Then, as a horologe that calleth us What time the Bride of God is rising up Ting! ting! resounding with so sweet a note, And render voice to voice, in modulation 140 145 CANTO XI. O THOU insensate care of mortal men, That make thee beat thy wings in downward flight! Was going, and one following the priesthood, With Beatrice above there in the Heavens It stood as in a candlestick a candle; And from within the effulgence which at first Had spoken unto me, I heard begin Smiling while it more luminous became : "Even as I am kindled in its ray, So, looking into the Eternal Light, In language so extended and so open My speech, that to thy sense it may be plain, And where I said, 'there never rose a second'; Is vanquished ere it reach unto the bottom, (So that towards her own Beloved might go Two Princes did ordain in her behoof, The other by his wisdom upon earth In praising one, whichever may be taken, Because unto one end their labours were. Between Tupino and the stream that falls Down from the hill elect of blessed Ubald, Through Porta Sole, and behind it weep From out that slope, there where it breaketh most As this one does sometimes from out the Ganges; Say not Ascesi, for he would say little, But Orient, if he properly would speak. He was not yet far distant from his rising Before he had begun to make the earth Some comfort from his mighty virtue feel. For he in youth his father's wrath incurred For certain Dame, to whom, as unto death, The gate of pleasure no one doth unlock; And was before his spiritual court Et coram patre unto her united; Then day by day more fervently he loved her. One thousand and one hundred years and more, Naught it availed to hear, that with Amyclas Found her unmoved at sounding of his voice He who struck terror into all the world; Naught it availed being constant and undaunted, So that, when Mary still remained below, She mounted up with Christ upon the cross! But that too darkly I may not proceed, Francis and Poverty for these two lovers Take thou henceforward in my speech diffuse. Their concord and their joyous semblances, The love, the wonder, and the sweet regard, They made to be the cause of holy thoughts; So much so that the venerable Bernard First bared his feet, and after so great peace Ran, and, in running, thought himself too slow. O wealth unknown! O veritable good! Giles bares his feet, and bares his feet Sylvester Behind the bridegroom, so doth please the bride! Then goes his way that father and that master, He and his Lady and that family Which now was girding on the humble cord; But regally his hard determination To Innocent he opened, and from him After the people mendicant increased Behind this man, whose admirable life Better in glory of the heavens were sung, Incoronated with a second crown Was through Honorius by the Eternal Spirit The holy purpose of this Archimandrite. And when he had, through thirst of martyrdom, In the proud presence of the Sultan preached The folk, and not to tarry there in vain, On the rude rock 'twixt Tiber and the Arno From Christ did he receive the final seal, When He, who chose him unto so much good, Unto his friars, as to the rightful heirs, His most dear Lady did he recommend, And from her bosom the illustrious soul Wished to depart, returning to its realm, Companion over the high seas to keep And this man was our Patriarch; hence whoever So greedy, that it is impossible They be not scattered over fields diverse; And vagabond go farther off from him, Verily some there are that fear a hurt, And keep close to the shepherd; but so few, Now if my utterance be not indistinct, If thine own hearing hath attentive been, If thou recall to mind what I have said, In part contented shall thy wishes be; For thou shalt see the plant that's chipped away, 'Where well one fattens, if he strayeth not.'" 125 130 135 CANTO XII. SOON as the blessed flame had taken up And motion joined to motion, song to song; As primal splendour that which is reflected. Two rainbows parallel and like in colour, (The one without born of the one within, Like to the speaking of that vagrant one Whom love consumed as doth the sun the vapours,) And make the people here, through covenant God set with Noah, presageful of the world In such wise of those sempiternal roses The garlands twain encompassed us about, 5 10 15 20 After the dance, and other grand rejoicings, Both of the singing, and the flaming forth Effulgence with effulgence blithe and tender, Together, at once, with one accord had stopped, (Even as the eyes, that, as volition moves them, Must needs together shut and lift themselves,) Out of the heart of one of the new lights There came a voice, that needle to the star So dear to arm again, behind the standard When the Emperor who reigneth evermore Provided for the host that was in peril, Through grace alone and not that it was worthy; And, as was said, he to his Bride brought succour With champions twain, at whose deed, at whose word Within that region where the sweet west wind Behind which in his long career the sun Is situate the fortunate Calahorra, Under protection of the mighty shield In which the Lion subject is and sovereign. Therein was born the amorous paramour Of Christian Faith, the athlete consecrate, Replete with such a living energy, As soon as the espousals were complete Between him and the Faith at holy font, Where they with mutual safety dowered each other, The woman, who for him had given assent, That issue would from him and from his heirs ; |