# Paradise Canto 25

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-20 — 1 clipping.*

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> Christianity Index  Divine Comedy Index  Previous: Paradise Canto 24  Next: Paradise Canto 26  
> 
> Canto XXV
> 
> Argument
> 
>      St. James questions our Poet concerning Hope. Next St. John appears; and,
> on perceiving that Dante looks intently on him, informs him that he, St. John,
> had left his body resolved into earth, upon the earth, and that Christ and the
> Virgin alone had come with their bodies into Heaven.
> 
> If e'er the sacred poem, that hath made
> Both Heaven and earth copartners in its toil,
> And with lean abstinence, through many a year,
> Faded my brow, be destined to prevail
> Over the cruelty, which bars me forth
> Of the fair sheep-fold,[1] where, a sleeping lamb,
> The wolves set on and fain had worried me;
> With other voice, and fleece of other grain,
> I shall forthwith return; and, standing up
> At my baptismal font, shall claim the wreath
> Due to the poet's temples: for I there
> First enter'd on the faith, which maketh souls
> Acceptable to God: and, for its sake,[2]
> Peter had then circled my forehead thus.
> 
> [1: Florence, whence he was banished.]
> 
> [2: For the sake of that faith.]
> 
> Next from the squadron, whence had issued forth
> The first fruit of Christ's vicars on the earth,
> Toward us moved a light, at view whereof
> My Lady, full of gladness, spake to me:
> "Lo! lo! behold the peer of mickle might,
> That makes Galicia throng'd with visitants."[3]
> 
> [3: "At the time that the sepulchre of the apostle St. James was
> discovered, the devotion for that place extended itself not only over all
> Spain, but even round about to foreign nations. Multitudes from all parts of
> the world came to visit it. Many others were deterred by the difficulty of the
> journey, by the roughness and barrenness of those parts, and by the incursions
> of the Moors, who made captives many of the pilgrims. The canons of St. Eloy,
> afterward (the precise time is not known), with a desire of remedying these
> evils, built, in many places along the whole road, which reached as far as to
> France, hospitals for the reception of the pilgrims."]
> 
> As when the ring - dove by his mate alights;
> In circles, each about the other wheels,
> And, murmuring, coos his fondness; thus saw I
> One, of the other[4] great and glorious prince,
> With kindly greeting, hail'd; extolling, both,
> Their heavenly banqueting: but when an end
> Was to their gratulation, silent, each,
> Before me sat they down, so burning bright,
> I could not look upon them. Smiling then,
> Beatrice spake: "O life in glory shrined!
> Who[5] didst the largess of our kingly court
> Set down with faithful pen, let now thy voice,
> Of hope the praises, in this height resound.
> For well thou know'st, who figurest it as oft,
> As Jesus, to ye three, more brightly shone."
> "Lift up thy head; and be thou strong in trust:
> For that, which hither from the mortal world
> Arriveth, must be ripen'd in our beam."
> 
> [4: "One , of the other." St. Peter and St. James.]
> 
> [5: 'Who." The Epistle of St. James is here attributed to the elder
> apostle of that name, whose shrine was at Compostella, in Galicia.]
> 
> Such cheering accents from the second flame[6]
> Assured me; and mine eyes I lifted up[7]
> Unto the mountains, that had bow'd them late
> With over - heavy burden. "Sith our Liege
> Wills of His grace, that thou, or e'er thy death,
> In the most secret council with His lords
> Shouldst be confronted, so that having view'd
> The glories of our court, thou mayest therewith
> Thyself, and all who hear, invigorate
> With hope, that leads to blissful end; declare,
> What is that hope? how it doth flourish in thee?
> And whence thou hadst it?" Thus, proceeding still,
> The second light: and she, whose gentle love
> My soaring pennons in that lofty flight
> Escorted, thus preventing me, rejoin'd:
> "Among her sons, not one more full of hope,
> Hath the Church Militant: so 'tis of him
> Recorded in the Sun, whose liberal orb
> Enlightened all our tribe: and ere his term
> Of warfare, hence permitted he is come,
> 
> [6: "The second flame." St. James.]
> 
> [7: "I lifted up." "I looked up to the apostles." "I will lift up
> mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help." - Psalm cxxi. I.]
> 
> From Egypt to Jerusalem,[8] to see.
