太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the divine comedy(神曲) >

第44节

the divine comedy(神曲)-第44节

小说: the divine comedy(神曲) 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



  With all the beauties of its pageantry;

Thus did I likewise; after that my Lady
  Had me provided with her clear response;
  And like a star in heaven the truth was seen。

And soon as to a stop her words had come;
  Not otherwise does iron scintillate
  When molten; than those circles scintillated。

Their coruscation all the sparks repeated;
  And they so many were; their number makes
  More millions than the doubling of the chess。

I heard them sing hosanna choir by choir
  To the fixed point which holds them at the 'Ubi;'
  And ever will; where they have ever been。

And she; who saw the dubious meditations
  Within my mind; 〃The primal circles;〃 said;
  〃Have shown thee Seraphim and Cherubim。

Thus rapidly they follow their own bonds;
  To be as like the point as most they can;
  And can as far as they are high in vision。

Those other Loves; that round about them go;
  Thrones of the countenance divine are called;
  Because they terminate the primal Triad。

And thou shouldst know that they all have delight
  As much as their own vision penetrates
  The Truth; in which all intellect finds rest。

From this it may be seen how blessedness
  Is founded in the faculty which sees;
  And not in that which loves; and follows next;

And of this seeing merit is the measure;
  Which is brought forth by grace; and by good will;
  Thus on from grade to grade doth it proceed。

The second Triad; which is germinating
  In such wise in this sempiternal spring;
  That no nocturnal Aries despoils;

Perpetually hosanna warbles forth
  With threefold melody; that sounds in three
  Orders of joy; with which it is intrined。

The three Divine are in this hierarchy;
  First the Dominions; and the Virtues next;
  And the third order is that of the Powers。

Then in the dances twain penultimate
  The Principalities and Archangels wheel;
  The last is wholly of angelic sports。

These orders upward all of them are gazing;
  And downward so prevail; that unto God
  They all attracted are and all attract。

And Dionysius with so great desire
  To contemplate these Orders set himself;
  He named them and distinguished them as I do。

But Gregory afterwards dissented from him;
  Wherefore; as soon as he unclosed his eyes
  Within this heaven; he at himself did smile。

And if so much of secret truth a mortal
  Proffered on earth; I would not have thee marvel;
  For he who saw it here revealed it to him;

With much more of the truth about these circles。〃



Paradiso: Canto XXIX


At what time both the children of Latona;
  Surmounted by the Ram and by the Scales;
  Together make a zone of the horizon;

As long as from the time the zenith holds them
  In equipoise; till from that girdle both
  Changing their hemisphere disturb the balance;

So long; her face depicted with a smile;
  Did Beatrice keep silence while she gazed
  Fixedly at the point which had o'ercome me。

Then she began: 〃I say; and I ask not
  What thou dost wish to hear; for I have seen it
  Where centres every When and every 'Ubi。'

Not to acquire some good unto himself;
  Which is impossible; but that his splendour
  In its resplendency may say; 'Subsisto;'

In his eternity outside of time;
  Outside all other limits; as it pleased him;
  Into new Loves the Eternal Love unfolded。

Nor as if torpid did he lie before;
  For neither after nor before proceeded
  The going forth of God upon these waters。

Matter and Form unmingled and conjoined
  Came into being that had no defect;
  E'en as three arrows from a three…stringed bow。

And as in glass; in amber; or in crystal
  A sunbeam flashes so; that from its coming
  To its full being is no interval;

So from its Lord did the triform effect
  Ray forth into its being all together;
  Without discrimination of beginning。

Order was con…created and constructed
  In substances; and summit of the world
  Were those wherein the pure act was produced。

Pure potentiality held the lowest part;
  Midway bound potentiality with act
  Such bond that it shall never be unbound。

Jerome has written unto you of angels
  Created a long lapse of centuries
  Or ever yet the other world was made;

But written is this truth in many places
  By writers of the Holy Ghost; and thou
  Shalt see it; if thou lookest well thereat。

And even reason seeth it somewhat;
  For it would not concede that for so long
  Could be the motors without their perfection。

