Who takes not wings that he may fly up thither, The tidings thence may from the dumb await!
As soon as singing thus those burning suns Had round about us whirled themselves three times, Like unto stars neighbouring the steadfast poles, Ladies they seemed, not from the dance released, But who stop short, in silence listening Till they have gathered the new melody.
And within one I heard beginning: "When The radiance of grace, by which is kindled True love, and which thereafter grows by loving, Within thee multiplied is so resplendent That it conducts thee upward by that stair, Where without reascending none descends, Who should deny the wine out of his vial Unto thy thirst, in liberty were not Except as water which descends not seaward.
Fain wouldst thou know with what plants is enflowered This garland that encircles with delight The Lady fair who makes thee strong for heaven.
Of the lambs was I of the holy flock Which Dominic conducteth by a road Where well one fattens if he strayeth not.
He who is nearest to me on the right My brother and master was; and he Albertus Is of Cologne, I Thomas of Aquinum.
If thou of all the others wouldst be certain, Follow behind my speaking with thy sight Upward along the blessed garland turning.
That next effulgence issues from the smile Of Gratian, who assisted both the courts In such wise that it pleased in Paradise.
The other which near by adorns our choir That Peter was who, e'en as the poor widow, Offered his treasure unto Holy Church.
The fifth light, that among us is the fairest, Breathes forth from such a love, that all the world Below is greedy to learn tidings of it.
Within it is the lofty mind, where knowledge So deep was put, that, if the true be true, To see so much there never rose a second.
Thou seest next the lustre of that taper, Which in the flesh below looked most within The angelic nature and its ministry.
Within that other little light is smiling The advocate of the Christian centuries, Out of whose rhetoric Augustine was furnished.
Now if thou trainest thy mind's eye along From light to light pursuant of my praise, With thirst already of the eighth thou waitest.
By seeing every good therein exults The sainted soul, which the fallacious world Makes manifest to him who listeneth well;
The body whence 'twas hunted forth is lying Down in Cieldauro, and from martyrdom And banishment it came unto this peace.
See farther onward flame the burning breath Of Isidore, of Beda, and of Richard Who was in contemplation more than man.
This, whence to me returneth thy regard, The light is of a spirit unto whom In his grave meditations death seemed slow.
It is the light eternal of Sigier, Who, reading lectures in the Street of Straw, Did syllogize invidious verities."
Then, as a horologe that calleth us What time the Bride of God is rising up With matins to her Spouse that he may love her, Wherein one part the other draws and urges, Ting! ting! resounding with so sweet a note, That swells with love the spirit well disposed, Thus I beheld the glorious wheel move round, And render voice to voice, in modulation And sweetness that can not be comprehended, Excepting there where joy is made eternal.
