L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle

Solar Eclipse as Seen from the International Space Station

The Universe as Seen by Dante Alighieri

As the geometrician, who endeavours
To square the circle, and discovers not,
By taking thought, the principle he wants,

Even such was I at that new apparition;
I wished to see how the image to the circle
Conformed itself, and how it there finds place;

But my own wings were not enough for this,
Had it not been that then my mind there smote
A flash of lightning, wherein came its wish.

Here vigour failed the lofty fantasy:
But now was turning my desire and will,
Even as a wheel that equally is moved,

The Love which moves the sun and the other stars.
[L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle]

The Divine Comedy : Paradiso : Canto XXXIII by Dante

Posted by gerardvanderleun at December 3, 2013 3:04 PM