Penumbra salvadora

He preferido la oscuridad que en un tiempo ya pasado descubrí como penumbra salvadora, que andar errante, solo, perdido, en los infiernos de la luz. María Zambrano

Fragmentos merol de Paradise Lost de John Milton

Ilustración de John Martin

Libro I
95. Nor what the Potent Victor in his rage
96. Can else inflict, do I repent or change,
97. Though changed in outward luster; that fixed mind
98. And high disdain, from sense of injured merit,
99. That with the mightiest raised me to contend,
100. And to the fierce contention brought along
101. Innumerable force of spirits armed
102. That durst dislike his reign, and me preferring,
103. His utmost power with adverse power opposed
104. In dubious battle on the plains of Heaven,
105. And shook his throne. What though the field be lost?
106. All is not lost; the unconquerable will,
107. And study of revenge, immortal hate,
108. And courage never to submit or yield:
109. And what is else not to be overcome?
110. That glory never shall his wrath or might
111. Extort from me. To bow and sue for grace
112. With suppliant knee, and deify his power,
113. Who from the terror of this arm so late
114. Doubted his empire, that were low indeed,
115. That were an ignominy and shame beneath
116. This downfall

587. Thus far these beyond
588. Compare of mortal prowess, yet observed
589. Their dread commander: he above the rest
590. In shape and gesture proudly eminent
591. Stood like a tower; his form had yet not lost
592. All her original brightness, nor appeared
593. Less then archangel ruined, and the excess
594. Of glory obscured: As when the sun new risen
595. Looks through the horizontal misty air
596. Shorn of his beams, or from behind the moon
597. In dim eclipse disastrous twilight sheds
598. On half the nations, and with fear of change
599. Perplexes monarchs.

Libro II
247. How wearisome
248. Eternity so spent in worship paid
249. To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue,
250. By force impossible, by leave obtained
251. Unacceptable, though in Heaven, our state
252. Of splendid vassalage; but rather seek
253. Our own good from ourselves, and from our own
254. Live to ourselves, though in this vast recess,
255. Free and to none accountable, preferring
256. Hard liberty before the easy yoke
257. Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear
258. Then most conspicuous when great things of small,
259. Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse,
260. We can create, and in what place soe'er
261. Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain
262. Through labor and endurance.

910. Into this wild abyss,
911. The womb of nature, and perhaps her grave,
912. Of neither sea, nor shore, nor air, nor fire,
913. But all these in their pregnant causes mixed
914. Confusedly, and which thus must ever fight,
915. Unless the Almighty Maker them ordain
916. His dark materials to create more worlds,
917. Into this wild Abyss the wary Fiend
918. Stood on the brink of Hell and looked a while,
919. Pondering his voyage; for no narrow frith
920. He had to cross. Nor was his ear less pealed
921. With noises loud and ruinous (to compare
922. Great things with small) than when Bellona storms
923. With all her battering engines, bent to rase
924. Some capital city; or less than if this frame
925. Of Heaven were falling, and these elements
926. In mutiny had from her axle torn
927. The steadfast Earth. At last his sail-broad vans
928. He spread for flight, and, in the surging smoke
929. Uplifted, spurns the ground; thence many a league,
930. As in a cloudy chair, ascending rides
931. Audacious; but, that seat soon failing, meets
932. A vast vacuity. All unawares,
933. Fluttering his pennons vain, plumb-down he drops
934. Ten thousand fathom deep, and to this hour
935. Down had been falling, had not, by ill chance,
936. The strong rebuff of some tumultuous cloud,
937. Instinct with fire and nitre, hurried him
938. As many miles aloft.

