The Divine Comedy by Dante: The Vision Of Paradise: Canto XI

O fond anxiety of mortal men!     How vain and inconclusive arguments     Are those, which make thee beat thy wings below     For statues one, and one for aphorisms     Was hunting; this the priesthood follow'd, that     By force or sophistry aspir'd to rule;     To rob another, and another sought     By civil business wealth; one moiling lay     Tangled in net of sensual delight,     And one to witless indolence resign'd;     What time from all these empty things escap'd,     With Beatrice, I thus gloriously     Was rais'd aloft, and made the guest of heav'n.     They of the circle to that point, each one.     Where erst it was, had turn'd; and steady glow'd,     As candle in his socket. Then within     The lustre, that erewhile bespake me, smiling     With merer gladness, heard I thus begin:     "E'en as his beam illumes me, so I look     Into the eternal light, and clearly mark     Thy thoughts, from whence they rise. Thou art in doubt,     And wouldst, that I should bolt my words afresh     In such plain open phrase, as may be smooth     To thy perception, where I told thee late     That 'well they thrive;' and that 'no second such     Hath risen,' which no small distinction needs.     "The providence, that governeth the world,     In depth of counsel by created ken     Unfathomable, to the end that she,     Who with loud cries was 'spous'd in precious blood,     Might keep her footing towards her well-belov'd,     Safe in herself and constant unto him,     Hath two ordain'd, who should on either hand     In chief escort her: one seraphic all     In fervency; for wisdom upon earth,     The other splendour of cherubic light.     I but of one will tell: he tells of both,     Who one commendeth which of them so'er     Be taken: for their deeds were to one end.     "Between Tupino, and the wave, that falls     From blest Ubaldo's chosen hill, there hangs     Rich slope of mountain high, whence heat and cold     Are wafted through Perugia's eastern gate:     And Norcera with Gualdo, in its rear     Mourn for their heavy yoke. Upon that side,     Where it doth break its steepness most, arose     A sun upon the world, as duly this     From Ganges doth: therefore let none, who speak     Of that place, say Ascesi; for its name     Were lamely so deliver'd; but the East,     To call things rightly, be it henceforth styl'd.     He was not yet much distant from his rising,     When his good influence 'gan to bless the earth.     A dame to whom none openeth pleasure's gate     More than to death, was, 'gainst his father's will,     His stripling choice: and he did make her his,     Before the Spiritual court, by nuptial bonds,     And in his father's sight: from day to day,     Then lov'd her more devoutly. She, bereav'd     Of her first husband, slighted and obscure,     Thousand and hundred years and more, remain'd     Without a single suitor, till he came.     Nor aught avail'd, that, with Amyclas, she     Was found unmov'd at rumour of his voice,     Who shook the world: nor aught her constant boldness     Whereby with Christ she mounted on the cross,     When Mary stay'd beneath. But not to deal     Thus closely with thee longer, take at large     The rovers' titles--Poverty and Francis.     Their concord and glad looks, wonder and love,     And sweet regard gave birth to holy thoughts,     So much, that venerable Bernard first     Did bare his feet, and, in pursuit of peace     So heavenly, ran, yet deem'd his footing slow.     O hidden riches! O prolific good!     Egidius bares him next, and next Sylvester,     And follow both the bridegroom; so the bride     Can please them. Thenceforth goes he on his way,     The father and the master, with his spouse,     And with that family, whom now the cord     Girt humbly: nor did abjectness of heart     Weigh down his eyelids, for that he was son     Of Pietro Bernardone, and by men     In wond'rous sort despis'd. But royally     His hard intention he to Innocent     Set forth, and from him first receiv'd the seal     On his religion. Then, when numerous flock'd     The tribe of lowly ones, that trac'd HIS steps,     Whose marvellous life deservedly were sung     In heights empyreal, through Honorius' hand     A second crown, to deck their Guardian's virtues,     Was by the eternal Spirit inwreath'd: and when     He had, through thirst of martyrdom, stood up     In the proud Soldan's presence, and there preach'd     Christ and his followers; but found the race     Unripen'd for conversion: back once more     He hasted (not to intermit his toil),     And reap'd Ausonian lands. On the hard rock,     'Twixt Arno and the Tyber, he from Christ     Took the last Signet, which his limbs two years     Did carry. Then the season come, that he,     Who to such good had destin'd him, was pleas'd     T' advance him to the meed, which he had earn'd     By his self-humbling, to his brotherhood,     As their just heritage, he gave in charge     His dearest lady, and enjoin'd their love     And faith to her: and, from her bosom, will'd     His goodly spirit should move forth, returning     To its appointed kingdom, nor would have     His body laid upon another bier.     "Think now of one, who were a fit colleague,     To keep the bark of Peter in deep sea     Helm'd to right point; and such our Patriarch was.     Therefore who follow him, as he enjoins,     Thou mayst be certain, take good lading in.     But hunger of new viands tempts his flock,     So that they needs into strange pastures wide     Must spread them: and the more remote from him     The stragglers wander, so much mole they come     Home to the sheep-fold, destitute of milk.     There are of them, in truth, who fear their harm,     And to the shepherd cleave; but these so few,     A little stuff may furnish out their cloaks.     "Now, if my words be clear, if thou have ta'en     Good heed, if that, which I have told, recall     To mind, thy wish may be in part fulfill'd:     For thou wilt see the point from whence they split,     Nor miss of the reproof, which that implies,     'That well they thrive not sworn with vanity."'