CANTO XX. WHEN he who all the world illuminates That on all sides the daylight is consumed, By many lights, wherein is one resplendent. When the ensign of the world and of its leaders Because those living luminaries all, By far more luminous, did songs begin Lapsing and falling from my memory. O gentle Love, that with a smile dost cloak thee, After the precious and pellucid crystals, With which begemmed the sixth light I beheld, 5 ΤΟ 15 I seemed to hear the murmuring of a river That clear descendeth down from rock to rock, Taketh its form, and as upon the vent Of rustic pipe the wind that enters it, Even thus, relieved from the delay of waiting, That murmuring of the eagle mounted up Along its neck, as if it had been hollow. There it became a voice, and issued thence From out its beak, in such a form of words "The part in me which sees and bears the sun In mortal eagles," it began to me, "Now fixedly must needs be looked upon; For of the fires of which I make my figure, 20 25 30 Those whence the eye doth sparkle in my head 35 He who is shining in the midst as pupil Was once the singer of the Holy Spirit, Who bore the ark from city unto city; In so far as effect of his own counsel, 40 Of five, that make a circle for my brow, beak He that approacheth nearest to my Of which I speak, upon its highest arc, From his good action is not harmful to him, Guglielmo was, whom the same land deplores Now knoweth he how heaven enamored is With a just king; and in the outward show 45 50 55 60 65 Who would believe, down in the errant world, That e'er the Trojan Ripheus in this round Could be the fifth one of the holy lights? Now knoweth he enough of what the world Has not the power to see of grace divine, Although his sight may not discern the bottom," Like as a lark that in the air expatiates, First singing and then silent with content 70 Of the last sweetness that doth satisfy her, Such seemed to me the image of the imprint Of the eternal pleasure, by whose will And notwithstanding to my doubt I was As glass is to the color that invests it, To wait the time in silence it endured not, 75 80 But forth from out my mouth, "What things are these?" Whereat I saw great joy of coruscation. Because I say them, but thou seest not how; 85 90 Thou doest as he doth who a thing by name. Cannot perceive, unless another show it. From fervent love, and from that living hope That overcometh the Divine volition; Not in the guise that man o'ercometh man, Cause thee astonishment, because with them Unto good will, returned unto his bones, Of living hope, that placed its efficacy In prayers to God made to resuscitate him, Returning to the flesh, where brief its stay, |