951. At length a universal hubbub wild
952. Of stunning sounds, and voices all confused,
953. Borne through the hollow dark, assaults his ear
954. With loudest vehemence. Thither he plies
955. Undaunted, to meet there whatever power
956. Or spirit of the nethermost Abyss
957. Might in that noise reside, of whom to ask
958. Which way the nearest coast of darkness lies
959. Bordering on light; when straight behold the throne
960. Of Chaos, and his dark pavilion spread
961. Wide on the wasteful deep! With him enthroned
962. Sat sable-vested Night, eldest of things,
963. The consort of his reign; and by them stood
964. Orcus and Ades, and the dreaded name
965. Of Demogorgon; Rumour next, and Chance,
966. And Tumult, and Confusion, all embroiled,
967. And Discord with a thousand various mouths.
968. To whom Satan, turning boldly, thus:, Ye powers
969. And spirtis of this nethermost Abyss,
970. Chaos and ancient Night, I come no spy
971. With purpose to explore or to disturb
972. The secrets of your realm; but, by constraint
973. Wandering this darksome desert, as my way
974. Lies through your spacious empire up to light,
975. Alone and without guide, half lost, I seek,
976. What readiest path leads where your gloomy bounds
977. Confine with Heaven; or, if some other place,
978. From your dominion won, the Ethereal King
979. Possesses lately, thither to arrive
980. I travel this profound. Direct my course:
981. Directed, no mean recompense it brings
982. To your behoove, if I that region lost,
983. All usurpation thence expelled, reduce
984. To her original darkness and your sway
985. (Which is my present journey), and once more
986. Erect the standard there of ancient night.

Libro III

540. Satan from hence, now on the lower stair,
541. That scaled by steps of gold to Heaven-gate,
542. Looks down with wonder at the sudden view
543. Of all this world at once. As when a scout,
544. Through dark and desert ways with peril gone
545. All night, at last by break of cheerful dawn
546. Obtains the brow of some high-climbing hill,
547. Which to his eye discovers unaware
548. The goodly prospect of some foreign land
549. First seen, or some renowned metropolis
550. With glistering spires and pinnacles adorned,
551. Which now the rising sun gilds with his beams:
552. Such wonder seized, though after Heaven seen,

Libro IV

520. hence I will excite their minds
521. With more desire to know, and to reject
522. Envious commands, invented with design
523. To keep them low, whom knowledge might exalt
524. Equal with Gods

917. Courageous Chief,
918. The first in flight from pain, hadst thou alleged
919. To thy deserted host this cause of flight,
920. Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive.
921. To which the fiend thus answered, frowning stern.
922. Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain,
923. Insulting angel! well thou knowest I stood
924. Thy fiercest, when in battle to thy aid
925. The blasting volleyed thunder made all speed,
926. And seconded thy else not dreaded spear.
927. But still thy words at random, as before,
928. Argue thy inexperience what behooves
929. From hard assays and ill successes past
930. A faithful leader, not to hazard all
931. Through ways of danger by himself untried:
932. I, therefore, I alone first undertook
933. To wing the desolate abyss, and spy
934. This new created world, whereof in Hell
935. Fame is not silent, here in hope to find
936. Better abode, and my afflicted Powers
937. To settle here on earth, or in mid air;
938. Though for possession put to try once more
939. What thou and thy gay legions dare against;
940. Whose easier business were to serve their Lord
941. High up in Heaven, with songs to hymn his throne,
942. And practiced distances to cringe, not fight

Libro V

853. That we were formed then sayest thou? and the work
854. Of secondary hands, by task transferred
855. From Father to his Son? strange point and new,
856. Doctrine which we would know whence learned: who saw
857. When this creation was? rememberest thou
858. Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?

