An　enemy　to　the　wolves　that　war　upon　it；
  With　other　voice　forthwith；　with　other　fleece
  Poet　will　I　return；　and　at　my　font
  Baptismal　will　I　take　the　laurel　crown；
  Because　into　the　Faith　that　maketh　known
  All　souls　to　God　there　entered　I；　and　then
  Peter　for　her　sake　thus　my　brow　encircled。
  Thereafterward　towards　us　moved　a　light
  Out　of　that　band　whence　issued　the　first…fruits
  Which　of　his　vicars　Christ　behind　him　left；
  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。
  Thereafterward　a　light　among　them　brightened；
  So　that；　if　Cancer　one　such　crystal　had；
  Winter　would　have　a　month　of　one　sole　day。
  And　as　uprises；　goes；　and　enters　the　dance
  A　winsome　maiden；　only　to　do　honour
  To　the　new　bride；　and　not　from　any　failing；
  Even　thus　did　I　behold　the　brightened　splendour
  Approach　the　two；　who　in　a　wheel　revolved
  As　was　beseeming　to　their　ardent　love。
  Into　the　song　and　music　there　it　entered；
  And　fixed　on　them　my　Lady　kept　her　look；
  Even　as　a　bride　silent　and　motionless。
  〃This　is　the　one　who　lay　upon　the　breast
  Of　him　our　Pelican；　and　this　is　he
  To　the　great　office　from　the　cross　elected。〃
  My　Lady　thus；　but　therefore　none　the　more
  Did　move　her　sight　from　its　attentive　gaze
  Before　or　afterward　these　words　of　hers。
  Even　as　a　man　who　gazes；　and　endeavours
  To　see　the　eclipsing　of　the　sun　a　little；
  And　who；　by　seeing；　sightless　doth　become；
  So　I　became　before　that　latest　fire；
  While　it　was　said；　〃Why　dost　thou　daze　thyself
  To　see　a　thing　which　here　hath　no　existence？
  Earth　in　the　earth　my　body　is；　and　shall　be
  With　all　the　others　there；　until　our　number
  With　the　eternal　proposition　tallies。
  With　the　two　garments　in　the　blessed　cloister
  Are　the　two　lights　alone　that　have　ascended：
  And　this　shalt　thou　take　back　into　your　world。〃
  And　at　this　utterance　the　flaming　circle
  Grew　quiet；　with　the　dulcet　intermingling
  Of　sound　that　by　the　trinal　breath　was　made；
  As　to　escape　from　danger　or　fatigue
  The　oars　that　erst　were　in　the　water　beaten
  Are　all　suspended　at　a　whistle's　sound。
  Ah；　how　much　in　my　mind　was　I　disturbed；
  When　I　turned　round　to　look　on　Beatrice；
  That　her　I　could　not　see；　although　I　was
  Close　at　her　side　and　in　the　Happy　World！
  Paradiso：　Canto　XXVI
  While　I　was　doubting　for　my　vision　quenched；
  Out　of　the　flame　refulgent　that　had　quenched　it
  Issued　a　breathing；　that　attentive　made　me；
  Saying：　〃While　thou　recoverest　the　sense
  Of　seeing　which　in　me　thou　hast　consumed；
  'Tis　well　that　speaking　thou　shouldst　compensate　it。
  Begin　then；　and　declare　to　what　thy　soul
  Is　aimed；　and　count　it　for　a　certainty；
  Sight　is　in　thee　bewildered　and　not　dead；
  Because　the　Lady；　who　through　this　divine
  Region　conducteth　thee；　has　in　her　look
  The　power　the　hand　of　Ananias　had。〃
  I　said：　〃As　pleaseth　her；　or　soon　or　late
  Let　the　cure　come　to　eyes　that　portals　were
  When　she　with　fire　I　ever　burn　with　entered。
  The　Good；　that　gives　contentment　to　this　Court；
  The　Alpha　and　Omega　is　of　all
  The　writing　that　love　reads　me　low　or　loud。〃
  The　selfsame　voice；　that　taken　had　from　me
  The　terror　of　the　sudden　dazzlement；
  To　speak　still　farther　put　it　in　my　thought；
  And　said：　〃In　verity　with　finer　sieve
  Behoveth　thee　to　sift；　thee　it　behoveth
  To　say　who　aimed　thy　bow　at　such　a　target。〃
  And　I：　〃By　philosophic　arguments；
  And　by　authority　that　hence　descends；
  Such　love　must　needs　imprint　itself　in　me；
  For　Good；　so　far　as　good；　when　comprehended
  Doth　straight　enkindle　love；　and　so　much　greater
  As　more　of　goodness　in　itself　it　holds；
  Then　to　that　Essence　（whose　is　such　advantage
  That　every　good　which　out　of　it　is　found
  Is　nothing　but　a　ray　of　its　own　light）
  More　than　elsewhither　must　the　mind　be　moved
  Of　every　one；　in　loving；　who　discerns
  The　truth　in　which　this　evidence　is　founded。
  Such　truth　he　to　my　intellect　reveals
  Who　demonstrates　to　me　the　primal　love
  Of　all　the　sempiternal　substances。
  The　voice　reveals　it　of　the　truthful　Author；
  Who　says　to　Moses；　speaking　of　Himself；
  'I　will　make　all　my　goodness　pass　before　thee。'
  Thou　too　revealest　it　to　me；　beginning
  The　loud　Evangel；　that　proclaims　the　secret
  Of　heaven　to　earth　above　all　other　edict。〃
  And　I　heard　say：　〃By　human　intellect
  And　by　authority　concordant　with　it；
  Of　all　thy　loves　reserve　for　God　the　highest。
  But　say　again　if　other　cords　thou　feelest；
  Draw　thee　towards　Him；　that　thou　mayst　proclaim
  With　how　many　teeth　this　love　is　biting　thee。〃
  The　holy　purpose　of　the　Eagle　of　Christ
  Not　latent　was；　nay；　rather　I　perceived
  Whither　he　fain　would　my　profession　lead。
  Therefore　I　recommenced：　〃All　of　those　bites
  Which　have　the　power　to　turn　the　heart　to　God
  Unto　my　charity　have　been　concurrent。
  The　being　of　the　world；　and　my　own　being；
  The　death　which　He　endured　that　I　may　live；
  And　that　which　all　the　faithful　hope；　as　I　do；
  With　the　forementioned　vivid　consciousness
  Have　drawn　me　from　the　sea　of　love　perverse；
  And　of　the　right　have　placed　me　on　the　shore。
  The　leaves；　wherewith　embowered　is　all　the　garden
  Of　the　Eternal　Gardener；　do　I　love
  As　much　as　he　has　granted　them　of　good。〃
  As　soon　as　I　had　ceased；　a　song　most　sweet
  Throughout　the　heaven　resounded；　and　my　Lady
  Said　with　the　others；　〃Holy；　holy；　holy！〃
  And　as　at　some　keen　light　one　wakes　from　sleep
  By　reason　of　the　visual　spirit　tha