Canto XIII. While Dante and Beatrice gaze with awe and admiration upon the circles of light which revolve through all the signs of the zodiac, St. Thomas Aquinas solves sundry of Dante’s doubts, and cautions him never to accede to any proposition without having duly weighed it.

     “Let not the people be too swift to judge;
  As one who reckons on the blades in field,
  Or e’er the crop be ripe.  For I have seen
  The thorn frown rudely all the winter long,
  And after bear the rose upon its top;
  And bark, that all her way across the sea
  Ran straight and speedy, perish at the last
  E’en in the haven’s mouth.”

Canto XIV. Proceeding from circle to circle, Dante and Beatrice reach the innermost ring, where the latter bids Solomon solve Dante’s doubts by describing the appearance of the blest after the resurrection of the body.  In words almost as eloquent as those wherewith St. Gabriel transmitted his message to Mary, Solomon complies.

  “Long as the joy of Paradise shall last,
  Our love shall shine around that raiment, bright
  As fervent; fervent as, in vision, blest;
  And that as far, in blessedness, exceeding,
  As it hath grace, beyond its virtue, great. 
  Our shape, regarmented with glorious weeds
  Of saintly flesh, must, being thus entire,
  Show yet more gracious.  Therefore shall increase
  Whate’er, of light, gratuitous imparts
  The Supreme Good; light, ministering aid,
  The better to disclose his glory:  whence,
  The vision needs increasing, must increase
  The fervor, which it kindles; and that too
  The ray, that comes from it.”

As he concludes his explanation, a chorus of spiritual voices chant “Amen,” and Solomon, directing Dante’s glance upward, shows him how the bright spirits of this sphere group themselves in the form of a cross,—­glowing with light and pulsing with music,—­whereon “Christ beamed,” a sight none can hope to see save those who “take up their cross and follow him.”

Cantos XV, XVI. In the midst of the rapture caused by these sights and sounds, Dante is amazed to recognize, in one of the angels which continually shift places in the glowing cross, his ancestor Cacciaguida, who assures him Florence proved happy as long as its inhabitants led simple and virtuous lives, but rapidly degenerated and became corrupt when covetousness, luxury, and pleasure took up their abode within its walls.

Canto XVII. Encouraged by Beatrice, who stands at a short distance to leave him more freedom, Dante begs his great ancestor to reveal what is about to befall him, so that, forewarned, he may most wisely meet his fate.  In reply Cacciaguida tells him he will be exiled from Florence, and compelled to associate with people who will turn against him, only to rue this fact with shame later on.  He adds Dante will learn how bitter is the savor of other’s bread and how hard to climb another’s stairs.