CANTO XXIV“O ye! in chosen fellowship advanc’dTo the great supper of the blessed Lamb,Whereon who feeds hath every wish fulfill’d!If to this man through God’s grace be vouchsaf’dForetaste of that, which from your table falls,Or ever death his fated term prescribe;Be ye not heedless of his urgent will;But may some influence of your sacred dewsSprinkle him. Of the fount ye alway drink,Whence flows what most he craves.” Beatrice spake,And the rejoicing spirits, like to spheresOn firm-set poles revolving, trail’d a blazeOf comet splendour; and as wheels, that windTheir circles in the horologe, so workThe stated rounds, that to th’ observant eyeThe first seems still, and, as it flew, the last;E’en thus their carols weaving variously,They by the measure pac’d, or swift, or slow,Made me to rate the riches of their joy.From that, which I did note in beauty mostExcelling, saw I issue forth a flameSo bright, as none was left more goodly there.Round Beatrice thrice it wheel’d about,With so divine a song, that fancy’s earRecords it not; and the pen passeth onAnd leaves a blank: for that our mortal speech,Nor e’en the inward shaping of the brain,Hath colours fine enough to trace such folds.“O saintly sister mine! thy prayer devoutIs with so vehement affection urg’d,Thou dost unbind me from that beauteous sphere.”Such were the accents towards my lady breath’dFrom that blest ardour, soon as it was stay’d:To whom she thus: “O everlasting lightOf him, within whose mighty grasp our LordDid leave the keys, which of this wondrous blissHe bare below! tent this man, as thou wilt,With lighter probe or deep, touching the faith,By the which thou didst on the billows walk.If he in love, in hope, and in belief,Be steadfast, is not hid from thee: for thouHast there thy ken, where all things are beheldIn liveliest portraiture. But since true faithHas peopled this fair realm with citizens,Meet is, that to exalt its glory more,Thou in his audience shouldst thereof discourse.”Like to the bachelor, who arms himself,And speaks not, till the master have propos’dThe question, to approve, and not to end it;So I, in silence, arm’d me, while she spake,Summoning up each argument to aid;As was behooveful for such questioner,And such profession: “As good Christian ought,Declare thee, What is faith?” Whereat I rais’dMy forehead to the light, whence this had breath’d,Then turn’d to Beatrice, and in her looksApproval met, that from their inmost fountI should unlock the waters. “May the grace,That giveth me the captain of the churchFor confessor,” said I, “vouchsafe to meApt utterance for my thoughts!” then added: “Sire!E’en as set down by the unerring styleOf thy dear brother, who with thee conspir’dTo bring Rome in unto the way of life,Faith of things hop’d is substance, and the proofOf things not seen; and herein doth consistMethinks its essence,”—“Rightly hast thou deem’d,”Was answer’d: “if thou well discern, why firstHe hath defin’d it, substance, and then proof.”“The deep things,” I replied, “which here I scanDistinctly, are below from mortal eyeSo hidden, they have in belief aloneTheir being, on which credence hope sublimeIs built; and therefore substance it intends.And inasmuch as we must needs inferFrom such belief our reasoning, all respectTo other view excluded, hence of proofTh’ intention is deriv’d.” Forthwith I heard:“If thus, whate’er by learning men attain,Were understood, the sophist would want roomTo exercise his wit.” So breath’d the flameOf love: then added: “Current is the coinThou utter’st, both in weight and in alloy.But tell me, if thou hast it in thy purse.”“Even so glittering and so round,” said I,“I not a whit misdoubt of its assay.”Next issued from the deep imbosom’d splendour:“Say, whence the costly jewel, on the whichIs founded every virtue, came to thee.”“The flood,” I answer’d, “from the Spirit of GodRain’d down upon the ancient bond and new,—Here is the reas’ning, that convinceth meSo feelingly, each argument besideSeems blunt and forceless in comparison.”Then heard I: “Wherefore holdest thou that each,The elder proposition and the new,Which so persuade thee, are the voice of heav’n?”“The works, that follow’d, evidence their truth;”I answer’d: “Nature did not make for theseThe iron hot, or on her anvil mould them.”