DANTE enters the planet Mercury, or second heaven, where a number of Spirits greet him, and offer to answer his enquiries.
"IF wrapt in Love's extatic flame, I glow
With splendour, not endur'd by mortal eye,
Thou askest whether broken vows may be
Redeem'd by other service, that has force
To grant the soul a full immunity."
Thus Beatrice began;-then pour'd along
The holy strain in smooth unbroken course,
Like one who checks not the full tide of song.
"The greatest boon by the Creator given,
And most conform'd to his benevolence
That too, most precious in the sight of heaven, Was freedom of the Will, a gift bestow'd
Upon the creatures of intelligence,
Who all, and they alone, are so endow'd.
Hence if thou argue rightly, will the vow
At its high worth and value be esteem'd;
When such, that God consent as well as thou:
For in the compact, sacrifice is made
Of this same treasure, so important deem'd; As in the act spontaneous is display'd. What compensation then can'st thou bestow? Would'st thou devote to pious deed thy vowsFrom stolen wealth thou thinkest good may flow. One of thy doubts has now been clear'd away; But dispensation since the Church allows, (Which seems to contradict what now I say)
Still at the table must thou be a guest;
For the harsh food thou hast taken inwardly
Requires assistance, ere it well digest.
Open thy mind to what I now explain,
And store it close; for if thy memory
Retain not what thou learn'st, 'tis learnt in vain.
Unto the essence of this sacrifice
Two things belong—the subject matter one,
The other, the agreement ;—no device
This last can cancel, and the bond remove,
Save the performance; and what needs be done
Regarding this, hath been enforced above.
Wherefore the Hebrews were necessitated
To offer, though the gift were changed; as in
The sacred records thou wilt find related.
The other may indeed be changed, nor bring
The Donor into wilful sin ;-
If clearly seen the substance of the thing.
But let not any think, as he may please,
To shift the weight that doth his shoulder strain,
Without the turning of the twofold keys :
And on each change the blame of folly fix,
Unless the thing adopted shall contain
The one dismiss'd as four are found in six.
Wherefore, whatever in the balance weigh'd
Makes by its worth all other burdens rise,
May never be by any service paid.
O mortals, offer not your vows in jest ;
Be faithful, nor in rashness blind your eyes,
Like Jephthah, by an erring zeal possest ;
Who rather should have said: 'I acted wrong,'
Than greater guilt incur :-thus reckless too
The mighty leader of the Grecian throng-
Her beauty whence Iphigenia wept,
And made the ignorant and wise both rue
The day when rites so barbarous were kept.
Christians, let stedfastness your actions grace;
Be not like feathers, blown by every wind;
Nor think all water may your sins efface.
The Testaments, both Old and New, ye have;
A Pastor too to guide you is assign'd:
Attend to this-let this suffice to save.
If lust entice you, know that ye are men,
Not beasts devoid of sense; nor let the Jew,
Who lives
among you, hold you in disdain.
Resemble not the lamb in youthful pride,
That, eager still its gambols to pursue,
Runs from the milk, and quits its mother's side."
Thus Beatrice;-then bearing fond desire
Mark'd on her brow, unto that part she turn'd
Which glows most lively with celestial fire.
Her silence, and the change her countenance wore
Restrain'd my curiosity, which burn'd
Already, and enquiries had in store.
And as an arrow to the mark is driven,
Or ere the cord that sent it be at rest,
So swiftly pass'd we to the second heaven.
Enter'd within the precincts of the light,
I saw my guide's fair countenance possest
With joy so great, the planet glow'd more bright:
And if the very star a smile display'd,
Well might I smile-to change by nature prone,
And varying still with each impression made.
As in some water that is smooth and clear
The fish are drawn to ought within it thrown
So as to make it like their food appear;
Thus saw I more than thousand splendours move 103
Tow'rds us, and every one was heard to say,
"Behold one here, who will increase our love."
And as each soul approach'd us, the delight
It felt, was manifested by the ray
That from within was thrown upon my sight.
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