Hey everyone, welcome to Mythology Explained.
Today’s video dives into the celestial spheres of Heaven as they are depicted in Dante Alighieri's
Divine Comedy.
Alright, let’s get into it.
The Divine Comedy is a monumental epic poem from the 14th century penned by Italian author
Dante Alighieri.
Comprising three components: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, it charts an allegorical journey
through the afterlife – Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven – offering reflections on human
morality, sin, and absolution.
Our protagonist, Dante, finds himself astray in a gloomy forest, a metaphor for spiritual
bewilderment.
Guided through Hell and Purgatory by the Roman poet Virgil and later through Heaven by his
beloved Beatrice, Dante's voyage examines the assorted rewards and punishments souls
receive contingent on their earthly deeds and spiritual development.
In Paradiso, the last part of the poem, Dante and Beatrice journey through the nine celestial
spheres of Heaven.
Dante encounters various saints and scholars, exploring the nature of divine love, wisdom,
and the celestial hierarchy.
The nine celestial spheres, as depicted in Dante's Divine Comedy, represent a hierarchical
structure of Heaven based on the Christian cosmology and the teachings of the Catholic
Church.
Each sphere is associated with a celestial body (such as the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the
Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Fixed Stars, and the Primum Mobile).
The structure of the spheres is such that it reflects the spiritual progression of souls
from lesser to greater states of blessedness and closer proximity to God.
The journey through the spheres begins with the First Sphere of the Moon, inhabited by
those who were faithful but inconsistent in their vows.
As Dante ascends through the spheres, he encounters souls that have achieved higher states of
virtue and understanding during their earthly lives.
The ascent culminates with the Primum Mobile, or the "First Moved," which symbolizes the
pure love and will of God that drives all creation.
Beyond the ninth sphere lies the Empyrean, the realm of pure light and divine presence,
where God resides.
The celestial spheres, therefore, provide a structured, hierarchical framework for understanding
the various levels of spiritual attainment and divine proximity in Dante's interpretation
of Heaven.
Dante's cosmology and conceptualization of creation in the Divine Comedy synthesizes
physical, metaphysical, and spiritual dimensions, and is closely aligned with the Ptolemaic
system, which was conceived by the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy.
The Ptolemaic system is a geocentric model of the universe that was widely accepted for
over 1,000 years from the time of its inception in the second century AD.
In this model, the Earth is considered the stationary center of the universe, with all
celestial bodies, including the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars revolving around it in
complex orbits known as epicycles.
The model suggests that these celestial bodies are embedded in a series of concentric, crystalline
spheres, each of which contributes to the harmonious "music of the spheres".
Despite its inaccuracies by the standards of modern understanding, the Ptolemaic system
was highly influential due to its predictive capabilities for planetary positions and eclipses,
holding sway for over a millennium until it was supplanted by the heliocentric model.
This is all to say that Dante’s conceptualization of the earth and the 9 spheres of heaven resembles
the geocentric model introduced and promulgated by Claudius Ptolemy.
To grasp this concept in your mind’s eye, imagine the earth encased in a series of bubbles
where each bubble is contained within a subsequent larger bubble, each bubble corresponding to
one of the nine heavens.
Within each bubble is a celestial object, such as the moon, a planet, the sun, or the
stars, and everything just mentioned (the earth and the nine heavens) are in turn encased
in the empyrean, a realm of pure energy and love where god and the nine angelic choirs
exist and the souls of the blessed reside.
In this way, Dante’s journey takes him farther and farther away from the earth as he travels
outward through the nine celestial spheres towards the Empyrean, the realm that envelopes
everything in the universe: hell, purgatory, heaven, the earth, and the cosmos.
We will now discuss each of the nine celestial spheres in Heaven, beginning with the first
sphere and working our way up to the highest, the Empyrean, the realm of divine light and
pure love, the abode of God and the blessed.
The first Sphere of Heaven is associated with the Moon.
This sphere serves as the dwelling place for souls who were virtuous and faithful, but
due to circumstances beyond their control, either wavered in keeping their vows or were
compelled to break their vows during their earthly lives.
