MARIOLO

B.

LBE librar;

PROVO, UTAH

H^'

/^^

nix

'L

Engraved. ^ILbun^.

BAM TE

J,ONl)U.M

ALLISH

'HAl'MAN

X-

HA11,. JilG

'iTKANb

,^
<^^

n^x

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in

2011 with funding from

Brigham Young University

fy

http://www.archive.org/details/dantesclivineconneOOdant

THE INFERNO.

LONDON

PRINTED BY LEVEY, ROBSON, AND I'RANKLYN,

Great New Street, Fetter Lane.

PQ

DANTE'S

DIVINE COMEDY; ^^^^

THE INFERNO.
Si

ILitthl ^rostj 'SCranslation,

THE TEXT OP THE ORIGINAL COLLATED FROM THE BEST

EDITIONS, AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.

JOHN
O

CARLYLE,

A.

M.D.

degli altri poeti onore e lume.

Vagliami

il

Che m' han

lungo studio e

il

grande amore,

fatto cercar lo tuo

volume.
Inf-n. I. 82-4.

LONDON:

CHAPMAN AND HALL,

MDCCCXLIX.

186

STRAND.

"/"^

PRkHOLD

B.

ILBB UH'<At<^

aWLGHAM YOUNG UN [VEPir^v

PROyOfe

UTAH

PREFACE.

The

object of the following Prose Translation

is

to

give the real meaning of Dante as literally and briefly

as possible.

No

single particle has

unrepresented in

left

could be discovered

it,

for

Italics.

English readers,

hoped, will here find a closer, and therefore,

is

with

which any equivalent

and the few words that have

been added are marked in

it

been wittingly

all its defects,

warmer version than any that

has hitherto been published for them.

The

Italian

best editions,

is

Text, carefully collated from the

printed beneath, in order to justify

and support the Translation, which

literal for

those

standing alone

is

perhaps too

and likewise

who have any knowledge

to

enable

of Italian to under-

stand the Original itself more easily, and with less obstruction enjoy the deep rhythmic force and beauty

of

it,

which cannot be transferred into any other

language.

New Arguments

or

explanatory introductions,

intended to <liminish the number and burden of indispensable notes, are prefixed to the Cantos.

Notes themselves are either

The

original, or taken directly,

and in no case without accurate reference, from the

best Italian commentators and historians

and, above

PREFACE.

VI

from Dante's own works, wherever any thing

all,

appropriate could be met with.

allel

Illustrative or par-

passages are quoted in them, from the Bible,

and from Virgil and other ancient authors, to shew

and
the way in which Dante used his materials
;

more sparingly from Chaucer and Milton, both of

whom

had read the Divina Commedia with poetic

warmth and insight, before producing any of their

own great works. The endless passages which might
have been quoted from Italian writers, are excluded
for the

and

sake of brevity, and as being far less near

less interesting to us.

Finally, the doubtful, difficult, or obsolete

between the notes and the

are explained

text, or in the notes themselves.

the most remarkable Editions,

words

original

A brief account

of

Comments, and Trans-

commencement, together with

a sketch of Dante's Hell and his journey through it.
And the volume concludes with a complete Index of

lations, is given at the

the Proper

Now

Names

this

that are mentioned or alluded to.

simple statement will sufficiently shew

that the present undertaking

diffisrent

is

upon a plan quite

from that of the other English translations

and therefore enters into no competition with them,

and requires no apology. I am persuaded that all

who know any

thing of the manifold significance of

the Original, or of

its

old and recent history, will be

glad to see another faithful

true meaning of
for

several

it

effi^rt

made

to bring the

nearer to English readers.

purposes, and

more

especially

for

But,
the

PREFACE.
guidance of younger students,
state also, in a

it

may be

useful to

few words, the reasons that have gra-

dually led to this

new experiment, and

and convictions under which

as follows

VII

the feelings

They

was begun.

it

are

In the year 1831, being called to Italy by other

Divina Commedia, under

duties, I first studied the

guidance of the most noted literary Dilettanti of Rome

and other

places. I

heard them read

it

gestures and declamation, and talk of

superlatives

learnt

by heart the

with wondrous
in the usual

it

stories of Francesca,

Ugolino, &c., and could speak very fluently about

But, as a whole,

them.
of

me

The

at that time.

took

it

serious hold

little

long, burdensome, inco-

herent jumble of contending notes in the Paduan

of 1822

edition

recommended

as

the

best

helped to darken and perplex every part of

had
it

that

required any comment.

During the seven years which followed,

studied

it

hours, along with

again, at leisure

other works of Dante

I often

the

and got intimately acquainted

with various Italians of different ranks, who, without

making any pretensions

to

literature,

troubling

or

themselves with conflicting commentaries,

the best passages, and
sober,

with real
ing,

would

quiet tone now

warmth

like

and were sure of

its

Commedia had become

recite

them

knew

all

in a plain,

now slow, but always

people who felt the meaneffect.
To them the Divina

rapid,

a kind of Bible, and given

expression and expansion to what was highest in

their minds.

The

difference

between them and the

PREFACE.

vili

Dilettanti
pressive

seemed

infinite,

the

more im-

in v^^hich it

had been

and was

from the gradual vray

all

remarked.

The contemporary

Historians, or Chroniclers, of

Florence and other parts of Italy

Dante and

studied, in connexion with

afterwards

vv^ere

his earliest

commentators; and here the meaning of the great

Poem
from

first

its

began

mere

literary merits.

in proportion as it
fact,

and apart

to unfold itself in detail,

was

It

felt to

became

be true

significant

to be, in

the sincerest, the strongest, and warmest utter-

ance that had ever come from any

since the time of the old

Hebrew

human

Prophets.

heart
Dili-

gent readers of those contemporary historians will

find that the Poet,

amongst other

real historical facts of his age,

things, took the

and took them with

surprising accuracy and transcendent impartiality, ex-

tenuating nothing, exaggerating nothing, though often

rising into very high fervour

and indignation.

And

they will also find that there was enough in those

old times to excite a great, earnest, far-seeing man,

such as Dante

and send him into the depths and

heights of Prophetic Song.

Those times had already

produced Sicilian Vespers, and tragedies enough;

and carried within them the seeds of Bartholo-

mew

Massacres, of Thirty -Years Wars, and French

Revolutions, and the state of things that

we now

see

over the whole continent of Europe and elsewhere.

They were times of transition, like our own

the
commencement of a New Era, big with vast energies
and elements of change

and " the straight way was

PREFACE.

IX

only the phraseology, the apparatus, and

lost." It is

outward circumstances that are remote and obsolete

same with us

else is the

all

navigators do not

on the other
of Ocean

Mount

find that

side of the globe

America stand revealed

the Earth

in his

our circumof Purgatory

the Continents of

Western Hemisphere

no longer the " fixed and

is

stable " Centre of our Universe

ciples of truth

Our

as with Dante.

horizon has grown wider than his

but the great prin-

and justice remain unaltered.

And

to

those amongst ourselves, who, with good and gene-

rous intentions, have spoken lightly and unwisely

gne has

concerning Dante,
sadness

Study him

to

say

not

without

His ideas of Mercy, and

better.

Humanity, and Christian Freedom, and the means

of attaining them, are not the same as yours
the same, but unspeakably larger and sounder.
felt

the infinite distance between Right and

much,

lie at

to

may

you

He
And

praise so

the root of his other heroic qualities, and

from them.

are inseparable
tion, it

of his, which

qualities

not

Wrong,

and had to take that feeling along with him.

those gentle

safely

be

said,

him than they can be

All anger and indigna-

were much more painful

to you.

The Dante you have

criticised is

not the real Dante, but a mere scare-

seen

through the unhealthy mist of your

crow

sentimentalisms.

Why

do you keep preaching your

impracticable humanities, and saying. Peace, peace

when

there

is

no peace

Is there nothing within

your own daily observation or experience to make

you seek

for surer footing,

and prevent you from

PREFACE.

by merely hiding
mildly about them? Have you

trying to heal the foulest ulcers

them, and talking

not this very year beheld the

franticly,

v^^hole

of a great nation,

and with world-wide re-echo, proclaim-

ing universal Brotherhood, and Freedom, and Equal-

on hollow grounds

ity,

and then, within four short

months, as a natural and inevitable consequence,

slaughtering each other

men

of

all

by thousands

The humanest

countries are beginning to

grow

sick

and

weary of such expensive sham humanities.

But

to return.

idea of the

Having thus acquired a

Poem, and got

encumbrances

fairly

of Dilettantism

brances, which hide

its

clearer

beneath the thick

and other encum-

meaning, I began to be con-

vinced that the quantity of commentary, necessary

to

make

the substance and texture of

it intelligible,

might be compressed into a much smaller space than

had been anticipated; and that conviction was confirmed by a minuter examination of the most celebrated modern commentators, such as Venturi,
bardi,

Biagioli, &c.,

Paduan

from

whom

those notes in the

above mentioned, are chiefly taken.

edition,

practical commentator,

whose main desire

say nothing superfluous, has got to study

the

way

clear

of duty

Lom-

and then

feels it to

them

is

to

all

in

be an equally

duty to pass over the greater part of what they

have written in perfect silence.

All of us want to

know something of Dante but not one

;

in a thousand

could endure to read long discussions which generally

end

in nothing,

and which surely ought to be allowed

to die a natural death as rapidly as possible.

PREFACE.

XI

was under such impressions

It

these that I

as

thought of publishing a correct edition of the

first

Original Text, with English Arguments, and Notes

explaining

But

the difficult passages, allusions, &c.

all

this plan, I

was told by the best authorities I

had an opportunity of consulting, would

"make

a,

piebald, monstrous Book, such as has not been seen in

country

this

;"

and misgiving,

and therefore, not without reluctance

I resolved to

attempt the Literal Prose

Translation at the same time, and send forth this

volume

first

complete

The

ment.

mony and

in itself

by way of experi-

process of "breaking in pieces the har-

quiet force of the Original, and having

to represent

it

so

and inadequately in

helplessly

another language, has been found as painful as was

anticipated,

and the notes

from beginning to end,

as
all

hard to compress
the

difficulties

task have at least been honestly fronted

who

are already familiar with

but

of the

and readers

Dante and

his

com-

mentators, will be able to estimate the quantity of

labour required for the performance of

it.

In conclusion, I have to acknowledge the kindness

of one highly accomplished friend, whose

not allowed to mention

the

first

ditions
I

name

am

he read over the proofs of

eight Cantos, and suggested

some useful ad-

and amendments.

have also to thank

diligence

my

printers for the patient

and dexterity with which they have gone

through their

difficult

and complicated

task, sub-

mitting to numerous alterations and corrections in

the course of

it.

Only two

single lines of the Ori-

PREFACE.

Xll

Text

ginal

the uppermost

have been

28th and 31st

in pages

inadvertently placed so as not to stand

on the same pages as their translation

and

able to find any other errors connected with

common

Italian punctuation,

somewhat

am

un-

The

it.

from

different

our own, has been purposely retained.

In the Translation, line

ment," add
line 13, for

He

steps.

And more he

" slow

had

shadows

;'

page 64, after

said not

**

punish-

and, at page 90,

brows," &c. put

steps, his

his eyes

;'

'

slow

upon the ground, and

In line 13, page 67, for

brows,' &c.
*

3,

**

his

spirits" read

again, in line 13, page 312, for

" punish-

ments" read punishment ;' and, in page 376, line 8,

These two omissions,
for " middle" read ' navel.'
'

and three errors

own

in the Translation, are

inadvertency

considering the

and

may

number of

my

due to

perhaps be excused,

things that

demanded

at-

and particularly the way in which the Original Text had to be determined as I went along.
tention,

One
self,

reading (canto xvii. 17), though correct in

and adopted by Foscolo, does not correspond with

the translation: instead of

"Non

ought to be "

mai

&c.,

it-

it

Non

fer

fer

mai drappo,"

in drappo."

J.
Chelsea,

December 1848.

A. C.

MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.

The

Manuscripts of the Divina Commedia, found in

diffe-

rent parts of Italy, and described by various Italian writers

who had

seen or examined them, were estimated

Foscolo (Edition of 1842-3, torn.

in all to

some Two Hundred.

Oxford and other

many more

less there are

Our

libraries public

several that are not mentioned

49) as amounting

British

and

Museum, our

private, also contain

by those

and doubt-

writers;

in the libraries of France, Ger-

The number of them

many, &c.

iv. p.

by Ugo

is

indeed very remarkable,

considering that printing was introduced into Italy nearly

four centuries ago.
tained from

And

some of them

valuable readings have been ob-

but none of ours have as yet

been thoroughly examined

and the

terras in

which most

of the Italians speak of theirs are extravagant, vague, and

incredible, as Foscolo justly observes

so that one

the subject of their relative merits.

of the Bibliografia Dantesca^ of

Bibliografia Dantesca,

zioni,

equals

ossia Catalogo delle Edizioni,

Tradu-

Commedia

e delle

Batines, if

fatta sul Manoscritto

Prato, 1845-6.

work
first,

Francese

two

dell' autore.

have quoted the

at full length.

in

serie de' Biografi di lui,

Visconte Colomb de Batines,

pilata dal Sig.

The

it

Dante, seguito dalla

di

forced

The second volume

Codici Manoscritti e Conienti della Divina

Opere Minori

rious

M. de

is

any opinion on

to wait for further evidence, before giving

title

Traduzione Italiana,

Tom.

i.

8^'% pp. 769.

of this very useful and merito-

The second volume

parts, contains

com-

is

still

unpublished.

an account of the Editions, Transla-

MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.

xiv
the

first,

which

will furnish the sober

and accurate account of them

wanted.

is still

The number of Editions

wards of

Two Hundred and

century

Of

Fifty.

authentic editions, besides five

were printed within the

the eighteenth

of the fifteenth

last thirty years

four in the seven-

them

Ample

fifty.

forty in

more than

and, in the present century,

up-

these, at least fifteen

teenth, or poorest century of Italian literature

one hundred and

is

of doubtful authenticity,

forty-two in the sixteenth

published

hitherto

concerning

details,

all

of

that were published before the year 1845, will be

found in the work of M. de Batines.

Only a few of the

most remarkable can be mentioned here

in the order of

their dates.

The

1472.
ter,

earliest edition is that of

printed at Fuligno in 1472, with very brief arguments

and no comment.
strong paper

no points

printed in clear type, and upon

It is

not paged or numbered.

and no

copy of

in a very small

it,

always without

to

commence-

number

In the British Museum, there

proper names.
lent

There are almost

capital letters, except at the

ment of the Terzine, and

which

profit,^

an

is

of the
excel-

have often referred, and not

when perplexed by

different read-

and Comments printed and unprinted; and throughout

tions,

wliole of

it,

the author carefully distinguishes what he

seen from what

^

lohanni Numeis-

Thus,

is

in canto

and, in

tlie

himself

reported by others.
i.

ver. 48, I

TREMASSE, though Foscolo says "

messe

lias

canto xvii.

ver.

found
all

124

Si che parea che laere ne

the printed copies" have te:

Et

davanti^ instead of Foscolo's udia davanti.

nidi poi che

I find

wo/uedea

tremesse also

the very rare Neapolitan edition, printed about 1475.

An

in

exact re-

print of the Fuligno edition, with the different readings of the other

XV

MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.

All the Bibliographers speak of

ings.

and

it,

also of

two

other editions that were printed later in the same year.

In particular, the account which M. de Batines gives of

it

is

very accurate.

I shall

content myself with quoting

one or two passages, to shew the curious way in which the

words flow together, without points or

cially

when

capitals,

Thus

the line threatens to be long.

Perme

more espe:

siua nellacipta dolente

perme

siua neleterno dolore

perme

siua tra laperduta gente

Inferno,

Come dautunno

iii.

1-3.

seleuan lefoglie

luna apresso dellaltra finchel ramo

rendalla terra tutte lesue spoglie
Ibid, in, 112-4.

Noi leggiauamo ungiorno

dilancialotto
soli

erauamo

perdiletto

come amor
et

lostrinse

senzalcun sospetto
Ibid. V. 127-9.

1477.

The next remarkable

edition that I have

opportunities of examining, also in the

of

VendeHn da

Museum,

Spira, printed at Venice in 1477.

Batines gives to

it

the

title

of

is

had
that

M. de

La Divina Commedia,

ap-

parently through inadvertency, as he also does to editions

printed in 1473, 1484, 1487, and 1491. The epithet

Divina

occurs in no edition of the 15th century; but at the end

of this of Vendelin, in
find the expression,
rentin poeta;

rioso,

and

inclito

later editions

et

diuo

verses,

we

dante alleghieri Fio-

speak of the excelso, glo-

DIVINO, or VENERABILE poeta Fiorentino, long

earliest editions,

possesses

some vehement helpless

would be very acceptable

good copies of them

all.

and the Museum now


MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.

xvi

before they begin to apply the

poem

The

itself.

text

ment, which the

title

letters

initial

thus

lines,

the

to

more accurate than

accompanied by a long com-

is

we

falsely as

Benvenuto da Imola.

to

Divine

of

in general

is

and

that of Numeister;

title^

shall see

attributes

The

give one specimen.

I shall

of the Terzine stand wide apart from the

mor

chaniillo

amato amar perdona

miprese dicostui piacer siforte

che come uedi ancor non mabandona

mor condusse

noi

aduna morte

chain attende che uita cispense

queste parole dalor cifur porte

achio intesi &c.

Inf. V. 103-9.

In the Letter to Can Grande, Dante himself, speaking of the

Title, says,

" Libri

comcedia dantis allagherii,

titulus est: Incipit

He

FLORENTiNi NATioNE, NON MORiBUS."

of the terms

Comedy and Tragedy

villa^ et ^5i^,
.

quod

thus

then gives the derivation

" Comcedia dicitur a

Kai/j.rj,

unde Comcedia quasi villanus cantus.

est cantus,

Tragcedia a TQoiyos, quod est hircus, et ySij, quasi cantus hir-

cinuSf id est foetidus ad

gedy

*'

modum

And

hirci."

adding that Tra-

after

speaks in a style elate and sublime, and at the beginning

is

admirable and quiet, at the end or exit fetid and horrible;" while

" Comedy begins with the asperity of a subject, and ends prosperously,

and speaks
see "

why

in a remiss

and humble style;" he says

the present work

is

called

a Comedy.

the subject thereof, at the beginning

it

is

it

For

horrible

will be easy to
if

and

we

consider

being

fetid,

Hell; at the end prosperous, desirable, and grateful, being Paradise.

And

if

ble,

being the vulgar speech, in which even the

we

consider the style of speech, that style

Wherefore

one another.

Comedy."

it

Tragedy we assume the higher

The

is

See also Fu/g. Eloq.

earliest

evident
ii.

4,

style, in

why

is

the work

is

talk with
called

where Dante again says

Comedy

and most other editions of the

hum-

remiss and

women

" in

the lower," &c.

fifteenth century trans-

MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.

The Milanese

1478.

There are

early editions.

Museum

edition of 1477-8, called Nido-

name of

beatine from the

XVll

the best of

its editor, is

at least

two copies of

it

all

the

in the

one beautifully printed on parchment, the other

on the strong paper of those times.

generally attributed to Jacopo della

Lana of Bologna, a

long commentary,

contemporary of Dante, accompanies the

thus

which runs

text,

Costui non ciber terra ne peltro

ma

sapienza

&

amore euirtute

e sua nation sar tra feltro efeltro

Diquella humil

italia fia salute

per cui mori lauergine Camilla

eurialo

etumo

e niso diferute

Questi lacaccera &c.

Inf.

The

148L

and form

magnificent both in

It is

no fewer than

In the best copy of the

fifteen instances in

have seen, there are at least

the

first

Two

In

all

rare copies as

many

or eighteen of

On

spaces.

as

all

the other cantos

Twenty

which seem

late the title simply

the copies

large blank

and

in

some

are found, the last seventeen

to be glued

the whole, this edition

expensive failure

Engravings, heading

and second cantos of the poem, while

spaces are left above

Museum

which verses or whole

Terzine are left out, besides other errors.

I

1481,

but greatly inferior to the Milan edition in

point of correctness.
find

103-9.

earliest Florentine edition is that of

with the comment of Landino.

size

i.

is

upon those blank

a decided and very

but shews the ideas which the FlorenComincia la comedia di dante alleghieri di

FIRENZE, &C.

The

Letter to

1842-3 (tom.
intelligible.

iii.

Can Grande,
p. 269-84)

I quote

from

is

as given in the

London

edition of

miserably incorrect, and quite un-

Fraticelli's edition.

b2

MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.

Xvill
tines

ment

The com-

learnt to entertain of their great Poet.

had

more than

though reprinted

of Landino,

fifteen

times at Venice and elsewhere, was never again printed at

It is the last edition

Florence.

The words,

a specimen.

from which

I shall

quote

as will be seen, begin to stand

more regularly apart from one another

Incontinente intesi et certo fui

che questera la secta de captiui

a dio spiacenti et animici suoi

Questi sciagurati che mai non fur uiui

erono ignudi et stimolati molto

da mosconi

et

da uespe cheron

ini

Inf.

After these folio editions of the 15th century

1502.

comes the

61-6.

iii.

first

and one

Aldine, printed in 1502;

to see so perfect a little

volume.

It bears the

of Le Terze Rime di Dante, in front

reverse. Lo 'nferno e 'l Purgatorio e
The text is said
DI Dante Alaghieri.

is

simple

and,

Batines, tom.

i.

p. 60.

title

on the

'l

Paradiso

to

have been

taken from " a manuscript copy of Cardinal Bembo,

in the Vatican."

glad

The

now

second Al-

Dante col Sito et Forma dell' Inferno

TRATTA DALLA ISTESSA DESCRITTIONE DEL PoETA, printed
dine edition,

in 1515,

is

of the same size and form in every respect,

page for page

and has woodcuts

at the end, representing

the position and shape of the Inferno.

two editions constantly

them even more

at

have had these

hand, and have found the

last of

correct than the other.

Commedia di
Dante insieme con un Dialogo circa el Sito Forma
ET Misure dello Inferno, published by Philippo di
1506.

The second Florentine

Giunta in 1506,

is

edition.

of the same small octavo size as the

Aldine, and in similar type

but

is

much

rarer than either

MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.

of them, and has

My

correct.

many

different readings.

XIX

It is also

very

copy contains Seven woodcuts, along with

the Dialogue at the end, though only Six are spoken of by

M. de

Batines, p. 65.

The iiante

1507.

aligl^ievi

]^i5tonatro,

ifiorentino

with the comment of Landino, printed at Venice in 1507>

by Bart, de Zanni da

Portese,

with singular woodcuts, but of

words flow together in

a rare and carious edition

is

little

practical value.

The

as in the editions of the fifteenth

it,

though the text seems mainly taken from the

century,

Aldine.

1516.
media

is

The

with the

first edition

said to be the one printed at Venice in 1516,

Bernardino Stagnino de Monferra.

scarce

and

But

tion of 1555,

by Gabriel

a copy in the

1564.
1596,
lutello

in the neat

and rare

it

to verify

little

Venice edi-

Giolito di Ferrarli, of

which there

Museum,

do find that

The three Venetian

all in folio,

title.

editions of 1564, 1578,

with the comments of Landino and Vel-

and

and

his Brothers, are simply

and on the whole very correctly printed.

Edizioni del Gatto, from the printer's
prey, at each important stage of the

beautifully,

They

mark
work

are called

of a Cat with
;

and then of

a grave larger Cat, sitting at the end of

it

Gran Naso, from the striking

Dante on the

The

text of

Aldine, only a
I

and

and many useful woodcuts, published by Giovam-

battista Sessa

page.

by

has become very

It

have not been able to get sight of

the assertion.

is

Divina Com-

of

title

little

them

is

portrait of

or Edizioni del
title-

very nearly the same as the

modernised in spelhng and punctuation.

have used the edition of 1578.

1595.

In 1595, the Academicians della Crusca, taking

the Aldine edition and comparing

it

with about one hun-

dred different Manuscripts, gave out their Text of the

MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.

XX
Commedia,

somewhat shabby and very incorrect

in a

httle

volume

Two

of the four incorrect editions published in the

century have the

1727.

The

title

La Visione, Poema

di

7th

Dante, &c.

by the Cruscan Academy was

text given

thoroughly corrected in 1726-7, by G. A. Volpi, pro-

first

Padua; and the edition of that

superintended by him, and printed at Padua by

fessor of philosophy at
date,

Giuseppe Comino (hence called Edizione

much and

deservedly noted for

its

more frequently reprinted than any

Cominiana),

accuracy,

is

and has been

other.

Zatta's large Venetian edition of 1757-8, rather

1757.

celebrated in this country, takes the text of Volpi with

more or

It is

less fidelity.

gaudy, pretentious, and on the

whole decidedly ugly "with abundant engravings."

1791.

No

permitted at Rome,

result of

many

and

Lombardi's appeared in 1791, con

till

a good, faithful, honest edition, the

is

years' labour.

the Nidobeatine of 14/7-8

by Volpi

as given

volumes quarto, with

It is in three

licenza de' Superiori.

long comment

Commedia had been

edition of the Divina

The

text of

it is

taken from

or rather, the Cruscan text,

in the Edizione Cominiana^ is altered

on

the authority of the Nidobeatine, and of various mss. to

which Lombardi had access in the Vatican and other

ries at

Rome.

F. B. L.

M.

on the
1

The worthy Friar

gives only his initials,

C. (Fra Baldassare Lombardi, minor conventuale)

title-page.

795.

The magnificent

by G. F. Dionisi

1807.

was printed

The Leghorn

Tommaso Masi

folio edition of

Bodoni, edited

learned, but perverse

some, admirer of Dante

vorno,

libra-

et

edition

at

and quarrel-

Parma

in 1795.

by Gaetano Poggiali {Li-

C\ 1807-13, 4

siderable esteem for its correctness.

vols. 8^) is in con-

It gives

various read-

MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.

ings from a parchment ms.

of the year 1330, as Poggiali

fondly believes and asserts

paraphrase of the

XXI

and

has a commentary, or
volumes.

text, in separate

" La Divina Commedia con tavole in rame,"

1817.

published at Florence, in four large folio volumes, and

dedicated to Canova, in 1817-19,

is

perhaps the most splen-

did edition of Dante, though the plates are not

The

taste.

last

all in

good

volume contains a very judicious and useful

selection of brief notes,

many

of

them taken from the old

manuscript commentaries which are not generally accesIn truth,

sible.

been made

it is

the best selection that has hitherto

and well deserves

to be reprinted in a separate

and more accessible form.

1820-2.
in

The

Roman

the

text

and comment of Lombardi

editions of 1815

Paduan of 1822, with numerous

and "illustrations"

forming

and 1820-1, and in the

additional notes, readings,

a vast jungle,

from which

most experienced readers of Dante may well find

the

The two

hard to extricate themselves.

who undertakes

to

editing the Divina

meet the

last of these edi-

dent of

of explaining or

difiiculties

Commedia, though they are probably

the worst that could be

recommended

to

any serious

"La Commedia

di

Dante

Allighieri, illustrata

da Ugo Foscolo," London, 1842-3, 4 vols. 8^^

I

shall mention.

number

It is

of accurate references that

it

contains.
lies

and perfect edition of Dante

of 1842-3, superintended and corrected by

well

known

in this country,

is

the last

Foscolo

buried in the

He had made many

cemetery at Chiswick.

tions for a large

is

very valuable on account of

died on the 14th of September 1827, and

little

stu-

it.

1842.

that

it

however, are indispensably necessary for any one

tions,

the

are given

"An

prepara-

and

this

Italian"

the result of what was found

MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.

XXll

in his manuscripts.

The

corso sul Testo del

Poema

defects of Foscolo

are

Dis-

*'

Dante" enlarged and cor-

di

by the

rected, with a Preface

and

volume gives the long

first

Editor, in
briefly

which the merits

and candidly

stated.

English readers will dislike the angry, disjointed, and acrid

style of that Discourse

and quiet students of Dante

will

be able to point out various errors, exaggerations, and

anachronisms

but

it

ought to be remembered that poor

Foscolo had to remove very large quantities of deep-settled

upon

rubbish, and deal with a class of his countrymen

whom

any other

And though he
di

style

would have produced

less

effect.

never got fairly beyond the morbid Lettere

Jacopo Ortis, and had, as his Editor says, formed a most

incomplete idea of Dante,

us at least thank

let

he did do so zealously and

faithfully.

By

him

what

for

accurate citation

of every authority within his reach, he cleared the

for finally determining the text of the great
all

the editions of

appearance of
storations
1

his,

contain

many

edition,

for.

may be

for fixing the

The best

stated very briefly.

Le Monnier

that of Felice

Florence in 1844, and also published in

landi,

and

of the readings and re-

The plan that has been adopted

848.

that have been published since the

which he contended

Text here given,

common

it,

Poem

way

with the date of 1845

was taken

printed at

London by Roand compa*ed

with the Aldine, Giuntine, Cruscan, Roman, Paduan

??

j*

other editions, besides that of Foscolo, whose notes had

been

all

carefully studied

made

as

seemed

in

various

and only such

fully warranted.

instances,

failed

changes he had introduced

defective in their citations.

without good authority, as

to

were

Those notes of Foscolo,

prove the propriety of

and were sometimes found

No
all

alterations

reading has been adopted

may

ascertain

who choose


MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.
to

make

whole

the same laborious comparisons

after

and,

on the

what has been done by Foscolo and others

there seem sufficient

of the great Poem.

fect a text of

XXlll

our

materials

Would

that

for

determining the text

we had

own Shakspeare

as sure

and per-

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

The number
plete

of Essays, Dissertations, and partial or com-

Commentaries on the Divina Commedia, mentioned by

M. de

Batines (Blbl. Dant. tom.

i.

pp. 370-766) amounts

no fewer than Twelve Hundred and Forty

to

more have been published within the

I refer to his

work

notice only a few of the

The

last

for an account of them,

earliest of all

and several

three years.

and

shall here

most remarkable.

comments seems

to

be that of Jacopo,

Dante's son, written in the year 1328.

extends no

It

farther than the Inferno, in the only complete ms. of

known

to exist

parchment ms. of the 14th century.

The

No. 7/64 of the Royal or National Library at Paris.

Proem begins thus Per

:

cio che del frutto universale, novel-

lamente dato al mondo per

...

io

lo illustro filosofo e

poeta dante

con pi agevolezza si possa conoscere

allighieri forentiio,
.

it

Jacopo suo figliuolo dimostrare intendo parte del

suo profondo et autentico intendimento, &c.

And,

in

the

explanation of Canto xxi. ver. 112, this passage occurs,

and

fixes the date

correvano gli anni dalla nativitade

del signore mcclxxxxviiij , e oggi corrono mcccxxviij ; per dire

si

puote che xxvij anni compiuti sieno

opera,^ &c.

To

ch'elli

comincioe questa

certain learned advocate, Jacopo Ferrari of

understand this quotation, we must recollect that, in Dante's

time, and for

some

centuries after, the year

commenced on the 25th

of March, and that questa opera probably means " this task or mystic

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

Reggio,

who has

publish this old

welcome

examined the ms. and made

carefully

M. de Batines says, is about to

comment and it will certainly be very

from

these extracts

XXV

it,

to students of Dante.

Jacopo della Lana, of Bologna,

in point of date.

Little is

known

is

the next commentator

of him, though no fewer

than fifty-two different mss., containing the whole or part

of his commentary,
lation,

still

dated 1349,

nonici. Misceli.

is

449)

One of these, a Latin

exist.

in the Bodleian Library

and another,

{MSS. Ca-

also a Latin translation,

Both these

in the Royal Library of Paris, dated 1351.

translations are the

trans-

same in the Purgatorio and Paradiso

and the whole translation

in the Parisian ms. is

by Alberico

da Rosciate, while that of the Inferno in the Oxford ms.

is

by

fifty

"Don

The remaining

Guillielmus de Bernardis."

MSS. are mostly in the original Italian

and have been

found to correspond with the comment which

is

printed

in the Venetian edition of Vendelin da Spira (see p. xv.),

and

falsely attributed to

Benvenuto da Imola.

And, with

the exception of a few alterations and additions, chiefly in

the

first

comment

in the Nido-

also the same.

In cases of

canto of the Inferno, the

beatine edition (see p. xvii.)

difiiculty,

is

have often consulted both, and got

little

or

nothing but what was to be had from other sources.

The Ottimo Comento

tico,

before

it

called also Anonimo, Buono,

was rightly known

of somewhat uncertain date.

of the whole or part of

14th century.

"

I,

it,

is

An-

a mixed commentary

There are twenty- two mss.

several of

which belong

to the

the writer, have heard Dante say,"

and such-like phrases occur

in

it.

" Giotto was, and

is,

journey," begun at the very end of the old year 1299 (or in March
of our year 1300), so that only " 27 years were completed" from
that time

till

any

earlier

month of the year

1328.

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

XXvi

amongst the painters

xi.

95)

Again

tliat

on which stood the

{Inf. canto xiii.), the bridge,

the night of the fourth day

fell in

November one thousand

that

the highest" {Purg.

and Giotto died on the 8th of January 1336-7.

ancient statue of Mars, "

of

men know,

three

LAST year" (compare

is,

hundred and

Villani, xi. 1);

some other hand adds

apparently,

fallen into the said river

thirty-three,

and then,

" The said

Arno, remained in

it

for

statue,

many

YEARS." This comment was

first

printed at Pisa in 1827-8,

edited by Alessandro Torri.

It

contains long discussions,

very learned for the time at which they were written, but

now

In some places,

superfluous and extremely wearisome.

owing to defects of the ms. and other causes,

Here and there

intelligible.

it

is

brief

it is

and appropriate,

beyond any other of the old comments, and in

Ottimo
note

hardly

reality

an

The expression, " amongst us," in the

Comento.

have given at p. 349, shews that at least one of

the writers was a Florentine.

The Latin comment of Pietro

was

rence,

sight.

written with a striking kind of dignity

It is

and reserve

and has more meaning than appears

some useful

meaning
It

is

at first

explanations of the mystic or allegorical

It gives

parallel passages,

'

Dante's son,

1845), in one thick volume,^ edited by Vincenzo

Nannucci.

sense,

Allighieri,

published at the expense of Lord Vernon (Flo-

first

historical details,

many

quotations of

occasional interpretations of the literal

and yet withal

is

much

briefer

than the other

said that copies of this edition " were sent gratis to all the

most noted public

libraries of

Europe."

Might a stranger suggest

Lord Vernon the additional benefit that would be conferred, by

having some copies of the other comments, which he is about to
to

publish, printed on thinner and less costly paper, for the sake

private students,

who cannot always

frequent such libraries

of

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

And, in spite of the far-fetched subtleties

comments.

early

XXVll

of Dionisi and others, I see no vaUd reason for doubting

that

Mss. of

There are twelve

justly ascribed to Dante's son.

it is

some of them from the 14th century, and

it,

name

bearing his

and

all

expressly mentioned in the

it is

Milanese edition of 1477, and in the Florentine of 1481.

Pietro died in 1364, after having practised law,

many

the office of Chief Judge, at Verona, for

434)

"up

years with
xx.

namely 1340," establishes the

to this time,

date at which the

filled

The phrase {Purg. canto

good acceptance and success.

p.

and

comment was

written.

In August 1373, the republic of Florence resolved to

set apart

an annual sum of one hundred gold

Lectures on Dante

and Boccaccio was the

He began

appointed to deliver them.

same

year, in the

florens for

person

first

in October of that

church of San Stefano, near the Ponte

Vecchio; and continued

the time of his death in 1375.

till

His comment contains the substance of those lectures, and

goes no farther than the

7th verse of canto

written in his usual lively, pleasant style

extremely

diff'use, it is

xvii.

It is

and, though

a genial and valuable comment, and

gives

one the sensation of having parted from a good

friend

when

it

suddenly ends.

The best

edition of

it

is

that of Moutier {Opere Volgari di Bocc. tom. x-xii. Flo-

Lord Vernon

rence, 1831-2), in three octavo volumes.

or has been, getting another

comment

is,

of the 14th century,

'^falsely attributed to Boccaccio," printed at Florence.

After the

pupU and

commentary of Boccaccio, comes that of

intimate friend.

Benvenuto

da Imola,

supposed to have delivered lectures on Dante

in 1375;

and

at

who

his
is

Bologna

certainly he himself {Infern. xv. 110) speaks

of being there in that year,

and of having incurred " the

mortal hatred and enmity of

many" by

exposing, to the


XXVm

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

Cardinal Legate

of that time,

the

scandalous vices of

" certain worms (professors) sprung from the ashes of

He had

Sodom.'*
xviii.

the

28)

mode

as

may

Rome

in

1350

and witnessed the second great

{Inferri.

and

Jubilee,

by

of passing the bridge of St. Angelo described

He was one

Dante.

been at

also

of Petrarch's familiar correspondents,

be seen by the

letter,

addressed Benvenuto Imolensi,

Rhetori suo; and was author of the Libellus Augustalisy

or List

and

brief History of the

Emperors from Julius

Caesar to Wenceslaus (1378), the emperor of his time

printed along with Petrarch's Latin works, and by some

attributed to him.

The

was pubhshed by Muratori {Antiq.

ascertained

it

commentary

historical part of his

to be quite

Ital.

different

tom.

i.),

who

first

from that which had

been printed in the Vendeline edition of 1477.

Francesco da Buti explained the Divina

Commedia

Pisa in 1385, and left a long commentary, which

unprinted

but large extracts are given from

it

at

is still

in the

Vocabolario della Crusca.

Messer Guiniforte

who

delli

it

comment on Dante, by order

Duke of Milan. Only the part

died about 1460, wrote a

of Fihppo Maria Visconte,

of

Bargigi, a lawyer of Bergamo,

which

This was
tire," as

relates to the Inferno has

first

published at Marseilles in 1838

M. de Batines says

us that he had
quisitions.

It is

amongst other

come down

left

not

to us.

" en-

for the editor himself tells

out certain tedious theological dis-

a good, well-arranged commentary, and,

things, explains the hteral sense with

much

distinctness.

Christoforo Landino, the

commentator of

Virgil,

and

one of the successors of Boccaccio, lectured on Dante at

Florence from the year 1457, with increased annual salary
of 300 gold florens.

His comment on the Divina

Com-

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

media,

published in

first

Xxix

and often republished,

1481,

shews what a weight of speech, in regard to the great

Poet, could be borne

by men

in those days.

and often unspeakably tedious

learned,

none of those
in the Ottimo

and has few or

which are found

brief appropriate passages

Comento

but contains

very

It is

many

authentic and

indispensable details respecting the manners, and customs,

and

families of Florence.

The

briefer

commentary of

Vellutello

first

printed

commentary on Petrarch,

in 1544 at Venice; and, like his

it is dull,

was

and heavy, and generally of

little

practical value.

The marginal Annotations, &c. of Ludovico Dolce,

in

the Giolito edition of 1555 (see p. xix.), have been very

frequently reprinted.

They

are good, but far too short.

The Notes of Torquato Tasso

and phrases

were

first

chiefly relating to

words

published complete in the Opere di

Tasso (tom. xxx. Pisa, 1831), edited by Prof. Rosini.

The

best

commentary of the 16th century

is

that of

Bernardino Daniello of Lucca, printed at Venice in 1568;

and, greatly to the discredit of Italians, never again reprinted.

It is brief, clear,

and written

in a very

good

The three Indexes of

form a

edition of 1727,

and

Volpi^ in the celebrated

goes

Cominian

commentary, and are as

sort of

many subsequent

it

style.

made

accurate as they could be

given in

practical, so far as

editions

They

at the time.
;

and

in one general Index, they occupy nearly

at last,

are

combined

300 pages of the

fourth volume of Foscolo' s edition, published in 1843.

The comment of Father

pagnia

di

in 1749,

Ges " came out in

and

at

^^

Pompeo Venturi

its

Venice in 1751.

spirit of a Jesuit,

and with

less

Com"

complete form, at Verona,

It is written in the true

than the usual learning

and has been too frequently reproduced

c 2

della

in later editions.

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

XXX

mention

It is impossible to

the other commentaries

That of Lombardi, which appeared in

of the 18th century.

1791,

all

such as could be written by the honest

is

of a whole hfe,

amid the

produced by a host of

*'

wood"

dark

idle writers

of Dilettantism

and one

effort

a real

feels

respect for the worthy Friar, though at times he

is

sur-

prisingly naive, or perhaps dull.

The comment

oi Biagioli (Paris, 1819)

and far-sought

matical discussions
of Dante,

praises

others

but

is

in

and

some respects

written throughout with

5936

verses,

of

and

zeal

noted as beautiful by

and

Lombardi

and evidently

really useful,

much

superfluous

niceties,

vituperation

of gram-

is full

The

fidelity.

Alfieri in

an autograph

MS. of 1776, which goes no farther than the 21st canto

of the Paradiso, are all duly registered

He

by Biagioh.

ought not to have spoken in such a way of Lombardi:

no difi"erence of opinion can justify the language he uses.

And why should poor Commentators hate and abuse each

other ? Would it not be far wiser to meet on some common
footing of respect, or at lowest of mutual silence

Is there

not enough, and infinitely more than enough, for them aU

Only one

in the great Masters they seek to elucidate?

thing

is

unpardonable, and that

is,

when commentators

become sham commentators, and merely seek

to elucidate

themselves.

This account concludes by recommending the Paduan

aU readers who

edition of 1822 to

specimens of discordant commentary

desire to
:

have

full

they will there find

abundant, and apparently aimless, quotations from more

than thirty different authors.

students of Dante,

I shall

But

for the sake of

repeat what was written

time ago, after a detailed examination of

recent commentators

many

young
some

old and

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

XXXI

" The whole works of Dante, in prose and verse,

separated from the unwieldy commentaries and
tions that have been accumulating
his death,

greatest

the

round them ever since

might be comprised in two moderate volumes.

The mere language of

all

if

disserta-

his Italian

works

is

not

of his countrymen, in their

generations, from the

commencement

have been familiar with

successive,

of the 14th century,

expressive forms,

its

dijSficult

and

contri-

buted to keep them current in the very heart of Italian

Some few words have become

literature.

phrases require explanation

but on the whole the speech

of Dante comes wonderfully entire

turies

fresh

and

and

across the five cen-

the most beautiful passages are

all

This

clear.

is

some

obsolete,

more

quite

still

especially true in regard to

the great Poem, which stands as the mature representative

of his genius, the essence and consummation of

in

that

His Minor Poems and

he had endeavoured and attained.

other works

all

which we find the germs of the Divine

Comedy, and many graceful noble preludes

written in a statelier, less familiar style

to

it

are

and have never

been studied with the same universal zeal.

" The main obstruction, in reading Dante, arises from
our ignorance of the persons and things amidst which he

The whole

wrote.

come dim and

stirred

of

and have

so,

The names and

or

little

them have grown

cannot by any

and

cold.

and inflamed the thoughts of

distant,

Most

time-basis of his mighty song has be-

efibrt

be

no

Poem, we soon

interest for us.

to dwell in our

serve only to interrupt our reading,

great

memories

references, they

and prevent us from

and warmth of the

feel,

He far

and shadowy, that they

by demanding constant notes and

rising to the full height

which once

all readers.

intrinsic

so dark

made

events,

subject.

The

must have taken a more

direct

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

XXxil

and earnest hold of the age from which

other poem, ancient or
it

modern

and

it

for that reason alone

But

stands more in need of explanations.

distinguished for
ficance

its

it is

likewise

intense brevity, its multiform signi-

and can have had no superfluous words even for

The language, throughout

nearest contemporaries.

the

comes, than any

the whole poem, to those

who

are duly prepared for

home

has a tone of plain familiarity which comes

subject with marvellous sequency

and

to the

It is like

effect.

the language of a brother, whose position and feelings

are understood to

know

in detail

it,

we

and who handles only

the summits of things with us, leaving to us

all

the filling-

up of circumstances, and the minuter shades and

ramifica-

tions of meaning.

" Most of the old commentaries on Dante are written

with a kind of large complacency, and genuine though

long-winded enthusiasm, which makes them very interesting at

sight

first

but on closer inspection, they are found

to contain a surprising quantity of worn-out rubbish,

extremely
into

little

more or

real information.

less extensively

for the sake of

minute

from

state of
it

In regard to

all

the contemporary historians

'

and consulted

curiosity,

and things which

man

but no

in a healthy

mind can now read them without being

as a duty.

guides.

They may be looked

details of persons

are not to be found elsewhere

and

forced to

public events of Dante's time,

are

much

safer

Benvenuto da Imola seems to have

and better

felt this,

even

Ricordano Malespini is the oldest chronicler of Florence. He

when Dante was only sixteen years of age. His work

died in 1281,

{Istoria Fiorentina) begins with the current traditions,

in a

somewhat loose and

tories; but

what he writes of

simple unaffected air of

which are given

straggling way, as in the other early his-

life

his

own

times,

down

and authenticity, and

is

to 1281, has a

almost wholly

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

XXXIU

in the 14th century; for, as Muratori remarks,

diligent use of all the old local chronicles

now

are

lost

in compiling his

he made

many of which

commentary.

" The more modern commentaries and

dissertations,

with some few exceptions, are also remarkably diffuse and

copied, with slight aJterations of style, by Villani, in the 5th, 6th,

The
The

7th books of his Chronicle.

Giuntine of 1568 and 1598.

and

best editions of Malespini are the

other Florentine edition, of 1718,

omits important passages relating to the Popes and their avarice and
simony.

Giovanni Villani began

viii.

his Cronica^ as

he himself tells us

(lib.

cap. 36), immediately after the great Jubilee of the year 1300, to

The sight of " the great and ancient

of the holy city of Rome," together with the immense conof Christians, " women as well as men, from distant and

which he had gone as a pilgrim.

things

course

strange countries, and from far and near,"

had

stirred

up

in

him a

desire to record the events of his

own city and time, " as a memorial

and example

come."

for those that are to

His Chronicle begins with

the ancient traditions, and extends to the period of his death in 1348.
It is written in a

most

na'ive, racy,

have been of the Guelph party ;

in 1304

Villani

is

known

to

France and the Netherlands

was one of the Priors of Florence in 1328, and the Ambas-

sador at Bologna in 1329

offices in his native city.

in honesty;

For

hoiest style.

visited

their

and, at various other times, he filled high

Of the Popes he

and sometimes

High

palliates,

Office his reverence

says all the good he can

but never conceals their

is

vices.

unlimited, but he has to record

is felt by him to be true, and has often to speak of the

" Judgments of God" that come upon them for their crimes. Next

whatsoever

to

Dante himself, he

is

the most impartial and trustworthy authority

we have; and looking from different points of view, each with his
own peculiar fidelity and earnestness, they mutually and unintentionally confirm one another.
The best edition of Villani is that of
Florence, published by Magheri in 1823 (8 vols. 8vo)

and from

it

the quotations are all taken.

The

Istoria Fiorentina di

Dino Compagni

fragmentary; and has been of

Malespini and Villani.

little

use

is

also good, but very

compared with those of

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

XXXIV

unsubstantial

and a

tone,

difficult to

in general they have a decidedly

and

total

empty

want of earnestness, which are much more

endure in connexion with the works of Dante

than the thin enthusiasm of the old commentators.

In

very few of the books that have been written on

truth,

the subject seem to have cost their authors any serious

thought at

all,

or been honestly intended for the purpose

Real

of illustrating Dante.
silence,

The

have been

that

plainest passages,

useless discussions

passed over in

by a pompous repetition of

or increased

incoherencies

difficulties are

all

them.

respecting

uttered

the

on the contrary, are overladen with

and fresh conceits are

multiplied and pursued with

cheap display of learning.

started,

and

an ostentatious and very

Meanwhile the huge vacant

bulk of the comment swells into more and more painful

contrast with the piercing brevity
text

and compactness of the

the reader's patience, however obstinate, gets quite

exhausted

and the conviction grows strong, that

if

Dante

be unintelligible without such aids as these, he will for ever

remain unintelligible, and continue to be the prey of

men who

have nothing serious about them.

range of literature,

it

might perhaps be

so painfully void of all thought,

diffuse, as

the most part of those which

has produced.

to find

and so loudly

modern

man

have written concerning the greatest

In the whole

difficult

any books

idle

Italians

their country

Every thing relating to him has been

darkened and entangled with doubts

his character

and

works are encumbered and overladen with mere rubbish,

collected

and heaped upon them without any just

or discrimination.

criticism

But since the time of Lombardi, and

whose anger

more

especially of Foscolo

those

who know what he had

will be

to deal with

excused by

better spirit

seems to have arisen among the countrymen of Dante."

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

only remains for

It

volume

in the present

me

to add, that the

In attempting to lessen the

rule.

tioned,

comment given

defined and limited

is

XXXV

by one simple

difficulties

above men-

and bring the great Poem nearer by explaining

material and temporary elements,

the Author's

imitate

own economy

consistent with prosaic clearness,

its

have endeavoured to
of words, as far as

and

suppressed

strictly

whatever seemed irrelevant.

The Translations
earliest

is

are

in barbarous Latin hexameters,

hj one Matteo Ronto (" Matheus

monk

of Venetian parents,

who

line for line,

Rompto^'')^ a Benedictine

of the mournful drudgeries inflicted on

this

years.

translation,

It is

monk

Mss.

and in

found in

warmth

real

least a very short

which took place

in 1321.

Piazza, also in hexameters,

1844; and

Batines.

months ago.
tion,

It is

and may

Dante.

was

first

complete in two

is

will be

it

The only other Latin

that of the Abbate dalla

and without notes

the

The author died

years' labour.

it

and must have

Specimens of

translation I shall here mention

in

It still exists

the work of M. de

some twenty

speaks

for having

time after Dante's death,

three, imperfect.

of

him

which had occupied him many

not without

been begun at

In a kind

died in 1343.

of Elegy, at the end of the Paradiso, the good

made

The

very numerous.

also

at

result

Vicenza

published at Leipzig only a few

incomparably the best Latin transla-

safely

be commended to

all

students of

In the preface, written by Professor C. Witte, the

whole story of Francesca

is

given from the version

of

Matteo Honto, and from others of more recent date.

The Spaniards have but one

with the Inferno.
Villegas,

It is

by a

archdeacon of Burgos

translation,

certain
;

and that ends

Don Fernandez

and was published

de

in that

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

XXX\a

"w?My nohle y mas leal"

on the 2nd of April 1515.

city,

remarkable translation, and tolerably

the compHcated verse and rhyme in which

Nearly the whole comment of Landino

translated, with

sense

many

so that the

considering

literal,

is

is

it

written.

also faithfully

additions explaining the exact literal

volume swells into a large

mentioned above, gives the

fessor C. Witte, in the preface

story of Francesca from

it

translations of nearly the

Pro-

folio.

and

from two French

also

same date (mss. in the

libraries

of Turin and Vienna), which seem wonderfully true and

literal.

The

published French translation

first

1 2"^,

gier (3 vols.

serious

that of Gran-

dedicated to Henri IV.

The more modern French

number

is

esteemed, except by ravenous collectors of old

It is little

books.

Paris, 1597),

are,

translations

as usual, the worst in

Frenchmen

Europe

many

Revue des Deux Mondes

(see

for 1840,

The long-estabUshed

&c.) are beginning to feel this.

in

and some

fatal

plan of curtailing, diluting, and altering every thing so as

to suit the current taste, is followed with

Dante

The

too.

prose translation by Angelo Fiorentino, an Italian residing

at Paris, is the only exception

and

literal

it is

but passes over the

frequently omits

the

hardest to translate.

difficulties too lightly,

was

first

latest translation (Paris, 1847),

published in 1840.

by A. Brizeux,

and

is

often very feeble

The

in a kind

of rhythmic prose, unhappily returns to the old

above described

and

words and phrases that are

little

It

in general very faithful

method

and very wide of

the Original.

The Germans have

of

them

in prose

ably faithful.

and

eight complete translations,

all,

some

so far as I have seen, remark-

That oi K. L. Kannegiesser, in the measure

and rhyme of the

Original,

went through four editions

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

from 1814, when

it

was

XXXVll

published entire, to 1843.

first

But the best and warmest of all translations, known

me, is that of " Philalethes,^^ or Prince John of Saxony.
is

in blank verse

it

German

in good, racy, clear

same length

actly of the

Cantos of

The

as the Original.

were privately printed in

833

and

first

to
It

ex-

Ten

and then,

in

1839-40, the whole translation of the Inferno and Purgatorio published at Leipzig in

Prince

tells

in his preface to

had long been one of

The
two quarto volumes.
"
Dante
the Inferno, how

his favourite authors,"

and how,

amongst other things, " the high moral dignity of the

Comedy had irresistibly attracted him ;" and finally

stirred up in him an indescribable impulse to reproduce

Divine
*'

work

the great

much

in his

literal fidelity as

mother tongue, and that with

the genius of the

(and not merely the grammars of

third volume,

containing

the

it)

as

German language

would permit,"

was announced

Paradiso,

only a few months ago as being ready for publication.

Another very
1842)

some

remarkable translation

that of ^. Kopisch, a

is

celebrity,

who

(one

German

artist

vol.,

Berlin,

and poet of

spent several years in Italy.

It is also

in blank verse, printed line for line along with the Italian

Text,

and

is

the most literal translation hitherto published.

The German of

it

might often be hard

out the Italian, and the verse

flat

and helpless

made

is

to understand with-

of necessity

somewhat

but no such translation could have been

or attempted in any other

Of our own Translations

modern language.

it is

unnecessary to say much,

as they are accessible to every one.

Boyd's was made in

the last century, under wants and circumstances which

no longer
Gary's
there

is
is

exist

and

it

seems to have become obsolete.

a most excellent translation of

none better in our language.

d

its

kind

But the

perhaps
sort of

XXXVlll
verse in

COMMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS.

which

it is

written takes

away much

har and direct tone of the Original

of the fami-

and here and there

one finds evidence of a somewhat imperfect acquaintance

with Itahan.

Wright's

and even where the

is

has thoroughly understood

1843)

and that

to be continued.

many

places very spirited;

necessities of verse hinder

giving the true sense, you

a translation of the

in

first

may
it.

him from

frequently remark that he

The Americans have only

ten cantos of the Inferno (Boston,

also is very faithful in its

way, and ought

THE INFERNO OF DANTE.

In this brief sketch of the Position and

Hell and his Journey through

and

jectures,

own

authority, quoting

Our Earth

of Dante's

avoid the usual con-

nothing but what

state

dents, as follows

it,

Form

warranted by his

is

for the sake of all faithful stu-

it

"forever fixed and stable" in the

rests

Centre of Dante's universe (Conv. Tr.

iii.

c. 5),

and the

Heavens^ with their Planets and Stars go revolving round

'

These Heavens with

of the Paradiso.

form the proper subject

their inhabitants

But Dante

also enumerates

them

Treatise and fourth chapter of his Convito, or Banquet

come

the order in which they

in the

second

and mentions

following the Ancient Astronomical

The

System, which makes our Earth stand motionless in the Centre.

Heavens, he

tells us, are

regard to our Earth

is

smallest circles" {Inf.

{Inf.

i.

Mobile,

ii.

the fourth, of the

Saturn

the

17)

the

fifth,

of

in

is

78), or includes the smallest space in

;

the second, of Mercury ; the third, of

"
also is regarded as a " Planet

Mars; the

is

sixth, of Jupiter; the seventh, of

is,

all

Heaven, that
represent

it

is

the ninth,

or

not discernible except by the motion

it

includes.

Beyond,

these," he adds, " Catholics place the

to say.

Primum

the diaphanous, or quite trans-

gives" to the other eight Heavens that

" outside of

its

Sun which

the " Crystalline, that

parent Heaven, which

with

of the

the eighth, of the Stars proper

Of these, the first

Moon, " which has the

number.

Heaven

and moves slowest

revolutions,

Venus

Ten

Heaven

of flame, or luminous

as being immoveable," &c.

It

is

it

or

Empyreal

Heaven

and

also the " divinest

THE INFERNO OF DANTE.

xl

Only a comparatively small portion of it is known to

be inhabited in his time, and that he calls " the uncovered
it.

part," or " the great dry land" (Ibid,

and

Inferri, xxxiv.

113); and, following the Bible, he places Jerusalem in

the centre of

it,

or

in the midst of the nations.'

Immediately below the dry land

kind of sink into which

all

successive generations of

men

his

lies

Sin and Misery

stand as

it

were on a thin

on Mount Calvary, where the Divine

and the

*'

which

" was consumed"

of their Temporary Dwelling-place to those same

beautiful Stars," wherein the

forever

Man

the Cross

114) for their transgressions, points from the

(Inf. xxxiv.

centre

And

beneath.

{valle buia) of Hell

The

falls.

earth-rind, with the Heavenly Stars above them,

" Dark Valley"

as a

Hell,

the " City and

reigns above,
universe.

beneath

who has

blessed people" dwell

120); and to the all-including Empyrean,

(/w/*. i.

is

*'

and

And

rules

High Seat of that Emperor who

the hollow "

(Inf. xxxii. 3),

part" throughout the

in every

Realm of Sorrow" converges

towards

his Seat (Inf. xi. G5

its

"Emperor"

xxxiv. 28) at the very centre

And

of the Earth or lowest point of space.

Heaven, the Heaven of

rest," or peculiar

which our own Milton thus speaks

Satan,

all light

and

abode of the Almighty

of

Under his burning wheels

Empyrean shook throughout,
'

The

steadfast

All but the throne itself of God.'

Par. Lost,
'

'

had the Almighty Father from above,

From the pure Empyrean, where he sits

High throned above all height, bent down

About him all the Sanctities of Heaven
Stood thick as

Beatrice comes from

when she

it,

'

his eye,' &c.

stars,' &c.

lb.

&c.),

vi. 832.

Now

iii.

56.

from singing Alleluiah

'

{Inf. xii. 88

gives Virgil the mission to deliver

savage beasts in the " dark wood."

ii.

53,

Dante from the

THE INFERNO OF DANTE.

heat, all

wisdom, and

Stars or Heavens,

and strength, comes from the

love,

and returns

ness, all ignorance,

xli

to

them

all

cold and dark-

and hatred, and weakness, comes from

He

the Evil One, and also returns to him.

is

the bottom of Hell, fixed in eternal Darkness

planted at

and

Ice {Inf. xxxiv. 4, &c.), his head with its three

of Purgatory, which

salem.

emblema-

pointing to Jerusalem, and his feet towards the

tic faces

Mount

eternal

And

is

the exact antipodes of Jeru-

Dante, not without significance, ends each

Poem

of the three great divisions of his

Stelle or " Stars :"

with the "word

a Blessed Spirit from above, sent by

Divine Mercy, gives his Guide the power to rescue and

conduct him {Inf.

ii.

and he does not

"
for
sport," diletto {Inf.

53-120)

" Dark VaUey'' of Hell

visit

the

xii.

87),

but from sore "necessity,*' and because the road through

it

Heaven

leads to

ple

leads to the

" Stars."

words in which he alludes to

stages of the
XV. 49-55

"woody way"

all this

The

at the bitterest

(as in cantos x.

xvi. 61, 83, &c.) will

brief sim-

129

xii.

85

be found very significant

by readers who rightly understand them.

The HeU

itself is

an immense, obscure, circular cavern,

becoming narrower and narrower by successive degrees

{Inf. V. 2, &c.) as

it

The general form

goes deeper.

that of an inverted cone, which has

" great dry land," and

The

sides of

by a

it,

its

its

is

base towards the

apex at the centre of the Earth.

on which Dante's road

lies,

are occupied

series of Horizontal Circles, or circular stages,

mostly

separated from one another by precipitous descents, and

gradually diminishing in size like the rows of an amphitheatre.

These Circles are Nine in number, with various

subdivisions in the lowest three of

fully described in their

The Souls of the "

them

all

of which are

proper places.
lost

people" are sent down to depths

d2

THE INFERNO OF DANTE.

xlii

corresponding to their
into the lowest

and smallest

circular spaces,

nearest to

Their crimes, which are instantly con-

Lucifer or Satan.
fessed

the greatest sinners falling

guilt,

when they come

into the presence of

Minos the

Infernal Judge, take hold of them,

and " weigh them down

towards the bottom "

&c.

inflict

(Jnf, v. 4,

86)

vi.

and

also

the inevitable and appropriate punishment, which

of itself reveals the nature of those crimes.

Immediately within the entrance comes a ^'Dark Plain"

22-130), which

(iii.

it

were the Vestibule of Hell;

round its mouth.

occupied by the miserable " caitiifs " or

and
is

as

is

lies like

a broad ring

cattivi or captivi

p. xviii.), the

This space

all

(see the verses

worthless crew,

*'

''

captives,"

from Landino' s

who

edition,

never were alive," and

passed their time on earth thinking only of themselves,

and taking no part in any thing

The

souls of this class are alike

good or for

evil.