> The other points, both which[9] thou hast inquired,
> Not for more knowledge, but that he may tell
> How dear thou hold'st the virtue; these to him
> Leave I: for he may answer thee with ease,
> And without boasting, so God give him grace."
> 
> [8: From the lower world to Heaven.]
> 
> [9: One point Beatrice has herself answered: "how that hope
> flourishes in him." The other two remain for Dante to resolve.]
> 
> Like to the scholar, practised in his task,
> Who, willing to give proof of diligence,
> Seconds his teacher gladly; "Hope," said I,
> "Is of the joy to come a sure expectance,
> The effect of grace divine and merit preceding.
> This light from many a star, visits my heart;
> But flow'd to me, the first, from him who sang
> The songs of the Supreme; himself supreme
> Among his tuneful brethren. 'Let all hope
> In thee,' so spake his anthem, 'who have known
> Thy name;' and, with my faith, who knows not that?
> From thee, the next, distilling from his spring,
> In thine epistle, fell on me the drops
> So plenteously, that I on others shower
> The influence of their dew." Whileas I spake,
> A lamping, as of quick and volley'd lightning,
> Within the bosom of that mighty sheen[10]
> Play'd tremulous; then forth these accents breathed:
> "Love for the virtue, which attended me
> E'en to the palm, and issuing from the field,
> Glows vigorous yet within me; and inspires
> To ask of thee, whom also it delights,
> What promise thou from hope, in chief, dost win."
> 
> [10: "That mighty sheen." The spirit of St. James.]
> 
> "Both scriptures, new and ancient," I replied,
> "Propose the mark (which even now I view)
> For souls beloved of God. Isaias[11] saith,
> 'That, in their own land, each one must be clad
> In two - fold vesture;' and their proper land
> Is this delicious life. In terms more full,
> 
> [11: "Isaias." "He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he
> hath covered me with the robe of righteousness. - Chap. lxi. 10.]
> 
> And clearer far, thy brother[12] hath set forth
> This revelation to us, where he tells
> Of the white raiment destined to the saints."
> And, as the words were ending, from above,
> "They hope in Thee!" first heard we cried: whereto
> Answer'd the carols all. Amidst them next,
> A light of so clear amplitude emerged,
> That winter's month were but a single day,
> Were such a crystal in the Cancer's sign.
> 
> [12: "Thy brother." St. John in the Rev. vii. 9.]
> 
> Like as a virgin riseth up, and goes,
> And enters on the mazes of the dance;
> Though gay, yet innocent of worse intent,
> Than to do fitting honour to the bride:
> So I beheld the new effulgence come
> Unto the other two, who in a ring
> Wheel'd, as became their rapture. In the dance,
> And in the song, it mingled. And the dame
> Held on them fix'd her looks; e'en as the spouse,
> Silent, and moveless. "This[13] is he, who lay
> Upon the bosom of our Pelican:
> This he, into whose keeping, from the Cross,
> The mighty charge was given." Thus she spake:
> Yet therefore naught the more removed her sight
> From marking them: or e'er her words began,
> Or when they closed. As he, who looks intent,
> And strives with searching ken, how he may see
> The sun in his eclipse, and, through desire
> Of seeing, loseth power of sight; so I[14]
> Peer'd on that last resplendence, while I heard:
> "Why dazzlest thou thine eyes in seeking that,
> Which here abides not? Earth my body is,
> In earth; and shall be, with the rest, so long,
> As till our number equal the decree
> Of the Most High. The two[15] that have ascended,
> 
> [13: St. John, who reclined on the bosom of our Saviour, and to whose
> charge Jesus recommended his mother.]
> 
> [14: "So I." He looked so earnestly, to descry whether St. John were
> present there in body, or in spirit only; having had his doubts raised by that
> saying of our Saviour's: "If I will, that he tarry till I come, what is that
> to thee?"]
> 
> [15: Christ and Mary, described in Canto xxiii. as rising above his
> sight.]
> 
> In this our blessed cloister, shine alone
> With the two garments. So report below."
> 
> As when, for ease of labour, or to shun
> Suspected peril, at a whistle's breath,
> The oars, erewhile dash'd frequent in the wave,
> All rest: the flamy circle at that voice
> So rested; and the mingling sound was still,
> Which from the trinal band, soft - breathing, rose.
> I turn'd, but ah! how trembled in my thought,
> When, looking at my side again to see
> Beatrice, I described her not; although,
> Not distant, on the happy coast she stood.
>
> — *Paradise Canto 25*