The first two Cantos of the Paradiso have been convoluted and, truth to tell, boring. I’ve known several of my students to stop reading right then and there, assuming that the rest of the Commedia will be just as bad. Big mistake. Now comes some of the most winsome characters and beautiful poetry in the entire Commedia. We start with the fascinating little vignette of Dante the Pilgrim mistaking reality for illusion; that is, he is the opposite of Narcissus who believed that his own reflection in the pond was an actual person, Dante saw the faces gazing at him from within the moon and thought they were reflections as if the moon were a gigantic mirror, when in fact they were actual souls. Once again we are reminded that if Dante the Pilgrim merely trusts his own immature instincts and assumptions, he more often than not is led astray.
25 'Be not surprised,' she said, 'if I am smiling
"Non ti maravigliar perch' io sorrida,"
26 at your childish thoughts, since they as yet trust not
mi disse, "appresso il tuo püeril coto,
27 their steps to truth but turn you back,
poi sopra 'l vero ancor lo piè non fida,
28 'as is their custom, toward emptiness.
ma te rivolve, come suole, a vòto:
His own thoughts lead him further away from the truth, toward emptiness and falsehood. In our own day and age, as in the time of Dante, it is more than tempting to dismiss guidance and wisdom, trusting only our own immediate instincts. Beatrice therefore clarifies for him the nature of reality that will now be part of his journey into wisdom and spiritual maturity.
29 These are real beings that you see,
vere sustanze son ciò che tu vedi,
30 assigned this place for failing in their vows.
qui rilegate per manco di voto.
31 'Therefore speak with them, listen, and believe,
Però parla con esse e odi e credi;
32 for the true light that brings them peace
ché la verace luce che le appaga
33 does not allow their steps to stray.'
da sé non lascia lor torcer li piedi."
As in the prior discoveries and conversations Dante the Pilgrim will be taught by the souls he meets and learn new insights not only concerning the afterlife, but also his own day to day experience. Whether it be political machinations or learning to recover from exile and betrayal, there are consequences and resources to be discovered in the eternal realm.
We begin at the bottom. This is the level of heaven that is the furthest from the throne of God, hence it is closest to earth and circumambulates at the slowest speed. Before this level in Paradiso the real estate of Dante’s universe paralleled the fact of real estate that is still true today: Location-Location-Location is crucial in one’s punishment or one’s process of redemption. Now it is a different reality completely.
Dante the Pilgrim meets his first soul here in the basement of heaven: Piccarda Donati, the sister of Dante’s old friend Forese. She is filled with Light and the Love of God even though she freely admits that her life was one of an unfulfilled religious vow to the Poor Clares. She was forced to leave the cloister by her brother so she could complete a political marriage which would bring more power and connection to him. In fact, the harshness of her forced marriage resulted in her tragic, untimely death. Dante the Pilgrim wonders if she does not regret that reality since it has placed her in this bargain-basement of Heaven.
64 'But tell me, do you, who are here content,
Ma dimmi: voi che siete qui felici,
65 desire to achieve a higher place, where you
disiderate voi più alto loco
66 might see still more and make yourselves more dear?'
per più vedere e per più farvi amici?"
This seems to be a natural question, as if Dante were furthest from a roaring campfire in the darkness of a winter’s night. Hence the closer one is to the Light would result in more warmth and safety and joy. Not so, we find, in Heaven. I am reminded of the Jewish proverb that regardless as to whether one crosses the fence at the lowest point or at the highest point, one is still on the other side of the fence. To be IN heaven is to be absolutely OF heaven:
79 it is the very essence of this blessèd state
Anzi è formale ad esto beato esse
80 that we remain within the will of God,
tenersi dentro a la divina voglia,
81 so that our wills combine in unity.
per ch'una fansi nostre voglie stesse;
82 'Therefore our rank, from height to height,
sì che, come noi sem di soglia in soglia
83 throughout this kingdom pleases all the kingdom,
per questo regno, a tutto il regno piace
84 as it delights the King who wills us to His will.
com' a lo re che 'n suo voler ne 'nvoglia.
85 'And in His will is our peace.
E 'n la sua volontade è nostra pace:
102 The way of it afflicts ME still.
che mi fu tolta; e 'l modo ancor m'offende.
103 'Love, which absolves no one beloved from loving,
Amor, ch'a nullo amato amar perdona,
104 seized ME so strongly with his charm that,
mi prese del costui piacer sì forte,
105 as you see, IT HAS NOT LEFT ME YET.
che, come vedi, ancor non m'abbandona.
Both Francesca and Piccarda are compelled by Love; but for one Love becomes completely self-focused and for the other, Love is God-oriented. This is a hard lesson for many of us to learn: it’s not all about me. In the next Canto we will look further at the concept of Will and Desire.