THEDIVINECOMEDY.

thedivinecomedy.

theparadise.

theparadiseofdanteconsistsofnineheavens,eacharevolvingcrystallinesphere,enclosedinanother;withoutthem,theboundlessempyrean.thefirstorinnermostheaven,ofthemoon,revolvedbytheangels,isthehabitatofwillsimperfectthroughinstability.thesecond,ofmercury,revolvedbythearchangels,istheabodeofwillsimperfectthroughloveoffame.thethird,ofvenus,revolvedbytheprincipalities,istheabodeofwillsimperfectthroughexcessofhumanlove.thefourth,ofthesun,revolvedbythepowers,istheabodeofthegreatintellectuallights,thedoctorsofthechurch.thefifthheaven,ofmars,revolvedbythevirtues,istheabodeofthemartyrs,warriors,andconfessors,andissacredtothefaith.thesixth,ofjupiter,revolvedbythedominations,isinhabitedbyjustrulers.theseventh,ofsaturn,revolvedbythethrones,isinhabitedbymonksandhermits.theeighth,ofthefixedstars,revolvedbythecherubim,isinhabitedbythe'tlesandsaints.theninth,orprimummobile,revolvedbytheseraphim,istheabodeofthemoralphilosophers.theseabodes,however,arenotreal,butrepresentative,toillustratethedifferencesingloryoftheinhabitantsofparadise,fortherealseatofeachisintheroseoftheblessed.intheheavens,thesaintsappearswathedincocoonsoflight;intherosetheyareseenintheirownforms.theyknowallbecausetheybeholdgodcontinually.intheempyreanistheroseoftheblessed,whosemyriadleavesformthethronesofthespirits,andwhosecentreoflightisthefatherhimself.dividingtherosehorizontally,thelowerthronesareheldbythosewhodiedininfancy;amongthemarevaryingdegreesofglory.aboveit,arethosewhodiedadults.supposingaverticaldivision,thethronestotheleftareforthosewholookedforwardtochrist'scoming;thosetotheright,notyetalloccupied,bythosewhodiedafterchrist'scoming.alongthedivisionlinesaretheholywomen,thevirgin,eve,rachel,beatrice,sarah,a,judith,andruth,saintanneandsaintlucia,andthesaints,johnthebaptist,johntheevangelist,adam,moses,saintfrancis,saintbenedict,saintaugustine,saintpeter,andinthemidst,theeverlastinggloryoftheuniverse,whoselightsofillstherosethat"naughtcanformanobstacleagainstit."