" displeasing to God and

and neither Heaven nor the deep Hell

to his enemies ;"

will

either for

Wasps and hornets

admit them.

sting

them

forever,

and make them hurry round the brim of Hell, pursuing

" They have no hope of death," or
an aimless-giddy flag.
even of condemnation

mean

" and their blind existence

is

so

that they are envious of every other lot."

After leaving
plain,

them and crossing the

Dante comes to the great

of Sorrow,' which

flows

rest of the

river Acheron, or

round the brink of

'

dark

Stream

Hell,

and

afterwards descends (xiv. 113-124) from rock to rock, and

becomes the source of

that are

all

the other rivers and marshes

met with lower down.

Crowds of

are seen assembling, in rapid succession,

and Charon

is

ferrying

them

over.

Rome.

its

shore,

This scene, as described

by Dante, Michelangelo has endeavoured

the Cappella Sistina at

guilty souls

upon

to represent in

THE INFERNO OF DANTE.

By

supernatural means Dante

is

xliii

transported across the

Gazing round, he finds himself upon the very

Stream.

" edge of the Abyss," and

is

women, and children who

the Heathen men,

Baptism or Christianity.
tention, as they enter

And from "

number.

lived without

" Thou askest not what

spirits are

The great ancient Poets come

and

Dante

receive

as

one of their

a place open, luminous, and high,"

shewn

the ancient Heroes and Sages are significantly

him, face to face

and he "

by having seen them."

(iv.

Virgil delicately rouses his at-

seest?" &c.

forth to meet them,

Guide

his

or Limbo, which contains

13, &c.) into the First Circle,

these thou

down by

led

exalted, or

is

Csesar

is

harness on, and with falcon eyes

there
;

to

grows higher,

an Emperor with

and Saladin, apart and

soHtary.

On

descending to the Second Circle, Dante finds Minos

the Infernal Judge stationed at

its

given in the Argument to canto

v.

entrance, for the reason

This circle

is

the place

of Francesca.^

Dante

is

carried, again

by supernatural agency, from

the second to the Third Circle, where he finds the Epicures

and Gluttons
Plutus
Circle,

is

sufifering

Canto

found on the brink of the next or Fourth

The

on a dismal plain

souls of

them

are rolling dead weights

and thus continue sordid and dingy

to

Foscolo {Discorso sul Testo, pp. 307-10, &c.), quoting histories

and commentaries which he had not

friend of

Dante with Guido Vecchio

seen, confounded
his grandfather

Guido
and

so

Francesca the daughter, instead of the aunt, of that friend.

tragedies of Francesca

ment

vi.

wherein the Avaricious and the Prodigal have their

punishment.

appropriate punishment.

and Ugolino, as

the
made
The

have noted in the Argu-

to canto xxxiii., probably occurred both in the

same year

and no doubt produced a deep impression on the young Poet.

xliv

THE INFERNO OF DANTE.

all eternity, so

that not one of

Canto

vii.

The descent

made, along the edge

to the next circle is

of a second Stream
it

them can be recognised.

105, &c.), in a dark ravine which

(vii.

has worn out for

This stream, coming from

itself.

In

Acheron, forms the Stygian Marsh, or Fifth Circle.

its

putrid

mud, the Wrathful, the Sullen-sour or Gloomyand the Vainglorious, have

sluggish,

their appropriate pu-

Phlegyas conveys the Poets across the Marsh

nishment.

and here Dante

discerns the red " mosques" of the

first

City of Dis, or Satan.

Circle is the first that lies within the City,

The Sixth
and seems

on a

to be

The Five

level

circles,

Upper Hell

passed, constitute the

which the

sins

different

with the

fifth.

through which the Poets have

(viii.

75

now

xi. 16, &c.),

in

of Incontinence, such as Lust,

Gluttony, Avarice, Prodigality, &c. are punished.

The Low

Hell, or City of Dis, consists of

which the

in the last three of

Malice, or Rebellion

(xi. 16,

Four

Circles,

different sins that indicate

&c.) against the decrees of the

Almighty, are punished.

In the Sixth Circle, the Arch-heretics with their

who deny

lowers,

The

their cemetery."

sepulchres,

which

Great Judgment

and elsewhere
consciousness

The
132)

souls of

them

shall be all closed

and the

is

lurid
;

lie

buried in burning

up

flames

" have

(x. 10) after

emblems,

xxvii. 13, &c.), of

the

here

awakened

then be hidden within the tombs.

shall

between the

Malice, &c.

immortality of the soul,

(xxvi. 48, &c.

This Sixth Circle

p. 127)

the

fol-

as

it

were a connecting link (see note,

circles of

Incontinence and those of

Poets,

on entering the

City, turn to the right (ix.

and go through a portion of the

circle

(x. 2, &c.).

THE INFERNO OF DANTE.

xlv

with the city-wall on their right hand, and the flaming

tombs on

their left

they turn to the

and

left (x.

crossed

but

arc"

Perhaps they have taken a Hke

128) of each circle above, and then

same way

in the

it

(vii.

it,

133), and go across to the edge

of the Seventh Circle.

section or "

having seen enough of

after

as many commentators

this I leave to conjecture

affirm-

Dante himself affirms

for

no such thing.

The descent

to the Seventh Circle is

tous shattered rocks

and

and Notes, which

divisions, will

and

for idle readers this

In conclusion

ideas of this Hell of

plain to

book

may

Visions

all

to their sub-

attentive readers

remark, that the great leading

Dante are not borrowed ideas

of the

quite unsuitable.

is

are the result of all that he

known.

and

relate to these circles,

make them

The Arguments

the Ninth, by help of Antaeus.

to

precipi-

by means of Gerypn

to the Eighth,

made on

had

future

learnt,

and

but

seen,

and

world had indeed been

common amongst Heathens and Christians before, and were

still common in his own time, as we know from many
sources

but those visions are generally of the most inco-

herent, dim,

gest

and could sug-

long been exercised with such things.

was familiar with

also with the

he

description,

or nothing, except that the minds of serious

little

men had

and fragmentary

all

Dante

the materials of the Middle Ages, and

worth and wisdom of the Ancients

sees, face to face, in that

Limbo

of his

whom

and he openly,

nay purposely, takes every document within his reach.

And

it

is

not so

much by what

has been loosely called

Invention, as by true and clear recognition of the Nature

of Things in that age of his,

of

what

is

significant

by unerring discrimination

from what

is

insignificant,

and by

THE INFERNO OF DANTE.

Xlvi

boundless diligence withal, that he constructs an original

In his inmost heart the scattered

and enduring work.

incidents gradually cohere,

living

whole

many

years has

is

fit

for utterance:

the

*'

that he

future generations.

He

xxv. 3)

for

and

" timid friend

his not being a

{Ibid. v. 118)

Poem

Sacred

made him lean" {Farad,

upon condition of

Truth"

and expand, and become a

it

to

expects to Uve amongst

has got infinitely beyond

the

all

wretched factions of Guelphs and GhibeUines of his time

and seen the very roots of

their sin

The

and misery.

flaming Realities of Eternity stand visible on every side of

him, and have taught him the " Straight

him power
Kaisers,

to

Way," and given

measure the dimensions of

Popes and

all

and estimate them by a Standard which

quers every error."

And

his earthly

life too,

sadness, has thereby become " bright," and

unspeakably precious

**

with

'*

all its

and

and even in Hell he recognises

way in which he makes them

all

There

is

Poem than

the brief

allude to the

" clear"

nothing more touching in the whole

and

con-

clear,"

the good qualities of those that are condemned.

simple

*'

beautiful life," the " bright world," the " sweet

gladdened by the Sun," the " beauteous

stars," &c.

air,

THE INFERNO.

ARGUMENT.

Dante

dark Wood, where he spends a night of

finds himself astray in a

He

great misery.
recall

says that death

what he suffered there

he saw, in order that he

began

first

Hill

may

is

and seeing

met by

from the

tion

hardly more bitter, than

but that he will

also tell

tell

its

it is

to

the fearful things

how he found guidance, and

to discern the real causes of all misery.

He comes

to a

summit^valready bright with the rays of the

Sun, he begins to ascend

He

is

it.

The way

to

it

looks quite deserted.

a beautiful Leopard, which keeps distracting his attenHill,

and makes him turn back several times.

The

hour of the morning, the season, and the gay outward aspect of
that animal, give

him good hopes

at first

by a Lion and a She-wolf.

and

terrified

and

tells

and

slays every

him

on which she

that the

Wolf lets none

one that

stands.

tries to

He

but he

is

driven

down

Virgil comes to his aid,

pass her way, but entangles

get up the mountain by the road

says a time will

come when

a swift and

strong Greyhound shall clear the earth of her, and chase her into
Hell.

him

And

he

offers to

conduct Dante by another road

the eternal roots of misery and of joy, and leave

higher guide that will lead him up to Heaven.

to

shew

him with

INFERNO.

CANTO

CANTO

I.

In the middle^ of the journey of our

myself in a dark wood

Ah

lost.

how hard

a thing

it

my

thought renews the fear

more

scarcely

death.

is

to

is

was

what a

tell

which

this was,

so bitter is

But

I found

life,

straight Avay

for the

and rough, and stubborn wood

wild,
in

;2

I.

it,

to treat of the

that

good

found, I will relate the other things

that I there

that I discerned.

Nel mezzo

del

cammin

di nostra vita

Mi ritrovai per una selva oscura,

Che la diritta via era smarrita.
Ahi quanto a

dir qual era cosa

dura

Questa selva selvaggia ed aspra e

Che

nel pensier rinnova la paura

Tanto amara, che poco pi morte

Ma

per trattar del ben eh'

Dir

The

gins on

action of the

as

1300,

we

xxi. 112, &c.

learn
;

poem

be-

of the year

from

canto

and Dante was

that time 35 years of age.

at

The

with which he was well

Bible,

acquainted, says

"

The days of

ivi trovai,

ho

dell' altre cose, eh' io v'

Good Friday

forte,

scorte.

or middle point, "is at the 35th

men

year in
tion."
2

of perfect constitu-

Convito, Tr.

iv. c.

23.

In " the erroneous wood of

this life" (lb. c. 24)

battle

yond

of those
it.

who

in the dark

see not be-

" In the terrors of the

our years are threescore years and

shadow of death" (Job

And Dante

amongst. men who had

lost

Way,

the life."

ten" {Psalm xc. 10).

himself speaks of our

scend

life

as an

which we ascend and de-

arch,
;

and

in

which the highest,

the

Joh7i xiv. 6.

truth,

and

xxiv. 17)

"the

CANTO

INFERNO.

I.

how I entered
moment that I

I cannot rightly tell

was I about the

sleep

it,

so full of

left

the true

But after I had reached the foot of a HilP

there, where that valley ended, which had pained
my heart with fear, I looked up and saw its shoulway.

ders already clothed with the rays of the Planet^ that

leads

men

straight

Then

on every road.

the fear was

somewhat^ calmed, which had continued in the lake^

of

my

heart the night that I passed so piteously.

Io non so ben ridir com' io

entrai

v'

10

Tant' era pien di sonno in su quel punto,

Che

abbandonai.

la verace via

Ma poi

un

eh' io fui al pie d'

L ove terminava
Che m' avea
Guardai in

di

colle giunto,

quella valle,

paura

il

alto, e vidi le

cor compunto,

15

sue spalle

Vestite gi de' raggi del pianeta.

Che mena

Allor fu la paura

Che

La
'

per ogni

dritto altrui

un poco

calle.

queta.

nel lago del cor m' era durata

notte, eh' io passai

The High Ground of Chris-

tianity; the mystic

*'

holy Hill,"

frequently spoken of in the Psalms

con tanta

20

piet.

of death, to guide our feet into the

way of peace." Luke i. 78, 79.

^ He now sees the bright sum-

and other parts of the Scriptures.

mit

The "Delectable Mountains" of

our own Bunyan.
2 The sun
in Dante's time regarded as a planet. " The Sun of

shadow of death;" but

from it, and breathless.

righteousness shall arise with heal-

vital spirit" {Fita

ing in his wings." Mai. iv.

2.

" The

Dayspring from on high hath

sited us, to give light to
sit

in

them

vi-

that

darkness and in the shadow

at the

end of that "valley of the

does not here

^

is still far

Uii poco

mean " a little while."

The heart was "the abode of the

and a

Nuova,

p.

267)

sort of reservoir (lake), or

"receptacle of the blood," before

the circulation

became known. See

Landini Com. ad locum.

INFERNO.

And

who with panting

as he,

from the deep sea

my

still

my

wearied body, I took the

again along the desert strand, so that the firm

And

was the lower. ^

foot always

the

mind^ which

left alive.

After I had rested

way

breath has escaped

turned back to see the pass that no

fleeing,

one ever

I.

to the shore, turns to the dan-

gerous water and gazes; so

was

CANTO

commencement of the

behold, almost at

steep, a Leopard,^ light

and very nimble, which was covered with a spotted

E come

quei, che

con lena affannata

Uscito fuor del pelago alla riva.

Si volge

all'

acqua perigliosa,

guata

Cos r animo mio, che ancor fuggiva.

25

Si volse indietro a rimirar lo passo,

Che non

lasci

giammai persona

Poi eh' ebbi riposato

viva.

corpo lasso.

il

Ripresi via per la piaggia diserta,

S che

pie fermo sempre era

il

pii

30

basso.

Ed ecco, quasi al cominciar dell' erta.

Una lonza leggiera e presta molto.
Che
'

It is

di pel

maculato era coverta.

only when walking on

a level, that the foot resting

the ground

always the lower

is

but from verse 61,

it

ascend.

appears that

Dante had afterwards begun

strong)

on

to

pie fermo

(firm,

can be shewn to

mean

If

il

" the right foot," as mano stanca

(weary, weak)

means "

in canto xix. 41

ascending the

left

hand"

then Dante, in

hill slantwise,

with

its

summit on

his

left,

will

have

the right {fermo) foot always to-

wards the base, or lower than the

other.

Vide Studii

Inediti su

Dante

(1846), p. 166, &c.

2

Worldly Pleasure, with its fair

in what Spenser calls the

outside

" general intention."

And

Flo-

rence in particular, that changed

its

factions with such levity

rapidity.

Parad.

xvi. 84.

and

CANTO

I.

skin

INFERNO.

and

my

impeded

my

went not from before

it

face

nay, so

way, that I had often turned

to

go

back.

The time was at the beginning of the morning

and the Sun was mounting up with the stars, which
were with him when Divine Love first moved those
;

fair

things

:*

gay skin of that animal, the

so that the

hour of time, and the sweet season, were causes

me

of good hope

sight,

yet not so, but that I feared at the

which appeared

me

coming upon

E non mi

si

to

He

me, of a Lion.^

to

seemed

with head erect, and furious hun-

partia dinanzi al volto

Anzi impediva tanto

il

35

mio cammino,

Ch' io fui per ritornar pi volte vlto.

Tempo era dal principio del mattino

E il Sol montava in su con quelle stelle
Ch' eran con lui, quando 1' Amor Divino
;

Mosse da prima quelle cose

S che a

belle

bene sperar m' eran cagione

Di quella fera

la gaietta pelle,

L' ora del tempo, e la dolce stagione

Ma non
La

s,

vista,

The sun

son spring.

che m' apparve, d' un leone.

la testa alta, e

is

and
son;

set in

in Aries

And Dante

that the world

45

venesse

con rabbiosa fame

was the greatest

the sea-

(venerd santo)

believed

and most sacred of days.

at that sea-

and likewise that mankind

had been redeemed by the death

of Christ.

me

had been created

motion

che paura non mi desse

Questi parca, che contra

Con

40

His " holy Friday"

Ambition or Pride

particular, the

who shewed

King

and, in

of France,

these qualities most,

maintaining tyranny, bloodshed,

and discord

B 2

all

over Italy.

INFERNO.

6
ger

seemed

so that the air

quake

to

a She-wolf/ that looked full of

leanness

row

cravings in her

all

and has ere now made many

And

the time
afflicts

who

one

is

makes him

arrives that

himself in

all

eager in gaining, and,

his thoughts

made me, which coming

beast

and

as

me back

drove

little

Si che parea che

Ed una

with the

hope of ascend-

terror of her aspect, that I lost the

ing.2

live in sor-

me

She brought such heaviness upon

And

thereat.

to

lose,

when

weeps and

such that restless

against me,

where the Sun

by

little

is silent.^

aer ne tremesse.

1'

lupa, che di tutte

brame

Sembiava carea nella sua magrezza,

molte genti

f'

50

gi viver grame.

Questa mi porse tanto di gravezza

Con

Cli' io

che uscia di sua

la paura,

perdei la speranza

vista,

dell' altezza.

quale quei, che volentieri acquista,

giugne

Che

il

tempo che perder

in tutti

55

lo face.

suoi pensier piange e

s'

attrista;

Tal mi fece la bestia senza pace.

Che, venendomi incontro, a poco a poco

Mi

ripingeva l dove

Sol tace.

Avarice, worship of this world's

goods

and the Court of

particular,

Rome

"where Christ

bought and sold." Par.

The image of these

is

in

daily

"A

three beasts

Literally

is

"

and a wolf of the

evenings shall spoil them, a leo-

pard shall watch over their cities."

"

With

the

fear

3 Into the valley where there

no light of the Sun.

lion out of the forest

shall slay them,

60

which issued from her look, that

I lost the hope of the height."

xvii. 51.

seems to be taken from Jeremiah

V.

il

Hid

to me is dark,
And silent as the Moon,
When she deserts the night,

The Sun

in her vacant interlunar cave."

Milton,

Samson Agon.

CANTO

INFERNO.

1.

Whilst I was rushing downwards, there appeared

my eyes
silence.
When
"Have

cried:

who seemed

one

before

hoarse^ from long

saw him in the great

desert, I

pity on me, whate'er thou be, whether

man !"
He answered me " Not man,

shade or veritable

was

my

and

Mantua by
though

late

country.

and lived

\^

was born under Julius,

Rome

at

beneath the good

false

and lying gods.

eh' io rovinava in basso loco,

Dinanzi agli occhi mi

Chi per lungo

Quando

I once

parents were Lombards, and both of

Augustus, in the time of the

Mentre

man

si

fu offerto

silenzio parca fioco.

vidi costui nel gran diserto.

Miserere di me, gridai a

Qual che tu
Risposemi

sic,

od ombra, od uomo

Non uomo, uomo

^^

lui,

certo.

gi fui,

E li parenti miei furon Lombardi,

E Mantovani per patria ambedui.
Nacqui suh

vissi

Julio,

ancorch fosse

Roma

sotto

Al tempo degli Dei

Allusion to the long neglect

Fioco also

voice."

means

So Milton

*'

faint of

" Unchanged

To hoarse

or

mute, though

fallen

on

evil days.''

fore too young (born too late) for

making himself known to the great

Emperor,

Virgil was

vii. 25.

more than

little

twenty years of age at the time of

Julius Caesar's death

and there-

the

whom Dante

founder

monarchy.

venerated

of the

Roman

See his treatise

Monarchia, and

and
Paradise Lost,

70

bugiardi.

as

tardi,

buono Augusto,

falsi e

of Virgil's works before Dante's

time.

il

De

Coivito, Tr. iv. c.

5.

Virgil "lived," in Dante's

sense,

or applied himself to his

great work as a poet, under

gustus.

Au-

INFERNO.

Poet I was

just^ son

and sang of the

who came from Troy

chises,

CANTO

why

quiet?

which

such

to

dis-

ascendest not the delectable mountain,

the beginning and the cause of

is

An-

of

proud Ilium was

after

But thou, why returnest thou

burnt.

I.

all

glad-

ness ?"
:

((

Art thou then that Virgil, and that fountain

which pours abroad

answered him, with bashful

light of other poets

and the great

Thou

Poeta

May

"

front.

glory,

and

the long zeal avail me,

made me search thy volume.

Thou alone
master and my author.^

love, that

my

art

speech ?" I

so rich a stream of

fui, e

cantai di quel giusto

Figliuol d' Anchise, che venne da Troia,

Poi che

Ma

tu,

il

superbo IHon fu combusto.

perch ritorni a tanta noia

Perch non saU

il

75

monte,

dilettoso

Ch' principio e cagion di tutta gioia ?

Or

se*

tu quel VirgiUo, e quella fonte,

Che spande

80

di parlar s largo fiume ?

Risposi lui con vergognosa fronte.

degli altri poeti onore e lume,

VagUami

il

lungo studio e

Che m' han

Tu

'

se' lo

mio maestro,

JEnei.

i.

544,

5.

Dante says that, in one sense,

"Author is applied sole-

the term

ly to poets,
(art

grande amore,

fatto cercar lo tuo

jEneas, quo Justior alter nec

pietatefuit, &c.

il

who with musaic

art

of the Muses) bind words

il

volume.

mio autore

And in another sense,

" Author signifies any person wortogether."

thy of being believed and obeyed.

And from

this

word Authority."
c. 6.

is

derived

the

Conv. Tr.

iv.

CANTO

art

INFERNO.

1,

he from

me

done

I took the good style that hath

See the beast for which I turned

honour.

Help me from

back.

she makes
''

whom

my

her, thou famous

cape from this wild place

so entangles that she slays

and

craving appetite

se'

Lo

bello

Vedi

and

te

per cui

ella

mi

lei,

hungrier

fa

mi

io

volsi

tremar

le

vene e

90

polsi.

convien tenere altro viaggio,

Che questa

Non

Ma

bestia,

vide.
:

per la qual tu gride.

lascia altrui passar per la sua via.

tanto lo impedisce, che

natura

E dopo
Molti son

malvagia e

il

la

1'

uccide

95

ria.

bramosa

voglia,

pasto ha pi fame che pria.

gli animali^

Allusion to the Papal

ances of his time.

106, &c. the

mi

loco selvaggio

d' esto

Che mai non empie

a cui

alli-

In canto

xix.

Popes are said

to

have been foreshewn in " her that

sitteth

her

famoso saggio,

Se vuoi campar

satiates

which she weds^ her-

to

Rispose, poi che lagrimar

E ha

never

che m' ha fatto onore.

stile,

Aiutami da

them; and has a nature

solo colui, da cui io tolsi

la bestia,

Ch'

pass her way, but

after feeding, she is

The animals

than before.

men

vicious, that she

;

desirest to es-

because this beast, for

not

criest, lets

Tu

for

take another road/' he answered,

when he saw me weeping, " if thou

so perverse

veins and pulses tremble."

Thou must

which thou

sage

on the waters,

whom

the

s'

ammoglia.

100

Evangelist saw committing fornication with the kings:" the

man on

the scarlet beast,

seven heads and ten horns."

xvii. 3,

&c.

wo-

" with
Rev.

INFERNO.

10

many

self are

hound comes,
will not feed

and will yet be more,

on land or

and

Italy,^ for

pelf,

until the

I.

Grey-

He

die with pain.

but on wisdom, and love,

his nation shall

He

Feltro and Feltro. ^

make her

that will

and manfulness
low

CANTO

be between

be the salvation of that

shall

which Camilla the

virgin, Euryalus,

pi saranno ancora, infin che

il

Veltro

Verr, che la far morir di doglia.

Questi non ciber terra n peltro.

Ma
E
Di
^

sapienza, e amore, e virtute

umile

quell'

scure places, found by

105

Italia fia salute,

Feltro and Montefeltro

ob-

commen-

tators in the north-eastern part of

the former near Belluno,

Italy;

sua nazion sar tra Feltro e Feltro.

the latter west of Ancona.

Be-

book

whole volumes on such

a subject are of necessity some-

The passage

what empty.

remain obscure,

as

it

will

was even

to Dante's contemporaries

but

tween them lay the country of

will sufficiently indicate to

Can

mixture of zeal and longing for

della Scala,

Lord of Verona,

a young friend and protector of

who

Dante's,

certainly

did not

on " land or pelf;"

some fair measure, on
" wisdom, and love, and man-

set his heart

but,

in

fulness."

Troya, in his

Allegorico,

considers

della Faggiola

Veltro

some

deliverer,

that

us the

must have

been in his mind when he wrote

The old commentator, who

knew Dante personally, thinks
it.

Sua nazion sar

tra feltro e feltro

(" his birth shall be between

and

felt,"

another eminent

this

promised deliverer "shall be

literally),

imports that

known to
Dante, but of much more questionable character than Can
to

born of a humble race, as

be the personage here alluded to

p.

Ghibelline leader, and

and

finds

two Feltros

not towns,
between

is

(see Comento delV

10).

feltro (felt).

And

which lay Uguccione's country.

editions of the

One

capital letters.

asserts

many

in

his

things that Troya

high

sounding

Ottimo, vol.

Boccaccio

collected

looks in vain for reasonable

felt

humble and mean cloth"

but mountain summits

proofs of

felt

Uguccione

reads

to

be re-

it is

that the old

i.

also

Mss. and

Commedia have no

Humilem Italiam {Mw. iii. 522)

Rome, the Empire

the region of

CANTO

INFERNO.

I.

11

and Turnus, and Nisus,^ died of wounds. He shall

chase her through every city, till he have put her
into Hell again

from which envy

Wherefore I think and discern

And

thou follow me.

her loose.

first set

this for

thy best, that

thy guide, and.

I will be

lead thee hence through an eternal place, where

thou shalt hear the hopeless shrieks, shalt see the

ancient spirits in pain

And

death.

so that each calls for second

who

thou shalt see those

are

con-

tented in the fire; for they hope to come, whensoever

it

thou desirest

if

E urlalo,

CammiUa,

la vergine

Turno,

Niso di ferute

Questi la caccer per ogni

Fin che

io

invidia

Ove

prima

trarrotti di qui

dipartilla.

per luogo eterno.

la

spiriti dolenti.

seconda morte ciascun grida

Quando che

AUe

'

sia,

poor degraded Italy," from

Then, as

men

of

the wild battle.

it

had

fallen.

now, friends
all

di venire.

aUe beate genti

quai poi se tu vorrai

the state into which

chief

vederai color, che son contenti

Nel fuoco, perch speran

*'

115

udirai le disperate strida.

Che

or,

HO

segui, ed io sar tua guida,

Vedrai gh antichi

villa.

per lo tuo me' penso e discerno.

Che tu mi

avr rimessa neU' Inferno,

1'

L onde

to these,^

ascend, there shall be a Spirit

to

Per cui mor

Ond'

Then

be, amongst the blessed.

and

parties fall in

120

salire,

To

the blessed.

mises to

Virgil pro-

conduct him through

Hell and Purgatory only.

trice will lead

him

to

Bea-

Heaven.

INFERNO.

12

With, her will I

worthier tlian I to guide thee.

leave thee at

my

For that Emperor who

parting.

reigns above, because I was rebellious^ to his law,

come

wills not that I

rules
his

There

and there he dwells.

high

seat.

may

Con
Che

me

pi degna

mio

lascier nel

lei ti

St.

Peter,

and I kept on behind him.

a ci di

fia

Gate of

see the

thou makest so sad."^

Then he moved
Anima

may
me where thou now

not: in order that I

and worse, lead

whom

partire

quello Imperador, che lass regna.

Perch' io fui ribellante alla sua legge,

Non

Yuol che in sua citt per

me

In tutte parti impera, e quivi regge

Quivi la sua cittade, e

1'

io

a lui

Poeta, io

ti

si

25

vegna.

alto seggio

felice colui, cui ivi elegge

Ed

and

whom he chooses
" Poet, I beseech thee by that

hast said^ so that I

and those

parts he

his city,

happy
:

ill

is

all

for it !"

And I to him
God whom thou knewest
escape this

In

into his city.

richieggio

130

Per quello Iddio, che tu non conoscesti,

ci eh' io

fugga questo male e peggio.

Che tu mi meni
S eh' io

his

vegga

si

mosse

Virgil foresaw the

;

la

ed

io

xxii.

coming Sa-

but clung and trusted to

human wisdom, according

Dante.

porta di San Pietro,

color, che tu fai cotanto mesti.

Allor

viour

l dov' or dicesti.

to

See the passage, Purg.

70-72, where

Statius

tells

Virgil of his being converted to

135

tenni dietro.
Christianity by the Fourth

Ec-

logue.
2

Gate of Purgatory.

whom

Those

Virgil describes as so sad

" in the

eternal

place" are the

inhabitants of Hell.

ARGUMENT.
End

of the

outset,

taken.

the

day.

first

Brief invocation.

when he begins
That very day,

Dante

seriously to reflect
his

discouraged at the

is

upon what he has under-

own strength has miserably

Lion and the She-wolf.

He

there be sufficient virtue in him, before committing

He

ful a passage.

and the great

recalls the great errands of

results of their

and

in

feels his heart quail,

Virgil discerns the fear that has

order to

remove

it,

tells

him how a

descended from Heaven expressly to

hearing

this,

him

to so dread-

iEneas and of Paul,

going to the immortal world

comparing himself with them, he

to turn back.

failed before

bids Virgil consider well whether

Dante immediately

command

and

come

is

over

and,

ready

him

blessed Spirit has

the journey.

casts off all pusillanimity,

and

once accepts the Freedom and the Mission that are given him.

On
at

INFERNO.

14

CANTO
The day was

CANTO

II.

IL

departing, and the

brown

the animals, that ^are on earth, from their

air

taking

toils

and

one alone, was preparing myself to bear the war^

I,

both of the journey and the pity, which memory,

that errs not, shall relate.

Muses,

now

high Genius,

Memory, that hast inscribed what

be shewn thy nobleness.
1

began

me

me

giorno se n' andava, e

if

before thou trust

sufficient,^

1'

I saw, here will

" Poet, who guidest^ me, look

be worth in

Lo

help

there

me

to

bruno

aer

Toglieva gli animai, che sono in terra,

Dalle fatiche loro

M' apparecchiava a
S del

Che

cammino,

ritrarr la

Muse, o

ed

uno

io sol

sostener la guerra
e s della pietate,

alto ingegno, or

m'

aiutate

mente, che scrivesti ci eh' io

Qui

si

Guarda

la

Prima che

virtii, s' ella

possente.

all'

alto passo tu

mi

see

for those in Hell.

or Intelligence

Human Wis;

and we

who sends him, and

power

fidi.

Bruno, brown, dark, obscure.

Virgil represents

dom

10

mia

The battle with the painful road,

and with the pity

vidi.

Poeta che mi guidi,

12. Alto, high, deep, or difficult

^

parr la tua nobilitate.

Io cominciai

1.

mente, che non erra.

shall

gives

to be a guide to Dante.

him

as in

Literally:

mine)

my

whether

it

142.

v.

" Look

at (exa-

virtue (strength, worth)

be able (adequate)" for

such a journey.

It has already

miserably failed before the Lion

and the Wolf.

CANTO

INFERNO.

IT.

Thou

the arduous passage.

15

sayest that the father^

of Sylvius, whilst subject to corruption, went to the

immortal world, and was there in body.

Adversary of
high

But

if

the

was propitious, considering the

all evil

and who and what should come from him ;

eifect,

seems not unfitting to an understanding mind.

it

For

to

be the

of her Empire.

Both

in the empyreal heaven, he

Rome, and

father of generous

was chosen

say the truth, were

these,^ to

established for .the

holy place, where the Successor of great Peter

By

sits.

journey, for which thou honourest him, he

this

learned things that were the causes of his victory.

Tu

che di Silvio lo parente,

dici,

Corruttibile ancora, ad immortale

Secolo and, e fu sensibilmente.

Per se

1'

Avversario

d'

15

ogni male

Cortese fu, pensando F alto effetto,

Ch' uscir dovea di

Non

uomo d'
alma Roma e

pare indegno ad

Ch'

ei

Neil'

La

lui, e il chi, e il

fu

dell'

Fur

intelletto

di suo

empireo Ciel per padre eletto

quale, e

quale

20

impero
:

quale, a voler dir lo vero.

il

stabiUti per lo loco santo,

U' siede

il

successor del maggior Piero.

Per questa andata, onde gh dai tu vanto,

25

Intese cose che furon cagione

Di sua

24.

'

^neas

U', ove

Et qui

reddet, Sylvius jEneas.

768.

ammanto.

vittoria e del papale

te

contraction of Lat. ubi.

nomine

JEn.

vi.

'^

La

quale,

the Empire.

God.

Rome

and

il

quale,

Both ordained by

Conv. Tr.

iv. c. 5.

INFERNO.

16

Afterwards, the Chosen

and of the Papal Mantle.

thither, to bring confirmation of that

VesseP went
Faith which

But

am

I,

why go ?

not Paul

my

fear

or

who

permits

am

it ?

of salvation.

not ^neas,

neither myself nor others

Wherefore,

worthy of it.

way

the entrance to the

is

going

resign myself to go, I

if I

may prove

deem me

Thou

foolish.

art wise,

and understandest better than I speak."

And as one who unwills what he willed, and
with new thoughts changes his purpose, so that he
wholly quits the thing commenced,^ such I made
Andovvi poi

lo

Vas

d' elezione,

Per recarne conforto a quella Fede,

Ch' principio

Ma io,
Io

perch venirvi? o chi

non Enea,

Me

degno a

io

ci

io,

io

altri crede.

m' abbandono.

me' eh'

io

e'

39.

Tolle, toglie

to the Latin.

(from

Many

Paul, called
15)

heaven

third
dise,

ix.

e.

;"

"a chosen vessel"

caught up to the

and into Para-

where he "heard unspeakable

words" (2
i.

*'

*'

Cor. xii. 1-4).

to the

Thither,

immortal world."

tollere)

old form, nearer

examples of this sort occur;

which we here notice, once

(Jets

volle,

per novi pensier cangia proposta,

S che del cominciar tutto si toUe

'

35

non ragiono.

quale quei, che disvuol ci eh'

che la venuta non sia folle

Se' savio, e intendi

concede?

'1

non Paolo sono

Per che se del venire

Temo

30

alla via di salvazione.

for all.

Literally: "

pose,

so

that

Changes

he takes

his pur-

himself

wholly from the beginning" that

he has made.

CANTO

INFERNO.

li.

17

myself on that dim coast; for with thinking I wasted

had been

the enterprise, that

so quick in its

com-

mencement.
" If I have rightly understood thy words/'

Magnanimous,

plied that shade of the

'^

re-

thy soul

is

smit with coward fear, which oftentimes encumbers

men,

so that

it

them back from honoured en-

turns

terprise; as false seeing does a startled beast.

from

free thee

dread, I will

this

Tal

;^

and a Lady ,2

mi

fee' io in quella

suspense

ho ben

and blessed that I

oscura costa

40

impresa,

la

Che fu nel cominciar cotanto

io

why

first

so fair

Perch pensando consumai

Se

thee

moment when
was amongst them who are

came, and what I heard in the

I took pity of thee.

tell

To

tosta.

la tua parola intesa,

Rispose del magnanimo quell' ombra,

L'

anima tua da

La qual molte

1'

fiate

S che d' onrata

45

viltade offesa,

uomo ingombra.

impresa

lo rivolve,

Come falso veder bestia quand' ombra.

Da questa tema acciocch tu ti solve.
Dirotti, perch' io venni, e quel eh' io intesi,

Nel primo punto che di

te

mi

50

dolve.

Io era tra color, che son sospesi,

E Donna mi chiam

beata e bella,

44. Ombra, takes fright,

51. Dolve, dolse

'

In Limbo.

Beatrice

Canto
in

transfigured into

iv.

45.

Dante's heart,
Celestial

Wis-

is startled.

Lat. doluit.

dom.

She descends

Wisdom
it

c2

in its

to

Human

Limbo and makes

;

guide her " friend" some way

INFERNO.

18

prayed her

command,

to

shone brighter than the Star;i ^^^

and gentle
language

fame

courteous

My

I^

began

q\^q

Mantuan

in the world,

lasts

still

eyes
soft

with angelic voice, in her

me

tell

'

Time

as

to

Her

me.

called

friend,^

whose

Spirit,

will last as long

and

and not of fortune,

is

so

Tal che di comandare io la richiesi.

Lucevan

gli

occhi suoi pi che la Stella

E cominciommi
Con

DD

a dir soave e piana

angelica voce, in sua favella

anima cortese Mantovana,

Di cui

la

fama ancor nel mondo dura,

durer quanto

L' amico mio, e

il

non

moto lontana
della ventura,

60. Lo7itana, used for lu7ga

See the Can-

towards Heaven.

zone

Voi che, intendendo,

del movete, &c.

comment on

tiful

il

terzo

and Dante's beau-

it,

in

which he

speaks of his Beatrice as a blessed

spirit; and tells how he " went

away

as if in rapture"

thought of her.

il

zone

xix.

(" the beautiful

1.

is

more

is

all

the

order of

being compared with

found before

of Solomon

pus

" She (Wis-

beautiful than the

sun, and above

stars

it."

light,

Wisdom

by Dante {Conv. Tr.

quoted

iv. c. 2),

and

translated: " Time, according to

Aristotle in the fourth (book) of
his Physics, is the

number (sum-

mation) of motion with respect to

and

first

after."

Many

read inondo (creation)

editions

and per-

" Motion."

Line 61

lies

open to several

interpretations, of which the plainest

"

and best seems the following

My

and not

friend,

fortune ;" he

who

is

dear to me,

though sorely wounded ( Cony. Tr.

c.

3),

Tern-

numerus motiis secundum

the friend of

i.

and driven about by fortune.

Alfieri,

who

great zeal,

studied Dante with

suggests another re-

markable meaning by a passage

29.

vii.

Literally
est

Can-

page 62 of Fraticelli's

edition, Fior. 1834.

dom)

as in Par. xv. 49.

prius et posterius (Aristotle)

bella stella eh'

measures time").

star that

c.

haps with equally good authority.

La

The Sun.

tempo misura

she

ii.

&c.

7, 8,
1

when he

Conv. Tr.

60

in

his Filippo, vver e Perez tells Carlo

that he

is

the friend of his choice,

CANTO

INFERNO.

II.

impeded

way upon

in his

he has turned back

may

already be

too late for

in

so

his

and with what

go,

the desert shore,

And

terror.

that

astray,

far

have risen

and with thy ornate speech,

am

may be

consoled thereby.

who send

thee.

come from

where

When

Love moved me,

my

be before

I shall

him

necessary for his escape, help

is

he

fear

so, that I

to return.

that

from what I heard of him

relief,

Now

Heaven.

for

19

a place

Beatrice
I desire

makes me speak.

that

Lord, I

oft will praise

thee to him.'

" She was

silent then,

worth

single in

through

and

began

whom mankind

Lady,

excels

all

Nella diserta piaggia impedito

cammin, che vlto

S nel

E temo
Ch'

che non

mi

io

Or muovi,

con

ci,

L' aiuta

io

con

s,

ho

la

Di

te

che ha mestieri al suo campare,

eh' io

ne
ti

sia consolata.

faccio andare

mosse, che mi fa parlare.

sar dinanzi al Signor mio.

mi loder sovente a

Donna
&c.

Amico

tuo.

70

lui.

Tacette allora, e poi cominciai io

io sono,

65

di lui nel Cielo udito.

di loco, ove tornar disio

Amor mi
Quando

soccorso levata.

tua parola ornata,

Io son Beatrice, che

Vegno

sia gi s smarrito,

sia tardi al

Per quel eh'

per paura

di virtii sola,

Non

&c. (Attoi. SC.4).

di ventura
Scolari,

and other distinguished commen-

/.j

per cui

tators,

adopting

friend, that of

it,

my

explain

"

My

choice, and not

that of chance, accident or caprice."

INFERNO.

20
that

CANTO

II.

contained within the heaven which has the

is

smallest

circles

mand,

that

tardy.

It

my

So grateful

!^

obeying, were

to

me

thy com-

is

done already, seems

it

me

needs not that thou more explain to

But

thy wish.

tell

me

the

cause,

why

thou

for-

bearest not to descend into this centre here below

from the spacious place,^

to wliich

thou burnest

to

return V

"
tell

know thus far,

replied, ' why I fear

Since thou desirest to

thee briefly,' she

come within

which are not

L'

umana

Da

quel

fearful.

ciel,

che ha minori
il

dimmi

t'

be

the others

such by God,

uopo aprirmi

la cagion,

cerchi sui

tuo comandamento.

m'

ubbidir, se gi fosse,

Pi non

Ma

am made

to

spezie eccede ogni contento

Tanto m' aggrada

Che r

not to

Those things alone are

this place.

feared that have the power of hurting

not,

I will

che non

il

tardi

80

tuo talento.

ti

guardi

Dello scender quaggi in questo centro

ampio

Dall'

Da

loco, ove tornar tu ardi.

che tu vuoi saper cotanto addentro,

Dirotti brevemente,

mi

85

rispose.

Perch' io non temo di venir qua entro.

Temer

si

deve sol di quelle cose

Ch' hanno potenza di fare altrui male

Dell' altre no, che

non son paurose.

90

77. Contento, contenuto.

SI.

Talento, inclination, desire.

ofthe moon; which

goes round (contains) our earth,

the

and

farthest

'

The heaven
is

the nearest to it and smallest.

The widest circle of Paradise;

Empyreal Heaven, which is
from our

earth.

CANTO

INFERNO.

II.

21

your misery does not touch me;

in his grace, that

nor the flame of this burning

me.

assail

There

Lady^ in Heaven who has such pity of

a noble

is

this

hindrance, for which I send thee, that she breaks

sharp judgment there

the

Lucia/ in her request, and said

one has need of thee

ful

Lucia,

thee.'

where

to the place

She

Rachel.^

why

enemy of
said

I
:

'

helpest thou not

and

sitting

Now

thy faith-

commend him

with the ancient

him who loved thee

la vostra miseria

to

and came

Beatrice, true praise of

Io son fatta da Dio, sua merc,

Che

cruelty, arose

all

was

She called

on high.

God

so, that

tale,

non mi tange.

N fiamma d' esto incendio non m' assale.

Donna gentil nel Ciel, che si compiange
Di questo impedimento,

ov' io

ti

mando.

95

S che duro giudicio lass frange.

Questa chiese Luca in suo dimando,

disse

Di

te,

ed

Or abbisogna
io

il

tuo fedele

a te lo raccomando.

Luca, nimica di ciascun crudele.

100

Si mosse, e venne al loco dov' io era.

Che mi sedea con

Disse

1'

antica Rachele.

Beatrice, loda di

Che non

'

Divine Mercy.

Divine

Dio vera.

soccorri quei che

enlightening

Lucia, the Virgin Martyr

Grace.
;

a real

t'

am

Contemplation.

xxvii. 104.

and

tanto.

Vide Purg.

Contemplation of God

his works,

" which without

person, transfigured like Beatrice.

any mixture

Dante

highest faculty;" but "cannot be

finds her in Paradise, canto

xxxii. 136, &c.

ix. 55.

Vide also Purg,

is

the

use

fully attained in this life."

Tr.

iv. c.

22.

of our

Conv.

INFERNO.

2
he

for thee

left

the vulgar

Hearest thou

crowd?

Seest thou not the

not the misery of his plaint?

death which combats him upon the river, that swell-

None on

eth not the sea?'^

to

seek their good, or

after

earth were ever swift

flee their hurt, as I to

were uttered, from

these words

seat; confiding in thy noble speech,

thee,

and them who have heard

"After saying

this to

come.

to

desired

blessed

which honours

it.'

me, she turned away her

by which she made me hasten

And thus I came to thee, as she

bright eyes weeping

more

my

come,

took thee from before that savage beast,

which bereft thee of the short way

Che

to the beautiful

uscio per te della volgare schiera ?

05

Non odi tu la piet del suo pianto ?

Non vedi tu la morte che il combatte
Su la fiumana, ove il mar non ha vanto ?
Al mondo non fur mai persone ratte

far lor pro,

Com'

io,

n a fuggir

dopo

lor danno,

1 1

cotai parole fatte.

Venni quaggi dal mio beato scanno.

Fidandomi nel tuo parlare onesto.

Che onora

te,

e quei che udito

1'

hanno.

Poscia che m' ebbe ragionato questo,

Gli occhi lucenti lagrimando volse

115
;

Per che mi fece del venir pi presto

venni a te

cos,

com'

Dinanzi a quella

Che
'

has

Literally

del bel

The

fiera ti levai.

monte

il

" Of which the sea

no boast."

ella volse

rivers

of

corto andar

Hell do not

Vide canto

120

ti tolse.

fall

xiv,

into

112, &c.

the

sea.

CANTO

What

mountain.

thou

Why

Why

2S

INFERNO.

ir.

is

when

free,

my

three such

blessed Ladies^ care for thee in the court of

and

haltest

lodgest in thy heart such coward fear

thou not bold and

art

Why, why

then?

it

Heaven,

words promise thee so much good?"

As flowerets, by the nightly chillness bended

down and closed, erect themselves all open on
their stems when the sun whitens them f thus I
And so much good
did, with my fainting courage.

my

daring ran into

free

"

perch, perch ristai

cuore allette

Perch ardire e franchezza non hai

Perch tanta

Poscia che

Curan

vilt nel

Quale

fioretti dal

t'

impromette

fee' io, di

Sol

il

mia

g'

virtute stanca

tanto buono ardire al cuor

Ch'

io

mi

imbianca,
;

mi

130

corse,

cominciai come persona franca

pietosa colei che

notturno gelo

Si drizzan tutti aperti in loro stelo

mi

125

di te nella corte del Cielo,

Chinati e chiusi, poi che

Tal

one set

Donne benedette

tai tre

mio parlar tanto ben

il

as

who succoured me

compassionate she,

Dunque che

began

heart,^ that I

soccorse.

127. Quale, used like Virgil's Quale sopor fessis,

&c.
^

Eel.

Divine Mercy,

V.

46.

Grace, and

Wisdom.

Redressen

And

hem ayen the Sunne bright,

spreden in her kind course by

rowe, &c.

But

right as floiires through the

Chaucer, Troilus and Cresseide, b.

ii.

cold of night
^

Yclosed, stoupen in her stalkes

lowe,

ii.

Per ima cucurrit

120.

ossa.

iEneid.

INFERNO.

24

And

courteous thou,

true words

my

posed

who

CANTO

quickly didst obey the

she gave thee

that

heart with such desire

Thou

hast dis-

to go,

by what

my

thou sayest, that I have returned to

Now

pose.

go

for

II.

both have

first

one will

pur-

Thou

guide, thou lord and master."

Thus

I spake to

him; and he moving, I entered

on the arduous and savage way.

tu cortese, eh' ubbidisti tosto

Alle vere parole che

Tu m'

ti

hai con desiderio

porse
il

135

cuor disposto

S al venir, con le parole tue,

Ch'

Or

io

che un sol volere

va,

Tu

son tornato nel primo proposto.

d'

ambedue

duca, tu signore, e tu maestro.

Cos

gli dissi

Entrai per lo

e poich

cammino

mosso

fue.

alto e silvestre.

140

ARGUMENT.

Inscription over the Gate of Hell, and the impression

Dante.

it

produces upon

The
him by the hand, and leads him in.
make him biirst into tears. His head is quite bewilUpon a Dark Plain {buia campagna), which goes round the
Virgil takes

dismal sounds
dered.

confines, he sees a vast multitude of spirits

in great haste

These are the unhappy people, who never were

nets.

awakened

any part either

to take

thing but themselves.

fallen angels.

come

They

are

that

we

shall

flag

in

good or

alive

never

to care for

evil,

mixed with a similar

any

class

of

After passing through the crowd of them, the Poets

to a great River,

which flows round the brim of Hell

then descends to form the other

all

running behind a

and confusion, urged on by furious wasps and hor-

meet

with.

It is the river

that die under the wrath of

to be ferried over

rivers, the

Acheron

and on

God assemble from

by the demon Charon.

and

marshes, and the ice

its

Shore

every country

He makes them

enter his

boat by glaring on them with his burning eyes.

Having seen
these, and being refused a passage by Charon, Dante is sviddenly
stunned by a violent trembling of the ground, accompanied with
wind and lightning, and

falls

down

in a state of insensibility.

INFERNO.

26

CANTO

III.

Through me is the way into the doleful city;

through me the way into the eternal pain through
me the way among the people lost. Justice moved
my High Maker Divine Power made me, Wisdom
Before me were no
Supreme, and Primal Love.^
;

things created, but eternal; and eternal I endure.

Leave

all

hope, ye that enter.

These words, of colour obscure, saw I written

above a gate. Whereat I " Master, their meaning
:

me

to

is hard." 2

Per me si va neUa citt dolente

Per me si va nell' eterno dolore
Per me si va tra la perduta gente.
:

Giustizia

mosse

Fecemi

il

mio

La somma Sapienza
Dinanzi a

alto Fattore

la divina Potestate,

me non

primo Amore.

il

fur cose create,

Se non eterne, ed

duro

io eterno

Lasciate ogni speranza, voi eh' entrate.

Queste parole di colore oscuro

Vid' io scritte al

Per eh'
'

io

sommo

Maestro,

Eternai Power and Wisdom,

and Love proceeding from them,

appoint the place of punishment
for sin.

elsewhere, always feels that

no

in-

Love, or Wisdom, or Power,

una porta

d'

senso lor m' duro.

are possible without Justice.

him
mere

Remark how Dante, un-

der his old phraseology here and

finite

il

10

the

great Trinity

is

To

not a

hearsay, but a living reality.

Bitter, fearful

to

me.

The

Hell of Dante comes upon him

as

a very sad

withal.

See

v.

and painful thing

23.

CANTO

And

he

are

me,

to

be

all distrust

We

27

INFERNO.

III.

left

come

as
;

one experienced

all

cowardice must here be dead.

where

to the place

And

intellect."^

I told thee thou

who have

shouldst see the wretched people,

good of the

" Here must

lost the

placing his hand on

mine, with a cheerful countenance that comforted

me

me, he led

Here

into the secret things.

sighs,

plaints,

and deep wailings resounded through the

starless

air

made me weep

it

tongues, horrible

at

first.

Strange

words of pain, tones of

outcries,

anger, voices deep and hoarse, and sound of hands

amongst them, made a tumult, which turns

Ed

me, come persona accorta

egli a

Qui

si

Ogni

al

luogo ov'

15

io

t'

ho detto

tu vedrai le genti dolorose,

Ch' hanno perduto

convien che qui sia morta.

Noi seni venuti

Che

convien lasciare ogni sospetto

vilt

itself

poich

la

sua

mano

Con heto volto,

Mi mise dentro

il

ben

dello intelletto.

mia pose.

alla

mi

ond' io

alle segrete cose.

Quivi sospiri, pianti, e

alti

guai

Risonavan per V aer senza

Per eh'

io al

20

confortai,

stelle,

cominciar ne lagrimai.

Diverse lingue, orribiH favelle,

Parole di dolore, accenti

Voci

alte e fioche, e

16.

The knowledge

suon

Sem, siamo

of God, where-

in alone the intellect finds clear-

25

d' ira,

di

man con

elle,

Lat. sumus.

ness and eternal salvation.

Tr.

ii.

c.

14.

Conv.

INFERNO.

28
unceasing in that

air for

ever dyed/ as sand

when

the wliirlwind breathes.

And
ter,

what

seem

so

And

my

I,

head begirt with error/

this that I

is

hear

said

^'
:

Mas-

and who are these that

overcome with pain ?"

he

to

me

" This miserable

mode

the dreary

who lived without blame, and

without praise. They are mingled with that abject
choir of angels, who were not rebellious, nor were
Heaven
faithful to God; but were for themselves.
souls of those sustain,

chased them forth to keep

its

beauty from impair

and the deep Hell receives them not,

for the

-^

wicked

would have some glory over them."

Facevano un tumulto,

Sempre

il

qual

in quell' aria senza

Come la rena quando il

Ed io, eh' avea d' error la
Dissi

s'

aggira

tempo

tinta,

30

turbo spira.
testa cinta.

Maestro, che quel eh'

odo

i'

E che gente , che par nel duol s

Ed egli a me Questo misero modo

vinta

Tengon

Che

1'

anime

35

triste di coloro,

visser senza infamia e senza lodo.

Mischiate sono a quel cattivo coro

Degli angeli che non furon

fur fedeli a Dio,

Cacciarli

lo

ciel

gloria

rei

" Without time, or eternally

dyed, or stained" with darkness.

^

Lit.

"

begirt," &c.

Who

had

Some

per s foro.

per non esser

profondo inferno

Che alcuna
'

ma

my

head

editions read

ribelli.

men

40

belli,

gli riceve.

avrcbber

d' elU.

orror (horror) in line 31, instead

of error.
^

Lit,

'

in

less beautiful."

order

to

be not

INFERNO.

CANTO m.

And

" Master, what

29
so grievous to

is

them,

thus bitterly ?"

makes them lament

He answered " I will

that

tell it to

thee very briefly.

These have no hope of death ; and their blind

life is

mean, that they are envious of every other

so

Keport of them the world

Mercy and Judgment

speak of them

And

I,

who

behind

io

looked, saw an ensign, which whirl-

came

it

seemed

it

to scorn all pause.

so long a train of people, that

che lamentar

Rispose

had undone

so

Maestro, che tanto greve

lor,

Questi

Let us not

disdains them.

I should never have believed death

Ed

exist.

but look, and pass."

ing ran so quickly that

And

permits not to

lot.

gli fa s forte ?

Dicerolti molto breve.

non hanno speranza

45

di morte,

la lor cieca vita tanto bassa.

Che

Fama

invidiosi son d' ogni altra sorte.

di loro

il

mondo

non

esser

lassa.

gh sdegna

Misericordia e Giustizia

50

Non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

Ed io, che riguardai, vidi un' insegna,
Che girando correva tanto
Che

d'

ogni posa mi pareva indegna

dietro le venia

Di gente,

eh' io

Che morte tanta

non

pause."

The long

train

55

averci creduto.

n' avesse disfatta.

Or, " seemed unworthy of

is

lunga tratta

45. Dicerolti, tei dir

ratta.

all

kept

sweeping round the confines of

Lat. dicere.

Hell, unworthy and unable to enter

it,

only

d2

and the giddy

mark and

guide.

flag is their

CAXTO

INFERNO.

30

III.

After I had recognised some amongst them,

many.

and saw the shadow of him^ who from

cowardice made the great refasal. Forthwith I understood and felt assured, that this was the crew of

I looked

God and

wretches, hateful to

who never were

unfortunate,

Those

to his enemies.

were naked, and

alive,

goaded by wasps and hornets that were there

these made their faces stream with blood, which
sorely

mixed with

was gathered

tears

at their feet

by

loath-

some worms.
Poscia eh' io

ebbi alcun riconosciuto.

v'

Guardai, e vidi F ombra di colui

Che

fece per viltate

Incontanente

Che

il

gran

intesi, e certo fui.

quest' era la setta dei cattivi,

Dio spiacenti ed

a'

nemici

sui.

Questi sciaurati, che mai non fur

Erano ignudi

Da

e stimolati

Che mischiato

whom

It is uncertain to

for

as

but he had

more than

(Villani, lib.

lived

power

and was followed by Bo-

niface VIII.
it

the

Celes-

tine V, resigned the papal

tried

seventy-two,

five

viii. c. 5).

monk
and

to

first

ivi.

volto.

soon

after his resignation,

fore Dante's death.

had been kept vacant

for

more than two years by

the wild

contests of the cardinals.

He

died

line often

proves nothing, except that Dante

that needed

suddenly

The

quoted {Inferno, canto xxvii. 105)

knew about

had

and was

canonised in 1313, eight years be-

He

the age of

was

il

65

months

elected at Perugia, after the papal

chair

molto

di lagrime, a' lor piedi

poet alludes in this place.

in 1294,

vivi,

mosconi e da vespe eh' eran

Elle rigavan lor di sangue

'

60

rifiuto.

mentator

Celestine

no

may

proof.

thing

Each com-

continue to select

Dante the person most prominent in his own imagination.

for

causes enough
" great refusals" in all ages.
Pusillanimity

of

CANTO

INFERNO.

III.

And

then, as I looked onwards, I saw people on

Whereat

the Shore of a great E-iver.

ter,

31

now

grant that I

may know who

what usage makes them seem

as I discern

And he

by the

these are

ready

so

" Mas-

and

to pass over,

faint light."

" The things

upon the

stay our steps

I said

shall

be told thee, when \ve

joyless strand of Acheron."

Then, with eyes ashamed and downcast, fearing

my

words might have offended him, I kept myself

from speaking

till

we reached

the stream.

And

lo

an old man, white with ancient hair, comes towards us

" Woe to you, depraved spirits
in a bark, shouting
!

Hope

not ever to see Heaven.

Da
E

fastidiosi

vermi era

Perch' io dissi

Ch'

io

Le

to lead

you

to

mi

70

diedi,

un gran fiume

Maestro, or mi concedi,

sappia quah sono, e qual costume

fa parer di trapassar

Com'

Ed

come

ricolto.

poi che a riguardare oltre

Vidi gente alla riva d'

egli

io discerno

me

pronte.

per lo fioco lume.

Le cose

fien conte.

ti

Quando noi fermerem

75

li

nostri passi

Sulla trista riviera d' Acheronte.

Allor con gli occhi vergognosi e bassi,

Temendo no

'1

mio

dir gli fusse grave,

Infino al fiume dal parlar

Ed

mi

80

trassi.

ecco verso noi venir per nave

Un

vecchio bianco per antico pelo.

Gridando

Guai a

voi,

anime prave

Non isperate mai veder lo Cielo

r vegno per menarvi all' altra

85

riva.

32

INFERNO.

the other shore

and

And

ice.

CANTO

into the eternal darkness

thou,

who

IH.

into fire

art there alive, depart thee

from these that are dead." But when he saw that

I departed not, he said " By other ways, by other
:

ferries; not here shalt

thou pass^ over.

lighter'-^

boat must carry thee."

And my
Thus
done

guide to him

" Charon, vex not thyself.

willed there,^ where what

it is

Then

and ask no more."

is

willed can be

the woolly cheeks

were quiet of the steersman on the

marsh,

livid

who

round his eyes had wheels of flame. But those spnits,

who were foreworn and naked, changed

colour and

chattered with their teeth, soon as they heard the

Nelle tenebre eterne, in caldo e in gelo.

tu che sei cost,

Partiti

Ma
Disse

da

Per

ei vide, eh' io

altre vie,

il

lieve

Duca

per

non

Verrai a piaggia,

Pi

non mi

altri porti

legno convien che

a lui

si

Caron, non

vuole

Quinci fur quete

le

90

partiva,

qui, per passare

Vuoisi cos col, dove

Ci che

viva.

che son morti.

cotesti,

poi eh'
:

anima

si

e pi

ti

ti

porti.

crucciare

puote

95

non dimandare.

lanose gote

Al nocchier della livida palude.

Che intorno

Ma

agli occhi avea di

rote.

queir anime, eh' eran lasse e nude,

Cangiar colore

e dibatter

Ratto che inteser

'

fiamme

100

denti.

le parole crude.

Lit: " shalt thou come to the

shore, not here, in order to pass."

More buoyant, ^w.

In Heaven.

vi.

412, &c.

CANTO

SS

INFERNO.

III.

They blasphemed God and their pathe place, the time, and
the human kind
of their seed, and of their birth. Then all of

bitter words.

rents

origin

them

drew

together, sorely weeping,

to the accursed

which awaits every man that

shore,

fears not

Charon the demon, with eyes of glowing

oning them, collects them

whoever

As

lingers.

one after the other,

upon the ground

Adam

autumn

the branch sees

till

beck-

smites with his oar

the leaves of

fall off

all its spoils

one by one the evil seed of

so

from that shore

cast themselves

the bird at

water

all

coal,

God.

at signals, as

Thus they depart on the brown

its call.

and ere they have landed on the other shore,

a fresh

crowd

on

collects

Bestemmiavano Iddio
L'

umana

Di

lor

Poi

si

specie,

semenza

il

this.

lor parenti,

luogo,

il

tempo, e

seme

il

105

e di lor nascimenti.

ritrasser tutte

quante insieme.

Forte piangendo, alla riva malvagia,

Che attende ciascun uom, che Dio non teme.

Caron dimonio, con occhi
Loro accennando, tutte
Batte col

Come
L'

si

una appresso

Vede

il

raccogUe
s'

110

adagia.

levan le foglie

che

dell' altra, infin

alla terra tutte le

Similemente

le

remo qualunque

autunno

d'

di bragia

mal seme

Gittansi di quel lito ad

sue spoglie
d'

Adamo

il

ramo

115

una ad una.

Per cenni, come augel per suo richiamo.

Cos sen vanno su per

Ed

1'

onda bruna.

avanti che sian di l discese.

Anche

di

qua nova schiera

s'

aduna.

20

34

INFERNO.

My

"

who

CANTO

son," said the courteous Master, " those

under God's wrath,

die

And

every country.
river, for

all

assemble here from

they are prompt to pass the

Divine Justice spurs them

changed into

desire.

and hence,

so, that fear is

By this way no good

spirit

Charon complains of

thee, thou

passes

easily

mayest know the import of his words."

