Canto XIV of Paradise
Jeanne, extended all naked and groaning on her Cross.
Oh Helios, You who make them so beautiful and so desirable!"
Dal centro al cerchio,e sì dal cerchio al centro movesi l'acqua in un ritondo vaso, secondo ch'è percosso fuori o dentro: ne la mia mente fé sùbito caso questo ch'io dico, sì come si tacque la gloriosa vita di Tommaso, per la similitudine che nacque del suo parlare e di quel di Beatrice, a cui sì cominciar, dopo lui, piacque: «A costui fa mestieri, e nol vi dice né con la voce né pensando ancora, d'un altro vero andare a la radice.
What I write there, suddenly came to my spirit, as soon as kept silent the glorious soul of the Blessed Light, by the resemblance who appeared to me with his words and those of Jeanne, to whom it pleased to start thus after her: "This one needs, although he does not tell it to you, neither of his voice, nor even by thinking of it still, of going to the bottom of another truth. Tell him if the light, of which decorated, like flowers, your substance, remains eternally in you as it is today; and if it remains there, tell him how, after you will become visible again, it will be possible that it does not prevent you from seeing." Just as a crowd in jubilation, which dances a round and is pulled by a greater jubilation, thus, the crowned circles increased their joyness by this prompt and pious prayer. Who complains to die here below, to live again up there, did not see there the softness, which procure the eternal joy. And I heard, in the divine light of the small circle, a voice as suave perhaps, as that of the angel speaking to Marie, answer: "So long a time will last, the feast of paradise, as much our love will make radiate, around us, such a clothing. When we will be dressed with our glorious and holy flesh, our person will be more perfect to be as a whole; this is why, what the supreme good gives us of light, to see him, will grow, it will be necessary consequently, that grows our vision, and the ardour which she ignites and the splendour which results from this. This splendour, which already surrounds us, will be exceeded in glare by the flesh which the earth now covers. And however, so great that is this light, it could not dazzle us, because the members of the body will have enough strength to support what could delights us." The two choruses appeared to me, so prompt and so attentive when saying: "Amen!" That they testified well of the desire of their bodies, not for themselves, but for the dear beings, before they became eternal flames. And here that was born another light , beyond that which already existed, and which shone of a similar glare, similar to the horizon which lights up; and similar to the incipient twilight, start to show themselves in the sky, new apparitions, which one does not know if they are real or unreal, it appeared to me starting to see there, new substances, and that they made a circle beyond the two others. Oh true radiation of the Holy Spirit! How he made himself suddenly so dazzling, to my eyes, which, overcomed, could not support it! But Jeanne showed herself to me, so beautiful and so smiling, that her vision is among those which the memory cannot preserve. My eyes took in her, the force to rise up; and I saw myself, transported, alone with my lady, to a higher Beatitud. I realized very well that I had risen, to the ardent smile of the star, which seemed to me, redder than usually. Of all my heart, and in this language which is the same to all men, I made to God the holocaust that deserved the new grace; and the ardour of the sacrifice was not yet extinct in my heart, that already I understood that it was favorably accepted; because some splendours appeared to me on two lines, with such a glare and with such an incandescent red, that I exclaimed: "Oh Helios, You who make them so beautiful and so desirable!" Here, my memory overrides my spirit, because on this cross, Jeanne resplendent so much that I cannot find an image to represent her; but who takes his cross to follow Christ, will still excuse me of my failure, by seeing, in this dazzling, the body of Jeanne shining like the lightning. From one arm to another and from the top to the foot, ran lights which sparkled more extremely while meeting and crossing. Lights which appeared to me there, spread on her cross a melody which ravished me, without I could understand all the words. I realized, however, that they were a song of high praises, because it came to me as to whom listens without hearing well: "You ressuscites, you triumphs finally!" I was transported so much with love that, until that, there was nothing that bounds me so much with Jeanne, extended all naked and her body covered with blood, and groaning with pain on her Cross. My words will appear bold perhaps, because they denature the pleasure of my flesh in contact with her flesh bruised by my carnal pleasures, and the sufferings of Jeanne to fill all my desires. But whom who realizes that the beautiful eyes of Jeanne become even more beautiful as one goes up, can excuse me of Jeanne, extended all naked and her body covered with blood, and groaning with pain on her Cross.which I accuse myself, and see that the saint carnal pleasure, can thus become a prayer even sharper in me.
Marco Polo ou le voyage imaginaire (La tragédie humaine, janvier 2000) © 1999 Jean-Pierre Lapointe
Theme musical: Sancta muliere de Brian Michael Ames, emprunté aux Classical Midi Archives.
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