Paradiso: Canto XXVIII
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Dante Alighieri and Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth
The three Divine are in this hierarchy, First the Dominions, and the Virtues next; And the third order is that of the Powers.
Then in the dances twain penultimate The Principalities and Archangels wheel; The last is wholly of angelic sports.
These orders upward all of them are gazing, And downward so prevail, that unto God They all attracted are and all attract.
And Dionysius with so great desire To contemplate these Orders set himself, He named them and distinguished them as I do.
But Gregory afterwards dissented from him; Wherefore, as soon as he unclosed his eyes Within this heaven, he at himself did smile.
And if so much of secret truth a mortal Proffered on earth, I would not have thee marvel, For he who saw it here revealed it to him,
With much more of the truth about these circles.”