Canto XXVI
CANTO XXVI
While Dante remains blinded by the effulgence of St. John, the latter asks him about the object of his love, reassuring the frightened Pilgrim that Beatrice will renew his vision just as Ananias did that of St. Paul. The Poet compliantly answers then that he loves God as the Alpha and Omega of all his loves (1–18). Seeking greater precision, the Beloved Disciple inquires who has aimed the bow of his heart at the divine target, and Dante replies that both philosophical arguments and scriptural authority have left their imprint upon him. With respect to the first, Aristotle has taught him that the good naturally enkindles love and that therefore God, the greatest good, most naturally and most strongly draws our love to Himself. As for the second, God’s words to Moses in the tent of meeting and the Prologue to John’s own Gospel most clearly show him the supreme worthiness of the divine object of love (19–45). The Apostle then queries what other ties might bind the Pilgrim to God, and the latter responds that the material world, his own existence, the redemption by Christ, and his hope of salvation have all collaborated to rescue him from the sea of wrongful affection and bring him safely to the shore of righteous love. Therefore, the Poet loves all the “leaves” of creation in the measure that the Eternal Gardener bestows His goodness upon them (46–66). This answer completes Dante’s examination in faith, hope, and love, and all the blessed sing out with Beatrice, “Holy, holy, holy,” in praise of God. Then, as if waking one asleep, Beatrice gazes into the Pilgrim’s eyes and restores his sight with the potent rays of her own (67–78). Seeing better than he ever has before, the Poet spies a fourth blaze, which Beatrice identifies as Adam, the first man, as Dante raises his head like a treetop no longer swayed by the wind. Confident that our common ancestor discerns his thoughts, the Pilgrim betrays his eagerness to hear him speak. Adam does indeed see in the Divine Mind that the Poet wishes to know how long ago God created him, how long he remained in the Earthly Paradise, what language he invented for himself, and what sin caused his fall (79–114). Turning to the last but most important question first, the father of mankind confesses that he committed, not a sin of gluttony in eating from the tree, but one of pride in transgressing God’s command. Then, continuing with the answer to the first question, he says that the period of his life on earth, plus that of his stay in Limbo, plus the time since Christ’s death, amounts to 6,498 years. Taking up the third question next, Adam explains that he spoke a language that had already died out before the confusion of tongues resulting from the Tower of Babel, for all human creations—language included—change with the passage of time. Finally, he reveals that he spent a mere seven hours in the Garden of Eden before his fall (115–142).
1 As I was fearful for my eyes just spent,
From the effulgent flame which blinded me[608]
There breathed a voice that rendered me intent.
4 “Until you have retrieved the faculty
Of sight, which you’ve consumed in me,” it said,
“It’s best that speech offset your malady.
7 Begin, and say upon what aim ahead
Your soul is set, and though your sight is banned,
You still may rest assured it is not dead.
10 The Maid who leads you through this holy land
Possesses in her gaze a might as great
As that which Ananías held in hand.”[609]
13 “May she restore the eyes that were the gate
She entered with the fires that burn me so
As pleases her,” I answered, “soon or late.
16 The Good that satisfies this court, I know,
Is Alpha and Omega of all writ[610]
That Love may read me, whether loud or low.”
19 The very voice that took away my fit[611]
Of fear at sudden dazzlement, to give
Me care for further speech, spoke on a bit:
22 “You have to sift with yet a finer sieve,
And you must tell who turns your bow up high
To aim at such a target while you live.”
25 “By philosophic arguments,” said I,
“And by authority whose weight descends
From here, that love imprints me with its die.
28 For good, when understood as such, resplends
In kindled love—the more so, it would seem,
The more of goodness that it comprehends.
31 Thus, to the Essence that is so supreme
That any good we elsewhere find approved
Is but a light reflected from its beam
34 The mind of man, through loving, must be moved
More than to anything, should he behold
The grounding truth by which this proof is proved.
37 And for my mind such truths through him unfold[612]
Who demonstrates the Primal Love to me,
To which eternal substances all hold.
