All 27 Uses of

discern

in

The Divine Comedy -- translated by Longfellow

'Since thou wouldst fain so inwardly discern, Briefly will I relate,' she answered me, 'Why I am not afraid to enter here.†
Canto 1.1-11

People I saw on a great river's bank; Whence said I: "Master, now vouchsafe to me, That I may know who these are, and what law Makes them appear so ready to pass over, As I discern athwart the dusky light."†
Canto 1.1-11

Obscure, profound it was, and nebulous, So that by fixing on its depths my sight Nothing whatever I discerned therein.†
Canto 1.1-11

We were a little distant from it still, But not so far that I in part discerned not That honourable people held that place.†
Canto 1.1-11

And he to me: "Across the turbid waves What is expected thou canst now discern, If reek of the morass conceal it not."†
Canto 1.1-11

And I: "Its mosques already, Master, clearly Within there in the valley I discern Vermilion, as if issuing from the fire They were."†
Canto 1.1-11

But truly, if I well discern, a little Before His coming who the mighty spoil Bore off from Dis, in the supernal circle, Upon all sides the deep and loathsome valley Trembled so, that I thought the Universe Was thrilled with love, by which there are who think The world ofttimes converted into chaos; And at that moment this primeval crag Both here and elsewhere made such overthrow.†
Canto 1.12-22

"If my entreaty wholly were fulfilled," Replied I to him, "not yet would you be In banishment from human nature placed; For in my mind is fixed, and touches now My heart the dear and good paternal image Of you, when in the world from hour to hour You taught me how a man becomes eternal; And how much I am grateful, while I live Behoves that in my language be discerned.†
Canto 1.12-22

Inferno: Canto XXXIV " 'Vexilla Regis prodeunt Inferni' Towards us; therefore look in front of thee," My Master said, "if thou discernest him."†
Canto 1.23-34

"Truly, my Master," said I, "never yet Saw I so clearly as I now discern, There where my wit appeared incompetent, That the mid-circle of supernal motion, Which in some art is the Equator called, And aye remains between the Sun and Winter, For reason which thou sayest, departeth hence Tow'rds the Septentrion, what time the Hebrews Beheld it tow'rds the region of the heat.†
Canto 2.1-11

Clearly in them discerned I the blond head; But in their faces was the eye bewildered, As faculty confounded by excess.†
Canto 2.1-11

I saw there Troy in ashes and in caverns; O Ilion! thee, how abject and debased, Displayed the image that is there discerned!†
Canto 2.12-22

The heavens are calling you, and wheel around you, Displaying to you their eternal beauties, And still your eye is looking on the ground; Whence He, who all discerns, chastises you.†
Canto 2.12-22

Hence it behoved laws for a rein to place, Behoved a king to have, who at the least Of the true city should discern the tower.†
Canto 2.12-22

"O Marco mine," I said, "thou reasonest well; And now discern I why the sons of Levi Have been excluded from the heritage.†
Canto 2.12-22

Whence I: "My sight is, Master, vivified So in thy light, that clearly I discern Whate'er thy speech importeth or describes.†
Canto 2.12-22

When underneath us was the stairway all Run o'er, and we were on the highest step, Virgilius fastened upon me his eyes, And said: "The temporal fire and the eternal, Son, thou hast seen, and to a place art come Where of myself no farther I discern.†
Canto 2.23-33

In grace do us the grace that thou unveil Thy face to him, so that he may discern The second beauty which thou dost conceal.†
Canto 2.23-33

Thou sayest, 'Well discern I what I hear; But it is hidden from me why God willed For our redemption only this one mode.'†
Canto 3.1-11

One gazes long and little is discerned,
Canto 3.1-11 *

discerned = understood or seen

And as within a flame a spark is seen, And as within a voice a voice discerned, When one is steadfast, and one comes and goes, Within that light beheld I other lamps Move in a circle, speeding more and less, Methinks in measure of their inward vision.†
Canto 3.1-11

Because I do believe the lofty joy Thy speech infuses into me, my Lord, Where every good thing doth begin and end Thou seest as I see it, the more grateful Is it to me; and this too hold I dear, That gazing upon God thou dost discern it.†
Canto 3.1-11

In consequence our vision, which perforce Must be some ray of that intelligence With which all things whatever are replete, Cannot in its own nature be so potent, That it shall not its origin discern Far beyond that which is apparent to it.†
Canto 3.12-22

Now knoweth he enough of what the world Has not the power to see of grace divine, Although his sight may not discern the bottom.†
Canto 3.12-22

…philosophic arguments, And by authority that hence descends, Such love must needs imprint itself in me; For Good, so far as good, when comprehended Doth straight enkindle love, and so much greater As more of goodness in itself it holds; Then to that Essence (whose is such advantage That every good which out of it is found Is nothing but a ray of its own light) More than elsewhither must the mind be moved Of every one, in loving, who discerns The truth in which this evidence is founded.†
Canto 3.23-33

Then breathed: "Without thy uttering it to me, Thine inclination better I discern Than thou whatever thing is surest to thee; For I behold it in the truthful mirror, That of Himself all things parhelion makes, And none makes Him parhelion of itself.†
Canto 3.23-33

The rest remained, and they began this art Which thou discernest, with so great delight That never from their circling do they cease.†
Canto 3.23-33

Definition:

(discern)
to notice or understand something -- often something that is not obvious