Classic Poem

CANTO XI.

Argument.

St. Thomas Aquinas narrates the life of St. Francis d'Assisi.

O MORTAL cares insensate, what small worth,
In sooth, doth all those syllogisms fill,
Which make you stoop your pinions to the earth!
One follow'd Law; one, the physician's skill;
One sought for sacerdotal power; and one
Would reign by sophistry, or deeds of ill;
One robb'd; one after merchandise did run;
One wholly was to carnal pleasure given,
And one was plunged in idleness alone:
While I, who from all things of earth was shriven,
With Beatrice ascended up on high,
In glory welcomed in the courts of Heaven.
When all had turn'd again to where mine eye
At first perceived them, they were stay'd aright,
As candles in a candelabrum lie;
And then I heard a voice within that light
Which first had spoken, smiling speak once more,
While more it glisten'd with resplendence bright:
" As I receive my rays from the great store
Of light eternal, in its mirror clear
I see the thoughts which now thou broodest o'er.
Thou doubtest, and wouldst fain my words were here
In speech of simple meaning plainly laid
Before thee, as is meet for mortal ear;
Where " Well they fatten," I at first have said,
And where I said, " No second shall arise":
But here of subtle thought ye need the aid.
The Providence which in such wondrous guise
Doth rule the world, in the abyss profound
Of counsel hidden from created eyes,
That in the onward path of joy be found
The Bride of Him who with a loud voice cried,
What time his sacred blood gush'd from each wound;
And, that securely she with Him may 'bide,
Two Princes for her sake ordain'd aright,
Who should her footsteps guard on every side.
One was seraphic in love's burning might:
On earth the other, by his wisdom deep,
Shone as a splendour of cherubic light.
Of one I here will tell; for thou may'st reap
The praise of both from what my speech now shows,
Since tow'rds one end their works the path did keep.
Between Tupino and the stream which flows
From blest Ubaldo's chosen hill, a bold
And fertile slope from the high mountain goes,
Whence aye Perugia feels the heat and cold
From Porta Soli; and behind do weep
Gualdo and sad Nocera griefs which hold
Them in subjection. Where the mountain steep
Hath gentlest fall, on earth a Sun did break,
As this in light from Ganges' flood doth leap:
Thus let not him who of this place would speak
Call it Assisi, which were little worth;
But Orient, if he true words would seek.
This light from dawning had not much gone forth,
Ere of his virtue the consoling power
Somewhat he 'gan to manifest on earth
He with his father was, in youthful hour,
At war for one, to whom, as unto death,
None openeth the gate of pleasure's bower:
And he before his Pastor's court did with
This Lady wed, and in his father's sight;
Then ever loved her with more steadfast faith.
She, widow'd, still had lived in lowly plight
A thousand and a hundred years, obscure;
And none did her a second time invite,
Till this man came. Nor matter'd, that secure
With Amyclas she once was found, of old,
By him who made the Earth such fear endure:
Nor matter'd, though she was so firm and bold,
When Mary stood below, that she did rise
With Christ unto the Cross. Since I would fold
My meaning now less closely from thine eyes,
Francis and Poverty as lovers know,
For that which in my speech deep hidden lies.
Their concord, and the gladness which they show,
And love and marvel and sweet glances erst
Caused thoughts of holiness from thence to grow;
And thus the venerable Bernard first,
Barefooted, ran to seek the fount of peace,
And, running, still seem'd tardy to his thirst.
O riches all unknown! O truest ease!
Egidius and Sylvester to this strife
Did follow next; so much the bride did please.
Even so this sire and master, with his wife,
Went on, and with that family who now
Had donn'd the girdle of a lowly life.
No weakness did his heart and courage bow,
Though he was Peter Bernardoni's son;
Nor yet for the mean aspect on his brow.
But regally his purpose he made known
To Innocent, and thus by him was given
The earliest seal which his religion won.
When of the people many hearts were driven
To follow him whose wondrous life were best
Sung mid the glories of the courts of heaven,
Inspired divinely, then Honorius placed
Another crown upon the holy will
And longing of this archimandrite blest.
And when, from thirst of martyrdom, he still
In presence of the haughty Sultan taught
Of Christ and those who all his words fulfil,
Because those heathens with fierce rage were fraught
Against the truth, and vain his labour stood,
Once more the fruit of Italy he sought:
And, 'twixt the Tiber and the Arno's flood,
Received upon the barren mount, by grace,
The latest seal of the most sacred blood,
Which in his limbs two years he did possess.
And then, when he who chose him would prepare
For him the meed he won in lowliness,
Unto his flock, as to a rightful heir,
He did his well belovid wife commend,
Bidding them, unto her, true love to wear;
And from her lap would his pure soul ascend,
Turning once more unto its kingly realm,
Nor would on other bier his corpse extend.
Think now what he must be who at the helm
Of Peter's bark a worthy comrade stood,
And steer'd it straight when waves did nigh o'erwhelm!
Such was our patriarch: thus he who would
Him follow in the order'd path may know
What precious freight he beareth through the flood.
But longing for new food his flock do go,
So greedily, they needs are scatter'd o'er
Too wide a pasture, straying to and fro;
And aye the further wander they, and more
Self chosen ways are boldly following,
They ever have of milk a smaller store.
True, there are some who to their pastor cling,
In fear of evil; but they are so few,
That for their cowls ye little cloth need bring.
Thus, if I speak in accents clear and true,
If now thine ear hath wholly been intent,
If that which I have said thy mind imbue,
In part thy wishes here shall be content;
For on the shatter'd tree thy gaze shall dwell,
And know the meaning of this argument,
" The flock where he who strays not fattens well." "