As Dante gazed, the hosts with wings of gold and faces of living flame,
singing anthems, alternately sank into the Rose, like a swarm of bees
sinking into summer flowers, and rose again to view the Divine splendor.
Turning to question Beatrice again, Dante found in her place Saint Bernard
of Clairvaux, an old man full of the tenderest pity, who pointed out to
him Beatrice in her own place, the third round of the first rank. As from
afar, Dante pleaded with the beautiful lady who had left her place in
heaven to go even unto the gates of hell for his sake, to aid him still;
she seemed to smile upon him before she again turned her gaze upon the
Eternal Fountain of Light. Saint Bernard explained to the poet the
divisions of the Rose and the seats of the saints, and then addressed a
prayer to the Virgin, asking that Dante be permitted to look upon the
Almighty Father. As he prayed, Beatrice and all the blessed ones clasped
their hands to her who likes so well prayers of divine fervor. At a
gesture from Bernard, the poet looked upward. Then what a radiant vision
met his eyes! Three circles he saw of threefold color and one dimension.
As he looked, one seemed to take our image, and again was lost in the
infinite glory of the Light Divine. As he tried to describe it,
imagination failed him, though his will remained, moving on with the even
motion of the sun and stars.
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