IV. Questionings of the Soul and of Broken Vows.

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      Between two viands, equally removed

       And tempting, a free man would die of hunger

       Ere either he could bring unto his teeth.

      So would a lamb between the ravenings

       Of two fierce wolves stand fearing both alike;

       And so would stand a dog between two does.

      Hence, if I held my peace, myself I blame not,

       Impelled in equal measure by my doubts,

       Since it must be so, nor do I commend.

      I held my peace; but my desire was painted

       Upon my face, and questioning with that

       More fervent far than by articulate speech.

      Beatrice did as Daniel had done

       Relieving Nebuchadnezzar from the wrath

       Which rendered him unjustly merciless,

      And said: "Well see I how attracteth thee

       One and the other wish, so that thy care

       Binds itself so that forth it does not breathe.

      Thou arguest, if good will be permanent,

       The violence of others, for what reason

       Doth it decrease the measure of my merit?

      Again for doubting furnish thee occasion

       Souls seeming to return unto the stars,

       According to the sentiment of Plato.

      These are the questions which upon thy wish

       Are thrusting equally; and therefore first

       Will I treat that which hath the most of gall.

      He of the Seraphim most absorbed in God,

       Moses, and Samuel, and whichever John

       Thou mayst select, I say, and even Mary,

      Have not in any other heaven their seats,

       Than have those spirits that just appeared to thee,

       Nor of existence more or fewer years;

      But all make beautiful the primal circle,

       And have sweet life in different degrees,

       By feeling more or less the eternal breath.

      They showed themselves here, not because allotted

       This sphere has been to them, but to give sign

       Of the celestial which is least exalted.

      To speak thus is adapted to your mind,

       Since only through the sense it apprehendeth

       What then it worthy makes of intellect.

      On this account the Scripture condescends

       Unto your faculties, and feet and hands

       To God attributes, and means something else;

      And Holy Church under an aspect human

       Gabriel and Michael represent to you,

       And him who made Tobias whole again.

      That which Timaeus argues of the soul

       Doth not resemble that which here is seen,

       Because it seems that as he speaks he thinks.

      He says the soul unto its star returns,

       Believing it to have been severed thence

       Whenever nature gave it as a form.

      Perhaps his doctrine is of other guise

       Than the words sound, and possibly may be

       With meaning that is not to be derided.

      If he doth mean that to these wheels return

       The honour of their influence and the blame,

       Perhaps his bow doth hit upon some truth.

      This principle ill understood once warped

       The whole world nearly, till it went astray

       Invoking Jove and Mercury and Mars.

      The other doubt which doth disquiet thee

       Less venom has, for its malevolence

       Could never lead thee otherwhere from me.

      That as unjust our justice should appear

       In eyes of mortals, is an argument

       Of faith, and not of sin heretical.

      But still, that your perception may be able

       To thoroughly penetrate this verity,

       As thou desirest, I will satisfy thee.

      If it be violence when he who suffers

       Co-operates not with him who uses force,

       These souls were not on that account excused;

      For will is never quenched unless it will,

       But operates as nature doth in fire

       If violence a thousand times distort it.

      Hence, if it yieldeth more or less, it seconds

       The force; and these have done so, having power

       Of turning back unto the holy place.

      If their will had been perfect, like to that

       Which Lawrence fast upon his gridiron held,

       And Mutius made severe to his own hand,

      It would have urged them back along the road

       Whence they were dragged, as soon as they were free;

       But such a solid will is all too rare.

      And by these words, if thou hast gathered them

       As thou shouldst do, the argument is refuted

       That would have still annoyed thee many times.

      But now another passage runs across

       Before thine eyes, and such that by thyself

       Thou couldst not thread it ere thou wouldst be weary.

      I have for certain put into thy mind

       That soul beatified could never lie,

       For it is near the primal Truth,

      And then thou from Piccarda might'st have heard

       Costanza kept affection for the veil,

       So that she seemeth here to contradict me.

      Many times, brother, has it come