“Who voucheth to thee of the works themselves,”Was the reply, “that they in very deedAre that they purport? None hath sworn so to thee.”“That all the world,” said I, “should have been turn’dTo Christian, and no miracle been wrought,Would in itself be such a miracle,The rest were not an hundredth part so great.E’en thou wentst forth in poverty and hungerTo set the goodly plant, that from the vine,It once was, now is grown unsightly bramble.”That ended, through the high celestial courtResounded all the spheres. “Praise we one God!”In song of most unearthly melody.And when that Worthy thus, from branch to branch,Examining, had led me, that we nowApproach’d the topmost bough, he straight resum’d;“The grace, that holds sweet dalliance with thy soul,So far discreetly hath thy lips unclos’dThat, whatsoe’er has past them, I commend.Behooves thee to express, what thou believ’st,The next, and whereon thy belief hath grown.”“O saintly sire and spirit!” I began,“Who seest that, which thou didst so believe,As to outstrip feet younger than thine own,Toward the sepulchre? thy will is here,That I the tenour of my creed unfold;And thou the cause of it hast likewise ask’d.And I reply: I in one God believe,One sole eternal Godhead, of whose loveAll heav’n is mov’d, himself unmov’d the while.Nor demonstration physical alone,Or more intelligential and abstruse,Persuades me to this faith; but from that truthIt cometh to me rather, which is shedThrough Moses, the rapt Prophets, and the Psalms.The Gospel, and that ye yourselves did write,When ye were gifted of the Holy Ghost.In three eternal Persons I believe,Essence threefold and one, mysterious leagueOf union absolute, which, many a time,The word of gospel lore upon my mindImprints: and from this germ, this firstling spark,The lively flame dilates, and like heav’n’s starDoth glitter in me.” As the master hears,Well pleas’d, and then enfoldeth in his armsThe servant, who hath joyful tidings brought,And having told the errand keeps his peace;Thus benediction uttering with songSoon as my peace I held, compass’d me thriceThe apostolic radiance, whose behestHad op’d lips; so well their answer pleas’d.
“O ye! in chosen fellowship advanc’dTo the great supper of the blessed Lamb,Whereon who feeds hath every wish fulfill’d!If to this man through God’s grace be vouchsaf’dForetaste of that, which from your table falls,Or ever death his fated term prescribe;Be ye not heedless of his urgent will;But may some influence of your sacred dewsSprinkle him. Of the fount ye alway drink,Whence flows what most he craves.” Beatrice spake,And the rejoicing spirits, like to spheresOn firm-set poles revolving, trail’d a blazeOf comet splendour; and as wheels, that windTheir circles in the horologe, so workThe stated rounds, that to th’ observant eyeThe first seems still, and, as it flew, the last;E’en thus their carols weaving variously,They by the measure pac’d, or swift, or slow,Made me to rate the riches of their joy.From that, which I did note in beauty mostExcelling, saw I issue forth a flameSo bright, as none was left more goodly there.Round Beatrice thrice it wheel’d about,With so divine a song, that fancy’s earRecords it not; and the pen passeth onAnd leaves a blank: for that our mortal speech,Nor e’en the inward shaping of the brain,Hath colours fine enough to trace such folds.“O saintly sister mine! thy prayer devoutIs with so vehement affection urg’d,Thou dost unbind me from that beauteous sphere.”Such were the accents towards my lady breath’dFrom that blest ardour, soon as it was stay’d:To whom she thus: “O everlasting lightOf him, within whose mighty grasp our LordDid leave the keys, which of this wondrous blissHe bare below! tent this man, as thou wilt,With lighter probe or deep, touching the faith,By the which thou didst on the billows walk.If he in love, in hope, and in belief,Be steadfast, is not hid from thee: for thouHast there thy ken, where all things are beheldIn liveliest portraiture. But since true faithHas peopled this fair realm with citizens,Meet is, that to exalt its glory more,Thou in his audience shouldst thereof discourse.”Like to the bachelor, who arms himself,And speaks not, till the master have propos’dThe question, to approve, and not to end it;So I, in silence, arm’d me, while she