Libro IX

494. toward Eve
495. Addressed his way: not with indented wave,
496. Prone on the ground, as since; but on his rear,
497. Circular base of rising folds, that towered
498. Fold above fold, a surging maze, his head
499. Crested aloft, and carbuncle his eyes;
500. With burnished neck of verdant gold, erect
501. Amidst his circling spires, that on the grass
502. Floated redundant: pleasing was his shape
503. And lovely; never since of serpent-kind
504. Lovelier, not those that in Illyria changed,
505. Hermione and Cadmus, or the god
506. In Epidaurus; nor to which transformed
507. Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline, was seen;
508. He with Olympias; this with her who bore
509. Scipio, the heighth of Rome. With tract oblique
510. At first, as one who sought access, but feared
511. To interrupt, side-long he works his way.
512. As when a ship, by skilful steersmen wrought
513. Nigh river's mouth or foreland, where the wind
514. Veers oft, as oft so steers, and shifts her sail:
515. So varied he, and of his tortuous train
516. Curled many a wanton wreath in sight of Eve,
517. To lure her eye; she, busied, heard the sound
518. Of rustling leaves, but minded not, as used
519. To such disport before her through the field,
520. From every beast; more duteous at her call,
521. Than at Circean call the herd disguised.
522. He, bolder now, uncalled before her stood,
523. But as in gaze admiring: oft he bowed
524. His turret crest, and sleek enameled neck,
525. Fawning; and licked the ground whereon she trod.
526. His gentle dumb expression turned at length
527. The eye of Eve to mark his play; he, glad
528. Of her attention gained, with serpent-tongue
529. Organic, or impulse of vocal air,
530. His fraudulent temptation thus began.

570. I was at first as other beasts that graze
571. The trodden herb, of abject thoughts and low,
572. As was my food; nor aught but food discerned
573. Or sex, and apprehended nothing high:
574. Till, on a day roving the field, I chanced
575. A goodly tree far distant to behold
576. Loaden with fruit of fairest colors mixed,
577. Ruddy and gold: I nearer drew to gaze;
578. When from the boughs a savory odor blown,
579. Grateful to appetite, more pleased my sense
580. Than smell of sweetest fennel, or the teats
581. Of ewe or goat dropping with milk at even,
582. Unsucked of lamb or kid, that tend their play.
583. To satisfy the sharp desire I had
584. Of tasting those fair apples, I resolved
585. Not to defer; hunger and thirst at once,
586. Powerful persuaders, quickened at the scent
587. Of that alluring fruit, urged me so keen.
588. About the mossy trunk I wound me soon;
589. For, high from ground, the branches would require
590. Thy utmost reach or Adam's: Round the tree
591. All other beasts that saw, with like desire
592. Longing and envying stood, but could not reach.
593. Amid the tree now got, where plenty hung
594. Tempting so nigh, to pluck and eat my fill
595. I spared not; for, such pleasure till that hour,
596. At feed or fountain, never had I found.
597. Sated at length, ere long I might perceive
598. Strange alteration in me, to degree
599. Of reason in my inward powers; and speech
600. Wanted not long; though to this shape retained.
601. Thenceforth to speculations high or deep
602. I turned my thoughts, and with capacious mind
603. Considered all things visible in Heaven,
604. Or Earth, or Middle; all things fair and good:
605. But all that fair and good in thy divine
606. Semblance, and in thy beauty's heavenly ray,
607. United I beheld; no fair to thine
608. Equivalent or second, which compelled
609. Me thus, though importune perhaps, to come
610. And gaze, and worship thee of right declared
611. Sovereign of creatures, universal dame!

