Authors: Dante
98.
The identity of the singer(s) of the words of the psalm is not given. The commentators are universally puzzled (if only Chimenz [comm. to vv. 97–99] has the good sense to complain that Dante had left the issue unresolved and problematic). It is thus perhaps necessary to assume that angels, whether in the ninth sphere or, as seems more likely, in the Empyrean, are their source. The only human souls above them now are Jesus and Mary. And while one cannot rule out the possibility that it is one of them that we hear (or even both of them), that does not seem likely, nor has anyone, perhaps, ever argued for that solution. And so an angelic voice or group of voices is probably an acceptable solution, but not one that there is consensus about. However, the inhabitants of the “spheres” (circles) of the Church Triumphant are probably ruled out, since they are now here in the eighth heaven and not up above. It is as though whoever, singular or plural, is doing that singing were answering Dante’s Italian version of the psalm in Latin, as though to underline his acceptance as a hopeful member of the Church.
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100–102.
For the dazzling brightness of John’s transfigured body, Toynbee (Toyn. 1905.1) refers to the legendary accounts found, for instance, in Vincent of Beauvais (whom he cites), Petrus Comestor, and Jacopo da Varagine.
He is so bright that were the constellation Cancer (which shines all night from mid-December to mid-January) to have in it a single star as bright, it would turn one month into unbroken “day.”
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103–108.
See Grandgent (comm. to vv. 103–111): “The three representatives of the Christian virtues dance before Beatrice, as the Virtues themselves did (in allegorical form) in
Purg.
XXIX.121–129.”
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109–111.
John joins his fellow apostles (Peter and James) in song as Beatrice, as bride, looks on.
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112–114.
The references are to the disciple who leaned on Jesus (John 13:23) and who was chosen by Christ on the cross to care for Mary (John 19:27). The pelican seemed a fitting image of Christ because the bird was supposed to feed its young by piercing its own breast with its beak to feed them with its blood. The bird is mentioned (if not with these characteristics) in Psalm 101:7 (102:6). For a fairly extensive note devoted to Christ as pelican, see Carroll (comm. to vv. 100–114).
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118–121.
Dante’s blindness, as Carroll observes (comm. to these verses), is a form of punishment for his vain curiosity about the bodily condition of the apostle’s soul; he goes on to note that it is curious that Thomas (
ST
suppl., q. 77, a. 1, ad 2) supports the truth of the legend.
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122–129.
John says that his body has returned to earth as clay, and will so remain until the general resurrection; only Christ and Mary are in Heaven in the flesh, as Dante is instructed to tell those “back home” whom he shall meet when he returns.
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124–126.
Jacoff (Jaco.1999.1), p. 52, believes that Dante cancels the version of the tale that has John being in Heaven in his flesh in order to privilege Mary.
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127–129.
John, who is the very model of the biblical scribe (see, e.g., Apocalypse 22:18–19) here has become the dictator, with Dante acting as
his
scribe. He specifically licenses Dante to write the words he has just written.
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130–135.
Poletto (comm. to these verses), citing Casini, is the first commentator to find the original of this simile in Statius, mentioning
Thebaid
IV.804–807 and VI.799–801. But see Porena (comm. to these verses [actually his second “nota finale” to this canto in the printed version of his commentary]), who attacks such attributions as “scholarship” run amok. (Torraca [comm. to these verses] had previously suggested as much, if a bit more gently.) Bosco/Reggio (comm. to vv. 133–135) are in accord with Porena. However, it should be pointed out that Porena does not discuss the Statian simile that is closest to Dante’s text (that in the sixth book), but deals with that in
Thebaid
IV and another not adduced by Poletto (
Theb
. X.774–777).
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131–132.
Our translation reflects Gaffney’s suggestion (Gaff.1973.1, p. 111) that the verb,
si quietò
, preserves the ambiguity between sound and movement.
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136–139.
See Acts 9:7, when Saul’s companions, “hearing a voice but seeing no man,” try to see Jesus. We may want to remember that John, as visionary, was frequently portrayed as “blind” (see, e.g.,
Purg.
XXIX. 143–144), a familiar iconographical representation of inner sight.
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1.
As a continuation of its predecessor, this canto begins with Dante’s concerns about his blindness. The verb
dubbiava
underlines the combination of fear and uncertainty that he is experiencing, as Sapegno (comm. to vv. 1–2) points out (citing Francesco da Buti [comm. to vv. 1–12]); he reflects on some of the previous and varying meanings of the verb
dubbiare
(
Inf.
IV.18 and
Purg.
XX.135: being fearful;
Purg.
III.72: being dubious).
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3.
For the noun
spiro
, see
Paradiso
XXIV.32, where it refers to Peter’s “breath” (and see the related verb [
spirò
] at XXIV.82; and XXV.82, with similar significance for James as well). Thus each apostle is identified with the word connected to the spiration of the Holy Spirit; it is probably not accidental that all three of them are associated with this spiration in
Paradiso
XXV.132.
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5–6.
These lines bring back to mind a similar tactic on the part of Virgil (
Inferno
XI.10–15), where Dante’s olfactory sense must be rested from the infernal stench before the downward journey into the pit may be continued; therefore, Virgil, in order to pass the time profitably, offers his “lecture” on the order of the sins. Here, in response to Dante’s temporary blindness, John will use the time to give Dante his examination on Love, which begins with the next tercet.
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6.