spake,Summoning up each argument to aid;As was behooveful for such questioner,And such profession: “As good Christian ought,Declare thee, What is faith?” Whereat I rais’dMy forehead to the light, whence this had breath’d,Then turn’d to Beatrice, and in her looksApproval met, that from their inmost fountI should unlock the waters. “May the grace,That giveth me the captain of the churchFor confessor,” said I, “vouchsafe to meApt utterance for my thoughts!” then added: “Sire!E’en as set down by the unerring styleOf thy dear brother, who with thee conspir’dTo bring Rome in unto the way of life,Faith of things hop’d is substance, and the proofOf things not seen; and herein doth consistMethinks its essence,”—“Rightly hast thou deem’d,”Was answer’d: “if thou well discern, why firstHe hath defin’d it, substance, and then proof.”“The deep things,” I replied, “which here I scanDistinctly, are below from mortal eyeSo hidden, they have in belief aloneTheir being, on which credence hope sublimeIs built; and therefore substance it intends.And inasmuch as we must needs inferFrom such belief our reasoning, all respectTo other view excluded, hence of proofTh’ intention is deriv’d.” Forthwith I heard:“If thus, whate’er by learning men attain,Were understood, the sophist would want roomTo exercise his wit.” So breath’d the flameOf love: then added: “Current is the coinThou utter’st, both in weight and in alloy.But tell me, if thou hast it in thy purse.”“Even so glittering and so round,” said I,“I not a whit misdoubt of its assay.”Next issued from the deep imbosom’d splendour:“Say, whence the costly jewel, on the whichIs founded every virtue, came to thee.”“The flood,” I answer’d, “from the Spirit of GodRain’d down upon the ancient bond and new,—Here is the reas’ning, that convinceth meSo feelingly, each argument besideSeems blunt and forceless in comparison.”Then heard I: “Wherefore holdest thou that each,The elder proposition and the new,Which so persuade thee, are the voice of heav’n?”“The works, that follow’d, evidence their truth;”I answer’d: “Nature did not make for theseThe iron hot, or on her anvil mould them.”“Who voucheth to thee of the works themselves,”Was the reply, “that they in very deedAre that they purport? None hath sworn so to thee.”“That all the world,” said I, “should have been turn’dTo Christian, and no miracle been wrought,Would in itself be such a miracle,The rest were not an hundredth part so great.E’en thou wentst forth in poverty and hungerTo set the goodly plant, that from the vine,It once was, now is grown unsightly bramble.”That ended, through the high celestial courtResounded all the spheres. “Praise we one God!”In song of most unearthly melody.And when that Worthy thus, from branch to branch,Examining, had led me, that we nowApproach’d the topmost bough, he straight resum’d;“The grace, that holds sweet dalliance with thy soul,So far discreetly hath thy lips unclos’dThat, whatsoe’er has past them, I commend.Behooves thee to express, what thou believ’st,The next, and whereon thy belief hath grown.”“O saintly sire and spirit!” I began,“Who seest that, which thou didst so believe,As to outstrip feet younger than thine own,Toward the sepulchre? thy will is here,That I the tenour of my creed unfold;And thou the cause of it hast likewise ask’d.And I reply: I in one God believe,One sole eternal Godhead, of whose loveAll heav’n is mov’d, himself unmov’d the while.Nor demonstration physical alone,Or more intelligential and abstruse,Persuades me to this faith; but from that truthIt cometh to me rather, which is shedThrough Moses, the rapt Prophets, and the Psalms.The Gospel, and that ye yourselves did write,When ye were gifted of the Holy Ghost.In three eternal Persons I believe,Essence threefold and one, mysterious leagueOf union absolute, which, many a time,The word of gospel lore upon my mindImprints: and from this germ, this firstling spark,The lively flame dilates, and like heav’n’s starDoth glitter in me.” As the master hears,Well pleas’d, and then enfoldeth in his armsThe servant, who hath joyful tidings brought,And having told the errand keeps his peace;Thus benediction uttering with songSoon as my peace I held, compass’d me thriceThe apostolic radiance, whose behestHad op’d lips; so well their answer pleas’d.