intelligence Both all and only were and are endowed。
Now wilt thou see； if thence thou reasonest； The high worth of a vow；
if it he made So that when thou consentest God consents：
For； closing between God and man the compact； A sacrifice is of this
treasure made； Such as I say； and made by its own act。
What can be rendered then as compensation？ Think'st thou to make
good use of what thou'st offered； With gains ill gotten thou wouldst do
good deed。
Now art thou certain of the greater point； But because Holy Church in
this dispenses； Which seems against the truth which I have shown thee；
Behoves thee still to sit awhile at table； Because the solid food which
thou hast taken Requireth further aid for thy digestion。
Open thy mind to that which I reveal； And fix it there within； for 'tis
not knowledge； The having heard without retaining it。
In the essence of this sacrifice two things Convene together； and the
one is that Of which 'tis made； the other is the agreement。
This last for evermore is cancelled not Unless complied with； and
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concerning this With such precision has above been spoken。
Therefore it was enjoined upon the Hebrews To offer still； though
sometimes what was offered Might be commuted； as thou ought'st to
know。
The other； which is known to thee as matter； May well indeed be such
that one errs not If it for other matter be exchanged。
But let none shift the burden on his shoulder At his arbitrament；
without the turning Both of the white and of the yellow key；
And every permutation deem as foolish； If in the substitute the thing
relinquished； As the four is in six； be not contained。
Therefore whatever thing has so great weight In value that it drags
down every balance； Cannot be satisfied with other spending。
Let mortals never take a vow in jest； Be faithful and not blind in doing
that； As Jephthah was in his first offering；
Whom more beseemed to say； 'I have done wrong； Than to do worse
by keeping； and as foolish Thou the great leader of the Greeks wilt find；
Whence wept Iphigenia her fair face； And made for her both wise and
simple weep； Who heard such kind of worship spoken of。'
Christians； be ye more serious in your movements； Be ye not like a
feather at each wind； And think not every water washes you。
Ye have the Old and the New Testament； And the Pastor of the Church
who guideth you Let this suffice you unto your salvation。
If evil appetite cry aught else to you； Be ye as men； and not as silly
sheep； So that the Jew among you may not mock you。
Be ye not as the lamb that doth abandon Its mother's milk； and
frolicsome and simple Combats at its own pleasure with itself。〃
Thus Beatrice to me even as I write it； Then all desireful turned herself
again To that part where the world is most alive。
Her silence and her change of countenance Silence imposed upon my
eager mind； That had already in advance new questions；
And as an arrow that upon the mark Strikes ere the bowstring quiet
hath become； So did we speed into the second realm。
My Lady there so joyful I beheld； As into the brightness of that heaven
she entered； More luminous thereat the planet grew；
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And if the star itself was changed and smiled； What became I； who by
my nature am Exceeding mutable in every guise！
As； in a fish…pond which is pure and tranquil； The fishes draw to that
which from without Comes in such fashion that their food they deem it；
So I beheld more than a thousand splendours Drawing towards us； and
in each was heard： 〃Lo； this is she who shall increase our love。〃
And as each one was coming unto us； Full of beatitude the shade was
seen； By the effulgence clear that issued from it。
Think； Reader； if what here is just beginning No farther should
proceed； how thou wouldst have An agonizing need of knowing more；
And of thyself thou'lt see how I from these Was in desire of hearing
their conditions； As they unto mine eyes were manifest。
〃O thou well…born； unto whom Grace concedes To see the thrones of
the eternal triumph； Or ever yet the warfare be abandoned
With light that through the whole of heaven is spread Kindled are we；
and hence if thou desirest To know of us； at thine own pleasure sate thee。〃
Thus by some one among those holy spirits Was spoken； and by
Beatrice： 〃Speak； speak Securely； and believe them even as Gods。〃
〃Well I perceive how thou dost nest thyself In thine own light； and
drawest it from thine eyes； Because they coruscate when thou dost smile；
But know not who thou art； nor why thou hast； Spirit august； thy
station in the sphere That veils itself to men in alien rays。〃
This said I in direction of the light Which first had spoken to me；
whence it became By far more lucent than it was before。
Even as the sun； that doth conceal himself By too much light； when
heat has worn away The tempering influence of the vapours dense；
By greater rapture thus concealed itself In its own radiance the figure
saintly； And thus close； close enfolded answered me
In fashion as the following Canto sings。
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Paradiso： Canto VI
〃After that Constantine the eagle turned Against the course of heaven；
which it had followed Behind the ancient who Lavinia took；
Two hundred years and more the bird of God In the extreme of Europe
held itself； Near to the mountains whence it issued first；
And under shadow of the sacred plumes It governed there the world
from hand to hand； And； changing thus； upon mine own alighted。
Caesar I was； and am Justinian； Who； by the will of primal Love I feel；
Took from the laws the useless and redundant；
And ere unto the work I was attent； One nature to exist in Christ； not
more； Believed； and with such faith was I contented。
But blessed Agapetus； he who was The supreme pastor； to the faith
sincere Pointed me out the way by words of his。
Him I believed； and what was his assertion I now see clearly； even as
thou seest Each contradiction to be false and true。
As soon as with the Church I moved my feet； God in his grace it
pleased with this high task To inspire me； and I gave me wholly to it；
And to my Belisarius I commended The arms； to which was heaven's
right hand so joined It was a signal that I should repose。
Now here to the first question terminates My answer； but the character
thereof Constrains me to continue with a sequel；
In order that thou see with how great reason Men move against the
standard sacrosanct； Both who appropriate and who oppose it。
Behold how great a power has made it worthy Of reverence； beginning
from the hour When Pallas died to give it sovereignty。
Thou knowest it made in Alba its abode Three hundred years and
upward； till at last The three to three fought for it yet again。
Thou knowest what it achieved from Sabine wrong Down to Lucretia's
sorrow； in seven kings O'ercoming round about the neighboring nations；
Thou knowest what it achieved； borne by the Romans Illustrious
against Brennus； against Pyrrhus； Against the other princes and
confederates。
Torquatus thence and Quinctius； who from locks Unkempt was named；
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Decii and Fabii； Received the fame I willingly embalm；
It struck to earth the pride of the Arabians； Who； following Hannibal；
had passed across The Alpine ridges； Po； from which thou glidest；
Beneath it triumphed while they yet were young Pompey and Scipio；
and to the hill Beneath which thou wast born it bitter seemed；
Then； near unto the time when heaven had willed To bring the whole
world to its mood serene； Did Caesar by the will of Rome assume it。
What it achieved from Var unto the Rhine； Isere beheld and Saone；
beheld the Seine； And every valley whence the Rhone is filled；
What it achieved when it had left Ravenna； And leaped the Rubicon；
was such a flight That neither tongue nor pen could follow it。
Round towards Spain it wheeled its legions； then Towards Durazzo；
and Pharsalia smote That to the calid Nile was felt the pain。
Antandros and the Simois； whence it started； It saw again； and there
where Hector lies； And ill for Ptolemy then roused itself。
From thence it came like lightning upon Juba； Then wheeled itself
again into your West； Where the Pompeian clarion it heard。
From what it wrought with the next standard…bearer Brutus and
Cassius howl in Hell together； And Modena and Perugia dolent were；
Still doth the mournful Cleopatra weep Because thereof； who； fleeing
from before it； Took from the adder sudden and black death。
With him it ran even to the Red Sea sho