HKB
Upon the other side, where intersected With vacant spaces are the semicircles, Are those who looked to Christ already come.
And as, upon this side, the glorious seat Of the Lady of Heaven, and the other seats Below it, such a great division make,
So opposite doth that of the great John, Who, ever holy, desert and martyrdom Endured, and afterwards two years in Hell.
And under him thus to divide were chosen Francis, and Benedict, and Augustine, And down to us the rest from round to round.
Behold now the high providence divine; For one and other aspect of the Faith In equal measure shall this garden fill.
And know that downward from that rank which cleaves Midway the sequence of the two divisions, Not by their proper merit are they seated;
But by another’s under fixed conditions; For these are spirits one and all assoiled Before they any true election had.
Well canst thou recognise it in their faces, And also in their voices puerile, If thou regard them well and hearken to them.
Now doubtest thou, and doubting thou art silent; But I will loosen for thee the strong bond In which thy subtile fancies hold thee fast.
Within the amplitude of this domain No casual point can possibly find place, No more than sadness can, or thirst, or hunger;
For by eternal law has been established Whatever thou beholdest, so that closely The ring is fitted to the finger here.
And therefore are these people, festinate Unto true life, not ‘sine causa’ here More and less excellent among themselves.
The King, by means of whom this realm reposes In so great love and in so great delight That no will ventureth to ask for more,
In his own joyous aspect every mind Creating, at his pleasure dowers with grace Diversely; and let here the effect suffice.
And this is clearly and expressly noted For you in Holy Scripture, in those twins Who in their mother had their anger roused.
According to the colour of the hair, Therefore, with such a grace the light supreme Consenteth that they worthily be crowned.
Without, then, any merit of their deeds, Stationed are they in different gradations, Differing only in their first acuteness.
’Tis true that in the early centuries, With innocence, to work out their salvation Sufficient was the faith of parents only.
After the earlier ages were completed, Behoved it that the males by circumcision Unto their innocent wings should virtue add;
But after that the time of grace had come Without the baptism absolute of Christ, Such innocence below there was retained.
Look now into the face that unto Christ Hath most resemblance; for its brightness only Is able to prepare thee to see Christ.”
On her did I behold so great a gladness Rain down, borne onward in the holy minds Created through that altitude to fly,
That whatsoever I had seen before Did not suspend me in such admiration, Nor show me such similitude of God.
And the same Love that first descended there, “Ave Maria, gratia plena,” singing, In front of her his wings expanded wide.
Unto the canticle divine responded From every part the court beatified, So that each sight became serener for it.
“O holy father, who for me endurest To be below here, leaving the sweet place In which thou sittest by eternal lot,
Who is the Angel that with so much joy Into the eyes is looking of our Queen, Enamoured so that he seems made of fire?”
Thus I again recourse had to the teaching Of that one who delighted him in Mary As doth the star of morning in the sun.
And he to me: “Such gallantry and grace As there can be in Angel and in soul, All is in him; and thus we fain would have it;
Because he is the one who bore the palm Down unto Mary, when the Son of God To take our burden on himself decreed.