The Portable Dante (59 page)

But tell me what the dark spots are which, seen from earth along the surface of this body, lead men to make up stories about Cain?”

She smiled a little, then she answered me: “That human judgment must reach false conclusions when no key is provided by our senses,

this surely should be no surprise to you, since, as you know, even when the senses guide, reason’s wing-span sometimes can be short.

But tell me what you think the cause might be. ” And I: “The differences we see from earth, I think, are caused by different densities. ”

She said, then: “I am certain you shall see that your beliefs are deeply steeped in error. Now listen to my counter-arguments:

Heaven’s eighth sphere is lit by many lamps all of which shine with great diversity both in their quality and quantity.

If rare and dense alone produced all this, one single virtue would be in them all in more or less or equal distribution;

but these show different qualities, the fruits of diverse active principles of which your reasoning would demolish all but one.

Moreover, if the cause of those dark marks were density alone, this planet’s substance would either be in certain parts translucent,

or else there would be simple alternation of dense and rare like lean and fat in meat, or, in a book, as pages alternate.

Yet if the first were true, the moon could not fully block out the sun: in an eclipse some light would shine through the transparencies—

but it does not. So now let us examine the second case, and if I prove it wrong, then your opinion will be falsified.

Well, then, if this rare matter does not spread all the way through, this means there is a point at which some denser matter blocks its way,

and it would be from there that the sun’s rays would be bent back, as color is reflected back from a glass concealing lead behind it.

Now, you could say that though there is reflection, the ray is dimmer there than other spots, since it reflects across a greater reach.

But you can rid yourself of this objection, if you are willing, by experiment, the source which fills the rivers of man’s art:

Set up three mirrors so that two of them are equidistant from you, and the third between them, farther out in front of you;

as you stand facing them, have someone place a light behind you which strikes all of them and which reflects from them back to your sight.

Although the light seen farthest off is not as great in size as are the other two, you will observe its brilliance is the same.

Now, as the substance of the snow gives up the whiteness and the coldness it once had, beneath the piercing rays of a bright sun,

so is your intellect stripped clear, and I will now reveal a truth so radiant that it will sparkle for you like a star.

Within the highest Heaven of God’s peace revolves a body in whose power lies the essence of all things contained therein.

The next sphere which is lit with myriad eyes divides this essence into many types, distinct from it and yet contained in it.

The other spheres, by various differences direct their own distinctive qualities to their own ends and fruitful operations.

These universal organs, you now see, proceed from grade to grade, receiving power from those above, acting on those below.

And now, mark well the path that I take up to reach the truth you seek, so that henceforth you will know how to take the ford alone.

The power and motion of the sacred spheres must by the blessed movers be inspired just as the hammer’s art is by the smith.

That heaven whose beauty shines with countless lamps from the deep mind that turns it takes its stamp and of that image makes itself the seal;

and as the soul within your living dust diffuses through your body’s different parts, adapted to its various faculties,

just so does this Intelligence unfold its bounty which the stars have multiplied while turning ever in its unity.

Different virtues mingle differently with each rich stellar body that they quicken, even as the soul within you blends with you.

True to the glad nature from which it flows, this blended virtue shines throughout that body, as happiness shines forth through living eyes,

and from this virtue, not from dense and rare, derive those differences of light we see: this is the formal principle that gives,

according to its virtue, dark and light. ”

The sun that once warmed my young heart with love had now revealed with proofs and arguments the beauty in the face of what is true,

and I, to show that I had understood my error and her wisdom, raised my head just high enough to meet her eyes and speak,

when there, before my eyes, appeared a vision, absorbing my attention so completely that all thoughts of confessing left my mind.

As faint an image as comes back to us of our own face reflected in a smooth transparent pane of glass or in a clear

and tranquil pool whose shallow still remains in sight—so pale, our pupils could as soon make out a pearl upon a milk-white brow—

such faces I saw there, eager to speak; I had made the opposite mistake to that which kindled love in one man for his pool.

The moment I became aware of them, believing that they were reflected forms, I turned around to find out whose they were,

and saw no one. I looked around again into the radiance of my sweet guide whose sacred eyes were glowing as she smiled.

“You should not be surprised to see me smile at your naive reaction, ” she announced, “you do not trust the evidence you see;

you turn away to stare at emptiness: these are real substances that you behold, appearing here because they broke their vows.

Speak to them, listen, trust in what they say, for they are filled with the true light of God that gives them peace and does not let them err. ”

I turned, then, to that shade who seemed to be the most intent to speak, and I began, moved by an overwhelming urge, to say

“O well-created soul who, in the rays of endless life, enjoy that sweetness which, till truly tasted, never can be known,

how happy it would make me if you were so gracious as to tell me who you are and of your fate. ” Gladly, with smiling eyes,

she said: “The love in us no more rejects a just request than does the love in Him Who wills His court to be like Love Himself.

I was a virgin sister in the world; if you search deep into your memory, you will remember me—though now I am

more beautiful by far—I am Piccarda. You see me here among these other blest, blest, all of us, within the slowest sphere.

Our own desires that are stirred alone in the desires of the Holy Ghost rejoice conforming to His ordering.

Our station which appears so lowly here has been assigned because we failed our vows to some degree and gave less than we pledged. ”

I said: “Your faces shine so wondrously with something undescribably divine, transforming them beyond the memory,

and so I was not quick remembering; but now with what your words have just revealed, I find it easy to recall your face.

But tell me: all you souls so happy here, do you yearn for a higher post in Heaven, to see more, to become more loved by Him?”

She gently smiled, as did the other shades; then came her words so full of happiness, she seemed to glow with the first fire of love:

“Brother, the virtue of our heavenly love, tempers our will and makes us want no more than what we have—we thirst for this alone.

If we desired to be higher up, then our desires would not be in accord with His will Who assigns us to this sphere;

think carefully what love is and you’ll see such discord has no place within these rounds, since to be here is to exist in Love.

Indeed, the essence of this blessed state is to dwell here within His holy will, so that there is no will but one with His;

the order of our rank from height to height throughout this realm is pleasing to the realm, as to that King Who wills us to His will.

In His will is our peace—it is the sea in which all things are drawn that it itself creates or which the work of Nature makes. ”

Then it was clear to me that every where of Heaven is Paradise, though there the light of Grace Supreme does not shine equally.

As happens when we find we’ve had our fill of one food but still crave another kind, while giving thanks for this, we ask for that,

so did my words and gestures beg to know about the cloth through which she had not drawn the shuttle of her incompleted vow.