Dante. An essay. To which is added a translation of De Monarchia.
Dante Alighieri · en
Matthew writes that when Jesus had asked His disciples: "Whom say ye
that I am?" Peter answered before them all and said: "Thou art Christ,
the Son of the living God." He writes also that when Christ was saying
to His disciples that he must go up to Jerusalem and suffer many
things, Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying: "Be it far
from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee." But Christ turned and
rebuked him, and said: "Get thee behind me, Satan." Matthew also
writes that in the Mount of Transfiguration, on the sight of Christ,
and of Moses and Elias, and of the two sons of Zebedee, Peter said:
"Lord, it is good for us to be here; if Thou wilt, let us make here
three tabernacles, one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias." He
also writes that when the disciples were in a ship, in the night, and
Christ went unto them walking on the sea, then Peter said unto Him:
"Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water." And when
Christ foretold that all His disciples should be offended because of
Him, Peter answered and said: "Though all men shall be offended
because of Thee, yet will I never be offended;" and then: "Though I
should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee." And to this saying
Mark bears witness also. And Luke writes that Peter had said to
Christ, a little before the words touching the swords which we have
quoted: "Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison and to
death." And John says of him, that, when Christ wished to wash his
feet, Peter answered and said: "Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?" and
then: "Thou shalt never wash my feet." The same Evangelist tells us
that it was Peter who smote the High Priest's servant with a sword,
and the other Evangelists also bear witness to this thing. He tells us
also how Peter entered the sepulchre at once, when he saw the other
disciple waiting outside, and how, when Christ was on the shore after
the resurrection, when Peter had heard that it was the Lord, he girt
his fisher's coat unto him (for he was naked) and did cast himself
into the sea. Lastly, John tells that when Peter saw John, he said
unto Jesus: "Lord, and what shall this man do?"
It is a pleasure to have pursued this point about our Chief
Shepherd,[293] in praise of his purity of spirit; but from what I have
said it is plain that when he spake of the two swords, he answered the
words of Christ with no second meaning.
[Footnote 293: "Archimandrita nostro." Cf. _Parad._ xi. 99, of St.
Francis.--(W.)]