How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Canto.Line). We used Allen Mandelbaum's translation.
Quote #1
O you who are within your little bark,
eager to listen, following behind
my ship that, singing, crosses to deep seas,
turn back to see your shores again: do not
attempt to sail the seas I sail: you may,
by losing sight of me, be left astray.
The waves I take were never sailed before;
Minerva breathless, Apollo pilots me,
and the nine Muses show to me the Bears.
You other few who turned our minds in time
unto the bread of angels, which provides
men here with life – but hungering for more –
you may indeed commit your vessel to
the deep salt-sea, keeping your course within
my wake, ahead of where waves smooth again. (Par. II, 1-15)
This is Dante acting as the all-knowing teacher. As the captain who has steered his ship safely so far, he warns all his students not to follow him any further unless they are completely confident in their faith and reading comprehension. Otherwise, they will either crash and burn or get lost. The elect – "you other few who turned our minds in time / unto the bread of angels" – are the only ones worthy of following Dante into this cantica, which features a lot of difficult theological arguments.
Quote #2
[Beatrice]: "If in the fire of love I seem to flame
beyond the measure visible on earth,
so that I overcome your vision's force,
you need not wonder; I am so because
of my perfected vision – as I grasp
the good so I approach the good in act." (Par. V, 1-6)
Beatrice shows us the root of a good education: "perfected vision." Education, she seems to argue, is a process of learning to modify one's perspective until it is perfectly aligned with God's. Only then can one "grasp the good so [one] approach[es] the good in act."
Quote #3
[Beatrice to Dante]: "Open your mind to what I shall disclose,
and hold it fast within you; he who hears,
but does not hold what he has heard, learns nothing." (Par. V, 40-42)
Beatrice emphasizes the importance of listening and remembering in the process of learning.
Quote #4
[Folco of Marseille to Dante]: Your city, which was planted by that one
who was the first to turn against his Maker,
the one whose envy cost us many tears –
produces and distributes the damned flower
that turns both sheep and lambs from the true course,
for of the shepherd it has made a wolf.
For this the Gospel and the great Church Fathers
are set aside and only the Decretals
are studied – as their margins clearly show.
On these the pope and cardinals are intent.
Their thoughts are never bent on Nazareth,
where Gabriel's open wings were reverent." (Par. IX, 127-138)
Folco accuses the Florentine "Church Fathers" of studying incorrectly. Like the rest of the corrupt Florentine population, they suffer from the sin of pride. They study "only the Decretals" (Church decrees which they themselves created) and ignore the true Scripture from which they can learn, "the Gospel" and Nazareth (Christ himself).
Quote #5
[St. Thomas to Dante]: "Take what I said with this distinction then;
in that way it accords with what you thought
of the first father and of our Beloved.
And let this weigh as lead to slow your steps,
to make you move as would a weary man
to yes or no when you do not see clearly;
whether he would affirm or would deny,
he who decides without distinguishing
must be among the most obtuse of men;
opinion – hasty – often can incline
to the wrong side, and then affection for
one's own opinion beings, confines the mind.
Far worse than uselessly he leaves the shore
(more full of error than he was before)
who fishes for the truth but lacks the art." (Par. XIII, 109-123)
St. Thomas warns Dante, "Slow your steps…to yes or no when you do not see clearly." This is a warning not to jump to conclusions when one doesn't fully understand a given topic. Since St. Thomas appears in the sphere of the sun, where the wise souls gather, it makes sense that he urges Dante to make sure he can distinguish things properly in his mind before forming an opinion. Otherwise, "he who decides without distinguishing / must be among the most obtuse of men." Uninformed and hasty opinion – to St. Thomas – is the most ignorant of all things.
Quote #6
[The Eagle]: "He who gleams in the center, my eye's pupil –
he was the singer of the Holy Spirit,
who bore the ark from one town to another;
now he has learned the merit will can earn –
his song had not been spurred by grace alone,
but his own will, in part, had urged him on.
Of those five flames that, arching form my brow,
he who is nearest to my beak is one
who comforted the widow for her son;
now he has learned the price one pays for not
following Christ, through his experience
of this sweet life and of its opposite.
And he whose place is next on the circumference
of which I speak, along the upward arc,
delayed his death through truthful penitence;
now he has learned that the eternal judgment
remains unchanged, though worthy prayer below
makes what falls due today take place tomorrow.
The next who follows – one whose good intention
bore evil fruit – to give place to the Shepherd,
with both the laws and me, made himself Greek;
now he has learned that, even though the world
be ruined by the evil that derives
from his good act, that evil does not harm him.
He whom you see – along the downward arc –
was William, and the land that mourns his death,
for living Charles and Frederick, now laments;
now he has learned how Heaven loves the just
ruler, and he would show this outwardly
as well, so radiantly visible.
Who in the erring world below would hold
that he who was the fifth among the lights
that formed this circle was the Trojan Ripheus?
Now he has learned much that the world cannot
discern of God's own grace, although his sight
cannot divine, not reach its deepest site." (Par. XX, 37-72)
Here, the Eagle gives six examples of former sinners who learned to reform and are now in the sixth sphere of Heaven. Appropriately, these six souls form the eye of the Eagle, emphasizing the importance of vision in the act of learning. Their education is emphasized here in the repeated "now he has learned" at the beginning of several lines – a literary technique called an anaphora.
