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第29章

the divine comedy(神曲)-第29章

小说: the divine comedy(神曲) 字数: 每页4000字

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  The mingled virtue through the body shines;
  Even as gladness through the living pupil。

From this proceeds whate'er from light to light
  Appeareth different; not from dense and rare:
  This is the formal principle that produces;

According to its goodness; dark and bright。〃



Paradiso: Canto III


That Sun; which erst with love my bosom warmed;
  Of beauteous truth had unto me discovered;
  By proving and reproving; the sweet aspect。

And; that I might confess myself convinced
  And confident; so far as was befitting;
  I lifted more erect my head to speak。

But there appeared a vision; which withdrew me
  So close to it; in order to be seen;
  That my confession I remembered not。

Such as through polished and transparent glass;
  Or waters crystalline and undisturbed;
  But not so deep as that their bed be lost;

Come back again the outlines of our faces
  So feeble; that a pearl on forehead white
  Comes not less speedily unto our eyes;

Such saw I many faces prompt to speak;
  So that I ran in error opposite
  To that which kindled love 'twixt man and fountain。

As soon as I became aware of them;
  Esteeming them as mirrored semblances;
  To see of whom they were; mine eyes I turned;

And nothing saw; and once more turned them forward
  Direct into the light of my sweet Guide;
  Who smiling kindled in her holy eyes。

〃Marvel thou not;〃 she said to me; 〃because
  I smile at this thy puerile conceit;
  Since on the truth it trusts not yet its foot;

But turns thee; as 'tis wont; on emptiness。
  True substances are these which thou beholdest;
  Here relegate for breaking of some vow。

Therefore speak with them; listen and believe;
  For the true light; which giveth peace to them;
  Permits them not to turn from it their feet。〃

And I unto the shade that seemed most wishful
  To speak directed me; and I began;
  As one whom too great eagerness bewilders:

〃O well…created spirit; who in the rays
  Of life eternal dost the sweetness taste
  Which being untasted ne'er is comprehended;

Grateful 'twill be to me; if thou content me
  Both with thy name and with your destiny。〃
  Whereat she promptly and with laughing eyes:

〃Our charity doth never shut the doors
  Against a just desire; except as one
  Who wills that all her court be like herself。

I was a virgin sister in the world;
  And if thy mind doth contemplate me well;
  The being more fair will not conceal me from thee;

But thou shalt recognise I am Piccarda;
  Who; stationed here among these other blessed;
  Myself am blessed in the slowest sphere。

All our affections; that alone inflamed
  Are in the pleasure of the Holy Ghost;
  Rejoice at being of his order formed;

And this allotment; which appears so low;
  Therefore is given us; because our vows
  Have been neglected and in some part void。〃


Whence I to her: 〃In your miraculous aspects
  There shines I know not what of the divine;
  Which doth transform you from our first conceptions。

Therefore I was not swift in my remembrance;
  But what thou tellest me now aids me so;
  That the refiguring is easier to me。

But tell me; ye who in this place are happy;
  Are you desirous of a higher place;
  To see more or to make yourselves more friends?〃

First with those other shades she smiled a little;
  Thereafter answered me so full of gladness;
  She seemed to burn in the first fire of love:

〃Brother; our will is quieted by virtue
  Of charity; that makes us wish alone
  For what we have; nor gives us thirst for more。

If to be more exalted we aspired;
  Discordant would our aspirations be
  Unto the will of Him who here secludes us;

Which thou shalt see finds no place in these circles;
  If being in charity is needful here;
  And if thou lookest well into its nature;

Nay; 'tis essential to this blest existence
  To keep itself within the will divine;
  Whereby our very wishes are made one;

So that; as we are station above station
  Throughout this realm; to all the realm 'tis pleasing;
  As to the King; who makes his will our will。

And his will is our peace; this is the sea
  To which is moving onward whatsoever
  It doth create; and all that nature makes。〃

Then it was clear to me how everywhere
  In heaven is Paradise; although the grace
  Of good supreme there rain not in one measure。

But as it comes to pass; if one food sates;
  And for another still remains the longing;
  We ask for this; and that decline with thanks;

E'en thus did I; with gesture and with word;
  To learn from her what was the web wherein
  She did not ply the shuttle to the end。

〃A perfect life and merit high in…heaven
  A lady o'er us;〃 said she; 〃by whose rule
  Down in your world they vest and veil themselves;

That until death they may both watch and sleep
  Beside that Spouse who every vow accepts
  Which charity conformeth to his pleasure。

To follow her; in girlhood from the world
  I fled; and in her habit shut myself;
  And pledged me to the pathway of her sect。

Then men accustomed unto evil more
  Than unto good; from the sweet cloister tore me;
  God knows what afterward my life became。

This other splendour; which to thee reveals
  Itself on my right side; and is enkindled
  With all the illumination of our sphere;

What of myself I say applies to her;
  A nun was she; and likewise from her head
  Was ta'en the shadow of the sacred wimple。

But when she too was to the world returned
  Against her wishes and against good usage;
  Of the heart's veil she never was divested。

Of great Costanza this is the effulgence;
  Who from the second wind of Suabia
  Brought forth the third and latest puissance。〃

Thus unto me she spake; and then began
  〃Ave Maria〃 singing; and in singing
  Vanished; as through deep water something heavy。

My sight; that followed her as long a time
  As it was possible; when it had lost her
  Turned round unto the mark of more desire;

And wholly unto Beatrice reverted;
  But she such lightnings flashed into mine eyes;
  That at the first my sight endured it not;

And this in questioning more backward made me。



Paradiso: Canto IV


Between two viands; equally removed
  And tempting; a free man would die of hunger
  Ere either he could bring unto his teeth。

So would a lamb between the ravenings
  Of two fierce wolves stand fearing both alike;
  And so would stand a dog between two does。

Hence; if I held my peace; myself I blame not;
  Impelled in equal measure by my doubts;
  Since it must be so; nor do I commend。

I held my peace; but my desire was painted
  Upon my face; and questioning with that
  More fervent far than by articulate speech。

Beatrice did as Daniel had done
  Relieving Nebuchadnezzar from the wrath
  Which rendered him unjustly merciless;

And said: 〃Well see I how attracteth thee
  One and the other wish; so that thy care
  Binds itself so that forth it does not breathe。

Thou arguest; if good will be permanent;
  The violence of others; for what reason
  Doth it decrease the measure of my merit?

Again for doubting furnish thee occasion
  Souls seeming to return unto the stars;
  According to the sentiment of Plato。

These are the questions which upon thy wish
  Are thrusting equally; and therefore first
  Will I treat that which hath the most of gall。

He of the Seraphim most absorbed in God;
  Moses; and Samuel; and whichever John
  Thou mayst select; I say; and even Mary;

Have not in any other heaven their seats;
  Than have those spirits that just appeared to thee;
  Nor of existence more or fewer years;

But all make beautiful the primal circle;
  And have sweet life in different degrees;
  By feeling more or less the eternal breath。

They showed themselves here; not because allotted
  This sphere has been to them; but to give sign
  Of the celestial which is least exalted。

To speak thus is adapted to your mind;
  Since only through the sense it apprehendeth
  What then it worthy makes of intellect。

On this account the Scripture condescends
  Unto your faculties; and feet and hands
  To God attributes; and means something else;


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