Paradiso
Canto XXVIII
Dante is privileged to see the Divine Essence, revealed as a single point of intensely shining light. In this ninth heaven, moving round that Point are nine orders of angels, in nine concentric circles of light. These orders are the Intelligences, who are the Movers of the various spheres: they are divided into three hierarchies: Seraphs, Cherubs, Thrones; Dominations, Virtues, Powers; Principalities, Archangels, and Angels; as set forth by St. Dionysius. The swiftness and brightness of the circles are the measure of their excellence; and the joy of the angels is proportioned to their sight. The doubling of the chess-board squares (line 98) alludes to the inventor of chess, who asked from a king as a reward a grain of wheat doubled as many times as there were squares on the board. The king was amazed at the millions to which the numbers added up.
WHEN she who hath imparadised my mind
Had stript the truth bare, and its contraries
In the present life of wretched mortal-kind,
As one who, looking in the mirror, sees
A torch’s flame that is behind him lit
Ere in his sight, or in his thought, it is,
And turns to see if the glass opposite
Have told him truth, and findeth it agree
Therewith, as truly as note and measure fit;
So is recorded in my memory [10]
That I turned, looking on those eyes of light
Whence Love had made the noose to capture me.
And when I turned, and when there smote my sight
What is revealed within that sphere supreme
If the eye upon its circling fix aright,
I saw a Point, of so intense a beam
That needs must every eye it blazes on
Be closed before its poignancy extreme.
Whatever star to the eye is smallest known
Would seem a moon, were it beside this placed [20]
As star beside star, in comparison.
Close, perhaps, as the halo seems to invest
The lustre with whose tinge it is impearled
Where the surrounding air is mistiest,
At such a distance round the Point there whirled
A ring of fire so swift, it had surpassed
The motion which most swiftly girds the world.[i]27. “The motion”: of the Primum Mobile itself.
And round this was a second circle traced;
Round that a third, and then a fourth began;
A fifth the fourth, a sixth the fifth enlaced. [30]
Followed the seventh, of so ample a span
That Juno’s messenger, completely shown,[ii]32. “Juno’s messenger” is Iris, the rainbow.
Had been too narrow its compass to contain:
So the eighth and ninth; and each revolving zone
Moved the more slowly according as it was,
In numbering, at more distance from the one;
And that ring glowed most lively and luminous
Which from the pure spark was removed the least,
Being most within its truth, as I suppose.
My Lady, who saw perplexity persist [40]
In my suspense, said: “From that point of light
Dependeth Heaven, and all things that exist.
Look on that circle most conjoined with it;
And know, its motion is so swift by aid
Of love, whose kindling spurs its onward flight.”
And I to her: “Were the universe arrayed[iii]46-51. The light and speed of the girdles are proportionate to their proximity to the Point, whereas in the material universe the nearest sphere is the slowest.
In the order that I see these rings denote,
This proffered food had my desire allayed;
But in the world of sense we have learned to note
That the encircling spheres are more divine [50]
As from the centre they are more remote.
If my desire, then, in this wondrous shrine
Of beings angelic must be quieted,
Which hath but love and light for its confine,
Needs must I hear still why the example bred[iv]55. The angelic circles are the pattern of the material spheres.
By the exemplar differeth therefrom
For, by myself, I gaze on it unfed.”
“If thy weak fingers find it troublesome
To untie this knot, ’tis nothing to surprise;
So hard, from being untried, it has become.” [60]
My Lady thus; then: “Take and recognise
The truth I tell thee, if thou would’st be content,
And subtle wit about it exercise.
The corporal circles vary in their extent
According to the virtue, more or less,
Whence all these parts receive their nourishment.
The greater goodness will more greatly bless;
The greater body greater blessing steeps,
If like perfection all its parts possess.
Therefore this one which onward with it sweeps [70][v]70. “This one”: the Primum Mobile.
The rest of the universe, must answer to
The circle that most love and knowledge keeps.
If thou thy measure round the virtue drew,
Not round the seeming substance that thy sense
Doth as a circle to thy mind construe,
Thou would’st perceive a marvellous congruence
Of great with more, and small with less, appear[vi]77. “Of great [size] with more [intelligence].”
In each heaven, with its own Intelligence.”
As, purifying the hemisphere of air,
A brilliancy remains when Boreas blows [80][vii]80. The northeast wind, the clearest of Boreas’ threefold blast.
From his more lenient cheek, and washes fair
The tarnish of the dull mist, to disclose
Heaven laughing out, triumphant and serene,
And each horizon all its beauty shows,
So was it with me, when so clear had been
Vouchsafed me answer by my Lady’s grace;
And like a star in heaven the truth was seen.
And now, when she fell silent for a space,
Thick as the sparks from molten iron sped
So did the sparks about the circles chase. [90][viii]90. “The sparks’: the individual angels.
Their fiery course each spark accompanied,
‘So many in number that the doubling told[ix]92. “The doubling”: see the Argument.
Of chess-board squares had been out-myriaded.
From choir to choir I heard Hosanna rolled
To that fixt Point which holds them in their home,
Hath held them ever, and shall forever hold.
Seeing into my mind a question come,
She said: “The circles of the first degree
The Seraphim and Cherubim illume:
So swift they follow their own bonds, to be [100][x]100. “Their own bonds”: the respective rings.
Like to the Point as most they can; and can
The more, the higher they have risen to see.
Those other loves, which move around their span,
Are named Thrones of the godhead they attest,
Completing the first triad with their train.
And thou should’st be assured that these are blest
In measure as their sight plumbs the abyss
Of truth, where the intellect is stayed at rest.
Hence may be seen how the celestial bliss[xi]109-114. Grace begets good will, together they constitute merit, merit determines the degree of sight, and sight is the source of love.
Is founded on the act that seèth God, [110]
Not that which loves, which cometh after this.
Of this sight merit is the measuring-rod,
Which grace begetteth, married to good will;
So, rank on rank, each fills its own abode.
The second triad, blossoming in soil
Of that eternal spring, which no unkind[xii]116-117. “No . . . night-frost of Aries”: no autumn.
Night-frost of Aries cometh to despoil,
Warbles Hosanna without end, combined
In triple melody, that sounds on three
Orders of bliss whereof it is entwined. [120]
Three godheads are within that hierarchy;
First Dominations; Virtues next to them,
And Powers, the third of the orders fronting thee.
In the two last-but-one that dance and flame
Are Principalities and Archangels:
The last is all Angelic feast and game.
Upward these orders gaze; and so prevails
Downward their power, that up toward God on high
All are impelled, and each in turn impels.
Dionysius set himself so ardently [130][xiii]130-138. “Dionysius” the Areopagite, the great authority for the orders of the angels, was thought to have derived his information from St. Paul (cf. line 138). St. Gregory (line 133) arranged the angelic orders differently.
To fix upon these orders his regard,
He named them and distinguished them as I.
But Gregory parted from him afterward,
Though at himself he smiled when all things were
In heaven to his enlightened eyes unbarred,
And if on earth a mortal could declare
A truth so secret, be not stupefied;
For he imparted it who saw it here
With much of truth about these gyres beside.”