The first soul, King David, in penning the Psalms, used his free will to accept God's inspiration, instead of acting as a passive instrument.
Second, he "who comforted the widow for her son" is the Roman emperor Trajan, who learned humility by delaying his journey to right an injustice done to an old woman. But Trajan's true education came in death; he died a pagan but realized his mistake and, for his faith, was allowed to come back into his body, to die again – this time as a converted Christian.
The third soul, who "delayed his death through truthful penitence," was Hezekiah. He repented for his sinful life when the prophet Isaiah told him he would die; he cried and prayed to God, who mercifully granted him fifteen more years of life.
The fourth ruler is Constantine, "whose good intention," the Donation of Constantine (to Pope Sylvester) "bore evil fruit," because the Church abused that money, becoming greedy. But on seeing himself in Heaven upon death, Constantine has learned that further evils were not his fault. Similarly, "William [II of Hauteville]" was a good king but cannot be blamed for the misrule (of Charles of Anjou) under which his lands now suffer.
Finally, the sixth soul, Ripheus – who died before Christ came – was still put in Heaven thanks to his virtuous deeds so he has learned that nobody should dare presume to know the mind of God.
Quote #7
"You are so near the final blessedness,"
so Beatrice began, "that you have need
of vision clear and keen; and thus, before
you enter farther, do look downward, see
what I have set beneath your feet already:
much of the world is there. If you see that,
your heart may then present itself with all
the joy it can to the triumphant throng
that comes in gladness through this ether's rounds."
My eyes returned through all the seven spheres
and saw this globe in such a way that I
smiled at its scrawny image: I approve
that judgment as the best, which holds this earth
to be the least; and he whose thoughts are set
elsewhere, can truly be called virtuous.
[…]
The little threshing floor
that so incites our savagery was all –
from hills to river mouths – revealed to me
while I wheeled with eternal Gemini. (Par. XXII, 124-153)
Again, the importance of perspective to a good education is highlighted. Because he is about to enter a high threshold in Heaven, Dante is directed to look down and see Earth for its true significance. The difference between Dante and the earthbound reader is apparent. Dante's perspective is in a higher position (literally and figuratively) because he is located in the heavens and can see Earth for how unimportant it is, how small. Only when he sees how truly tiny Earth is in comparison to God's cosmos is Dante ready to move on.
Quote #8
[St. Peter]: …"That Grace which – lovingly –
directs your mind, until this point has taught
you how to find the seemly words, for thought,
so that I do approve what you brought forth;" (Par. XXIV, 118-121)
St. Peter shows Dante that part of being truly learned is learning to speak well, to "find … seemly words." For our poet, of course, this is not a problem.
Quote #9
And just as a sharp light will startle us
from sleep because of the spirit of eyesight
races to meet the brightness that proceeds
from layer to layer in the eye, and he
who wakens is confused by what he sees,
awaking suddenly, and knows no thing
until his judgment helps him; even so
did Beatrice dispel, with her eyes' rays,
which shone more than a thousand miles, the chaff
from my eyes: I saw better than I had
before: (Par. XXVI, 70-80)
This passage shows that vision is not the only element that helps one learn. When Dante's sight is suddenly restored to him after temporary blindness during his examination on charity, his vision alone does not orient him. Instead, Dante claims that one "knows no thing / until his judgment helps him." Indeed, this brings Dante's lesson from canto XIII back into play. There, St. Thomas taught Dante not to judge too quickly. Here, he combines that lesson with all of Beatrice's lessons on true vision.
Quote #10
[Beatrice]: "From this you see that blessedness depends
upon the act of vision, not upon
the act of love – which is a consequence;
the measure of their vision lies in merit
produced by grace and then by will to goodness." (Par. XXVIII, 109-113)
Not only is true vision the basis of a good education, it is also the basis upon which God chooses how much of His love ("blessedness") one deserves. A man can only improve his vision by making himself more virtuous. If someone can willfully make herself more virtuous, the portion of grace God gives her automatically increases. In turn, one's vision becomes sharper and, seeing more of God's light, attracts more of His love.
Quote #11
Where I expected her, another answered:
I thought I should see Beatrice, and saw
an elder dressed like those who are in glory.
His gracious gladness filled his eyes, suffused
his cheeks; his manner had that kindliness
which suits a tender father. "Where is she?"
I asked him instantly. And he replied:
"That all your longings may be satisfied,
Beatrice urged me from my place. If you
look up and to the circle that is third
from that rank which is highest, you will see
her on the throne her merits have assigned her." (Par. XXXI, 58-69)
Echoing a lesson Dante learned in Purgatory, Dante's mentor disappears suddenly only to be replaced by a more worthy figure. As a student, Dante must quickly adjust to the pain of losing a beloved teacher and ready himself to absorb the wisdom of this new one. In this case, St. Bernard replaces Beatrice. Because he is a devotee to the Virgin Mary, he is the perfect replacement.