carry their perceptions, began to marvel greatly, and addressing itself especially to the spirits of vision, it spoke these words—'Apparuit jam beatitudo vestra. Now hath your bliss appeared.' And straightway the natural spirit, which abides in that part whereto our nourishment[1] is ministered, began to wail, and dolorously it spoke these words—'Heu miser! quia frequenter impeditus ero deinceps! Ah wretched me! for henceforth shall I be oftentimes obstructed!' From that time forth I say that Love held sovereign empire over my soul, which had so readily been betrothed unto him; and through the influence lent to him by my imagination, he at once assumed such imperious sway and masterdom over me, that I could not choose but do his pleasure in all things. Oftentimes he enjoined me to strive, if so I might behold this youngest of the angels—wherefore did I during my boyish years frequently go in search of her; and so praiseworthy was she, and so noble in her bearing, that of her might with truth be spoken that saying of the poet Homer—
'She of a god seemed born, and not of mortal man.'"
The second meeting, conscious on both sides, seems to have befallen as follows:—
- ↑ The tongue.