CANTO VI. "AFTER that Constantine the eagle turned Against the course of heaven, which it had followed Two hundred years and more the bird of God In the extreme of Europe held itself, Near to the mountains whence it issued first; And under shadow of the sacred plumes It governed there the world from hand to hand, Cæsar I was, and am Justinian, Who, by the will of primal Love I feel, Took from the laws the useless and redundant; And ere unto the work I was attent, One nature to exist in Christ, not more, Believed, and with such faith was I contented. But blessed Agapetus, he who was The supreme pastor, to the faith sincere Pointed me out the way by words of his. 5 15 Him I believed, and what was his assertion Each contradiction to be false and true. To inspire me, and I gave me wholly to it, And to my Belisarius I commended 20 25 The arms, to which was heaven's right hand so joined It was a signal that I should repose. Now here to the first question terminates My answer; but the character thereof Constrains me to continue with a sequel, In order that thou see with how great reason Men move against the standard sacrosanct, Both who appropriate and who oppose it. Behold how great a power has made it worthy Of reverence, beginning from the hour When Pallas died to give it sovereignty. Thou knowest it made in Alba its abode Three hundred years and upward, till at last The three to three fought for it yet again, Thou knowest what it achieved from Sabine wrong Down to Lucretia's sorrow, in seven kings O'ercoming round about the neighboring nations; 30 35 35 40 Thou knowest what it achieved, borne by the Romans Illustrious against Brennus, against Pyrrhus, Against the other princes and confederates. Torquatus thence and Quinctius, who from locks Unkempt was named, Decii and Fabii, Received the fame I willingly embalm; It struck to earth the pride of the Arabians, Who, following Hannibal, had passed across The Alpine ridges, Po, from which thou glidest; Beneath it triumphed while they yet were young Pompey and Scipio, and to the hill Beneath which thou wast born it bitter seemed; Then, near unto the time when heaven had willed To bring the whole world to its mood serene, What it achieved from Var unto the Rhine, What it achieved when it had left Ravenna, And leaped the Rubicon, was such a flight That neither tongue nor pen could follow it. Towards Durazzo, and Pharsalia smote 45 50 55 60 65 Antandros and the Simois, whence it started, It saw again, and there where Hector lies, From thence it came like lightning upon Juba; From what it wrought with the next standard-bearer And Modena and Perugia dolent were; Still doth the mournful Cleopatra weep Because thereof, who, fleeing from before it, Took from the adder sudden and black death. With him it ran even to the Red Sea shore; 70 75 With him it placed the world in so great peace, 80 But what the standard that has made me speak Achieved before, and after should achieve Throughout the mortal realm that lies beneath it, Becometh in appearance mean and dim, If in the hand of the third Cæsar seen Granted it, in the hand of him I speak of, 85 90 90 Now here attend to what I answer thee; Later it ran with Titus to do vengeance Upon the vengeance of the ancient sin. The Holy Church, then underneath its wings Whom I accused above, and of their crimes, Opposes, the other claims it for a party, So that 't is hard to see which sins the most. Beneath some other standard; for this ever Already oftentimes the sons have wept The father's crime; and let him not believe That God will change His scutcheon for the lilies. This little planet doth adorn itself With the good spirits that have active been, That fame and honor might come after them; |