40 The Truthful Author makes this plain where He[613]
Said this about Himself for Moses’ ear:
‘Now all my goodness I shall make you see.’[614]
43 The start of your high tidings makes this clear
Where you above all heralds loudly cry
To men the mysteries of Heaven here.”[615]
46 “By human reason,” I heard him reply,
“And consonant authorities you cite,
The highest of your loves seeks God most High.
49 But say if you feel other cords that might
Draw you to Him so that you may declare
How many teeth this love has used to bite.”
52 The holy purpose of Christ’s Eagle there[616]
Was not concealed; indeed, I could divine
Where he would have my next profession bear.
55 “All things I know whose bitings may incline
The heart to turn to God,” I spoke anew,
“Have worked together in this love of mine:
58 The being of the world, my being too,
The death which—to give life to me—He bore,
And what all Christians hope for as I do.
61 These, with the living knowledge told before,
Have drawn me from the sea of wrongful love
And set me on the rightful love’s safe shore.
64 My love for leaves that shade the garden of
The Everlasting Gardener is as strong
As is the good He gives them from above.”
67 When I fell still, all rang a most sweet song
Throughout the heavens as my Lady did
Her “Holy, holy, holy!” with the throng.
70 And as by piercing light a man is rid
Of sleep because the optic spirit runs
To meet the splendor passing lid by lid,[617]
73 And what he sees the one awakened shuns,
Benumbed by sudden waking to the day,
Until their judgment comes to help such ones,
76 Thus Beatrice cleared every mote that lay
Within my eyes with rays out of her own,
Which shone more than a thousand miles away,
79 And I knew better sight than I had known.
Amazed, I asked about a fourth such blaze[618]
That, as I noticed, to our midst had flown.
82 At that my Lady said: “Within those rays,
The first of souls the Primal Power made
Looks on its Maker with a loving gaze.”
85 And like a tree that at its top is swayed
By passing winds and then is straightened when
By its own strength it rises, so, dismayed,
88 I did the same while she was speaking; then
Desire to speak, with which I burned inside,
Filled me with reassurance once again.
91 “O fruit, who were produced,” I newly cried,
“Mature alone, progenitor of yore,
Both father and groom’s sire to every bride,[619]
94 Devoutly as I’m able, I implore
Some word from you; you see what I prefer,
And I, to hear you sooner, say no more.”
97 At times a covered animal will stir
So that its impulse shows externally
Because its wrap obeys what moves occur;
100 Just so, the primal soul gave me to see
Through its transparent cover how it flew
In gladness to give pleasure unto me.
103 “Without its being told to me by you,”
It breathed, “I see your wish with clearer sight
Than you do what most certainly seems true.
106 I see it in the Truthful Glass aright,[620]
Which makes reflections of all things, although
No creature perfectly reflects Its light.
109 You wish that I would say how long ago
God set me in the lofty plot to dwell,[621]
Where for such stairs she readied you below,[622]
112 How long it pleased my vision, why there fell
Upon me such great anger, and, in fine,
The language that I made and used as well.
115 The tasting of the tree, O son of mine,
Was not the cause of the long ban I knew,
But just my overstepping of the line.
118 Four thousand, and three hundred, and yet two
Full suns I longed for this great council there[623]
Whence Virgil started at your Lady’s cue.
121 While still on earth, I saw the sun repair
To all the lights upon its way and ride[624]
Nine hundred times and thirty through the air.[625]
124 The tongue I’d spoken had already died
Before to the impracticably vast
Endeavor Nimrod’s people once applied[626]
127 Themselves, for works of reason cannot last
Forever—human pleasure changes these
By following the heavens moving past.
130 That man should speak his nature’s law decrees,
But whether thus or thus, it does not tell,
But leaves to you to do so as you please.
133 Till I descended to the pains of Hell,
The Highest Good, who swathes me in joy’s clothes,
Was first called ‘I’ on earth and later ‘El.’[627]
136 This has to be, for mortal usage grows
As do the leaves upon their branches, son:
For as one comes along, another goes.
139 I first lived pure upon the heights that run
Most high above the sea, then in disgrace[628]
From that first hour up to the sixth plus one,[629]
142 Just when the sun had changed its quadrant-place.”[630]