Curb for his good； that man who ne'er was born；
Damning himself damned all his progeny；
Whereby the human species down below
Lay sick for many centuries in great error；
Till to descend it pleased the Word of God
To where the nature； which from its own Maker
Estranged itself； he joined to him in person
By the sole act of his eternal love。
Now unto what is said direct thy sight；
This nature when united to its Maker；
Such as created； was sincere and good；
But by itself alone was banished forth
From Paradise； because it turned aside
Out of the way of truth and of its life。
Therefore the penalty the cross held out；
If measured by the nature thus assumed；
None ever yet with so great justice stung；
And none was ever of so great injustice；
Considering who the Person was that suffered；
Within whom such a nature was contracted。
From one act therefore issued things diverse；
To God and to the Jews one death was pleasing；
Earth trembled at it and the Heaven was opened。
It should no longer now seem difficult
To thee； when it is said that a just vengeance
By a just court was afterward avenged。
But now do I behold thy mind entangled
From thought to thought within a knot； from which
With great desire it waits to free itself。
Thou sayest； 'Well discern I what I hear；
But it is hidden from me why God willed
For our redemption only this one mode。'
Buried remaineth； brother； this decree
Unto the eyes of every one whose nature
Is in the flame of love not yet adult。
Verily； inasmuch as at this mark
One gazes long and little is discerned；
Wherefore this mode was worthiest will I say。
Goodness Divine； which from itself doth spurn
All envy； burning in itself so sparkles
That the eternal beauties it unfolds。
Whate'er from this immediately distils
Has afterwards no end； for ne'er removed
Is its impression when it sets its seal。
Whate'er from this immediately rains down
Is wholly free； because it is not subject
Unto the influences of novel things。
The more conformed thereto； the more it pleases；
For the blest ardour that irradiates all things
In that most like itself is most vivacious。
With all of these things has advantaged been
The human creature； and if one be wanting；
From his nobility he needs must fall。
'Tis sin alone which doth disfranchise him；
And render him unlike the Good Supreme；
So that he little with its light is blanched；
And to his dignity no more returns；
Unless he fill up where transgression empties
With righteous pains for criminal delights。
Your nature when it sinned so utterly
In its own seed； out of these dignities
Even as out of Paradise was driven；
Nor could itself recover； if thou notest
With nicest subtilty； by any way；
Except by passing one of these two fords：
Either that God through clemency alone
Had pardon granted； or that man himself
Had satisfaction for his folly made。
Fix now thine eye deep into the abyss
Of the eternal counsel； to my speech
As far as may be fastened steadfastly！
Man in his limitations had not power
To satisfy； not having power to sink
In his humility obeying then；
Far as he disobeying thought to rise；
And for this reason man has been from power
Of satisfying by himself excluded。
Therefore it God behoved in his own ways
Man to restore unto his perfect life；
I say in one； or else in both of them。
But since the action of the doer is
So much more grateful； as it more presents
The goodness of the heart from which it issues；
Goodness Divine； that doth imprint the world；
Has been contented to proceed by each
And all its ways to lift you up again；
Nor 'twixt the first day and the final night
Such high and such magnificent proceeding
By one or by the other was or shall be；
For God more bounteous was himself to give
To make man able to uplift himself；
Than if he only of himself had pardoned；
And all the other modes were insufficient
For justice； were it not the Son of God
Himself had humbled to become incarnate。
Now； to fill fully each desire of thine；
Return I to elucidate one place；
In order that thou there mayst see as I do。
Thou sayst： 'I see the air； I see the fire；
The water； and the earth； and all their mixtures
Come to corruption； and short while endure；
And these things notwithstanding were created；'
Therefore if that which I have said were true；
They should have been secure against corruption。
The Angels； brother； and the land sincere
In which thou art； created may be called
Just as they are in their entire existence；
But all the elements which thou hast named；
And all those things which out of them are made；
By a created virtue are informed。
Created was the matter which they have；
Created was the informing influence
Within these stars that round about them go。
The soul of every brute and of the plants
By its potential temperament attracts
The ray and motion of the holy lights；
But your own life immediately inspires
