Dante Alighieri
The Divine Comedy (3. Paradise)
Translated by Charles Eliot Norton
Table of Contents
- CANTO I. Proem.--Invocation.--Beatrice and Dante ascend to the Sphere of Fire.--Beatrice explains the cause of their ascent.
- CANTO II. Proem.--Ascent to the Moon.--The cause of Spots on the Moon.--Influence of the Heavens.
- CANTO III. The Heaven of the Moon.--Spirits whose vows had been broken.--Piccarda Donati.--The Empress Constance.
- CANTO IV. Doubts of Dante, respecting the justice of Heaven and the abode of the blessed, solved by Beatrice.--Question of Dante as to the possibility of reparation for broken vows.
- CANTO V. The sanctity of vows, and the seriousness with which they are to be made or changed.--Ascent to the Heaven of Mercury.--The shade of Justinian.
- CANTO VI. Justinian tells of his own life.--The story of the Roman Eagle.--Spirits in the planet Mercury.--Romeo.
- CANTO VII. Discourse of Beatrice.--The Fall of Man.--The scheme of his Redemption.
- CANTO VIII. Ascent to the Heaven of Venus.--Spirits of Lovers, Source of the order and the varieties in mortal things.
- CANTO IX. The Heaven of Venus.--Conversation of Dante with Cunizza da Romano,--With Folco of Marseilles.--Rahab.--Avarice of the Papal Court.
- CANTO X. Ascent to the Sun.--Spirits of the wise, and the learned in theology.--St. Thomas Aquinas.--He names to Dante those who surround him.
- CANTO XI. The Vanity of worldly desires,--St. Thomas Aquinas undertakes to solve two doubts perplexing Dante.--He narrates the life of St. Francis of Assisi.
- CANTO XII. Second circle of the spirits of wise religious men, doctors of the Church and teachers.--St. Bonaventura narrates the life of St. Dominic, and tells the names of those who form the circle with him.
- CANTO XIII. St. Thomas Aquinas speaks again, and explains the relation of the wisdom of Solomon to that of Adam and of Christ, and declares the vanity of human judgment.
- CANTO XIV. At the prayer of Beatrice, Solomon tells of the glorified body of the blessed after the Last Judgment.--Ascent to the Heaven of Mars.--Souls of the Soldiery of Christ in the form of a Cross with the figure of Christ thereon.--Hymn of the Spirits.
- CANTO XV. Dante is welcomed by his ancestor, Cacciaguida.-- Cacciaguida tells of his family, and of the simple life of Florence in the old days.
- CANTO XVI. The boast of blood.--Cacciaguida continues his discourse concerning the old and the new Florence.
- CANTO XVII. Dante questions Cacciaguida as to his fortunes.-- Cacciaguida replies, foretelling the exile of Dante, and the renown of his Poem.
- CANTO XVIII. The Spirits in the Cross of Mars.--Ascent to the Heaven of Jupiter.--Words shaped in light upon the planet by the Spirits.--Denunciation of the avarice of the Popes.
- CANTO XIX. The voice of the Eagle.--It speaks of the mysteries of Divine justice; of the necessity of Faith for salvation; of the sins of certain kings.
- CANTO XX. The Song of the Just.--Princes who have loved righteousness, in the eye of the Eagle.--Spirits, once Pagans, in bliss.--Faith and Salvation.--Predestination.
- CANTO XXI. Ascent to the Heaven of Saturn.--Spirits of those who had given themselves to devout contemplation.--The Golden Stairway.--St. Peter Damian.--Predestination.--The luxury of modern Prelates.
- CANTO XXII. Beatrice reassures Dante.--St. Benedict appears.--He tells of the founding of his Order, and of the falling away of its brethren. Beatrice and Dante ascend to the Starry Heaven.-- The constellation of the Twins.--Sight of the Earth.
- CANTO XXIII. The Triumph of Christ.
- CANTO XXIV. St. Peter examines Dante concerning Faith, and approves his answer.
- CANTO XXV. St. James examines Dante concerning Hope.--St. John appears,with a brightness so dazzling as to deprive Dante, for the time, of sight.
- CANTO XXVI. St. John examines Dante concerning Love.--Dante's sight restored.--Adam appears, and answers questions put to him by Dante.
- CANTO XXVII. Denunciation by St. Peter of his degenerate successors.--Dante gazes upon the Earth.--Ascent of Beatrice and Dante to the Crystalline Heaven.--Its nature.--Beatrice rebukes the covetousness of mortals.
- CANTO XXVIII. The Heavenly Hierarchy.
- CANTO XXIX. Discourse of Beatrice concerning the creation and nature of the Angels.--She reproves the presumption and foolishness of preachers.
- CANTO XXX. Ascent to the Empyrean.--The River of Light.--The celestial Rose.--The seat of Henry VII.--The last words of Beatrice.
- CANTO XXXI. The Rose of Paradise.--St. Bernard.--Prayer to Beatrice.--The glory of the Blessed Virgin.
- CANTO XXXII. St. Bernard describes the order of the Rose, and points out many of the Saints.--The children in Paradise.--The angelic festival.--The patricians of the Court of Heaven.
- CANTO XXXIII. Prayer to the Virgin.--The Beatific Vision.--The Ultimate Salvation.
