Legends, Tales and Poems

IV (4)

Y viÓ el arcÁngel, blanco como la nieve, que sentado sobre un inmenso globo de cristal,[1] lo dirige por el espacio en las noches serenas, como un bajel de plata sobre la superficie de un lago azul.

[Footnote 1: globo de cristal. The moon. Longfellow thus translates Dante's description of the sphere of the moon in canto II of the Paradiso:

It seemed to me a cloud encompassed us,
Luminous, dense, consolidate and bright
As adamant on which the sun is striking.
Into itself did the eternal pearl
Receive us...]

Y viÓ el sol volteando encendido sobre ejes de oro en una atmÓsfera de colores y de fuego, y en su foco Á los Ígneos espÍritus[1] que habitan incÓlumes entre las llamas, y desde su ardiente seno entonan al Criador himnos de alegrÍa.

[Footnote 1: Ígneos espÍritus. These are not elemental spirits (see p.47, note 1), but are either angelic beings of a fiery nature, or the spirits of the blessed in the sphere of the sun, of whom Dante speaks as follows:

Lights many saw, vivid and triumphant,
Make us a center and themselves a circle,
More sweet in voice than luminous in aspect,

Within the court of Heaven, whence I return,
Are many jewels found, so fair and precious
They cannot be transported from the realm;

And of them was the singing of these lights.
Dante's Paradiso, canto X, Longfellow's translation.]

ViÓ los hilos de luz imperceptibles que atan los hombres Á las estrellas,[1] y viÓ el arco Íris, echado como un puente colosal sobre el abismo que separa al primer cielo del segundo.[2]

[Footnote 1: A reference doubtless to the power of the stars to influence the destiny of man, with which subject astrology concerns itself. Compare—

That which Timasus argues of the soul
Doth not resemble that which here is seen,
Because it seems that as he speaks he thinks.

He says the soul unto its star returns,
Believing it to have been severed thence
Whenever nature gave it as a form.

Perhaps his doctrine is of other guise
Than the words sound, and possibly may be
With meaning that is not to be derided.

If he doth mean that to these wheels return
The honor of their influence and the blame,
Perhaps his bow doth hit upon some truth.

O glorious stars, O light impregnated
With mighty virtue, from which I acknowledge
All my genius, whatso'er it be.

Idem, canto's IV and XXII.]

[Footnote 2: primer cielo, segundo. Belief in a series of heavenly spheres, such as Dante describes, has characterized most mystical philosophies.]

Clyx.com