This is metaphorically reflected in the waxing and waning of the moon - at times imperceptibly
dark, at others a luminous disc of silver.
Dante encounters the soul of Piccarda Donati.
She was a nun, but due to forces beyond her control, was compelled to marry against her
will.
Despite her position in the lowest sphere, she reassures Dante that all souls in heaven
are content with their place in the divine order.
The Second Sphere of Heaven is associated with the planet Mercury, symbolizing Ambition
tempered with righteousness.
Earthly glory pales into insignificance beside the glory of God, just as Mercury pales into
insignificance beside the sun.
This sphere is inhabited by souls who were just and good in their earthly lives but were
motivated by a desire for fame or recognition.
Indeed, the core concept here is how the pursuit of fame can often overshadow the inherent
goodness of one's actions.
In this sphere, Dante encounters the soul of the Roman Emperor Justinian, who recounts
the history of the Roman Empire and laments the current condition of Italy.
The Second Sphere represents the delicate balance between ambition and righteousness,
examining how the desire for recognition can both drive and obscure virtuous actions.
The third sphere of heaven is associated with the planet Venus, symbolizing excessive passion
unbridled by temperance, because Venus is the goddess of love in Roman mythology, and
it was her wont to drive people mad with desire.
This sphere is home to souls who, while virtuous and benevolent, were disposed towards being
swept away by the currents of love to the detriment of their own virtue and spiritual
enlightenment.
One of these souls is Charles Martel of Anjou, who discourses on the role of love in human
actions and destiny.
The Third Sphere represents the inherent duality of love, its potential for both virtue and
vice, and the role it plays in guiding human actions and desires.
The Fourth Sphere of Heaven corresponds to the Sun and is associated with the virtue
of Prudence.
This sphere is inhabited by the souls of great scholars and wise individuals who dedicated
their lives to the pursuit and promulgation of knowledge and wisdom.
Dante presents the imagery of two concentric circles of souls dancing around, this spectacle
illuminating the sky.
These circles comprise religious luminaries of Church and secular learning, including
Thomas Aquinas and King Solomon.
The Fourth Sphere represents the divine value of wisdom and the role of learning and understanding
in achieving spiritual enlightenment.
The Fifth Sphere of Heaven is associated with Mars, the planet symbolizing strength, fortitude,
and bravery.
Mars is the Roman god of war, so it is fitting that the planet Mars was made emblematic of
the warriors of the faith.
This sphere is inhabited by the souls of martyrs and crusaders who displayed extraordinary
courage and valor during their earthly lives, often at the cost of their own lives.
A celestial cross composed of millions of glowing, singing souls symbolizes the sacrifice
and struggle that characterizes these virtuous spirits.
Dante encounters his great-great-grandfather Cacciaguida in this sphere, who serves as
a paragon of martial valor and ancestral pride.
He tells Dante about their family history and provides him with prophecies about his
future, embodying the sphere's alignment with courage and the willingness to face adversity.
The Fifth Sphere represents the valorous struggle against the harrowing gauntlet of worldly
hardships in the name of divine justice and truth.
The Sixth Sphere of Heaven corresponds with Jupiter and is associated with justice.
Jupiter is the king of the gods in Roman mythology, meaning he was the ultimate judge.
This sphere is inhabited by the souls of just rulers and law-givers who exemplified wisdom
and fairness during their earthly lives.
This sphere features a dazzling spectacle where souls arrange themselves in the sky
to create a glowing message: 'Love justice, you who rule the world.'
This radiant proclamation, crafted by the souls of the just, represents the divine justice
they upheld in life.
In this sphere, Dante converses with a host of great law-givers and righteous kings, including
the biblical King David and the Roman King Trajan.
Through these conversations, the sphere's alignment with righteous leadership and the
execution of justice is underscored.
The Seventh Sphere of Heaven corresponds to the planet Saturn, is associated with temperance,
and is the sphere of the contemplatives.
The souls of this sphere include not only the wise who dedicated their earthly lives
to the pursuit of divine wisdom through prayer, meditation, and spiritual reflection, but
also to those who maintained a monastic lifestyle, devoting their existence to solitary prayer
and thought, living lives both ascetic and abstemious.
