ST BERNARD INVITES DANTE TO LOOK UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION BERNARDO m' accennava, e sorridea, Perch' io guardassi suso ; ma io era BERNARD made signal to me with a smile look above: but of myself had I Anticipated his desire the while; For now my vision, clearer than before, And perfect Truth was entering more and more. (W.) DANTE LIKE ONE AWAKENED FROM A DREAM UAL è colui che sognando vede, E dopo il sogno la passione impressa Mia visione, ed ancor mi distilla Si perdea la sentenza di Sibilla. (Par. xxxiii. 58-66.) LIKE him who in a dream some object sees, And when the dream hath passed away, retains The impression, though impaired its images; E'en so am I; who, though hath sunk to nought The sight I saw entranced, yet in my mind Feel all the sweetness that the vision wrought. Before the sun thus melts the snow away; Thus, at the impulse of a gentle wind, Were swept the traces of the Sybil's lay. (W.) DANTE INVOKES THE DIVINE AID IN HIS DESCRIPTION OF THE BEATIFIC VISION SOMMA luce, che tanto ti levi Dai concetti mortali, alla mia mente SOVRAN Light! who dost exalt thee high Above all thoughts that mortal may conceive, Recall thy semblance to my mental eye; And let my tongue record the wondrous story, That I to nations yet unborn may leave One spark at least of thy surpassing glory; So, my verse rising to a higher sound, And memory taught the vision to retrace, More glory to thy Victory shall redound. (W.) THE ESSENCE OF THE BEATIFIC VISION ABBONDANTE grazia, ond' io presunsi Tanto, che la veduta vi consunsi! Quasi conflati insieme per tal modo, Credo ch' io vidi, perchè più di largo, (Par. xxxiii. 82-93.) that nerved my soul to So fixt a look on the Eternal Light, That I achieved the object of my gaze! Within its depth I saw that by the chains Of love, in one sole volume was confined Of all this globe;-such thrilling ecstasy (W.) |