O fellowship that has been chosen for →
the Blessed Lamb’s great supper, where He feeds →
you so as always to fulfill your need,
4 since by the grace of God, this man receives →
foretaste of something fallen from your table
before death has assigned his time its limit,
7 direct your mind to his immense desire, →
quench him somewhat: you who forever drink
from that Source which his thought and longing seek.”
10 So Beatrice; and these delighted souls
formed companies of spheres around fixed poles,
flaming as they revolved, as comets glow.
13 And just as, in a clock’s machinery, →
to one who watches them, the wheels turn so
that, while the first wheel seems to rest, the last
16 wheel flies; so did those circling dancers—as
they danced to different measures, swift and slow—
make me a judge of what their riches were. →
19 From that sphere which I noted as most precious,
I saw a flame come forth with so much gladness
that none it left behind had greater brightness;
22 and that flame whirled three times round Beatrice →
while singing so divine a song that my
imagination cannot shape it for me.
25 My pen leaps over it; I do not write:
our fantasy and, all the more so, speech
are far too gross for painting folds so deep.
28 “O you who pray to us with such devotion—
my holy sister—with your warm affection,
you have released me from that lovely sphere.”
31 So, after he had stopped his motion, did
the blessed flame breathe forth unto my lady;
and what he said I have reported here.
34 She answered: “O eternal light of that →
great man to whom our Lord bequeathed the keys
of this astonishing gladness—the keys
37 He bore to earth—do test this man concerning →
the faith by which you walked upon the sea; →
ask him points lights and grave, just as you please.
40 That he loves well and hopes well and has faith
is not concealed from you: you see that Place →
where everything that happens is displayed.
43 But since this realm has gained its citizens →
through the true faith, it rightly falls to him
to speak of faith, that he may glorify it.”
46 Just as the bachelor candidate must arm →
himself and does not speak until the master
submits the question for discussion—not
49 for settlement—so while she spoke I armed
myself with all my arguments, preparing
for such a questioner and such professing.
52 On hearing that light breathe, “Good Christian, speak,
show yourself clearly: what is faith?” I raised
my brow, then turned to Beatrice, whose glance
55 immediately signaled me to let →
the waters of my inner source pour forth.
Then I: “So may the Grace that grants to me →
58 to make confession to the Chief Centurion
permit my thoughts to find their fit expression”;
and followed, “Father, as the truthful pen
61 of your dear brother wrote—that brother who, →
with you, set Rome upon the righteous road—
faith is the substance of the things we hope for →
64 and is the evidence of things not seen;
and this I take to be its quiddity.” →
And then I heard: “You understand precisely,
67 if it is fully clear to you why he
has first placed faith among the substances
and then defines it as an evidence.”
70 I next: “The deep things that on me bestow →
their image here, are hid from sight below,
so that their being lies in faith alone,
73 and on that faith the highest hope is founded;
and thus it is that faith is called a substance.
And it is from this faith that we must reason,
76 deducing what we can from syllogisms,
without our being able to see more:
thus faith is also called an evidence.”
79 And then I heard: “If all one learns below
as doctrine were so understood, there would
be no place for the sophist’s cleverness.”
82 This speech was breathed from that enkindled love.
He added: “Now this coin is well-examined, →
and now we know its alloy and its weight.
85 But tell me: do you have it in your purse?”
And I: “Indeed I do—so bright and round →
that nothing in its stamp leads me to doubt.”
88 Next, from the deep light gleaming there, I heard: →
“What is the origin of the dear gem
that comes to you, the gem on which all virtues
91 are founded?” I: “The Holy Ghost’s abundant →
rain poured upon the parchments old and new;
that is the syllogism that has proved
94 with such persuasiveness that faith has truth—
when set beside that argument, all other
demonstrations seem to me obtuse.”
97 I heard: “The premises of old and new →
impelling your conclusion—why do you
hold these to be the speech of God?” And I:
100 “The proof revealing truth to me relies →
on acts that happened; for such miracles,
nature can heat no iron, beat no anvil.”
103 “Say, who assures you that those works were real?” →
came the reply. “The very thing that needs
proof—no thing else—attests these works to you.”
106 I said: “If without miracles the world →
was turned to Christianity, that is
so great a miracle that all the rest
109 are not its hundredth part: for you were poor
and hungry when you found the field and sowed
the good plant—once a vine and now a thorn.”
112 This done, the high and holy court resounded
throughout its spheres with “Te Deum laudamus,” →
sung with the melody they use on high.
115 Then he who had examined me, that baron →
who led me on from branch to branch so that
we now were drawing close to the last leaves,
118 began again: “That Grace which—lovingly— →
directs your mind, until this point has taught
you how to find the seemly words for thought,
121 so that I do approve what you brought forth;
but now you must declare what you believe
and what gave you the faith that you receive.”
124 “O holy father, soul who now can see →
what you believed with such intensity
that, to His tomb, you outran younger feet,” →
127 I then began, “you would have me tell plainly
the form of my unhesitating faith,
and also ask me to declare its source.
130 I answer: I believe in one God—sole, →
eternal—He who, motionless, moves all
the heavens with His love and love for Him;
133 for this belief I have not only proofs →
both physical and metaphysical;
I also have the truth that here rains down →
136 through Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms
and through the Gospels and through you who wrote
words given to you by the Holy Ghost.
139 And I believe in three Eternal Persons, →
and these I do believe to be one essence,
so single and threefold as to allow
142 both is and are. Of this profound condition →
of God that I have touched on, Gospel teaching
has often set the imprint on my mind.
145 This is the origin, this is the spark →
that then extends into a vivid flame
and, like a star in heaven, glows in me.”
148 Just as the lord who listens to his servant’s
announcement, then, as soon as he is silent,
embraces him, both glad with the good news,
151 so did the apostolic light at whose
command I had replied, while blessing me
and singing, then encircle me three times: