The Souls of the Universe: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 127 - 148

Beatrice concludes her explanation for moon spots by veering away from them specifically to talk about the nature of the universe.

Blessed movers turn the spheres. Or perhaps inhabit them. Or are bound to them. Or maybe even give them life.

Her argument may veer into heresy as Dante brings his universe alive . . . maybe literally.

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The segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:

[01:20] My English translation of PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 127 - 148. If you'd like to read along or continue the conversation by dropping a comment about this episode, please scroll down this page.

[04:26] A paraphrase of this difficult passage.

[06:14] Beatrice's central questions: How do the spheres of the heavens move and how do they disperse their influence?

[13:03] Light as the vehicle for stellar or heavenly influence.

[14:26] Heresy, angels, spheres, souls, and bodies: Is the universe at least partly alive?

[20:36] Beatrice's incomplete discourse: How do some spheres have more than one nature and how are any dark spots dark?

[23:08] The bigger implication: Dark and light parts of people . . . and maybe of the blessed.

[24:47] Rereading the passage: PARADISO, Canto II, lines 127 - 148.

My English translation of PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 127 - 148:

[Beatrice continued:] “As the art of the hammer [breathes out] from the blacksmith,

[So] the motion and the power of the sanctified wheels

Must be as that which breathes out from the blessed movers.

“And the heaven that’s made gorgeous by all these lights

Takes its stamp from the deep mind that turns it,

Making it an impressed seal.

“What’s more, as the soul inside your dust finds its resolution

In differentiated members that are conformed

To various faculties,

“So this intelligence unfolds its largess,

Multiplied through the stars

As it circles in its unity.

“Diversified power makes diversified alloys

With the precious body that it brings to life.

It binds itself [to life], as life [is bound] in you.

“Out of the happy nature from which it’s derived,

The mixed power shines through the body,

As happiness [shines from] the living pupil [of an eye].

“From this nature comes that which makes this difference

From light to light, not from dense or rare [material].

This is the formative principle that produces

The dark and the light, based on its munificence.”