1 Nebuchadnezzar by divine inspiration saw something terrible to sinners, and then forgot it. For He “who maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust," sometimes compassionately, for their conversion, sometimes severely, for their punishment, more or less, according as it pleaseth Him, doth manifest His glory even to those who live evilly. 29. He beheld therefore, as he saith, some things. which to repeat nor knows, nor can, who from above descends. In truth, it must be carefully noted that he saith, nor knows, and nor can. He knoweth not, because he hath forgotten; he cannot, because even if he doth remember and retaineth the idea, words are nevertheless lacking. For we behold many things with the intellect for which the vocal symbols are wanting; 2 and Plato suggesteth this sufficiently in his books by the use of metaphors; for he beheld many things by the light of the intellect which he was unable to express in fitting words. 30. After this he saith that he will tell whatever of the holy realm he had the power to treasure in his mind, and this he saith is the subject of his song; and of what sort and how many these matters are will appear in the principal part. 1 Matt. v. 45. 2 See Canzone ii. in the Convito: Wherefore if my rhymes are defective For that is guilty my weak understanding To encompass all. ... That is, as Dante explains further on, iii. 3, the reason is that language cannot completely ronì 66 31. Then when he saith, "O good Apollo," etc., he doth make his invocation. And this part is divided into two parts: in the first, in making his invocation he doth make a petition; in the second, he doth persuade Apollo of what he hath asked, first promising a certain reward. The second part beginneth here: "O power divine." The first part is divided into two parts in the first he seeketh the divine aid; in the second he toucheth on the necessity of his position, which is its justification; and it beginneth here: "One summit of Parnassus hitherto," etc. 32. This is the signification of the second part of the prologue in general. In particular I will not expound it at present; for poverty presseth so hard upon me that I must needs abandon these and other matters useful for the public good. But I hope of your magnificence that other means may be given me of continuing with a useful exposition. : 33. Of the principal part, which was divided even as the whole prologue, nothing will be said at present, either in respect to its division or its signification, save this that it will proceed ascending from heaven to heaven, and will tell of the souls of the blessed found in each sphere, and that true blessedness consisteth in knowing the source of truth; as doth appear in St. John 1 where he saith: "This is true blessedness, that they might know thee, the true God," etc.; and in Boethius,2 in the Third of De Consolatione, where he saith: "To see Thee is our end." Hence it is that many things that have a great utility and delight will be asked from these souls, as from those beholding all truth, in order to reveal the glory of their blessed1 John xvii. 3. 2 De Consolatione, iii. 9 (ed. Peiper). ness. And because when the Source or First, which is God, hath been found, there is nothing to be sought beyond (since He is the Alpha and Omega, which is the Beginning and the End, as the vision of Saint John doth demonstrate,1) the treatise draweth to a close in God, who is blessed throughout all the ages. 1 Rev. i. 8; xxi. 6; xxii. 13. |