Perchance, as is the halo from the light
Which paints it, when most dense the vapour spreads,
There wheel’d about the point a circle of fire,
More rapid than the motion, which first girds
The world.  Then, circle after circle, round
Enring’d each other; till the seventh reach’d
Circumference so ample, that its bow,
Within the span of Juno’s messenger,
lied scarce been held entire.  Beyond the sev’nth,
Follow’d yet other two.  And every one,
As more in number distant from the first,
Was tardier in motion; and that glow’d
With flame most pure, that to the sparkle’ of truth
Was nearest, as partaking most, methinks,
Of its reality.  The guide belov’d
Saw me in anxious thought suspense, and spake: 
“Heav’n, and all nature, hangs upon that point. 
The circle thereto most conjoin’d observe;
And know, that by intenser love its course
Is to this swiftness wing’d.  “To whom I thus: 
“It were enough; nor should I further seek,
Had I but witness’d order, in the world
Appointed, such as in these wheels is seen. 
But in the sensible world such diff’rence is,
That is each round shows more divinity,
As each is wider from the centre.  Hence,
If in this wondrous and angelic temple,
That hath for confine only light and love,
My wish may have completion I must know,
Wherefore such disagreement is between
Th’ exemplar and its copy:  for myself,
Contemplating, I fail to pierce the cause.” 
     “It is no marvel, if thy fingers foil’d
Do leave the knot untied:  so hard ’t is grown
For want of tenting.”  Thus she said:  “But take,”
She added, “if thou wish thy cure, my words,
And entertain them subtly.  Every orb
Corporeal, doth proportion its extent
Unto the virtue through its parts diffus’d. 
The greater blessedness preserves the more. 
The greater is the body (if all parts
Share equally) the more is to preserve. 
Therefore the circle, whose swift course enwheels
The universal frame answers to that,
Which is supreme in knowledge and in love
Thus by the virtue, not the seeming, breadth
Of substance, measure, thou shalt see the heav’ns,
Each to the’ intelligence that ruleth it,
Greater to more, and smaller unto less,
Suited in strict and wondrous harmony.” 
     As when the sturdy north blows from his cheek
A blast, that scours the sky, forthwith our air,
Clear’d of the rack, that hung on it before,
Glitters; and, With his beauties all unveil’d,
The firmament looks forth serene, and smiles;
Such was my cheer, when Beatrice drove
With clear reply the shadows back, and truth
Was manifested, as a star in heaven. 
And when the words were ended, not unlike
To iron in the furnace, every cirque
Ebullient shot forth scintillating fires: 
And every sparkle shivering to new blaze,
In number did outmillion the account
Reduplicate upon the chequer’d board.