Dante's Divine Comedy: Paradiso
Canto XXIX
Gazing at the Primum Mobile, the infinitesimal, spaceless point that is God, Beatrice reads Dante's questions in it and proceeds to lay bare the mystery of Creation, the fall of Lucifer and the relationship of angelic beings to each other, the order of the universe and God since the time of the revolt. She corrects some earthly confusion about angels—they do not possess memory, for instance, because they see everything within God. After blasting the false teachings of presumptuous preachers, Beatrice asks Dante to reflect on the infinite, indivisible nature of God and the pure, distinctive form of each angelic nature. She explains that there are more angels than humans can comprehend.[1]
At what time both the children of Latona,
Surmounted by the Ram and by the Scales,
Together make a zone of the horizon,[2]
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.
Then she began: "I say, and I ask not
What thou dost wish to hear, for I have seen it
Where centers every When and every 'Ubi.'[3]
Not to acquire some good unto himself,
Which is impossible, but that his splendor
In its resplendency may say, 'Subsisto,'[4]
In his eternity outside of time,
Outside all other limits, as it pleased him,
Into new Loves the Eternal Love unfolded.
Nor as if torpid did he lie before;
For neither after nor before proceeded
The going forth of God upon these waters.
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,
So from its Lord did the triform effect
Ray forth into its being all together,
Without discrimination of beginning.
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.
Jerome has written unto you of angels
Created a long lapse of centuries
Or ever yet the other world was made;[5]
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.
Now dost thou know both where and when these Loves
Created were, and how; so that extinct
In thy desire already are three fires.
Nor could one reach, in counting, unto twenty
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.
The occasion of the fall was the accursed
Presumption of that One, whom thou hast seen
By all the burden of the world constrained.
Those whom thou here beholdest modest were
To recognize 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.
I would not have thee doubt, but certain be,
'Tis meritorious to receive this grace,
According as the affection opens to it.
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,
More will I say, that thou mayst see unmixed
The truth that is confounded there below,
Equivocating in such like prelections.
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.
So that below, not sleeping, people dream,
Believing they speak truth, and not believing;
And in the last is greater sin and shame.
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.
They think not there how much of blood it costs
To sow it in the world, and how he pleases
Who in humility keeps close to it.
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;
And lies; for of its own accord the light
Hid itself; whence to Spaniards and to Indians,
As to the Jews, did such eclipse respond.[6]
Florence has not so many Lapi and Bindi
As fables such as these, that every year
Are shouted from the pulpit back and forth,[7]
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.
Christ did not to his first disciples say,
'Go forth, and to the world preach idle tales,'
But unto them a true foundation gave;
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.
But in the cowl there nestles such a bird,
That, if the common people were to see it,
They would perceive what pardons they confide in,
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.[8]
But since we have digressed abundantly,
Turn back thine eyes forthwith to the right path,
So that the way be shortened with the time.
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.[9]
The primal light, that all irradiates it,
By modes as many is received therein,
As are the splendors wherewith it is mated.
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,
One in itself remaining as before."
Footnotes
1. Beatrice now gives an account of the Creation. God, she declares, created the universe in an act of pure expansive joy, not to meet a need or satisfy a preexisting desire. Angels were created at the same time as the physical universe, but the Fall began wit h a rebel angel (Lucifer), humankind becoming involved only later. Then, weighing in on a contemporary theological dispute, Beatrice describes some aspects of angelic consciousness. Angels, she says, have intelligence and free will-but not memory, which would be superfluous since they live in eternal contemplation of God.
Having shed light on these mysteries, Beatrice speaks out against theologians and preachers who are "swept / along by show and love of showy thoughts." These would-be philosophers, she charges, are so preoccupied with trivial theological issues that they neglect the message of the Gospels. Worse, they turn their sermons into performances designed to amuse or impress, perverting Christian preaching from its true purpose. She closes her speech with some remarks on the innumerability of the angels.
Lucifer is believed to be a fallen angel and the Devil in Christian theology. Lucifer is associated with the sin of pride and believed to have attempted a usurpation of God, whereafter being banished to hell.
The concept of a fallen angel attempting to overthrow the highest deity parallels Attar's attempt to overthrow Ba'al in Canaanite mythology; Attar is thrown into the underworld as a result of his failure. The story is alluded to in the Book of Isaiah and transferred to Christian beliefs, and is also used in the Vulgate (the late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bible).
As Lucifer is the antagonist of God in Christian beliefs, some sects of Satanism began to venerate him as a bringer of freedom. Other religious communities, such as the Gnostics and Freemasons, have been accused of worshiping Lucifer as their deity.
Originally, Lucifer was a prominent archangel, often associated with light and beauty. However, he fell from grace due to pride and rebellion against God, becoming identified with Satan in Christian theology.
2. Latona, also known as Leto, is a childhood goddess, the daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe, the sister of Asteria, and the mother of Apollo and Artemis.
