Dante’s journey into Paradise is difficult for him to describe, but with Beatrice he rises to the heaven of the moon. Here, Dante meets those who are inconstant in their vows, including his friend’s sister Piccarda, and considers with Beatrice a number of doubts, including how souls are both within different hierarchical spheres in heaven while also being together with God in the Empyrean. 

Beatrice looked at me with eyes that shone
so full of scintillating love divine
they put to flight the powers of my own,
And down I cast them, nearly overcome.
— Paradiso Canto 4. 139-142

Translated by Anthony Esolen.

Here Dante comes to the second heaven, which is full of souls who were ambitious in their earthly lives. The Roman emperor Justinian encounters Dante, and tells him the history of the Roman empire, and, later, the more global history of human redemption.

I held there was in Christ, before I strove
to do this work, one nature and not two,
and was contented in my misbelief,
Until I was directed to the true
and perfect faith by blest Agapetus,
the highest Shepherd, who persuaded me.
— Paradiso Canto 6. 13-18

Translated by Anthony Esolen.

On the planet of love, Venus, Dante meets those who were deficient in temperance: lovers of all kinds. He is eager to talk with everyone he meets, and Beatrice kindly consents to let him talk with the souls he encounters, such as Cunizza da Romano, a number of troubadors, and Rahab, who is the brightest star in this heaven. 

To anyone who’d seen those spirits fly
our way, leaving the radiant turning train
the Seraphim first turn. And from the heart
Of those approaching nearest swelled the strain
of a Hosanna sung with such a voice.
— Paradiso Canto 8. 25-30

Translated by Anthony Esolen.

Dante now comes to a the heaven of the sun, past the Earth’s shadow and full of exemplars of the classical virtues of justice, prudence, temperance and courage. He encounters twenty-four lights that circle and dance around him and Beatrice, in a celebration of God’s love even among orders that were, in some respects, rivals on earth (see the Dominicans and Franciscans, represented in the discourses of Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure).

To emulate so great a paladin,
I was moved by the kindled courtesy
of a brother Thomas and his crisp discourse-
And all this band of souls were moved with me.
— Paradiso Canto 12. 142-145

Translated by Anthony Esolen.

Dante and Beatrice continue on to the next heaven, Mars, though it is beyond even the red that Dante expected of that planet. Dante learns much of his own history, including meeting his great-great-grandfather, and souls who are described as the mothers and fathers of Florence. With his great-great-grandfather, Dante puzzles over the prophecies he heard earlier in the Divine Comedy about his own exile and the fate of Florence.

O blood of mine, O overbrimming grace
poured out by God! For whom has Heaven’s door
been opened twice, as it has been for you?
— Paradiso Canto 15. 28-30

Translated by Anthony Esolen.

As Dante and Beatrice progress to the heaven of Jupiter, the heaven of Justice, Dante sees the souls there spelling words for him to read. He encounters a stunning – and mysterious – speaking eagle, made up of many souls. He puzzles over numerous difficult (and ultimately, perhaps, unfathomable) questions.

And as birds rising flapping from a stream
as if applauding for their feeding well,
fly in a circling flock or other form,
So in those lights the saintly creatures flew,
and as they flew about they sang for joy
and formed the figures D and I and L.
— Paradiso Canto 18. 73-78

Translated by Anthony Esolen.

The seventh heaven – that of Saturn – is that of contemplative thinkers. Here, Dante describes to us, Beatrice becomes even more beautiful, and Dante discusses the state of the church with St. Peter Damian and St. Benedict. He is struck by a beautiful, golden ladder that leads beyond this heaven. 

And as she pleased I turned my eyes and saw
a hundred little globes in unison
adorning one another with their rays.
— Paradiso Canto 22. 22-24

Translated by Anthony Esolen.

Now Dante enters a new kind of realm in the heavens, with a new kind of geography and sense of place. Here is the heaven of the fixed stars, Faith, Hope and Love. Here Dante has visions of Christ, he sees the virgin Mary, St. Peter, St. John and St. James, who each question him on one of the theological virtues.

Their bright felicitations at an end,
each stood before me, silently awaiting,
burning too brilliantly for me to face.
— Paradiso Canto 25. 24-27

Translated by Anthony Esolen.

Dante now rises to the heaven of the angels, whose movement is in fact the cause of everything else’s movement. Dante imagines – with much difficulty – a new vision of the geography and organization of the heavens, now with God as an infinitely small and luminous point at the center and everything else moving around God. Beatrice discusses the creation of the world, and they journey one final time, to the last of the heavens.

Now you can see the liberality
and high magnificence of the eternal Power,
pieced out among so many mirrors made,
Remaining in Himself, One, as before.
— Paradiso Canto 29. 142-145

Translated by Anthony Esolen.

Dante himself cannot write fully of what he experiences in the Empyrean. Here, Beatrice leaves him while he is clothed in light, and St. Bernard of Clairvaux accompanies him as the final guide, into the heart of seeing the Beatific Vision itself. Dante will see countless saints from Scripture and the history of the church, and ultimately, be rendered speechless. 

Here ceased the powers of my high fantasy.
Already were all my will and my desires
turned-as a wheel in equal balance-by
The Love that moves the sun and the other stars.
— Paradiso Canto 33. 142-145

Translated by Anthony Esolen.