When

if

ever

he had ended, the dusky champaign trem-

bled so violently, that the remembrance of

me

bathes

III.

still

The

with sweat.

tearful

my terror

ground gave

out wind, and flashed with a crimson light, which

conquered
is

all

my

senses

and I

fell,

like

one

who

seized with sleep.

Figliuol mio, disse

Quelli, che

il

Maestro cortese.

muoion

nel!' ira di

Dio,

Tutti convegnon qui d' ogni paese

pronti sono a trapassar lo

Che
S,

la divina Giustizia

che la tema

si

li

rio.

sprona

per se Caron di te

si

Finito questo, la buia

s forte,

La mente
La

di

il

suo dir suona.

campagna

130

che dello spavento

sudore ancor mi bagna.

terra lagrimosa diede vento,

balen

d'

La qual mi

25

lagna.

Ben puoi saper omai, che

Trem

volge in disio.

Quinci non passa mai anima buona

caddi,

come

una luce vermiglia.

vinse ciascun sentimento
1'

uom, cui sonno

piglia.

135

ARGUMENT.
Dante

is

roused by a heavy thunder, and finds himself on the brink of

Not

own strength has he crossed the dismal

river.
Virgil conducts him into Limbo, which is the First Circle
of Hell, and contains the spirits of those who lived without Baptism
The only pain they suffer is, that they live in the
or Christianity.
the Abyss.

desire

in his

and without the hope of seeing God.

eternal air to tremble,

amongst them.

and there

As Dante and

is

Their sighs cause the

no other audible lamentation

Virgil go on, they reach a hemi-

sphere of light amid the darkness, and are met by

Homer and

other

Poets, and conducted into a Noble Castle, in which they see the

most distinguished of the Heathen women, statesmen, sages, and

Homer and the other Poets quit them and they go on
warriors.
;

to a place of total darkness.

INFERNO.

36

CANTO
A

HEAVY

IV.

broke the deep sleep in

tliTinder

head; so that I started like one who

And, having

force.

risen erect, I

eyes around, and looked stedfastly

in

which

True

I was.

is it,

is

my

awaked by

moved my rested
to know the place

that I found myself

upon

the brink of the dolorous Valley of the Abyss, which

gathers thunder of endless wailings.^

It

was

my

profound, and cloudy, that, with fixing

so dark,

look upon

the bottom, I there discerned nothing.

"

Now

let

us descend into the blind world here

below," began the Poet

and thou

shalt

"I

will be

first,

sonno nella testa

alto

greve tuono,

Come persona

E r

pale

be second."

Rtjppemi r

Un

all

eh' io

mi

riscossi,

che per forza desta

occhio riposato intorno mossi.

Dritto levato, e fiso riguardai

Per conoscer

Vero

lo loco dov' io fossi.

che in su la proda mi trovai

Della valle

d' abisso

Che tuono

accoglie d' infiniti guai.

dolorosa.

Oscura, profonda era, e nebulosa.

Tanto che, per

Io

non

vi

IO

ficcar lo viso al fondo.

discernea veruna cosa.

Or discendiam quaggi nel cieco mondo.

Incominci

il

Poeta tutto smorto

Io sar primo, e tu sarai secondo.

Collects into one thunder the

many sounds

of woe.

Like a

huge

eternal

his ear is fully

15
trumpet,

awakened

now
to

it.

that

CANTO

37

INFERNO.

IV.

who had remarked his colour, said " How

come, when thou fearest, who art wont to be

And
shall I

I,

strength in doubt ?"

my

" The anguish of the people who

are here below, on my face depaints that pity, which

And

he

thou takest

way

me

to

Let us go;

for fear.

for the length of

Thus he entered/ and made me

Here
the first circle that girds the abyss.

impels us."

enter, into

there was no plaint, that could be heard,^ except- of

sighs,

which caused the eternal

this arose

air to tremble.

And

from the sadness, without torment, of the

many and

crowds that were

great, both of children,

and of women and men.

Ed

io,

che del color mi fai accorto.

Dissi

Che

Ed

Come

suoli al

egli a

me

verr, se tu paventi

mio dubbiare esser conforto

L' angoscia delle genti.

Che son quaggi,

mi dipinge

nel viso

20

Quella piet, che tu per tema senti.

Andiam, che
Cos

si

lunga ne sospinge.

la via

mise, e cos

mi

Nel primo cerchio che

f entrare

abisso cinge.

1'

Quivi, secondo che per ascoltare,

Non

25

avea pianto, ma' che di sospiri.

Che r aura eterna facevan tremare

ci avvenia di duol senza martiri,

Ch' avean

'

Lit.:

le turbe, eh'

d' infanti e di

26.

me

Ma'

che,

" put himself, and

enter, into"

eran molte e grandi,

femmine

more than

made

Lat. magis quam.

^

&c.

Lit.: "

Here, according

listening, there

30

e di viri.

to

my

was no plaint," &c.

38

INFERNO.

The good Master

spirits are these

me "

to

CANTO

Tliou askest not what

know,

I wish thee to

thou seest?

And

before thou goest farther, that they sinned not.

though they have merit,

notjaptisnif which

And

believest.

is

God

we lost and only in

hope we live in desire."^
because I

me
knew men

Lo buon Maestro
Che
Or
Ch'

spiriti

Non

no other

for

se

on hearing

much

who

of

worth,

Per

non peccare

Tu non dimandi

egh hanno mercedi,

s'

basta, perch' ei

non ebber battesmo,

al

questi cotai son io

tai difetti, e

35

Cristianesmo,

adorar debitamente Dio

Semo

in

son questi, che tu vedi ?

furon dinanzi

Non
E di

fault,

at the heart

Ch' porta della Fede che tu credi

am

che sappi, innanzi che pi andi,

vo'

ei

me

of these

so far afflicted, that without

And

aright.

Great sadness took

this

they had

seein gjLljLy..wereJbefor_e Christianity,

For such defects/ and

are

for

the portal of the Faith that thou

they worshipped not

I myself.

not

suffices

it

IV.

non per

medesmo.
40

altro rio,

perduti, e sol di tanto offesi.

Che senza speme vivemo

Gran duol mi prese

in disio.

quando

al cuor,

lo intesi.

Perocch gente di molto valore

40. Rio, reit.
'

Dante says

cumque

Nemo, quantum-

moralibtis et intelectuali-

bus virtutibus, et secundum habitum

et

secundum operationem perfectus,

absque fide salvavi potest

dato,

Piirg. vii. 7.

quod nunquam aliquid de Christo

Monarch,

audiverit.
2

"

And

with

lib.

desire

to

ii.

p. 96.

languish

without hope."
Par. Lost, x. 995.

INFERNO.

CANTO

TV.

that

Limbo^ were suspense.

me,

Sir," I

" Teli me, Master

by

merit, or

afterwards was

And
plied

teli

^'
;

by

his

blessed ?"

my

he, understanding

" I was new in

He

did ever any,

go out from hence, that

others',

Mighty One^ come

tory.

began, desiring to be assured of that Faith

which conquers every error

own

39

covert

this condition,

speech, re-

when

saw a

crowned with sign of

to us,

vic-

took away from us the shade of our First

Noah
Abraham the

Moses

Parent, of Abel his son, and that of

the Legislator, and obedient

Patriarch

David the King

Israel with his father,

and

Conobbi, che in quel limbo eran sospesi.

of

his sons.

45

Dimmi, Maestro mio, dimmi. Signore,

Cominciai

io,

per voler esser certo

Di quella fede che vince ogni errore

Uscinne mai alcuno, o per suo merto,

per

che poi fosse beato

ahriii,

quei, che intese

Rispose

ci vidi

Con segno

coverto.

1'

venire

un Possente

di vittoria incoronato.

ombra

D' Abel suo

del

Primo Parente,

figlio, e

Di Mois Legista,

Abraam

mio parlar

50

Io era nuovo in questo stato.

Quando
Trasseci

il

Patriarca, e

55

quella di No,

e ubbidiente

David Re,

Israel con suo padre, e co' suoi nati.

Limbo,

from

Lat.

Limbus,

border.
^

The Mighty One

is

Christ,

whose

name Dante,

out of re-

verence, refrains from uttering iu

this place.

INFERNO.

40
and Rachel,

whom

he did so much

and made them

others,
to

for

know,

that, before

And

blessed.

and many

;^

I wish thee

no human souls were

these,

saved."

We

ceased not to go, though he was speaking;

but passed the wood meanwhile, the wood,^ I say,

of crowded

Our way was not yet far within

when I saw a fire, which conquered

spirits.

the topmost part,

We were

a hemisphere of the darkness.^

distant

from

it

yet not so

still

distaili, that I

little

did not in

E con Rachele, per cui tanto f',

Ed altri molti e fecegli beati
E vo' che sappi che, dinanzi ad essi,
:

Spiriti

Non

Ma
La

Non

umani non eran

lasciavam

60

1'

passavam

salvati.

andar, perch'

ei dicessi.

65

la selva tuttavia,

selva dico di spiriti spessi.

era lungi ancor la nostra via

Di qua dal sommo, quand'

io vidi

un

foco,

Ch' emisperio di tenebre vincia.

Di lungi

Ma

non

69.

v'

eravamo ancora un poco,

s,

eh' io

non

tudes, that

parts of

"wood"

discernessi in parte,

Vincia, vincea in prose,

Served Laban 14 years.

The undistinguished multi-

crowd the dark outer

Limbo, are here

called a

70

from Lat.

vincere.

lighted by the
finds a

Noble

Sun

that was highest

all

and here he

Castle, lighted

by
amongst the

Heathen.

of spirits; and probably

not without some relation to the

the

"dark wood" of the first canto.

There Dante saw the mystic Hill,

around and above, with rays of

Illuminated a hemisphere of
" conquered" it,
darkness

light.

CANTO

INFERNO.

iV.

41

part discern what honourable people occupied that

place.

^'

who

thou, that honour est every science and art

are these,

who have

so great distinction/ that

them from the manner of the rest ?"

And he to me " The glorious name, which

separates

sounds of them, up in that

of thine,^ gains fa-

life

vour in heaven that thus promotes them."

Meanwhile a voice was heard by me

the great Poet

four great spirits

come towards

speak

Che
tu,

saw

They had an

us.

Mark him with

'^
:

silent, I

The good Master

aspect neither sad nor joyful.

to

Honour

His shade returns that was departed."

After the voice had paused, and was

gan

'^
:

be-

sword in hand,

that

erre vol gente possedea quel loco.

che onori ogni scienza ed arte.

Questi chi son, eh' hanno cotanta erranza.

Che

dal

quegli a

Che

modo

me

di lor

degli altri

suona su nella tua

Intanto voce fu per

L'

1'

ciel

me

che

udita

altissimo Poeta

ombra sua

vita.

s gli

avanza.

80

torna, eh' era dipartita.

Poich la voce fu restata

e queta,

Vidi quattro grand' ombre a noi venire

Sembianza avevan n

trista

Lo buon Maestro cominci a

Lit.:

Orrevol, onorevole

" have such honour."

dire

Mira colui con quella spada

72.

7.5

L' onrata nominanza,

Grazia acquista nel

Onorate

diparte

li

in

lieta.
:

mano,

and orranza, onoranza.

^
|

E 2

On

your earth above.

85

42

INFERNO.

who comes
Homer, the

before the three as their lord.

Horace the

is

Thus

that

IV.

He

is

comes

the third; and the

is

Because each agrees with

name/ which
honour

Ovid

satirist.

Lucan.

last is

The next

sovereign Poet.

CANTO

me

in the

me

the one voice sounded/ they do

and therein they do well."

saw assemble the goodly school of that

lord of highest song,

who,

an eagle, soars above

like

After they had talked a space together,

the rest.

me

they turned to

with sign of salutation

And

Master smiled thereat.

Che vien dinanzi

tre

a'

greatly

come

Quegli Omero poeta sovrano

il

terzo, e

Per che ciascun meco

Fannomi

more besides

ultimo Lucano.

1'

Nel nome, che son

my

and

sire.

L' altro Orazio satiro, che viene

Ovidio

;'^

si

conviene

la

voce sola

90

onore, e di ci fanno bene.

Cos vidi adunar la beUa scuola

Di quel signor

Che

Da

sovra gli

'

il

mio Maestro

pili d'

The name

me con

salutevol

'

cenno

onore ancora assai mi fenno.

of Poet, uttered by

when they saw

"Sun

vola.

sorrise di tanto.

the united voices of the four (v.

80),

95

canto.

com' aquila,

altri,

eh' ebber ragionato insieme alquanto,

Volsersi a

dell' altissimo

"

The

crested cock,

The

cla-

silent hours."

Ibid.

sound his praise

^
v. 172.

whose

rion sounds

Virgil return.

In thy eternal course."

Par. Lost,

100

vii.

443.

Or, " with sign saluting"

too as a Poet.

him

43

INFERNO.

me

they honoured

me

they made

for

was a sixth amid such

ber, so that I

Thus we went onwards

things which

to

the light, speaking

We

well to speak there where I was.

foot of a

intelligences.^

well to pass in silence, as

it is

num-

of their

came

to the

Noble Castle, seven times circled with

Walls, defended round by a

Through seven

passed as solid land.

We

with those sages.

On

verdure.

fair Rivulet.'^

essi

of fresh

were people with eyes slow and

it

mi

we

This

grave, of great authority in their appearance.

Ch'

lofty

gates I entered

meadow

reached a

was

it

They

fecer della loro schiera,

S eh' io fui sesto tra cotanto senno.

Cos n'

andammo

infino alla lumiera

Parlando cose, che

S

com' era

Venimmo

il

il

tacere bello,

105

parlar col dov' era.

un

al pie d'

nobile castello.

Sette volte cerchiato d' alte mura.

Difeso intorno

d'

un

bel fiumicello.

Questo passammo come terra dura

Per

sette porte intrai

Giugnemmo
Genti

v'

Lit.

"One

'*
:

eran con occhi tardi e gravi.

ne' lor sembianti

amid such sense ;" such

of faculty,

or

wisdom.

of the six;" not the sixth,

beavitiful

This Rivulet

is

understood to

is

very

and hinders the name-

Limbo from

less spirits of

But

The stream

nanimity, &c.

ing.

or last.
2

110

in prato di fresca verdura.

Di grande autorit

strength

con questi savi

the Poets find

and shallow

and pass on,

enter-

it

small

as if

it

represent Eloquence, or elocution;

were not there, to examine what

and the seven

is

lofty Walls, the Vir-

tues of justice, temperance,

mag-

contained on the green Heights

of the interior.

44

INFERNO.

CANTO

We

spoke seldom, with mild voices.

one of the sides

into a place open, luminous,

high, so that they could

all

There

be seen.

upon the green enamel, were shewn

spirits

whom

to

me

to

and

direct,^

the great

I glory within myself in having seen.^

saw Electra^ with many companions

knew Hector and ^neas

falcon eyes.

retired

IV.

amongst whom

Csesar armed, with the

On

saw Camilla and Penthesilea.

the other hand I saw the I^atian king, sitting with

Lavinia his daughter.

saw that Brutus who ex-

Parlavan rado, con voci soavi.

Traemraoci cos

dall'

un

In luogo aperto, luminoso, ed

S che veder si

Col

diritto,

Mi

potean

sopra

il

115

de' canti
alto,

tutti quanti.

verde smalto.

fur mostrati gli spiriti magni.

Che

di vederli in

me

stesso

m'

120

esalto.

Io vidi Elettra con molti compagni,

Tra' quai conobbi ed Ettore, ed Enea,

Cesare armato con gli occhi grifagni.

Vidi Cammilla e la Pentesilea.
Dall' altra parte vidi

il

Che con Lavinia sua

figlia sedea.

125

re Latino,

Vidi quel Bruto, che cacci Tarquino,

Direct in front, face to face

before him.
=^

Or

" inwardly exalt myself,

grow higher,
^

Electra,

for

having seen."

mother of Dardanus

the founder of Troy.

She

her own descendants

is

with

amongst

whom Dante

reckons Caesar, the

Head

of his ideal Monarchy.

great

Emperor has

on

his

The

harness

and sees with his " black and

lively eyes" {oadis nigris vegetisqrie),

of which Suetonius speaks,

Vit. CcEsar. c. 45.

CANTO

45

INFERNO.

IV.

pelled the Tarquin;

And by

Cornelia.

Lucretia^

Martia,

Julia,

and

himself apart, I saw the Sala-

din.^

When

my

I raised

eyelids a

the Master^ of those that

all

stand nearest to

do him honour.

chance

to

him

;^

rest

Democritus, Avho ascribes the

Diogenes, Anaxagoras, and Thales

Empedocles, Heraclitus, and Zeno.

good

a philo-

saw Socrates and Plato, who before the

world

higher, I saw

amid

sitting

All regard him

sophic family.

Here

know,

little

And

saw the

collector of the qualities,"^ Dioscorides I

mean

Lucrezia, Julia, Marzia e Corniglia,

solo in parte vidi

Saladino.

il

Poi che innalzai un poco pi

Vidi

130

le ciglia,

Maestro di color che sanno,

il

Seder tra

filosofica famiglia.

Tutti lo miran, tutti onor gli fanno.

Quivi vid' io e Socrate e Platone,

Che innanzi

135

agli altri piii presso gli stanno.

Democrito, che

il

mondo

a caso pone,

Diogenes, Anassagora e Tale,

Empedocles, Eraclito

vidi

il

buono accoglitor
139,

The

Saladin,

renowned

in the

Aristotle: " that glorious Phi-

"to whom nature opened

most her
and

secrets ;" that

Guide

Conv. Tr.

del quale,

Democritus of Abdera, who

attributed the origin of things to

the fortuitous concourse of

of

human

iv. c. 5, 6.

'*

Dioscorides,

who

collected

and made experiments on the

Master

reason."

em-

bryon atoms.

losopher," as Dante elsewhere calls

him

Quale, for qualit.

Crusades.
2

Zenone

vir-

tues and qualities of herbs, &c.

INFERNO.

46

and saw Orpheus, Tully, Livy, and Seneca the moralist

Euclid the geometer, and Ptolemseus

pocrates,

made
all

Avicenna, and Galen

the great comment.

in full

theme

for the long

Averrhoes,^

may

not paint

Hip-

who
them

me, that

so chases

many times the word comes short of the reality.

The company of six diminishes to two.

By

another road the sage guide leads me, out of the

quiet, into the trembling'^ air

where there

is

nought that

Dioscoride dico

Tullio, e Livio, e

and

come

to a part

shines.

140

e vidi Orfeo,

Seneca morale

Euclide geometra, e Tolommeo,

Ippocrate, Avicenna e Galieno,

Averrois che

non posso

Io

Per che

caccia

il

mi mena

il

appieno

145

lungo tema,

volte al fatto

altra via

Fuor

mi

il

compagnia in duo

sesta

Per

gran coment feo.

ritrar di tutti

Che molte

La

il

meno.

dir vien

scema

si

savio Duca,

della queta, nell' aura che trema

Averrhos translated the works

Heights, in bright serenity.

all

12th century, and wrote a com-

trembles

(v.

ment on them.
2 Lit.: "out

sadness.

When

of the quiet air,

into the air that trembles."

The

inhabitants of the noble castle are

sad nor joyful

and dwell

apart,

(v.

84)

on their green

In

other parts of Limbo, the air

of Aristotle into Arabic, in the

neither

150

vengo in parte, ove non che luca.

27)

with

sighs

Virgil and

of

Dante

leave the other four poets, they

have

still

some way

to go,

among

the obscure spirits, ere they reach

the storms

Second

and darkness of the

Circle.

AEGUMENT.
The Second

Circle, or proper

the Infernal Judge, at

nal sinners

its

commencement

of Hell

and Minos,

It contains the souls of

entrance.

Car-

and their punishment consists in being driven about

by fierce winds. First amongst them

comes Semiramis, the Babylonian queen. Dido, Cleopatra, Helena,

incessantly, in total darkness,

Achilles, Paris, and a great multitude of others, pass in succession.

Dante

when

is

overcome and bewildered with pity

his attention is suddenly attracted to

at the sight of

them,

two Spirits that keep

seem strangely light upon the wind. He is unable

some time, after finding that it is Francesca of Rimini,
with her lover Paolo and falls to the ground, as if dead, when he
together, and

to speak for

has heard their painful story.

Francesca was the daughter of Guido Vecchio da Polenta, lord of

Ravenna, and was given in marriage

to Gianciotto,

or Giovanni

Sciancato (John the lame, or hipshot), eldest son

of Malatesta

Vecchio, lord or tyrant of Rimini.

son of Malatesta.

Paolo, her lover, was a younger

They were surprised and

husband, about the year 1288

slain together

by the

and buried in the same grave.

Guido Novello, the true and generous

friend, with

whom Dante

resided at Ravenna, was the son of Francesca's brother, Ostagio da

Polenta.

INFERNO.

48

CANTO
Thus

descended from the

the second,

much

he girds himself.

with his

tail

Cos

as

when

confesses

it

will

many
have

the ill-born
all

hell

is

for

it,

that

and

round himself

circles

to descend.

it

and

Always

discesi del cerchio primaio

Gi nel secondo, che

There

examines the crimes

what place in

he

space/ and so

less

say, that

makes

as the degrees^

:^

into

judges, and sends according as

comes before him,

sin-discerner sees

down

stings to wailing.

it

and grins

sits horrific,

upon the entrance

spirit

first circle

which encompasses

greater pain, that

Minos

y.

men

tanto pi dolor, che

pugne a guaio.

Mines orribilmente,

Stavvi

Esamina

le

loco cinghia,

e ringhia

colpe nel!' entrata,

Giudica e manda, secondo che avvinghia.

Dico, che

quando

anima mal nata

1'

Li vien dinanzi, tutta

si

confessa

quel conoscitor delle peccata

Vede qual loco

d' inferno

da essa

10

Cignesi colla coda tante volte,

Quantunque gradi vuol che gi

4.

'

Each

successive

Ringhia from Lat. ringere.

circle

urnam movet

is

smaller as we descend.
2

and

Lit.

"

sits

shevi^s his

ready to

bite.

there

messa.

sia

Hie silentum

Con-

ciliumque vocat, vitasque et crimina

horribly,

teeth," like a
Quoesitor

discit.

dog

Minos

JEn.

Number

vi.

432.

of grades or circles,

CANTO

him

before
in

stands a

They go each

crowd of them.

turn to judgment

its

49

INFERNO.

V.

they

and hear

tell,

and

then are whirled down.

"

who comest

thou

abode of pain

to the

!" said

me, leaving the act of that great office when

he saw me ; " look how thou enterest, and in whom

Minos

thou

to

Let not the wideness^ of the entrance

trustest.

deceive thee."

And my
Hinder not

guide to him

"

Thus

his fated going.

where what

willed

is

Why

criest

it is

can be done

thou

willed there

and ask no

more."

Now

begin the doleful notes to reach

Sempre dinanzi a

lui

ne stanno molte

Vanno a vicenda ciascuna

Dicono

al giudizio

odono, e poi son gi volte.

che vieni

tu,

me f now

al

Disse Minos a me, quando

Lasciando

Guarda com'

1'

15

doloroso ospizio.

mi

vide.

atto di cotanto ufizio.

entri, e di cui tu ti fide

Non t' inganni 1' ampiezza dell' entrare.

E il Duca mio a lui Perch pur gride ?
Non impedir lo suo fatale andare

20

Vuoisi cos col, dove

Ci che

si

vuole, e pi

Ora incomincian

A
^

farmisi sentire

Facilis descensus Averni:

vi.

allusion to

**
:

Wide

is

note

2.5

or son venuto

Nodes

Perhaps also with

126.

puote

non dimandare.

le dolenti

atque diespatet atrijanuaDitis, &c.

iEn.

si

the gate,

and broad

is

the

to destruction."
^

Lit.

way

that leadeth

Matt.

vii.

13.

" to make themselves be

heard by me."

50

INFERNO.

am I come where much

am come into a part^ void
like the sea in tempest,

The

ring2 winds.

its

When

vexes them.

lamenting strikes me.

of

all light,

when
sweep

V.

which hollows

combated by war-

it is

which never

hellish storm,

leads the spirits with

it

CANTO

rests,

whirling, and smiting

they arrive before the ruin,^

there the shrieks, the moanings, and the lamentation

there they blaspheme the divine power.

were doomed the

I learnt that to such torment

carn^

who

sinners,

subject reason to lust.

wings bear along the

their

starlings,^

And
the

at

as

cold

L dove molto pianto mi percuote.

Io venni in loco d' ogni luce muto.

Che mugghia, come

fa

mar per

tempesta,

Se da contrari venti combattuto.

La bufera

Mena

infernal, che

gli spirti

Voltando

mai non

con la sua rapina

percotendo

Quando giimgon davanti

Quivi

le strida,

il

Bestemmian quivi
Intesi,

la

E come
1

Lit:

utterly

canto
only;

"

Mute

in

compianto

il

lamento

35

la virt divina.

peccator carnali.

ne portan V

gli stornei

60, the

and

alla ruina,

ragion sommettono al talento.

of all light;"

and eternally dark.

i.

molesta.

che a cos fatto tormento

Eran dannati

Che

li

30

resta.

See in

want of sunlight

canto

iii.

75,

the

40

ali,

The

precipitous,

shattered

rocks which bound the circles.

''

The

starlings fly together in

great flocks

shooting up, and then

" faint light" of Hell's confines.

turning their outspread wings to

In Hell

the wind

itself there is total

dark-

ness and blindness.

^

Winds contrary

rising

and

falling tor-

tuously, as if opposite gusts were

to each other.

drifting them.

CANTO

INFERNO.

V.

season, in large

the evil

and crowded troop

the air

so that blast,

hope ever comforts them, not of

And

even of less pain.

making

their lays,

Hither, thither, down, up,

spirits.

No

them.

51

as the cranes

a long

it

rest

of themselves

streak

but

go chanting

saw the shadows come, uttering

so I

leads

in

wails,

Whereat I said":
borne by that strife^ of winds.
" Master, who are those people, whom the black air
thus lashes ?"
'^

est

The

to

many

whom

of these concerninsr
o

first

know," he then
tongues.

With

thou seek-

" was Empress of

replied,

the vice of luxury she was

Nel freddo tempo, a schiera larga e piena

Cos quel fiato gli spiriti mali

Di qua,

di l, di gi, di su gli

Nulla speranza

Non

E come

gli

di

mena.

minor pena.

gru van cantando

Facendo in aer

conforta mai,

ma

che di posa,

di s

lor

45

lai.

lunga riga

Cos vid' io venir, traendo guai.

Ombre

portate dalla detta briga

Per eh'

io dissi

Genti, che

La prima

Tu
Fu

1'

50

Maestro, chi son quelle

aer nero

gastiga

di color, di cui novelle

vuoi saper,

mi

disse quegli allotta.

imperatrice di molte favelle.

vizio di lussuria fu s rotta,

55

53. Allotta, allora.

by

" Wherewithal a
the

ished."

same

man sinneth,

also shall he be

Visdom of Solomon

pun-

xi. 16.

The storm and darkness

sions, unrestrained

son.

the pas

by clouded rea-

INFERNO.

52
SO broken, that she

Semiramis, of

is

lust

and law

alike in her

away the blame she had incurred.

decree,^ to take

She

made

whom we

read that she suc-

ceeded Ninus/ and was his spouse.

She held the

That other

land which the Soldan rules.

she

is

who

slew herself in love/ and broke faith to the ashes of

Next comes luxurious Cleopatra."

Sichaeus.

Helena

Che

whom

I saw, for

libito fe' Ucito in

Per torre

il

la terra,

che

L' altra colei, che

E ruppe

ill

sua legge

si

legge.

succedette a Nino, e fu sua sposa

Tenne

of

biasmo, in che era condotta.

Eir Semiramis, di cui

Che

so long a time

s'

il

60

Soldan corregge.

ancise amorosa,

fede al cener di Sicheo

Poi Cleopatras lussuriosa.

Elena

per cui tanto reo

vidi,

57.

'

Lit.

" the

tiling

made
2 The reading

liked

Torre, togliere.

she

legal by her decree."

te

knew and
ii.

Che sugger det-

a Nino, e fu sua sposa ("

who

p. 70),

the custom and laws of the

syrians,

spouse"), though often suggested,

not justified by any us. or text

lib.

" succeeded Ninus," contrary to

gave suck to Ninus, and was his

is

followed {Monarch,

mention that Semiramis

Asby assuming the dress of

man, and passing

Ninyas,

whom

for

her son

she thought too

of the Commedia; and does not ac-

young and

cord well with the habits of Dante.

ment.

He has already described the licen-

heroic enterprises had shewn her

tiousness of Semiramis

power, did she

(v.

55-7)

with his usual brevity and completeness.

tin
(lib.

(lib.
i.

c.

And
i.

c.

and Orosius

4) whose works

Dante

until

after

make her

many

sex and

succession known.

besides, both Jus2),

feeble for the govern-

Not

Dido,

^n.

iv.

Non

fides cineri promissa Sichceo.

V.

552.

servata
Ibid.

CANTO

INFERNO.

V.

53

revolved; and I saw the great Achilles/ Avho fought

at last

with love.

saw

And more

Paris, Tristan.

than a thousand shades he shewed to me, and point-

named them, whom

ing with his finger,

parted from our

name

my

teacher

the olden dames and cavaliers, pity conquered

me, and I was

began

After I had heard

life.

love had

as if bewildered.
*'

would

Poet, Avillingly

these two that go together, and

seem

I speak

with

so light

upon

the wind."

And

he

nearer to us
love,

me

to

" Thou shalt see when they are

and do thou then entreat them by that

which leads them

Soon

volse

si

e vidi

Che con amore

al fine

Vidi Paris, Tristano

il

Nomar

nominolle a

mi

Piet

65

dito,

dipartille.

mio Dottore udito

donne antiche

le

grande Achille,

my

combatteo.

Ch' amor di nostra vita

il

to us, I raise

e pi di mille

Ombre mostrommi,
Poscia eh' io ebbi

come."

will

wind bends them

as the

Tempo

and they

70

cavalieri.

vinse, e fui quasi smarrito.

Io cominciai

Poeta, volentieri

Parlerei a que' duo, che insieme vanno,

E paion s
Ed egli a me

vento esser leggieri.

al
:

Vedrai, quando saranno

Pi presso a noi

Per

quell'

S tosto
^

Achilles

was

e tu allor

amor che

come

il

slain

for

mena

vento a noi
in

love

li

li

prega

e quei verranno.

piega.

whose

the

Temple of Apollo, through the

treachery of Paris,

75

sister,

been induced

of

camp.

r 2

Polyxena, he had
to leave the

Grecian

INFERNO.

54
voice

^'
:

Avearied souls

none^ denies

if

As doves
wings

fly

CANTO

come

V.

speak with us,

to

it."

called

by

through the

desire,

with open and steady

loved nest, borne

air to their

by their will; so those spirits issued from the band

where Dido^ is, coming to us through the malignant
air.
Such was the force of my afFectuous cry.
"

and benign

living creature, gracious

goest through the black^ air, visiting us

Muovo

la

voce

who

that

stained

anime affannate,

Venite a noi parlar,

QuaH colombe, dal

Con r ali aperte

s'

altri

80

noi niega.

disio chiamate.
e

ferme

nido

al dolce

Volan per V aer dal voler portate

85

Cotali uscir della schiera ov' Dido,

noi venendo per

S forte fu

1'

aer maligno,

affettuoso grido.

animai grazioso e benigno.

Che

visitando vai per

Noi che tignemmo

Lit: " If other denies

it

il

not."

In the old Italian, altri and altrui

frequently mean " some superior

Power."

As examples

see canto xxvi. 141

canto
2

i.

of this,

and Purg.

1'

aer perso

mondo

unfair

who

means by which

the mar-

Dante

he has to take the naked

feels that

facts, stern

and

bitter as they are

to him, in all their simplicity.

^

of Dido, "

90

riage was brought about.

133,

From the hand

sanguigno

di

Lit.

" perse

Dante

air."

thus indicating

himself defines this vexed word

" perse is a colour
very clearly

the crime of which they had been

mixed of purple and black, but

hroke faith," &c.

guilty.

Commentators and

his-

the black prevails."

torians tell us of the deformities

c.

and hatefulness of Gianciotto, the

and

graceful qualities of Paolo, and the

Chaucer.

20.

It

also

is

Conv. Tr.

often used

occurs

in

iv.

by him,
our

own

CANTO

55

INFERNO.

V.

King of the Universe

we would pray him for thy peace

the earth with blood.

were our

friend,

If the

seeing that thou hast pity of our perverse misfortune.

Of
we

that

which

where Po descends
Love, which

to speak,

and speak with you, whilst the wind,

will hear

now, is silent.
" The town,i where

as

and

pleases thee to hear

it

was born,

to rest

sits

on the shore,

with his attendant streams.

quickly caught in gentle heart, took

is

him with the fair body of which I was bereft -^ and

Love, which to no loved
the manner still afflicts me.
one permits excuse from
Se fosse amico

Re

il

dell'

Noi pregheremmo

took

loving,-^

lui

me

so strongly^

universo,

per la tua pace,

Poi che hai piet del nostro mal perverso.

Di quel che udire

e che parlar

Noi udiremo

Mentrech

vento,

il

parleremo a

come

Siede la terra, dove nata

Su

la

marina dove

Per aver pace

Amor, che

il

ti

piace

95

vui,

fa, si tace.

fui.

Po discende

co' seguaci sui.

al cor gentil ratto

s'

apprende,

100

Prese costui della bella persona

Che mi fu

tolta, e

il

modo ancor m'

offende.

Amor, che a nullo amato amar perdona.

Mi

prese del costui piacer

97.

'

Ravenna

on

the

his

coast

of

streams from Alps and

Apennines,
therein.

descends

forte,

Terra, town, city, fortress.

that sea, to which the Po, with

all

to

rest

me

Lit.
;"

and

Lit.

Which was

in a

way

taken from

that continues

me.

to afflict
*^

"

" pardons or remits lov-

ino'' in return.

INFERNO.

56

CANTO

with delight in him^^ that, as thou

leaves

me

not.

from them were offered

to us.

wounded

After I had heard those

"

and held

face,

What

it

Love led ns to one death. Caina^

him who quenched our life." These words

waits for

my

even now

seest,

V.

low

Poet said

until the

bowed

me

to

thou thinking of ?"

art

When

it

souls, I

began

I answered, I

"

Ah me

what

sweet thoughts, what longing led them to the woful

pass

Then
began

them

I turned again to

and

I spoke,

" Francesca, thy torments make

with grief and

But

pity.

me

tell

me weep

in the time of

Che, come vedi, ancor non m' abbandona.

Amor

condusse noi ad una morte

Caina attende chi vita

Queste parole da lor

Da

105

spense.

ci

ci

and

fur porte.

che io intesi quelle anime offense.

Chinai

il

viso, e tanto

Finche

il

Poeta mi disse

Quando

tenni basso,

il

risposi, cominciai

Che pense

lasso

Quanti dolci pensier, quanto disio

Men
Poi mi

costoro al doloroso passo

rivolsi

a loro, e parlai

cominciai

Francesca,

108. Porte,

115

io,

tuoi martiri

A lagrimar mi fanno tristo e

Ma dimmi al tempo de' dolci
:

pio.
sospiri,

hom porgere.

Or: "with pleasing him," &c.

lowest circle of Hell, occupied by

Caina,

fratricides,

Cain's

place

in

the

&c.

Canto

xxxii.

CANTO

by what and how love granted you

the sweet sighs,

to

57

INFERNO.

V.

know

And

the dubious desires ?"

me

she to

to recall a

happy time

no greater pain than

is

in wretchedness

But

teacher knows.^
learn the

" There

and

this

thy

thou hast such desire to

if

root of our love, I will do like one

first

who weeps and tells.

" One day, for pastime, we read of Lancelot,^
how love constrained him. We were alone, and
without

die, e

come concedette amore,

Che conosceste

Ed

ella

Che

me

dubbiosi desiri

Nessun maggior

ricordarsi del

Nella miseria

Ma

Several times that reading

suspicion.

all

tempo

e ci sa

se a conoscer la

dolore.

felice

il

tuo dottore.

prima radice

Del nostro amor tu hai cotanto

Far come colui che piange

Noi leggevamo un giorno per

Di

Lancillotto,

Soli

eravamo

Per pi

'

See

Virgil.

regina,

fiate gli

&c. of

come amor

occhi

e dice.

diletto
lo strinse

from

Infandam,

of

all

the world";" and his love for

Queen Guenever,
infinite.

Troy {Trojanas

Sir

Sed

si

opes,

&c.)

tantus

casus cognoscere nostras, &c.

amor

As

Lancelot of the Lake, in the

Romances of the Round Table,

is

described as "the greatest knight

or Ginevra,

is

Galeotto, Gallehaut, or

Galahad

is

who

he,

gives such

a detailed declaration of Lancelot's

love to the

Francesca here does.

old

130

sospingere.

has to recall the lost glories of

and begins

sospinse

ci

^iieas, when he

ut

125

affetto,

e senza alcun sospetto.

130. Sospinse,

the

120

in the
its
i

Queen and
;

is

to

them,

romance, what the book and

author are here to Francesca

and Paolo,

INFERNO.

58

urged our eyes

But one moment alone it was that

"When we read how the fond smile

of our faces.

overcame

meet, and changed the colour

to

us.

was kissed by such a

who

lover, he,

divided fi-om me, kissed

shall

my mouth

all

The book, and he who wrote it, was

That day we read in it no farther."^
Whilst the one

fell,

dead body

as a

un punto

solo

Quando leggemmo

if

il

had been dying

viso

fu quel che

il

a Galeotto.

falls.

Quella lettura, e scolorocci

Ma

trembling.

thus spake, the other wept

with pity, as

so, that I fainted

and

spirit

never be

ci vinse.

disiato riso

Esser baciato da cotanto amante,

mai da me non

Questi, che

La bocca mi baci
Galeotto fu

il

tutto tremante

Mentre che

uno

1'

E
'

The

caddi,

men

vi

leggemmo

avante.

spirto questo disse,

L' altro piangeva

Io venni

libro, e chi lo scrisse

Quel giorno pi non

135

fia diviso.

cos

s,

com'

io

come corpo morto

facts of Francesca's story

140

che di pietade
morisse

cade.

venuto da Imola, and the other

early

his Hist. Bavenvat. Venetiis, 1572,

tion (1603) of the

The genea-

same work places

the death of Francesca and her lover

given at the

at the

and completely agrees with,

1289.

fol. lib. vi. p.

308,

9.

logy of the Guidos

end

A later edi-

Commentators.

are given by Hieronymus Rubens in

and explains,

all

is

that

is

said re-

specting them by Boccaccio, Ben-

commencement
In the

first

of the year

edition

it

is

placed between 1287 and 1289.

See the Argument of

this canto.

ARGUMENT.
On

recovering his senses, Dante gazes round, and finds himself in the

midst of new torments, and a new kind of sinners.

swoon, (as at the river

During his
Acheron), he has been transported, from

the tempests and precipices of the second, into the Third Circle.
It is the place appointed for

hearts

Epicures and Gluttons, who set their

upon the lowest species of sensual

gratification.

An

un-

varying, eternal storm of heavy hail, foul water, and snow, pours

down upon them. They are all lying prostrate on the ground
and the three-headed monster Cerberus keeps barking over them,
;

and rending them.

The shade of a

citizen of Florence,

been nicknamed Ciacco (Pig), eagerly

sits

up

who had

as the Poets pass;

and from him Dante hears of various events, that await the two
parties

by which the

city is divided

and

distracted.

After leaving

some way to go in the disgusting circle, but notice nothing more in it.
They wade on slowly in the
mixture of the Spirits and the rain, talking of the great Judgment
Ciacco, the Poets have

and Eternity,

till

still

they find Plutus at the next descent.

60

INFERNO.

CANTO
On

VI.

sense returning, which closed itself before the

me all with
and new tormented

misery of the two relations that stunned

new

sadness, I discern

whithersoever I move, and turn, and gaze.

souls,

am

torments,

in the Third Circle, that of the eternal, accursed,

cold,

and heavy

rain.

Its course

and quality

is

never

new large hail, and turbid water, and snow, it pours

down through the darksome air. The ground, on
:

which

it

monster

falls,

fierce

emits a putrid smell.

and strange, with three

tornar della mente, che

Dinanzi

Che

Nuovi tormenti

si

in

it.

His

chiuse

duo cognati.

alla piet de'

di tristizia tutto

throats, barks

immersed

dog-like over those that are

Al

Cerberus,^ a

mi

confuse.

nuovi tormentati

Mi veggio intorno, come eh' io mi muova,

E come eh' io mi volga, e eh' io mi guati.
Io sono al terzo cerchio della piova

Eterna, maledetta, fredda e greve

Regola

e qualit

mai non

Grandine grossa, e acqua

Per r aer tenebroso

Pute

la terra

si

1'

nova.

tinta, e

riversa

neve

10

che questo riceve.

Cerbero, fiera crudele e diversa.

Con

tre gole

caninamente latra

Sovra la gente che quivi sommersa.

Cerberus hcec

regna

trifauci

ingens

latratu

Personat,

adverse

recubans immanis in antro.

vi.

417.

15

iEn.

CANTO

INFERNO.

VI.

61

eyes are red, his beard gory and black,^ his belly

He

wide, and clawed his hands.

clutches the spirits,

The

and piecemeal rends^ them.

flays,

them howl
the other

With one

like dogs.

rain

makes

side they screen

they often turn themselves, the impious

wretches.

When

Cerberus, the great

he opened

his

him kept

of

took

up

mouths and shewed

il

My

still.*

earth

Gli occhi

gU

barba unta ed

e la

un

Dell'

la

de' lati

ci

avea

atra,

altro

all'

schermo

gran vermo.

il

aperse, e mostrocci le saune

membro che

Duca mio

20

miseri profani.

scorse Cerbero,

Le bocche

Non

fanno
i

no limb

scuoia, ed isquatra.

pioggia come cani

Volgonsi spesso

Quando

gU

spirti,

full fists, cast it into his

ventre largo, e unghiate le mani

Urlar gh fa

il

his tusks

us,

guide, spreading his palms,

and, with

ha vermigli,

Graffia

Worm,^ perceived

tenesse fermo.

spanne

distese le sue

Prese la terra, e con piene

le

25

pugna

18. Isquatra, squatra, squarta.

Spiritus teter sanesque

Ore

Hor. Od.

trilingui.

Somewhat

like the

iii.
:

manet

in frusta secant,

&c.

'*

he shook in

still ;"

all

and hunger

cance, that a few handfuls of mere

sordid earth will quell and satisfy

Their

Worm

shall not die."

this

Sybil's

ear
that false

ancient

Melle sopor atam

Worm."

Par. Lost,

new Demon-worm, emblem

of blind voracity

Isaiah Ixvi. 24.

" O Eve, in evil hour thou didst give

To

" he had no limb that

Virgil sees, not without signifi-

i.

211.
3

his limbs for rage

Tergora

JEn.

Lit.

he kept

11.

diripiunt costis, et viscera nudant

Pars

gibus offam.

ix. 1067.

instead of the

soporific
et

Mn.

cake

medicatis fru-

vi.

420.

6S

INFERNO.

ravening gullets.

and grows quiet

and

CANTO

VI.

As the dog, that barking craves,^

when he bites his food, for he strains

battles only to

devour

did those squalid

it; so

Demon, who thunders on

visages of Cerberus the

the spirits so, that they would fain be deaf.

We

whom

passed over the shadows

rain subdues

and placed our

soles

upon

the heavy
their

emp-

They all were lying on

the ground save one, who sat up forthwith when he
saw us pass before him. " O thou, who through this
which seems a body.

tiness,

Hell

he said

art led,"

mayest

me

to

" recognise me

if

thou

thou wast made before I was unmade."^

La

bramose canne.

gitto dentro alle

Qual quel cane che abbaiando agugna,

racqueta poi che

si

Che
Cotai

il

pasto morde.

solo a divorarlo intende e

si

pugna

30

fecer quelle facce lorde

Dello demonio Cerbero che introna

L' anime

s,

eh' esser vorrebber sorde.

Noi passavam su per

La greve

pioggia, e

1'

ombre, che adona

ponevam

le

piante

35

Sopra lor vanit, che par persona.

Elle giacean per terra tutte quante,

Fuor
Ch'
tu,

una che a seder

d'

ella ci vide passarsi

che

se'

si

lev, ratto

davante.

per questo inferno

Mi disse, riconoscimi, se sai

Tu fosti, prima eh' io disfatto,

tratto,

28.

'

Agugna, agogna,

Barks, craving for his food.

fatto.

craves, longs for.

"Wast born before I died.

40

63

INFERNO.

And

him

I to

" The anguish which thou hast,

perhaps withdraws thee from

it

seems not

who

if I

as

he

though other may

that,

" Thy

which

city,

is

so full of

envy that the sack already overflows, contained

in the clear^

io a lei

Forse

ti

dimmi

tira fuor della

altra

me

D' invidia

messa, ed a

La tua

s,

la

Come
^

Our

che gi trabocca

life

mud

seems clear

and darkness,
in

mentator,
little

boy.

Com-

when Dante was

.

of court, that

He

is,

man

was a

a buffoon

and

very famous for his love of dainty

meats.

And

as a buflEbon,

elegant manners

50

sacco,

il

he had

and made witty

people

jests to

of consequence

and had a great contempt

meaner

it.

died," says the Ottimo

'*

piena

la vita serena.

This Ciacco (Hog) was a kind

He

spiacente.

citt, eh'

of Diner-out in those old times.

"

fatta pena.

tu vedi, alla pioggia mi fiacco

though envy overflows

2

dolente

dannosa colpa della gola.

earthly

to him, in that

mi chiamaste Ciacco

Voi^ cittadini,

45

vedessi mai.

ti

maggior, nulla

Seco mi tenne in

Per

'?

mia mente,

chi tu se', che in

Che

egli a

Ciacco

L' angoscia che tu hai

se'

Ed

me

crime of gluttony, as thou seest, I

Luogo
s'

me

citizens, called

che non par eh' io

Ma

You,

life.

for the baneful

Ed

me

so displeasing."

is

me

to

tell

put in such a woful place,

and in such punishment

And

so that

But

ever saw thee.

art thou, that art

be greater, none

my memory,

sort."

Bargigi, another

very old commentator, also

how Ciacco was fond

and poor

for the

tells

of delicacies,

and how, " in order

to

have more enjoyment, he made a

buffoon of himself

and was a very

pleasant and excellent talker ....

a

man

that always had

conversation

and used

news

for

to frequent

the houses of the rich; where there

INFERNO.

64

And

languish in the rain.

not alone

since all these for

wretched

I,

am

spirit,

crime are in like

lil^e

punishment."

him "

I answered

upon me
to

why

the reason

And
shall

he

come

Ed

Che

me

to

to blood,

be

it

and the

tutte queste a

si mil

Mi

pesa

Ma

dimmi, se tu

il

Perch

Ed

egli a

Verranno
Caccer
is

commonly

1'

f'

al

it."

expel
55

parola.

m' invita

60

dimmi

ha tanta discordia

me

me

a che verranno

sai,

giusto

v'

tell

tuo affanno

Li cittadin della citt partita

1'

la cagione.

assalita.

Dopo lunga tenzone

65

sangue, e la parte selvaggia

altra

con molta offensione.

a great deal of talk,

cause

it

was headed by the Cerchi,

more especially at table." It makes

Dante almost weep to see the poor

gifted Ciacco in such a plight.

and Boccaccio Com.), that had

The name Ciacco

to

is

said also

have been a familiar abbrevia-

tion of

Jacopo (James)

in Dante's

rough, purse-proud family of

merchants (see Villani

Florence was divided by two

and Bianchi, or

viii.

39,
re-

cently acquired great wealth and

influence in Florence.

of the woods,"
translated),

time.

factions, the Neri

if

pena stanno

eh' a lagrimar

s,

alcun

And

just.

sola.

non

e pi

Ciacco,

me,

savage'^ party shall

non son

trista

Io gli risposi

tell

" After long contention, they

Per simil colpa

S'

But

such discord has assailed

anima

io

weep.

citizens of the divided city shall

any one in

if

me

bids

so, that it

thou canst, what the

come

Ciacco,^ thy sore distress weighs

(as

because

Or, " party

it

the

may

be

Cerchi

were from the woody Valdisieve,

or Val di Nievole.

The Donati,

The Whites

comparatively poor, but possess-

are called the " savage party," be-

ing greater talents, proud of their

Blacks and Whites.

CANTO

much

the other with

to

65

INFERNO.

vr.

through the force of one who

vail

It shall carry its front

ing.^

behoves

it

and the other

within three suns,

fall

Then

offence.

this

to

pre-

now keeps

tack-

high for a long time,

keeping the other under heavy burdens, however

it

may weep

just

thereat

Two^ are
Pride, Envy,

and be ashamed.

but are not listened to there.

and Avarice are the three sparks which have

set

Poi appresso convien che questa caggia

Infra tre

Con

soli, e

che

la forza di tal,

1'

sormonti

altra

che test piaggia.

Alto terr lungo tempo le fronti,

Tenendo

Come

1'

70

altra sotto gravi pesi,

che di ci pianga, e che ne adonti.

Giusti son duo,

ma non

sono intesi

vi

Superbia, invidia ed avarizia sono

Le

tre faville eh'

hanno

69. Piaggia, coasts or tacks

old nobility, and very scornful of

all

upstarts, led the opposite party.

They " came to

the evening of

" a grand

bloodshed" on

May-day 1300,

ladies'

dance" on the

Piazza di Santa Trinit

was

at

which

to conclude the festivities of

1^

cuori accesi.

flatters, cajoles.

'

who

Charles, or perhaps Boniface

him

sent

and kept " tack-

ing," or pretending to be equally

well disposed to both parties,

till

Charles was actually in Florence.

^ The names of
unknown and the
;

these two are

conjectures of

the day, and had attracted all the

the commentators are not edify-

most distinguished of the young

men.
In 1301 the Whites ex-

beginning

pelled the Blacks

rei,''

their

turn

Charles

expelled,

i.

e.

by help of

See Canzone
:

ix., last

" Canzone,

a'

stanza,
tre

men

&c. (page 28 of Fraticelli's

edit,),

where Dante speaks per-

men

the

year

haps of the same two just

within less

than

and in a very remarkable way of

de Valois,

following,

and were in

ing.

in

probably

"three suns" (solar years) of the

a third

time at which Ciacco speaks.

Cavalcanti.

G 2

his friend

Guido

INFERNO.

66
the hearts

of

on

all

CANTO

Here he ended

fire."

VI.

the

lamentable^ sound.

And

him

I to

me, and

^^

Still I

bestow a

to

wish thee

speech on me.

farther

little

Farinata and the Tegghiaio,

instruct

to

who were

worthy;

so

Jacopo Rusticucci, Arrigo and Mosca,^ and the rest

who

set their

they

are,

sire

minds on doing good:

me

and give

me

urges

to learn

to

me where

tell

know them;

for great de-

whether Heaven soothes or

Hell empoisons them."

And

he

spirits.

me " They

to

crime weighs them downwards

diflferent

Shouldst thou descend so

to the bottom.

Qui pose

amongst the blackest

are

fine al lacrimabil

thou

far,

suono.

Ed io a lui Ancor yo' che m' insegni,

E che di pi parlar mi facci dono.
:

Farinata e

il

Tegghiaio, che fur

Jacopo Rusticucci, Arrigo

il

degni,

80

Mosca,

E gli altri, che a ben far poser g' ingegni.

Dimmi ove sono, e fa eh' io li conosca
;

Che gran
Se

il

desio

mi

stringe di sapere.

Ciel gli addolcia o

quegli

Ei son tra

le

1'

Inferno

gli attosca.

anime pi nere

Diversa colpa gi gli aggrava al fondo

in

Lamentable enough

many

ways.

neither party
of both

He

to

Dante

belonged to

and had the leaders

banished,

when he was

June 1300, though

and dearest friends

chief Prior, in
his relations

were amongst them.

He

only

joined the Whites in opposing the

coming of Charles to Florence

and was for that reason exiled
deprived of

all his

property

and

condemned to be burnt alive.

^ Noble
Florentines, whose
names again occur, except Arrigo' s.

He

is

said to have

the Fifanti family.

been of

INFERNO.

But

mavest see them.

67

ever thou return to the

if

me

sweet world, I pray thee recall

More

of men.

Therewith he writhed

not."

looked at

down with

me
it

little

until the angel's

shall

answer

his straight eyes asquint;^

then bent his head, and

me

said to

his

which resounds

"

trumpet sounds.

come, each shall

resume

shall

fell

like his blind companions.

And my Guide
Power

and more

I tell thee not,

memory

to the

He wakes no more
When the adverse

revisit his sad

and form

flesh

hear that

shall

grave

to all eternity."

Thus passed we through the

mixture of

filthy

the spirits and the rain, with paces slow, touching

a

on the future

little

life.

Se tanto scendi,

Ma

se tu torni

gli potrai vedere.

mai nel dolce mondo.

Pregoti che alla mente altrui

Pi non

ti

dico, e pii

non

ti

mi

rechi

rispondo.

Gli diritti occhi torse allora in biechi

Guardommi un poco

Cadde con essa a par

il

Duca

disse a

me

Di qua dal suon

Quando

90

e poi chin la testa

degli altri ciechi.

Pi non

dell'

si

desta

angelica tromba

95

verr la nimica podest,

Ciascun ritrover

la trista

tomba,

Ripiglier sua carne e sua figura.

Udir quel che in eterno rimbomba.

S

trapassammo per sozza mistura

Deir ombre

e della pioggia, a passi lenti.

Toccando un poco

la vita futura

His eyes, with which he had

been looking " straight" at me,
^

100

he " distorted into squinting."

grew blind again,

He

like the others.

INFERNO.

6S

Wherefore

I said

CANTO

" Master, shall these torments

grow

increase after the great Sentence, or

remain

as

And
has

he

to

pleasure

less, or

?"^

" Return

to

more a thing

is

me

that the

it,

feels

burning

VI.

thy science,^ which

perfect, the

more

Though

and likewise pain.

it

these

accursed people never attain to true perfection, yet

shall

they be nearer to

We

it

went round along

more than I

repeat.

than before."^

after

that road, speaking

We

reached the point where

Here found we

the descent begins.

much

Plutus, the great

enemy.
Perch' io dissi

Maestro,

Cresceranno

ei

dopo

esti

la

fien minori, o saran

Ed

egli a

Che

me

tormenti

gran sentenza,
s

cocenti

10.5

Ritorna a tua scienza.

vuol, quanto la cosa pi perfetta,

Pi senta

il

bene, e cos la doglienza.

Tuttoch questa gente maledetta

In vera perfezion giammai non vada,

Di

l,

110

pi che di qua, essere aspetta.

Noi aggirammo a tondo quella

Parlando pi assai eh'

Venimmo

al

io

punto dove

Quivi trovammo Pluto

strada.

non
si

ridico

digrada

gran nemico.

il

115

114. Si digrada, descends in degrees.

'

Equally burning, or

Thy

bitter.

Aristotelian Philosophy.

'
j

Lit.

"beyond, than on

side," the great

Judgment.

this

ARGUMENT.

Plutus, the ancient god of riches,

whom

the Poets find on the brink

when he
them about to enter it and succeeds in uttering some strange
words. Virgil, with brief and sharp reproof, makes him collapse
of the Fourth Circle, swells with rage and astonishment

sees

and

fall to

the ground.

In

classes of spirits, that are

this circle, the

coming

Poets find two separate

in opposite directions, rolling

large dead Weights, smiting these against each other

and then,

with bitter mutual reproaches, each turning round his Weight, and
rolling it backwards, till all meet and smite again, " at the other
joust," or farther side of the circle.

and Avaricious that have

which

tonsured

In the

occupied by the avaricious, Dante notices

is
;

and

is

Prodigal

It is the souls of the

punishment.

this

told that they were once

Church, but have now grown so dim, that

High
it

left semicircle,

many

that are

Dignitaries of his

would be vain

to think

of recognising any of them.

After speaking of Fortune and the things committed to her charge,
the Poets hasten across the circle to the next descent.

Upon

its

brink they find a stream of dark water, pouring down through a

cleft,

which

water

till

it

it

has worn out for

marsh they

Circle.

In

assailing

and tearing each

Wrathful.
the

souls

itself;

and they accompany

this

forms a marsh called Styx, which occupies the Fifth

this

see

other.

spirits,

all

muddy and

naked,

These are the souls of the

Beneath them, and covered with the black mud, are

of the Gloomy-sluggish, gurgling

dismal chant.

The

Poets, after going a long

of the loathsome pool,

come

in

their

way round

at last to the foot of a

throats

the edge

high tower.

INFERNO.

70

CANTO
"

Pape Satan

CANTO

VII.

pape Satan, alepp

who knew

And that
comforting me

gentle Sage,

*^

said,

all,

fear hurt thee

Let not thy

whatever power he have, he

for,

began Plu-

!"

with clucking^ voice.

tus,

VII.

hinder us from descending this rock."

shall not

Then he turned himself to that inflated visage,

and said " Peace, cursed Wolf I^ Consume thyself
Not without cause
internally with thy greedy rage.
:

our journey to the deep.

is

Pape

colla voce chioccia

La tua paura,

Non

disse

te
1'

Pape, Lat. papae.

con

cupo

al

10

Aleppe, alpha, prince, chief.

Plutus probably continues

to regard Satan as his Alpha, or

is

noccia

la tua rabbia.

andare

"Hah Satan! hah Satan! thou

Alpha;" or something of the sort,
if any attempt is to be at transla-

and

ti

Taci, maledetto lupo

'

Non

a quella enfiata labbia,

senza cagion

1.

scender questa roccia.

Consuma dentro

Non

Prince

che, poder eh' egli abbia.

ci terr lo

si rivolse

tion.

quel Savio gentil, che tutto seppe.

Disse per confortarmi

Poi

on high

Satan, pape Satan aleppe,

Cominci Pluto

It is willed

surprised and en-

perfect.

Chioccia (subst.)

a brood, or clucking,
lian.
' '

Pai.v

Readers
!

hen

means
in Ita-

will recollect

the

Paix ! Satan allez ! Paix !'

'

of the Huissiers, which Benvenuto

Cellini heard,

when he

**

took his

raged when he sees the intruders.

dagger," and went to get justice

But

in the courts at Paris.

his ideas are not clear,

his utterance of

them

is

and

very im-

Wolf, symbol of avarice.

CANTO

INFERNO.

VII.

71

where Michael took vengeance of the proud^

there,

'

adultery."

As sails, swelled by the wind, fall entangled

when the mast gives way; so fell that cruel monThus we descended into the
ster to the ground.
fourth concavity/ taking in

which shuts up
Justice Divine

and

fresh pains

Who

Ah,

many
And why does

shall tell in few^ the

travails that I

guilt of ours thus

As

the evil of the universe.

all

more of the dismal bank,

mar us

saw ?

does the surge, there above Charybdis, that

breaks

the surge wherewith

itself against

Vuoisi cos neir

alto,

it

meets

ove Michele

F' la vendetta del superbo strupo.

Quah

dal vento le gonfiate vele

Caggiono avvolte, poich

Tal cadde

Ahi

mal

il

universo tutto insacca.

Dio

tante chi stipa

travaglie e pene, quante io viddi

E perch nostra
Come fa 1' onda l
Che

colpa

Satan,

or

Lucifer, and

Adultery,

in

scriptural sense, of turning

Lit,

"

ne scipa ?

Who

s'

intoppa

21. Scipa, wastes, mars.

many new

his

crowds together,

the

pains and

travails

This

meaning of

away

from the true God.

^

20

sovra Cariddi,

12. Strupo, stupro.

punishment.

frange con quella in cui

si

15

della dolente ripa.

dell'

giustizia di

Nuove

nella quarta lacca,

Prendendo pi

Che

alber fiacca

a terra la fiera crudele.

scendemmo

Cos

1'

will

compresses, or

literal

so

as

saw ?"

the words

perhaps bear difierent expla-

nations.

INFERNO.

72

CANTO

have the people here to counter-dance.^

SO

VII.

Here

saw I too many more than elsewhere/ both on the

one side and on the other, with loud howlings,

roll-

They smote against

turned upon the spot, roll-

ing weights by force of chest.

each other, and then

all

"Why

ing them back, shouting,

"

Why

throwest thou away ?"

through the hideous

boldest thou?" and

Thus they returned

on either hand,

circle,

to the

opposite point, shouting always in their reproachful

Then every

measure.

one,

when he had reached

turned through his semicircle towards the other

it,

joust.

Cos convien che qui la gente riddi.