Supreme Beneficence； and enamours it
So with herself； it evermore desires her。
And thou from this mayst argue furthermore
Your resurrection； if thou think again
How human flesh was fashioned at that time
When the first parents both of them were made。〃
Paradiso： Canto VIII
The world used in its peril to believe
That the fair Cypria delirious love
Rayed out； in the third epicycle turning；
Wherefore not only unto her paid honour
Of sacrifices and of votive cry
The ancient nations in the ancient error；
But both Dione honoured they and Cupid；
That as her mother； this one as her son；
And said that he had sat in Dido's lap；
And they from her； whence I beginning take；
Took the denomination of the star
That woos the sun； now following； now in front。
I was not ware of our ascending to it；
But of our being in it gave full faith
My Lady whom I saw more beauteous grow。
And as within a flame a spark is seen；
And as within a voice a voice discerned；
When one is steadfast； and one comes and goes；
Within that light beheld I other lamps
Move in a circle； speeding more and less；
Methinks in measure of their inward vision。
From a cold cloud descended never winds；
Or visible or not； so rapidly
They would not laggard and impeded seem
To any one who had those lights divine
Seen come towards us； leaving the gyration
Begun at first in the high Seraphim。
And behind those that most in front appeared
Sounded 〃Osanna！〃 so that never since
To hear again was I without desire。
Then unto us more nearly one approached；
And it alone began： 〃We all are ready
Unto thy pleasure； that thou joy in us。
We turn around with the celestial Princes；
One gyre and one gyration and one thirst；
To whom thou in the world of old didst say；
'Ye who； intelligent； the third heaven are moving；'
And are so full of love； to pleasure thee
A little quiet will not be less sweet。〃
After these eyes of mine themselves had offered
Unto my Lady reverently； and she
Content and certain of herself had made them；
Back to the light they turned； which so great promise
Made of itself； and 〃Say； who art thou？〃 was
My voice； imprinted with a great affection。
O how and how much I beheld it grow
With the new joy that superadded was
Unto its joys； as soon as I had spoken！
Thus changed； it said to me： 〃The world possessed me
Short time below； and； if it had been more；
Much evil will be which would not have been。
My gladness keepeth me concealed from thee；
Which rayeth round about me； and doth hide me
Like as a creature swathed in its own silk。
Much didst thou love me； and thou hadst good reason；
For had I been below； I should have shown thee
Somewhat beyond the foliage of my love。
That left…hand margin； which doth bathe itself
In Rhone； when it is mingled with the Sorgue；
Me for its lord awaited in due time；
And that horn of Ausonia； which is towned
With Bari； with Gaeta and Catona；
Whence Tronto and Verde in the sea disgorge。
Already flashed upon my brow the crown
Of that dominion which the Danube waters
After the German borders it abandons；
And beautiful Trinacria； that is murky
'Twixt Pachino and Peloro； （on the gulf
Which greatest scath from Eurus doth receive；）
Not through Typhoeus； but through nascent sulphur；
Would have awaited her own monarchs still；
Through me from Charles descended and from Rudolph；
If evil lordship； that exasperates ever
The subject populations； had not moved
Palermo to the outcry of 'Death！ death！'
And if my brother could but this foresee；
The greedy poverty of Catalonia
Straight would he flee； that it might not molest him；
For verily 'tis needful to provide；
Through him or other； so that on his bark
Already freighted no more freight be placed。
His nature； which from liberal covetous
Descended； such a soldiery would need
As should not care for hoarding in a chest。〃
〃Because I do believe the lofty joy
Thy speech infuses into me； my Lord；
Where every good thing doth begin and end
Thou seest as I see it； the more grateful
Is it to me； and this too hold I dear；
That gazing upon God thou dost discern it。
Glad hast thou made me； so make clear to me；
Since speaking thou hast stirred me up to doubt；
How from sweet seed can bitter issue forth。〃
This I to him； and he to me： 〃If I
Can show to thee a truth； to what thou askest
Thy face thou'lt hold as thou dost hold thy back。
The Good which all the realm thou art ascending
Turns and contents； maketh its providence
To be a power within these bodies vast；
And not alone the natures are foreseen
Within the mind that in itself is perfect；
But they together with their preservation。
For whatsoever thing this bow shoots forth
Falls foreordained unto an end foreseen；
Even as a shaft directed to its mark。
If that were not； the heaven which thou dost walk
Would in such manner its effects produce；
That they no longer would be arts； but ruins。