Looking at the constellations of Aries (Ram) and the Pisces (Scales) means that it is between March and February: perhaps he is looking slightly backwards since Dante already mentioned the Ram. Note that on earth these constellations are seen in the night sky in August and September. I assume Dante sees these from heaven.
Aries (Ram) represents initiation, leadership, and the beginning of the astrological year. Libra (Scales) symbolizes balance, justice, and harmony, often associated with relationships and equilibrium.
The mention of these signs highlights the interplay between celestial order and divine creation. In this canto, Dante explores themes of divine love and the nature of creation, emphasizing that God created the universe in a state of perfect balance and harmony. The celestial imagery serves to illustrate the interconnectedness of all things in the divine plan.
Dante uses this imagery to reflect on the nature of God's creation, suggesting that the universe operates under a divine order that is both beautiful and purposeful. The balance represented by the Ram and the Scales underscores the idea that creation is not random but is instead a manifestation of God's love and intention.
3. "Ubi" refers to the concept of "where," representing a point in the divine order where all space and time converge in God. It highlights the idea that in the Empyrean, the highest heaven, every location and moment is unified in God's presence.
4. Subsisto, Latin, "stop".
5. Jerome refers to St. Jerome, a Christian scholar and translator known for his Latin translation of the Bible, the Vulgate. He is mentioned in the context of discussing the creation of angels and the nature of their existence, contrasting Dante's views with those of Jerome.
Jerome (342–420 AD), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was an early Christian priest, confessor, theologian, translator, and historian.
He is best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin (the translation that became known as the Vulgate) and his commentaries on the whole Bible. Jerome attempted to create a translation of the Old Testament based on a Hebrew version, rather than the Septuagint, as prior Latin Bible translations had done. His list of writings is extensive. In addition to his biblical works, he wrote polemical and historical essays, always from a theologian's perspective.
6. This passage refers to a historical event during the Passion of Christ, suggesting that the eclipse of the sun was a sign that affected not only the Jews but also Spaniards and Indians, indicating a universal significance of Christ's crucifixion. Divine events have implications for all humanity, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries.
The crucifixion darkness is an event described in the synoptic gospels in which the sky becomes dark in daytime during the crucifixion of Jesus for roughly three hours. Most ancient and medieval Christian writers treated this as a miracle, and believed it t o be one of the few episodes from the New Testament which were confirmed by non-Christian sources. Modern scholars have found references by early historians to accounts of this event outside the New Testament, although no copies of the referenced accounts survive.
In his Apologeticus, Christian apologist Tertullian in AD 197 considered this not an eclipse but an omen, which is recorded in Roman archives. In his apologetic work Contra Celsum, the third-century Christian scholar Origen offered two natural explanations for the darkness: that it might have been the eclipse described by Phlegon of Tralles in his Chronicle or that it might have been clouds. In his Chronicle of Theophanes the fifth-century chronicler George Syncellus quotes the History of the World of Sextus Julius Africanus as stating that a world eclipse and an earthquake in Judea had been reported by the Greek 1st century historian Thallus in his Histories.
7. Lapi and Bindi refer to common names in Florence, used to illustrate the abundance of fables and stories that circulate among the people. Dante uses these names to emphasize the multitude of tales that are told, contrasting them with the deeper truths he seeks to convey.
8. Saint Anthony of Padua is a prominent figure in Christianity, known as the patron saint of lost and stolen items. He was a Franciscan friar and preacher, celebrated for his miracles and teachings, and is often depicted holding the child Jesus, a lily, or a book.
Anthony of Padua, also known as Anthony of Lisbon, born Fernando Martins de Bulhões (1195–1231 AD) was a Portuguese Catholic priest and member of the Order of Friars Minor.
Anthony was born to and raised by a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, and died in Padua, Italy. Noted by his contemporaries for his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick, he was one of the most quickly canonized saints in church history, being canonized less than a year after his death.
9. Book of Daniel, a book of the Old Testament found in the Ketuvim (Writings), the third section of the Jewish canon, but placed among the Prophets in the Christian canon. The first half of the book (chapters 1–6) contains stories in the third person about the experiences of Daniel and his friends under Kings Nebuchadrezzar II, Belshazzar, Darius I, and Cyrus II; the second half, written mostly in the first person, contains reports of Daniel’s three visions (and one dream). The second half of the book names as author a certain Daniel who, according to chapter 1, was exiled to Babylon.
The book takes an apocalyptic view of history: the end time is vividly anticipated when the reign of God will be established and the faithful, through a resurrection of the just, will be relieved of their suffering. The book exhorts its hearers and readers to endure, even to the point of martyrdom.
Early Christian apocalypticism is evident in the Gospels, which are permeated with language taken from Daniel. The so-called Little Apocalypse, a sermon by Jesus found in Matthew (24–25) with parallels in Mark (13) and Luke (21), foretells the imminence of collective tribulation and chastisement before the coming of the “Son of Man” who will “sit upon the throne of his glory” and separate “the sheep from the goats.” Some Pauline epistles also contain apocalyptic content.
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