Part 17 (1/2)

_O tu ch' ami la parte._

O you who love the part more than the whole, And love yourself more than all human kind, Who persecute good men with prudence blind Because they combat your malign control, See Scribes and Pharisees, each impious school, Each sect profane, o'erthrown by his great mind, Whose best our good to Deity refined, The while they thought Death triumphed o'er his soul.

Deem you that only you have thought and sense, While heaven and all its wonders, sun and earth, Scorned in your dullness, lack intelligence?

Fool! what produced you? These things gave you birth: So have they mind and G.o.d. Repent; be wise!

Man fights but ill with Him who rules the skies.

XX.

_ON THE SEPULCHRE OF CHRIST._

No. 2.

_Quinci impara a stupirti._

Here bend in boundless wonder; bow your head: Think how G.o.d's deathless Mind, that men might be Robed in celestial immortality (O Love divine!), in flesh was raimented: How He was killed and buried; from the dead How He arose to life with victory, And reigned in heaven; how all of us shall be Glorious like Him whose hearts to His are wed: How they who die for love of reason, give Hypocrites, tyrants, sophists--all who sell Their neighbours ill for holiness--to h.e.l.l: How the dead saint condemns the bad who live; How all he does becomes a law for men; How he at last to judge shall come again!

XXI.

_THE RESURRECTION._

_Se sol sei ore._

If Christ was only six hours crucified After few years of toil and misery, Which for mankind He suffered willingly, While heaven was won for ever when He died; Why should He still be shown on every side, Painted and preached, in nought but agony, Whose pains were light matched with His victory, When the world's power to harm Him was defied?

Why rather speak and write not of the realm He rules in heaven, and soon will bring below Unto the praise and glory of His name?

Ah foolish crowd! This world's thick vapours whelm Your eyes unworthy of that glorious show, Blind to His splendour, bent upon His shame.

XXII.

_IDEAL LOVE._

_Il vero amante._

He who loves truly, grows in force and might; For beauty and the image of his love Expand his spirit: whence he burns to prove Adventures high, and holds all perils light.

If thus a lady's love dilate the knight, What glories and what joy all joys above Shall not the heavenly splendour, joined by love Unto our flesh-imprisoned soul, excite?

Once freed, she would become one sphere immense Of love, power, wisdom, filled with Deity, Elate with wonders of the eternal Sense.

But we like sheep and wolves war ceaselessly: That love we never seek, that light intense, Which would exalt us to infinity.

XXIII.

_THE MODERN CUPID._