"Prompt I heard Her bidding, and encountered once again The strife of aching vision. As, erewhile, Through glance of sunlight, streamed through broken cloud, Mine eyes a flower-besprinkled mead have seen; Though veiled themselves in shade: so saw I there Legions of splendors, on whom burning rays Shed lightnings from above; yet saw I not The fountain whence they flowed. O gracious virtue! Thou, whose broad stamp is on them, higher up Thou didst exalt thy glory, to give room To my o'erlabored sight; when at the name Of that fair flower, whom duly I invoke Both morn and eve, my soul with all her might Collected, on the goodliest ardor fix'd. And, as the bright dimensions of the star In heaven excelling, as once here on earth, Were, in my eyeballs livelily portrayed; Lo! from within the sky a cresset fell, Circling in fashion of a diadem; And girt the star; and, hovering, round it wheel'd. "Whatever melody sounds sweetest here, And draws the spirit most unto itself, Might seem a rent cloud when it grates the thunder; Compared unto the sounding of that lyre, Wherewith the goodliest sapphire, that inlays The floor of heaven was crown'd. 'Angelic Love I am, who thus with hovering flight enwheel The lofty rapture from that womb inspired. Where our desire did dwell: and round thee so, Lady of Heaven! will hover; long as thou Thy Son shalt follow, and diviner joy Shall from thy presence gild the highest sphere.' "Such close was to the circling melody: And, as it ended, all the other lights Took up the strain, and echoed Mary's name. "The robe,[17] that with its regal folds enwraps The world, and with the nearer breath of God Doth burn and quiver, held so far retired Its inner hem and skirting over us, That yet no glimmer of its majesty Had stream'd unto me: therefore were mine eyes Unequal to pursue the crowned flame, That towering rose, and sought the seed it bore. And like to babe that stretches forth its arms For very eagerness toward the breast, After the milk is taken; so outstretch'd Their wavy summits all the fervent band, Through zealous love to Mary: then, in view, There halted; and 'Regina Coeli' sang So sweetly, the delight hath left me never." After the passing away of this glorious vision Dante is examined as to his faith by St. Peter, his hope by St. James, and his love by St. John; then being found worthy of being admitted into the presence of God, he rises to the Empyrean, beholds the Blessed Rose, where are seated the saints of all ages, and finally catches an instantaneous glimpse of the glory and mystery of the Trinity. In this supreme vision his desires find full fruition, and his spirit, overcome by the overwhelming glory of the Godhead, fails him, and thus his vision comes to an end,