Then Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, rang aloud throughout all Paradise, that with the song Dante's spirit reeled, so passing sweet the strain. And what he saw was equal ecstasy: one universal smile it seemed of all things, joy past compare, gladness unutterable, imperishable life of peace and love, exhaustless riches and unmeasured bliss. Before his eyes stood the four torches lit, and that, which first had come, began to wax in brightness, and in semblance such became, as Jove might be, if he and Mars were birds, and interchanged their plumes. Silence ensued, through the blest quire, by Him, who here appoints vicissitude of ministry, enjoined, when thus Dante heard: wonder not, if my hue be changed, for, while I speak, these shalt thou see all in like manner change with me. My place he who usurps on earth, my place, ay, mine, which in the presence of the Son of God is void, the same hath made my cemetery a common sewer of puddle and of blood: the more below his triumph, who from hence malignant fell. Such colour, as the sun, at eve or morning, paints an adverse cloud, then saw Dante sprinkled over all the sky. And as the unblemished dame, who in herself secure of censure, yet at bare report of other's failing, shrinks with maiden fear, so Beatrice in her semblance changed, and such eclipse in heaven, methinks, was seen, when the Most Holy suffered. Then the words proceeded, with voice, altered from itself so clean, the semblance did not alter more.
Not to this end was Christ's spouse with my blood, with that of Linus, and of Cletus fed, that she might serve for purchase of base gold, but for the purchase of this happy life did Sextus, Pius, and Callixtus bleed, and Urban, they, whose doom was not without much weeping sealed. No purpose was of ours that on the right hand of our successors part of the Christian people should be set, and part upon their left, nor that the keys, which were vouchsafed me, should for ensign serve unto the banners, that do levy war on the baptised, nor I, for sigil-mark set upon sold and lying privileges, which makes me oft to bicker and turn red. In shepherd's clothing greedy wolves below range wide over all the pastures. Arm of God, why longer sleepst thou? Caorsines and Gascons prepare to quaff our blood. O good beginning, to what a vile conclusion must thou stoop. But the high providence, which did defend through Scipio the world's glory unto Rome, will not delay its succour, and thou, son, who through thy mortal weight shall yet again return below, open thy lips, nor hide what is by me not hidden. As a flood of frozen vapours streams adown the air, what time the she-goat with her skiey horn touches the sun, so saw Dante there stream wide the vapours, who with us had lingered late, and with glad triumph deck the ethereal cope. Onward his sight their semblances pursued, so far pursued, as till the space between from its reach severed them, whereat the guide celestial, marking him no more intent on upward gazing, said, look down and see what circuit thou hast compassed. From the hour when he before had cast his view beneath, all the first region overpast he saw, which from the midmost to the boundary winds, that onward thence from Gades he beheld the unwise passage of Laertes' son, and hitherward the shore, where thou, Europa, madest thee a joyful burden, and yet more of this dim spot had seen, but that the sun, a constellation off and more, had taken his progress in the zodiac underneath.
Then by the spirit, that doth never leave its amorous dalliance with his lady's looks, back with redoubled ardour were his eyes led unto her, and from her radiant smiles, whenas he turned him, pleasure so divine did lighten on him, that whatever bait or art or nature in the human flesh, or in its limned resemblance, can combine through greedy eyes to take the soul withal, were to her beauty nothing. Its boon influence from the fair nest of Leda rapt him forth, and wafted on into the swiftest heaven. What place for entrance Beatrice chose, he may not say, so uniform was all, liveliest and loftiest. She his secret wish divined, and with such gladness, that God's love seemed from her visage shining, thus began. Here is the goal, whence motion on his race starts, motionless the centre, and the rest all moved around. Except the soul divine, place in this heaven is none, the soul divine, wherein the love, which ruleth over its orb, is kindled, and the virtue that it sheds, one circle, light and love, enclasping it, as this doth clasp the others, and to Him, who draws the bound, its limit only known. Measured itself by none, it doth divide motion to all, counted unto them forth, as by the fifth or half ye count forth ten. The vase, wherein time's roots are plunged, thou seest. Look elsewhere for the leaves. O mortal lust, that canst not lift thy head above the waves which whelm and sink thee down. The will in man bears goodly blossoms, but its ruddy promise is, by the dripping of perpetual rain, made mere abortion: faith and innocence are met with but in babes, each taking leave ere cheeks with down are sprinkled. He, that fasts, while yet a stammerer, with his tongue let loose gluts every food alike in every moon. One yet a babbler, loves and listens to his mother, but no sooner hath free use of speech, than he doth wish her in her grave. So suddenly doth the fair child of him, whose welcome is the morn and eve his parting, to negro blackness change her virgin white. Thou, to abate thy wonder, note that none bears rule in earth, and its frail family are therefore wanderers. Yet before the date, when through the hundredth in his reckoning drops pale January must be shored aside from winter's calendar, these heavenly spheres shall roar so loud, that fortune shall be fain to turn the poop, where she hath now the prow, so that the fleet run onward, and true fruit, expected long, shall crown at last the bloom.
