Dante and Beatrice ascend to the first level of the blessed. In the Ptolemaic scheme Dante employs, the moon stands at the furthest reach of God’s paradise. It’s home to those who were inconstant in their vows towards God; even those who were forced to break vows through some outside influence are nevertheless fated to rise no higher in the divine scheme. Yet there is no animosty here or talk of injustice: in the words of Piccarda Donati, forced to leave her nunnery for an arranged marriage, “In His will is our peace.”
Trans. John Ciardi
Share this post