Now dost thou know both where and when these Loves
  Created were; and how; so that extinct
  In thy desire already are three fires。

Nor could one reach; in counting; unto twenty
  So swiftly; as a portion of these angels
  Disturbed the subject of your elements。

The rest remained; and they began this art
  Which thou discernest; with so great delight
  That never from their circling do they cease。

The occasion of the fall was the accursed
  Presumption of that One; whom thou hast seen
  By all the burden of the world constrained。

Those whom thou here beholdest modest were
  To recognise themselves as of that goodness
  Which made them apt for so much understanding;

On which account their vision was exalted
  By the enlightening grace and their own merit;
  So that they have a full and steadfast will。

I would not have thee doubt; but certain be;
  'Tis meritorious to receive this grace;
  According as the affection opens to it。

Now round about in this consistory
  Much mayst thou contemplate; if these my words
  Be gathered up; without all further aid。

But since upon the earth; throughout your schools;
  They teach that such is the angelic nature
  That it doth hear; and recollect; and will;

More will I say; that thou mayst see unmixed
  The truth that is confounded there below;
  Equivocating in such like prelections。

These substances; since in God's countenance
  They jocund were; turned not away their sight
  From that wherefrom not anything is hidden;

Hence they have not their vision intercepted
  By object new; and hence they do not need
  To recollect; through interrupted thought。

So that below; not sleeping; people dream;
  Believing they speak truth; and not believing;
  And in the last is greater sin and shame。

Below you do not journey by one path
  Philosophising; so transporteth you
  Love of appearance and the thought thereof。

And even this above here is endured
  With less disdain; than when is set aside
  The Holy Writ; or when it is distorted。

They think not there how much of blood it costs
  To sow it in the world; and how he pleases
  Who in humility keeps close to it。

Each striveth for appearance; and doth make
  His own inventions; and these treated are
  By preachers; and the Evangel holds its peace。

One sayeth that the moon did backward turn;
  In the Passion of Christ; and interpose herself
  So that the sunlight reached not down below;

And lies; for of its own accord the light
  Hid itself; whence to Spaniards and to Indians;
  As to the Jews; did such eclipse respond。

Florence has not so many Lapi and Bindi
  As fables such as these; that every year
  Are shouted from the pulpit back and forth;

In such wise that the lambs; who do not know;
  Come back from pasture fed upon the wind;
  And not to see the harm doth not excuse them。

Christ did not to his first disciples say;
  'Go forth; and to the world preach idle tales;'
  But unto them a true foundation gave;

And this so loudly sounded from their lips;
  That; in the warfare to enkindle Faith;
  They made of the Evangel shields and lances。

Now men go forth with jests and drolleries
  To preach; and if but well the people laugh;
  The hood puffs out; and nothing more is asked。

But in the cowl there nestles such a bird;
  That; if the common people were to see it;
  They would perceive what pardons they confide in;

For which so great on earth has grown the folly;
  That; without proof of any testimony;
  To each indulgence they would flock together。

By this Saint Anthony his pig doth fatten;
  And many others; who are worse than pigs;
  Paying in money without mark of coinage。

But since we have digressed abundantly;
  Turn back thine eyes forthwith to the right path;
  So that the way be shortened with the time。

This nature doth so multiply itself
  In numbers; that there never yet was speech
  Nor mortal fancy that can go so far。

And if thou notest that which is revealed
  By Daniel; thou wilt see that in his thousands
  Number determinate is kept concealed。

The primal light; that all irradiates it;
  By modes as many is received therein;
  As are the splendours wherewith it is mated。

Hence; inasmuch as on the act conceptive
  The affection followeth; of love the sweetness
  Therein diversely fervid is or tepid。

The height behold now and the amplitude
  Of the eternal power; since it hath made
  Itself so many mirrors; where 'tis broken;

One in itself remaining as before。〃



Paradiso: Canto XXX


Perchance six thousand miles remote from us
  Is glowing the sixth hour; and now this world
  Inclines its shadow almost to a level;

When the mid…heaven

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的