Soon as its final word the blessed flame had raised for utterance, straight the holy mill began to wheel, nor yet had once revolved or ere another, circling, compassed it, motion to motion, song to song, conjoining, song that as much our muses doth excel, our Sirens with their tuneful pipes, as ray of primal splendour doth its faint reflex. As when, if Juno bid her handmaid forth, two arches parallel, and tricked alike, span the thin cloud, the outer taking birth from that within, and they who gaze, presageful, call to mind the compact made with Noah of the world no more to be overflowed: about us thus of sempiternal roses, bending, wreathed those garlands twain, and to the innermost even thus the external answered. When the footing, and other great festivity of song and radiance, light with light accordant, each jocund and blythe, had at their pleasure stilled, even as the eyes by quick volition moved are shut and raised together, from the heart of one amongst the new lights moved a voice that made me seem like needle to the star in turning to its whereabout. The love that makes me beautiful, it begins, prompts me to tell of the other guide, for whom such good of mine is spoken. Where one is, the other worthily should also be; that as their warfare was alike, alike should be their glory.
Slow, and full of doubt, and with thin ranks, after its banner moved the army of Christ, when its imperial Head, who reigneth ever, for the drooping host did make provision, through grace alone, and not through its deserving. As thou heardst, two champions to the succour of his spouse he sent, who by their deeds and words might join again his scattered people. In that clime where springs the pleasant west-wind to unfold the fresh leaves with which Europe sees herself new-garmented, nor from those billows far beyond whose chiding, after weary course, the sun doth sometimes hide him, safe abides the happy Callaroga, under guard of the great shield wherein the lion lies subjected and supreme. And there was born the loving minion of the Christian faith, the hallowed wrestler, gentle to his own and to his enemies terrible. So replete his soul with lively virtue that when first created, even in the mother's womb, it prophesied. When at the sacred font the spousals were complete 'twixt faith and him, the dame who was his surety in her sleep beheld the wondrous fruit that was from him and from his heirs to issue. And that such he might be construed as indeed he was, she was inspired to name him of his owner, whose he was wholly, and so called him Dominic. And I speak of him as the labourer whom Christ in his own garden chose to be his help-mate. Messenger he seemed, and friend fast-knit to Christ, and the first love he showed was after the first counsel that Christ gave. Many a time his nurse, at entering, found that he had risen in silence and was prostrate, as who should say, My errand was for this. O happy father! Felix rightly named. O favoured mother! rightly named Joanna, if that do mean as men interpret it. Not for the world's sake, for which now they pore upon Ostiense and Taddeo's page, but for the real manna, soon he grew mighty in learning, and did set himself to go about the vineyard that soon turns to wan and withered if not tended well. And from the see, whose bounty to the just and needy is gone by, not through its fault but his who fills it basely, he besought no dispensation for commuted wrong, nor the first vacant fortune, nor the tenth that to God's paupers rightly appertain, but, against an erring and degenerate world, licence to fight, in favour of that seed from which the twice twelve scions gird thee round. Then, with sage doctrine and good will to help, forth on his great apostleship he fared, like torrent bursting from a lofty vein, and, dashing against the stocks of heresy, smote fiercest where resistance was most stout. Thence many rivulets have since been turned over the garden Catholic to lead their living waters, and have fed its plants.
If such one wheel of that two-yoked car wherein the holy church defended her and rode triumphant through the civil broil, thou canst not doubt its fellow's excellence, which Thomas, ere my coming, hath declared so courteously unto thee. But the track which its smooth fellies made is now deserted: that mouldy mother is where late were lees. His family, that wont to trace his path, turn backward and invert their steps; erelong to rue the gathering in of their ill crop, when the rejected tares in vain shall ask admittance to the barn. I question not but he who searched our volume, leaf by leaf, might still find page with this inscription on it, I am as I was wont. Yet such were not from Acquasparta nor Casale, whence of those who come to meddle with the text, one stretches and another cramps its rule. Bonaventura's life in me behold, from Bagnoregio, one who in discharge of my great offices still laid aside all sinister aim. Illuminato here, and Agostino join me: two they were, among the first of those barefooted meek ones who sought God's friendship in the cord: with them Hugues of Saint Victor, Pietro Mangiadore, and he of Spain in his twelve volumes shining, Nathan the prophet, Metropolitan Chrysostom, and Anselmo, and who deigned to put his hand to the first art, Donatus. Raban is here: and at my side there shines Calabria's abbot, Joachim, endowed with soul prophetic. The bright courtesy of friar Thomas, and his goodly lore, have moved me to the blazon of a peer so worthy, and with me have moved this throng.
