O'ercome the cruelty that bars me out
  From the fair sheepfold, where a lamb I slumbered,
  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;

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."

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.

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." 

"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,

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;

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!"

"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. 

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;

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

Close at her side and in the Happy World!