Qui

25

vidi gente pi che altrove troppa,

d'

una parte

e d' altra,

con grandi

Voltando pesi per forza di poppa

urli.

Percotevansi incontro, e poscia pur

li

Si rivolgea ciascun, voltando a retro.

Gridando

Perch

tieni

e perch burli

30

Cos tornavan per lo cerchio tetro,

Da

ogni

mano

all'

opposito punto.

Gridando sempre in loro ontoso metro.

Poi

si

Per

volgea ciascun, quand' era giunto.

lo

suo mezzo cerchio,

24. Riddi, wheel

all'

35

altra giostra.

round and meet again,

as in

the ridda dance.

'

As

the waves

of Charybdis

meet and dash agamst the waves

of Scylla {jEii.

iii.

420, &c.)

so

to

Avarice

inveterate

prey than

*'
:

Accurst be thou,

Wolf!
all

that hast

more

the other beasts."

The

the spirits here, with their bur-

Purg. XX. 10.

dens.

prodigal are also placed together

Dante, in another place, says

in Purgatory. lb.

avaricious

and

CANTO

INFERNO.

VII.

who felt my heart as it were stung, said

Master, now shew me what these people are

And

My

'^

73

I,

and whether

all

on our

those tonsured sjnrifs

left

were of the clergy."

And

he

me

to

" In

their first

squint-eyed in mind,^ that they

in

Most

with moderation.

it

bark out

this,

when

life, all

were

made no expenditure

clearly do their voices

they come to the two points' of

the circle, where contrary guilt divides them.

were

Priests, that

its

These

have not hairy covering on their

whom

heads, and Popes and Cardinals, in

does

so

avarice

utmost."

Ed
Dissi

io
:

che avea lo cor quasi compunto,

Maestro mio, or mi dimostra

Che gente

questa

e se tutti fur cherci

Questi chercuti alla sinistra nostra.

Ed

egli

me

S della

40

Tutti quanti fur guerci

mente in

Che con misura

la vita primaia.

nullo spendio ferci.

Assai la voce lor chiaro

Quando vengono

duo punti del

a'

Ove colpa contraria

abbaia,

l'

li

cerchio,

45

dispaia.

Questi fur Cherci, che non han coperchio

Filoso al capo, e Papi e Cardinali,

In cui usa avarizia

il

suo soperchio.

42. Ferci, ci fecero;

made

there,

in their

i.e.

first life.

'

Saw every thing so falsely,

made any right use

other,

and cry

"

Why holdest, or
Why throwor, Why squan-

that they never

graspest thou ?" and "

of their wealth.

est

"^

When

thou away ?"

derest thou

they strike against each

INFERNO.

74

And

CANTO

" Master, amongst such,

VII.

might surely

recognise some that were defiled with these vices."

And

he

me

to

'^
:

their undiscerning

makes them

Thou

gatherest vain thoughts

which made them

life,

now
To

vile,

obscure for any recognition.

too

eternity they shall continue butting one another.^

all

These

from their graves with closed

shall arise

and these with

wasted^ hair.

Ill-giving,

keeping, has deprived them of the

put them to

see the brief

Ed

io

conflict

this

adorn no words

egli a

ben riconoscere

io

my

Son, mayest

that are

com-

me

50

alcuni,

di cotesti mali.

Vani pensieri aduni

vita,

che

ogni conoscenza or

li

i f'

sozzi,

fa bruni.

In eterno verranno agli due cozzi

55

Questi risurgeranno del sepulcro

Col pugno chiuso, e questi

Mal

dare, e

Ha
Or

mal tener

lo

co' crin mozzi.

mondo

pulcro

tolto loro, e posti a questa zuffa

Qual

ella sia, parole

non

appulcro.

ci

60

puoi, figliuol, veder la corta buffa

De' ben, che son commessi alla Fortuna,

Lit.

" they shall

come

to the

two buttings."
^

fists

The
;

prodigals,

Their prodigality, or their avahas deprived them of Heaven.

rice,

avaricious, with

the

ill-

conflict it is, I

mockery of the goods

La sconoscente

Ad

what a

and

world,^ and

fair

But thou,

to tell.^

Che furo immondi

Ed

fists

Maestro, tra questi eotali

Dovrei

'

closed

with their

very hair " shorn off," or wasted.

Their case

and needs no

mine

to set

it

is

clear

ornate

forth.

enough

words of

CANTO

human kind

Fortune, for which, the

unto

initted

contend with one another.^

is

75

INFERNO.

VII.

gold that

]Bor all the

beneath the moon, or ever was, could not give

one of these weary souls."
" Master," I said to him, " now tell

rest to a single

this

to

me

"

ignorance that

my

thee to receive

wisdom

is

foolish creatures,

falls

is

transcendant over

Per che

tutto

the heavens

so that every part

umana gente

1'

great

made

all,

how

Now I wish
her.
He whose

upon ye

judgment^ of

and gave them guides -^

Che

what

may

shine

rabbuffa.

si

oro, eh' sotto la luna,

E che gi fu, di queste anime stanche

Non poterebbe farne posar una.
Maestro, dissi

lui,

or

mi

di'

anche

Qd

Questa Fortuna, di che tu mi tocche.

Che

che

quegli a

ben

me

del

mondo ha

tra

branche

creature sciocche,

Quanta ignoranza

Or

70

quella che vi offende

che tu mia sentenza ne imbocche.

vo'

Colui, lo cui saver tutto trascende.

Fece

e die lor chi

li cieli,

conduce,

72. Imbocche, take into thy

more

Or,

literally

" scuffle

Lit.

"I wish

judgment of her
and speak

it

thee to take

into thy

forth.

mouth.

Gave

to each of the celestial

spheres, or " nine moveable hea-

with one another."

^

?"

And he
this

also

good things of the world thus within

she, that has the

is

me

Fortune, of which thou hintest to

her claws

me

my

mouth;"

vens," an Angelic Intelligence to

guide
&e.

its

course. Conv. Tr.

and Parad.

ii.

xxviii. 77.

c. 2,

INFERNO.

76
every

to

like

manner,

In

equally distributing the light.

part,i

for

worldly splendours, he ordained a

general minister and guide f to change betimes the

vain possessions, from people to people, and from
one kindred to another, beyond the hindrance of

Hence one people commands,

human wisdom.

obeying her sentence, which

other languishes;

hidden

anis

Your know-

like the serpent in the grass.

She provides, judges,

and maintains her kingdom, as the other gods^ do

ledge cannot withstand her.

S] eh'

1^

ogni parte ad ogni parte splende,

Distribuendo ugualmente la luce

Similemente

agli

splendor mondani

Ordin general ministra e duce.

Che permutasse
Di gente

tempo

in gente, e d'

ben

li

uno

Seguendo

Che

80

in altro sangue,

umani

Oltre la difension de' senni

Per eh' una gente impera,

vani,

altra langue,

1'

lo giudicio di costei.

occulto,

come

in erba

1'

Vostro saver non ha contrasto a

angue.
lei

85

Ella provvede, giudica, e persegue

Suo regno, come

loro gli altri Dei.

That each of these spheres

may come round

and,

il

in its

due time

amongst other things, shine

St.

Augustine says

tate

De CiviAnd Dante

{Pyrrluis)

vocahat Fortu-

Dei,

Heram

lib.

nam, qiiam causnm melius

on every part of our earth.

^

v.

Ubet Spiritimm voluntati.

Nos

ens

cnusas, quce dicimtur fortuitce (unde

etiam Fortuna nomen accepit), non

et rectius

nos Divinam Providentiam appella-

mns. Monarchia,
^

"These

lib.

ii.

p. 110.

Celestial Intelligences

dicimus millas, sed latentes, casque

Plato

named

tribuimns, vel veri Dei, vel quorum-

much

as to say

Ideas,

which

is

as

Forms. The Gen-

CANTO

Her

theirs.

permutations have no truce.

makes her be

swift;

This

change.

is

so

and hears

it

Necessity

come things requiring

oft

who

she,

by those who ought to

wrongfully, and with
bliss,

77

INFERNO.

VII.

much

so

is

reviled,^

even

when blaming her

words.
But she is in

praise her,
evil

With

not.

the

Primal

other

Creatures joyful, she wheels her sphere, and tastes

her blessedness.^

" But

Already every

when we

now descend

us

let

star

greater misery.

was ascending

that

falling,

is

to

entered;^ and to stay too long

is

not per-

mitted."

Le sue permutazion non hanno triegue

Necessit la fa esser veloce

90

S spesso vien chi vicenda consegue.

Quest'

colei, eh'

Pur da

color,

che

tanto posta in croce

dovrian dar lode.

le

Dandole biasmo a torto

Ma

ella

Con

beata, e ci

s'

1'

mala voce.

non ode

prime creature

altre

Volve sua spera, e beata

si

gode.

tiles

called

il

them gods and god-

Conv. Tr.

desses."

mossi, e

ii.

c. 5.

Vide

also Parad. xxviii. 121.

'

Lit.

" So

oft

put on the

cross."
^
2

"when

to lead thee in.

1)een six

troppo star

It

See

si vieta.

past

therefore

is

cantos

136,

i.

bliss.

moved myself,"
The Poets have

hours in getting thus

far.

midnight.

and

ii.

1.

Dante, as we shall

see, generally

indicates the time

by noting po-

sitions of the stars,

Or: Blessed, enjoys her

Lit.

piet.

che saliva

stella cade,

Quando mi

95

lieta

Or discendiamo omai a maggior

Gi ogni

&c.

And

must always be remembered,

the time of the Vision

vernal

Equinox

is

that

near the

so that the days

and nights are of equal length.

it

78

INFERNO.

We

crossed the circle, to the other bank

a spring, that boils

which

it

far

than

all

it

has

grey malignant shores.^

stood intent on looking, saw

ple in that bog,

They were

a cleft,

named Styx, when

is

to the foot of the

who

I,

near

This dreary streamlet

a strange path.

a Marsh, that

descended

And

The water was darker

VII.

we, accompanying the dusky waves, en-

down by

makes

and pours down through

has. formed.

And

perse.^

tered

CANTO

muddy

peo-

naked and with a look of anger.

smiting each other, not with hands only,

but with head, and with chest, and with feet ; maiming one another with their teeth, piece by piece.
Noi ricidemmo
Sovr'

una

il

cerchio

all'

fonte, che bolle, e riversa

Per un fossato che da

lei diriva.

L' acqua era buia molto pi che persa

noi, in

compagnia

Entrammo

Una palude
Questo

100

altra riva

gi per

fa,

dell'

una

che ha

bige,

105

via diversa.

nome

tristo ruscel,

onde

Stige,

quando disceso

Al pie delle maligne piagge grige.

Ed

io,

che a rimirar mi stava inteso.

110

Vidi genti fangose in quel pantano,

fgnude
Questi

Ma

si

tutte, e

con sembiante

offeso.

percotean non pur con mano,

con

la testa, e col petto, e co' piedi,

Troncandosi coi denti a brano a brano.

'

Perse

is

a purple-black co-

See note 3d,

lour.

Hinc

p. 54.

via Tartarei feri

rontis

ad undas.

coeno

vastdque

iat

Ache-

Turbidus

voragine

estuai, atque omnem Cocyto eruc-

Ine

gurges

arenam. uEii.

vi.

295.

Cocyti

stagna alta vides, Stygiamque pahc-

dem.

Ib.

Georg,

ii.

323.
179.

Colles

waligni.

CANTO

79

INFERNO.

VII.

The kind Master

of those

whom

have thee

said

^^

anger overcame.
believe

to

bubble

say

we

Sullen were

also I

that

who

would

there

sob,

may

are

and make,
thee,

tell

Fixed in the slime, they

turns.

it

And

thy eye

at the surface; as

whichever way

see the souls

certain,

for

people underneath the water,

it

now

Son,

in the sweet air, that

glad-

is

dened by the Sun,^ carrying lazy smoke within our

hearts

This

now lie we sullen here in

hymn they gurgle in their

cannot speak

it

L'

anime

Che

sotto

1'

ira

che tu per certo credi.

vo'

sospira,

pullular quest' acqua al sununo.

occhio

Hmo

dice u' che

ti

dicon

Tristi

fummo
s'

Portando dentro accidioso

fummo

ci attristiam

allegra,

nella belletta negra.

Che

posson con parola integra.

Some

si

editions read

muddy

del Sol

him

the

than

is

love

trouble herte."

hevy, thoughtful, and wrawe.

Tale.

maken

ire

in

which

herte,

bitternesse

bitternesse

is

motlier of accidie, and benimeth

'

"

water.

of all goodnesse

accidie the anguish of a

"Accidie, or slouth, maketh a

Envie and

125

gorgoglian nella strozza,

allegra, "rejoices in the sun."

man

Quest' inno
dir noi

120

aggira.

s'

124. Belletta, deposit, seUliiigs of

Neil' aer dolce che dal Sol

Or

they

115

Figlio, or vedi

r acqua ha gente che

E fanno
Come r
Fitti nel

disse

di color cui vinse

Ed anche

throats, for

in full words."

Lo buon Maestro

5'

the black mire.'^

:'-

He

ChaMcer.Persones

hath cast

mire." Job xxx. 19.

deep mire." Ps.

me

into the

" I sink in

Ixix. 2.

INFERNO.

80
Thus, between

tlie

CANTO

dry bank and the putrid

eyes turned towards those that swallow of

We

came

Cos

to the foot of a

girammo

tower

Con

Mezro

dose

e),

when

al pie d'

(with the

una

e stretta,

il

mezzo.

a chi del fango ingozza.

or

a term applied to an apit is

filth.

della lorda pozza

gli ocelli volti

Venimmo

its

at last.

Grand' arco, tra la ripa secca e

ple

fen,^

compassed a large arc of that loathly slough, with

Ave

'

VII.

beginning to rot

torre al dassezzo.

and from that transferred

130

to other

things in the same state. See Landino, Vellutello,

&c.

ARGUMENT.
Before reaching the high tower, the Poets have observed two flamesignals rise from

distance
to ferry

its

summit, and another make answer

them

over.

They enter

On

marsh, or Fifth Circle.

mud,

addj-esses Dante,

and

Dante begins

to hear a

bark

his

is

sound of lamentation

had come out of

find occupied

fire.

by

sail

across the broad

all

covered with
It is Filippo

who had been much noted

and brutal anger.

forward, through the grim vapour

admittance.

and

recognised by him.

that the City of Dis (Satan, Lucifer)

These they

the passage, a spirit,

Argenti, of the old Adimari family

his ostentation, arrogance,

as if they

at a great

and now they see Phlegyas, coming with angry rapidity

is

for

After leaving him,

;

and Virgil

getting near.

and discerns

its

him

looks

pinnacles, red,

Phlegyas lands them

a host of fallen angels,

tells

He

at the gates.

who deny them

INFERNO.

82

CANTO
SAY continuing,^

CANTO

Vili.

Vili.

we reached

long before

that,

the foot of the high tower, our eyes went upwards

to its

put

summit, because of two flamelets,^ that we saw

and another from

there,

back ; so

And I,
" What
the Sea^ of all knowledge, said
and what replies yon other light? And
eye could scarcely catch

far that the

turning to

it.

says this?

who

far give signal

made

are they that

And he

to

it

?"

me " Upon
:

the squalid waves, already

Io dico seguitando, eh' assai prima

Che noi fussimo

Gh

al pie dell' alta torre,

occhi nostri n' andar suso alla cima,

Per due fiammette che vedemmo porre,

un' altra da lungi render cenno,

Tanto, che a pena

Ed

io, rivolto al

Dissi

Ed

'

1'

occhio torre.

di tutto

il

senno.

Questo che dice

Queir

mar

potea

il

altro foco

egli a

me

e chi

Su per

le

Continuing the account of the

Wrathful, &c,, begun in the preceding canto

which

is

the

first

that ends without completing the

subject treated in

che risponde

son quei che

fenno

il

sucide onde

sentinels,

10

The

ried over.
is

an

city of Lucifer

from
3

it.

The two flames indicate

two persons are come to be
*

it

its

outpost of the

and

is

separated

by the wide marsh.

Virgil,

"who knew

who

all" (canto

" did honour to every

that

vii.

3)

fer-

art

and science."

tower, with

Canto

iv.

73.

CANTO

INFERNO.

Vili.

tliou

mayest discern what

of the fen conceal

it

is

83

expected^^

not from thee."

Never did cord impel from

ran through the
I

the vapour

if

an arrow, that

itself

air so quickly, as a little

bark which

saw come towards us then, under the guidance of

who

a single steersman,

cried

"

Now

art

thou

ar-

rived, fell spirit ?"

my

" Phlegyas,2 Phlegyas," said

thou

Thou

criest in vain.

we

than while

And

has been

who

done

to

fummo

il

hears some great deceit which

him, and then deeply grieves

del pantan noi

Corda non pin se mai da

Che

ti

aspetta,

nasconde.

se saetta.

una nave

io vidi

Venir per
Sotto

s'

corresse via per F aer snella.

Com'

time

have us longer

shalt not

Gi puoi scorgere quello che

Se

this

pass the wash."

one

as

Lord, "

il

1'

piccioletta

acqua verso noi in quella,

governo

Che gridava

Or

un

d'

sol galeoto.

giunta,

se'

anima

fella

Flegis, Flegis, tu gridi a vto.

Disse lo mio Signore, a questa volta

Pi non

loto.

ci avrai, se

non passando

il

20

Quale colui che grande inganno ascolta

Che

gli sia fatto, e

21. Il

'

What

made
2

poi se ne rammarca,

loto,

temple of Apollo.

the signals have been

miserrimus

for.

magna

Phlegyas, the angry ferryman

of the marsh,

the wash.

is

he who burnt the

&c.

ovmes

testatur

Mn.

vi.

Phlegyasque
Admoet,

et

voce per umbras,

61S.

84

INFERNO.

grew Phlegyas

thereat; such

My

Guide descended

me

enter after

Soon

seem laden.^
boat,

him

CANTO

in his gathered rage.^

and then made

into the skiff,

and not

my

as

Vili.

was

till

Guide and

did

in,

it

were in the

prow went on, cutting more of the

wont with others.

ancient

its

water than

it is

Whilst we were running through the dead channel, there rose before

Who

"

art thou, that

And

who

thou,

He
weep.

him

I to

me

one

mud, and

comest

" If I come, I stay

But

not.

am one

Avho

"*

Tal

Flegis nell' ira accolta.

si fe'

Lo Duca mio

E
E

sol,

quand'

Segando
Dell'

io fui dentro,

Duca ed

il

se

25

discese nella barca,

poi mi fece entrare appresso

Tosto che

ne va

io nel
1'

lui,

parve carca.

legno

fui.

antica prora

acqua pi che non suol con

Mentre noi correvam

Dinanzi mi

si

fece

la

30

altrui.

morta gora,

un pien

di fango,

E disse Chi se' tu, che vieni anzi ora ?

Ed io a lui S' io vegno, io non rimango
:

Ma

tu chi

Rispose

'

ness

is

By

sei,

to

s sei

fatto brutto

3.5

Vedi che son un che piango.

that

changed into

doomed

che

had come

his expectation

when he hears

are not
^

The eager rage

upon Phlegyas in
of prey,

so foul ?"

become

" Thou seest that

said

before thy time ?"

art thou, that hast

answered

of

full

hitter sad-

that the Poets

remain.

the weight of his living

Gemuit sub pondere cymha

body.
Sufilis,
^

&c.

Will not

Mn

vi.

tell his

none but the basest

to do
bati.

413.

name

which

spirits refuse

such as Bocca degli Ab-

Canto xxxii. 76-112.

CANTO

INFERNO.

Vili.

And

him

I to

row, accursed

85

" With weeping, and with

continue thou

spirit,

For

sor-

know

thee, all filthy as thou art."

Then he
the

stretched both hands to the boat; whereat

wary Master thrust him

among

there,

saying

off,

And

!"^

the other dogs

"

Away

he put his

arms about my neck, kissed my face, and said

" Indignant soul blessed be she that bore thee.^
:

In your world, that was

Good
him

there

is

so is his

none

an

arrogant personage.

ornament the memory of

to

shadow here

How many

in fury.

up there^ now deem themselves great

Ed

io a lui

Con piangere

Spirito maledetto,

Ch'

io

rimani

Per che

il

Dicendo

collo poi

Baciommi

ambe

al

mani

le

Maestro accorto

lo sospinse,

gli altri cani.

con

mi

il

le

braccia

volto, e disse
te

mondo persona

cinse,

Alma sdegnosa.

s'

Quanti

Among

si

ombra sua qui

orgogliosa

^
l

worrying one another like dogs.

fregi

furiosa.

tengon or lass gran

thy fellows, that keep

45

incinse.

Bont non che sua memoria

Cos r

40

Via cost con

Benedetta colei che in

Quei fu

lutto,

conosco, ancor sie lordo tutto.

ti

Allora stese al legno

Lo

ti

con

kings,^ that

"*

regi,

"There above;" in your world,

Kings in a general sense
:

'^

Virgil

commends Dante

for

the high indignation and disgust,

which he manifests on recognising

this chief representative of

empty

arrogance, rage, and disorder.

men prominent
qualities,

for

and worthy

their
to

great

be kings.

See the comments of Boccaccio,

Landini, &c.
opes

Rcgevi non faciunt

.... Non auro

nitidce fores

INFERNO.

86
shall

He here

dipped in

And

we

this lee, ere

he

!"

Master, I should be glad^ to see him

^^

me

to

'^
:

view, thou shalt be

quit the lake."

Before the shore comes to thy

satisfied.

It is fitting that

thou

A little

after

shouldst be gratified in such a wish."

this, I

Vili.

swine in mire, leaving behind

like

them horrible contemnings

And

CANTO

saw the muddy people make such rending of

now I praise and thank God for it.

To Filippo Argenti !"2 The wrathful

him, that even

All cried

^^

Che qui staranno come porci

Di

Ed

se lasciando orribili dispregi

io

attuffare in questa broda,

Prima che noi uscissimo

egli a

me

Ti

si lasci

tal disio converr

veder, tu sarai sazio

alle

qui posuit metus,

Et

Tutti gridavano

est,

pectoris,

estes,

fangose genti,

60

ne ringrazio.

Filippo Argenti.

diri

Seneca, Thy-

&c.

chorus, act

Glad

che tu goda.

Che Dio ancor ne lodo

mala

55

ci poco, vidi quello strazio

Far di costui

Rex

del lago.

Avanti che la proda

Di

Dopo

Maestro, molto sarei vago

Di vederlo

Ed

50

in brago.

ride,

{Argento)

and from

rived his

ii.

to see his brutal rage

its due consummation in the

mud, though infinitely above
caring for him personally.

shod with Silver

he used to

man

surname.

this he de-

He

was a

of large size, dark and sin-

have

ewy, and of marvellous strength

vile

and beyond

Filippo

Cavicciuli
the

Adimari

that he

and

"

others

choleric,

ewen on the slightest occasions.

of the

And

except

branch of

tion

of any thing that he did."

Argenti was

family

all

vi^as

so rich

had the horse, on which

this, there is

Boccaccio Com.

G.

ix.

Nov.

8.

no men-

See also Decani.

INFERNO.

CANTO Via.

87

Ms

Fiorentine spirit turned with.

teeth upon himself.

Here we left him, so that of him I speak no more.

But in my ears a lamentation smote me, whereat

my

I bent

And

eyes^ intently forwards.

Master said

Now,

'^
:

Son, the city^ that

Dis draws nigh, with the heavy

the kind

named

is

of

with the

citizens,

great company."^

And

" Master, already I discern

red as

distinctly there within the valley,

mosques,

its

if

they had

come out of fire."

And

me he

The
ward burns them, shews them
to

said

*^

eternal fire, that in-

red, as thou seest, in

this low^ Hell."

Lo Fiorentino

spirito bizzarro

In se medesmo
Quivi

lasciammo, che pi non ne narro

il

Ma

negli orecchi

Per eh'

il

mi percosse un

io avanti intento

buon Maestro

S'

volgea co' denti.

si

disse

duolo.

idD

occhio sbarro.

1'

Omai,

figliuolo,

nome

appressa la citt che ha

Dite,

Co' gravi cittadin, col grande stuolo.

Ed

io

Maestro, gi

le

entro certo nella valle cerno

come

Vermiglie,
Fossero.

Ed

Ch' entro

Come

ei

mi

se di fuoco uscite

disse

le affoca, le

'

Lit: " I unbar

my

eye," &c.

Compare JS.

vi.

541-556,

viii.

86)

foco eterno,

dimostra rosse.

guilt (canto vi.

and very numerous.

Low,

bottom

Canto
is

ix.

7'

or deep Hell

" bottom"
**

667.

Heavy with

Il

tu vedi in questo basso inferno.

and

70

sue meschite

(canto
of the
16.

vi.

called the

86)

the

dismal shell."

The whole

of

it

occupied by the city to which

INFERNO.

88

We

now

that joyless

The
Not

city.

we come

did

loudly cried to us

Above

Go
who

that,

as

if

a long cir-

where the boatman

here

me

is

the entrance."

more than a thousand

the gates I saw

rained from Heaven,^

is

out

to

making

before

a place

to

"

seemed

walls

Vili.

which moat

arrived in the deep fosses,

they were of iron.

cuit,

CANTO

angrily exclaimed

spirits,
"*

Who

who, without death, goes through the king-

dom of the dead ?"

And my sage Master made

a sign of wishing to

Then they somewhat

" Come thou
and said

speak with them in secret.

great disdain,

hid^ their

Noi pur giugnemmo dentro

Che

all' alte

fosse,

vallan quella terra sconsolata

Le mura mi parea, che

ferro fosse.

Non senza prima far grande aggirata,

Venimmo in parte, dove il nocchier,
Uscite, ci grid
pivi di

Io vidi

Dal

forte,

entrata.

che stizzosamente

Chi costui, che senza morte

Va per lo regno della morta gente ?

E il savio mio Maestro fece segno
Di voler

disser

Vien tu

now approaching.
The upper Hell consists of the
Five Circles which they have

In canto

xi.

il

gran disdegno,

solo, e

the Poets are

ready passed.

85

lor parlar segretamente.

AUor chiusero un poco

80

mille in sulle porte

ciel piovuti,

Dicean

qui

1'

quei sen vada,

more

fully explained

al-

Angels

16,

Lit.

&c. this division of Hell will be

by the Poet

himself.

dain."

fallen

from Heaven.

" closed their great dis-

CANTO

alone

and

let

him

try, if

hast escorted

who

go,

has entered so daringly

Let him return alone his foolish

kingdom.

into this

way

89

INFERNO.

Vili.

he can

thou shalt stay here, that

for

him through

Judge, Reader,

if I

of the accursed words

should return by

dark a country."

so

was discouraged

at the

for I believed not that I ever

O my

"

it.

loved Guide,

more than seven times hast restored me

and rescued from deep
leave

me

sound

to

safety,^

peril that stood before

not so undone," I said

" and

who

if to

go

me,
far-

ther be denied us, let us retrace our steps together

rapidly."

And

that Lord,

Che
Sol

si

who had

led

Provi se sa

Che

thither, said to

ardito entr per questo regno

ritorni per la folle strada

si

me

scorto

Nel suon

90

che tu qui rimarrai,

V hai per

Pensa, Lettor,

io

s'

mi

buia contrada.

disconfortai

delle parole maledette

95

Ch' io non credetti ritornarci mai.

caro

Duca mio, che

pii di sette

Volte m' hai sicurt renduta, e tratto

D' alto periglio che incontra mi

Non mi lasciar,
E se r andar
Ritroviam

E
Lit.

to

diss' io, cos disfatto

me."

indefinite

100

pi oltre m' negato,

orme nostre insieme

quel Signor, che

ratto.

m' avea menato.

" Hast given back safety

painfully seeking, as

The expression "more

mentators have done, what seven

than seven times"

And

1'

stette,

number.

there

is

no

is

put for

any-

dangers these could be from which

Dante had been delivered by Vir-

Boccac. Com.
necessity

for

some com-

gil.

i2

INFERNO.

90

me " Fear

not

us

wait here for

it

been given

me and

with good hope

in the

low world."

for I will not forsake thee

Thus the gentle Father

I remain in doubt

my

within

goes,

me

here.

yes and no contend

for

and leaves

I could not hear that

head.

which he

But he had not long stood with

oifered to them.

them,

But thou,

to us.^

comfort and feed thy wearied

spirit

And

Vili.

none can take from

for our passage

by Such has

CANTO

when they

all,

vying with one another, rushed

These our adversaries closed the gates on

in again.^

my

the breast of

Master,

me

turned towards

who remained

without

and

with slow steps, his brows shorn

Mi disse Non temer, che il nostro passo

Non ci pu torre alcun da tal n' dato.
:

Ma

qui m' attendi

105

e lo spirito lasso

Conforta e ciba di speranza buona,

Ch'

io

non

lascer nel

ti

mondo

basso.

Cos sen va, e quivi m' abbandona

Lo dolce padre, ed

Che

il s,

il

io

rimango in forse

ei

non

stette l

con

le

si ricorse.

115

porte quei nostri avversari

Nel petto

essi guari.

Che ciascun dentro a pruova

Chiuser

al

rivolsesi a

110

no nel capo mi tenzona.

Udir non potei quello che a lor porse

Ma

mio Signor, che fuor rimase,

me

con passi

rari.

Gli occhi alla terra, e le cigha avea rase

'

By such

high authority,

by Celestial Wisdom.
p. 17,

&c.

Canto

i.e.
ii.

A pruova,

trying

who

**

Certatim."

could get in

Blind with rage.

Or,
first.

CANTO

of

boldness, and said with sighs

all

me

nied

91

INFEllNO.

Vili.

"

And

the woful houses?"^

Who

hath de-

me

he said:

to

" Thou, be not discouraged at my anger for I shall

master the trial, whatever be contrived within for
;

This insolence of theirs

hindrance.

they shewed

for

it

once

And

inscription.^

at a less secret gate, that still

Over

found unbarred.

is

new

nothing

is

thou sawest the dead

it

already, on this side of

comes

it,

down the steep, passing the circles without escort.

One by whom the city shall be opened to us."^
D' ogni baldanza, e dicea ne' sospiri

Chi m' ha negate

120

case?

le dolenti

Ed a me disse Tu, perch' io m' adiri.

Non sbigottir, eh' io vincer la pruova,
:

Qual

eh' alla difension dentro

aggiri.

s'

Questa lor tracotanza non nuova.

Che

r usaro a

gi

men

segreta porta,

La qual senza serrame ancor

gi di

qua da

lei

discende

25

trova.

si

Sovr' essa vedestti la scritta morta

1'

erta.

Passando per H cerchi senza scorta

Tal, che per lui

ne

127.

Queis fortuna

In patriam reditus.
^

The gate of

which
tion.

is

fia la

Vedest, vedesti tu.

negdrat

JEn. x. 435.
entrance,

130

terra aperta.

over

seen the dark inscrip-

Virgil tells Dante that the

demons opposed

the entrance of

Christ into Hell.

In the service

of Easter eve
are

these

mortis,

et

(''

words
seras

sabbato santo"),
:

Hodie

pariter

portas
Salvator

ioster disrupit.
3

Lit.

" Such,

that

by him

the city shall be opened to us."

The Angel who

is

coming.

ARGUMENT.

Dante grows pale with

the gate, repulsed

fear

when he

sees his

Guide come hack from

hy the Demons, and disturbed

in countenance.

Virgil endeavours to encourage him, hut in perplexed and broken

words, which only increase his

of Lucifer in their
pear,

puts

Virgil bids

and screens him from the sight of it.

The Angel,

Virgil has been expecting,

all

then go
all

They cannot enter the City

The three Furies suddenly ap-

fear.

strength.

and threaten Dante with the head of Medusa.

him turn round

whom

own

the
in,

Demons

to flight,

comes across the angry marsh

and opens the gates.

without any opposition

covered with burning sepulchres.

in the sepulchres are

of every sect.

and they

The Poets turn

find a wide plain,

It is the Sixth Circle

punished the Heretics, with

The Poets

and

all their followers,

to the right hand,

tween the flaming tombs and the high walls of the

and go on be-

city.

INFERNO.

94

CANTO
That

my

saw

him more quickly

in

not lead him

dense fog.

Oh how

to us. 2

come

air

and the

to gain

this bat-

such help was offered

me

seems

it

till

some

one-^

f"
I

Quel

mi pin se,

color che vilt di fuor

Veggendo

il

Duca mio

Pi tosto dentro
Attento

si

il

tornare in volta,

suo nuovo ristrinse.

ferm, com'

uom

che ascolta

Che r occhio noi potea menare

a lunga

Per r aer nero, e per

folta.

la

Pure a noi converr vincer

Cominci

Oh

ei

me

Punga, pugna

The paleness " which cowme,"

made my Guide, in order to restore my courage, " more quickly
repress within him the new co'

ardice painted outwardly on

lour," which that repulse of the

Demons had

nebbia
la

se non... tal

quanto tarda a

7.

also

stopped

eye could

for his

behoves us

it

long to

He

colour.^

listens

" If not

he began.

tle,"

new

his

through the black

far,

" Yet

my

Guide turn back, repressed

one who

attentive, like

IX.

IX.

cowardice painted on

colour which

when

face,

CANTO

given him.

Finse

means "thrust, or urged."

punga.

ne

offerse.

s'

giunga

eh' altri qui

as venga, vegna, &c.

Lit.

" Such

{i.e.

Beatrice, or

Divine Wisdom) offered herself to

If

us."
battle

we

are not to gain the

but

that

is

impossible,

considering the help that has been

promised to
3

Altri,

us.

some

See verse 81

higher

and note

Power.

1st, p. 54.


CANTO

INFERNO.

IX.

95

saw well how he covered the beginnmg^ with

came

the other that

which were words

after^

dif-

But not the less his language gave me fear; for perhaps I drew his broken
" Into
speech to a worse meaning than he held.
fering from the

this

bottom of the dreary shell/ does any ever de-

scend from the

is

first.

hope cut

first

degree, whose only punishment

ofi"?"

This question I made, and he replied to

" E-arely

it

occurs that any of us makes this journey

on which I go.

Io vidi ben,

once before I was

It is true, that

com'

Lo cominciar con
Che fur parole

Ma

me

ei

ricoperse

1'

altro,

alle

nondimen paura

che poi venne.

prime diverse.
suo dir dienne.

il

Perch' io traeva la parola tronca

Forse a peggior sentenzia, eh'

In questo fondo della

trista

ei

non tenne.

15

conca

Discende mai alcun del primo grado,

Che

pena ha

sol per

Questa question
Incontra,

Faccia

il

Vero che

mi

fee' io

altra fiata

that

quaggi

ne diede.

'''Shell,

some

sential

we have

from the resemblance

shells

have to the es-

form of Hell
said, is

e quei

Di rado

cammino alcun per quale

The beginning: " If not"

*'
Such help," &c.

with the
2

rispose, che di nui

13. Dienne,

'

la speranza cionca ?

which, as

broad above, and

20
io vado.

fui

20. Nui, noi.

below grows narrower." Boccaccio

Com.

Dante, in his

terror, puts

this indirect question to ascertain

whether Virgil has

been

down

from Limbo before, and knows

the way.

96

INFERNO.

down

by

here, conjured

CANTO

the shadows to their bodies.

My

but short time divested of me,

when

That

recalled

had been

flesh

made me

she

draw out a

enter within that wall, to

the Circle of Judas.^

who

Erictho/

fell

IX.

spirit

from

the lowest place, and

is

the most dark, and farthest from the Heaven,^ which

encircles

Well do

all.

know

way

the

so reassure

This marsh, which breathes the mighty

thyself.

stench,

round begirds the doleful

all

we cannot now

And more

city,

where

enter without anger."

he said

but I have

it

not in

memory

Congiurato da quella Eriton cruda,

Che

ricliiamava

Di poco era
Ch'

ella

me

di

mi

1'

ombre

la carne

corpi sui.

a'

25

nuda,

fece entrar dentro a quel

muro,

Per trarne un spirto del cerchio di Giuda.

Queir

il

Ben

il

pi basso loco, e

il

pi oscuro,

pi lontan dal Ciel che tutto gira

so

il

cammin

Questa palude, che

Cinge

d'

il

per

ti

gran puzzo spira.

intorno la citt dolente,

altro disse,

Erictho,

'

And Ovid
quam

vi.

men-

Sappilo

Erichtho

Phaoni,

ciijus

venefica

Ovid.

sense

Crispin.

to have

139.

mu-

Com.

Dante here uses the name

same general

and probably takes some

respecting Virgil,

who was thought

been a great magician.

The Giudecca, where

the worst

kind of traitors are placed.

nometi hic pro qudlibet

ponitur.

old tradition of the middle ages

Impulit.
v.

ho a mente

ira.

of Erictho in the

508, &c.

Feneficils famosa fuit Thessala

lier

1'

Illuc mentis mops, ut

furialis

Epist.

ma non

a sorceress,

Lucan,

tioned by

30

fa securo.

U' non potemo entrare omai senz'

Ed

canto xxxiv. 117.

^

The Empyreal Heaven.

Vide

CANTO

for

97

INFERNO.

IX.

my

eye had drawn

me

wholly

with glowing summit, where

high tower

to the

once I saw erect

all at

three Hellish Furies, stained with blood

who had

women, and were girt with

For hair, they had little serpents

the limbs and attitude of

greenest hydras.

and

wherewith their horrid temples were

cerastes,^

bound.

And

knowing well the handmaids of the

he,

Queen^ of everlasting lamentation, said to me

" Mark the fierce Erynnis
This is Megsera on
:

the

hand

left

Perocch

Ver r

Ove

in

weeps upon the

she, that

1'

occhio m' avea tutto tratto

alta torre alla

un punto

is

35

cima rovente.

vidi dritte ratto

Tre furie infernal di sangue

tinte.

Che membra femminili aveano, ed

right,

con idre verdissime eran cinte

atto

40

SerpentelH e ceraste avean per crine.

Onde

le fiere

quei, che

tempie eran avvinte.

ben conobbe

Della Regina

Guarda, mi

dell'

le

meschine

eterno pianto.

45

disse, le feroci Erine.

Questa Megera dal

sinistro canto

Quella, che piange dal destro, Aletto

43. Meschine, serve, damigelle.

" Cerastes horn'd, Hydrus, and Elops

And

Dipsas

rebellion against God, and

;

once the

sults.
2

Par. Lost, x. 525.

vi.

of

its re-

not so thick swarm'd

soil

Bedropt with blood of Gorgon."

Lucan.

placed here as emblems

are

drear,

679, &c.

iv.

The Furies

Proserpine.
269.

379.

Dominam

See Par. Lost,

Ditis.

Mn.

vi.

INFERNO.

98
Tesiplione

Alecto.

with he was

CANTO

And

in the middle."

is

IX.

there-

silent.

With her

claws

each was rending her breast

they were smiting themselves with their palms, and

crying so loudly, that I pressed close to the Poet

" Let Medusa come, that we may change

for fear.

him

downwards.

into stone," they all cried, looking

" Badly did we avenge the assault of Theseus."^

" Turn thee backwards, and keep thy eyes shut

Gorgon shew

for if the

Thus

and thou shouldst

herself,

would be no returning up

see her, there

to

my

hands, but closed

Tesifone nel mezzo

Coir unghie

si

mi

io

fendea ciascuna

il

petto

noi

vengiammo

in Teseo

1'

se

Gorgon

il

mostra, e tu

si

assalto.

Volgiti indietro, e tien lo viso chiuso

Che

50

Gridavan tutte riguardando in giuso

Mal

s alto,

farem di smalto

s il

also

Poeta per sospetto.

strinsi al

Venga Medusa,

me

tacque a tanto.

Batteansi a palme, e gridavan

Ch'

again."

and he himself turned me,

said the Master,

and trusted not

il

55

vedessi.

Nulla sarebbe del tornar mai suso.

Cos disse

Mi

il

Maestro

volse, e

Che con

le

non

si

ed

tenne

Allusion to the descent

of

Theseus and Pirithous into Hell

and the escape of Theseus, by aid

of Hercules.

Other mortals ven-

as

mie mani.

alle

sue ancor non

58. Stessi, stesso

egli stessi

mi

elli

ture

60

chiudessi.

for elio, egli.

down

in consequence.

The

Sedet, cBternumque sedehit Infelix

Theseus

{Mn.

vi.

seem vengeance

617) does not

sufficient.


CANTO

99

INFERNO.

IX.-

with his own.

who have

ye,

sane intellects,

mark

the doctrine, which conceals itself beneath the veil

of the strange verses

And now

!^

there came,

upon the turbid waves,

a crash of fearful sound, at

trembled

sound

as of a

which the shores both

wind, impetuous for the

adverse heats,^ which smites the forest without any

stay

down, and sweeps

shatters off the boughs, beats

che avete

voi,

g' intelletti sani,

Mirate la dottrina, che

Sotto

il

asconde

s'

velame degli versi

strani.

gi venia su per le torbid' onde

Un

un suon pien

fracasso d'

Per cui tremavano ambedue

Non

altrimenti fatto che d'

Impetuoso per

Che

le

sponde

gli avversi ardori,

fier la selva

senza alcun rattento

69. Fier, ferisce

The very

against the

Almighty

Source of

nal consequences,

is

its eter-

too terrible

a thing not to be realised or

endured

without Divine

ance.

Compare

comes

over

after

assist-

fiere in canto x. 69.

the clear conviction that

it is

choose to satisfy themselves,

consult

not

Readers, who

Boccaccio,

the

Landino, Velutello,

&c.

may

Ottimo,
;

and,

amongst the more modern, Volpi,

Venturi, Lombardi, &c.

The Co-

that

mento Analitico of Rossetti, though

Dante, before

and

always acute and ingenious,

entering the vipper part of

rious reader of Dante.

Rushing towards the

new commentators

heated

say

concerning this passage, leads to

is far

too wild and absurd for any se-

careful perusal of what the

old and

70

fear

the

Hell, in cantos 2d, 3d, and 4th.

worth repeating.

light,

all

and

and peace, and joy

is

sight of hardened

rebellion against the

un vento

Li rami schianta, abbatte, e porta fuori

'

65

di spavento,

air,

antagonist.

as if

it

rarer,

were a great

INFERNO.

100

away

dusty in front,

loosed

my

IX.

goes superb, and makes the

it

wild beasts and the shepherds

He

CANTO

flee.

and said

eyes,

Now

"

turn thy

nerve of vision on that ancient foam, there where

the smoke

As
all

harshest."^

is

frogs, before

their

enemy

asunder through the water,

till

more than

the bottom; so I saw

the serpent, run

each squats^ upon

a thousand ruined

who passed the Stygian ferry

He waved that gross air from his

spirits flee before one,

with dry

feet.

hand before him ;

and only of that trouble seemed he weary. Well
did I perceive that he was a Messenger of Heaven ;
countenance, often moving his

left

Dinanzi polveroso va superbo,

fa fuggir le fiere e

mi

Gli occhi

li

pastori.

sciolse, e disse

Or

Del viso su per quella schiuma

Per indi ove quel

Come

le

fummo

rane innanzi

Biscia per V acqua

Fin eh'

alla terra

alla
si

drizza

il

nerbo

antica.

pi acerbo.

75

nimica

dileguan tutte.

ciascuna

s'

abbica

Vid' io pi di mille anime distrutte

Fuggir cos dinanzi ad un, che

al

passo

80

Passava Stige colle piante asciutte.

Dal volto rimovea

Menando

Or

la sinistra

innanzi spesso

sol di queU' angoscia parca lasso.

Ben m'

'

quell' aer grasso.

accorsi eh' egli era del Ciel messo,

densest

spirits are getting

where the

evil

out of sight.

"

Makes

8.5

a heap of itself," or

gathers itself up, on the bottom.

CANTO

INFERNO.

IX.

and I turned

to the

101

And

Master.

he made a sign

that I should stand quiet,

and bow down

Ah, how

me

he seemed to

full

of indignation

wand opened

reached the gate, and with a

in

him.

He

it

for

there was no resistance.

it
'^

he,

to

Outcasts

Heaven

of

upon the horrid

you

insolence in

'*

threshold.

Why

despised

race

frustrated,

and which

What

ye re-

e quei f' segno,

Ahi quanto mi parea pien

alla porta, e

non

L' aperse, che

if

ed inchinassi ad esso.

io stessi cheto,

Giunse

profits it to

Your Cerberus,

volsimi al Maestro

Ch'

dwells this
that Will,^

often has increased your pain?

?

began

at

spurn ye

whose object never can be

butt against the Fates

Why

!"

di disdegno

con una verghetta

90

ebbe alcun ritegno.

v'

cacciati del ciel, gente dispetta,

Cominci egh in su

1'

orribil soglia,

Ond' est oltracotanza in voi

Perch

ricalcitrate a quella voglia,

cui

che pi volte

non puote

Che giova

v'

mai esser mozzo,

fin

il

ha cresciuta doglia

nelle Fata dar di cozzo

Cerbero vostro, se ben

93.

.S"

The Angel

name of God
Demons and
;

si

mozzato, cut

avoids using the

in

95

vi ricorda,

annida,

alletta, si

95. AIozzo,

alletta ?

s'

and

addressing the

alberga.

off.

their loud

barking Cerberus,

in the verses that follow, as being

takes their Fates

the only terms

K
r

fit

for

them.

INFERNO.

102

member,
for

so."^

Then he returned by the

no word to us;^ but looked

way, and spake

filthy

one

like

whom

other

who

stand

care urges and incites than that of those

And we moved

before him.
city,

into

secure

encloses, as

And

strife.

sirous to behold the

tress

our feet towards the

We

sacred words.

the

after

without any

it

IX,

bears his chin and his throat peeled

still

doing

CANTO

condition^

entered

who was

de-

which such a

for-

soon as I was

I,

in, sent

my

eyes

around; and saw, on either hand, a spacious plain

full of

sorrow and of evil torment.

Ne
Poi

porta aticor pelato

si

H mento

il

gozzo.

100

rivolse per la strada lorda,

E non

f'

motto a noi

ma

f'

sembiante

D' uomo, cui altra cura stringa e morda.

Che

quella di colui che gli davante.

noi

movemmo

piedi in vr la terra,

Sicuri appresso le parole sante.

Dentro

Ed

v'

io, eh'

veggio ad ogni

Piena

di

tal fortezza serra.

1'

occhio intorno invio

duolo e di tormento

Alluding to the old fable of

Mn.
296.

berus with

which has
tareum

ille

the

todem in vincTa
solio

regis

threefold

chain,

mark
Tar{Hercules) manu cus-

left

its

petivit,

traxitque

man grande campagna

Hercules, and his dragging Cer-

avea di riguardar disio

La condizion che
Com' io fui dentro,

105

entrammo senza alcuna guerra

Ipsius

trementem.

110

rio.

vi.

395.

Come

to

See also -^n.

viii.

execute what has

been willed in Heaven, and not

to parley with us.
^

The

condition of those that

are within

it.

CANTO

103

INFERNO.

IX.

As

where the Rhone

at Aries,

stagnates, as at

Pola near the Quarnaro gulf, which shuts up Italy

and bathes

confines, the sepulchres^

its

make

all

the

place uneven; so did they here on every side, only

manner here was

the

tombs were

made
no

whereby they were

glowing -hot, that iron more hot

scattered flames,

over so

all

For amongst the

bitterer.

Their covers were

craft requires.

and out of them proceeded moans

all

raised

up

so grievous, that

they seemed indeed the moans of spirits sad and

wounded.

And
Si

^^

come ad

Master, what are these people who.

ove

Arli,

Rodano

il

stagna,

S com' a Pola presso del Quarnaro,

Che ItaHa chiude

Fanno

sepolcri tutto

suoi termini bagna.

il

loco varo

115

Cos facevan quivi d'ogni parte.

Salvo che

Che

il

modo

fiamme erano

tra gli avelli

Per

le quali

Che

eran

ferro pi

era pi

v'

amaro

sparte,

del tutto accesi.

non chiede verun'

arte.

120

Tutti gli lor coperchi eran sospesi,

fuor n' uscivan

Che ben parean

Ed

io

duri lamenti.

di miseri e d' offesi.

Maestro, quai son quelle genti,

115. Varo, vario, diseguale.

At

Aries, where the

stagnates before the sea

Pola, a

Rhone
and at

city of Istria, near

the

gulf of Quarnaro, there are nu-

merous mounds, which are supposed to have been sepulchres.

The old legends respecting them

are now quite obsolete.

INFERNO.

104

buried within those chests/ make themselves heard

by

their painful sighs ?"

And

he

me

to

" These are the Arch-heretics

with their followers of every sect

and much more,

than thou thinkest, the tombs are laden.

like is buried here

and

Like with

and the monuments are more

less hot."

Then,

after

turning to the right hand,

we

passed

between the tortures and the high battlements.

Che

seppellite dentro

da quell' arche

Si fan sentir coi sospiri dolenti

Ed

egli a

me

Qui son

125

gli eresiarche

Co' lor seguaci d' ogni setta, e molto

Pi che non credi, son

le

tombe carche.

Simile qui con simile sepolto

E
E

monimenti son

pi, e

men

man

destra

si

poi eh' alla

Passammo

The

Arche, arks,

term arca

to the

part

is

tra

chests,

martri e gli

coffers.

properly applied

of a

monument

in

130

caldi.

fu vlto.

alti spaldi.

which the bodies are deposited,

and which, with
a chest.

its lid,

resembles

ARGUMENT.

The Poets go
on their

open, inquires
in them.

city,

with the fiery tombs

and Dante, observing that the

lids of these are all

on, close

left

if it

by the wall of the

would be possible

to see the spirits contained

Virgil, understanding the full

question, tells

him

that the

import and object of his

Epicurean Heretics are

the part through which they are then passing

therefore soon have his wish gratified.

buried in

all

and that he

will

Whilst they are speaking,

whom Dante

the soul of Farinata, the great Ghibelline chief, of

has been thinking, addresses him from one of the sepulchres.

Farinata was the father-in-law of Guido Cavalcanti, Dante's most
intimate friend

Guido,
voice,

rises

up

and Cavalcante
in the

and looks round

de'

Cavalcanti,

the

to see if his

son

is

there.

Amongst

things. Farinata foretells the duration of Dante's exile

plains to

him how the

father

same sepulchre, when he hears the

spirits in

of

living

other

and ex-

Hell have of themselves no know-

ledge concerning events that are actually passing on earth, but

only of things distant, either in the past or the future.

106

INFERNO.

CANTO
Now

by

X.

narrow path, between the city-wall

and the torments, my Master goes on, and I behind

" O Virtue supreme who through the imhim.^
!

pious circles thus wheelest me, as

I

began

" speak

me, and

to

Might those people, who

be seen ? The covers all

it

pleases thee,"

my

satisfy

wishes.

within the sepulchres,

lie

are raised, and

none keeps

guard."

And

he

to

me

" All

be closed up, when,

shall

from Jehosaphat,^ they return here with the bodies

Ora

sen va per uno stretto

Tra

il

muro

della terra e

Lo mio Maestro, ed
virt

Mi

io

somma, che per

volvi, cominciai,

gente, che per

li

Potrebbesi veder
Tutti

Ed

egli

gli

Lit.

From

judgment

miei desiri.

coperchi, e nessun guardia face.

me

di losaphat qui torneranno

of that time, the

is

10

Tutti saran serrati,

to be held.

will also gather all nations,

will

te piace

gi son levati

phat, where, according to the ge-

last

a'

giri

sepolcri giace,

the valley of Jehosa-

neral opinion

empi

come a

"Behind his shoulders."

le spalle.

Quando

martri,

li

dopo

Parlami, e soddisfammi

La

calle,

" I

and

bring them down into the

of Jehosaphat,

valley

and

will

plead^ with them there

Let the heathen be wakened, and

come up
phat
all

Joel

to the valley of

Jehosa-

for there will I sit to

the
iii.

heathen
2, 12.

round

judge

about."

INFERNO.

which they have

left

107

In

above.

tombed with Epicurus

all his

the soul die with the body.

this part are

satisfaction

here within

Therefore to the ques-

and

who make

followers^

which thou askest me, thou

tion,

en-

have

shalt soon

which

also to the wish^

thou boldest secret from me."

And I " Kind Guide, I do not keep
:

my

heart

concealed from thee, except for brevity of speech,

which thou hast ere now^ disposed me."

to

*'

alive,

Tuscan

who through

the city of

speaking thus decorously

Coi corpi, che

lassii

hanno

may

fire

goest

please thee

it

lasciati.

Suo cimitero da questa parte hanno

Con Epicuro
Che r anima
Per

alla

tutti

suoi seguaci.

col corpo

dimanda che mi

morta fanno.

15

faci

Quinci entro soddisfatto sarai

tosto,

E al disio ancor, che tu mi taci.

Ed io Buon Duca, non tegno nascosto
:

te

tu m' hai

mio

cor, se

non per

dicer poco

non pur ora a

20

ci disposto.

Tosco, che per la citt del foco

Vivo ten vai csi parlando onesto.

Piacciati di ristare in questo loco.

Probably the wish to see Fa-

rinata.

has

now

79, &c. Dante

reached the " bottom,"

Canto

vi.

where Ciacco told him he might

find Farinata
this

and

is

reminded of

by hearing Virgil speak of

Epicurus.

See note,

p. 108.

Lit.

"

Not only now

;"

not

only by thy example and admonitions here (canto

ix.

86), but also

iii. 51, 76, and

by the old and

well-known brevity of thy

style,

" hast thou disposed

speak

little."

me

to

INFERNO.

108

Thy

to stop in this place.

speech clearly shews thee

Suddenly

vexed too much."

X.

country, which perhaps I

of that noble

a native

CANTO

this

sound issued from

one of the chests^ whereat in fear I drew a little closer

to

my Guide.
And he said

art

thou doing

himself erect.
see

him

me

to

Lo there Farinata who has raised

From the girdle upwards thou shalt
!^

all.''

my

Already I had fixed

La tua loquela

ti

look on his

and he

and countenance,

rising with a breast

was

What

Turn thee round.

^^
:

as if

25

fa manifesto

Di quella nobil patria

he

natio.

Alla qual forse fui troppo molesto.

Subitamente questo suono uscio

D' una

arche

dell'

per m' accostai.

Temendo, un poco pi

Ed

ei

mi

Vedi

disse

Volgiti

che

l Farinata,

al

che

s'

Dalla cintola in su tutto

Io avea gi

Ed

ei s'

il

mio

the time of Frederick II. and of

liberti

The

family

of

the

was one of the oldest and

most powerful

in

In

Florence,

the Chronicles of Malespini, Vil-

frequent

men-

lani,

&c. there

tion

made of Farinata and

is

vedrai.
;

35

ergea col petto e colla fronte.

leader of the Ghibellines in

Manfred.

dritto
il

30

fai ?

viso nel suo fitto

Farinata degli liberti, a fa-

mous

Duca mio.

his

deeds and sayings. Daring, clear-

prudent,

sighted,

he stood above

all

magnanimous,
the other Flo-

rentines

of his time

name he

left

and the

seems to have pro-

duced a deep impression

Dante.

upon

Boccaccio, Landini, and

others, tell us that

he denied the

immortality of the soul and belonged to the " sect of the Epi;

cureans."

CANTO

INFERNO.

X.

109

And the bold and

my Guide pushed me amongst the

entertained great scorn of Hell.

ready hands of

sepultures to him, saying

" Let thy words be num-

bered."!

As

soon as I was at the foot of his tomb, he

looked

me

at

he asked

ously,

little

me

and then, almost contemptu-

"

Who

were thy ancestors

being desirous to obey, concealed

I,

little.

were they
party

to

my

to

" If they were driven

Come
le

progenitors, and to

man

pinser tra

Dicendo
Tosto che

le

Io, eh' era d'

ei

Poi disse

A me

sien conte.

li

maggior

ma

tutto gliel' apersi

un poco

ed

a'

in soso

45

miei primi, ed a mia parte.

due

fiate gli dispersi.

36. Disputo, dispetto.

compact,

tui ?

ubbedir disideroso.

S' ei fur cacciati, ei tornar d'

clear,

40

fui,

Fieramente furo avversi

" Let

lui,

poco, e poi quasi sdegnoso

lev le ciglia

S che per

pronte

sua tomba

Chi fur

gliel celai,

Ond'

Duca

sepolture a

al pie della

Mi dimand

Non

del

Le parole tue

Guardommi un

Or

my

they returned from

forth,

avesse lo Inferno in gran dispitto

animose

Mi

but

so that twice I scattered^ them."

me, and

to

not

him whereupon he raised his

Then he said " Fiercely adverse

opened the whole

brows a

it

?"

thy

words

or brief."

be

ogni parte,

45. Soso, suso.

In the year 1248

and

after

the battle of Montaperti in 1260.

INFERNO.

110

CANTO

" But

every quarter, both times/' I answered him.

yours have not rightly learnt that

art."

Then, beside him, there rose a shadow,

to the chin.^

knees.

this blind prison

I to

is

my

to

But when
said, weeping

it

thou goest by height

And why

son?

him

he not

is

" Of myself I come not.

me

yonder, leads

waits

whom

its

?"

with thee

And

upon

some one were with me.

where

of genius,

visible

had a wish

if it

expectation was quenched,

" If through

that

I think,

itself,

looked around me, as

It

see whether
all its

had raised

It

X.

through

this

He,
place

perhaps thy Guido^ had in disdain."

Risposi io

Ma
AUor

lui,

r una e V

altra fiata

non appreser ben

vostri

50

quell' arte.

surse alla vista scoperchiata

Un' ombra lungo questa infino

Credo che

s'

al

mento

era inginocchion levata.

D' intorno mi guard, come talento

Avesse di veder

Ma

poi che

il

Piangendo disse

altri era

s'

Ed

io

Se per questo cieco

figlio ov' ?

a lui

sospicar fu tutto spento.

Carcere vai per altezza

Mio

meco

55

Colui, che attende

ingegno.

perch non teco

Da me

d'

stesso
l,

non vegno

60

per qui mi mena.

Forse cui Guido vostro ebbe a disdegno.

Lit.:

view,

down

" Rose discovered to

Guido.

to the chin."

party.

This

is

the shade of Cavalcante de' Cavalcanti, the father of

Dante's friend

He

was of the Guelph

Malesp.

Guido

as a poet

c.

105, 168.

Cavalcanti, celebrated

and philosopher in those

CANTO

INFERNO.

X,

Already

his

Ill

words and the manner of

ishment had read his name to me.

swer was so

"

How

He

thou ?

Does not the sweet

my

Hence

had ?^

Lives he not

light^ strike his eyes

But

fell

parole, e

M' avevan
Per fu

magnanimous,
il

modo

Ch'

ebbe

egli

fiere gli

io faceva

e pi

much

now

He

non parve

chiefly

remarkable

friendship with
the

till

married the daughter

vii.

must have been

than Dante, who was

so that he

older

born in 1265.

70

fuora.

He

took a zealous

must have been

means
here

one of those that were banished

chief Prior in 1300.

office

of

Villani, viii.

In the Vita Nuova

(p.

said

still

"

have

to

emblem
Several

disdain.

the

for

It

that

which Dante by no

sympathised,

(Poet, or

when Dante held

either

reason, or for his foolish partyviolence, with

are

of the time, and

of Guido's

aversion to the Latin tongue.

was

41, 42.

Dante speaks

334)

and violent share in the partysquabbles

73. Posta, request.

of Farinata in 1266 {Villani,

;

ancora

dinanzi alla risposta,

time of his death, in December

15)

viv' egli

queir altro magnanimo, a cui posta

Dante, which continued

1300.

Come

accorse d' alcuna dimora

s'

intimate

for his

non

69. Fiere, ferisce.

times, and

65

occhi suoi lo dolce lome

Supin ricadde,

Ma

nome

il

la risposta cos piena.

Dicesti

Quando

whose desire I

at

pena

della

di costui gi letto

Di subito drizzato grid

Non

still ?

shewed himself no more.

supine, and

that other,

Le sue

an-

When
my an-

?"

he perceived that I made some delay before

swer, he

pun-

Rising instantly erect, he cried:

full.

saidst

his

of

that he

Wisdom) in
poems

of his

extant.

He

had

;" as of a thing past.

" Truly the

light

and a pleasant thing

it

is

sweet,

is for

eyes to behold the sun."

xi. 7.

is

held Virgil

the

Eccles,

INFERNO.

lis

CANTO

had stopped, changed not

his aspect, nor

neck, nor bent his side.

"And

moved

X.

his

continuing his

if,"

former words, he said, " they have learnt that art

badly,

more torments me than

it

who

face of the Queen,^

reigns here, shall not be

times rekindled ere thou shalt

fifty

ness of that

art.^

the sweet world,^

in all

the hard-

non mut

N mosse

n pieg sua

collo,

continuando

al

?"^

laws

its

Restato m' era,

se,

know

And so mayest thou return to

tell me why that people is so fierce

my kindred

against

But the

this bed.

primo

aspetto.