Here, a golden ladder reaches up into the heavens with countless brilliantly glowing
spirits moving up and down it.
These lights are likened to the souls of the contemplatives in their continual quest for
greater knowledge and spiritual ascent.
In this sphere, Dante converses with Peter Damian, a hermit and reformer of the church,
emphasizing the sphere's connection with spiritual discipline and devout contemplation.
The Seventh Sphere encapsulates the divine value of contemplation and the eternal pursuit
of divine wisdom."
The Eighth Sphere of Heaven, otherwise known as the Sphere of the Fixed Stars, is the sphere
of the church triumphant and is closely tied to the three theological virtues: Faith, Hope,
and love.
The souls of this sphere exemplified these virtues in an exceptional manner during their
earthly lives.
Here, Dante undergoes a series of examinations conducted by three esteemed saints: Saint
Peter tests him on Faith, Saint James on Hope, and Saint John explores his understanding
of love.
Amidst this sphere, Dante observes a triumphant procession of the redeemed, with notable figures
from biblical history, including the Virgin Mary.
The Eighth Sphere underscores the monumental significance of Faith, Hope, and love in the
soul's quest for divine union and understanding.
The Ninth Celestial Sphere, known as the Primum Mobile, or the "First Moved," represents the
outermost layer of the physical universe before one transcends into the Empyrean.
It is unique, as it is set in motion directly by the love and will of God.
It operates as the "divine engine" of the cosmos, transmitting motion to all the inner
spheres and, metaphorically, it signifies the divine influence that directs all aspects
of existence towards their ordained purposes.
This sphere is imbued with God's love, a love so potent that it perpetually drives the cycle
of life and creation.
In the Primum Mobile, Dante bears witness to the mechanics of the universe and the powerful
forces governing it.
He perceives the divine order that perpetuates the cosmos, an experience that is vital for
his eventual ascent to the Empyrean.
Dante beholds an awe-inspiring vision.
He sees the celestial order manifested as nine concentric circles that revolve around
a dazzling point of pure light.
These circles represent the nine angelic choirs in their hierarchical arrangement, each one
filled with countless radiant points, symbolizing the host angelic beings of each of the nine
choirs.
Dante is struck by the harmony and beauty of their motion, all orchestrated by the love
and wisdom of God.
Dante’s gaze is drawn towards the radiant center - the brilliant point of light around
which all the angelic circles dance.
This brilliant point represents God, the Prime Mover, from whom all order and motion originate.
In the Tenth and ultimate realm, known as the Empyrean, Dante enters the realm of pure
light and energy.
This isn’t a 10th heavenly sphere, but a transcendent realm that envelops all of creation.
This is the immaterial realm of full divine presence - beyond space and time, the ultimate
destination of the soul.
It represents the complete unity and harmony of the universe under divine love.
Dante finds himself enveloped in an overwhelming and all-consuming light, embodying divine
love and wisdom.
Dante sees the celestial Rose.
It is made up of countless petals and is the manifestation of the blessed souls who exist
in the Empyrean, all of them forever bathed in God’s radiance.
The Empyrean's spectacle unfolds further as Dante is granted the vision of the Holy Trinity.
He perceives three circles of light, each a different hue, yet of the same dimension
- an image symbolizing the mystery of the triune God.
The three circles represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, all co-equal and
co-eternal.
Following his vision of the Holy Trinity, Dante is graced by an encounter with God's
Divine Essence.
What he sees is beyond the capacity of human comprehension, yet it imbues him with an intuitive
understanding of the divine and the deepest truths that form the foundation on which creation
was built and is maintained.
He beholds an image of God, who transcends form, and while his intellectual faculties
are strained to their limits, his soul resonates with the divine truth.
As the culmination of his celestial journey, Dante's engagement with the Divine Essence
signifies his ultimate spiritual transformation, aligning his will and desire with divine love.
It is a moment of profound enlightenment, an intimate and indescribable connection with
the source of all being, that completes Dante's voyage from despair to salvation.
And that’s it for this video.
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