Canto XXIX
CANTO XXIX
Beatrice gazes silently upon the Point of Divine Light for a short while—no longer, in fact, than the sun and moon balance opposite one another on the horizon at the vernal equinox. There she sees in the mind of God that several questions about the angels still trouble Dante, and she now takes it upon herself to answer them. She explains that God did not create the angelic spirits for His own good but in order that they might participate in His Being. Simultaneously with these pure forms, which immediately entered into the activation of their faculties, He also fashioned prime matter, which represents pure potentiality for form, and the celestial spheres, which realize the full actualization of their material potencies. The Divine Archer shot them all forth at once like three arrows from a three-stringed bow (1–48). Within seconds after their creation, however, some of the angelic beings sinned through pride in wanting to be like the Almighty, and God thus cast them down into the infernal depths of the earth. The others, recognizing their dependence on their Maker, waited humbly for the light of glory, which merited them lasting beatitude, and thus assumed their ministry in guiding the spheres (49–69). Next, induced by the confusion on earth about the angelic natures, Beatrice digresses on those who preach wrongly. Regardless of whether they do so insincerely, for the sake of outward show, in neglect or distortion of Scripture, in search of novelties, on matters of their own invention, with jokes and witticisms, or with promises of false indulgences, they all stand in direct contradiction to Christ’s mandate to preach the Gospel (70–126). Returning then to the celestial intelligences, Beatrice declares that their number exceeds all mortal reckoning. Each of them receives the light of God according to the capacities of its nature and responds with a correlative degree of love. Hence, a countless multitude reflects the Eternal Goodness, which nevertheless remains one and undivided in Itself (127–145).
1 When the two children of Latona share[676]
The belt of the horizon and are crowned,
One by the Ram, one by the Scales, a pair,[677]
4 As long as then the zenith holds them bound
In balance till they’re both unbalanced from[678]
Their girdles, changing hemispheres around,[679]
7 For just so long did Beatrice keep dumb;
Her face was smiling as she held her stare
Upon that Point where I was overcome.
10 Then she: “I do not ask you, but declare,
The things that you would hear; I’ve seen the list
Writ at the Center of each ‘when’ and ‘where.’[680]
13 Not to increase His good, which can’t exist
As greater, but that in reflections of
His splendor He might utter: ‘I SUBSIST,’[681]
16 In His eternity past time, above
All comprehension’s bounds, as He would please,
New loves would blossom from Eternal Love.[682]
19 Before He did not lie as if at ease;
For neither ‘after’ nor ‘before’ could flow
Till God moved over waters such as these.
22 Both form and matter—pure or mingled—so[683]
Would come to be as to have no defect,
Just like three arrows from a three-stringed bow.
25 When crystal, amber, or clear glass reflect
Sun rays, from surface struck to light displayed
There is no interval. That trine effect[684]
28 Is just the same, for its High Lord had rayed
It into being all at once, in fact,
With no distinction of beginnings made.
31 A concreated, ordered structure backed
These substances; the universe’s height
Were they, in whom there was produced pure act;[685]
34 Pure potency took up the lowest site;[686]
The middle bound both act and potency,
United so they’ll never disunite.[687]
37 Jerome wrote that the angels made would see[688]
A lengthy tract of ages where they dwell
Before the other world would come to be.
40 And yet the Holy Spirit’s scribes will tell[689]
In many texts that what I say is true
As you shall be aware if you look well.
43 And human reason sees it somewhat too,
For Heaven’s movers it could not allow
To be so long without perfection due.
46 With this you know just where and when and how
God made these loves; and those three flames of sore
Desire you felt are quenched already now.
49 More quick than one could count up to a score,
Some of the angels, though, convulsed the part
That’s lowest of your elemental core.
52 The rest remained as they began the art
That you have witnessed and find such delight
They never cease the circling course they chart.
55 What caused a falling was the cursèd blight
Of pride in him whom you have seen of late[690]
Crushed by the weights of all the world, as right.
58 But those you see were modest in estate;
They recognized themselves as from the Good
That made them for intelligence so great.
61 Their vision was exalted, for they stood
In both enlight’ning grace and merit, fit
With wills made full and firm. And now I would
64 Not have you doubt but certainly admit:
There’s merit in receiving grace that’s free,
As far as love has opened up to it.
67 Take in my words, and with no help from me
You then will contemplate so much with skill
That has to do with this consistory.
70 But since on earth your schools are teaching still
That the angelic natures are possessed
Of understanding, memory, and will,[691]
73 I yet shall speak that you may see and test
The purity of truth confused down there
In teachings that are doubtfully expressed.
76 Rejoicing in God’s face, these beings dare
Not turn their vision ever from His mien
(From which there is no hiding anywhere),
79 So that new objects never intervene
To cleave their sight; they thus need not recall,
For thought is undivided in between.
82 Below men dream awake, believing all
Or only part is true of what they say,
Though, on the last, more blame and shame will fall.
85 You do not walk below on just one way
As you philosophize—the love and thought
Of show you have so carry you away!
88 But less disdain up here on this is brought
Than when the Holy Writ is set aside,
Or when the twisting of its sense is sought.
91 You don’t think how much blood it cost worldwide
To sow that kind of seed, nor how the meek
Are pleasing who stay humbly at its side.
94 All strive, though, for display and make unique
Inventions of their own; and preachers preach
At length on these—the Gospels do not speak!
97 The moon, upon Christ’s Passion, so some teach,
Turned back its course, intruding on the sun,
So that below the sunlight did not reach.
100 They lie: the light withdrew itself, undone,
And the eclipse that came about was spied
By Spaniards, Indians, and Jews, each one.
103 Now fewer Lapi, fewer Bindi, bide[692]
In Florence than such tales as in a year
They shout from pulpits there on every side.
106 So those poor sheep who do not know, I fear,
Come fed on air from grazing in the lea;
Not seeing harm does not excuse them here.
109 Christ did not say to His first company:[693]
“Go preach vain stories through the world’s expanse”;
He built their true foundations solidly.
112 Their lips cried truth alone; and to advance
The faith they fought to kindle in the rest,
They made the Gospel both their shield and lance.
115 But now men preach with drollery and jest,
And, just provided that the people grin,
Their cowls puff up—and that’s their sole request.
118 If people saw what birds build nests within
The hoods of such, they’d recognize what dearth
Lies in the pardons they are trusting in.
121 And thus such folly has grown up on earth
That, with no warrant given, they would flat
Run off to any promise of no worth.
124 On this the pig of Anthony grows fat,[694]
Like others of a yet more piggish sort,
While paying with unminted coins at that.[695]
127 But we’ve digressed enough within this court;
Now to the path that’s true turn back your eyes
That like the time our way may be cut short.
130 The numbers in this angel nature rise
So high the mortal thought and speech you wield
Could never reach to figures of such size.
133 And if you look at that which is revealed
By Daniel, in his thousands you will find[696]
That their specific number is concealed.
136 The Primal Light, whose rays on all are shined,
Has been received in just as many ways
As splendors there with which that Light may bind.
139 But since affection follows on the gaze
(The action that conceives), love’s sweetness glows
In them diversely, more or less ablaze.
142 Behold the breadth and height to which there rose
Eternal Worth, which made so great a store
Of mirrors where, divided up, It shows,[697]
145 Remaining One within just as before!”