75

costa.

detto,

Egli han queU' arte, disse, male appresa,

Ci mi tormenta pi che questo

Ma

non cinquanta

La

volte fia raccesa

saprai quanto quell' arte pesa.

mai nel dolce mondo regge.

se tu

Dimmi, perch quel popolo

Incontro

a'

Tra Virgnis ora DiancB.

511.

the

Moon.
Not fifty months

fore thou

^n.

Proserpine, Diana, or

iv.

know

Prato,
last

shall pass be-

the whole weight,

The Cardinal da
who had come to make a
exile.

attempt at reconciling the two

factions, quitted Florence

4th of June, 1304.

69.

empio

from an obsolete

on the

Villani, viii.

And, from that time, the

verb.

party with which Dante had been

banished lost
^

or difficulty, of that art of return-

ing from

miei in ciascuna sua legge

82. Regge, rieda

80

faccia della donna, che qui regge,

Che tu

letto.

all

hope.

I adjure thee by thy wish to

return,

me, &c.

tell

See

also

law

was

V. 94.

" Whenever

made

any

for recalling the exiles, the

liberti

were

always

excepted."

Benv. da Imola, Boccac, &c.

And

family

were

the

bones

taken out

of the
of their

cast into the Arno.

tombs, and
Ibid.

INFERNO.

Whereat

him

I to

113

The havoc^ and

^^
:

which dyed the Arbia

slaughter,

the great

such

red,^ causes

orations in our temple."^

And

sighing, he shook his

was not single

that I

head

then said

nor without cause, assuredly,

should I have stirred with the others.

single there,

where

io

Che

a lui

fece

Lo

But

was

consented to extirpate Flo-

all

open face defended her."

rence,^ I alone with

Ond'

" In

strazio e

grande scempio,

il

85

Arbia colorata in rosso,

1'

Tale orazion fa far nel nostro tempio.

Poi eh' ebbe sospirando

ci

non

fu' io sol col,

Fu per
Colili

At

n certo

fui io sob disse,

Senza cagion sarei con

Ma

capo scosso

il

mosso

gli altri

90

dove sofferto

ciascuno di torre via Fiorenza,

che la difese a viso aperto.

the battle of Montaperti,

in his time, they frequently

met

near the river Arba, which took

in a church adjoining the Palace

place on Tuesday the 4th of Sep-

of the Priors. Orazione

tember, 1260, and

very memorable.

made that day

The army of

the Florentine Guelphs, with their

amounting

thirty

thousand foot and

thousand
there,

horse,

to

was

and trampled

Malesp. cap. 167

may

here be taken

Lit,

"

Where by

every one

Ghibellines was

Empoli,

council

held at

after the battle of

which

it

Mont-

was proposed

that Florence should be destroyed.

The Councils were held

churches at Florence
1281.

and

was suffered (voted) to take

aperti, in

Villani,

78.

vi.

it

of the

pieces,

away Florence," &c.

defeated
to

by Farinata with a much smaller

force.

or speech

three

also

in either sense.

more than

allies,

means

"prayer," as well as "oration,"

Macchiav.

till

lib.

Benv. da Imola says

in the

the year

ii.

that,

Farinata alone opposed the measure,

and said

"If

there were

And

no other but himself, he would

even

defend

Lg

it

with sword in hand, as

114

INFERNO.

"

Ah

may

so

seed have rest," I prayed him,

tliy

my

" solve the knot which has here involved

ment.

judg-

seems that you see beforehand what time

It

brings with

rightly hear

if I

it,

manner with the

and have a

different

present."

" Like one who has imperfect vision, we see the

things," he

much

said,

" which

from us

are remote

Supreme Ruler still gives

they draw nigh, or are, our intellect

light the

When

us.^

to
is

alto-

gether void;^ and except what others bring us,

Deh

se riposi

Pregai

so

we

mai vostra semenza.

io lui, solvetemi

95

quel nodo,

Che qui ha inviluppata mia

sentenza.

E' par che voi veggiate, se ben odo.

Dinanzi quel, che

il

tempo seco adduce,

nel presente tenete altro

Noi veggiam come

Le

s'

there

body."

The

man

was
rest,

life

in

e, s' altri

his

" seeing the

they had to deal with, and his

authority, and followers, desisted.

And

thus our city escaped from

such fury, by the valour of one

Malesp.

citizen."
viii.
^

c.

170;

Villani,

81.
Lit.

" So

sommo Duce

appressano, o son, tutto vano

Nostro intelletto

long as

il

100

luce,

ne son lontano

Cotanto ancor ne splende

Quando

ha mala

quei, che

cose, disse, che

modo.

much

does

the

Supreme Ruler still shine to us."

^ They see things distant, whe-

noi

apporta.

ci

ther past or future

hand,

at

or

but not things

present.

General

opinion of the Fathers.

" The

departed

things past and

are

ignorant

Agamemnon

know

spirits

to

come

of things
foretells

yet

present.

what should

happen unto Ulysses, yet ignorantly inquires what is become

of his

own son."

Burial, cap.

iv.

Browne, Urne

115

INFERNO.

know

nothing of your

human

mayest understand that

dead, from that

Therefore thou

state.

our knowledge shall be

all

moment when

the portal of the Fu-

ture shall be closed."^

Then,
"

Now

child

his

you therefore

will
is

still

was mute before,

was because

my

compunctious for

as

my

I said

fault,^

one, that

tell that fallen

joined to the living.^

at the reponse, let

And

if I

him know,

it

thoughts already were in that error^

which you have resolved

And now my
NuUa sapem

for

me."

Master was /recalling me.

Where-

umano.

di vostro stato

105

Per comprender puoi che tutta morta

Fia nostra conoscenza da quel punto,

Che

del futuro fia chiusa la porta.

come

Allor,

Or

Dissi:

Che

s'

di

il

mia colpa compunto,

direte

suo nato

dunque
co' vivi

a quel caduto,

ancor congiunto.

io fui dianzi alla risposta

Fat' ei saper che

il fei,

110

muto,

perch pensava

Gi neir error che m' avete soluto.

gi

il

Maestro mio mi richiamava

105. Sapem, sapiamo.

After the last judgment, when

Ilo

113. Ei, alili.

" For to him that

is

"there shall be thne no longer;"

to all the living there is

when

all

the

tombs

Eccles. ix. 4.

up.

See

V.

10, &c.

shall be sealed

Fault of not having told Ca-

valcante that his son was alive

and

thereby having given

additional pain.

him

joined

hope."

Error of believing that the

spirits in Hell,

who could speak

so clearly of things past and future,

were

likewise

with things present.

acquainted

INFERNO.

116

more

fore I, in

who was with

He

haste, besought the spirit to tell

him.

me

said to

'^
:

With more than

The second Frederick^

I here.

me

is

a thousand lie

here within, and

There-

the Cardinal f and of the rest I speak not."

with he hid himself.

And

Per ch'

io pregai lo spirito

Che mi

dicesse, chi

Dissemi

Qui con pi

di mille giaccio

Cardinale, e degli altri

il

ascose

s'

ed io in vr
passi,

The Emperor Frederick the

who died on the 13th of

December,

1250,

the

in

sixth year of his age.

he

reigned

fifty-

As Em-

thirty

years,

King of Germany,
and fifty-two as King of the Two
One loarns from tlie old
Sicilies.

thirty-eight as

Chronicles, &c. that he spent his

early

made

life

in energetic studies,

his

and

Court in Sicily very

famous by princely patronage of

literature

and

all that

in those times.

In

was highest

his later years

he seems to have

moved

in

very turbid element, with armies

of Saracens, Papal
tions,

excommunica-

and universal suspicion of

his nearest friends.

1'

mi

120

taccio.

antico

ripensando

Second,

peror

lui si stava.

entro lo secondo Federico,

Poeta volsi

'

con

steps.

pi avaccio.

Qua
Indi

my

towards the ancient Poet turned

The fabulous

book De Tribus Impostorihus was

imputed to him
and he gave
;

enough

cause

charge
here

De
12),

besides

sanctions.

the

for

which

Dante

In the

treatise

of heresy

Vulgari Eloquio

(lib.

Dante speaks of

i.

cap.

his literary

influence, &c. in high terms.

^

Ottaviano

Ubaldini,

degli

made Cardinal by In-

Florentine,

nocent IV. in 1245

and

distin-

guished from other Cardinals by

his

talents,

his

great influence,

and vehement adherence to the

" If there be

Ghibelline party.

any

soul,

have lost mine

the Ghibellines,"

clamation of

his,

is

for

a profane ex-

reported by

the old connnentators.

all

117

INFERNO.

revolving that saying which seemed hostile to me.^

He moved
me

to

satisfied

and then^

Why

"

on

him

as

we were

going, he said

thou so bewildered

art

And

?"

in his question.

Let thy memory retain what thou hast heard

" And now
against thee/' that Sage exhorted me.
^^

mark

"

here," and he raised his finger.

When

thou

Lady} whose
thou know the

shalt stand before the sweet ray of that

bright eye seeth

journey of thy

Then

A
Egli

all,

life."^

to the

sinister

quel parlar che

si

mosse

e poi cos

disse

Ed

io li soddisfeci al

Perch

Hai contra

Ed

quella,

Da

lei

te,

e drizz

il

saprai di tua vita

man

dito.

il

and see

piede

all its

shalt thou

or

See canto

Thy

130

viaggio.

il

sinistra

Celestial

Wis-

earthly joys and hopes

The gay Leopard will

never impede thee again.
Thou
go throTigh

this

and then

to that

heavenly

will teach

thee the

bitterness

come

Light which

journey of thy

ii.

are gone.

shalt

il

Saggio,

cui beli' occhio tutto vede,

Farinata' s prophecy about his

dom.

suo dimando.

mi comand quel

exile.

Beatrice,

125

conservi quel che udito

Appresso volse a

smarrito

sarai dinanzi al dolce raggio

Di

feet.

andando

sei tu s

ora attendi qui

Quando

hand^ he turned his

mi parea nemico.

Mi

La mente tua

from her shalt

dark Hell,

life,

and the eternal

things that depend on

^

left

it.

The Poets always turn to the

when going to a worse class

of sinners.

INFERNO.

18

We

left

CANTO

the waU, and went towards the middle,

a path that strikes into a valley,

annoyed us with

Lasciammo
Per un

Che

Lit.

X.

by

which even up there

its fetor.^

il

muro,

sentier,

gimmo

in ver lo

che ad una valle

fiede,

mezzo
135

in fin lass facea spiacer suo lezzo.

"

Which made

displease even

its fetor

are

They

of Hell.

up there."

still

far

from the lowest part

ARGUMENT.
After crossing the Sixth Circle, the Poets

which separates

it

from

monument, standing on

the very edge

inscription indicating that

it

forced to take shelter behind

that

is

rising

come

the circles beneath.

from the abyss.

to a

find a large

of the precipice, with an

contains a heretical Pope

it,

on account of the

Vii'gil explains

and are

fetid exhalation

what kind of sinners

are punished in the three circles which they have

why

rocky precipice

They

still

to see

and

the carnal, the gluttonous, the avaricious and prodigal, the

wrathful and gloomy-sluggish, are not punished within the city

of Dis.

Dante then inquires how usury offends God

having answered him, they go on, towards the place

passage leads down to the Seventh Circle.

and Virgil
at

which a

120

INFERNO.

CANTO

XI.

CANTO XL
Upon

the edge

by

of a high bank, formed

broken stones in a

circle,

more cruel throng.^

And

rible excess of stench^

we approached

we came above

large

still

here, because of the hor-

which the deep abyss throws

under cover of a great monument, whereon I saw a writing that said " I hold
out,

it

Pope Anastasius, whom Photinus drew from the

straight way."^

In su r estremit

d'

Che facevan gran

Venimmo

sopra

un' alta ripa,

pietre rotte in cerchio.

piti

crudele stipa

quivi per V orribile soperchio

Del puzzo, che

il

profondo abisso

gitta,

Ci raccostammo dietro ad un coperchio

D' un grande avello, ov'

Che

diceva

Lo qual

'

Crowd of

io vidi

una

scritta

Anastasio papa guardo.

trasse Fotin della via dritta.

greater sinners in

dred years

Pope An-

later, that a

the

astasius

had been drawn from the

precipice to which the Poets have

straight

way by Photinus,

come.

retic

greater

below

punishment,

Stench of murderers, &c. that

Oh,

my oifence

is

rank

it

smells to

Hamlet, act

Boccaccio,

iii.

scene

3.

He-

and had
conse-

See the comments of

Landino, Vellutello,

Daniello, &c.

heaven."

died a horrible death in

quence.

are below.
*'

of Thessalonica

the

The

Jesuits Bel-

larmino, Venturi, &c.

have en-

belief in

deavoured to shew that there was

Dante's time, and for two hun-

no such Pope in the time of Pho-

It

was a current

121

INFERNO.
" Our descent we must delay,

what used

to the dismal blast,

till

sense be some-

and then we

shall not

heed it." Thus the Master. And I said to him

" Find some compensation, that the time may not
:

be

And he

lost."

"

" Thou seest that I intend

it."

My

Son, within these stones," he then began

*^

are three circlets^ in gradation, like those

to say,

They

thou leavest.

all

are filled with spirits accurst.

But, that the sight of these hereafter

Lo nostro scender convien

che

Al

tristo fiato, e

Cos

il

s'

poi non

Ed

Maestro.

io

Dissi lui, trova, che

Perduto.

Ed

fia

il

riguardo.

Alcun compenso,

Vedi eh' a

egli:

10

senso

tempo non

il

of itself

esser tardo,

un poco

ausi prima

may

passi

15

ci penso.

Figliuol mio, dentro da cotesti sassi,

Cominci poi a

son tre cerchietti

dir,

Di grado in grado, come quei che

Tutti son pien di spirti maledetti

Ma

perch poi

11.

tinus.

/S"

ausi,

ti

s'

basti

pur

ever existed,

may remain

20

18. Lassi, lasci.

Ghibelline Cardinal, and the greatest of the Ghibelline chiefs, in the

heretical

name

la vista,

avezzi.

The question, whether any

Pope or Emperor of that

lassi.

same

us.
The
meaning of the passage
very evident.
Dante wishes all

" This cry of thine

circle.

do like wind, which strikes

matter of indifference to

will

practical

with greatest force the

is

summits."

men

to

know

his

opinion,

that

'

Popes are not exempt from heresy,

and that

it

He

finds an

highest

xvii. 133.

" Circlets," from the small-

ness of their size, compared with

those

deserves greater

punishment in them than

men.

Parad.

in other

i.e.

Emperor, a

above.

one

smaller.

" In gradation,"

after another,

becoming

INFERNO.

122
suffice

how and

thee, hearken

Of all

pent up.

ven, the end

by violence
displeases

malice,

by

or

fraud, aggrieveth

peculiar

first circle

may be done

others.

man,

to

done

shalt hear
^'

and

for the violent.

is

to three persons, it is

By

may

to one's neighbour,

them and

I say to

Hea-

it

But
more

them.

assails

and distinguished into three rounds.^

one's self,

in

and therefore the fraudulent are

placed beneath,^ and more pain

violence

wherefore they are

which gains hatred

a vice

is

God

" All the

XI.

injury; and every such end, either

is

because fraud

CANTO

But

as

formed

To God,

to

violence be

things, as thou

to their

with open demonstration.

violence, death

and painful wounds may

Intendi come, e perch son costretti.

D' ogni malizia eh' odio in Cielo acquista,

Ingiuria

il

fine

ed ogni

fin cotale

con forza, o con frode altrui contrista.

Ma

perch frode

Pi spiace a Dio

dell'
;

uom

proprio male.

per stan di sutto

gh

Gli frodolenti, e piti dolor

De' violenti

Ma

il

perch

primo cerchio
si

2,5

assale.

tutto.

fa forza a tre persone,

30

In tre gironi distinto e costrutto.

Dio, a s, al prossimo

Far forza

Come

Quum autem
aut

vi

puone

dico in loro, e in lor cose.

udirai con aperta ragione.

Morte per

est,

si

forza, e ferute dogliose

duohus modis, id

aut fraude fiat injuria

utrumque alienissimum ab

homine
majore.
'

est

sed fraus odio digna

Cicero, de Offic.

Concentric spaces, or

i.

13.

rin^vS.

US

INFERNO.

be brought upon^ one's neighbour; and upon his

substance, devastations, burnings, and injurious extortions

wherefore

the

first

who

homicides, every one

round torments

all

maliciously,

all

strikes

plunderers and robbers, in different bands.

may

lay violent

hand upon

man

and upon

himself,

his

property: and therefore in the second round must

every one repent in vain

who

deprives himself of

your world,^ games away and dissipates his wealth,

and weeps there where he should be joyous.^

lence

may be done
Nel prossimo

against the Deity, in the heart^

35

danno, e nel suo avere

si

Ruine, incendi e toilette dannose

Onde

Vio-

omicidi, e ciascun che

mal

fiere.

Guastatori e predon, tutti tormenta

Lo giron primo per

Piiote

uomo

diverse schiere.

avere in s

ne' suoi beni

man

secondo

e per nel

Giron convien che senza pro

Qualunque priva

40

violenta

se del vostro

si

penta

mondo,

Biscazza e fonde la sua facultade,

piange l dove esser dee giocondo.

45

Puossi far forza nella Deitade,

Lit.

'

" Are

neighbour."
gem.

Georg,

dare vulnus.
2
^
is

given

to

iii.

iEn.

Ccecum

556.

nay

more clearness and intensity. To

him moroseness seems a great
crime.
^

x. 733.

Commits self-murder.
Dante has an earnestness
deep,

the

Catervatim dat stra-

infinite

"The

that

but that

only makes him feel the beauty

and bounty of God's creation with

xiv. 1

of

fool hath

There

heart,

liii.

men

1.

proceed

blasphemy,

Mark

is

vii.

said in his

no God."

Psalm

" Out of the heart

evil

pride,

21, 22.

thoughts

foolishness."

INFERNO.

124

Him

denying and blaspheming

and her bounty

with

its

CANTO

and insulting Nature

and hence the

round

smallest^

mark^ both Sodom and Cahors/ and

God

speak with disparagement of

Xt.

seals

all

who

in their hearts.

" Fraud, which gnaws every conscience/ a man

may

practise

upon those who

upon those who lend no

mode^ seems only

latter

which Nature makes

Col cor negando

E
E

him; and

confide in

This

special confidence.

to cut

bond of love

the

ofif

hence in the second

bestemmiando

circle

quella,

spregiando Natura, e sua boutade

per lo minor giron suggella

Del segno suo

E
La

chi,

Sodoma,

50

e Caorsa,

spregiando Dio, col cor favella.

frode, ond' ogni coscienza morsa.

Pu r uomo usare

in quei, eh' in lui

in quei che fidanza

si fida,

non imborsa.

Questo modo di retro par che uccida

Pur

lo vincol d'

Onde

amor che

nel cerchio secondo

Included within

tho

other

two, and therefore smallest.

^

" If any

man

worship

Mark

same

annida

Glossar,

Caorcini,

art.

numbers and

shall drink of

hateful

work of those

Gnaws

"*

every one

of having practised

it.

conscious

Or

the wine of the wrath of God."

the conscience of every one

Rev. xiv.

its

9, 10.

Cahors, a city of Guienne

being so
^

Fraud

a nest of usurers in Dante's time.

violation

Boccaccio says that in Florence

ence,

Caorsino
usuraio,

was

synonymous

usurer.

See

some

for

Usurers.

in his forehead, or in

his hand, the

s'

Natura

curious particulars respecting the

the

beast and his image, and receive

his

fa

55

with

Ducange,

from

common in those times.

in

general,

of any

breaks

special

only

bond of love that

man.

gnaws
;

without
confid-

common
unites man to
the

CANTO

INFERNO.

XI,

125

hypocrisy, flattery, sorcerers,

nests

and simony, panders,

mode

the other

cheating, theft

and

barterers,

forgotten that love which Nature

is

makes, and also that which afterwards

Hence

giving birth to special trust.

added,^

is

in the smallest

the centre of the universe and seat of Dis,^

circle, at

every traitor

And

is eternally consumed."
" Master, thy discourse proceeds most

and excellently distinguishes

clearly,

In

like filth.

the people that possesses

of the fat marsh

;^

But

it.

whom

those

the

this gulf,

me

tell

wind

and

Those

leads,

and

Ipocrisia, lusinghe e chi affattura,

Falsit, ladroneccio e simonia,

60

Ruffian, baratti, e simile lordura.

Per r

Che
])i

modo

altro

quell'

amor

s'

obblia

fa Natura, e quel eh' poi aggiunto,

che la fede speziai

Onde nel

si cria

cerchio minore, ov'

il

punto

Dell' universo, in su che Dite siede,

Qualunque trade

Ed

io

in eterno consunto.

Maestro, assai chiaro procede

La tua

ragione, ed assai

Questo baratro,

Ma

dimmi

Che mena

il

ben distingue

popol che

il

which
xxxiv.

love.
^

this

See
Lit.

(centre)

additional

Mn. vi. 609.

Where is

*'
:

of the

possiede.

70

vento, e che batte la pioggia.

Fraud, or treachery, against

breaks

il

Quei della palude pingue

relations, benefactors, friends, &c.

'

65

bond of

Dis

" Those

sits."

of the

are the Wrathful, &c.

the point

universe,

upon
31

" Those
the

whom

Carnal

See

fat

canto

marsh"

Canto

viii,

the wind leads,"

sinners.

Canto

v.

126

INFERNO.

whom

the

rain

beats

tongues so sharp,

and

why

who meet with

those

are they not punished in

And

upon them?

the red city, if God's anger be

why are they in such plight

And he to me " Wherefore errs thy mind so
much beyond its wont ? Or are thy thoughts turned
?"

if not,

somewhere

else

Rememberest thou not the words

wherewith thy Ethics^

which Heaven

mad

bestiality

wills

s'

not, incontinence, malice,

And how

God, and receives

E che

treat of the three dispositions

incontran con

Perch non dentro della

Son

ei puniti, se

incontinence less offends

blame?

less

Dio

and

aspre lingue,

si

citt
gli

If thou rightly con-

ha

roggia
in ira

E se non gli ha, perch sono a tal

Ed egli a me Perch tanto delira.

foggia

Disse, lo ingegno tuo da quel eh' ei suole

Ovverla mente dove altrove mira?

Non

ti

Con
Le

rimembra
le

di quelle parole,

80

quai la tua Etica pertratta

tre disposizion,

che

Ciel

il

non vuole

Incontinenza, malizia e la matta

Bestialitade

Men

come incontinenza

Dio offende,

men

biasimo accatta?

73. Roggia, rossa, red with

"

Whom

the

rain

beats,"

the

Gluttons and Epicures. Canto vi.

" Those with tongues so sharp,"
Prodigal

the

Canto

"who
iii.),

vii.

and

Avaricious.

They of the

confines,

never were alive" (canto

are not taken into account.

'

The

fire.

Ethics

of

Aristotle,

which thou hast made thy own

by study.

Lib.

vii.

cap.

1.

"Re-

specting morals, three things are

to

be

avoided

malice, inconti-

nence, and bestiality."

Ibid. cap. 8, &c.

See also

INFERNO.

and

siderest this doctrine,

who they

are that suffer

thou easily wilt see

these

127

recallest to thy

punishment above, without,^

why

they are separated from

and why, with

fell spirits,

memory

less anger,

Divine

Justice strikes them."

"

O Sun

who healest all troubled vision, thou

glad when thou resolvest me, that to

makest so

!^

Turn thee

not less grateful than to know.

doubt

is

yet a

little

back, to where thou sayest that usury

offends the Divine Goodness,^

and unravel the knot."

Se tu riguardi ben questa sentenza,

rechiti alla

Che su

Tu

mente chi son

di fuor sostengon penitenza,

vedrai ben perch da questi

Sien dipartiti, e perch

La

crucciata

90

che sani ogni vista turbata,

Ta mi

contenti

Che, non

s,

quando tu

men che

Diss' io, l

dove

di'

punished

is

m' aggrata.

ti rivolvi,

che usura ojffende

divina bontade, e

Incontinence

solvi.

saver, dubbiar

Ancora un poco indietro

La

men

felli

divina giustizia gli martelli.

Sol,

quelli,

in

il

groppo

of the

95

svolvi.

Pope

is

put on the verge

the five circles, which are above,

of the precipice, and exposed to

and ma-

the blast of the abyss, in order to

the three

shew, amongst other things, what

without the city of Dis

and

lice

bestiality,

in

lowest circles within

lies

it.

Heresy

between them in the Sixth

crimes heresy

Circle, like a kind of connecting

link

sition
lice

a preparation for the tran-

from incontinence

and brutishness.

to

" Light

Canto

ma-

That tomb

may

cially in those of

^
is

i.

of

lead

high

to,

espe-

station.

other

Poets."

82.

See verses 46-50, where this

said in substance.

INFERNO.

He

me " Philosophy,

said to

him who

to

points out, not in one place alone,

it,

hears^

how Nature

takes her course from the Divine Intellect, and from

And,

art.

its

wilt find, not

thou note well thy Physics, thou

if

many pages from

the

the scholar does

art, as far as it can, follows her,^ as

his master

your

so that

thy

to

memory

mi

Filosofia,

art is, as it

By

child^ of the Deity.

that your

first,

were, the grand-

these two,^ if thou recallest

Genesis'^ at the beginning,

a chi l'attende,

disse,

Nota non pure in una

Come Natura

behoves

it

sola parte,

suo corso prende

lo

Dal divino Intelletto

da sua arte

100

E se tu ben la tua Fisica note.

Tu troverai non dopo molte carte,
Che r

arte vostra quella,

Segue, come

il

maestro fa

S che vostr' arte a

Da

queste due, se tu

Lo Genesi

'

"Who

Lit.:

considers

it

tions read

understands

ti

rechi a

Some

edi-

CM

la intende,

it ;"

but without good

" who

Aristotle,

turam
^

In the Physics of

Nature.

in

ii.

quantum

Your

art

discente.

105

mente

dal principio, conviene

attends to it;"

rightly.

il

Dio quasi nipote.

autliority.
^

quanto puote.

''

By Nature and Art

work,

agreeable to

real

and

Art, "it behoves," &c.

'

Allusion to the labour ap-

pointed for Adam and all his pos" And the Lord God took
terity
:

man, and put him into the

Ars imitatur na-

the

potest.

garden of Eden to dress

being the daughter

by

Nature

to

keep

it."

Genesis

i\.

it,

\5.

and

"In

of Nature, and Nature the daugh-

the sweat of thy face shalt thou

ter of the Deity.

eat bread."

Ibid.

iii.

19.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XI.

129

man

to gain

And

because the usurer takes another way, he con-

and multiply the people.^

his bread,

temns Nature in

and in her

herself,

follower,^ placing

elsewhere his hope.

" But follow

me now,

me

as it pleases

over Caurus, and yonder far

down

the

perch

1'

vita,

la

Lit.:

seguimi oramai, che

il

pon

gir

la spene.

mi

piace

Carro tutto sovra Coro giace,

Pesci guizzan su per Y orizzonta,

balzo via l oltre

"To

110

sua seguace

Che

il

the

usuriere altra via tiene.

Dispregia, poich in altro

il

all

ed avanzar la gente.

Per s Natura, e per

Ma

for

cliff."

Prender sua

Wain
onwards we go

the Fishes^ glide on the horizon, and

lies

go

to

or receive,

take,

his life (sustenance),

si

and advance

The " advance"

dismouta.

115

very far remote from those times

of Dante.

mits of different interpretations.

The constellation of the

Fishes, now above the horizon,

Boccaccio translates

is

the people."

ply

;"

and the words

chapter of Genesis, "

it,

**

ad-

multi-

in the first

Be

fruitful

that which

cedes Aries
in

Aries

immediately preand, as the sun

(note

1st,

and multiply, and replenish the

time here indicated

earth," also suggest that meaning.

hours before sunrise.

'*

Art.

See

v.

103.

Our systems

The usurer

by usury

aloiie.

of Political

Eco-

trusts in his gains

nomy, and our Money Market,

lie

tion of the

p.
is

5),

is

the

some two
The posi-

Wain, or Great Bear,

in the north-west (Caurus

is

the

Latin name for the north-west

wind), indicates the same thing.

ARGUMENT.
The way down

Seventh Circle commences in a wild chasm of

to the

Its entrance is occupied

shattered rocks.

emblem

of Crete, and

The monster begins

that are punished below.

threateningly
instantly

by the Minotaur, horror

of the bloodthirsty violence and brutality

to

gnaw himself

but Virgil directs emphatic words to him, which

make him plunge about

the passage free for

some

time.

in

powerless fury, and leave

Dante

is

then led down amongst

loose stones, which are lying so steep, that they give

the weight of his

feet.

The

river of

Blood comes

approach the bottom of the precipice.

It goes

of the Seventh Circle, and forms the First of

All
it

way under

to view as they

round the whole

its

three divisions.

who have committed Violence against others are tormented in

some being immersed to the eyebrows, some to the throat, &c.,

according to the different degrees of guilt; and troops of Centaurs

are running along

per depth.
to guide

across

it.

its

Nessus

Dante

is

outer bank, keeping each sinner at his pro-

appointed by Chiron, chief of the Centaurs,

to the shallowest part of the river,

He names

and carry him

several of the tyrants, murderers, assassins,

&c. that appear as they go along

himself to rejoin his companions.

and then repasses the

river

by

132

INFERNO.

CANTO
The

place to

CANTO

XII.

XII.

which we came,

in order to descend

the bank, was alpine, and such, from what was there

would shun^

besides, that every eye

which struck the Adige in

ruin,

As

it.

its

flank,

the

is

on

this

for

by earthquake or by defective
from the summit of the mountain, whence

it

moved,

to the plain, the rock is shattered so, that

it

might give some passage

side Trent,^ caused

prop

to

one that were above

And

such of that rocky steep was the descent.

Era

on

lo loco, ove a scender la riva

Venimmo,

alpestre

Tal, eh' ogni vista

e,

per quel eh'

ivi er*

anco,

ne sarebbe schiva.

Qual quella ruina, che nel fianco

Di qua da Trento

1'

Adice percosse

per tremuoto o per sostegno manco

Che da cima

del monte, onde

Al piano,

si

mosse.

la roccia discoscesa,

Ch' alcuna via darebbe a chi su fosse

Cotal di quel burrato era la scesa.

'

Such,

from

the

which lay spread over

Minotaur

in 1310,

10

when he was probably

11,

staying with Bartolom. della Scala.

&c.), that " every look would be

See the Paduan edition of Dante.

But the Adige is a rapid stream,

it (ver.

shy of it."
"

fall

Dante had doubtless seen the

of the

mountain, which he

here describes,

as

it

could not

have been far from Verona.

such

fall

One

took place near Rivoli

seems to have been thus

" struck in flank," or thrust out

and
of

its

course, at various places,

by the mountains
mined.

it

had under-

CANTO

INFERNO.

XII.

133

the top of the broken cleft lay spread the infamy

of Crete/ which was conceived in the false

And when he saw us, he gnawed

whom anger inwardly consumes.

My

Sage cried towards him

" Perhaps thou

gone. Monster

For he comes

f but passes on

As

to see

in su la

moment when

and cannot go, but

della rotta lacca

L' infamia di Greti era distesa,

Che fu
S

Lo

mondo

nel

Ma

Che ha

&c.
'

vi.

che

ricevuto gi

gir

Ovid. Met.

^n.

Duca

morte

d'
ti

Atene,

porse

20

dalla tua sorella,

toro,

non

The Minotaur,
Pasiphae

la

Forse

vassi per veder le vostre pene.

Qual quel

Che

il

15

che questi non viene

Ammaestrato

&c.

ira dentro fiacca.

1'

credi che qui sia

Partiti, bestia,

cui

Savio mio in ver lui grid

Che su

vide noi, se stesso morse.

come quei

Tu

concetta nella falsa vacca

E quando

by thy

your punishments."

fatal stroke,

punta

Get thee

not, instructed

a bull, that breaks loose, in the

he has received the

who,

here,

world above, gave thee thy death ?

in the

sister

himself, like one

Duke^ of Athens may be

thinkest the

cow.'^

vili.

sa,

^n.

ma

vi.

si
'1

slaccia in quella

colpo mortale.

qua

e l saltella

the Minotaur spring

26,

155, &c.

lair, in
^

suppostaque furto,

25, &c.

Theseus was enabled

the Minotaur, and

nowned Duke." The name makes

cape from

its

Ariadne, by whose instruc-

tions

Theseus. Shakespeare's "re-

up from

blind fury.

its

make

labyrinth.

to slay

his es-

INFERNO.

134

plunges hither and thither

Whilst he

is

so I

wary Guide cried "

And my

do.

CANTO

in fury,

it is

good

XII.

saw the Minotaur

Run

to the passage.

that thou descend."

Thus we took our way downwards on the ruin^

of those stones, which often moved beneath my
from the unusual weight.^ I went musing,
and he said " Perhaps thou art thinking of this

feet,

guarded by that

fallen mass,

quelled just now.

when

would have thee know,

that,

went the other time, down here to the deep

But certainly,
this rock had not yet fallen.

He

I distinguish rightly, short while before

who

which I

Hell,^
if

bestial rage,

came,

took from Dis the great prey of the upmost

Vid' io lo Minotauro far cotale.

E quegh
Mentre
Cos

accorto grid

eh' in furia,

prendemmo

Di quelle
Sotto

25

Corri al varco

buon che tu

ti

cale.

via gi per lo scarco

che spesso moviensi

pietre,

miei piedi per lo nuovo carco.

Io gi pensando

quei disse

Tu

30

pensi

Forse a questa rovina, eh' guardata

Da
Or

queir ira bestiai, eh' io ora spensi.

vo' che sappi, che F altra fiata

Ch'

io discesi

quaggi nel basso Inferno,

35

Questa roccia non era ancor cascata.

Ma

certo,

Che

poco

pria, se

ben discerno,

venisse Colui, che la gran preda

Lev a Dite del cerchio superno,

Lit.: "

Discharge," &c. Stones

lying as steep as
first

shattered and

when they were

fell.

'

Weight of his body; on away

frequented only by
^

See canto

spirits.

ix. 25,

&c.

CANTO

on

circle,^

bled

135

INFERNO.

xir.

that

so,

whereby,

as

deep loathsome valley trem-

sides the

all

I thought

Universe

the

some believe, the world has

been converted into chaos.

And

'^

love,

felt

oft-times

in that moment,"^

made such

here, and elsewhere,^ this ancient rock

downfal.
^'

But

fix

thy eyes upon the valley

of blood draws nigh, in

by

violence injures

foolish anger

and then^

Da

which

for the river

every one

boils

who

blind cupidity!

others.

which

-^

so incites us in the short life

in the eternal, steeps us so bitterly."

tutte parti

Trem

s,

1'

40

alta valle feda

oh' io pensai che

V Universo

Sentisse amor, per lo quale chi creda

Pi volte

il

mondo

in caos converso

in quel punto questa vecchia roccia

45

Qui, e altrove, tal fece riverso.

Ma

ficca gli occhi a valle

La

che

s'

approccia

riviera del sangue, in la qual bolle

Qual che per violenza in

altrui neccia.

cieca cupidigia, o ira folle.

Che

Took

mal

the Patriarchs ("great

Canto

till

iv.

then) from

Lim-

When

i.

Lucret.

Christ

i.

died.

717, &c.

"

And

the earth did quake, and the rocks

rent

e'

immolle

and many bodies

which

slept arose,

of the

saints

and came out

of their graves, and went into the

52, &c.

Opinion of Empedocles. Arist.

Metaphys.

50

sproni nella vita corta,

neir eterna poi

prey" of Dis
bo.

s ci

and the graves were opened

holy city."
*

crites.
^

Matt, xxvii. 51, &c.

In the place of the Hypo-

Canto

xxiii. 136,

Look down

&c.

"fix thy eyes

(a vaile) valleywards."

136

INFERNO.
I

saw a wide

foss

bent arcwise, as embracing

the plain, according to what

And

my

Guide had

XII.

all

told me.

and the foot of the bank were Cenrunning one behind the other, armed with

between

taurs,

CANTO

it

arrows, as they were

wont on earth

Perceiving us descend, they

all

to

stood

go in hunting.
still

and from

the band three came forth with bows and javelins

chosen

And

first.

one of them cried from

far

" To what torment come ye, ye that descend the

Tell from thence

coast?

My

Master said

draw the boAV."

if not, I

" Our answer we

will

make

to

Unhappily^ thy will

Chiron, there near at hand.

was always thus rash."

Io vidi un' ampia fossa in arco torta,

Come

quella che tutto

Secondo

tra

il

piano abbraccia.

eh' avea detto la

mia scorta

pie della ripa ed essa, in traccia

il

bb

Correan Centauri armati di saette.

Come

solean nel

mondo andare

Vedendoci calar ciascun

della schiera tre

Con

ristette,

dipartir

si

archi e asticciuole

E r un

grid da lungi

Venite

voi,

prima

elette

Lo mio Maestro

disse

1'

La

arco tiro.
risposta

cost di presso

Mal fu

sempre

Unhappily

for thyself.

Her-

cules slew thee for thy rashness.

60

Farem noi a Chiron

la voglia tua

qual martiro

che scendete la costa

Ditel costinci, se non,

'

a caccia.

65

tosta.

Virgil will explain his errand only

to Chiron, the sage physician.

CANTO

137

INFERNO.

XII.

Then touching me, he said " That is Nessus,

who died for the fair Dejanira, and took vengeance
:

for

He

himself.^

down upon

in the

middle, that

Chiron/ he who

his breast, is the great

That other

nursed Achilles.
so full of rage.

Around

looking

is

Pholus/ who was

is

by thou-

the foss they go

sands, piercing

with their arrows whatever

wrenches

out of the blood farther

itself

spirit

than

its

guilt has allotted for it."

We

drew near those rapid

Chiron took

beasts.

an arrow, and with the notch put back his beard

upon

his jaws.

mouth, he said

When
to

he had uncovered his great

" Have ye perhis companions
:

Poi mi tent, e disse

Che mor per

E
E

f' di

Quegli Nesso,

la bella Deianira,

s la vendetta egli stesso.

quel di mezzo, che

al

il

il

gran Chirone,

Queir

al fosso

si

si

appressammo a quelle

Chiron prese uno

s'

ebbe scoperta

d' ira.

mille,

75

sortille.

fiere snelle

con

strale, e

Fece la barba indietro

Quando

70
:

svelle

Del sangue pi che sua colpa

ci

pien

vanno a mille a

Saettando qual' anima

Noi

mira,

qual nudrio Achille

che fu

altro Fole,

Dintorno

petto

la

cocca

alle mascelle.

la

gran bocca.
'

Disse ai compagni

Vengeance upon Hercules,

"
by
the envenomed robe."
See

&c.

the whole story in Ovid. Metam.

'

ix.

101, &c.

80

Siete voi accorti,

Magistri, Phillyrides Chiron,

Georg,

iii.

549.

Furentes Centauros

Rhcetutique, Pholumque.

N 2

leto dormiit,

lb.

ii.

455.

138

INFERNO.

CANTO

ceived that he behind moves what he touches

dead are not wont

feet of the

And my
deed he

is

The

so."

good Guide, who was already

where the two natures

breast,

him

do

to

and

alive,

join, replied

solitary thus

the dark valley.

XII.

have

Necessity brings

his

at

" In-

I to

him

shew
to

it,^

From singing Alleluiah, came She^

He is no robber,
who gave me this new office.
and not

sport.

nor I a thievish

spirit.

which I move

my

But by

steps

that virtue^ through

on such a woody way,*

whom we may

give us one of thy companions

Che quel
Cos

non sogUon

fare

le

Rispose

Ben

vivo

Necessit

il e'

part

Non

Ma per

da cantare

93.

io

anima

Purg. canto

i.

ing Alleluiah

;"

fice."

sing-

and " gave

(Human Wisdom)

this

new

See note 2d, p. 17.

muovo
siamo a pruovo.

also the " Great voice

of

much

people in Heaven, saying Alle-

62.

Wisdom) came from

90

from Lat. prope, near.

Lit: "Such (Beatrice, Ce-

lestial

selvaggia strada.

was no other

there

nuovo

fuia.

de' tuoi, a cui noi

A pruovo,

diletto.

alleluia.

quella virt, per cui io

Danne un

way," &c.

non

quest' ufi ci

Li passi miei per

And

la valle buia

induce, e

ladron,

85

e s soletto

mi convien

si

gli era al petto,

due nature son consorti.

Che mi commise

"

pie de' morti.

Mostrarli

Tal

ci eh' ei tocca ?

mio buon Duca, che gi

il

Ove

move

di rietro

fol-

me

luiah

...

waters,

as the voice of

thunderings," &c.

of-

See

''

many

and as the voice of many

That high

Rev. xix.

1, 6.

Celestial mission.

Or: "wild," obstructed way.

CANTO

139

INFERNO.

xir.

low/ that he may shew us where the ford is, and

carry over him upon his back, for he is not a spirit
to

go through the

air."

Chiron bent round on his right breast, and said

" Turn, and guide them so ; and if
Nessus

to

another troop meet you, ward

We moved

it off."

onwards with the trusty guide, along

the border of the purple seething, wherein the boiled

spirits

gave loud

I saw people, to the eye-

yells.

brows immersed in

it

and the large Centaur

said

"These are tyrants who took to blood and plunder.

Here they lament their merciless offences. Here is
Alexander f and fierce Dionysius, who made Sicily
Che ne dimostri

Chiron

Noi

si

guada,

si

spirto

Nesso

fa causar,

s'

movemmo

ci

Ove

che per l'aer vada.

volse in sulla destra poppa,

disse a

Lungo

la

Torna, e

guida

s li

il

Che
Quivi

altra schiera v' intoppa.

100

colla scorta fida

proda del boUor vermiglio.

bolhti faceano alte strida.

Io vidi gente sotto iafino al ciglio

95

che porti costui in su la groppa,

Che non

E
E

ove

gran Centauro disse

Ei son tiranni.

dier nel sangue e neh' aver di piglio.

si

piangon H

spietati

danni

105

Quivi Alessandro, e Dionisio fero.

Lit: *'To

whom we maybe

Alexander the Great, accord-

memhris-

ing to the earliest commentators,

que valens, scitusque vadorum. Ovid.

Pietro (Dante's son), Boccccio,

Met.

Landino, &c.

near," &c.

ix.

Nessus

108.

adit,

And

their opinion

140

INFERNO.

have years of woe.

And

black

Azzolino

is

the world,

Then
him be

me

ha

il

il

Centauro

PeUcei

proles vesana Philippi, Felix prcedo,

Alexander
liberality

is

x.

&c.

21,

praised, but for his

only,

in

the

Convito,

s'

115

affisse

When weakened by disease, in

Azzolino,

or

Ezzelino

Romano, Lieutenant of
peror Frederick II.

the

and

di

Emafter-

his

own son Azzo, who

He

was a Guelph, counterpart

The Monarchy,

tions.

he

strove

so

for

zealously,

was

Azzo

is

5Q

and formidable tyrant that ever

these tyrants, assassins, and

lani,

vi.

72.

Christians."

No

Vil-

exaggeration

here in the Guelph historian.

^ Marquis of Ferrara, " a furious,

cruel,

rapacious

tyrant."

fac-

which
to

be a thing infinitely above both.

xviii.

among

to

Dante

Ezzelino the Ghibelline,

Marca Trevigiana and great

He died in
part of Lombardy.
1260; and was "the most cruel
lived

here

is

called a step-son in consequence.

wards Chief of the Ghibellines, in

the

the

year 1293, he was smothered by

had an equal hatred of both-

iv. c.

'

e quei disse

oltre

Illic

1 1

mondo.

Poco pi

confirmed by the passage in

Tr.

nel

or primo, ed io secondo.

Phars,

" Let

qual per vero

il

ti sia

Questi

Lucan, beginning

said

e quell' altro, eh' biondo,

Obizzo da Esti,

&c.

is

pel cos nero

jacet,

blond,

and me second."

aver dolorosi anni

fe' Cicilia

Fu spento dal figliastro su

AUor mi volsi al Poeta

is

so

on, the Centaur paused beside

farther

Azzolino

and he

to the Poet,

quella fronte che

E
E

hair

was suffocated, up in

in verity

chief guide to thee now,^

little

is

xir.

his step-son."

I turned

Che

by

brow with

that

and that other, who

;^

who

Obizzo^ of Este,

CANTO

again alluded to in canto

;

and in Purg.

77.
first

to

Let him shew thee

thee," &.C.

derers.

v.

" Let him be

Lit.:

Phlegyas,

mur-

whom we

on the angry marsh,

is

saw

Grand-

father of the Centaurs, in the an-

myths
emblems

cient
are

and

like

him they

of Violence.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XII.

141

seemed

a people which, as far as the throat,

He

from that boiling stream.

by

itself

saying

apart,

^^
:

pierced the heart which

shewed us

a spirit

God's

bosom,

He,

in

venerated on the

is

still

to issue

Thames."^

Then some
wise

all

who kept

I saw,

the head and like-

the chest out of the river

Thus more and more

recognised many.

grew shallow,

and of these I

until

that blood

covered the feet only

it

here lay our passage through the

Sovra una gente, che infino

and

" As thou

foss.

alla gola

Parea che di quel bulicame uscisse.

Mostrocci un' ombra

Dicendo

dall'

un canto

sola,

Colui fesse, in grembo a Dio,

Lo cuor che

in sul

Tamigi ancor

120

cola.

si

Poi vidi genti, che di fuor del rio

Tenean

la testa e

casso

che copria pur

s,

quivi fu del fosso

il

Guy de Montfort, during mass

and the elevation of the host

in a

li

piedi

river

Thames,

Some

Italian

ancor

si

wall,

and nephew of Henry

in revenge for the death

father

Simon de Montfort, Earl

of Leicester.
says,

III.,

of his

Villani

(vii.

39)

"that the heart of Henry,

in a golden cup,
pillar at

was placed on a

London bridge

over the

for a

memorial

to

the English of the said outrage."

Prince

at Viterbo, stabbed

125

nostro passo.

Henry, the son of Richard of Corn-

church

facea basso

piii si

Quel sangue

'

il

di costoro assai riconobb' io.

Cos a pi a

ancor tutto

cola

commentators make

mean "

as if calling for

that is quite a
tion,

still

drips,"

vengeance

modern

but

interpreta-

and hardly deserves notice.

Guy

is

put apart from the

rest,

on account of the circumstances

and the place where his crime
was committed.

142

INFERNO.

seest

the boiling stream, on this

diminish," said the Centaur,

on

to believe that,

more and more,

doomed

is

CANTO

continually

side,

would have thee

so I

bottom

this other,^ it lowers its

comes again

till it

to

where tyranny

mourn.

Divine Justice here torments

who was

a scourge on earth; and Pyi'-

to

that Attila,

^'

XII.

rhus and Sextus f and draws eternal tears, which

with its boiling it unlocks, from Rinier of Corneto,

from Rinier Pazzo,^ who on the highways made

much war."
Then he turned

so

back, and by himself repassed

the ford.

come tu da questa parte vedi

Si

Lo bulicame che sempre

Disse

Che da

il

Centauro, voglio che tu credi,

La

suo, infin che

la tirannia

Queir Attila che fu

Le

Pirro, e Sesto

punge

flagello in terra,

ed in eterno

munge

135

Rinier da Corneto, a Rinier Pazzo,

Che
Poi

fecero alle strade tanta guerra.

si rivolse, e

ripassossi

Nessus keeps wading across

same time
Dante how, on

the broad ford, at the

that he

raggiunge

si

lagrime, che col boiler disserra,

is

telling

il

guazzo.

Sextus erat, magno proles indigna

parente, &c.
2

Two

Lucan,

sins,

deepens.

time of Frederick II.

Pyrrhus,

King

of

Epirus.

Sextus the Pirate, son of Pompey.

vi.

420.

noted robbers and assas-

both sides of them, the stream

2

130

convien che gema.

divina giustizia di qua

prema

quest' altra a pi a pi gi

Lo fondo
Ove

scema.

si

both on a great scale, in the

belonged

to the

The

latter

noble family of

the Pazzi in Florence.

ARGUMENT.
The Second Round,

Wood

or ring, of the Seventh Circle

The

of Self-murderers.

the ground, and

branches

become stunted

instead of

the dismal mystic

with withered leaves and

trees,

The obscene Harsit wailing upon

producing poison.

fruit,

souls of these have taken root in

pies, insatiable foreboders of

misery and despair,

them and devouring them.

Pietro delle Vigne, the great Chan-

cellor of Frederick II., is

one of the suicides

and he

tells

Dante

what had made him destroy himself, and also in what manner the
souls are converted into those uncouth trees.

interrupted by the noise of two spirits

all

Their discourse

naked and

torn,

is

who

come rushing through the dense wood, pursued by eager female

The first of them is Lano, a Siennese the second,

hell-hounds.

Jacopo da Sant' Andrea,

their substance,

end, and
after

to this

squandering

him speak

Paduan.

Both had violently wasted

and thereby brought themselves

punishment.
all his

Dante

finds

to

an untimely

a countryman, who,

substance, had hanged himself; and hears

superstitiously about the calamities of Florence.

INFERNO.

144

CANTO

CANTO

xiir.

XIIL

Nessus had not yet reached the other side/ when

we moved into a wood, which by no path was marked.
Not green the foliage, but brown in colour not
;

smooth the branches, but gnarled and warped

ples

none were there, but withered

No

holts^ so

sticks

ap-

with poison.

rough or dense have those wild

that hate the cultivated tracts,

beasts,

between Cecina and

Corneto.^

Here the unseemly Harpies make

who chased

nest,

the Trojans from the Strophades with

Wide wings

dismal note of future woe.^

Non

their

they have.

era ancor di l Nesso arrivato,

Quando

noi

ci

Che da nessun

mettemmo per un

bosco,

sentiero era segnato.

Non frondi verdi, ma di color fosco

Non rami schietti, ma nodosi e involti
Non pomi v' eran, ma stecchi con tosco.
Non han s aspri sterpi n s folti
;

Quelle fiere selvagge, che in odio hanno

Tra Cecina e Corneto

Quivi

le

Con

tristo

Of the
Lit.

No

roots, trunks, or

Cecina, a small river to the

of Leghorn
in

the

Troiani

Church.

them

is

The
still

district

wild,

between

and entangled

with forests and marshes.

shoots so rough," &c.

town

10

annunzio di futuro danno.

river of blood,

"

colti.

brutte Arpie lor nido fanno,

cacciar delle Strofade

south

luoghi

Che

Cometo, a

Patrimony of the

See the prophecy of Celaeno

the Harpy, &c.

the Trojans,

and

^n.

its effect

iii.

on

245-262.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XIII.

and necks and

human,

faces

And

with claws/ and

feet

They make

their large belly feathered.

on the strange

145

rueful cries^

trees.

the kind Master began to say to

know

fore thou goest farther,

second round

and

me

that thou art in the

thou come to the

shalt be, until

Therefore look well, and thou shalt

horrid sand.^

see things that will confirm

my

speech."^

Already I heard wailings uttered on every

and saw no one

Ale hanno

artigli, e

Fanno lamenti

sei

Mi cominci
Che tu

verrai

all

I,

umani,

pennuto

gran ventre

il

15

in su gli alberi strani.

buon Maestro

Sappi che

wherefore

side,

I believe he thought that

still.

late, e colli e visi

Pie con

il

make them

to

bewildered, stood

Be-

'^
:

Prima che pi

entre.

nel secondo girone.

a dire

all'

e sarai,

mentre

orribil sabbione.

Per riguarda bene,

20

e s vedrai

Cose, che daran fede al mio sermone.

Io sentia gi d' ogni parte trar guai,

vedea persona che

il

Per eh'

io tutto smarrito

m'

Virginei volucrum vultus,fcedis-

sima

ventris

manus,

Mn.
^

E non

Proluvies,

et pallida

iii.

uncceque

semper Ora fame.

inter odorem.

In

the

third

round.

See

What

tions

iii.

read

21-56.

Che

Some

edi-

torrien fede

al

mio sermone, " which would take

belief

from

my

speech,"

which would be incredible

48,

&c.,

i.e.

if I re-

The words in verse

made Foscolo

which

adopt this reading, ought to have

canto xiv.
*

JEn.

rus.

lated them.

Ibid. 228.

arrestai.

away

216, &c.

Vox tetrum dira

facesse

I have said of Polydo-

made him

reject

it.

146

INFERNO.

I imagined

many

so

CANTO

came, amongst those

voices

who hid

stumps, from people

themselves on our

Therefore the Master said

account.

XIII.

" If thou

breakest oif any twiglet from one of these plants,

the thoughts, which thou hast, will

become de-

all

fective."

Then

I stretched

my

hand

little

forward, and

plucked a branchlet from a great thorn

trunk of

when
to

it

cry

it

cried

dost thou rend

me

And

?"

Men we

were, and

had we been

are turned

souls of serpents."

a green brand, that

credo eh'

Che

Da

now

Truly thy hand should be more merciful,

to trees.

"Why

and the

had grown dark with blood, it again began

" Why tearest thou me ?
Hast thou no

breath of pity ?

As

ei

is

burning

at

one end,

at

25

credette eh' io credesse,

tante voci uscisser tra que' bronchi

gente che per noi

Per disse

il

Maestro

Qualche fraschetta
Li pensier eh' hai

AUor porsi

la

si

nascondesse.

Se tu tronchi

una

d'

d' este piante.

faran tutti monchi.

si

mano un poco

"

30

avante,

E colsi un ramuscel da un gran pruno,

E il tronco suo grid Perch mi schiante ?
Da che fatto fu poi di sangue bruno.
:

Ricominci a gridar

Non

Perch mi scerpi ?

hai tu spirto di pietate alcuno

Uomini fummo, ed or siam

Ben dovrebb'

fatti sterpi

esser la tua

man

35

pi pia.

Se state fossimo anime di serpi.

Come

d'

un

stizzo verde,

che arso

sia

40

CANTO

INFERNO.

XIIT.

147

the other drops, and hisses with the

wind which is
words and blood came

escaping; so from that rent,

forth together
like

one who

" If he,

whereat I

let fall the

top/ and stood

is afraid.

O wounded

my

spirit !"

Sage replied,

" could have believed before, what he has seen only

in my verse,^ he would not have stretched forth his

hand

against thee

but the incredibility of the thing

made me prompt him to do what grieves myself.

But tell him who thou wast so that, to make thee
some amends, he may refresh thy fame up in the
;

world, to which he

And

the trunk

Dair un

permitted to return."

is

" Thou

de' capi,

che

so allurest

dall' altro

cigola per vento che va via

me

with thy

geme,

S della scheggia rotta usciva insieme

Parole e sangue
Cadere, e

stetti

S' egli avesse

Rispose

il

ond' io lasciai la cima

come

1'

uom

che teme.

45

potuto creder prima.

Savio mio, anima lesa.

Ci che ha veduto pur con la mia rima.

Non

averebbe in te la

Ma la

man

cosa incredibile

Indurlo ad ovra, eh' a

Ma

dilh chi tu fosti,

distesa

mi

50

fece

me

stesso pesa.

che, in vece

D' alcuna ammenda, tua fama rinfreschi

Nel mondo

il

tronco

su,

dove tornar

S col dolce dir

'

Which he had hroken

In the story of Polydorus, to

off

gli lece.

m' adeschi.

which he has already alluded.

(p. 145) ver. 21, and note

4.

See

148

INFERNO.

CANTO

sweet words, that I cannot keep

not seem burdensome to you,
in discourse.^

am

if I

The

harlot,^ that

Lit.

" If I

caught in the
a while."

al

bore I

non gravi
inveschi.

le chiavi

io

am

lure,

60

soavi,

uom

tolsi

glorioso ufizio.

ne perdei

meretrice, che

e voi

dal segreto suo quasi ogni

Tanto eh'

fidelity

di Federigo, e che le volsi

Fede portai

La

of

never from Caesar's dwell-

ambo

Serrando e disserrando

Che

little

thereby both sleep

un poco a ragionar m'

Io son colui, che tenni

Del cor

enlarge a

So great

Ch' io non posso tacere

Perch' io

let it

from his secrets I excluded

softly, that

to the glorious office, that I lost

life.

and

who held both keys

h.e,^

almost every other man.

and

and turned them, locking and

Frederick's heart,

unlocking so

silent

Xlll.

mai

lo

sonno e

polsi.

dall' ospizio

enticed, or

to discourse

Adescare and invescare

his

all

greatest

prosperity,

poor

mother

In his

affairs.

remembered

he

and

sister

his

and

are both derived from esca, a bait

seems to have been every way

or lure.

a noble and brave-hearted

Pietro delle Vigne (de Vineis),

with

whom Dante

man,

could deeply

was not

secretary, protonotary, chancellor,

sympathise.

It

&c. of the Emperor Frederick

the Council

of Lyons, in 1245,

II.

till

after

was born of very poor parents,

when Frederick became entangled

at Capua, towards the end of the

with universal suspicion, that he

way

was accused of treachery, and destroyed himself in that bitter " sor-

He

twelfth century
to Bologna,

begged

his

and studied there with

great zeal and

effect

attracted

row and disdain."

Six Books of

the notice of the Emperor, and

his Latin letters are still extant,

stood in the highest favour with

and one Canzone

him

for

many

years, transacting

Envy.

See

in Italian.

ver. 78.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XIII.

149

common

ing turned, her adulterous eyes/

minds against me

vice of courts, inflamed all

my joyous

these so inflamed Augustus, that

were changed

to dismal

made me, though

new

the

My

sorrows.

And

strengthen the

soul, in its

just, unjust against myself.

By

to escape disdain

my

if

who was

lord,

any of you return

memory

of me, which

from the blow that envy gave

The Poet

listened a while,

Di Cesare non torse

Morte comune,
Infiamm contra
g'

Che

lieti

Credendo

still lies

le

pros-

it."

and then

said to

me

65

e delle corti vizio,

me

animi

gli

onor tornare in

tutti,
s

Augusto,

tristi lutti.

70

col morir fuggir disdegno,

me

contra

me

nuove radici

d' esto

legno

Ingiusto fece

Per

worthy

to the world,

occhi putti.

gli

infiammati infiammar

so

animo mio, per disdegnoso gusto.

L'

honours

roots of this tree, I swear to you, never

of honour.

and

death,

did I break faith to

trate

by

mood, thinking

disdainful

bane, and

giusto.

Vi giuro, che giammai non ruppi fede

Al mio signor, che fu

se di voi alcun nel

onor

d'

mondo

degno.

Ih

riede.

Conforti la memoria mia, che giace

Ancor

Un
^

By

peror

ver. 68.

del colpo che invidia le diede.

poco

attese, e

meant the Em--

Caesar

is

called

also

Adulterous,

seducing eyes.

poi

Augustus
i.e.

Envy

in

disloyal,
first

set

Da

eh' ei si tace.

loose the harlot Wolf.

100-111.

Canto

i.

''Through Envy of the

Devil came death into the world."

Wisd.

O ^

ii.

24.

INFERNO.

150
" Since he

is

and ask him,

thou wouldst

Whereat I to him
respecting what thou
I could not, such pity

He

not the hour

silent, lose
if

"

;^

but speak,

thou ask him farther,

me

thinkest will satisfy

my

upon

is

XIII.

know more."

Do

resumed

therefore

CANTO

for

heart."^

" So

may

man^ do

the

im-

how

the

freely for thee

what thy words entreat him,

prisoned

spirit,

please thee tell us farther,

soul gets

bound up

And

tell us, if

itself

from such

in these knots.

thou mayest, whether any ever frees

members."*

Then

wind was changed

Disse

Ma
Ond'

and soon that

these words " Briefly shall

the trunk blew

il

into

strongly,

Poeta a me, non perder

parla, e chiedi a lui, se pi

io a lui

io

non

eh' a

potrei

Per ricominci

80

piace.

ti

Se

me

uom

1'

il

1'

anima

In questi nocchi
alcuna mai da

si

ti

85

faccia

tuo dir prega.

Spirito incarcerato, ancor

Di dirne come

soddisfaccia

tanta piet m' accora.

Liberamente ci che

S'

ora

Dimandai tu ancora

Di quel che credi

Ch'

1'

ti

piaccia

lega

e dinne, se tu puoi,

membra

tai

90

spiega.

si

Allor soffi lo tronco forte, e poi

Si convert quel vento in cotal voce

'

task

The moment, the occasion.

Dante well knew the great
of Frederick's

chief

man

and the way in which he had endeavoured to perform it.

" The man," i.e. Dante.

" Unfolds itself from
Lit
such members ;" escapes from
^
*

those

knotty stunted

which

it is

forms,

kept imprisoned.

in

CANTO

INFERNO.

