CANTO XVIII.

ARGUMENT,

MANY distinguished warriors and Crusaders are seen in the planet Mars. Dante thence ascends to Jupiter, the sixth heaven, in which the spirits of those who had been eminent upon earth for the administration of Justice are disposed in the form of an Eagle.

Now silently that happy soul pursued

His joyous musings-I too, thoughtfully

Temper'd the pleasant with the bitter food; When She, who led me on my heavenward flight, Said: "Muse on other things; and know that I Am near to Him, who doth each wrong requite."

I turn'd me at my Comforter's loved strain;

But to describe the affection that I view'd Within her holy eyes I strive in vain ;— Not merely wanting trust in mine own speech, But, to retrace such feeling, not endued

With mental power, unless Another teach.

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This much, however, I can call to mind,

That, gazing upon her in that blest place, All other wishes wholly were resign'd; Till the Eternal Pleasure, that beam❜d bright On Beatrice, reflected from her face, Thrill'd me again with exquisite delight. Then with a smile that all my soul subdued,

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"Turn thee, and list," she said; "for Paradise

May elsewhere than within these eyes be view'd."

And as sometimes in this our mortal state

We see affection pictured in the eyes,

Of power the soul entire to captivate So, in the effulgence of that holy flame

To which I turn'd, an ardent wish I saw

With me a further intercourse to claim. "In this fifth tier," commenced he, "of the tree, Which vital strength doth from the Summit draw, And beareth fruit and leaves eternally,―

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Are spirits blest, who, ere to heaven they came,

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Obtain'd such high distinction in their day, Each were a theme to exalt a poet's fame. Wherefore observe the cross in either horn;

And he whom I shall name will there display

The form of lightning 'thwart heav'n's concave borne.”

Joshua he named; whereat I saw a light

Swift drawn along the cross; nor did the sound Reach mine ear swifter than the flame my sight. Another bright effulgence I beheld,

At name of Maccabee, whirl round and round; Gladness the lash which that bright top impell'd. Then in like manner was my eyesight bent

Orlando to behold, and Charlemagne,

As on his bird the falconer looks intent. There William I beheld, and Rinoard;

And the Duke Godfrey was in semblance plain Seen on that cross, and Robert hight Guiscard. The soul who spake to me, now-(mixt among The other lights and singers manifold)

Show'd how in heaven he knew to pour the song: I turn'd me then unto the dexter side,

In Beatrice my duty to behold,

Or by her words or action signified;
And saw the rays beam from her so serene,
So joyous-she surpast herself in beauty-
Transcending all that I before had seen.
And as from consciousness of joy and peace,
The man who strives in active course of duty
Feels day by day his holiness increase;

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So I perceived the circle of my flight,

Together with the heaven, become enlarged,
Seeing that Miracle increase in light.
And rapid as the change in Maiden's face,

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What time the crimson hue wherewith 'twas charged, To native paleness doth again give place; Such change in Beatrice the silvery sheen

Of that attemper'd planet gave to sight; The sixth in which I so received had been. And in that gladsome torch of Jove I saw

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The sparks of love, which there were beaming bright, Letters like those we use, distinctly draw.

And as birds rising from a stream, whence they

Their pastures view, as though their joy confessing, Now form a round, and now a long array;

So, singing as they fly, did joy impel

These creatures blest, themselves in figures dressing, Now like the letter D-now I-now L.

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They move accordant to the holy strain,

Till one of these same letters they have wrought;
Then for awhile in silence they remain.

O heavenly Muse, that dost to glory give

Those favour'd sons, who, by thy lessons taught,
Make states and cities in thy numbers live-

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Impart thy light, that I may now rehearse

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The forms in which these gems mine eyesight smote;

And may thy power appear in this brief verse! Vowels and consonants then met mine eye,

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Thirty and five; nor did I fail to note

The order in the which they seem'd to lie. 'Diligite justitiam," first pass'd

Before me, in effulgent words portray'd;
“Qui judicatis terram," were the last.
Now in the M of terram were they so
Arranged, that like to silver when inlaid
With gold, did Jupiter's appearance show.

And towards the summit of the M, I saw

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Descending, other lights, and resting there, Singing His praise who them to Himself doth draw. Then as we see from shaken firebrands rise

Innumerable sparkles in the air,

Whence omens are inferr'd by the unwise;

So, as it seem'd, some thousand lights arose,

These mounting more, these less, e'en at the beck
Of that bright Sun from whom their glory flows.
And when each one, in its own station placed,
Had settled, I an Eagle's head and neck
Saw in that silvery flame distinctly traced.

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