Aversano (Aver.2000.2), p. 121, points out that here the verb
ragionare
, so intimately connected with the phrase
d’amore
(and thus “to speak of love”) in Dante’s own and other amorous lyrics, here is put to the service of discussing a higher form of love, the third (and highest) of the three theological virtues (see Paul’s statement to that effect [that among faith, hope, and love, “the greatest of these is love”] in I Corinthians 13:13). (The verb is repeated in verse 21.)
At the same time, it is necessary to keep in mind, as Scartazzini (comm. to vv. 1–18) reminds us, citing Thomas (
ST
I–II, q. 65, a. 5), the necessary relations among Charity, Faith, and Hope. We may be tempted to conclude that, like the Persons of the Trinity, the presence of one of them implies the presence of the other two.
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9–12.
The protagonist’s blindness, John assures him, is but temporary. For the reference, see Acts 9:10–18, where Ananias, a disciple of Christ, is
sent to cure Saul of his blindness. Once he does so, Paul begins to preach Jesus Christ. This is thus the pivotal moment in the life of Saul/Paul. While Beatrice, bringing back Dante’s sight, is thus Ananias-like, there is much less at stake here, and the comparison may seem at least a bit overblown.
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9.
The past participle,
smarrita
, of the verb
smarrire
(to confuse, discourage, bewilder) is used to suggest Dante’s inner state in
Inferno
I.3, II.64, V.72, X.125, and XIII.24 (see the note to
Inf.
X.125). In most of those situations, the protagonist felt sympathy for the damned. Here, in the penultimate occurrence of the word to indicate his inner state, his loss of the faculty of vision is not the result of his sinfulness, but represents only a temporary failing (a result of his remaining tendency to see with carnal eyes?) in his increasing capacity to understand things divine. A final occurrence of the verb to indicate that condition awaits (
Par.
XXXIII.77); there it will refer to a rather different (and loftier) “confusion” on the protagonist’s part.
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13–15.
Getto (Gett.1968.1), p. 933, has observed that this canto enters into an intimate relationship with the
Vita nuova
(see also Brownlee [Brow.1990.1], p. 390). And these verses, more pointedly than most in this
cantica
dedicated to Dante’s love for Beatrice, recall the physical basis of Dante’s first desires for her (and one also refers to the even clearer sexual reference of that Virgilian reminiscence found in a similar moment,
Purg.
XXX.46–48, equating Beatrice and Dido). The language here is unmistakably reminiscent of the language of sexual desire found in Dante’s lyrics (and in those of other poets). Reassembling arguments made in her three previous essays in this vein, Regina Psaki (Psak.2003.1) argues that Dante’s heavenly love for Beatrice conflates that early form of love in his present one. Opponents of this view are accused of “cultural nervousness about the notion that sexual love may be sacred” (p. 119). Nonetheless, it is difficult to believe that Dante wants his reader to think that the old flame still burns beneath angelic clothing; and it is still more difficult to believe that, at least within the confines of the
Comedy
, he would consider any form of extramarital sexual love “sacred.”
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16–18.
Dante’s answer is simple (at least it seems so at first). Love “reads” instruction to him, as might a professor at the Sorbonne. The poet’s word
leggere
refers to the practice of instruction in theology from which the word “lecture” derives (for a previous use, see
Par.
X.137); see Poletto
(comm. to
Par.
X.136–138). Dante’s heart is instructed by the Holy Spirit to love God.
The problem for the reader results from the phrasing of the thought “whatever scripture Love teaches me in loud or gentle tones.” Since the precise meaning of this tercet is much contested, there are many instances of commentators who outdo themselves in improbable readings (for a review, see Scartazzini [comm. to vv. 17–18]; his own attempt, however, leaves much to be desired with respect to the last four words [
o lievemente o forte
]). To characterize them with the words of Origen, hurling invective at those copyists of the Gospels who twisted the sense of the text in order to arrive at a meaning of which they approved, such commentators are guilty of “perverse audacity” (see Ehrman [Ehrm.2005.1], p. 52). However, see Carroll (comm. to vv. 1–18): “Much difficulty is made of these words, but the meaning is quite simple: ‘God is the beginning and the end of all my love.’ The figurative form is taken from the Alpha and Omega of Revelation 1:8: God is the entire alphabet of the sacred writings which love reads to his soul—the scripture of the universe. Many meanings are suggested for ‘
o lievemente o forte
,’ ‘with light voice or strong’: such as reason and revelation, or human and Divine love, or God loved for Himself and for His benefits. Dante’s own words which follow seem to me to give the answer. The
loud
voice corresponds to the arguments of Philosophy and the assurance of Revelation in ll. 25–45; and the
low
voice to the secondary causes of love in ll. 55–66. But whether low or loud, God is the one and only object of love.” For a different view, see Benvenuto (comm. to this tercet), who interprets “lievemente o forte” as “easy or difficult,” a view accepted by Simone Marchesi (Marc.2002.2).
For “Alfa ed O” Dante is of course citing John’s own words (Apocalypse 1:8, 21:6, 22:13), as he has already done in the
Epistle to Cangrande
(XIII.90): “And since, when the Beginning or First, which is God, has been reached, there is nought to be sought for beyond, inasmuch as He is Alpha and Omega [
Alfa et O
], that is, the Beginning and the End, as the Vision of John tells us, the work ends in God Himself, who is blessed for evermore, world without end” (tr. P. Toynbee).
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