XIII.

When

you be answered.
body, from which

to the seventh gulf.

place
it,

there

and

feeding then

upon

it

wood, and no

f yet none
:

leaves, give pain,

for

shall

it is

shoots

and

to the

go

for our

shall

thereby clothe himself with

man have what

Hither shall we drag them,

not just that a

he takes from himself.

and through the mournful wood our bodies

Brevemente sar risposto a

Quando

si

parte

1'

Dal corpo, ond'

Minos
Cade

la

manda

in la selva, e

Ma l

voi.

ella stessa

alla settima foce.

non F parte

scelta

Le Arpie, pascendo poi

altre,

Che non
le

pain."

delle sue foglie.

per eh' alcuna sen rivesta

giusto aver ci eh'

uom

si

toghe.

105

strascineremo, e per la mesta

i

nostri corpi appesi.

" Give a window for the

Thus Virgil: Tngentemlato

last

Lit.:

100

verrem per nostre spoglie,

Selva saranno

silvestra

dolore, ed al dolor finestra.

Ma non
Qui

la balestra.

Surge in vermena ed in pianta

Come

95

disvelta,

s'

Quivi germoglia come gran di spelta

1'

shall

anima feroce

dove fortuna

Fanno

up

The Harpies,

to a savage plant.
its

it

but wherever fortune flings

Like the others, we

pain an outlet.^

them again

Minos sends

sprouts, like grain of spelt

it

to a sapling,

spoils

itself,

It falls into the

chosen for

is

the fierce spirit quits the

has torn

it

151

dedit ore fenestram.

Mn.

ii.

482.

Like the other

souls, at the

judgment, we shall go for our

bodies, &e.

INFERNO.

152

be suspended,

CANTO

on the thorny tree of

each,

its

XIII.

tor-

"^

mented shade.
We still were

listening to the trunk, thinking

when by a noise we were

surprised; like one who feels the boar and chase
approaching to his stand ;^ who hears the beasts and
And, lo on the left hand,^
the branches crashing.
would

it

us more,

tell

two

naked and

spirits,

torn, fleeing so violently that

they broke every fan* of the wood.

The foremost '' Come now, come,

And the other, who thought himself too

Ciascuno

al

prun

dell'

Noi eravamo ancora

Credendo

Sente

il

Ch' ode

Ed

d'

Che

Er

della selva

Molesta

sua posta,

is

tormented," that

injurious,

On

vision,
*

the

and

way

" Fan,"

Others take

ment."

Boar and hounds, &c. coming

is

stationed.

Or

Hasten

to the next di-

to the greater sinners.

for
it

to

leaf or

rills,

bough.

mean " impedi-

Milton, Par. Lost,

" Leaves and

or homicidal."

where he

rosta.

pareva tardar troppo,

Lombardi, and others before him,

to the place

s forte,

accorri, accorri, morte.

here taken for mo-

mean " hostile,

115

rompino ogni

being the plainest construction.

alla

frasche stormire.

fuggendo

Ora

altro, a cui

lestata, "afflicted,

it

sorpresi,

che venire

le bestie e le

Quel dinanzi

make

un romor

porco e la caccia

e graffiati

110

ecco duo dalla sinistra costa,

Nudi

slow, cried

ombra sua molesta.

ne volesse dire

Quando noi fummo

colui,

!"'^

al tronco attesi.

eh' altro

Similemente a

death

v.

Aurora's fan."

" Help now, help," &c.

to

my

relief.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XIII,

" Lano/ thy legs were not

And

Toppo."

153

so ready at the jousts of

then, his breath perhaps failing him,

made one group .^

wood was filled with black

of himself and of a bush he

Behind them, the

braches, eager and

escaped the leash.

greyhounds that have

as

fleet,

who

Into him,

squatted, they

and rent him piece by piece ; then

thrust their teeth,

carried off his miserable limbs.

My Guide now took me

which was lamenting through the bleed-

to the bush,

ing fractures, in vain.

Gridava

Lane,

Le gambe tue

un

e d'

^^

Jacopo da Sant' Andrea !'*^

non furo accorte

alle giostre del

poi che forse

Di s

by the hand, and led me

120

Toppo.

gli falha la lena.

cespuglio

f'

un groppo.

Dirietro a loro era la selva piena

Di nere cagne bramose

Come

veltri

In quel, che

s'

che uscisser di catena.

appiatt, miser

li

denti,

quel dilacerare a brano a brano

Poi sen portar quelle

Presemi

allor la

E menommi
Per

le

125

e correnti.

membra

dolenti.

130

mia scorta per mano,

al

cespuglio che piangea

rotture sanguinenti, invano.

Jacopo, dicea, da Sant' Andrea,

Lano, a rich Sennese of no-

Thrusting

himself into

These plants are of a

the

ble family, who, after squandering

bush.

his property, and thereby reducing

proportioned to the importance of

himself to despair, sought death

the spirits which they imprison.

in the "jousts," or fight of

(in 1288),

Villani,

which

vii.

120.

is

Toppo

mentioned by

size

Paduan, " who had more

wealth than any of his country-

men," and wasted

it

in the in-

INFERNO.

154

thou gained by making

cried, '^what liast

it

screen

What blame

When

Who

"

CANTO

have I of thy sinful

the Master had stopped beside

wast thou, who, through so

he

to us

"

Ye

it,

he said

see the ignominious mangling

joined

my

foot of the dismal shrub

changed

Che

giovato di

t'

Che colpa ho

Quando
Disse

il

me

E quegh

of the city that

schermo

fare

io della tua vita

fusti,

135

rea?

che per tante punte

sermo

col sangue doloroso

Soffi,

dis-

Maestro fu sovr' esso fermo,

Chi

a noi

anime, che giunte

140

Siete a veder lo strazio disonesto,

Che

mie frondi ha

le

RaccogHetele

al

Io fui della

Cangi

sanest fashion.

Imola, Com.

'1

citt,

Benv,

da
re-

See

who

stance (canto xi. 41)

and the
hell-hounds are to them what the
;

ond'

ei

per questo

destroyed by Attila, and then rebuilt

by Charlemagne, with

St.

John the Baptist for its patron.

Hence the vengeance of Mars,
"with his art;" and the superstitious veneration (often mentioned by the old chroniclers) for
the remnant of his statue, which

self-

&c. was founded by the

patron

murderers.

Romans, who
their

disgiunte,

according to the

old traditions given by Malespini,

Villani,

me

che nel Battista

have done violence to their sub-

Florence,

da

primo padrone

present the class of sinners

'

pie del tristo cesto

Lano and he

Harpies are to the

to

patron for the Baptist,^ on which

first

its

come

gather them to the

I was

are

?"

which has thus

me,

leaves from

many wounds,

who

spirits,

thy

life ?"

blowest forth with blood thy dolorous speech

And

me

XIII,

or

chose

Mars

protector

for

was

stood at the

end of the bridge

over the Arno, and was at last

swept away by a flood in 1333.

See

Villani, xi.

i.

CANTO

155

INFERNO.

XIII.

make

account he with his art will always

And were

rowful.

the

Arno
by
^'

ing

Attila,

made

who

afterwards rebuilt

a gibbet for myself of

vain.

my own

dwell-

"1

se

non

1*

Quei

fosse che in sul passo d'

cittadin,

Sovra

il

di lui alcuna vista

this

d' Attila

was,

that

me

delle

hung

himself in his own house, remains

unknown.

Rocco

de'

Mozzi and

Lotto degli Agli, both of noble

families

rimase,

150

mie

case.

hounds"), which they had brought

upon themselves,
this way.

to seek death in

Boccaccio says

those times, as

if it

men-

curse sent by

God upon

many hanged

themselves

Florence,

are

the despair and poverty (" hell-

" In

had been a

commentahaving been driven by

in

tioned by the oldest

as

fatto lavorare indarno.

Io fei giubbetto a

Who

Arno

che poi la rifondarno

cener che

Avrebber

145

arte sua la far trista.

Rimane ancor

tors,

on the ashes

it

would have laboured in

Sempre con

'

not that at the passage of

there yet remains some semblance of him,

those citizens,
left

it

sor-

it

our
;

city,

so that

every one can apply the words to

whomsoever he

pleases.

ARGUMENT.

Dante cannot go on
restored

them

countryman

till

that wretched shrub

to

is

he has collected the scattered leaves, and

imprisoned.

He

is

which the soul of

in

his

then led by Virgil, across the

remainder of the wood, to the edge of the Third Round, or ring,

of the Seventh Circle.

It is a

naked plain of burning Sand

place appointed for the punishment of those

the

who have done Vio-

lence against God, against Nature, and against Nature and Art.

Canto

xi.

46, &c.

The

violent against

God, the

least

numerous

class, are lying

supine upon the sand, and in greater torment

than the

The

all

rest.

crouched up

Nature and Art are

violent against

sitting

and the violent against Nature are moving

about, in large troops, with a speed proportioned to their guilt.

A
is

slow eternal Shower of Fire

is

falling

upon them

all.

Capaneus

amongst the supine, unsubdued by the flames, blaspheming

with his old decisiveness and fury.

After speaking with him, the

Poets go on, between the burning sand and the wood of self-murderers,

and soon come to a crimson streamlet that gushes forth

from the wood and crosses the sandy

the origin of

all

the rivers

plain.

Virgil here explains

and marshes, of Hell.

INFERNO.

158

CANTO
The

love of

my

up the

I gathered
to

came

to the limit,

him,

XIV.

XIY.

native place constraining me,

scattered leaves

who was

back

CANTO

and gave them

Then we

already hoarse.

where the second round

rated from the third, and where

art

of justice.

To make

say

we reached
plants.
The

a plain

the

is

is

sepa-

seen the fearful

new

things clear, I

which from

its

bed repels

wood is a garland to it
round about, as to the wood the dismal foss.^ Here
The
we stayed our feet close to its very edge.
all

dolorous

ground was a sand, dry and

not different

thick,

Poich la carit del natio loco

Mi strinse, raunai le fronde sparte,
E rende' le a colui, eh' era gi reco.
Indi venimmo al fine^ ove si parte
Lo secondo giron dal terzo, e dove
Si vede di giustizia orribil' arte.

ben manifestar

le cose

nuove.

Dico eh' arrivammo ad una landa,

Che

dal suo letto ogni pianta rimuove.

La dolorosa
Intorno,

Quivi

come

1'

il

fermammo

Lo spazzo

all

selva

era

The wood of the

ghirlanda

10

fosso tristo ad essa

i

piedi a randa a randa.

una rena arida

suicides goes

rounds the burning plain, as

e spessa.

the river of blood goes round the

wood.

See canto

xi. 30.

CANTO

in

its

159

INFERjSO.

XIV.

fashion from that which once was trodden

by

the feet of Cato.^

God how shouldst thou be

feared by every one who reads what was revealed
to my eyes
I saw many herds of naked souls,
who were all lamenting very miserably and there
vengeance of

seemed imposed upon them a diverse law

were lying supine upon the ground
all

crouched up

some

and others roaming

Some
sitting

incessantly.

Those that moved about were much more numerous

and those that were lying in the torment were fewer^

but uttered louder

cries of pain.^

Non

d' altra

Che

da* pie di

foggia fatta che

colei.

Caton gi fu soppressa.

15

vendetta di Dio, quanto tu dei

Esser temuta da ciascun, che legge

Ci che fu manifesto agli occhi miei

D' anime nude vidi molte gregge.

Che piangean

tutte assai miseramente,

20

parca posta lor diversa legge.

Supin giaceva in terra alcuna gente

Alcuna

Ed

si

altra

sedea tutta raccolta.

andava continuamente.

Quella che giva intorno era pi molta,

Ma

'

pi

The Libyan

al

duolo avea la lingua

desert, over

which

Cato conducted the remams of

Ponipey's army.
375, &c.

25

quella men, che giaceva al tormento.

See Lucan.

ix.

let

Lit.

sciolta.

'*
:

Had

the tongue

more

loose for the pain ;" were in

greater torment, and had to cry

louder.

INFERNO.

160

Over
dilated

CANTO

the great sand^ falling slowly, rained

ali

of

flakes

like

fire,

As

without a wind.

the flames which Alexander,

ground

entire^ to the

of snow in Alps

those

saw

in the hot regions of India,

fall

upon

his host,

whereat he with his legions

took care to tramp the

the

soil, for

easily extinguished while alone

and

was more

fire

so fell the eternal

by which the sand was kindled,

heat,

XIV.

like

tinder

redoubling the pain.

beneath the

flint

Ever

restless

was the dance^ of miserable hands, now

here,

now

steel,

there, shaking

Sovra tutto

sabbion

il

ofl"

d'

the fresh burning.

un cader

Piovean di fuoco dilatate

Come

lento

falde.

di neve in alpe senza vento.

30

Quali Alessandro in quelle parti calde

D' India vide sovra lo suo stuolo

Fiamme
Per

cadere infino a terra salde

eh' ei provvide a scalpitar lo suolo

Con

le

sue schiere, perciocch

Me'

si

stingueva mentre eh' era solo

Tale scendeva

eternale ardore

1'

Onde r arena
Sotto

il

s'

focile,

il

vapore

35

accendea, com' esca

a doppiar lo dolore.

Senza riposo mai era

40

la tresca

Delle misere mani, or quindi or quinci

Iscotendo da se

1'

arsura fresca.

" Whole," unchanged to the

ground.

Alexander

This
is

tradition

said

from some supposed

to Aristotle.

to

abo\it

be taken

letter of his

See Landino, Com.

The

Tresca was a sort of Nea-

politan dance, consisting mainly

of rapid complicated gestures, and

movements of the hands.

Benv. da Imola, Com.

See

CANTO

INFERNO.

XIV,

began

Master, thou

^'

things, save the

161

who

conquerest

hardened Demons, that came forth

against us at the entrance of the gate

great spirit,

and

who seems

who

to care not for the

and contorted,

disdainful

lies

ali

is

that

burning

so that the rain

seems not to ripen him ?"

remarking that I asked my

Guide concerning him, exclaimed " What I was

And

he

himself,

am

living, that

Though Jove weary

I dead.

whom in anger
which on my last day

smith, from

with

out his

he took the sharp bolt

I was transfixed

though he weary out the others, one by one,

black forge in Mongibello,^ crying

Io cominciai

Tutte

'

and

at the

Help, help,

Maestro, tu che vinci

fuor che

le cose,

Dimon

duri,

Ch' air entrar della porta incontro uscinci,

45

Chi quel grande, che non par che curi

Lo

incendio, e giace dispettoso e torto.

S che la pioggia

non par che

quel medesmo, che

Ch' io dimandava

Grid

Qual

il

si

il

maturi ?

fue accorto

mio Duca

fui vivo, tal

Se Giove stanchi

il

50

di lui,

son morto.

suo fabbro, da cui

Crucciato prese la folgore acuta,

Onde r ultimo

s'

egli stanchi gli altri a

In Mongibello

Gridando

'

his

d percosso fui

{jEtncB

muta a muta

55

alla fucina negra.

Buon Vulcano,

iEtna, in which Vulcan and

Cyclops

Cyclopes)

aiuta, aiuta.

forged the thunderbolts of Jupiter.

P Q

See JEn.

viii.

419, &c.

162

INFERNO.

good Vulcan
and hurl

me

at

he did

as

!'

with

CANTO

at the

strife

of Phlegra

his might, yet should

all

X.IV.

he

not thereby have joyful vengeance."^

Then my Guide spake with

had not heard before

"

a force such as I

Capaneus P

in that thy

pride remains unquenched, thou art punished more.

No

own

save thy

torture,

would be pain

raging,

proportioned to thy fury."

Then

to

me he

turned with gentler

lip,

saying

" This was one of the seven kings who laid siege

Thebes

to

God

and he held, and seems

in defiance,

and

to prize

told him, his revilings are

Si

com'

ei

pugna

fece alla

him

il

Duca mio

di Flegra

1'

avea

Capaneo, in ci che non

But, as

60

allegra.

forte udito
s'

ammorza

superbia, sei tu pi punito

65

Nullo martirio, fuor che la tua rabbia,

Sarebbe
Poi

si

al

tuo furor dolor compito.

rivolse a

Dicendo

me

con miglior labbia.

Quel fu

Ch' assiser Tebe

1'

un

de' sette regi

ed ebbe, e par eh' egli abbia

Dio in disdegno, e poco par che

Ma, come

See

&c.; and
^

Statius,
x.

io dissi lui,

Theh,

ili.

598,

828, &c.

Capaneus

is

hold

parl di forza

Tanto, eh' io non

La tua

lightly.

to

ornaments that well

E me saetti di tutta sua forza,

Non ne potrebbe aver vendetta
Allora

still

the representa-

li

il

pregi

70

suoi dispetti

blasphemy and arrogance,

tive of

Canzone of Dante which

in the

begins

patria degna &c.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XIV.

Now

befit his breast.

163

follow me, and see thou place

not yet thy feet upon the burning sand

keep them back

from the wood a

where there gushes forth

to

little rivulet,

makes me shudder.

still

amongst themselves
sand.

petrified,

As from

so

and

women share
down across the

shelving banks were

its

margins near

also the

the Bulicame^

sinful

ran

this

bottom and both

Its

the redness of which

which the

issues the streamlet,

but always

wood."

close to the

In silence we came

it

whereby

discerned that our passage lay there.

^^

since

Amidst

we

al

Or mi vien
Ancor

thee,

li

dietro, e

guarda che non metti

piedi nell' arena arsiccia

sempre

Fuor

al

bosco

della selva

1'

un

picciol fiumicello.

mi

ruscello.

80

arena gi sen giva quello.

Fatt' eran pietra, e

io

il

raccapriccia.

tra lor le peccatrici

Lo fondo suo ed ambo

Per eh'

75

l ove spiccia

Quale del Bulicame esce

Che parton poi

gli ritieni stretti.

cui rossore ancor

Tal per

is

suo petto assai debiti fregi.

Tacendo divenimmo

Lo

shewn

the rest that I have

entered by the gate whose threshold

Sono

Ma

all

le

pendici

margini da lato

m' accorsi che

Tra tutto V altro eh'

io

t'

il

passo era

liei.

ho dimostrato,

85

Poscia che noi entrammo per la porta.

Lo

to,

cui sogliare a nessuno negato,

The Bulicame, here alluded

is

a hot spring near Viterbo,

Bocc, Land., &c. speak of "

sinful

women"

that lived near

the
it.

164

INFERNO.

CANTO

XIV.

denied to none/ thy eyes have discerned nothing

as the present

so notable
all

the flames above

Wherefore

Guide.

which quenches

stream^,

prayed him

my

These were words of

it."

me

bestow on

to

the food/ for which he had bestowed the appetite.

" In the middle of the sea

then

which

^'

said,

is

named Crete/ under whose King

the world once was chaste.^

mountain

is

there,

which once was glad with waters and with

called Ida,
foliage

a waste country/' he

lies

now

deserted like an antiquated thing.

it is

Cosa non fu dagli tuoi occhi scorta

Notabile, com'

Che sopra

presente

il

rio.

ammorta.

s tutte fiammelle

Queste parole fur del Duca mio

Per eh'

Di cui

m' aveva

largito

In mezzo

il

mar

siede

il

Rege

cui

Una montagna

s'

fu gi

il

" Gate, that

barred."
^

is

To

See

v' ,

Vieta,

grown

still is

found un-

p. 91,

explain

why

and note

2d.

that stream

Mons

Idceus uhi, et

gentis cunabula nostrcB.

JE^n.

iii.

104.

" Cradle" of the Trojans

and of

Rome

casto.

si

chiama Ida

vieta.

dim with

age.

Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna of

Virgil, says
titia,

quam

Virgo vocabatur Juset

Astream vocahant.

Saturnia regna dicehantur optima

Creta Jovis magni medio jacet

insula ponto,

mondo

old, or stale

so notable.
^

95

che gi fu heta

Ora deserta come cosa

guasto,

appella Creta,

D' acque e di fronde, che

99.

pasto,

il

disio.

il

un paese

Diss' egli allora, che

Sotto

che mi largisse

io pregai,

90

and

its

Empire, &c.

Dante, quoting the redit

et

tempora, quce et Aurea nuncupaJustitia potissima

bant,

lum sub Monarcha.

mam

so-

opti-

mundi dispositionem

requiri-

Monarchiam, &c.

Mon-

tur, esse

arch,

est

Ergo ad

lib.

i.

p. 28.

CANTO

B-hea^ of old chose

son

for the faithful cradle of her

it

and the better

165

INFERNO.

XIV,

to conceal

caused cries to be made on

it.

" Within the mountain stands

Man, who keeps

and looks

mietta,

His head

erect^ a great

Old

his shoulders turned towards

Da-

Rome

at

shapen of

is

breast are pure silver

cleft

la scelse gi

then he

Da

rests

100

sta dritto

un gran vegho.

tien volte le spalle invr Damiata,

come suo

105

speglio.

testa di fino oro formata,

argento son

le

braccia e

alla forcata

il

petto

indi in giuso tutto ferro eletto.

Salvo che

Heaven and Earth, and

wife of Saturn, or Chronos, con-

Hinc

cealing her son Jupiter.

mater cultrix Cybele, Corybantiaque

Idceumque nemus

silentia sacrls,

&c.

JEn.

hmc
iii.

fida

111.

"With his golden head towards

and the poor foot of

on which he

towards Dis.

110

destro piede terra cotta,

il

Rhea, or Cybele, &c., daugh-

and he

per celarlo meglio,

Poi di rame infino

clay,

piangea, vi facea far le grida.

E puro

Heaven

of chosen iron,

Quando

La sua

is all

figliuolo, e

E Roma guarda

cera,

of brass to the

is

Del suo

Che

of

arms and his

of baked clay

is

his mirror.

per cuna fida

Dentro dal monte

'

were

it

fine gold, his

save that the right foot

ter

as if

from thence downwards he

Rea

when he wept,

him,

chiefly stands,

Looking sadly

at

Rome,

the centre of temporal and

spiritual

government, as the mir-

ror of his condition.

of the generations
their monarchies

Daniel

(ii.

ditions.

of Sin

Satan,

men and

taken from

and

its

asso-

from the old poetic

ciations

cancy

is

31, &c.)

This image
of

is

new

life

and

given to both.

tra-

signifi-

The

tears

and Misery, returning

make

to

the image complete.

INFERNO.

166

more on

Every

than on the other.

this^

cept the gold,

tears,

Canto

is

broken with a

xiv.

part, ex-

fissure that drops

which collected perforate that

Their

grotto.^

course descends from rock to rock into this valley.

They^ form Acheron, Styx, and Phlegethon

by

narrow conduit, go down

this

what kind of lake

shalt see

I describe

And

that

this

is

and thou

here therefore

not."

it

him

I to

" If the present

down from our world, why does

on

is

then,

where there

to

They form Cocytus

no more descent.^

rill

thus flows

appear to us only^

it

bank ?"

sta in su quel, pi

che in su

1'

altro, eretto.

Ciascuna parte, fuor che V oro, rotta

D' una fessura che lagrime goccia.

Le

quali accolte foran quella grotta.

Lor corso

in questa vaile

Fanno Acheronte,

si

diroccia

115

Stige, e Flegetonta

Poi sen van gi per questa stretta doccia

Infin

l,

ove pi non

Fanno Oocito

Tu il
Ed io a

si

disnionta

e qual sia quello stagno.

non

vederai; per qui

lui

Se

il

ci

si

mondo,

appar pure a questo vivagno

115. Si diroccia, falls from rock

'

Lit.:

" Stands more erect on

this" clay foot; supports himself

more with
^

that cavern in

stands

work through,
vvhich the Image

or

to rock.

and then

down from
^

it.

" Bore,"

120

conta.

presente rigagno

Si deriva cos dal nostro

Perch

in

Hell flow

circle to circle.

Those tears of Sin and Misery.

To

If it thus descends from circle

the Centre of the Earth.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XIV.

And
is

he

me

to

167

" Thou knowest that the place

round: and though thou hast come

the

left,

far,

descendmg towards the bottom

not yet turned through the entire

new

fore if aught

always to

thou hast

circle.

appears to us,

Where-

ought not

it

to

bring wonder on thy countenance."

And

I again

and Lethe

sayest that the other

" In

formed by

is

this rain ?"^

thy questions truly thou pleasest me,"

all

he answered

but the boiling of the red water

^'
;

might well resolve one^ of those thou

Ed egli a me Tu sai che il luogo

E tutto che tu sii venuto molto
Non

Lethe

125

sinistra gi calando al fondo.

ancor per tutto

se'

askest.

tondo,

Pur a

Phlegethon,

is

thou speakest not of the one, and

for

" Master, where

il

cerchio vlto

Perch, se cosa n' apparisce nuova.

Non

Ed

io

dee addur maraviglia

ancor

Maestro, ove

Flegetonte e Leto, che

r altro

di'

che

si

al

Dovea ben

to circle,

dell'

il

boUor

solver

1'

ceive

that
xii.

thei

river

of

it

blood

46, &c.) can be Phle-

as a river of flame

taci,

dell'

Quce

rapidus fiammis amhit torrentihus

piaci,

acqua rossa

una che tu

gethon; Virgil himself having described

un

fa d' est piova

why have we not seen it

Does not at first con-

before

(canto

ma

130

trova

si

In tutte tue question certo mi

Rispose

tuo volto.

135

faci.

amniSf Tartareus Phlegethon.

^n.

550, &c.

vi.
^

The

rain of tears.

See ver.

113.
"^

Thou mightest have known

that the river of blood was Phle-

gethon.

168

INFERNO.

thou shaJt

see,

but out of

CANTO

this abyss,^ there

the spirits go to wash themselves,

when

XIV.

where

their guilt

taken oiF by penitence."

is

Then he

said

Now

"

it is

time to quit the wood.

The margins, which

See that thou follow me.

not burning, form a path

and over them

all

are
fire

quenched."^

is

ma

Lete vedrai,

fuor di questa fossa.

L ove vanno 1' anime a lavarsi.

Quando la colpa pentuta rimossa.
Poi disse

Ornai tempo da scostarsi

Dal bosco

Li margini fan

Not

tory.
2

via,

in Hell, but in

See next canto,

por, both here

and

xxviii.

Purga25-130.

ver. 1-2.

vegne.

che non son

sopra loro ogni vapor

Purg. canto

me

fa che diretro a

Va-

at ver. 35, is

si

140

arsi,

spegne.

used in the Latin sense of " heat,

or fire."
bora

&c.

Semusta madescunt Ro~

restinctus donee vapor omnis,

Mxi.

v.

697.

ARGUMENT.

The crimson stream

whose

course

is

straight across the ring

burning sand, towards the centre of Hell

halation that quenches

margins.

Upon one

in silence,

till

all

sends

of

forth a dark ex-

the flames over itself and

its

elevated

of these Dante continues to follow his Guide,

they have got

far

from the wood, when they meet a

troop of spirits coming along the sand by the side of the bank.

Dante

is

recognised by one of them,

who

takes

him by

the skirt;

and, on fixing his eyes over the baked and withered figure, he finds
it is

Brunetto Latini, his old master.

They speak

to

each other

with great respect and affection, recalling the past, and looking

forward to the future under the pressure of separate eternities.

Their colloquy has a dark background, which could not be altered

and

it

stands there in deep perennial

warmth and beauty.

INFERNO.

170

CANTO
Now

one

CANTO

XV.

XV.

of the hard margins bears

us

on,

and the smoke of the rivulet makes shade above,

from the

so that

As

banks. ^

fire

it

and the

shelters the water

the Flemings between Bruges and Cad-

sand, dreading the flood that rushes towards them,

make

their bulwark^ to repel the

sea

to

and

feels the

Chiarentana

and

as the

defend their towns

Paduans, along the Brenta,

villages, ere

heat

:^

in like

fashion those hanks were formed, though not so high

Ora cen porta T un de' duri margini,

E il fummo del ruscel di sopra aduggia,
S che dal fuoco salva

Quale

Temendo

il

Fanno

schermo, perch

quale

lo

fiotto

che in ver lor

Padovan, lungo

imagine eran

Tutto che n

2.

it."
^

Canto

rivulet

the flames above

mar

si

fuggia

caldo senta

5
;

10

grossi,

kept up.

Before the snow begins to

melt on the Carinthian Alps, and

swell the Brenta.

to is

Cadsand

some twenty miles north-east

from Bruges.

avventa,

la Brenta,

il

ne

xiv. 90.

still

s'

Aduggia, from uggia, shade, or shadow.

The dyke here alluded

said to be
is

all

Bruggia,

fatti quelli,

s alti

The exhalation of the

'

" quenches

il

ville e lor castelli.

Anzi che Chiarentana

tale

e gli argini.

Fiamminghi, tra Guzzante

Per difender lor

acqua

1'

It flows

be-

tween strong embankments, on a

bed raised by

its

sediment above

the level of the plain, like other

rivers in that part of Italy.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XV.

ITI

nor so large, the master, whoever

it

might be, made

them.

Already we were so

removed from the wood,

far

where

that I should not have seen

when we met

turned back,

was, had I

a troop of spirits,

were coming alongside the bank

one another under a

who

and each looked

men are wont to look

new moon -^ and toward

evening

at us, as in the

sharpened their

it

an old

vision,^ as

tailor

at

us

does at the

eye of his needle.

Thus eyed by
one

who

wonder

me by

took

was recognised by
and said " What a

that family, I

the skirt,

!"^

Qual che

si

fosse, lo

maestro

felli.

Gi eravam dalla selva rimossi

Tanto, eh' io non avrei visto dov' era.
Perch' io indietro rivolto

Quando incontrammo
Che venia lungo V

mi

anime una

d'

15

fossi,

schiera,

argine, e ciascuna

Ci riguardava, come suol da sera

Guardar

1'

un V

altro sotto

nuova luna

E s ver noi aguzzavan le cigUa,

Come vecchio sartor fa nella cruna.

20

Cos adocchiato da cotal famiglia.

Fui conosciuto da un, che mi prese

Per

'

Lit.

lo

lembo, e grid

" The one

at the other

wont to look

under a new

which gives a feeble

make

is

recognition

moon

;"

light, so as to

difficult.

Qual maraviglia

Lit.:

**

brows," &c.

Sharpened
;

their eye-

pointed them, as

if

frowning, at us.
^

To

see thee here in the body.

172

INFERNO.

CANTO

And I, when he stretched

fixed my eyes on his baked

out his arm to me,

aspect,

And

swered

And

Ed

my

bending

the

that

so

my mind

scorching of his visage hindered not

knowing him.

XV.

from

face to his, I an-

" Are you here, Ser Brunetto !"^

he " O my son let it not displease thee.
!

quando

io,

suo braccio a

il

me

25

distese.

Ficcai gli ocelli per lo cotto aspetto

che

S,

il

viso abbruciato

La conoscenza sua

E chinando
Risposi

mia

la

difese

mio

intelletto

alla

sua faccia,

Siete voi qui, Ser Brunetto

figliuol

mio, non

ti

30

dispiaccia.

Brunetto Latini, of the Porta

proud

to

acknowledge the possi-

Duomo

in Florence, Dante's

bility

of

it,

man

fraud,

and

'

del

quegli

al

non

teacher

noted

for

his

He

learning in those times, and for

disdain.

his politeness and manifold dex-

works of his

The Florentine Guelphs

sent him as their ambassador to
Alonzo X., King of Spain, in

these

terity.

1260 (Malespini,

c.

162)

and he

is

he was accused of

left

Florence in high

Two

died in 1294.

still

remain.

the Tesoretto

One

sure),

in

rhymes

too feeble and empty

short, jingling,

any serious perusal

specimen of old

of

Trea-

(little

quaint
for

but curious

was afterwards appointed secretary

as a

and notary of the

Villani

as bearing a faint outward resem-

great phi-

blance in some phrases and in-

(viii.

10) calls

city.

him "a

losopher, and supreme master of

cidents

rhetoric, as well in speaking as in

other,

writing," &c.

but adds that

was a worldly man.''

The

"he
early

commentators (Boccaccio, Benv.

to

the

the French of those times,

that,

never been printed.

him

in his

manuscript copy of

contract drawn up by

capacity of notary, and being too

or, as

Brunetto himself says, en romans,

some

&c.)

Tesoro, is

kind of encyclopedia, written in

mention

Imola,

and

The

Commedia.

Le Trsor or

having made an error in

da

Italian,

selon le patois de France.

tish

Museum.

It has

There
it

is

in the Bri-

'

INFERNO.

CANTO XV.

Brunetto Latini turn back with thee a

if

go his

let

train.

I said

And

you.
will

and

little,

"^

" With
if

173

my power I do beseech it of
you wish me to sit down with you, I
all

do so, if it pleases him there, for I go with him."

" O my son," he said, '^ whoever of this flock

stops one instant, lies

hundred years

when

without fanning himself"^

Therefore go on

the

fire

thereafter,

strikes him.

I will follow at thy skirts

my

then will I rejoin

f and

band, that go lamenting their

eternal miseries."
I durst not descend from the road to go level

with him

but kept

my

head bent down,

one

like

Se Brunetto Latini un poco teco

Ritorna indietro, e lascia andar
Io dissi lui

la traccia.

Quanto posso ven preco

se volete che

con voi m' asseggia,

35

Farl, se piace a costui, che vo seco.

figliuol, disse,

S' arresta

qual di questa greggia

punto, giace poi cent' anni

Senza arrostarsi quando

Per va oltre

io

ti

verr

in

Let his

file,

feggia.

40

panni,

suoi eterni danni.

non osava scender deUa strada

Per andar par

'

a'

il

poi rigiugner la mia masnada.

Che va piangendo
Io

fuoco

il

train, or

di lui

ma

companions

go on without him.

capo chino

22, &c.), without

power

to defend

himself from the flames.

Lies prostrate like the con-

tumacious blasphemers (canto

il

xiv.

Lit.

clothes."

Q2

" I will

On

come

at thy

a lower level.

174

INFERNO.

who walks

CANTO

He began

in reverence.

"

What

is

this that

chance,

down here

or destiny, brings thee, ere thy last day,

And who

XV.

shews the way ?"

" There above, up in the clear life, I lost myself," replied I, " in a valley, before my age was

He

mom

Only yester

fulL^

appeared to me, as

I was

me home again^ by this

And he to me " If thou

in the fair

And

uom

Tenea, com'

Ei cominci

di

so early, seeing

45

che riverente vada.

quaggi

mi

lui,

Avanti che
ier

discerned rightly

ti

mena ?
cammino

il

sopra in la vita serena,

Rispos' io

Pur

if I

had not died

chi questi, che mostra

Lass

and

Qual fortuna, o destino,

Anzi r ultimo

if I

it,

it.

follow thy star, thou

of glorious haven,

life.^

to

path."

fail

back

returning into

guides

canst not

my

I turned

et

1'

mattina

smarr' in

una

50

valle,

mia fosse piena.

le volsi le spalle

Questi m' apparve, ritornando in quella,

E riducemi a ca' per questo calle.

Ed egli a me Se tu segui tua stella,
Non puoi fallire a glorioso porto.

55

Se ben m' accorsi nella vita

io

non

fossi s

per tempo morto.

Lost " the straight way" be-

'

fore I

had come

rity, i.e.

age

s'

that I

to the full

to the 35th year of

but did not

had

lost

it,

till

then

ma-

sorrow, and did not awake from

my

it till

feel

or begin to see

which

had

Spent a long night of

fallen.

yester morn.

Or

home."

the full misery and darkness of

the " valley" into

bella.

" Brings

See canto

me back

i.

to a

Ca' for casa.

Our earthly life " beautiful"

him in that eternal gloom.

to

INFERNO.

heaven

kind

so

But

in the work.

who

of old

to thee, I

175

would have cheered thee

that ungrateful, malignant people,

came down from Fiesole/ and

make

of the mountain and the rock^ will

enemy

to thee for

cause

for

the sweet

Ma

Ti

there

t'

avrei

all'

is

Ancient report on earth

cielo a te cos

il

an

and

benigno,

60

opera conforto.

queir ingrato popolo maligno,

Che

itself

blind,^ a people avaricious, envious,

Veggendo
Dato

savours

tart sorb-trees, it befits not

fig^ to fructify.

names them

And

thy good deeds.

amongst the

still

discese di Fiesole ab antico,

tiene ancor del

si far,

Ed

monte

per tuo ben

ragion

macigno,

nimico

far,

che tra

e del

65

gli lazzi sorbi

Si disconvien fruttare al dolce fico.

Vecchia fama nel

Gente

The

mondo

old chronicles say that

Florence was

first

founded

Romans, whose descendants,

many

li

chiama

orbi,

avara, invidiosa, e superba

by
after

centuries of perpetual con-

the "noble and virtuous Romans ;"

the " tart sorbs," to

and harsh Fiesolans."

the

" rude

These are

terms used by Villani in speaking

Romans and

tention with the city of Fiesole,

of the

made its inhabitants come down

and mix with them. To this dou-

rentines " were called blind ever

ble origin of the Florentines Vil-

after,"

lani frequently attributes all their

ed their gates to Attila, who put

many of them to death, and " com-

intestine wars.
^

Boccaccio and others say that

Villani

(ii.

1.)

Fiesolans.

says the Flo-

from having foolishly open-

manded

that the city should be

the family of the Elisei, of which

destroyed, burnt, and laid waste

Dante's was a branch, had

so that one

its ori-

gin from the Frangipani of Rome.

And the " sweet fig" alludes to

left

upon another, ...

450."

stone might not be

in the year

INFERNO.

176

proud
toms.

XV.

look that thou cleanse thyself of their cus-

Thy

fortune reserves such honour for thee,

that both parties will, have

far

CANTO

from the beak

of Fiesole

make

be the

shall

hunger of thee

but

Let the beasts

grass.^

of themselves, and not touch

litter

up amid

the plant, if any yet springs

their rankness,

Romans who
nest of so much

in which the holy seed revives of those

remained there when

became the

it

malice."^

my

" Were

desire all fulfilled," I answered him,

" you had not yet been banished from human nature

my memory

for in

fixed,

is

Dai lor costumi fa che tu

La tua fortuna tanto onor

Che r una parte
Di

te

Faccian

Di

ma

lungi

le bestie

lor

1'

altra

70

serba,

avranno fame

dal becco

fia

to

forb.

ti

ti

and now goes

1'

erba.

Fiesolane strame

medesme,

non

toccliin la pianta,

ancor nel lor letame,

S' alcuna surge

7^

In cui riviva la sementa santa

Di quei Roman, che

Fu

fatto

il

Dell'

Che
^

lui,

il

non

mente m'

mio dimando,
sareste ancora

hunger

fitta,

after

but neither will get thee to

take part with them.

Thou

80

posto in bando

The Neri and Bianchi (note

2d, p. 64) will both

thee

voi

umana natura

in la

quando

nido di malizia tanta.

Se fosse pieno tutto

Risposi

vi rimaser

shalt

stand thyself alone. Parad. xvii. Gd.

Becco means " he-goat" as well

ed or m' accuora
"beak:" and

as

be translated

the passage may

" Far from the he-

goat shall be the grass

its

poisonous
2

When

down

;" far

from

teeth.

the

to dwell in

Fiesolans
it.

came

INFERNO.

CANTO

XV.

my

heart, the

177

dear, kind, paternal image

of yon,

when in the world, hour by hour, you taught me

how man makes himself eternal. And whilst I live,

my

beseems
have

for

I write

tongue should shew what gratitude I

That which you

it.

and keep

;^

relate about

course,

with another text, for a Lady

it,

comment,^ who will be able

to

my

if I

get to her.

Thus

much I would have you know So conscience chide

me not, I am prepared for Fortune as she wills.
Not new to my ears is such earnest.^ Therefore,
:

let

Fortune turn her wheel

as pleases her,

and the

boor his mattock."^

La

cara

Di

voi,

buona imagine paterna

quando nel mondo ad ora ad ora

M' insegnavate come

quant' io

1'

uom

1'

abbo

eterna

s'

85

mentr' io vivo

in grado,

Convien, che nella mia lingua

scerna.

si

Ci che narrate di mio corso, scrivo,

serbolo a chiosar con altro testo

donna che

Tanto vogl'

io

il

sapr,

che vi

s'

sia manifesto.

Pur che mia coscienza non mi

Che

Non

Per

alla fortuna,

nuova
giri

Come
^

Inscribe

it

come

vuol, son presto.

la

my memory.

See canto ii, 8.

2 The " other text"

garding Dante's exile

is

the pro-

re-

and the

Lady, able to explain both,

Beatrice, or Celestial

95

sua marra.
" Such earnest" of what

coming.

phecy of Ciacco and Farinata,

Wisdom.

is

sua rota,

le piace, e il villan la

in

garra.

agli orecchi miei tale arra

Fortuna

90

lei arrivo.

1st, p.

2)

The

is

date of 1300 (note

must be constantly held

in mind.
''

" Let the boor of Fiesole dig

and sow what he chooses."

timo Com.

Let him do

Ot-

his worst.

INFERNO.

178

Thereupon
and looked
marks

at

CANTO

XV.

my

Master turned back on his right/

me, then said " He listens well who
:

it."^

Not

the less I go on speaking with Ser Brunetto,

and ask who are the most noted and highest of

his

companions.

And he
Of the

me

to

"

be laudable

rest it will

time would be too short

as the

know

brief,

that

all

were

and of great renown

know of some.
that we keep silence,
for so much talk.
In

good

It is

clerks,

to

and great

scholars,

by one same crime on earth

Priscian^ goes with that wretched crowd.

defiled.

Lo mio Maestro
Destra

si

Poi disse

allora in sulla gota

riguardommi

volse indietro, e
:

Bene

ascolta chi la nota.

Ne per tanto di men parlando vommi

Con Ser Brunetto, e dimando chi sono
Li suoi compagni

Ed

me

egli a

Degli

Che

il

Saper

altri fia

tempo

somma

In

pii

d'

100

noti e pii sommi.

alcuno buono

laudabile

il

tacerci,

105

saria corto a tanto suono.

sappi, che tutti fur cherci,

letterati

grandi e di gran fama

D' un medesmo peccato

al

mondo

lerci.

Priscian sen va con quella turba grama,

'

Lit.

"

On

his right

turned himself back," &c.

cheek

Virgil alludes to his Quicquid

Deli-

super anda omnis fortuna ferendo est

cately indicates that Brunetto

on the right hand

and their way

on the right bank of the

See canto
=^

Or

is

streamlet.

V.

saying:'

710)

mar

which Dante has

effect.

Priscian, the

Caesarea,

xvii. 31.

" Marks the

{lEn.

marked with

erit,

grammarian of

and teacher of gram-

understood by Dante's son

INFERNO.

CANTO XV.

and Francesco
any longing

Accorso

d'

such

for

179

also, if

;^

thou hadst had

thou mightest have seen

scurf,

who by the Servant of servants was transfrom the Arno to the Bacchiglione, where he

him^ there,
lated

left his ill-strained

my

my

going and

would say more, but

speech must not be longer
for
nerves.

new smoke

there I see

whom

Treasure,^ in which I

And more

to thee.

Francesco

S' avessi

from the great sand.^

arising

People are coming with

my

may

live,

still

Let

not be.

be commended

I ask not."

Accorso

d'

110

anco vedervi,

avuto di tal tigna brama.

Colui potei, che dal Servo de' servi

Fu

trasmutato

Ove

lasci

Di pi

direi

li

d'

in BacchigHone,

mal protesi

ma

Arno

il

nervi.

venir, e

sermone

il

Pi lungo esser non pu, per eh'

L surger nuovo fummo

Gente vien con

Nel quale

io vivo

il

Pietro, and the

mio Tesoro

ancora

other old

com-

mentators, to be put here as a representative of the class,

i.e.

the

Francesco, son of Accorso (^c-

pi non cheggio.

120

112. Potei, potevi.

Andrea

de'

Mozzi, of the rich

Florentine family of that name,

Bishop
time

teachers of youth.
'

non deggio.

Tigna, Lat. tinea.

111.

veggio

dal sabbione.

la quale esser

raccomandato

Sieti

io

115

of Florence in
and,

on

Dante's

account

of his

scandalous habits, translated by

Pope ("Servant of servants")

cursius) the celebrated Florentine

the

interpreter of Roman law; and like

to Vicenza, on the river Bacchi-

him, professor

glione.

the

comment

at

Bologna.

See

of Benv. da Imola

^
;

and the account he there gives of

his visit to

Bologna

in 1375.

Smoke

raised

by a new crowd

of spirits.
^

Le

Trsor,

or

Tesoro,

men-

180

INFERNO.

CANTO

XV.

Then he turned back, and seemed like one of

those who run for the green cloth at Verona through
the open field

not he

who

Poi

and of them seemed he who gains,

loses.^

e parve di coloro

si rivolse,

Che corrono a Verona

Per

campagna

la

Quegli che vince, e

il

drappo verde

e parve di costoro

non

colui che perde.

In the

a collection of profane Jests and

cap. 31)

Proverbs in terze rime, now hap-

of this work, Brunetto calls the

pily almost unintelligible, has long

tioned in note, p.

172.

Italian version (lib.

sin, for
''

which he

is

una delettazione

in the Tesoretto

vi.

here punished,

secolare."

And

he says of himself

been attributed
^

to

him.

In Dante's time,

at

Verona,

there was an annual race of the

kind here alluded

The run-

Sai che Siam tenuti un poco mon" thou knowest that we

ners were

are held to be a

but the quickest competed for the

danetti,

little

Another work, called

worldly."

// Pataffio,

to.

all stript

prize," or palio, as

it

and " none

was

called.

ARGUMENT.
Dante keeps following

his

Guide on the same path, and has already

got so far as to hear the crimson stream falling into the next

cir-

when another troop of spirits presents itself under the burning

rain.
They are the souls of men distinguished in war and council,
suiFering punishment for the same crime as Brunetto and his companions.
Three of them, seeing Dante to be their countryman by
his dress, quit the troop and run towards him, entreating him to
stop.
They allude to their wretched condition, as if under a sense
of shame
and make their names known in order to induce him
cle,

Two

to listen to their eager inquiries.

of them, Tegghiaio and

Rusticucci, are mentioned before (canto

vi.

noted for their talents and patriotism

and the zeal they

have for Florence suspends

**

79)

all

three were

their ancient wail" of torment.

answers them with great respect

still

He

and, in brief emphatic words,

declares the condition of the "perverse city."

him

Virgil then leads

makes him unloose

a cord wherewith he had girded himself; and casts it down into
the abyss, on which a strange and monstrous shape comes swimming up through the dark air.
to the place

where the water descends

182

INFERNO.

CANTO
Already

XVI.

XVI.

was in a place where the resounding

of the water, that

like the

CANTO

fell

into the other circle,^

hum which

make

bee-hives

was heard

when

three

shades together, running, quitted a troop that passed

They came
" Stay thee, thou who

beneath the rain of the sharp torment.

towards us, and each cried

by thy

some one from

dress to us appearest to be

our perverse city."

Ah me

what wounds I saw upon

recent and old, kindled^

yet,

by the

era in loco, ove

Simile a quel, che

tre

udia

1'

turned his

giro,

rombo

partir.

si

una torma che passava

d'

Sotto la pioggia

Venien ver noi

dell'

Sostati tu, che

all'

aspro martire.

e ciascuna gridava

me

rimbombo

arnie fanno,

ombre insieme

Correndo,

il

listened

che cadea nelF altro

Dell' acqua,

Quando

s'

It pains

flames.

when I but think thereof.

To their cries my Teacher
GiX

their limbs,

ne sembri

abito

Essere alcun di nostra terra prava.

Aim, che piaghe

vidi ne' lor

membri

Recenti e vecchie dalle fiamme incese

Ancor men duol, pur

Alle lor grida

il

mio Dottor

Into the eighth circle

of punishment

eh' io

place

for the fraudulent.

s'

in,"

me

10
!

ne rimembri.

attese.

Or

"

By

the flames burnt

and scorched anew!

CANTO

INFERNO.

XVI.

me, and said

face toward

courtesy

is

And were

due.

"

183

Now

wait

there not the

to these

fire,

which

the nature of the place darts, I should say the haste

more than them."

befitted thee

They recommenced, as we stood still, their ancient wail ; and when they had reached us, all the
three made of themselves a wheel.^ As champions,
naked and anointed, were wont
grasp

and vantage, ere they came

thrusts at one another

his visage

blows and

toward me, so that the neck kept travel-

Volse
Disse

il

viso ver

a costor

non fosse

se

to

thus, wheeling, each directed

ling in a direction contrary to the

spying their

to do,

il

me,
si

Ora

feet.'^

aspetta,

vuole esser cortese

La natura del luogo, io dicerei,

Che megho stesse a te, eh' a lor,
come noi ristemmo,

Ricominciar,

L' antico verso

Fenno una ruota

Qual solcano

15

fuoco che saetta

la fretta.

ei

quando a noi fur

20

giunti,

di se tutti e trei.

campion

far

nudi ed unti.

Avvisando lor presa e lor vantaggio,

Prima che

sien tra lor battuti e punti

Cos, rotando, ciascuna

Drizzava a me,

Faceva
Began

'

following

a'

other.

che in contrario

one

The next

circle is so near, that they

cannot

turn back with Dante, as Brunetto

did

and they dare not stand

See canto xv. 37-39.

25

visaggio
il

collo

pie continuo viaggio.

to wheel round,

the

il

still.

Lit.:

"The neck made

tinuous journey in

con-

contrary di-

reclion (senso) to the feet."

kept turning round in their

They
circle,

and looking with their faces constantly towards Dante.

INFERNO.

184

And

one of them began

loose place,^ and our dreary

CANTO

" If

misery of

tlie

mind

to tell us

who thou

let

our fame
thus

art, that

He

securely movest thy living feet^ through Hell.

in

whose

footsteps thou

this

and scorched aspect/

bring us and our prayers into contempt,

incline thv

XVI.

seest

me

naked

tread, all

and peeled though he be, was higher in degree

Grandson of the good Gual-

than thou believest.

drada,^ his

name was Guidoguerra

and in his

life-

E, se miseria d' esto loco soUo

Rende

in dispetto noi e nostri preghi.

Cominci

uno, e

1'

La fama nostra

il

dirne chi tu

il

tristo aspetto e brollo

30

tuo animo pieghi

se',

che

vivi piedi

Cos sicuro per lo Inferno freghi.

orme

Questi, r

di cui pestar

mi

vedi.

Tutto che nudo e dipelato vada,

Fu

di grado

Nepote fu

35

maggior che tu non

della

buona Gualdrada

credi.

Guidoguerra ebbe nome, ed in sua vita

''
Loose," sandy plain, which
" from its bed repels all plants."
2 Or: " Sad and peeled aspect."
'

B rollo,

or brullo,

" burnt

or

means " naked,"

naked."

canto xxxiv. 60.

" Rubbest
^ Lit.
:

feet

See

also

The

37

through Hell;" with louder

Gualdrada, daughter of Bel-

Boccaccio, Landino,

incident connected with

her marriage, related by them

all,

will not bear the test of dates, or

of what Dante himself says else-

where (Parad.
thy living

step than spirits.

"^

Villani, V.

&c.

xv.

and

xvi.)

but

it

Guido-

shews her fame.

at least

guerra led the Guelphs of Florence, at the battle of Benevento,

on the

last of

February, 1265-6,

lincione Berti, "the greatest and

and signally contributed

most honoured cavalier of Florence," long famous for her beauty,

victory of Charles of

modesty, and noble frankness. See

lani, vii.

Manfred.

Malespini,
8-10.

to the

Anjou over
c.

180; Vil-

CANTO

185

INFERNO.

XVI.

much with

time he did

The

counsel and with sword.

behind me,

other, that beats the sand

Tegghiaio

is

up in
the world.
And I, who am placed with them in
torment, was Jacopo Rusticucci f and certainly, more
Aldobrandi,^ whose fame should be grateful

than aught

Had

else,

my

savage wife injures me."

been sheltered from the

fire,

have thrown myself amid them below, and

my

Teacher would have permitted

it

I should
I believe

but as I should

have burnt and baked myself, fear overcame the good

will

which made me greedy

to

embrace them.

Fece col senno assai e con la spada.

L' altro, che appresso

me

1'

arena

40

trita,

Tegghiaio Aldobrandi, la cui voce

Nel mondo su dovrebbe esser gradita.

Ed

io,

che posto son con loro in croce,

Iacopo Rusticucci fui

La

fiera

moglie pi eh' altro mi nuoce.

S' io fussi stato dal

Gittate

Ma

mi

perch' io

il

mi

Vinse paura

'

fuoco coverto.

Dottor

vi.),

la

at ver. 79, canto

mi

Amongst

other things, he

zealously attempted to

dissuade

facea ghiotto.

battle of Montaperto.
c.

of the Adimari family, dis-

tinguished as a statesman and soldier.

mia buona vogha.

di loro abbracciar

and

avria sofierto.

1'

sarei bruciato e cotto.

Tegghiaio (pronounced Teg-

ghia' here

45

sarei tra lor disotto,

credo che

Che

e certo

166
^

beian
talents

Malespini,

Villani, vi. 77,

&c.
**

ple-

for

his

rich Florentine, of

family,"

famous

and generosity.

Had

to

separate himself from that " sa-

whom

he owes his

the Florentines from the expedi-

vage wife," to

tion which ended in the disastrous

miserable punishment.

r2

186

INFERNO.

Then

I began

^'
:

CANTO

Not contempt, but sorrow, your

condition fixed within me, so deeply that

me

leave

when

soon,^

me, by which

will not

Lord spake words to

such men as you are might

am

city

I,

and always with

and go

for the

me by my veracious
behoves me first to fall."^

Guide.

I leave the gall,

sweet apples^ promised

But

to the centre

^'

it

So may thy

Poi cominciai

La

spirit

Non

long animate thy members,"

dispetto,

vostra condizion dentro

Tanto, che tardi tutta

si

ma
mi

doglia
fisse

dispoglia.

Tosto che questo mio Signor mi disse

mi

Parole, per le quali io

Che, qual voi

Di

siete, tal

sono

vosti a terra

gente venisse.

sempre mai

afFezion ritrassi

Lascio lo

fele, e

Ma

Le membra

Lit-

ine so

per lo verace Duca

1'

much,
it

anima conduca

to

65

tue, rispose quegli allora,

" Fixed sorrow within

such a degree,

that late, or slowly,

vested ;"

60

ascoltai.

fino al centro pria convien eh' io tomi.

Se lungamente

ed

nomi

vo pei dolci pomi

me

Promessi a

pensai,

L' ovra di voi e gli onorati

Con

af-

and heard your deeds and

fection have I rehearsed

honoured names.

it

my

this

I felt that

Of your

be coming.

XVI.

it

is

will cling to

all di-

me

long.

" Sweet apples" of Faith and everlasting

Freedom

fruits

venly Mercy, Grace, and

See canto

ii.

of hea-

Wisdom.

p. 23.

Must go down

Real and deep sadness.

^ " Gall of bitterness, and the

centre of Hell, before he can be-

bond of iniquity."

gin to ascend.

Acts

viii.

33.

to the

very

CANTO

INFERNO.

XVX.

187

he then replied, " and so thy fame shine

tell, if

after thee

courtesy and valour abide within our city as

they were wont, or have gone quite out of

it ?

For

Guglielmo Borsiere/ who has been short time in

pain with us, and yonder goes with our companions,
greatly torments us with his words."

" The upstart people^ and the sudden gains,

engendered in thee pride and ex-

Florence, have
cess, so that

Thus

thou already weepest thereat."

I cried with face uplifted

and the three,

who understood this as an answer, looked at one

another as men look when truth is told. " If otherE

se la

fama tua dopo

Cortesia e valor,

di', se

Nella nostra citt

te luca.

dimora

come

suole,

se del tutto se n' gito fuora

Che Guglielmo

Con

Borsiere,

il

qual

si

duole

70

noi per poco, e va l coi compagni.

Assai ne cruccia con le sue parole.

La gente nuova,

subiti guadagni.

Orgoglio e dismisura han generata,

Fiorenza, in

te, s

che tu gi ten piagni.

Cos gridai colla faccia levata

i tre,

Guatar

for

A
his

un

1'

altro,

distinguished

" courteous and elegant

manners, and great readiness and

wit in conversation."

Nov.

8.

che ci inteser per risposta.

1'

Fiorentine,

caccio, Com.

See Boc-

and Decam. Giorn.

i.

come

al

ver

Or:

si

guata.

"New

people;" people

newly settled in Florence, such as

the Cerchi, &c. Nearly all of the

White party, the party which Dante

joined in resisting the coming of
Charles.

See canto

vi.,

p. 64,

&c.

INFERNO.

188
while

" happy thou, who thus speakest

will

Therefore,

when thou

at

thy

thou escape out of these gloomy

if

and return

regions,

XVI.

they

costs tliee so little to satisfy others,"^

it

replied,

all

CANTO

beauteous stars

to see again the

shalt rejoice to say,

'

I was,'^ see that thou

speak of us to men."

Then they broke

their

wheel

their

and, as they fled,

" Amen" could

An

nimble legs seemed wings.

not have been said so quickly as they vanished.

Wherefore
lowed him

my

pleased

it

to depart.

and we had gone but

sound of the water was

we

Master

little,

I fol-

when

the

so near us, that in speaking

should scarce have heard each other.

Se r

poco

altre volte si

Risposer
Felice

tutti, il

che

te,

ti

costa,

parli a tua posta

80

soddisfare altrui,
!

Per, se campi d' esti luoghi bui,

torni a riveder le belle stelle.

Quando
Fa che

giover dicere

ti

Io

fui,

85

di noi alla gente favelle.

Indi rupper la ruota, ed a fuggirsi

Ale sembiaron

Un amen non
Tosto

cos,

Perch

al

le lor

gambe

saria potuto dirsi

com'

ei

furo spariti

Maestro parve

Che

il

Che per
They

dell'

parlar

acqua

90

di partirsi.

Io lo seguiva, e poco eravam

suon

snelle.

iti.

n' era s vicino.

saremmo appena

uditi.

Et

hint at his freedom in

gions."

speaking the truth, and the exile

juvabit.

&c. which

sine sole domos, loca turbida, adires.

'

'

it is

to cost

I was' in those "

him.

gloomy

re-

hcec

Mxi.

Ibid. vi. 534.

i.

olim

103.

meminisse

Ut

tristes

CANTO

INFERNO.

XVI.

As
first^

that river ^

which

189
a path

has

from Monte Viso toward the

Apennine ; which

skirt of the

above, ere

descends to

it

of that name^ at Forli

its

of

east,

called

is

own,

its

on the

left

Acquacheta

low bed, and

vacant

is

resounds from the mountain,

there above San Benedetto, in falling at a descent,

where

thousand there should be refuge

for a

down from

bank we found

a steep

re-echoing, so that in

ned the

little

time

Dalla sinistra costa

si divalli

d'

nome

Dove dovria per

Trovammo

1'

low bed."

It is

of the rivers, on the

nines, that has a

to the sea,
rest before

left

Apencourse of its own

skirts

from Monte Viso

105

Or: " Before any other river."

Has

lost the

cheta

{cheta,

taken

that

of

name

of Acqua-

quiet),

still,

Montone

and

before

reaching Forli.

of the

near Ravenna. All the

it,

orecchia offesa.

first

scesa.

risonar quell' acqua tinta,

The Montone, which passes

Abbey of St. Benedict and

(northern)

100

discoscesa,

there descends into the plain of

the

vacante.

ad una

S che in poc' ora avria

its

letto,

mille esser ricetto

una ripa

Cos, gi d'

"

95

levante,

sovra San Benedetto

Dall' alpe, per cadere

Romagna,

cammino

Apennino,

gi nel basso

a Forl di quel

Rimbomba

the

would have stun-

chiama Acquacheta suso, avante

si

Che

that tainted water

it

quel fiume, eh' ha proprio

Prima da monte Veso in ver

thus

ear.

Come

Che

:*

"*

to

The Abbey being

shelter

rich

enough

thousands, instead

the few that are in

haps refers to scesa

it.
;

of

Dove perand there

is

eastwards, are tributaries or " at-

a story told ahout some village

tendants" of the Po.

(castello),

"capable of containing

INFERNO.

190

had a cord^

some time

girt

round

to catch the

me and with

I held

it

from me,

it

him

out to

as

XVI.

I thought

it

Leopard of the painted

After I had quite unloosed

commanded me,

CANTO

my

skin.

Guide

and wound

coiled

Io aveva una corda intorno cinta,

con essa pensai alcuna volta

Prender

lonza alla pelle dipinta.

la

me

Poscia che

1'

ebbi tutta da

come

il

Duca m' avea comandato.

sciolta,

110

Persila a lui aggroppata e ravvolta.

many

people," which was to have

been built " very near the place

lies in

where

this water

Bocc.