678. Oh sacred, wise, and wisdom-giving Plant,
679. Mother of science, now I feel thy power
680. Within me clear; not only to discern
681. Things in their causes, but to trace the ways
682. Of highest agents, deemed however wise.
683. Queen of this universe, do not believe
684. Those rigid threats of death: ye shall not die:
685. How should you? by the fruit? it gives you life
686. To knowledge; by the threatener? look on me,
687. Me, who have touched and tasted; yet both live,
688. And life more perfect have attained than Fate
689. Meant me, by venturing higher than my lot.
690. Shall that be shut to Man, which to the Beast
691. Is open? or will God incense his ire
692. For such a petty trespass? and not praise
693. Rather your dauntless virtue, whom the pain
694. Of death denounced, whatever thing death be,
695. Deterred not from achieving what might lead
696. To happier life, knowledge of good and evil;
697. Of good, how just? of evil, if what is evil
698. Be real, why not known, since easier shunned?
699. God therefore cannot hurt ye, and be just;
700. Not just, not God; not feared then, nor obeyed:
701. Your fear itself of death removes the fear.
702. Why then was this forbid? Why, but to awe;
703. Why, but to keep ye low and ignorant,
704. His worshippers? He knows that in the day
705. Ye eat thereof, your eyes that seem so clear,
706. Yet are but dim, shall perfectly be then
707. Opened and cleared, and ye shall be as Gods,
708. Knowing both good and evil, as they know.
709. That ye shall be as Gods, since I as Man,
710. Internal Man, is but proportion meet;
711. I, of brute, human; ye, of human, Gods.
712. So ye shall die perhaps, by putting off
713. Human, to put on Gods; death to be wished,
714. Though threatened, which no worse than this can bring.
715. And what are Gods, that man may not become
716. As they, participating God-like food?
717. The Gods are first, and that advantage use
718. On our belief, that all from them proceeds:
719. I question it; for this fair earth I see,
720. Warmed by the sun, producing every kind;
721. Them, nothing: if they all things, who enclosed
722. Knowledge of good and evil in this tree,
723. That whoso eats thereof, forthwith attains
724. Wisdom without their leave? and wherein lies
725. The offence, that man should thus attain to know?
726. What can your knowledge hurt him, or this tree
727. Impart against his will, if all be his?
728. Or is it envy? and can envy dwell
729. In heavenly breasts? These, these, and many more
730. Causes import your need of this fair fruit.
731. Goddess humane, reach then, and freely taste.

794. Oh sovereign, virtuous, precious of all trees
795. In Paradise! of operation blest
796. To sapience, hitherto obscured, infamed.
797. And thy fair fruit let hang, as to no end
798. Created; but henceforth my early care,
799. Not without song, each morning, and due praise,
800. Shall tend thee, and the fertile burden ease
801. Of thy full branches offered free to all;
802. Till, dieted by thee, I grow mature
803. In knowledge, as the Gods, who all things know;
804. Though others envy what they cannot give:
805. For, had the gift been theirs, it had not here
806. Thus grown. Experience, next, to thee I owe,
807. Best guide; not following thee, I had remained
808. In ignorance; thou openest wisdom's way,
809. And givest access, though secret she retire.

Libro X

743. Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
744. To mould me Man? did I solicit thee
745. From darkness to promote me, or here place
746. In this delicious garden? As my will
747. Concurred not to my being, it were but right
748. And equal to reduce me to my dust;
749. Desirous to resign and render back
750. All I received; unable to perform
751. Thy terms too hard, by which I was to hold
752. The good I sought not. To the loss of that,
753. Sufficient penalty, why hast thou added
754. The sense of endless woes? Inexplicable
755. Why am I mocked with death, and lengthened out
756. To deathless pain? How gladly would I meet
757. Mortality my sentence, and be earth
758. Insensible. How glad would lay me down
759. As in my mother's lap. There I should rest,
760. And sleep secure; his dreadful voice no more
761. Would thunder in my ears; no fear of worse
762. To me, and to my offspring, would torment me
763. With cruel expectation.

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Confesión de Giordano Bruno

“Me equivoqué creyendo que podría pedirle a la Iglesia que combatiese un sistema de superstición, de ignorancia, de violencia. Erraba, ¿cómo creí que podría reformar la condición humana con ayuda de este o aquel príncipe? He visto a todos esos dirigentes, qué mortificación. Enrique III de Francia: sangre, Isabel de Inglaterra: sangre, Rodolfo II de Habsburgo: sangre. Para colmo, el monarca que cree alzarse como el más alto de todos. Esta noche veo en esta sala sangre. Qué desespero pedirle al que tiene el poder que reforme el poder, qué ingenuidad. Si queréis mi confesión aquí la tenéis. Es la confesión de una derrota.”

Giordano Bruno, dir. Giuliano Montaldo, 1973.