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in soul； All is in him； and thus we fain would have it；
Because he is the one who bore the palm Down unto Mary； when the
Son of God To take our burden on himself decreed。
But now come onward with thine eyes； as I Speaking shall go； and
note the great patricians Of this most just and merciful of empires。
Those two that sit above there most enrapture As being very near unto
Augusta； Are as it were the two roots of this Rose。
He who upon the left is near her placed The father is； by whose
audacious taste The human species so much bitter tastes。
Upon the right thou seest that ancient father Of Holy Church； into
whose keeping Christ The keys committed of this lovely flower。
And he who all the evil days beheld； Before his death； of her the
beauteous bride Who with the spear and with the nails was won；
Beside him sits； and by the other rests That leader under whom on
manna lived The people ingrate； fickle； and stiff…necked。
Opposite Peter seest thou Anna seated； So well content to look upon
her daughter； Her eyes she moves not while she sings Hosanna。
And opposite the eldest household father Lucia sits； she who thy Lady
moved When to rush downward thou didst bend thy brows。
But since the moments of thy vision fly； Here will we make full stop；
as a good tailor Who makes the gown according to his cloth；
And unto the first Love will turn our eyes； That looking upon Him
thou penetrate As far as possible through his effulgence。
Truly； lest peradventure thou recede； Moving thy wings believing to
advance； By prayer behoves it that grace be obtained；
Grace from that one who has the power to aid thee； And thou shalt
follow me with thy affection That from my words thy heart turn not
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aside。〃
And he began this holy orison。
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Paradiso： Canto XXXIII
〃Thou Virgin Mother； daughter of thy Son； Humble and high beyond
all other creature； The limit fixed of the eternal counsel；
Thou art the one who such nobility To human nature gave； that its
Creator Did not disdain to make himself its creature。
Within thy womb rekindled was the love； By heat of which in the
eternal peace After such wise this flower has germinated。
Here unto us thou art a noonday torch Of charity； and below there
among mortals Thou art the living fountain…head of hope。
Lady； thou art so great； and so prevailing； That he who wishes grace；
nor runs to thee； His aspirations without wings would fly。
Not only thy benignity gives succour To him who asketh it； but
oftentimes Forerunneth of its own accord the asking。
In thee compassion is； in thee is pity； In thee magnificence； in thee
unites Whate'er of goodness is in any creature。
Now doth this man； who from the lowest depth Of the universe as far
as here has seen One after one the spiritual lives；
Supplicate thee through grace for so much power That with his eyes he
may uplift himself Higher towards the uttermost salvation。
And I； who never burned for my own seeing More than I do for his； all
of my prayers Proffer to thee； and pray they come not short；
That thou wouldst scatter from him every cloud Of his mortality so
with thy prayers； That the Chief Pleasure be to him displayed。
Still farther do I pray thee； Queen； who canst Whate'er thou wilt； that
sound thou mayst preserve After so great a vision his affections。
Let thy protection conquer human movements； See Beatrice and all the
blessed ones My prayers to second clasp their hands to thee！〃
The eyes beloved and revered of God； Fastened upon the speaker；
showed to us How grateful unto her are prayers devout；
Then unto the Eternal Light they turned； On which it is not credible
could be By any creature bent an eye so clear。
And I； who to the end of all desires Was now approaching； even as I
ought The ardour of desire within me ended。
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Bernard was beckoning unto me； and smiling； That I should upward
look； but I already Was of my own accord such as he wished；
Because my sight； becoming purified； Was entering more and more
into the ray Of the High Light which of itself is true。
From that time forward what I saw was greater Than our discourse；
that to such vision yields； And yields the memory unto such excess。
Even as he is who seeth in a dream； And after dreaming the imprinted
passion Remains； and to his mind the rest returns not；
Even such am I； for almost utterly Ceases my vision； and distilleth yet
Within my heart the sweetness born of it；
Even thus the snow is in the sun unsealed； Even thus upon the wind in
the light leaves Were the soothsayings of the Sibyl lost。
O Light Supreme； that dost so far uplift thee From the conceits of
mortals； to my mind Of what thou didst appear re…lend a little；
And make my tongue of so great puissance； That but a single sparkle
of thy glory It may bequeath unto the future people；
For by returning to my memory somewhat； And by a little sounding in
these verses； More of thy victory shall be conceived！
I think the keenness of the living ray Which I endured would have
bewildered me； If but mine eyes had been averted from it；
And I remember that I was more bold On this account to bear； so that I
joined My aspect with the Glory Infinite。
O grace abundant； by which I presumed To fix my sight upon the Light
Eternal； So that the seeing I consumed therein！
I saw that in its depth far down is lying Bound up with love together in
one volume； What through the universe in leaves is scattered；
Substance； and accident； and their operations； All interfused together
in such wise That what I speak of is one simple light。
The universal fashion of this knot Methinks I saw； since more
abundantly In saying this I feel that I rejoice。
One moment is more lethargy to me； Than five and twenty centuries to
the emprise That startled Neptune with the shade of Argo！
My mind in this wise wholly in suspense； Steadfast； immovable；
attentive gazed； And evermore with gazing grew enkindled。
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In presence of that light one such becomes； That to withdraw
therefrom for other prospect It is impossible he e'er consent；
Because the good； which object is of will； Is gathered all in this； and
out of it That is defective which is perfect there。
Shorter henceforward will my language fall Of what I yet remember；
than an infant's Who still his tongue doth moisten at the breast。
Not because more than one unmingled semblance Was in the living
light on which I looked； For it is always what it was before；
But through the sight； that fortified itself In me by looking； one
appearance only To me was ever changing as I changed。
Within the deep and luminous subsistence Of the High Light appeared
to me three circles； Of threefold colour and of one dimension；
And by the second seemed the first reflected As Iris is by Iris； and the
third Seemed fire that equally from both is breathed。
O how all speech is feeble and falls short Of my conceit； and this to
what I saw Is such； 'tis not enough to call it little！
O Light Eterne； sole in thyself that dwellest； Sole knowest thyself； and；
known unto thyself And knowing； lovest and smilest on thyself！
That circulation； which being thus conceived Appeared in thee as a
reflected light； When somewhat contemplated by mine eyes；
Within itself； of its own very colour Seemed to me painted with our
effigy； Wherefore my sight was all absorbed therein。
As the geometrician； who endeavours To square the circle； and
discovers not； By taking thought； the principle he wants； Eve