" righteousnesses," the semblances

Com.

Those who adopt

this lat-

of strength, with which he had

ter

meaning read

falls."

dovea, instead of

dovria, in line 102.

'

to

In the Bible, the expressions,

about,"

" gird

to

with

strength," &c. always denote pre-

paration for

kind

rious

{Purg.

The

and

her

become

many

(in

a thing that

He

up in his
and Virgil (Wisdom)

casts

it

and

rolls

The

quite

it

with energy and decision

into the deep abyss, as a

for the

the sight

how he

to get rid of.

how

pleases and encourages

of every

unlooses

way

speaks of one

he requires

brief

tempts to ascend the bright Hill

unaided and alone

cord

the

catch

it,

turn back

and see how he at-

First,

attention,

the cord, with which he had once

to

to

strongly

Worldly Pleasure

senses), has

details, will

life-

desire

way

painted Leopard represents Flor-

hoped

Canto

do his

of the Leopard on the

virtue girded" round him.

ence, or

up the

fill

to

to

who

Readers,

some work of a seand Dante himself

114)

vii.

who " wore

once girt himself

battle.

"gird," to have the "loins

girded

taking the mystic cord as

an emblem of the mere human

monster that

is

fit

lure

to appear.

plain solution, if we err not,

his

attracts

gets the

first

him

to

it

and

lesson of his

weakness from the Lion and the

Wolf.

In the cantos that

low, he gets

many

The prophecies

same kind.
his separation

He

of

from the Leopard

(exile, poverty,

him.

fol-

lessons of the

&c.) thicken on

sees Farinata, Brunetto,

The

Guidoguerra, &c.
of casting off

all

necessity

shams and sem-

blances, and seeking firm footing

in the Infinitudes

and Eternities,

becomes more and more apparent

and pressing.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XVI,

191

Then he bent himself toward

up.

and threw

the right side/

some distance from the edge, down

it,

deep abyss.

into that

" Surely/'
must answer

''

said I within myself,

new

this

something new

which

signal,

my

Master so

follows with his eye."

Ah how
!

who

men

cautious ought

to

be with those

see not only the deed, but with their

through into the thoughts

come up

I expect will soon

dreams

said to

me

Always

should close his

air

ei si volse

of false-

lips, if possible

for,

But here

though blameless, he incurs reproach.^

What

and what thy thought

which has an

to that truth

man

Ond'

''
:

soon must be discovered to thy view."

of,

hood, a

He

mind look

inver lo destro lato,

alquanto di lungi dalla sponda

La

gitt giuso in quell' alto burrato.

E pur

Dicea fra

Che

115

convien che novit risponda,

il

me medesmo,

nuovo cenno

al

Maestro con V occhio

Ahi quanto cauti

gli

seconda.

uomini esser denno

Presso a color, che non veggon pur V opra.

Ma

per entro

Ei disse a

me

pensier miran col senno

Tosto convien eh'

al

De' r

uom

ver, eh'

chiuder

che

il

tuo pensier sogna,

tuo viso

si

ha faccia

le

scopra.

di

Like one who

is

going to

throw with his right hand.

menzogna.

labbra quant'

Per che senza colpa fa vergogna

120

Tosto verr di sopra

Ci eh' io attendo

Sempre a quel

ei

puote,

125

" Causes shame" to himself,

by relating what seems unlikely.

192

INFERNO.

keep

CANTO

XVI.

cannot ; and, Reader, I swear to thee, by

silent I

the notes^ of this

my Comedy

void of lasting favour

gross and dark,

so

may

they not be

that I saw, through that air

come swimming upwards, a

figure^

marvellous to every stedfast heart ;^ like as he returns,

who sometimes

goes

down

to loose the anchor,

grapples a rock or other thing that in the sea

who

spreads the arms and gathers

Ma

qui tacer noi posso

Di questa Commedia,
S' elle

non

up the

which
is

hid,

feet.*

e per le note
lettor, ti giuro,

sien di lunga grazia vote,

Ch' io vidi per quell' aer grosso e scuro

130

Venir notando una figura in suso.

Meravigliosa ad ogni cor sicuro.
S

come torna

colui che va giuso

Talvolta a solver

1'

ncora, eh' aggrappa

scogho, od altro, che nel mare chiuso,

Che

"

'

in su

si

stende, e da pie

With other Notes than

Orphean lyre
I

to the

sung of Chaos and eternal

Par, Lost,

vi.

Forma

289.

eth

out

Rev,

xi.

ili.

tricorporis umhrce.

17.

Mn.

rattrappa.

3 *' The beast shall ascend," &c.,

" and they that dwell on the earth

shall

Night."

si

135

wonder."

Lit:

Rev. xvii. 8.

"Who

above" (in the

upper part of his body) " spreads
4

" The beast that ascend-

himself, and at the feet draws

of the bottomless pit,"

self together," as

17.

he

up from the anchor.

is

him-

swimming

ARGUMENT.

The monster Geryon

is

described

and the Poets leave the rocky mar-

gin of the streamlet, and go down, on the right hand, to the place

where he has landed himself.

Virgil remains with him, and sends

Dante, by himself alone (not without significance),

class of sinners that are punished

to see the last

on the burning sand,

the Usurers

who have done Violence to Nature and Art. Canto

They are sitting all crouched up, tears gushing from

xi.

94,

&c

their eyes

and each of them has a Purse, stamped with armorial bearings,

hanging from
finds

it

his neck.

Dante looks into the

faces of

some

quite impossible to recognise any one of them.

examines their condition, in the way of duty

words that make him understand

away without speaking

at all to

and Geryon conveys them down

it

them.

He

listens

completely

He

but

briefly

to a few

and then turns

goes back to his Guide

to the Eighth Circle.

194

INFERNO.

CANTO
" Behold

and weapons

XVII.

and breaks through walls

Behold him

XVII,

savage beast with the pointed

the

that passes mountains,

tail,

CANTO

that pollutes the

whole

Thus began my Guide to speak to me and

beckoned him to come ashore, near the end of our
rocky path.^ And that uncleanly image of Fraud
came onward, and landed his head and bust, but
drew not his tail upon the bank.
world."^

His face was the

aspect had
tile's

body.

Ecco

it

con

la

coda aguzza,

Che passa

Ecco

che tutto

colei

S cominci lo

mura ed armi

monti, e rompe
il

mondo appuzza

mio Duca a parlarmi

marmi

Sen venne, ed arriv

la testa e

Ma

trasse la coda.

in su la riva

non

faccia sua era faccia d'

uom

Tanto benigna avea di fuor

il

busto

" Diseases

all

stench;" fillsitwith

and
Lit.:

la pelle

10
;

the world with

marbles" (stony margins of the

Shams

streamlet) " walked on" by us.

their results.
**

giusto,

E d' un serpente tutto 1' altro fusto.

Duo branche avea pUose infin 1' ascelle

sort

quella sozza imagine di froda.

La

accennolle che venisse a proda,

Vicino al fin de' passeggiati

mild an

so

outwardly f and the rest was all a repHe had two paws, hairy to the arm-

la fiera

Ed

man,

face of a just

of every

Canto

xi.

Near the end of the

Lit.:

"It had

wardly so mild."

the skin out-

CANTO

pits

INFERNO.

XVII,

195

the neck, and the breast, and both the flanks,

were painted with knots and

more colours

Tartars nor Turks with

or broidery^ in cloth

webs

nor by Arachne were such

at times the wherries lie

part in water and part on land

the

Never did
make ground

on her loom.

laid

As

circlets.

on shore, that are

;

and

amongst

as,

guzzling Germans, the beaver adjusts himself

make his war f so lay that worst of savage beasts

upon the brim^ which closes the great sand with
stone.
In the void^ swam all his tail, twisting upwards the venomed fork, which, as in scorpions,

to

armed the

Lo

point.

dosso, e

il

petto,

ed ambedue

le coste

Dipinte avea di nodi e di rotelle.

15

Con pi color, sommesse e soprapposte

Non fer mai drappo Tartari ne Turchi,

N fur
Come tal

tai tele

per Aragne imposte.

volta stanno a riva

Che parte sono

E come
Lo bevero

l tra
s'

li

orlo,

burchi.

20

in acqua e parte in terra,

Tedeschi lurchi

assetta a far sua guerra

Cos la fiera pessima

Su r

si

che di pietra

stava
il

sabbion serra.

25

Nel vano tutta sua coda guizzava,

Torcendo

in su la

venenosa forca

Che, a guisa di scorpion, la punta armava.

'

the

Sommesse, the groundwork of

cloth

and soppraposte, the

raised work, or broidery.

2

i.e.

to catch his prey.

Ring

of rock

between

sand and the deep central

^

The empty space

abyss.

'*

the

void."

over the

196

INFERNO.

My

Guide

Now

^^

said

CANTO XVH.

must we bend our way

wicked brute which couches there."

a little, to that

Then we descended on

the right/ and

we might

paces towards the edge,^ that

made

ten

quite avoid

the sand and flames.

And when we came

sand, a

farther onwards, people

little

empty

the

my

Here

space.

" That thou mayest take

now and mark

round, go

thy talk with them be

Lo Duca

him, I saw upon the

to

disse

La nostra

un poco,

via

Per scendemmo

femmo

noi a

Poco pi

la

lei

il

Esperienza

Mi

si

30

mammella,

venuti semo.

35

su la rena

al

luogo scemo.

Acciocch tutta piena

d' esto

giron porti,

disse, or va, e vedi la lor

33. Cessar, evitare.

"

torca

corca.

mena.

Li tuoi ragionamenti sien l corti

'

On the right breast." Down

40

Farad, xxv. 133.

Usurers,

Canto

**

sitting all

from the elevated margin of the

up."

streamlet.

near the end of the sand

Edge

of the abyss.

paces from the sand.

Let

these.

thou returnest.

rena e la fiammella

oltre veggio in

Maestro

of this

in sullo stremo.

Gente seder propinqua

Quivi

si

infino a quella

alla destra

Per ben cessar

E quando

Till

brief.

Or convien che

dieci passi

mien of

me

to

experience

the

Bestia malvagia, che col

Master said

full

near

sitting^

Went

ten

xiv.

23.

crouched

They
;

are

close to

the rim of stone, or inner bound-

ary of the circle.

Ver. 24,

CANTO

INFERNO.

XVII.

197

he may lend us

I will speak with this beast, that

his strong shoulders.

Thus

on the utmost

also,

circle, all alone I

on

this side,

kept warding
the burning

mer

do,

by

fleas,

my

of

or

the dogs in sum-

now with paw, when

they

or breeses.

flies,

eyes into the visages of some, on

descends, I

fire

knew

torni, parler

Che ne conceda

not one

neck of each

I observed that from the

Mentre che

were

they with their hands

that,

snout,

the dolorous

them '^ but

folk

was bursting

their grief

Not otherwise

soil.

Directing

on

seventh

sometimes the flames, sometimes

ofF,^

now with

are bitten

whom

where the woful

to

Through the eyes

seated.

forth

went

limit^ of that

con questa,

suoi omeri forti.

Cos ancor, su per la strema testa

Di quel settimo
Andai ove sedea

cerchio, tutto solo

la

45

gente mesta.

Per gh occhi fuori scoppiava lor duolo

Di qua,

di l soccorrien

Quando

a'

Non
Or

vapori, e

con

quando

altrimenti fan di state

mani,

le

al caldo suolo.

cani,

50

quando son morsi

col ceffo or col pie,

da pulci

da mosche o da tafani.

Poi che nel viso a certi gh occhi porsi,

Ne' quali

il

doloroso fuoco casca,

Non ne conobbi
^

alcun

ma

Along the " extreme head,"

or stony border, of that seventh

circle,

class

of sinners, having already

m' accorsi

Or, "

made

help, sometimes,

against the flames," &c.

went also to see the third

seen the other two.

io

They

obscure
(canto

s2

are all
for

vii.

any

53)

of them " too

recognition"
too

despicable

198

INFERNO.

hung

there

a pouchy which

CANTO

had

a certain impress, and thereon

XVII.

a certain colour

and

seems their eye

still

it

feeds.

And

came amongst them looking, on

as I

a yel-

low purse I saw azure, that had the semblance and

gesture of a

Then,

lion.^

my

look continuing

saw another of them, redder than blood,

course, I

more white than butter.^

sow azure and pregnant, had

display a goose

who, with a

me

sacklet stamped,^ said to

this pit

Get thee gone

Che

its

"

What

And

his argent

dost thou in

and, because thou art

dal collo a ciascun pendea

una

one

still

55

tasca,

Ch' avea certo colore e certo segno,

quindi par che

com'

io

il

loro occhio

pasca.

si

riguardando tra lor vegno.

In una borsa gialla vidi azzurro.

Che

60

di lione avea faccia e contegno.

Poi procedendo di mio sguardo

curro,

Vidine un' altra pi che sangue rossa

Mostrare un' oca bianca pi che burro.

Ed

un, che

una scrofa azzurra

d'

e grossa

Segnato avea lo suo sacchetto bianco.

Or
for

Mi

disse

te

ne va

being named.

left for eternity

and

emblems

Che

tu in questa fossa

perch

se'

Have nothing

but those purses

of

nobility,

which their eye seems

Animum

fai

to

on
feed.

picturd pascit inani, ....

Florentines of the Guelph party.

Malesp.
2

c.

168.

Arms

Florence, and

of the Ghibelline

lani, vi. 83,

saccis,
^

&c.

Arms

Hor. Serm.
of the

i.

undique
70, &c.

Gianflgliazzi,

Ubbriachi, an

of distinction in

iEn.

Congestis

of the

ancient family

party.

464.

vivo anco,

largoque humectat flumine vuitum.

i.

65

Malesp.

c.

137, &.c.

Vif-

&c.

The arms

of the

(Scrofa) of Padua.

Scrovigni

CANTO

know

alive,

199

INFERNO.

XVII.

my

here at

my

that

neighbour Vitaliano^

With

left side.

Many

a Paduan.

shall

these Florentines

my

a time they din

sit

am

I,

ears, shout-

Let the sovereign cavalier^ come, who will

bring the pouch with the three goats " Then he
ing

!'

writhed his mouth, and thrust his tongue

an ox that

dreading

lest

turned back from those fore-

to stay short time,

wearied

I,

like

him who had admonished

longer stay might anger

me

And

nose.

his

licks

out,-^

souls.

I found

my

who had

Guide,

Sappi che

mio

il

already

mounted

vicin Vitaliano

Seder qui dal mio sinistro fianco.

Con

questi Fiorentin son

Padovano

Spesse fiate m' intruonan

Gridando

Vegua

Che recher

Ed

la bocca, e di fuor trasse

temendo noi

Lui che

di

poco

Tornai indietro
Trovai lo

cavalier sovrano.

il

come bue che

lingua,

io,

dall'

alive,

still

*'

Dante, being

sion of Pietro, Dante's son.

Mark

of the heartiest, and the

meanest contempt

most infamous

usurer of

those times," a Florentine of the

arms were

three "he-goats;" not "beaks,"

as

tribus hirquis, Sec, is the expres-

can report what he

Bicci family, whose

lasse.

eh' era salito

Messer Giovanni Buiamonte,

the

crucciasse

anime

hears about him, &c.

2

some have thought.

75

m' avea ammonito,

Vitaliano del Dente, a rich

'

naso lecchi.

il

piti star

star

Duca mio

Paduan nobleman.

gli orecchi,

la tasca coi tre becchi.

Quindi storse

La

70

Ille ciim

real

One

indicating the

rank of those noble usurers.

sees

it

yet,

with

its

old ac-

companiments, amongst the lowest classes in Italy;

to

and

it

them from the Romans.

Pers. Sat.

i.

58-60.

comes
See

200

INFERNO.

CANTO

XVII,

on the hauncli of the dreadful animal ; and he said

" Now be stout and bold
to me
Now by such
!

must we descend.

stairs

Mount thou

in front

I wish to be in the middle, that the

do hurt

tail

for

may

not

to thee''

As one who

has the shivering of the quartan so

near, that he has his nails already pale, and trembles

all,

when

keeping the shade

still

But

these words were uttered.^

excited shame, which

such I became

;^

his threats^

makes the servant bold in

presence of a worthy master.

Gi sulla groppa del

disse a

Omai

si

me

scende per

Monta

sie forte e ardito.

fatte scale

dinanzi, eh' io

S che la coda

Qual

Or

colui, eh'

vogho esser mezzo,

non possa
ha

80

fiero animale,

far male.

presso

il

85

ribrezzo

Della quartana, eh' ha gi F unghie smorte,

E trema

tutto,

pur guardando

Tal divenn' io alle parole porte

Ma

vergogna mi

Continuing, unnerved and

dis-

couraged, in the shade which

is

With
ague coming

cold and hurtful to him.

a frightful Italian

upon him trembling

;

all over,

without heart to move

till

and

some

Or,

more

lit.

" At the words

These

" threats"

90

fa servo forte.

and

of highest calmness

looks

(mere

security

visible

presence

make Dante
ashamed of his trembling, and
of Wisdom), which

give

him

call the

much

strength to mount, re-

expression

Murorum

(^n.

iv.

88),

ingentes,

of Virgil,

so

tortured by commentators.

The reading followed by Gary

directed" to me.
3

Minoeque

one force him.

2

rezzo

fer le sue minacce.

Che innanzi a buon signor

'

il

without any good authority.

is

CANTO

INFERNO.

XVII.

201

huge shoulders, and

I placed myself on those

wished to say, only the voice came not^

" See that thou embrace me."

But he, who

at other times assisted

soon as I mounted, clasped

difficulties/

arms, and held

now move

as I

me

Be thy

thee.

thy descent

Then he

up.

said

circles wide,

me
me

thought

in other

with his

" Geryon,

and gradual

think of the unusual burden that thou

hast."

As

the bark^ goes from

backwards,

station

its

backwards, so the monster took himself from thence

Io m' assettai in su quelle spallaece

Si volli dir,

ma

la voce

Coni' io credetti

Ma

le braccia

disse

m' avvinse

Pensa

nuova soma che tu

la

sisted

^n.
"

me

vi.

493.

Who

at

counter ;^^ the

or

unable to speak from

other time as-

other

word

difficult en-

rincontro, passo,

some such, being understood

after forte.

Ad
line

Many editions have

Ad alto, forte, in

alto forte, or

95

hai.

100

la navicella esce di loco

Inceptus clamor frustratur

Mantes,

larghe, e lo scender sia poco

Stili

Lit.

95

mi sostenne

Gerion, moviti omai

In dietro in dietro,

mi sovvenne

Le ruote

Come

fear,

non venne

altro forte, tosto eh' io montai,

Con

Fa che tu m' abbracce.

esso che altra volta

Ad
E

and the commentators

quindi

say

si

Ad

tolse

means " above,

alto

one of the higher circles

that forte
refers

to

is

or in

and

;"

used adverbially, and

m'

avvinse.

gives the explanation

Foscolo

wrong

succeeds in shewing that the

altro forte of Torelli,

somewhat
^

but

Ad

&c. makes

better reading.

Recalls the wherries, or barks

{burchi), of verse 19.

INFERNO.

202
and when he
his breast

moved

an

like

r.

himself quite loose,^ there where

felt

had been he turned

it,

CANTO XVI

and with

eel,

and stretching

his tail,

paws gathered

his

the air to him.

when Phae-

Greater fear there was not, I believe,

ton

was burnt

pears,^

by

loins unfeather

when

when poor

nor

Icarus

!"^

I saw myself in the air on

poi eh' al tutto

ov' era

il

petto, la

coda rivolse
anguilla,

all sides,

and

beast.^

mosse

105

aere a s raccolse.

Quando Fetonte abbandon

N quando

my

a giuoco.

Maggior paura non credo che

il ciel,

than was

of the

sight, save

si sent

E quella tesa, come

E con le branche F

Per che

his

felt

the heating of the wax,^ his father

saw extinguished every

sky, as yet ap-

him, " Perilous thy way

crying to
fear,

whereby the

the reins,^

let fall

fosse.
li

freni.

come appare ancor,

Icaro misero

le

cosse

si

reni

110

Sent spennar per la scaldata cera.

Gridando

Che fu

Mala

il

padre a

lui

la mia,

quando

vidi eh' io era

via tieni

Neil' aer d' ogni parte, e vidi spenta

Ogni veduta, fuor che

Or

'*
:

Quite at play

;" at full

play in the void.

*

Rapidi

odoratas,

Gelida formidine lora remisit,

vicinia

pennarum

Tabuerant

ceree

solis

Alolltt

vincula, ceras.

nudos quatit

ille

In the Milky Way, according

&c. Metam, viii. 225.

Lit.: " 111 vv^ay thou keepest."

Compare
15 and Pa-

" Saw every sight quenched,

Metam.
^

della fiera.

ii.

200.

lacertos,

to the Pythagoreans,

Convito, Tr.

rad. xiv. 99.

ii.

cap.

except that of the beast

nothing but the beast.

;"

saw

INFERNO

CANTO XVI r.

He

goes on swimming slowly, slowly

descends; but I perceive

wind upon

203

my

it

wheels and

not, otherwise than

and from below.^

face

by

Already,

on the right hand, I heard the whirlpool^ make a

hideous roaring under us; whereat I stretched

head

Then was

downwards.^

forth, looking

more

terror-struck at the descent; for I saw fires

heard lamentings, so that I shrunk

And

then I saw

what

all

and

trembling.

had not seen before

my

the

sinking and the wheeling,^ through the great evils

which drew near on diverse

sides.

Ella sen va notando lenta lenta

Ruota, e discende

Se non eh'

ma non me

al viso e disotto

man

Io sentia gi dalla

Far sotto noi un

Per che con

gli

115

destra

mi

n' accorgo.

venta.

gorgo

il

orribile stroscio

occhi in gi la testa sporgo.

Allor fu' io pi timido allo scoscio

120

Per

eh' io vidi fuochi, e sentii pianti

Ond'

io

tremando tutto mi raccoscio.

vidi poi, che noi vedea davanti.

Lo scendere
Che

s'

il

per

girar,

li

gran

mah

125

appressavan da diversi canti.

118. Gorgo, Lat. gurges.

121. Scoscio, descent, precipice.

**

It blows

on his face," from

the circling; and "beneath," or

on

his feet,

from the sinking.

Into which the red stream is

" On the right hand,"
falling.
^

indicating that

Geryon had turned

to the right,

down with

and keeps circling

the rocky precipice on

that hand.
3

my
"^

Lit:

"With

eyes downwards,

head I stretch."

The descending and

circling,

204

INFERNO.

As

CANTO

without seeing bird qr lure,

coner cry, "Alas! thou stoopest"

descends weary
many

then swiftly moves himself with

far

from his master

so at

upon his wings

makes the fal-

the falcon, that has been long

that,

sets

XVII.

;^

a circle, and

himself disdainful and sullen

the bottom Geryon

set us, close to the foot of

the ragged rock; and, from our weight relieved, he

bounded

off like

Come

il

an arrow from the

falcon eh' stato assai su

string.^

1'

ali,

Che, senza veder logoro o uccello.

Fa

dire al falconiere

Discende

onde

lasso,

Per cento ruote,

si

Oim

tu cali

muove

snello

da lungi

si

Dal suo maestro, disdegnoso

Cos ne pose

130

pone

e fello

fondo Gerione

al

piede a pie della stagliata rocca

135

E, discarcate le nostre persone.

come da corda

Si dilegu,

A piede

134.

cocca.

a pie, " at foot at foot."

Iteration

like a randa a randa (canto xiv. 12), vicin vicino, &c.

which only the wind on his face

and
fore,

feet

had made him

feel

be-

he now sees by the succes-

sion of horrors (gran mali) that

simple than

adopted

seems quite

of Foscolo

unintelligible.

non V udia davante

udV
is

reading of ver. 124.

poi,

che

the Cruscan
It is less

on

have

inferior

" Satan
ready now
To stoop with wearied wings," &c.
.

Par. Lost,

of this passage given in the (1842)

edition

one we

rests

authority.

The reading

present themselves.

the

and

'^

"As

cord."

notch

iii.

of arrow

70.

from

Geryon has been disap-

pointed of the prey he expected

and

is

angry, like the falcon.

AEGUMENT.

During the "

and sinking," on the back of Geryon, Dante

circling

has observed the outlines of the lowest Hell, and here briefly de-

He

scribes them.

and has

is

to see the

around him

now

punishment of

made

is

beneath the circles of Violence, &c.

far

far

graver

The high

of dark solid rock.

Every thing

sins.

wall of the

great circular shaft, in which he has descended with Geryon, forms

the outer barrier of the Eighth Circle, where he and his

The

have just been landed.

shelving space, which

lies

circle itself occupies the

between the foot of the high wall and

the brim of another (lower) shaft or ''well" that

centre

and

it is

Guide

whole of a

exactly in the

is

divided (in successive rings) into ten deep fosses

or chasms, resembling the trenches which begird a fortress, and

Across these chasms,

each containing a different class of sinners.

and the banks which separate them from one another, run
from the outer border of the

circle

down

to the central well,

cliflt's

form-

ing lines of road and bridges that also resemble those by which
is entered from different sides.
The well contains the
and Satan, " Emperor of the dolorous kingdom," in the

the fortress
Traitors,

middle of them.

Virgil tvirns to the

along the outer edge of the

the

cliffs.

This they ascend

first
;

left,

chasm,

till

and conducts Dante

they

come

to

one of

and, turning to the right, pass two

of the bridges, and examine the chasms beneath them.

In the

First are Panders {Rvffimii) and lying Seducers, hurrying along

in

two separate crowds

scourged by

mersed

meeting

Horned Demons.

in filth.

one another
In the

all

naked and

Second, Flatterers im-

INFERNO.

S06

CANTO
There

CANTO

XYIIL
Malabolge/

a place in Hell called

is

XVIII.

all

of stone, and of an iron colour, like the barrier^ which

winds round

Right in the middle yawns a well

it.

exceeding wide and deep, whose structure

place shall

The

tell.-^

border"^ therefore that remains,

between the well and the

is

round ; and

LuoGo

has

it

due

its

its

high rocky bank,

foot of the

bottom divided into ten val-

in inferno, detto Malebolge,

Tutto di pietra e di color ferrigno,

Come

la cerchia che d' intorno

volge.

il

Nel dritto mezzo del campo maligno

Vaneggia un pozzo

assai largo e profondo,

Di cui suo luogo conter V ordigno.

Quel cinghio, che rimane, adunque tondo,
Tra

il

E ha

'

Name

pozzo e

il

pie dell' alta ripa dura,

distinto in dieci valh

given to this Eighth

Circle, on account
" Evil" Bolgie, or Bolge, which

of the ten

its

it

Bolgia (Lat. bulga), in

contains.

original signification,

*'

a bag,

budget, valise, or portmanteau,"

il

says

fondo.

Per

bolgias, id est, vestihula

(" porches"

The

all

Seventh Circle.

its

derivative in

ter

sense

while

hougette (budget)

lat-

its

diminutive

still

retains the

original meaning. Pietro di

Dante

getting

The " high bank of rock"

(ver. 8)

Bouge,

is

&c.

gest ideas.

dark hole, nest, repository, chasm,

French, has something of the

courts"),

these meanings sug-

came afterwards to mean " any

or gulf."

'*

of Satan

place

near; and

or

which divides

it

Will be described in

Ring

of space,

or

from the

its

place.

'*

belt,"

between the brim of the lower

(central) well

high bank.

and the foot of the

CANTO

As

leys.

207

INFERNO.

XVill.

is

the form that ground presents/ where to

defend the walls successive ditches begird a

And

such image these made here.

as,

castle

from the

thresholds of the fortress, there are bridges to the

outward bank
ceeded

cliffs

ditches,
lects

from the basis of the rock pro-

so

embankments and the

that crossed the

down

which truncates and

to the well

col-

them.^

In

this place,

shaken from the back of Geryon,-^

we found ourselves and the Poet kept to the left,

and I moved behind. On the right hand I saw new
;

mura

Quale, dove per guardia deUe

Pi e pi

La parte

fossi

cingon

castelli,

li

dov' ei son rende figura

Tale immagine quivi facean quelli

E come

10

tai fortezze da' lor sogli

Alla ripa di fuor son ponticelli

lo

Cos da imo della roccia scogli

Movien, che ricidean

gli argini e

Infino al pozzo che

tronca e raccogli.

fossi,

In questo luogo, dalla schiena scossi

Di Gerion, trovammoci

Tenne a
Alla

&c.

man

Quale figura

sinistra,

ed

destra vidi

la

of Male-

give

fosses are

made

the

These
darle

flinty

chasms together, and

them

communication with

outer margin of Malebolge

and

converge as they descend towards

1

that rivet

mossi.

from "the basis of the rock," or

for defence of a

cliffs

mi

Satan and his emissaries, proceed

on which numerous

castle or fortress.

20

Poeta

il

nuova piet

bolge presents the same aspect

as "the part"

io dietro

parte rende^

The whole round

the central well which terminates

and
^

them in its ring,

down by him in anger.

collects

Set

^08

INFERNO.

new

misery,

with the

new

torments, and

chasm was

first

CANTO

XVIII.

tormentors, where-

In

filled.

its

bottom the

sinners were naked: from the middle, on our side,^

they came facing us; and, on the other side, along

with us, but with larger

steps.^

Thus the Romans,

because of the great throng, in the year of Jubilee,

upon the bridge have taken means

ple over

so that,

on the one

toward the Castle, and go to

to pass the peo-

have their faces

side, all

St. Peter's

at the other

ledge, they go towards the Mount.^

On

this side,

on

Nuovi tormenti
Di che

that, along the

nuovi frustatori,

prima bolgia era

la

Nel fondo erano ignudi

Dal mezzo in qua

Di

Come
L'

ci

ma

con noi,

Roman, per

hideous stone.

repleta.

peccatori

25

venian verso

il

1'

lo

ponte

Hanno a passar la gente modo tolto

Che dall' un lato tutti hanno la fronte
il

castello, e

Dall' altra

Di qua,

'

**

Taken lengthwise.
Larger

steps

Chased by Demons,
3

than

ours."

monte.

St.

Angelo lengthwise, and make

those

the

who were going towards

Castle (of St. Angelo)

keep on one

side

and
;

and

Ju-

who were returning from it,

on the other side. The "mount"
is Monte Giordano, or more pro-

concourse of pilgrims

bably that part of the Janiculum

Vision of Dante), when Boniface

VIII. proclaimed the

was so great that

cessary to

Pietro,

all

St. Peter's

ver. 35.

In the year 1300 (date of the

bilee, the

il

30

per lo sasso tetro

In the half of the chasm next

to us.
2

vanno a santo

sponda vanno verso

di l, su

esercito molto,

anno del GiubbUeo, su per

Verso

volto

con passi maggiori

it

first

became ne-

divide the

bridge

of

those

on which the church of

in

Montorio stands.

St.

Pietro

CANTO

209

INFERNO.

xviir.

saw horned Demons^ with large scourges, who

Ah

smote them fiercely from behind.

made them
truly

how they

their legs at the first strokes

lift

none waited

As

And

second or the third.

for the

my eyes were met by one, and

" Him I have seen before."^
I
my feet to recognise him and the

went on,

instantly I said

therefore stayed

kind Guide stood

go back a

with me, and allowed

still

And

little.

me

to

that scourged spirit thought

lowering his face ; but little it availed

him, for I said " Thou, that dost cast thy eye upon
to hide himself,

the ground
Vidi

Che

If the features

Dimon
li

cornuti con gran ferze,

35

battean crudelmente di retro.

Ahi come facean

lor levar le berze

Alle prime percosse

Le seconde aspettava n
Mentr'

which thou wearest be

io

andava,

Furo scontrati

le terze.

occhi miei in uno

gli

ed

gi nessuno

io s tosto dissi

40

Gi di veder costui non son digiuno.

Perci a figurarlo

E
E
E

il

dolce

piedi affissi

Duca meco

quel frustato celar

Ch' io

Se

si ristette,

assent eh' alquanto indietro gissi.

Bassando

dissi

le fazion

Horned here

il

viso
:

Tu

credette

si

ma
che

poco

1'

gli valse,

occhio a terra gette.

che porti non son

only.

And

kin-

false,

giuno from Lat. jejunus, " empty,

dred sinners meeting, as in canto

void of:"

vii.

tioiiis

Lit.

" Already I

am

without having seen him."

4.5

as,

aures.

jejunas hujus oraCic. Orat. 30.

Used

not

again in the same sense, canto

Di-

xxviii. 87.

1%

210

INFERNO.

not

what brings thee

he

me

to

a biting pickle ?"^

such

to

" Unwillingly I

speech/ that makes

clear

world, compels me.

do the Marquis'

sola to
tale

may

that

weeps here

And

sound.^

Venedico

Ma
Ed

che

egli a

Ma

sei

but thy

recollect the former

Ghi-

fair

will,

however the unseemly

am

not the only Bolognese

nay, this place

many tongues

that as

me

tell it

was I who led the

It

XVIII.

But

thou art Venedico Caccianimico.^

false,

And

CANTO

are not

so filled

is

now

with us,

taught to say Sipa

50

tu Caccianimico.

mena a s pungenti salse ?

me Mal volentier lo dico
ti

sforzami la tua chiara favella.

Che mi

fa sovvenir del

mondo

antico.

55

Io fui colui, che la Ghisola bella

Condussi a far

Come
E non pur

Marchese,

la voglia del

che suoni

la

sconcia novella.

qui piango Bolognese

io

Anzi n' questo luogo tanto pieno,

Che

tures

tante lingue

Bolognese

(if

those

fea-

very

steej)

and hollow place" near

of his be real)

of distin-

Bologna, into which the bodies of

who

persuaded

those

guished

family,

his beautiful sister Ghisola, under

false pretences, to

Azzo

III.,

do the will of

Marquis of Ferrara,

that "step-son" of canto

xii.

112.

who were deemed unworthy

of christian

" Clear"

faint voices.

Salse (" sauces," seasoning of

name

See canto

i.

on

hoarse,

63

and

other passages.

the family.

the lash) was also the

that

voice,

of old things

The shadows have

da Imola, who was at Bologna in

knew

used to be

living

reminds him
earth.

1375, and

burial

Benv. da Imola Corn.

thrown.

See Ottimo Com. ; and that of Benv.

60

non son ora apprese

of " a

Whatever reports

be of the

vile tale.

there

may

CANTO

211

INFERNO.

XVItl.

And

between Savena and the Reno.^

if

thou desirest

assurance and testimony thereof, recall to thy

memory

our avaricious heart."^

And

as

his lash,

women

Demon

he thus spake, a

and

said

Away

'^
:

smote him with

Kuffian, there are no

here for coin."^

I rejoined

my

Escort.

Then, with a few

steps,

we came to where a cliff proceeded from the bank.

This we very easily ascended and, turning to the
right upon its jagged ridge,^ we quitted those eternal
;

circles.'^

dicer sipa tra Savena e

il

Reno

se di ci vuoi fede o testimonio,

Recati a mente

Cos parlando

il

il

nostro avaro seno.

Demonio

percosse un

Della sua scuriada, e disse

Ruffian, qui

Io

Via,

6.5

non son femmine da

mi raggiunsi con

la

Scorta mia

conio.

Poscia con pochi passi divenimmo.

Dove uno

scoglio della ripa uscia.

Assai leggieramente quel salimmo,

70

E volti a destra su per la sua scheggia.

Da quelle cerchie eterne ci partimmo.

Bologna

'

rivers

or

between

Savena and Reno.

(or s p)
*'

lies

is

the

Sipa

the cheerful " yes,"

truly," of the Bolognese to

Dante had studied in Bologna.

''Or
into

" to

money,

suggests.

coin ;" to

as the

Lit.

" Its splinter."

Or "

make

Otthno Com.

its

splintered pari^'' taking scheggia

for scheggiata.
^

Circles of the violent &c,, or

those guilty of direct sins.

the present time.

2

The

Poets take a different way, in this

circle

of the

Fraudulent,

from

what they have taken

in the circles

They "held

to the left"

above.

INFERNO.

212

When we

CANTO

reached the part where

it

neath^ to leave a passage for the scourged,

said

" Stay, and

let

XVIII.

yawns be-

my

Guide

the look strike on thee^ of these

other ill-born spirits, whose faces thou hast not yet

seen, for they have gone along with us."

From the ancient bridge we viewed the train,

who were coming towards us, on the other side,
chased likewise by the scourge. The kind Master,
without my asking, said to me " Look at that great
soul who comes, and seems to shed no tear for pain.
That is Jason,
What a regal aspect he yet retains
:

Quando noi fummo

Di

vaneggia

ei

per dar passo agli

sotto,

Lo Duca
Lo

dov'

l,

disse

che feggia

Attienti, e fa

viso in te di questi altri

A' quali ancor

sferzati.

non

mal

75

nati,

vedesti la faccia.

Perocch son con noi insieme andati.

Dal vecchio ponte guardavam

Che venia verso noi

E
Il

buon Maestro, senza mia dimanda.

disse

Guarda quel grande che

reale ancor ritiene

75. Feggia,

21)
;

Geryon

after

from federe.
quitted

and now they turn "

to

the right", in going towards the

centre of Hell, instead of turning

to the left as heretofore.

pare cantos
115,

130;

viene,

per dolor non par lagrima spanda.

Quanto aspetto

(ver.

80

banda,

che la ferza similmente scaccia.

Mi

them

la traccia,

dall' altra

ix,

132;

xiv.

x.

126,

Com-

133;
&c.

xiii.

We

85

Canto

x. 135.

way (like
Fraud or sham goodness)

shall also find that the

that of

leads
1

more

Where

over the

directly to Satan.

the cliff forms a bridge

first

Take a
view of them
^

chasm.
direct,
too.

and painful,
See

ver. 27.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XVIII.

213

who, by courage and by counsel, bereft the Colchians

He

of the ram.

passed/ by the

women had

the bold merciless

isle

of Lemnos, after

given

There, with tokens^ and

to death.

all

their males

fair

words, did

he deceive the young Hypsipyle, who had before

deceived

and

Such

forlorn.

ment

and

her there, pregnant

to

Medea^ vengeance

such
is

tor-

taken.

who practise the like deceit.^ And

to know respecting the first valley,

all

sutEce

and those

left

condemns him

guilt

for

also

With him go
let this

He

the rest.^

all

whom it

devours."^

Quelli Jason, che per cuore e per senno

Li Colchi del monton privati fene.

Elio pass per

isola di

1'

Lenno,

femmine

Poi che

le ardite

Tutti

maschi loro a morte dienno.

Ivi,

li

con segni

Isifile

la giovinetta.

altre avea tutte ingannate.

1'

Lasciolla quivi gravida e soletta

tal

E anche

Medea

Con

lui sen

martire lui condanna

Tal colpa a
di

90

con parole ornate,

ingann

Che prima

spietate

va chi da

si

95

fa vendetta.

tal

parte inganna

questo basti della prima valle

Sapere, e di color che in s assanna.

'

On

Tokens of marriage.

By

ther

his

way

to Colchis.

of her fa-

cures for the eternal scourging.

Stat. Theb. v. 49,

*

;"

See her story in

saving the

Thoas.

" In such relation deceive

cheat with similar promises.

^ " Seizes with its tusks;" se-

life

Sic.

For having forsaken Medea.

Compare the assanna

29

and Purg.

in canto xxx.

xiv. 19.

214

INFERNO.

We had

CANTO

XVIII.

already come to where the narrow path-

way^ crosses the second bank, and makes of

it

buttress for another arch.

Here we heard people

moaning

and puffing with mouth

and

in the other chasm,

and knocking on themselves with

nostrils,

The banks were crusted

palms.

their

mould

over with a

from the vapour below, which concretes upon them,

which did

battle"

The bottom

with the eyes and with the nose.

where without mounting

where the

cliff

we

so deep, that

is

to the

could see

ridge of the arch,

We got upon

stands highest.^

no-

it

it

and

then, in the ditch beneath, I saw a people dipped

Gi eravam l 've lo stretto calle

Con r

argine secondo

ad un

fa di quello

incrocicchia,

s'

altra bolgia, e

medesma con

Le

ripe eran

Per r

Che con

Lo fondo

gli

s'

an nicchia

che col muso sbuffa,

le

grommate

alito di giii

arco spalle.

altr'

Quindi sentimmo gente che

NeU'

100

palme picchia.
d'

che

105

una muffa.

vi si appasta.

occhi e col naso facea zuffa.

cupo

s,

che non

ci

basta

Luogo a veder senza montare

al

dosso

110

Dell' arco, ove lo scoglio pi sovrasta.

Quivi venimmo, e quindi

giii

nel fosso

Vidi gente attuffata in uno sterco.

'

The

straight

and

flinty

down

rises into

'*

cliff"

which goes

to the central well,

an arch

successive chasm.

at every

"Made

strife;" assailed with

pungent stench both the eyes and

the nostrils.
2

At

the centre of the arch.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XVIII.

215

excrement^ that seemed as

in

human

privies.

And

man

eyes,

down

head so smeared

I beheld one with a

it,

that

filth,

my

whilst I was searching with

amongst
in

had flowed from

it

did not appear whether he was lay-

it

He

or clerk.^

bawled

me

to

"

Why

art

thou

me, more than the others in

so eager in gazing at

their nastiness ?"

And
I

him

I to

Because,

^*

if I rightly recollect,

have seen thee before with thy hair dry

eye thee more than

And

all

dagli

E mentre
Vidi

uman

un

col capo

Quei mi sgrid

s'

t'

lui

sei Alessio
t'

di

me

merda

115

lordo,

tu

sei

che

ingordo

gli altri brutti ?

Interminei da Lucca

adocchio pi che

egli allor, battendosi la

120

gli altri tutti.

zucca

was of their family.

tracani,
ix. 68,

&c.

Fill.

Alessio " besmeared

every one with flattery, even the

not.

were

coi capelli asciutti,

he had the tonsure of a priest or

2

to this.

era laico o cherco.

There was no seeing whether

Down

Perch, se ben ricordo.

ho veduto

Per

Ed

io

^^

con F occhio cerco,

Perch

Di riguardar pi

Ed

:^

mosso

privati parea

eh' io l giti

Che non parea

Gi

the rest."

he then, beating his pate

Che

and thou

Therefore do I

Lucca.

art Alessio Interminei^ of

The

Tnterminelli

at the

(in

1301)

head of the Ghibel-

lines

and Whites in Lucca

lani,

viii.

46)

and

the

Vil-

meanest of the populace."

Ussimos.

great

Ghibelline chief, Castruccio Cas-

Omnes

unguebat, omnes lingehat, etiam vi-

in

Benv. da Imola Com.

Zucca, "gourd or pumpkin,"

its

original

meaning

still

26

INFERNO.

my

the flatteries wherewith

me

have sunk

Canto xvui.

tongue was never weary

!"

my

Thereupon

Guide

me ^^ Stretch thy
eyes may fully reach

said to

face a little forwards, that thy

the visage of that unclean, dishevelled strumpet,^

who yonder with her filthy nails scratches herself,

now cowering low, now standing on her feet. It is
Thais, the harlot, who answered her paramour, when
Dost thou thank me much V Nay, wonhe said
^

'

And

drously.'^

herewith

let

our view rest sated."^

Quaggi m' hanno sommerso

Ond'

Appresso

Mi
S

non ebbi mai

io

Duca

ci lo

un poco

disse,

la lingua stucca.

Fa che pinghe,

il

viso pi avante.

che la faccia ben con

Di queUa sozza scapigliata

Che

Ed
Taida

l si graffia

or

s'

, la

con

accoscia,

1'

gli

unghie merdose.

ed ora in piede stante.

te

lians, for

Ho

io grazie

Anzi meravigliose.

name, amongst the

Ita-

heads of a certain de-

135

Omnis muUer,
quasi

(act

iii.

scene

and not Thais

1),

it

is

herself,

the expression alluded

scription.
quce est forni-

stercus

Eccles. (Vulgate)
^

quinci sien le nostre viste sazie.

favourite

carla,

130

puttana che rispose

Grandi appo

occhi attinghe

fante,

Al drudo suo, quando disse

125

le lusinghe,

in

via,

&c.

ix. 10.

In the Eunuchus of Terence

Magnas
miJii ?
^

"

vero agere

Gnatho,

who
to.

uses

Thr.

gralias Thais

Gn. In gente s.
now, enough of

And

vile place."

this

ARGUMENT.
In the Third chasm are the Simonists.
almost too

him they

full for

utterance

are, as it were,

The

heart of Dante seems

when he comes in sight of them. To

more hateful species of panders and

seducers than those he has just left and they

flatterers " that call evil good, and good evil
;

lie
;

beneath the

vile

that put darkness

who have prostituted

and made " His house a
den of thieves." They are all fixed one by one in narrow round
holes, along the sides and bottom of the rock, with the head
for light,

and light

the things of

God

for darkness."

for gold

and

It is they

silver,

downwards, so that nothing more than the

feet

and part of the

legs stands out.

The soles of them are tormented with flames,
which keep flickering from the heels to the toes, and burn with
a brightness and intensity proportioned to the different degrees

down by his Guide to the bottom of

Pope Nicholas tjie Third, w ho, w ith
a we eping voice, declares his own evil wa^s^an d those of his succes sors Boniface the Eighth and Clement the Fifth.
The Poet
of guilt.

Dante

is

carried

the chasm; and therefi nds

answers with a sorrow and indignation proportionate to his reverence for the Mystic Keys, speaking as
of

it.

the rough

if

under the pressure

carries him to
summit of the arch which forms a passage over the

Virgil then

lifts

him up

next chasm.

again,

and lightly

218

INFERNO.

CANTO
O Simon Magus
of God,

things

righteousness

you ;

for

XIX.

for

that

should be wedded unto

Now

XIX,

wretched followers of Ms
gold and silver prostitute

\^

and robbers ye/ who

the

CANTO

must the trumpet^ sound

for

ye are in the third chasm.

Already we had mounted

on that part of the

cliff

Simon mago,
Che

Per oro

which hangs

right^ over the

o miseri seguaci,

le cose di Dio,

Deono

to the following grave,

che di bontate

essere spose, e voi rapaci

per argento adulterate

Or convien che per

alla

voi suoni la tromba,

Perocch nella terza bolgia

Gi eravamo

state.

seguente tomba

Montati, dello scoglio in quella parte

Che appunto sovra mezzo

"

And when Simon

saw ....

he offered Ihem money, saying,

me

Give

also this

power

....

But Peter said unto him. Thy

money perish with thee, because
thou hast thought the

gift of

God

may

be purchased for money."

Acts

viii.

*'

18.

And

ye

many

editions

rapacious"

e before voi

cannot well be
in too

rupts the strict grammatical sense,

it

left out.

fol-

(v.

3)

It occurs

of the best Mss. and

and,

though

it

inter-

increases the force and

way
*'

fire

of

Pietro di Dante, by

the passage.

of comment, quotes John x. 1

He

that

entereth not

by the

door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up

is

The

lowers.

fosso piomba.

il

some other way, the same

a thief and a robber."

^ " Cry aloud, spare not

lift
up thy voice like a trumpet," &c.
:

Isaiah
*

Iviii, 1.

Lit.

" Plumbs exactly," or

hangs plumb, &c.

CANTO

219

INFERNO.

XIX.

middle of the

O Wisdom

foss.

Supreme, what

art

thou shew est in heaven, on earth and in the evil

world, and

how justly thy Goodness

dispenses

!^

I saw the livid stone, on the sides and on the

bottom,

full

of holes,

was round.

Not

larger, than

those

of one breadth; and each

wide they seemed

less

in

my

stands'^

to

the baptizers

Sapienza, quanta

Che mostri

E quanto

me, nor

to

that are

Giovanni made for

Somma

all

beauteous San

one

10

arte

1'

in cielo, in terra e nel

mal mondo,

giusto tua Virt comparte

Io vidi, per le coste e per lo fondo.

Piena

la pietra livida di fori

D' un largo

tutti, e

ciascuno era tondo.

Non mi parean meno ampi

Che quei che son

n.maggiori.

nel mio bel San. Giovanni

fatti per luogo de' battezzatori

from their shape)

" were made for the priests to

called pozzetti

warded and punished exactly according to his deserts, with

and

Goodness,

Justice inseparable from

is

now

an

infinite

He

it.

in view of the Simonists,

and observes that their heads are

and fixed

turned downwards

in

the ground, as befits their avarice

and low

Compare Purg.

desires.

xix. 115-124.
'^

Round

Bapistery

old font

St.

John

the

in

where

great numbers of the Florentines

used to

assemble on stated days

baptism

stand

when baptizing

in,

that

they might be nearer to the water"

of the font, and

pressure

of the

broke one
life
it

of a

free

from the

crowd.

Dante
the

of these to save

boy who had got

in sport, apparently with

into

head

downwards, and could not be exbut was " drowning" or

" suffocating" in it and he wants

tricated,

the

of

wells" (or narrow circular holes,

Throughout the Universe,

Dante finds that every one is re'

infinite

15

Landino

says,

"

for

little

to set all

men

right in regard to

his real motive

for

breaking

it.

See Com. of Benv. da Imola, Vellutello.

Ottimo, &c.

Judging by

220

INFERNO.

many

of which, not
that

and be

it:

From

men.

all

xix.

years ago, I broke to save one

was drowning in

deceive

Canto

this a seal to

mouth

the

un-

of each emerged

a sinner's feet, and legs to the calf; and the rest

The

remained within.
both

of

soles

all

were burning

wherefore the joints quivered so

strongly,

would have snapt in pieces withes and

that they

As

grass-ropes.

the flaming of things oiled moves

only on their outer surface

so

was

it

there,

from

the heels to the toes.

" Master

who

quivering more than

all his

sucked by ruddier flame

L'

un

non

della

Infino al grosso

li

piedi, e
e

1'

Tal era

il

deUe gambe

tutti

intrambe

25

fiammeggiar deUe cose unte

colui,

estrema buccia,

1'

Maestro, che

the old prints (edition of 1507),

have

been

at the tops of short pillars.

si

cruccia.

altri suoi consorti.

Diss' io, e cui pi rossa

must

30

da' calcagni alle punte.

Guizzando pi che gh

made

sganni.

forte guizzavan le giunte,

Muoversi pur su per

these pozzetti

20

spezzate averian ritorte e strambe.

Qual suole

Chi

uomo

altro dentro stava.

Le piante erano accese a

Che

and

bocca a ciascun soperchiava

D' un peccator

Perch

'^

molt' anni,

per un che dentro vi annegava

io

himself,

fellows," I said,

questo sia suggel eh' ogni

Fuor

writhes

?"^

degli quali, ancor

Rupp'

who

that

is

fiamma succia ?
1

((

Whom

a ruddier (stronger)

flame sucks," or dries up, flickering on the soles of him.

And
thee

he

down

learn from

And

Thou

ful.

22i

INFERNO.

CA.NTO XIX.

me

to

by

there^

If thou wilt have

'^
:

me

carry

bank/ thou

that lower

shalt

him about himself and about his wrongs."

" Whatever pleases thee, to me is grate-

my

art

not from thy will

lord; and knowest that I depart

thou knowest what

also

is

not

spoken."

Then we came upon

turned and descended, on the

left

me

he brought

mented with

Ed

egli a

to the

Se tu vuoi eh'

of

cleft

the

his side,

him who

so la-

'^Whoe'er thou be that hast

his legs.

me

And

me from

kind Master did not yet depose

till

hand, down there

and narrow bottom.

into the perforated

We

the fourth bulwark.^

io

porti

ti

Laggi per quella ripa che pi

35

giace,

Da lui saprai di s e de' suoi torti.

Ed io Tanto m' bel, quanto a te piace
Tu se' Signore, e sai eh' io non mi parto
:

Dal tuo
Allor

volere, e sai quel

venimmo

Volgemmo,

in su

che

si tace.

argine quarto

1'

discendemmo a mano stanca

Laggi nel fondo foracchiato ed

il

buon Maestro ancor

Non mi

dipose, sin

Di quei che
qual che

sei,

dalla sua

mi giunse

piangeva con

che

'1

or

" That bank which lies lower,"

is

nearer to the central well.

anca

al rotto

45

la zanca.

See note, p.

and

4.

hence the inner margin of each

chasm

The whole of Malebolge descends

sloping towards the centre

arto.

di su tien di sotto,

41. Statica, sinistra.

40

is

lower than the outer.

Went down from

to the fourth bank.

V 2

the bridge

222
tliy

INFERNO.

upper part beneath,

!"

a stake

began

CANTO

O unhappy spirit, planted like

to say

"

thou

if

who

I stood, like the friar

art able, speak."

confessing a treach-

is

him

erous assassin that, after being fixed, recalls

And

delay the death.^

By

Art thou

to

he cried: "Art thou there

Art thou there already

already standing, Boniface?^

standing

XIX.

several years the writ^ has lied to me.

so quickly sated with that wealth, for

which

thou didst not fear to seize the comely Lady^ by de-

and then make havoc of her?"

ceit,

Anima

Comincia'
Io stava

Lo

io

come

il

motto.

dir, se puoi, fa

frate che confessa

perfido assassin che, poi eh'

Richiama

Ed

come pal commessa,

trista,

ei

grid

lui,
:

perch

la

morte

cessa.

Sei tu gi cost ritto.

Sei tu gi cost ritto, Bonifazio

Di parecchi anni mi ment

Sei tu

Per

La

'

lo scritto.

55

tosto di quell' aver sazio.

lo qual

bella

non temesti

Donna,

" For he delays,

the death" a few

50

fitto.

torre a

inganno

e di poi farne strazio ?

or

avoids

moments

longer,

who

VIII.,

and

is

did not die

1303

till

find

him

erect, instead of

being

surprised

to

by pretending that he has some-

"standing"

thing more to confess. In Dante's

instantly planted (as a Simonist)

time assassins were " put into a

with feet upwards in that hole

deep hole in the

which he himself

their heads
alive."

ground, with

downwards, and buried

This horrid kind of pun-

ishment was called propagginare

or propaggine, from the

manner

Takes

Dante

for

Boniface

fills.

'"VVrit," i.e. text or scripture

of future events, which the spirits

Hell

in

with

X.

The

permitted to read
" imperfect vision."

are

their

Canto

of planting vines.
^

100, &c.
beautiful

Lady

is

the

CANTO

INFERNO.

XIX.

became

comprehending what
I

am

if

bemocked, not

is

not he, I

And

stand as

answered to them, and unable

Then Virgil said " Say to him quickly,

to reply.
*

who

like those

223

am

not he

thou

"

believest.'

was enjoined me; whereat the

I replied as

wrenched

spirit quite

whom

Thereafter, sighing

his feet.

and with voice of weeping, he said

what askest thou of me ?

me

to

know who

If to

" Then

am

con-

cerneth thee so much, that thou hast therefore passed

the bank, learn that I was clothed with the Great

Mantle.

And

Tal mi

verily I

fee' io,

was a son^ of the She-bear,

quai son color che stanno,

Per non intender

ci eh' lor risposto,

Quasi scornati, e risponder non sanno.

AUor

Virgilio disse

60

Dilli tosto,

Non son colui, non son colui che credi.

Ed io risposi come a me fu imposto
;

Perch

lo spirto tutti storse

piedi

Poi sospirando, e con voce di pianto.

Mi

disse

Dunque che a me

Se di saper eh'

la ripa scorsa.

io fui vestito del

veramente fui fighuol

Church, which Boniface (in 1294)

had dared to seize by fraud. He
first

io sia ti cai cotanto.

Che tu abbi per

Sappi eh'

richiedi

65

induced Celestine to resign,

gran manto

70

Orsa,

dell'

'

Nicholas III. of the Orsini

{Bears)

family.

Pope

1277

in

He

was made

and died

in

Au-

and got himself elected by secret

gust 1281, after having enriched

agreement with

nephews (" the cubs or

whelps") by "open Simony," and

Sicily

Charles

II.

of

then secured Celestine in

all

his

prison, and began like a perfect

every other

hero in Simony.

Vili. vii.

Vili. viii. 6.

means

54, &c.

in his power.

Malesp.

c.

204.

INFERNO.

^24

CANTO

Whelps,

SO eager to advance the

that I pursed wealth

my

Beneath

above, and here myself.^

XIX.

head-are drag-

ged the others who preceded me in simony, cowering

along the fissure of the stone.^

when he comes

thither,

whom

for

I took thee

But longer

I put the sudden question.

my

baked

already, that I have

I too shall fall

feet

is

down
when

the time

and stood

in-

verted thus, than he shall stand planted with glow-

ing

For

feet.^

come a

after

lawless

Cupido

s,

Che su V
Di sotto

al

him, from westward there shall

Shepherd/ of uglier deeds,

per avanzar

avere, e qui

capo mio son

fit

to

gli Orsatti,

me

misi in borsa.

gli altri tratti.

Che precedetter me simoneggiando,

Per

Laggi cascher

io altres,

Verr colui eh'

Allor eh' io feci

Ma

n tempo

pi

io
il

quando

credea che tu

ei

non

Che dopo
Di vr

subito dimando.

gi che

lui verr, di

pi

" Above (on earth) put wealth,

Are dragged,

in purse."

or sucked in,

were through the neck of

and lie " squat"
that Hell-purse
it

or cowering in
3

mi

laid'

cossi,

80

it.

Nicholas died in 1281, so that

he had "already" (in 1300) been

me

opra.

ponente un Pastor senza

and here put myself

2

pie

star piantato coi pie rossi

Tal che convien che lui e

as

fossi,

eh' io son stato cos sottosopra,

Ch'

'

75

la fessura della pietra piatti.

legge.

ricopra.

there 19 years

would have

to

whereas Boniface

"stand planted with

his feet red" only 11

years; or

from his death in 1303

to that of

Clement

in 1314.

Bertrand de Gotte, Archbishop

of Bordeaux

made Pope

in 1305,

under very shameful conditions.

CANTO

cover

225

INFERNO.

XIX.

him and me.

whom we

new

Jason^ will

read in Maccabees

was pliant

priest his king

who governs France."^

I know not if here
swered him in

how much

treasure our

as to that high

so to this

shall

was too hardy,

strain

this

and

''

Ah

Now

me

Follow

tell

St.

before he put the keys into his keeping

^

be he

for I an-

Lord required of

he demanded nought but

be, of

it

me

Peter,

Surely

Nor did

!'

Peter, nor the others, ask of Matthias gold or silver,

Nuovo lason

Ne' Maccabei

Suo Re,

non

Io

Ch'

so
io

Deh

come a quel fu molle

cos fia a lui chi Francia regge.

io

s'

pur

or

85

sar, di cui si legge

mi

fui qui

troppo

mi

risposi lui a questo

di'

quanto tesoro

folle,

metro

90

volle

Nostro Signore in prima da San Pietro,

Che ponesse

sua bala

le chiavi in

Certo non chiese se non,

argento,

quando fu

through the influence of Philip

the Fair, of France.

He

dietro.

Pier n gli altri chiesero a Mattia

Oro

80.

Viemmi

took the

ment V. and
;

it

Villani, viii.
title

of Cle-

was he who trans-

95

sortito

who purchased
priest,

the office of high

from king Antiochus, with

" three hundred and three-

his

score

talents ;"

and degraded

it

ferred the holy see to Avignon.

by the introduction of heathenish

He

customs.

the

favoured the Ghibellines, and

Emperor (Henry VII.),

whom Dante

in

took so lively an

King

interest; but that does not help

p.

him

Purg.

'

here.

Jason,

' '

that

ungodly wretch,"

Maccah.

iv.

9-13,

&c.

224)

vii.

Philip

IV.

(note

4,

the " Pest of France."

109.

1285 to 1314.

He

reigned from

Vili. ix.

QQ.

INFERNO.

226

\vhen he was chosen^ for the

had

soul

CANTO

which the guilty

office

Therefore stay thou here, for thou art

lost.

and keep well the

justly punished:^

ill-got

money/

And

which against Charles made thee be bold.

were

heldest in the glad

use

Keys thou

not that reverence for the Great

it

yet* hinders

life

heavier words

still

XIX.

your avarice grieves

for

me, I should

up

the world, trampling on the good, and raising

Nel luogo, che perde V anima

Per

ti sta,

che tu

E guarda ben
Ch' esser

non

se

La

ti

se'

la

ben punito

mal

fece contra Carlo ardito.

riverenza delle

somme

mi

Chiavi,

tenesti nella vita lieta.

la vostra avarizia

Calcando

When

mondo

lot,

" to take

Sicily,

after

ship, from which Judas" (Traitor

and blackest of Simonists) " by

also

transgression fell."

Per

rendered

ti sta,
:

&c,

Acts

i.

may

" Therefore

befits

it

"

Thy money
Acts

thee."

viii.

perish
20.

with

Villani

how John of
Procida gave largely of the money
of the Emperor Paleologus to
(vii.

