As long as from the time the zenith holds them
In equipoise, till from that girdle both
Changing their hemisphere disturb the balance,

So long, her face depicted with a smile,
  Did Beatrice keep silence while she gazed
  Fixedly at the point which had o'ercome me.

Not to acquire some good unto himself,
 Which is impossible, but that his splendour
  In its resplendency may say, 'Subsisto,'

In his eternity outside of time,
  Outside all other limits, as it pleased him,
  Into new Loves the Eternal Love unfolded. 

Matter and Form unmingled and conjoined
  Came into being that had no defect,
  E'en as three arrows from a three-stringed bow.

And as in glass, in amber, or in crystal
  A sunbeam flashes so, that from its coming
  To its full being is no interval, 

Order was con-created and constructed
  In substances, and summit of the world
Were those wherein the pure act was 
produced.

Pure potentiality held the lowest part;
  Midway bound potentiality with act
Such bond that it shall never be unbound. 

But written is this truth in many places
  By writers of the Holy Ghost, and thou
  Shalt see it, if thou lookest well thereat.

And even reason seeth it somewhat,
  For it would not concede that for so long
  Could be the motors without their perfection.

Nor could one reach, in counting, untotwenty
  So swiftly, as a portion of these angels
  Disturbed the subject of your elements.

The rest remained, and they began this art
Which thou discernest, with so great  delight
That never from their circling do they cease.

Those whom thou here beholdest modest were
  To recognise themselves as of that goodness
Which made them apt for so much
understanding;

On which account their vision was exalted
By the enlightening grace and their own merit,
  So that they have a full and steadfast will.

Now round about in this consistory
Much mayst thou contemplate, if these my words
  Be gathered up, without all further aid.

But since upon the earth, throughout your schools,
  They teach that such is the angelic nature
  That it doth hear, and recollect, and will,

These substances, since in God's countenance
They jocund were, turned not away their sight
  From that wherefrom not anything is hidden;

Hence they have not their vision intercepted
  By object new, and hence they do not need
  To recollect, through interrupted thought.

Below you do not journey by one path
  Philosophising; so transporteth you
  Love of appearance and the thought thereof.

And even this above here is endured
  With less disdain, than when is set aside
  The Holy Writ, or when it is distorted. 

Each striveth for appearance, and doth make
  His own inventions; and these treated are
  By preachers, and the Evangel holds its peace.

One sayeth that the moon did backward turn,
  In the Passion of Christ, and interpose herself
  So that the sunlight reached not down below;

Florence has not so many Lapi and Bindi
  As fables such as these, that every year
  Are shouted from the pulpit back and forth,

In such wise that the lambs, who do not know,
  Come back from pasture fed upon the wind,
And not to see the harm doth not excuse them.

And this so loudly sounded from their lips,
  That, in the warfare to enkindle Faith,
They made of the Evangel shields and  lances.

Now men go forth with jests and drolleries
To preach, and if but well the people laugh,
The hood puffs out, and nothing more is  asked.

For which so great on earth has grown the folly,
  That, without proof of any testimony,
  To each indulgence they would flock together.

By this Saint Anthony his pig doth fatten,
  And many others, who are worse than pigs,
  Paying in money without mark of coinage.

This nature doth so multiply itself
  In numbers, that there never yet was speech
  Nor mortal fancy that can go so far.

And if thou notest that which is revealed
  By Daniel, thou wilt see that in his thousands
  Number determinate is kept concealed

Hence, inasmuch as on the act conceptive
The affection followeth, of love the sweetness
  Therein diversely fervid is or tepid.
The height behold now and the amplitude
  Of the eternal power, since it hath made
  Itself so many mirrors, where 'tis broken,