Canto XXV
CANTO XXV
Before continuing the narration, Dante expresses his hope of returning to his baptismal font in Florence to be crowned a poet (1–12). The light of St. James the Apostle then issues from the same sphere from which St. Peter had come, and the two Saints circle one another in greeting, like courting doves. When they have finished, they stop in front of the Pilgrim, dazzling him with their effulgence. Beatrice invites St. James to examine her Charge on the virtue of hope and exhorts the Poet to lift up his gaze, at which the Apostle bids Dante to state the nature of hope, the degree to which he possesses it, and its origin (13–48). But lest the Pilgrim seem presumptuous or proud, Beatrice answers the second question for him, declaring that no member of the Church Militant has such hope as he, who has come from the Egypt of earthly life to the heavenly Jerusalem before his time (49–63). Left to answer the other two questions by himself, the Poet defines hope with Peter Lombard as “a sure expectation of future glory produced by divine grace and precedent merit.” Although many stars have illuminated the virtue of hope for him, he finds its greatest source in the Psalms of David and in the Epistle of James himself (64–78). The splendor of St. James, who through hope won the martyr’s palm of victory on the battlefield of life, now flashes like lightning in anticipation of hearing the content of Dante’s hope (79–87), and so the Pilgrim proclaims his hope in the blessed life, the resurrection, and the glorification of the body. At this the diverse circles of souls respond joyfully with the Psalm verse Sperent in te. Then a spirit as bright as the sun approaches the Apostles Peter and James, partaking of their song and dance in the presence of Beatrice, like a maiden joining a round in honor of a bride. This soul is that of St. John, the beloved disciple, who reclined on Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper. Like a man staring into the sun during an eclipse, the Poet squints into the light of the Saint in order to see if he can discern the features of the Apostle’s earthly body. He does so in vain, however, since, contrary to legend, St. John did not ascend bodily into Heaven as only Christ and the Blessed Virgin have done (88–129). When the beloved disciple has finished speaking, his comrades stop their dance and song as well. Dante then turns around to Beatrice and is shaken to discover that he can no longer see (130–139).
1 Should it yet happen that this sacred song,
To which both earth and heaven set their hand
So that it’s made me lean for years so long,[581]
4 Should rout the cruelty that keeps me banned[582]
Out of the sheepfold where this lamb lay down,[583]
A foe to wolves that war against its stand,
7 I shall return as poet to that town,
With other voice and other fleece then gowned,
To take, at my baptismal font, the crown.
10 For there I entered in the faith that’s found
To make souls known to God, for which, defined,
St. Peter had just ringed my brow around.
13 Towards us one luster from that sphere inclined
From which the first fruit came a while ago
Of those whom Christ as vicars left behind;[584]
16 And, filled with joy, my Lady said, aglow:
“Look! Look and see the Baron come for whom[585]
They visit in Galicïa below.”
19 As, when a dove draws near its like in plume,
In order that it may display its love,
It rings its bride while cooing as the groom,
22 So likewise did I see the greetings of
Those two great princes in their glory’s light;[586]
They praised the food that feeds them there above.
25 When they had closed their joyful greeting rite,
They stopped in silence coram me, ahead,[587]
Each so aflame it overcame my sight.
28 Then Beatrice, who had been smiling, said:
“O life illustrious, who were to write
The bounty our basilica has shed,[588]
31 Make hope resound throughout this heaven’s height;
You can, who always symbolized its ways
When Jesus showed you three his gracious might.”[589]
34 “Take confidence, while lifting up your gaze,
For that which comes here from the mortal shore
Must also be matured beneath our rays.”
37 This comfort which the second flame now bore
To me raised up my eyes to see the hills
Whose too great weight had bent them down before.
40 “Since of His grace our Sovran Ruler wills[590]
That you confront His nobles and resort[591]
To His most secret halls before death’s chills,
43 So, having seen the truth of this high court,
You may confirm yourself and those in whom
That hope begets right love below, report
46 Just what it is, then how your mind’s abloom
With it, and from what source it came to you.”
Thus did that second shining light resume.
49 But she, my Lady of compassion, who
Had led my feathered wings to such high flight,
Anticipated which reply was due:
52 “The whole Church Militant has no one quite
So full of hope as he is, as is writ
In Him whose sunbeams on our host shine bright.
55 From Egypt he’s allowed to come and sit[592]
Inside Jerusalem to see us so,[593]
Before his term of warfare has been quit.
58 The other points you asked (though not to know
But that he might report to men as bard
Just how this virtue makes your pleasure grow)
61 I leave to him; he will not find them hard
Or cause for pride; so let him testify,
And may God’s grace avail in this regard.”
64 As ready, eager students make reply
To masters by the knowledge they possess
That they may show their value, “Hope,” said I,
67 “Is that sure expectation we express
Of future glory, granted in accord
With prior merit, and God’s grace no less.
70 From many stars this light on me has poured,[594]
But he who first instilled it in my heart
Was highest singer of the Highest Lord.[595]
73 ‘Let those who know Your name,’ so says his art
Of psalmody, ‘with hope in You be filled.’[596]
But who with faith won’t know it from the start?
76 And he instilled such hope as you instilled
By your epistle, making me replete,[597]
From whom on others yet your rain is spilled.”[598]
79 As I was speaking, in the living seat
Of that bright fire a flashing was revealed
That, lightning quick, would flicker and repeat.
82 “My love still burning for that virtue’s yield,”
It breathed anew, “which followed me up to
The palm and my departure from the field,[599]
85 Now breathes on you, delighting as you do
In goodly hope, and it will give me glee
To hear what it has promised unto you.”
88 “The Scriptures, Old and New, show what will be
The goal,” I said, “of souls whom God has made
His friends, and so they point it out to me.
91 Isaiah says that each will be arrayed
With double vestments in his very land,[600]
Which land is here in this sweet life uplaid.
94 Your brother, treating of the white-robed band,[601]
Has made this revelation manifest,
So it is easier to understand.”
97 At first, when all these words had been expressed,
“Sperent in te,” above we heard them say,[602]
To which replied those carols of the blest.
100 And then one light turned bright in such a way[603]
That, had the Crab a star of such a glow,[604]
A winter’s month would be but one long day.
103 And as a happy maid will rise and go
To join the dance in honor of the bride,
And not from any vanity, just so
106 I also saw that brightened splendor stride
Up to those two so wheeling to the sound
As to befit their burning love inside.
109 It joined there in their singing and their round,
And like a bride both silent and at rest
My Lady kept her gaze upon them bound.
112 “This soul is he who lay upon the breast
Of Christ, our Pelican, he chosen for
So great an office, from the Cross addressed,”[605]
115 My Lady said, who moved her eyes no more
From so intent a gaze than she had done
At any words that she had voiced before.
118 Like those who squint and strain to see the sun
In its eclipse for but a little space
And, seeing, lose their sight, just such a one
121 Was I with that most recent fiery face
Until it said: “Why are you dazzled still
By looking for what here can have no place?[606]
124 My frame is dust on earth and will be till,
With all the rest, our numbers equal then
All the eternal purpose of God’s will.
127 Two lights alone put on their garments when[607]
To this blest cloister they arose to dwell,
And this you shall take back to earth again.”
130 This said, the flaming circle stopped a spell
As did the sweetness mingling, in its whisk,
The sounds a three-fold breath had made as well,
133 Just as, to spare the crew fatigue or risk,
The oars stop rowing at a whistle blast,
Though they thus far had struck the waters, brisk.
136 Oh, how my mind was shaken when at last
I turned around to see my Beatrice
And found I could not see, though I had passed
139 Quite near to her and in the world of bliss!