Part 161

And then my Lady, full of ecstasy, Said unto me: “Look, look! behold the Baron For whom below Galicia is frequented.”

In the same way as, when a dove alights Near his companion, both of them pour forth, Circling about and murmuring, their affection,

So one beheld I by the other grand Prince glorified to be with welcome greeted, Lauding the food that there above is eaten.

But when their gratulations were complete, Silently ‘coram me’ each one stood still, So incandescent it o’ercame my sight.

Smiling thereafterwards, said Beatrice: “Illustrious life, by whom the benefactions Of our Basilica have been described,

Make Hope resound within this altitude; Thou knowest as oft thou dost personify it As Jesus to the three gave greater clearness.”—

“Lift up thy head, and make thyself assured; For what comes hither from the mortal world Must needs be ripened in our radiance.”

This comfort came to me from the second fire; Wherefore mine eyes I lifted to the hills, Which bent them down before with too great weight.

“Since, through his grace, our Emperor wills that thou Shouldst find thee face to face, before thy death, In the most secret chamber, with his Counts,

So that, the truth beholden of this court, Hope, which below there rightfully enamours, Thereby thou strengthen in thyself and others,

Say what it is, and how is flowering with it Thy mind, and say from whence it came to thee.” Thus did the second light again continue.

And the Compassionate, who piloted The plumage of my wings in such high flight, Did in reply anticipate me thus:

“No child whatever the Church Militant Of greater hope possesses, as is written In that Sun which irradiates all our band;

Therefore it is conceded him from Egypt To come into Jerusalem to see, Or ever yet his warfare be completed.

The two remaining points, that not for knowledge Have been demanded, but that he report How much this virtue unto thee is pleasing,

To him I leave; for hard he will not find them, Nor of self-praise; and let him answer them; And may the grace of God in this assist him!”

As a disciple, who his teacher follows, Ready and willing, where he is expert, That his proficiency may be displayed,

“Hope,” said I, “is the certain expectation Of future glory, which is the effect Of grace divine and merit precedent.

From many stars this light comes unto me; But he instilled it first into my heart Who was chief singer unto the chief captain.

‘Sperent in te,’ in the high Theody He sayeth, ‘those who know thy name;’ and who Knoweth it not, if he my faith possess?

Thou didst instil me, then, with his instilling In the Epistle, so that I am full, And upon others rain again your rain.”

While I was speaking, in the living bosom Of that combustion quivered an effulgence, Sudden and frequent, in the guise of lightning;

Then breathed: “The love wherewith I am inflamed Towards the virtue still which followed me Unto the palm and issue of the field,

Wills that I breathe to thee that thou delight In her; and grateful to me is thy telling Whatever things Hope promises to thee.”

And I: “The ancient Scriptures and the new The mark establish, and this shows it me, Of all the souls whom God hath made his friends.

Isaiah saith, that each one garmented In his own land shall be with twofold garments, And his own land is this delightful life.

Thy brother, too, far more explicitly, There where he treateth of the robes of white, This revelation manifests to us.”

And first, and near the ending of these words, “Sperent in te” from over us was heard, To which responsive answered all the carols.