Canto XXVIII
CANTO XXVIII
When Beatrice concludes her prophecy, Dante gazes into her eyes and beholds the reflection of a brilliant light. On turning around, he spies a blinding point, compared to which the smallest star would seem a moon. Like a halo around its luminous source, nine concentric rings of fire engirdle it, spinning more quickly the closer they lie to the center (1–39). Beatrice intimates that this point belted by nine flaming circles symbolizes God surrounded by as many orders of angels. But this explanation perplexes the Pilgrim since God appears as the center of the spiritual universe, with the most noble disk being the nearest and the smallest, whereas in the material cosmos the earth forms the middle point and has the most sublime sphere at the farthest remove. To solve the difficulty, Beatrice says that the size of the corporeal heavens depends upon the angelic power diffused within them, for greater goodness yields a greater bliss, and a greater bliss requires a greater mass. The largest of the physical spheres therefore corresponds to the smallest of the wheels of fire, that of the Seraphim, who burn with the most intense knowledge and love (40–78). As the northeast wind sweeps the haze from the sky, so this account clears the confusion from the Poet’s mind. Then, like sparks flying up from molten iron, countless myriads of scintillating angels singing “Hosanna” to the Divine Point in their midst, rise from the fiery rings (79–96). Beatrice interprets the nine belts of fire as three triads of angelic orders: Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones; Dominations, Virtues, and Powers; and Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. In each of these orders grace engenders good will, and the combination of the two constitutes merit. Merit then determines the degree of vision, and this in turn provides the source of love. As all of them gaze towards God, the higher intelligences draw the lower ones up, transmitting their knowledge and love of Him to them (97–129). Dionysius learned of the angelic orders directly from St. Paul, who had witnessed them in his rapture to Heaven, and thus classifies them as Beatrice does. Gregory, however, deprived of such a revelation, differs in his classification, which made him smile on discovering the truth in Heaven (130–139).
1 When she whose eyes imparadise my mind
Had opened up the truth that’s counter to
The present life of wretched mortal-kind,
4 As in a mirror someone sees the hue
Of flaming candles lit behind him, though
He does not have them yet in thought or view,
7 And turns to see if such a glass should show
The truth to him and finds it to agree
Just as the notes do with the measure’s flow,[658]
10 So, as recorded in my memory,
I also did, while gazing on fair eyes,
With which Love made the cord to capture me.
13 I turned, and mine were met in just this wise
By what appears in that revolving sphere[659]
When one stares deeply at its circling skies.
16 I saw a point that radiated here
A light so keen the eyes on which it gleams
Must close because it’s force is so severe.
19 The star which, sighted from our planet, seems
Most small would seem a moon beside that thing,
Set like one star beside another’s beams.
22 Perhaps as near as halos seem to cling,
When their supporting vapor is most thick,
Around the source of light that paints their ring,
25 At such a distance round the point-like wick
There whirled a ring of fire that would outdo
The flight that girds the world and is most quick.
28 This ring was girded round by number two,
And two by three, and three by four was tied,
And four by five, as five by six was too.
31 The seventh followed spreading out so wide
That Juno’s messenger, complete, would close[660]
A space too small to compass it inside.
34 So too the eighth and ninth; and each one goes
More slow as it in number will appear
To be more distant from the first of those.
37 And that one had, I think, its flame most clear
Which is least distant from the purest spark,
Since it partakes the most of truth, most near.
40 And seeing me suspended in the dark,
But eager, “On this point,” my Lady said,
“Depend the heavens and all nature; mark
43 The circle that’s most nearly to it wed,[661]
And know it moves so swiftly by the spur
Of burning love, by which it’s spun ahead.”
46 “If but the order of the cosmos were
Seen in these wheels, what’s been set out for me
Would satisfy me well,” I answered her.
49 “But in the world of sense we all can see
These revolutions are the more divine
As from the center point they farther flee.
52 If I’m to gain the end for which I pine
Within this wondrous and angelic reign[662]
—This temple which but light and love confine—
55 Why pattern and its copy both refrain
From going in one fashion, I must know,
For by myself I contemplate in vain.”
58 “It is no wonder that your fingers, though,
Do not suffice, for such a knot unfit,
So hard has it become, untried below!”
61 My Lady said, then going on a bit:
“If you’d be sated, take my speech to heart,
And sharpen up your mind concerning it.
64 The circles, all corporeal, you chart
Are narrow or are wide as less or more
Of virtue spreads throughout their every part.
67 A greater good holds greater bliss in store,
And greater bliss keeps greater mass possessed
When all its parts bear like perfection, for[663]
70 This greatest sphere, which sweeps along the rest
Of all the universe, must harmonize
With that small ring which knows and loves the best.[664]
73 So, if you set your measure to surmise
Their power’s force, not the circumference
Of substances appearing round in guise,
76 You will discern a wondrous congruence
Of more with greater, less with smaller, there
Between each sphere and its Intelligence.”[665]
79 As there remains the hemisphere of air[666]
Serene and bright when Boreas will please
To blow out of his milder cheek, more fair,[667]
82 To purge and to dissolve with such a breeze
Obscuring mists, so smiling skies don’t hide
The beauties of their every diocese,[668]
85 So I became—my Lady had supplied
Such clarity in all of her replies—
And like a star in heaven, truth was spied.
88 When she had paused in speech, not otherwise
Than sparks from molten iron will upflare
Did sparkles from those circles also rise.[669]
91 Each spark pursued its fiery circle where
Those angels numbered thousands more afire
Than would the doubling of each chessboard-square.[670]
94 I heard “Hosanna” sung from choir to choir
To that fixed Point, which holds them in the rim
Where they have been and will forever gyre.
97 And she who saw such doubtful thoughts bedim
My mind spoke out: “These first two rings of light
Have shown you Seraphim and Cherubim;
100 They follow bonds of love in such quick flight
To match that Point as much as any may,
And do so as they are sublime in sight.
103 Those other loves that circle them we say
Are Thrones of the Divine Regard, the blest
Who finish this first triad. Know that they
106 Delight according as their vision’s quest
Will pierce more deeply into Truth, that place
In which the intellect of each may rest.
109 Hence, one may see that bliss must have its base
In just the act of vision, not indeed
In that of love, which follows in this case.
112 The measure of their sight is merit’s deed,
Begotten by God’s grace and by good will;
And thus from grade to grade does one proceed.
115 The second triad also, from which spill
The sprouting buds of this eternal spring,
One undespoiled by Aries’ nighttime chill,[671]
118 Lifts its Hosanna always as they sing
The threefold melody that sounds in these
Three ranks of bliss that form this triad ring.
121 These holy ranks have more divinities:[672]
First Dominations, Virtues then hold sway,
And third the order of the Potencies.
124 As next to last within the roundelay
Wheel Princedoms and Archangels, as you saw;
The last is wholly of Angelic play.
127 As all these orders gaze above in awe,
So they prevail below, and that is why
They all are drawn to God and also draw.
130 And Dionysius’ zeal to classify[673]
These contemplated orders was so strong
He named them and distinguished them as I.
133 But Gregory then differed from his song;[674]
Though as his eyes were opened when transposed
Up to this sphere, he smiled at being wrong.
136 And if on earth a mortal has exposed
Such secret truths, don’t marvel at these things:
By one who saw it here was it disclosed[675]
139 With many further truths about these rings.”