them. The Lunar Spots.
III. Piccarda Donati and the Empress Constance.
IV. Questionings of the Soul and of Broken Vows.
VI. Justinian. The Roman Eagle. The Empire. Romeo.
VIII. Ascent to the Third Heaven, Venus: Lovers. Charles Martel. Discourse on diverse Natures.
IX. Cunizza da Romano, Folco of Marseilles, and Rahab. Neglect of the Holy Land.
XI. St. Thomas recounts the Life of St. Francis. Lament over the State of the Dominican Order.
XIII. Of the Wisdom of Solomon. St. Thomas reproaches Dante's Judgement.
XV. Cacciaguida. Florence in the Olden Time.
XVI. Dante's Noble Ancestry. Cacciaguida's Discourse of the Great Florentines.
XVII. Cacciaguida's Prophecy of Dante's Banishment.
XX. The Eagle praises the Righteous Kings of old. Benevolence of the Divine Will.
XXIII. The Triumph of Christ. The Virgin Mary. The Apostles. Gabriel.
XXIV. The Radiant Wheel. St. Peter examines Dante on Faith.
XXV. The Laurel Crown. St. James examines Dante on Hope. Dante's Blindness.
XXVI. St. John examines Dante on Charity. Dante's Sight. Adam.
XXVII. St. Peter's reproof of bad Popes. The Ascent to the Ninth Heaven, the 'Primum Mobile.'
XXVIII. God and the Angelic Hierarchies.
XXXI. The Glory of Paradise. Departure of Beatrice. St. Bernard.
XXXII. St. Bernard points out the Saints in the White Rose.
I. The Ascent to the First Heaven. The Sphere of Fire.
The glory of Him who moveth everything
Doth penetrate the universe, and shine
In one part more and in another less.
Within that heaven which most his light receives
Was I, and things beheld which to repeat
Nor knows, nor can, who from above descends;
Because in drawing near to its desire
Our intellect ingulphs itself so far,
That after it the memory cannot go.
Truly whatever of the holy realm
I had the power to treasure in my mind
Shall now become the subject of my song.
O good Apollo, for this last emprise
Make of me such a vessel of thy power
