idea which God the Father through His love begets:

that Living Light, which from its radiant Source streams forth Its light but never parts from It nor from the Love which tri-unites with them,

of Its own grace sends down its rays, as if reflected, through the nine subsistencies, remaining sempiternally Itself.

Then it descends to the last potencies, from act to act, becoming so diminished, it brings forth only brief contingencies;

and by this term I mean things generated, things which the moving heavens produce from seed or not from seed. The wax of things like these

is more or less receptive, and the power that shapes it, more or less effective—stamped with the idea, it shines accordingly.

So trees of the same species may produce dissimilar fruit, some better and some worse; so men are born with diverse natural gifts.

And if the wax were perfectly disposed, and if the heavens were at their highest power, the brilliance of the seal would shine forth full;

but Nature never can transmit this light in its full force—much like the artisan who knows his craft but has a trembling hand.

But if the Fervent Love moves the Clear Vision of the First Power and makes of that its seal, the thing it stamps is perfect in all ways.

And this is how the dust of earth was once made fit to form the perfect living being and how the Virgin came to be with child.

And so you see how right you are to think that human nature never has been since, nor ever will be such, as in those two.

Now, if I were to end my discourse here, you would be quick to ask: ‘Then, how can you say that the other was without an equal?’

To clearly understand what seems unclear, consider who he was and his request that time God said to him, ‘Ask what you will. ’

My words were meant to bring back to your mind the fact he was a king, and asked his Lord for wisdom to suffice a worthy king;

he did not ask to know so that he might count angels here, or know whether
necesse
with a conditioned premise yields
necesse;

nor
si est dare primum motum esse,
nor if without right angles, triangles in semicircles can be made to fit.

So, when I talked of unmatched wisdom then, royal prudence was the wisdom upon which I had my arrow of intention drawn.

If you recall the word I used, ‘arose, ’ it should be clear that only kings were meant, of which there are full many, but few good.

And if my words are taken in this sense, they will not contradict what you believe of our first father and of our High Bliss.

Let this be leaden weight upon your feet to make you move slow as a weary man both to the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ you do not see,

for he ranks low, indeed, among the fools, who rushes to affirm or to deny, no matter which, without distinguishing.

Opinions formed in haste will oftentimes lead in a wrong direction, and man’s pride then intervenes to bind his intellect.

Worse than useless it is to leave the shore to fish for truth unless you have the skill; you will return worse off than when you left.

Of this Parmenides offers clear proof and Bryson and Melissus and the rest who went their way but knew not where to go;

so did Sabellius and Arius and all those fools who were to Holy Scripture swordblades distorting images of truth.

Nor should one be too quick to trust his judgment; be not like him who walks his field and counts the ears of corn before the time is ripe,

for I have seen brier all winter long showing its tough and prickly stem, and then eventually produce a lovely rose,

and I have seen a ship sail straight and swift over the sea through all its course, and then, about to enter in the harbor, sink.

No Mr. or Miss Know-It-All should think, when they see one man steal and one give alms that they are seeing them through God’s own eyes,

for one may yet rise up, the other fall. ”

The water in a round container moves center to rim rippling or rim to center, when struck first from within, then from without:

this image suddenly occurred to me the moment that the glorious, living light of Thomas had concluded its remarks

because of the resemblance that was born between his flow of words and Beatrice’s, she being moved to speak once he had spoken:

“This man, though he cannot express his need, and has not even thought the thought as yet, must dig the roots of yet another truth.

Explain to him about the radiance with which your substance blooms. Will it remain eternally, just as it shines forth now?

And if it does remain, explain to him how, once your sight has been restored, you can endure the brilliance of each other’s form. ”

As partners in a dance whirl in their reel, caught in a sudden surge of joy, will often quicken their steps and raise their voices high,

so at her eager and devout request the holy circles showed new happiness through their miraculous music and their dance.

Those who regret that we die here on earth to live above, have never known the freshening downpour of God’s eternal grace up here.

That One and Two and Three which never ends and ever reigns in Three and Two and One, uncircumscribed and circumscribing all,

three separate times was sung by all those spirits, and unbelievably melodious it sounded—Heaven’s consummate reward.

Then, from the brightest of the lights I heard come from the inner round a modest tone as was the angel’s voice that Mary heard:

“Long as the joyous feast of Paradise shall last, ” it said, “so long our burning love shall clothe us in this radiance you see.

Our brilliance is in ratio to our love, our ardor to our vision, and our vision to the degree of grace vouchsafed to us.

When our flesh, sanctified and glorious shall clothe our souls once more, our person then will be more pleasing since it is complete;

wherefore, the light, generously bestowed on us by the Supreme Good, is increased— the light of glory that shows Him to us.

It follows, then, that vision must increase, as must the ardor kindled by the vision, as must the radiance the ardor gives.

But as a coal burns white in its own fire whose inner glow outshines its outer flame so that its form is clearly visible,

so this effulgence that contains us now will be surpassed in brilliance by the flesh that for so long has lain beneath the ground;