57)

Nicholas

relates

and

his

nephew, and

thereby obtained his sanction for

the revolt against Charles

I.

attrista.

105

pravi.

which

began

of

(the

year

Nicholas's death) with the

Sicilian Vespers. " Ill-got

before

this

money"

had made him

bold against Charles,

25.

also be

thee, that thou art well punished."

^

buoni e sollevando

chosen by

il

part of the ministry and apostle-

100

vieta

Io userei parole ancor pi gravi

Che

moneta

tolta

fosse eh' ancor lo

Che tu

ria.

who con-

temptuously refused alliance with

Villani, viii. 54.

his family.
*

"Yet,"

in Hell.

i.e.

though thou

art

Dante reverenced the

great keys, and detested the avarice

and baseness of those who

abused them

as he well might,

considering what they represented.

Unhappily
sition

for itself, the Inqui-

of Spain

prohibited

and

suppressed this whole passage.

CANTO

Shepherds such

the wicked.^

ye the Evangelist

as

when she, that sitteth on the waters/

by him committing fornication with the

perceived^

was seen
kings

^n

INFERNO.

XIX.

she that was born with seven heads, and

had

in her ten horns

Ye

pleased her spouse.

gold and silver

a witness so long as virtue

have made you a god of

and wherein do ye

-^

from

differ

the idolater, save that he worships one, and ye a

Ah

hundred?*

Constantine

Di voi pastor

Quando

accorse

s'

colei,

il

to

how much

Vangelista,

che siede sovra

1'

acque,

Puttaneggiar co' regi a lui fu vista

Quella che con

le sette teste

dalle diece corna

Fin che virtute

Fatto

al

nacque,

ebbe argomento,

110

suo marito piacque.

avete Dio d' oro e d' argento

v'

che altro da voi

all'

idolatre.

Se non eh' egli uno, e voi n' orate cento

Ahi Costantin,

'

di

gave

ill

quanto mal fu matre,

Compare Convito, Tr. iv.

*
Or
You Shepherds
:

e. 1.

the

115

with temporal things,

described

is

as putting forth seven heads

and

Evangelist discerned," &c., when

the angel shewed him " the great

ten

Rome

under Boniface

is

spoken

whore

of as

" a loose harlot"

gazing

that

waters

sitteth

upon many-

whom

the kings of

with

the earth have committed fornication,

and the inhabitants of the

Hos.

&c.

and

In Purg. xxxii.

Rev.

xvii.

1.

and the Church of

" Of their

viii. 4.

Coloss.

eyes.

silver

and

made them

gold have they

earth have been drunk with the

fornication,"

round with wanton

wine

of her

horns

See also Ephes.

iii.

their

idols."
v.

5.

Ye make an

idol

of every

143-9, the "Sacred Edifice, trans-

piece of silver and gold, of every

formed" by

species of gain.

its

profane alliance

INFERNO.

22S

And
it

!"

rich Father took from thee

first

XIX.

thy conversion, but that dower^ which

birth, not

the

CANTO

whilst I sung these notes to him, whether

was rage or conscience gnawed him, he violently

sprawled with both his

my

pleased

it

And

feet.

Guide, with so

he keep listening

indeed I think

satisfied a

look did

sound of the true words

to the

uttered.

Therefore with both his arms he took

me

when he had me

upon his breast,

remounted by the path where he had descended.
Nor did he weary in holding me clasped to him,
and,

Non

ma

la tua conversion,

Che da

te prese

mentre

io gli

il

quella dote

primo ricco patre

cantava cotai note,

coscienza che

ira

quite

mordesse,

il

ambo le piote.
mio Duca piacesse,

Forte spingava con

Io credo ben eh' al

Con

contenta labbia sempre attese

Lo suon

delle parole vere espresse.

Per con ambo

si

(lib. iii.)

a thing that
that the
fully

to this

in Farad, xx.

treatise

De Mon-

he speaks of

is

if

it

as

doubtful, a gift

emperor could not

make,

s'

prese,

ebbe

125

al petto,

onde discese

Constantine in

gift of

and in his

archia

mi

stanc d' avermi a s ristretto.

Purg. xxxii. 125

:

braccia

la via

Dante again alludes

pretended

h^

le

poi che tutto su mi

Rimont per

120

law-

he ever did make

Milton (Prose Works) has

it.

translated the passage in the text

"

Ah

Constantine

of

how much

ill

was cause,
Not thy conversion, but those rich
domains
That the first wealthypope received
of thee!"

Reform, book

i.

CANTO

till

he bore

which

229

INFERNO.

XIX.

to

the summit of the

Here^ he placidly

rampart.
pleasing

to

set

down

him on the rough steep

fifth

the burden,

cliff,

which

to

would be a painful passage.

the goats

Thence another valley was discovered

Si

arch

crossway from the fourth to the

is

me away

men

Che

port sovra

il

me.

to

colmo deh' arco,

dal quarto al quinto argine tragetto.

Quivi soavemente spose

il

130

carco.

Soave per lo scoglio sconcio ed erto,

Che sarebbe

alle

capre duro varco.

Indi un altro vallon mi fu scoverto.

128. S\ for sinch {Purg. xxi. 12)

men,

me

ne.

130. Spose, from sporre, to lay down, &c.

"Here,"

i.e.

on the summit

of the arch, he sweetly or gently

laid

down

the burden, which had

to him along
the ugly cliff.
In such way is
Dante lifted up and carried by
his mystic Guide from that den

been a burden sweet

of the

Simonists,

words pressed"

from him are

The "

(espresse, ver.

brief,

true

123)

and entangled

with infinite disdain and hatred.

See what our own Milton says,

on this same subject, in his " Reformation in England."

ARGUMENT.
From

the arch of the bridge, to which his Guide has carried him,

Dante now

sees

the

Diviners, Augurs,

Sorcerers,

By

slowly along the bottom of the Fourth Chasm.

&c. coming
help of their

incantations and evil agents, they had endeavoured to pry into the

Future which belongs

secret decrees
trary
to

way

to the

and now

Almighty

alone, interfering with

His

their faces are painfully twisted the con-

and, being unable to look before them, they are forced

walk backwards.

The

first

comes Manto, daughter of Tiresias

Mantua his native

lates the origin of

names is Amphiaraiis ;
Aruns the Tuscan.
Next
on seeing whom, Virgil re-

that Virgil

then Tiresias the Theban prophet,

;

city.

points out Eurypylus, the Grecian augur

Afterwards he rapidly

Michael Scot, the great

magician, with slender loins (probably from his northern dress)

Guido Bonatti of Forli Asdente, shoemaker of Parma, who left

his leather and his awls to practise divination
and the wretched
women who wrought malicious witchcraft with their herbs and
waxen images.
And now the Moon is setting in the western
;

sea

time presses, and the Poets hasten to the next chasm.

232

INFERNO.

CANTO
Of new
to give

CANTO

XX.

XX.

punisliment I have to dictate verse, and

matter for the twentieth canto of the

first

Lay,

which concerns the sunken.^

I

now was

discovered

anguish

intent on looking into the depth

all

me, which was bathed with tears of

to

and through the

circular valley I

people coming, silent and

which the

litanies^

make

sight descended lower

weeping,

the

at

in this world.

saw a
pace

When my

on them/ each seemed won-

drously distorted, from the chin to the commence-

Di nuova pena mi convien

far versi,

dar materia al ventesimo canto

Della prima canzon, eh' de' sommersi.

Io era gi disposto tutto quanto

risguardar nello scoverto fondo.

Che

si

bagnava

d'

angoscioso pianto

vidi gente per lo vallon

tondo

Venir, tacendo e lagrimando, al passo

Che fanno

Come

il

viso

le letanie in

mi

questo mondo.

scese in lor pi basso.

10

Mirabilmente apparve esser travolto

Ciascun dal mento

The

Canzone

sunk in Hell.

spirits

here,

al principio del casso,

and

Cantica

in

Purg. xxxiii. 140, are the terms

applied by Dante
great Parts of his
2

At

the

to

the

three

Poem.

slow and mournful

pace of them that in long procession chant the solemn litanies.

Vili.
^

ii.

15.

When

they came nearer the

bridge, so that I saw farther

amongst them.

down

CANTO

233

INFERNO.

XX.

ment of the

towards the loins

that the

so

chest^^

and they had

them was

for to look before

was turned

face

come backward,

to

Perhaps

denied.^

by-

some have been thus quite distorted

force of palsy

but I have not seen, nor do believe

God

Reader, so

it

be

to

so.

grant thee to take profit of thy

now think for thyself how I could keep my

dry,^ when near at hand I saw our image so

reading,
visage

contorted, that the weeping of the eyes bathed the

hinder parts at their division

Certainly I wept,

leaning on a branch of the hard

Che daUe

reni era

tomato

il

volto

cliff,

so that

my

indietro venir gli convenia,

Perch

il

veder dinanzi era lor tolto.

15^

Forse per forza gi di parlasa

Si travolse cos alcun del tutto

Ma io
Se Dio

noi

Com'

lezione, or

io

Quando

n credo che

pensa per

torta,

imagine da presso

che

il

pianto degli occhi

Le natiche bagnava per

lo fesso.

Certo io piangea, poggiato ad

Del duro scoglio,

'

Or " Distorted"
:

Lit.

"

To

in the neck.

look forward was

not, but wept,

Adam

25

de' rocchi

Though

not of

woman

born

com-

passion quelled

His best of man, and gave him up

to

tears

" Sight so deform what heart of

rock could long

Dry-eyed behold

un

che la mia Scorta

taken away from them."

3

20

te stesso,

potea tener lo viso asciutto.

la nostra

sia.

Lettor, prender frutto

ti lasci.

Di tua

Vidi

vidi,

could

space,

till

firmer thoughts restrained

excess."

Par. Lost,

xi. 494.

INFERNO.

2S4:

Guide

me

said to

CANTO

" Art thou,

XX.

too, like the other

Here pity lives when it is rightly dead.^

Who more impious than he that sorrows at God's
judgment?^ Raise up thy head, raise up, and see
him for whom the earth opened herself before the
eyes of the Thebans, when they all cried, ' Whither
fools?

rushest thou, Amphiaraiis

And

war?'

Mi
Qui

Why

? ^

leavest thou the

he ceased not rushing headlong down

disse

Ancor

tu degli altri sciocchi

se*

ben morta.

vive la piet quand'

Chi

pi scellerato di colui,

Ch'

al

giudicio divin passion porta

30

Drizza la testa, drizza, e vedi a cui

Teban

S' aperse agli occhi de'

Quando gridavan
Anfiarao

E non

'

The "

perch

tutti

lasci la

Dove

Tiresias and Phineus

This meaning agrees best with

the

and makes him weep

too,

bitterly

places,

many

but his Bible, in

speaks

of those

clearly

diviners, sorcerers, " wise

men,"

&c., and he does not doubt of

their

existence.

(Lat. pietas)

as

piety'

pity' in the old Italian.

2

Or perhaps,

crime

here

means

Piet

'

well as

more wicked than he

**
:

to

Who

that bears

a passion for the decrees of

that seeks

God"

Him

besieged Thebes.
per inane ruis ?
84.

Lydgate,

Thebes, part

iii.,

prcBceps

Qtii

Stat. Theb. viii.

in

Siege

his

calls

him

'*

of

Am-

phiorax the Bishop," and gives

details of his fall into Hell

alone

chare certain,
Disappeared and no

more was

seen, &c.

And

thus the Devil for his old

outrages

look into the Fu-

ture which belongs to

comment of Pietro di Dante.

One of the seven kings that

" This old bishop, with horse and

alluding to the

punished

35

valle

prophets old," &c. comes upon

Dante

rui,

guerra ?

minare a

rest di

la terra,

Liche his

wages."

desert

paid

him

his

INFERNO.

CANTO XX.

2Sb

Minos^ who lays hold on every sinner.

to

how he

made

has

he wished

a breast of his shoulders

because

now

him, he

to see too far before

Mark
looks

behind and goes backward.^

" Behold Tiresias^ who changed his aspect, when

made woman,

of male he was

his limbs trans-

all

forming: and afterwards he had again to strike the

two involved serpents with

his rod, before

he could

resume his manly plumes.

" That is Aruns^ coming back before him, who,
Fino a Minos, che ciascheduno

afferra.

Mira, eh' ha fatto petto delle spalle

Perch volle veder troppo davante,

Dirietro guarda, e fa ritroso calle.

Vedi

Tiresia,

Quando

di

che mut sembiante.

maschio femmina divenne.

Cangiandosi

E prima

40

membra

le

tutte

quante

poi ribatter le convenne

Li duo serpenti avvolti con la verga,

Che

Aronta quei eh'

'

Lit.

Perhaps
*'

That

al

ventre gli

again, at the end of seven years,

and striking them

in the

way, he recovered

his

25

xliv.

frustrateth the tokens of

diviners

and

mad

(ariolos)

men backward

Tiresias, the prophet of Thebes,

according to the ancient mystic

was changed into a

when he struck
serpents

sex

and form.

norum

serpentum

the

and on

woman

two great

seeing

them

An

sar.

duo magCorpora

violaverat

ictu

{mirabile) fos-

Ovid. Met.

ili.

324.

Etruscan soothsayer, who

predicted
civil

haculi

viro factus

mina, &c.
^

Nam

same

original

viridi coeuntia silva

Deque

{retrorsum)," &c.

fable,

atterga.

from Isaiah

that turneth wise

s'

"Makes backward way."

the liars (divinorum Vulg.),

maketh

45

riavesse le maschili penne.

to

the

Romans

their

wars and the victory of CaeAru7is incoluit desertce meenia

2S6

INFERNO.

Luni where hoes^ the Carrarese

in the mountains of

had the

that dwells beneath, amongst white marbles

cave for his abode

from which he conld observe the

and sea with unobstructed view.

stars

And

'^

she that covers her bosom, which thou

and has

seest not, with her flowing tresses,

hair on the other side, was Manto,^

who

all

seaiched

through many lands, then settled there where

born
little

whence

it

me.

to

and the

ne'

for

Up

monti

di Luni,

in fair

dove ronca

Carrarese che di sotto alberga,

marmi

tra bianchi

il

la spelonca

onde a guardar

mar non gU

50

le stelle

era la veduta tronca.

quella che ricopre le mammelle.

E ha
Manto

vedi, con le trecce sciolte,

di l ogni pilosa peUe,

fu,

Poscia

pose l dove nacqu'

si

Poscia che

E venne

serva la citt di Baco,

Lucan.

mountains

of

padre suo di vita uscio,

il

LuncE, &c.

stili

io

piace che m' ascolte.

Questa gran tempo per

Carrara,

55

che cerc per terre molte,

Onde un poco mi

Lit.

listen a

Bacchus became enslaved, she

Che tu non

was

life,

Per sua dimora

have thee

to

roamed through the world.

a long time

Lo
Ebbe

me

I"

After her father departed out of

city of

Che

pleases

her

i.

Luni

famous

586.
are

The
above

for marbles.

" Stubs" (Lat. runcare).

Cleans and cultivates the

soil.

lo

mondo

60

go.

Manto, daughter of

quitted

Thebes

Bacchus), when

Tiresias,

(native
it

city

of

was " enslav-

ed" by the tyrant Creon, uncle

of Eteocles and Polynices.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XX.

237

Italy there lies a lake, at the foot of the

near the Tyrol shut in Germany, and

Through

Benacus.^

Alps that

it

called

is

a thousand fountains, I believe,

and more, the Pennine, between Garda and Val

Camonica,

is

by the water which stagnates

irrigated

At

in that lake.

the middle there

a place"^

is

where

the Trentine pastor, and he of Brescia, and the

ronese might bless,

they went that way.

if

and strong

chiera,^ a fortress beautiful

Brescians and the Bergamese,

around

There

lowest.

is

Suso in

Italia bella giace

Appi

dell'

Sovra

Tiralli,

Per mille

un

where the shore

sits

bosom of

laco

Lamagna

Alpe, che serra

ed ha

Pes-

to front the

that in the

all

Ve-

nome Benaco.

fonti, credo, e

pi

bagna.

si

Tra Garda e Val Camonica, Pennino

Dell'

65

acqua che nel detto lago stagna.

Luogo nel mezzo

l,

dove

il

Trentino

Pastore, e quel di Brescia, e

Segnar pora,

se fesse quel

il

Veronese

cammino.

Siede Peschiera, bello e forte arnese

Da

fronteggiar Bresciani e Bergamaschi,

Ove

la riva intorno pii discese.

Ivi convien che tutto

Now Lago

di

Garda.

The

part of the Alps, from which

down "

waters flow
a

in

quanto caschi

its

more than

thousand streams," were

for-

merly called Alpes Pcbhcb (Pennine Alps)

is to
^

and Val Camonica

the west.

Prato

di

Fame, where the

dioceses of Trent, Brescia and Ve-

rona meet

and the three bishops

might " cross," or give the sign
;

of benediction to their flocks.

^

Peschiera

tress," at the

still

"

sits

a for-

head of the Mincio.

The water

is

clear as

flows from the Lake.

it

rapid and beautifully

238

INFERNO.

Benacus cannot

descend and make

stay, has to

down through

a river,

CANTO XX.

Soon

the green pastures.

the water sets head to run,

level,

and

Not

on which

wont

is

it

it

it

falls

finds a

spreads and makes a marsh thereof,

The crueP

some.^

when

far has it flowed,

summer

in

as

no longer named

it is

Benacus, but Mincio, to Governo, where

into the Po.

itself

be

to

at times

virgin, passing that

unwhole-

way, saw land

amidst the fen, uncultivated and naked of inhabit-

There, to shun

ants.

human

all

intercourse, she

halted with her ministers to do her arts

and there

Ci che in grembo a Benaco star non pu,

fassi

fiume gi pe' verdi paschi.

Tosto che r acqua a correr mette

Non

pi Benaco,

ma

Mincio

7^

co',

chiama

si

Fino a Governo, dove cade in Po.

Non molto ha
Nella qual

una lama.

corso, che trova

si

80

distende e la impaluda,

suol di state talora esser grama.

Quindi passando

la vergine

cruda

Vide terra nel mezzo del pantano.

Senza cultura, e
L,

d' abitanti

nuda.

per fuggire ogni consorzio umano,

85

Ristette co' suoi servi a far sue arti,

76.

'

ful,"

Lit.

Mette co\ mette capo

" Afflictive, or sorrow-

on account of the malaria

and fever
2

it produces.
" Cruel" or fell, like Erictlio

(canto

ix.

23), from the bloody

accompaniments of her conjura-

sbocca.

Tunc innuba Mantho Ex-

tions.

ceptum pateris prcelibet sanguinem,

et,

omnes Ter circiim acta pyras,

sancti de more parentis, Semineces

fihras,

et

Viscera,

adhuc

&c.

spirantia

reddit

Stat. Theh. iv. 463.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XX.

she lived and

men,

her body vacant.^

left

on that spot;

for

was strong by reason of the

it

They built the city

dead bones; and for her who first chose

had on every

it

over those

the place, they called

Once the

gury.

Afterwards the

were scattered round, gathered together

that

marsh

239

side.

Mantua^ without other au-

it

inhabitants

were denser in

it,

be-

fore the

madness of Casalodi was cheated by Pina-

monte.^

Therefore I charge thee,

visse, e vi lasci

if

thou ever hearest

suo corpo vano.

Gli uomini poi, che intorno erano sparti,

S' accolsero a quel luogo, eh' era forte

Per
Per

lo

pantan eh' avea da tutte

la citt sovra quell' ossa

per

Mantova
Gi fur

che

colei,

il

luogo prima

la

Compare ^n.

amnis,
tibi,

Mantus,

x.

199,

Tusci filius

et

Mantua, nomen

Mantua

dives

avis, sed

non genus omnibus unum

Gens

triplex,

Pinamonte

suaded Alberto

that he

" This

being

Pinamonte

done,

himself seized

the

government,

with great tumult and applause

of

the

people

and

exterminated

forthwith

cruelly

de'

the noble and renowned families,

Buonacossi,
craftily

per-

de' Casalodi,

Lord

of Mantua, and chief of the nobility,

time to their own castles.

for a

&c.

who (about 1276)

people

ricevesse.

odious and powerful of the nobles

&c.

Qui muros matrisque dedit

illi

95

matta di Casalodi,

body void of life.

Left

FatidiccB

elesse,

assenno, che se tu mai odi

lier

genti sue dentro pi spesse.

le

Da Pinamonte inganno
t'

morte

appellar senz' altra sorte.

1'

Prima che

Per

90

parti.

might pacify the

by banishing

the

most

with sword and

their

houses,"

Imola Com.
tails

fire

&c.

Other

nearly

all

laying waste

Benv.

da

less sure de-

are given in Muratori, Rer.

Ital. torn. XX.

INFERNO.

240

my

given to

otlier origin

no falsehood de-

city, let

fraud the truth."

And
and
be

'^

so take

to

me

Master, thy words are to

hold of

my

the people that are passing,^

worthy of note

Then he

me

"

But

out.^

tell

would

me

of

thou seest any of them

if

for to that alone

said to

so certain,

belief, that all others

quenched

like coals

me

He

my mind
there,

recurs."^

who from

the

cheeks reaches forth the beard upon his dusky shoulders,

was an augur, when Greece was

so

empty of

males, that hardly they remained even in the cradles

f and

in Aulis he,

with Calchas, gave the time

Eurypylus

for cutting the first cable.

name

his

Originar la mia terra altrimenti.

La

verit nulla

menzogna

frodi.

Ed io Maestro, i tuoi ragionamenti

Mi son s certi, e prendon s mia fede.

100

Che

Ma

mi

gli altri

dimmi

sarien carboni spenti.

della gente che procede,

Se tu ne vedi alcun degno di nota

Che

solo a ci la

AUor mi
Porge

disse
la

mia mente

105

rifiede.

Quel, che dalla gota

barba in su

le spalle

brune,

Fu, quando Grecia fu di maschi vota

Si eh'

appena rimaser per

Augure,

e diede

il

cune.

le

110

punto con Cai canta

In Aulide a tagliar la prima fune.

Would have

neither light nor

heat for me.

" That proceed," or go
2 Lit.
:

on

like those "processions of the

litanies."-

See note,

p.

232.

" Strikes back

returns.

and Purg.
^

;"

impetuously

Compare canto

When

xviii. 75,

xvi. 101.

Greece sent

sand ships" to Troy.

its

"thou-

CANTO

INFERNO.

XX.

my high

and

241

Tragedy thus sings him in some place

:^

who knowest the whole.

''
That other who is so small about the flanks
was Michael Scot;^ and of a truth he knew the
well knowest

it

thou,

play of magic frauds.

'^

See Guido Bonatti -^ see Asdente/ who now

Euripilo ebbe nome, e cos

mia Tragedia

L' alta

Ben

altro

in alcun loco

che la sai tutta quanta.

lo sai tu

Queir

canta

il

115

che ne' fianchi cos poco,

Michele Scotto

fu,

che veramente

Delle magiche frode seppe

giuoco.

il

Vedi Guido Bonatti, vedi Asdente,

'

Eurypylum scitatum

Suspensi

JEn.

Gracula Phoebi Mittimus, &c.

The ^neid

114.

ii.

called a

is

Tragedy on account of
See

its

ele-

century
'*

the

and with -awe

Boccaccio says
there was

calls

"

him
&c.

philosopher,"

great

Not long

since

city (of Flo-

in this

reasons

rence) a great master in necro-

in his Letter

mancy, who was called Michele

Can Grande, for calling his

own Poem a Comedy. Also De

Scotto, because he was of Scot-

land

Vulg. Eloq.

people

vated

style.

the

which Dante gives,

to

4.

ii.

Our own

Sir

Michael Scot of

Balwearie, whose "

survives in

many

memory

Notes of Sir Walter Scott, Lay

of the Last Minstrel.
physician

and astrologer

Emperor Frederick
in 1250;

and not

Italy than in
(x.

101, 137

tions

Michael was

some of

having been

II.,

less

who

the
died

famous in

Scotland.
xii.

to

Villani

19, &c.)

men-

his prophecies as

fulfilled in the

next

he

high

noble

very

Dec. Giorn.

Astrologer of Forli

in

many

from

received

honour," &c.

still

See

a legend."

and

favour

with

great
viii. 9.

stood

Guido da

Montefeltro, and was present at

memorable

the

defeat

French before that

of

first

xxvii.
*

city

May, 1282.

44; and

Vili. vii.

of

the

on the

See canto
81.

" Asdente the shoemaker of

Parma," Dante elsewhere disdainfully says, "

would be more noble

than any of his fellow-citizens,

242

INFERNO.

would wish he had attended

left

the needle, the

to his leather

and

XX.

his

See the wretched women

cord, but too late repents.

who

CANTO

and the spindle,

shuttle,

and made themselves divineresses.

They wrought

witchcraft with herbs and images.

'^

But now come

for

Cain and the thorns^

al-

ready holds the confine of both hemispheres, and

under Seville touches the wave

and already yester-

night the

Moon was round

ber

she did not hurt thee once in the deep

for

well must thou

remem-

wood."^

Ch' avere inteso

Ora vorrebbe,
Vedi

La

le triste

spola e

al

ma

cuoio ed allo spago

tardi

si

che lasciaron

120

pente.
ago,

1'

fuso, e fecersi indovine

il

Fecer male con erbe e con imago.

Ma

Vienne omai

D' amenduo

che gi tiene

il

confine

gli emisperi, e tocca

1'

onda

125

Sotto Sibilia, Caino e le spine.

gi iernotte fu la

Ben ten dee

ricordar, che

Alcuna volta per

if

Luna tonda

of."
1

much known and

Convito, Tr.

iv.

talked

cap. 16.

The Man i' the Moon

non

nocque

ti

la selva fonda.

nobleness consisted merely in

being

opposite to the sim

he

rises.

Now

farther east

of Italian

setting

as

on the wane, and

so that the time here

indicated by the

Moon's being on

here

the "confine of both hemispheres,"

put for the Moon itself. *' Round"

or full " yesternight" (which in

or touching the wave beyond Se-

children in those old times

Italy and other Catholic countries

still

means the night before yes-

terday); and consequently exactly

ville

on the western horizon,

is

about an hour after sunrise on

the Saturday morning.
2

Somewhat helped

thee once,

INFERNO.

CANTO XX.

Thus he spake

to

24iS

me, and we went on mean-

while.

mi

parlava, ed

andavamo introcque.

130. Introcque, frattanto

in the

Dark "Wood,

before thou

sawest the Sunlit Hill.

The

Moon

is

Canto

" the

i.

lesser

light" (Philosophy in the mystic

130

Lat. inter hoc.

sense, or

mere human Knowledge,

pure but cold and feeble reflex

of the Sun), "

Night."

Gen.

made
i.

16.

to rule the

ARGUMENT.
The Poets come
holds the

Barterers,

the

Peculators

puhlic offices for money.

xii.)

Chasm or Budget which

who made traffic of their

the arch of the Fifth

to

As

the Tyrants and Assassins (canto

are steeped in boiling Blood, and have the Centaurs (em-

blems of Violence) watching them with arrows, and keeping each

at his proper depth

so here the Barterers lie covered with filthy

Pitch, and get themselves rent in pieces by horrid

dows of their

chasm

is

sins

very dark, and at

pitch boiling in

Lucca on

whenever

it.

they appear above

A Demon

Sha-

surface.

The

see nothing but the

arrives with one of the Senators of

his shoulders, throws

what a harvest of Barterers there

for more.

Dante can

first

Demons

its

him down from

is

in that city,

the bridge, tells

and hastens away

Other Demons, hitherto concealed beneath the bridge

(like secret sins), rush out

and

fiercely teach the

senator under what conditions he has to

some parley

vvith

swim

poor sneaking

in the pitch.

After

Malacoda, chief of the Fiends, the Poets are sent

on, along the edge of the chasm, with an ugly and questionable

escort of Ten.

y 2

246

INFERNO,

CANTO

XXT.

CANTO XXL
Thus from

my Comedy

talk

which

the

summit/ when we stood

cleft

we

bridge to bridge

came, with other

cares not to recite

still

to see

and held
the other

of Malebolge and other vain lamentings

I found

and

marvellously dark.

it

As in the arsenal^ of the Venetians boils the

clammy pitch, to caulk their damaged ships, in winter when they cannot navigate ; and, instead thereof/
one builds his ship anew,

on'e

plugs the ribs of that

some hammer at
some make oars, and

which hath made many voyages

the prow, some at the stern

Cos

di

Che

ponte in ponte, altro parlando

la

mia Commedia cantar non cura,

Venimmo

tenevamo

Ristemmo per veder

Di Malebolge,

vidila

Quale

nell'

Che

Arzan^

navicar

Le
Chi

'

Ofthe

eolmo, quando

li

de' Viniziani
la tenace

legni lor

non ponno

fa suo legno

pece

non

sani.

e in quella vece

fifth

da proda,

arch.

e chi

So Milton

" The star that bids the shepherd

da poppa

of Heaven doth hold."

Busiest of Arsenals in those

times,

zan

foia,

Now the top

IO

nuovo, e chi ristoppa

coste a quel che piti viaggi fece

ribatte

mirabilmente oscura.

rimpalmar

Chi

il

altra fessura

1'

e gli altri pianti vani

Bolle r inverno

is

when Dante saw

it.

the Venetian name.

Instead of voyaging.

Ar-

CANTO

some

twist ropes

mainsail

^47

INFERNO.

XXI.

So, not

pitch boiled

on every

one mends the

by

down

but by art Divine, a dense

fire

and overglued the banks

there,

saw; but saw nought therein,

It I

side.

and one the

jib,

except the bubbles which the boiling raised, and

the heaving and compressed subsiding of the whole.^

Whilst I was gazing fixtly down on it,

Guide, saying, " Take care, take care !" drew^

him from

to

the place where I was standing.

who

I turned myself, like one

must shun, and who

that he puts not off his flight to look

Altri fa remi, ed altri volge sarte

non per

and behind

15

spessa,

inviscava la ripa d' ogni parte.

Io vedea

lei,

Ma' che

ma non

le bolle

vedeva in essa

che

il

boUor levava,

20

gonfiar tutta, e riseder compressa.

Mentr'

io laggii

fisamente mirava.

Lo Duca mio dicendo Guarda, guarda

Mi trasse a s del luogo dov' io stava.
:

Allor

mi

volsi

come

Di veder quel che

1'

Lit.

"

his

uom, cui tarda

gli

25

convien fuggire,

cui paura subita sgagliarda.

Che, per veder, non indugia

swell,

fear, so

per divina arte

una pegola

Bollia laggiuso

Che

ma

fuoco,

Then

Chi terzeruolo, ed artimon rintoppa

Tal,

me

longs to see what he

dashed with sudden

is

my

"

And saw

the

whole

and subside compressed."

Drew me" with that cry of

made me rush to him, like

il

partire

one who

is

so daunted by a sudden

fear that "

he delays not his de-

runs

parting" to look
then looks.

first,

and

248

INFERNO.

US I saw a black

Ah, how

Demon come
was

ferocious

he seemed

me

to

CANTO

running up the

his aspect

And how

cliff.

bitter

wings out-

in gesture, with his

spread, and light of foot! ^

XXt,

His shoulders that were

sharp and high, a sinner with both haunches laded

and of each

foot

he held the

Malebranche^ of our bridge

others'^ to

Ahi quanto

said,

lo

one of

pro-

un Diavol nero
30

egli era nell' aspetto fiero

nell' atto
i

acerbo.

pie leggiero

suo, eh' era acuto e superbo,

Carcava un peccator con ambo

1'

Ed

nerbo.

ei

"

city j^^hich is well

ale aperte, e sovra

omero

he

!"

Ye

lo scoglio venire.

quanto mi parea

Con r
L'

that

vidi dietro a noi

Correndo su per

sinew"^ grasped.

Thrust him under, while I

Santa Zita's Elders.^

return for

"

tenea de' pie ghermito

Del nostro ponte,

Ecco un

degli

disse, o

il

35

anche.

Malebranche,

Anzian di Santa Zita

Mettetel sotto, eh' io torno per anche

A
1

Or

quella terra che n'

" Light upon his

feet."

sinner laded the gibbous

of

shoulders

him

and he held

the " sinew" (tendon of Achilles

that

lifts

the heel) grasped in his

Malebranche,

or talons.

i.e.

Name

Evil clutches

of the Fiends

"*

Elders

of Lucca,
still

she was a simple

of the Fatinelli

her holy

meant

is

or

chief magistrates

where Santa Zita

venerated.

Tradition

maid -servant

family, and for

canonized in the

life

time of Dante.

The Elder here

probably one Martino

who "was

in

office

at

that time (1300), and died sud-

Buti, and Ottimo Com.

denly."
^

in this chasm.

40

fornita.

Bottajo,

clutches.
^

ben

Other barterers.

anche,

is

aliri,

says

celle,

anco,
altro.

XXV.

8.

are

The adverbs

often

used for

See Cinonio Parti-

CANTO

249

INFERNO.

XXT.

Every man there

vided with them.

except Bonturo

they make

there

:^

is
^

a barterer,

Ay' of 'No'

money."

for

Down

he threw him, then wheeled along the

and never was mastiff loosed with such

flinty cliff;

a haste to follow thief.^

The

sinner

plunged

in,

But the

and came up again writhing convolved.^

Demons, who were beneath the bridge, cried

" Here the Sacred Face besteads not ;^ here swim

uom

Ogni

barattier, fuor che Bonturo

v'

Del no per H denar

Laggi

il

Quei

mai non fu mastino

sciolto

45

tanta fretta a seguitar lo furo.

attufF, e torn

s'

Ma Demon,
Gridar

Ironically,

su convolto

Qui non ha luogo

Bonturo

being the greatest of

che del ponte avean coverchio.

'

vi si fa ita.

butt, e per lo scoglio duro

Si volse

Con

de'

Dati

all barterers

Santo Volto

il

" this posture, similar

one who

is

to that

in fervent prayer,

of

may

or peculators in Lucca, and well

be the object of the Diabolic sar-

known

as such.

casm which follows"

Com.

and

Benv. da Imola

Muratori Rer.

Ital.

torn. XV.
^

**

set

follow

to

with such haste the thief."

3

"

The

in the pitch"

Loosed and

Then Satan
writhed

first

knew

to

and

fro

convolved."
vi. 327.

mean

someconvolto

" turned with head and feet

downwards

;"

and Lombardi says

is

all

the irre-

help

is

No

plainest

obviously that of the

Lat. convolutus, from

word

Par. Lost,

Lombardi, Biagioli, &c.

what arbitrarily make

air of plati-

The nearest and

cans.

meaning
him

has an

tude here, in spite of

levant examples cited by the Crus-

pain,

And

in verse 48.

sense of " besmeared, rolled

which the

immediately derived.
hypocritical prayers can

thee

here.

The

" Volto

Santo," a very ancient Crucifix,

still

standing in the Cathedral of

Lucca.

250

INFERNO.

CANTO

ye otherwise than in the Serchio.^

XXI.

Therefore, if

thou wouldst not prove the sharpness of our drags,

come not out above the pitch." Then they struck

him with more than a hundred prongs, and said
:

" Covered thou must dance thee here

thou canst, thou mayest

;^

pilfer privately."

so that, if

Not other-

wise do the cooks make their vassals dip the flesh

into the middle of the boiler with their hooks, to

hinder

it

from

floating.

The kind Master

me

said to

That

'^
:

it

may

not

be seen that thou art here, cower down behind a

jagg which has some screen for thee;^ and whatever
outrage

Qui

may be done
si

to

me,

fear not thou; for I

nuota altrimenti che nel Serchio

non vuoi

Per

se tu

Non

far sovra la pegola soverchio.

50

de' nostri graffi,

Poi r addentar con pi di cento

Disser

raffi,

Coverto convien che qui baUi,

S che, se puoi, nascosamente accaffi.

Non

altrimenti

Fanno

cuochi

attuffare in

La carne

ci sii,

Dopo uno

mezzo

mi

disse, gi

Non temer

ho

tu, eh' io

River that passes near Lucca.

Must have thy

sport

here

under cover of the boiling pitch

in

it if

non

t'

galli.

si

paia

acquatta

scheggio, che alcun schermo

per nulla offension, che a

and barter

la caldaia

Acciocch non

55

lor vassalU

cogli uncin, perch

Lo buon Maestro
Che tu

a'

thou canst.

me

t'

baia

60

sia fatta.

le cose conte.

Or

*'
:

have some

Tu

So that thou mayest

screen for

thyself."

post (" dopo") carecta latehas.

E clog.

iii.

20.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXT.

know

tliese matters,

251

having once before been in the

Then he passed beyond the head of the

bridge ; and when he arrived on the sixth bank, it
was needful for him to have a stedfast front. With

like affray."^

and that storm, wherewith the dogs rush

that fury

upon the poor man who where he

forth

stops sud-

Demons from beneath the bridge, and turned against him all their
But he cried *' Be none of ye outrageous.
hooks.
denly seeks alms, rushed those

me

Before ye touch

come

forth to hear

with your forks,

let

one of you

me, and then take counsel about

hooking me."
All cried

" Let Malacoda^ go."

Perch' altra volta fui a

Thereat one

tal baratta.

Poscia pass di l dal co' del ponte,

com'

ei

giunse in su la ripa sesta,

Mestier gli fu

Con

aver sicura fronte.

d'

quel furore, e con quella tempesta,

Cli'

escono

Che

di subito chiede ove

cani addosso al poverello,

Usciron quei di sotto

Ma

ei

grid

Nessun

" Once before

way."

1'

un

poi di roncigliarmi

Tutti gridaron

See canto

ix.

know

22-30.

the

70

roncigli

di voi sia fello.

pigli.

di voi che

m' oda,

si consigli.

Vada Malacoda

was down

Well do

arresta

uncin vostro mi

1'

Traggasi avanti

here

s'

al ponticello,

volser contra lui tutti

Innanzi che

65

Or: "Evil

Smooth
xviii.),

75

tail," their Chief.

at first like

Fraud (canto

and ending badly.

INFERNO.

252

moved
^^

"

himself, the others standing firm,

him, saying

to

"

What

will this avail

and came

my

Let

Master,

have come here, secure already against

your weapons,^ without will Divine and

pitious

XXI.

him ?"

Dost thou expect, Malacoda," said

to find I

all

CANTO

me

pass on

for

it is

fate pro-

willed in

Heaven

shew another this savage way."^

Then was his pride so fallen, that he let the
hook drop at his feet, and said " Now let him not

that I

be struck

And my Guide

!"

"

thou that

cowering, cowering amongst the great splinters

sittest

now

of the bridge, securely

I

me

to

return to

moved, and quickly came

Perch'

un

venne a

si

mosse, e

lui

me !" Whereat

him; and the Devils

to

gli altri stetter

dicendo

Che

gli

fermi

approda ?

Credi tu, Malacoda, qui vedermi

Esser venuto, disse

il

mio Maestro,

Securo gi da

vostri schermi.

tutti

Senza voler divino e fato destro

80

Lasciami andar, che nel Cielo voluto

Ch*

io

mostri altrui questo

Allor gli fu r orgogho

Che

si

lasci cascar

disse agli altri

il

Duca mio a me

uncino

Omai non

tu,

Silvestro.

caduto,

s
1'

cammin

85

ai piedi,

sia feruto.

che siedi

Tra gh scheggion del ponte quatto quatto,

Sicuramente omai a
Perch' io

Or

mi

Against

fences, hindrances.

me

ti

90

riedi.

mossi, ed a lui venni ratto

all

your

de-

Or

"

Woody" way

with allusion to the

always

Dark Wood.

CANTO

all

INFERNO.

XXI.

2S

pressed forward, so that I feared they might not

And

hold the compact.

who marched
I

out under treaty from Caprona,^ fear

among

themselves

at seeing

thus once I saw the footmen,

many

so

enemies.

my Guide with my whole body, and

away my eyes from the look of them,

drew near

turned not

They lowered

which was not good.

their drag-hooks,

" Shall I touch him

on the rump ?" and answering " Yes, see thou nick
and kept saying

one another

to

But

him."^

Demon, who had spoken with my

that

Diavoli

si

fecer tutti avanti,

S eh' io temetti

cos vid' io gi
Cli'

m'

temer

mio Duca,

il

Ei chinavan
Diceva

The

gli raffi, e

un con

1'

rispondean

non torceva

lor, eh'

1'

era

Vuoi

S, fa

gli

occhi

non buona.

eh' io

altro, in sul

'1

100

tocchi

groppone

che gliele accocchi.

quel Demonio, che tenea sermone

fortress

of Caprona on

the Arno, belonging to the Pisans

come
ing

Guelphs of Lucca and Florence

hang

August 1289.

Fill.

vii.

137.

!"

terrified

See

Com. of Benv. da

Imola, Ottimo, &c.

Dante, at that time 24 years of

age, was present (probably as one

march
them by shoutAppicca, appicca ! " Hang,
to see the garrison

and

out,

(Ghibellines), was taken by the

in

95

s tra nemici cotanti.

Dalla sembianza

Ma

fanti

li

accostai con tutta la persona

Lungo

patto.

uscivan patteggiati di Caprona,

Veggendo
Io

non tenesser

Properly, "nick

Glide, in

all

the

it

to

him."

older authors,

of the " 400 gentlemen troopers

is

from Florence") during the brief

for glielo (as here), gliela, glieli.

and furious

Cinon. Partic.

common

siege.

people,

Crowds of the
it

is

said,

had

indeclinable, standing equally

cantos X. 44

c.

119.

Compare

xxxiii. 149,

&c.

254

INFERNO.

CANTO XX r.

Guide, turned instant round, and said

will not

ments

said to us

be possible

at the

cliff

which forms

" To go farther by

this cliiF

for the sixth arch lies all in frag-

And

bottom.

onward, go along

Quiet,

!"^

quiet, Scaramiglione

Then he

''

if it

cavern

this

-?

please

you

still

near at hand

is

go

to

another

Yesterday, five hours later

a path.

than this hour, a thousand two hundred and sixty-six

years were fulfilled since the

Col Duca mio,

disse

volse tutto presto

non

Pi

si

Tutto spezzato

oltre

potr
al

andar per questo

fondo V arco sesto

ler,

un

vi piace.

Andatevene su per questa grotta

Presso

105

perocch giace

r andare avanti pur

se

broken.^

Posa, posa. Scarmiglione.

Poi disse a noi

Scoglio

si

way here was

110

altro scoglio che via face,

pi oltre cinqu' ore che quest'

otta.

Mille dugento con sessanta sei

Anni compier, che qui

112. Otta for ora;

" Great Unkempt," or

zer" {scarmigliare)

*'

Tow-

shadowy

re-

presentative of the disorder and

Grotto," chasm of the pitch.

'^

*'

This passage (like verse

i.)

indicates

Dante's descent.

was broken"

the

stili

used in Tuscany.

To 1266 add 34
years

time

1st,

of

The "way here

after the Crucifixion

Crucifixion), and
*'

it

to

the

gives 1300.

trembled in every part"

whereby " Death

was swallowed up in Victory;"

but the shock was most

felt

in

the circles of the Violent (canto

xii.)

and of the Hypocrites (canto

xxiii.)

did quake and the rocks rent."

cifiers

xii.

number of

at the great event,

40), when " the earth

(canto

(the

from the Nativity

Hell

foul practice of bartery.

canto

la via fu rotta.

hateful accusers and cruof the

Meek and

Spotless.

9ANTO

255

INFERNO.

XXI.

my

Thitherward^ I send some of these

Go

any sinner be out airing himself.

if

for they wilLnot

men,

to look

with them

be treacherous.

" Draw forward, Alichino^ and Calcabrina," he

then began to say,

'^

and thou, Cagnazzo

Barbariccia lead the ten.

and

fiacane,

mando

Io

Farfarello,

and

Ciriatto,

s'

E- ubicante.

furious

Tratti avanti,

115

alcun se ne sciorina

Gite con lor, eh' ei

AHchino

Cominci egh a

let

and Graf-

verso l di questi miei

riguardar

and

Let Libicocco come be-

and Draghignazzo, tusked

sides,

non saranno

rei.

e Calcabrina,

dire, e tu,

Cagnazzo,

120

Barbariccia guidi la decina.

Libicocco vegna oltre, e Draghignazzo,

Ciriatto sannuto, e Graffiacane,

Farfarello, e

Toward that " other

Rubicante pazzo.

cliff which

beard;"

forms a path," verse 111.

In the names

riccia {barba arricciata),

"according

for,

" Crispto

phy-

ten

siognomists, the crisped or curled

Fiends thus mustered by Mala-

beard denotes fraudulency." Libi-

Landino

coda,
that

and

others

find

Dante " expresses the pas-

sions, habits,

tors."

The

and deeds of Peculaderivations are partly

fanciful, yet not

dow

of these

without some sha-

Thus
"bends his

of real significance.

Alichino

{ali china),

wings," ready to " stoop," and

Calcabrina is " Trampounce.
or

plegrace,"
its

work

Peculation

Cagnazzo

xxxii. 70),

doing

{cane, canto

" Dogface."

Barba-

cocco {Libia cocco), " Blackred"

or " Scarletmoor ;" wearing the
of

livery

Hell.

Draghignazzo

{drago), " Dragonface;" Ciriatto

{xoTpos,

Ciro

for porco), "

still

Swiny

" Dogscratcher
falla,

;"

butterfly,

vulgarly used
;" Graffiacane,

Farfarello {far-

or

farfarone),

" Hellbat" or " Babbler ;" Rubicante, " Ruby" or " Blazer,"
redhot and

them

mad

with bartery. See

in action, canto xxii.

256

INFERNO.

around the

Search

guided

boiling

safe to the other

CANTO

Be

glue.

which

crag,

these

XXI.

two

unbroken

all

goes across the dens."^

"

Oh me

Master, what

" Ah, without escort

way

the

us go alone,

me, I seek

for as to

let

that I see ?" said I

is this

thou knowest

if

not

it

If thou beest

so wary, as thou art wont, dost thou not see

how

they grin their teeth, and with their brows threaten

?"

mischief to us

And

me

to

" I would not have thee be

Let them grin on

afraid.
it at

he

at their will

for they

do

the boiled wretches.*''^

Cercate intorno

le bollenti

pane

Costor sien salvi insino aU' altro scheggio,

Che

tutto intero va sovra le tane.

me

Maestro, che quel che io veggio

Diss' io

Se tu
Se tu

deh senza scorta andiamci

sa' ir, eh' io

sei s

per

come

accorto

me non

la

125

soli.

cheggio.

130

suoli,

Non vedi tu eh' ei digrignan li denti,

E con le ciglia ne minaccian duoli ?
Ed egli a me Non vo' che tu paventi
:

Lasciali digrignar pure a lor senno,

Ch'

ei

fanno

ci

per

li

135

lessi dolenti.

124. Pane, panie, bird-lime, pitch.

'

of

Other

clifF (verse

bridges,

which

111) or line
crosses

"dens" or chasms; but

" unbroken," as lying
asserts.

See canto

is

the

not

Malacoda

xxiii. 136.

Lit.:

"They do

boiled doleful,"

i.e.

boiled in the pitch.

editions read
in verse 135.

lest,

this for the

for the sinners

Some good

instead of

lessi,

CANTO

Bj

251

INFERNO.

XXI.

the sinister bank they turned

of them had pressed

toward their Captain

had made

dienno

sinistro volta

prima avea ciascun

la lingua stretta
:

egli avea del cui fatto trombetta.

136. Dienio, diedero

'

teeth/^

and he of his

Co' denti verso lor duca per cenno

Ed

each

first,

a trumpet.^

Per r argine

Ma

but

between the

his tongue
as a signal

;i

Along the part of the bank

lies on the left hand in

as ferino, fecero.

turpes mores et actus horum tedium,

which

" in order

descending from the bridge.

and acts of such people."

gil

The Demons think

and Dante

are

the lies of Malacoda

among
same

Barterers they

base

signal,

by

and here

make

with

shew the

vile habits

Avaricious and Prodigal

that Vir-

caught

to

the

their

vii.),

the

Usurers (canto

and the Barterers, descend

gular degradation.

xvii.),

in re-

All of them

have "lost the bright life" through

tongues, as the Usurer in canto

worship of Money, which

xvii. 74.

Dante the basest of idols.

The Poet mentions these things,

says Pietro di Dante, ut ostendat

The
(canto

is

2A7rt7^ trpuKTs iariv,

with

&c.

Aristoph. Nubes, 165.

"H

ARGUMENT.
The Demons, under

their " great

Marshal" Barbariccia, lead the way,

along the edge of the boiling Pitch

how he saw

sharply, relates

and Dante, who keeps looking

the Barterers lying in

ditch-water, with nothing but their

vanishing at sight of Barbariccia

it,

"muzzles" out, and instantly

and how Graffiacane hooked

one of them and hauled him up like a fresh-speared

other

Demons

otter, all the

gathering round and setting on Rubicante to

At Dante's

gle the unlucky wretch.

and asks him who he

tion

like frogs in

how he took

is

man-

request, Virgil goes forward,

and no sooner does the pitchy thief men-

worthy King Thimade to feel the bitter force of Ciriatto's

Barbariccia now clasps him with both arms, and orders the
to bartering in the service of

bault of Navarre, than he

tusks.

is

But " Scar"

letmoor" loses patience;
Dragonface" too will have a clutch at
rest to be quiet,

till

Virgil has done with questioning.

the legs; Farfarella,

to strike;
off.

At

"wicked Hell-bird" that he

and their " Decurion" has

last

is,

difficulty in

the cunning barterer, though

glares ready

keeping them

Cagnazzo

raises

his

dog-face in scornful opposition, plays offa trick by which he contrives to escape.

Thereupon Calcabrina and Alichino

relling, seize

each other like two

burning pitch

mad

and the whole troop

vultures,

fall to

quar-

and drop into the

is left in fitting

disorder.

INFERNO.

260

CANTO
HAVE

now

ere

and commencing the

and

ter,

march of
race

land,

and holding

mus-

coursers have

Aretines

their

and seen the

shock of tournaments and

the

now with

of jousts,

bells,^

seen horsemen moving camp,

assault,

foragers,

XXIT.

XXII.

at times retiring to escape

upon your

I seen

CANTO

trumpets, and

now with

with drums and castle-signals, and with na-

ie vidi gi cavalier muover campo,

E
E

cominciare stormo, e far lor mostra,

talvolta partir per loro

scampo

Corridor vidi per la terra vostra,

Aretini

e vidi gir gualdane,

Ferir torneamenti, e correr giostra.

Quando con trombe,

Con tamburi

The people

quando con campane.

con cenni

of Arezzo, chiefly

Ghibelline, were almost continually at

war with the Florentines.

They and

their allies were sorely

defeated in the

memorable

battle

of Campaldino, on Saturday, 1st

June, 1289.

was

Vili. vii.

131.

Dante

di castella.

Such

" Martinella,"

as the

*'

the bell

to

sound of which the

Florentines used to

Dante's boyhood
haughtily
before

march"

"rung day and night"

marching, in order

give the

in

and which they

" to

enemy due warning

to

no child

prepare." See the curious descrip-

arms (now fanciullo nelV armi)

and had much dread, and in the

tion of their old Carroccio, " all

there, as

he says,

in

*'

end great joy, through the various

chances of that battle."
tract

See ex-

from a Letter (written in his

exile).

L. Aretino, Vita d Dante.

painted vermilion, and drawn by

a

large

pair

of oxen,

destined

solely for that purpose," &c.

Ma-

copied by

Vili.

lespini,
vi.

75.

c.

164

CANTO

INFERNO.

XSII.

tive things

261

and foreign ; but never yet

to so

uncouth

a cornet saw I cavaliers nor footmen move, nor ship

by mark of land or

We

star.

went with the ten Demons

company

but,

In church with

pitch, to

my

Yet

guzzlers in the tavern.'^

each habit of the

see

people that were burning in

Ah, hideous

saints,

intent

and with

was on the

chasm and of the

it.

As dolphins, when with the arch of the back

they make sign^ to mariners that they may prepare
to save .their ship
so now and then, to ease the
;

E con cose
N gi con s

nostrali, e

con istrane

diversa cennamella

10

Cavalier vidi mover, n pedoni.

N nave

a segno di terra o di stella.

Noi andavam con

Ahi

fiera

li

dieci

compagnia

Dimoni

ma

nella chiesa

Co' santi, ed in taverna co' ghiottoni.

Pure

alla

pegola era

la

mia

15

intesa.

Per veder della bolgia ogni contegno,

E della gente eh' entro v' era incesa.

Come i delfini, quando fanno segno
Ai marinar con

Che

s'

1'

20

arco della schiena.

argomentin di campar lor legno

Talor cos ad alleggiar la pena

'

And,

in

this

chasm

of the

dolphins" of Milton) rise above

De-

the water with their arched backs,

Peculators, with low savage

mons

whose company, though

it is

a sign of approaching storm.

extremely detestable, must be en-

Pliny says

dured for a time.

mari

When

the dolphins {" bended

&c.

Delphini

lascvientes

tranquillo

flatum prcesagiunt,

Hist. Nat. xviii. 35.

262

INFERNO.

CANTO

XXII.

punishment, some sinner shewed his back and hid

in less time than

And

lightens.

it

at the

as

edge

of the water of a ditch, the frogs stand only with

and

their noses out,

bulk

so conceal their feet

But

thus stood on every hand the sinners.

approached, so they retired beneath

as Barbariccia

the seething.
thereat,

one linger

so, as

knew

Mostrava alcun

the

him up,

E come
Stan

all'
li

name

so that to

me he

men

orlo dell'

acqua

piedi e

S stavan d' ogni parte

come

Cos

si

s'

dosso,

d'

un

muso

fuori.

altro grosso

1'

peccatori

25

fosso

appressava Barbariccia,

ritraean sotto

Io vidi, ed anche

Uno

il

che non balena.

ranocchi pur col

S che celano

of every one, so well

de' peccatori

nascondeva in

Ma

And

otter.^

I already

shudders

happen that one

will

it

still

nearest to him,^ hooked his

pitchy locks and haled

seemed an

heart

while the other spouts away.

who was

Graffiacane,

my

and

I saw,

frog remains

il

30

bollori.

cuor mi

s'

accapriccia.

aspettar cos, com' egli incontra

Che una rana rimane,

and other

altra spiccia.

1'

Graffiacan, che gli era pi di contra.

35

Gli arroncigli le impegolate chiome,

trassel su,

che mi parve una

Io sapea gi di tutti quanti

'

" Boilings" of the pitch.

Lit.: " Was most opposite to

him," and therefore nearest.

il

'

nome.

Glittering

writhing,
I

lontra.

like

with

an

pitch,
otter

and

newly

speared and dragged out of water.

CANTO

26S

INFERNO.

XXII.

them

I noted

as

they were chosen, and

when they

Rubicante,

each other, listened how.

called

^^

see thou plant thy clutches on him, and flay

shouted together

And

the accursed creto.

all

" Master, learn

thou canst, who

if

that piteous wight, ^ fallen into the

versaries."

My

him !"

Guide drew

hand of

close to him,

is

his ad-

and asked

him whence he came and he replied " I was born

in the kingdom of Navarre.
My mother placed me
:

as servant of a lord

had bore me

for she

to a ribald

waster of himself and of his substance.

Then

domestic^ with the good king Thibault

Si

li

quando furono

notai

poi che

si

was

here I set

eletti,

chiamaro, attesi come.

40

Rubicante, fa che tu gli metti

Gli unghioni addosso

Gridavan

Ed

io

tutti

insieme

Maestro mio,

Che tu sappi

maladetti.

tu puoi,

fa, se

chi lo sciagurato

Venuto a man

Lo Duca mio

che tu lo scuoi,

gli

45

degli avversar] suoi.

s'

Domandollo ond'

accost a lato,
ei fosse

e quei rispose

Io fui del regno di Navarra nato.

Mia madre a

servo d'

un signor mi pose.

Che m' avea generato

d'

un

50

ribaldo

Distruggitor di s e di sue cose.

Poi fui famiglia del buon re Tebaldo

'

The commentators

barterer
i.e.

call

this

Ciampolo or Giampolo,

John Paul.
Or: "Servant

hold of."

the house-

Famiglia means

all

the

servants of a house, or one only.

^

in

Thibault II. of Navarre, born

in 1240,

and made king

at 13 years

S64

INFERNO.

CANTO

XXII.

myself to bartering, of which I render reckoning in

this heat."

And
came

Ciriatto,

from whose mouth on either side

from a swine, made him

forth a tusk as

feel

them did rip. Among wicked cats the

mouse had come but Barbariccia locked him in

how one

of

his

arms, and said

" Stand

off whilst

my

enfork

him!"^

And

he

" if thou wouldst learn more of him, before

said,

turning to

Master:

"Ask

on,"

some other undo him."

The Guide

therefore

"

Now

sinners knowest thou any that

say, of the other

a Latian,^ beneath

is

the pitch ?"

Quivi mi misi a

baratteria,

fai'

Di che rendo ragione

in questo caldo.

bocca uscia

Ciriatto, a cui di

55

D' ogni parte una sauna, come a porco,

Gh

come

sentir

f'

1'

una

Tra male gatte era venuto

Ma
E

Barbariccia

il

disse

al

Maestro mio volse

Dimanda,
Saper da

mentr'

l,

prima

lui,

Or

di',

was

at

Louis, and saw

Tunis with

him

die.

St.

Son of

the Thibault whose verses Dante

quotes in the Treatise

Eloq.

i.

ii.

5, 6.

De

Vulg.

60

pi

eh' altri

Conosci tu alcun che

io lo inforco.

la faccia

disse, ancor, se

Lo Duca dunque

of age

sorco

il

chiuse con le braccia,

State in

sdruca.

il

disii

disfaccia.

degli altri

rii

65

sia Latino,

Hold him

securely, clasp

him

with arms and legs.

^

An

Italian, Latino

by Virgil

being used

in this sense, as cantos

xxvii. 33, xxix. 88, &c.

CAM TO

2G5

INFERNO.

XXII.

And

he

"I

now from one who was

Would I still were covered

parted just

a neighbour of theirs.^

with him, for I should not fear claw nor hook

Too much have we enand with the hook seized his arm, and

And
dured

!"

Libicocco cried

!"

^^

mangling carried

off the

he

have a catch

wished

too,

to

Draghignazzo,

forepart.

at the legs

below;

whereat their Decurione wheeled around around with

evil aspect.

When

without delay asked him that

his

wound

"

Who

that thou madest an

Sotto la pece

Poco

my

they were somewhat pacified,

still

thou say est

departure to come ashore ?"

ill

kept gazing on

whom

was he, from

Guide

quegli

da un che fu di

Io

mi

l vicino

partii

Cos foss' io ancor con lui coverto,

Ch' io non temerei unghia, n uncino.

Libicocco
Disse

Troppo avem

e presegli

il

braccio col ronciglio,

ne port un lacerto.

S che, stracciando,

Draghignazzo anch'

Gi

gambe

dalle

elli

lui eh'

Dimand
Chi fu

un poco

dar di piglio

ei volle

onde

decurio loro

il

Si volse intorno intorno

Quand'

con mal

colui,

piglio.

75

rappaciati foro,

ancor mirava sua

il

70

sofferto,

ferita.

Duca mio senza dimoro

da cui mala partita

^

Di' che facesti per venire a proda

'

Lit.

" Neighbour beyond"

them, or hi Sardinia.

See

ver, 82.

2
*'

A A

Barbariccia, captain of

80

Ten

provost" or marshal, verse 94.

266

INFERNO.

And

he answered

"

CANTO

was Friar Gomita,

It

who had

Gallura/ vessel of every fraud,

lie

him

for

Money

it.

of

his master's

enemies in hand, and did so to them that they

praise

XXII.

all

took he for himself, and

dismissed them smoothly,^ as he says

and in

his

other offices besides, he was no petty but a sovereign

With him keeps company Don Michel

barrator.

Zanche of Logodoro

them do not

the tongues of
see

that other

fear

he

And

grinning

preparing

is

Quel

ei

rispose

s,

lor

f'

ei

Fu

Usa con

but

scurf."

Gomita,

frate

esso

Le lingue

me

negh

85

altri uficj

ma

picciol,

anche

sovrano.

lor

e a dir di

non

Sardigna

sentono stanche.

si

vedete Y altro che digrigna

s'

donno Michel Zanche

Io direi anche

Non

non

Di Logodoro

ma

io

temo

90

eh' elio

apparecchi a grattarmi la tigna.

gran proposto, volto a Farfarello

The government of Gallura,

one of the four Jurisdictions of

Sardinia, was given to this

Gomita

de' Visconti of Pisa.

Took

my

e lascioUi di piano.

dice

Barattier fu

would say more

che ciascun se ne loda

si tolse,

com'

by Nino

Oh me

nimici di suo donno in mano,

Denar

'

claw

to

weary.

di Gallura, vasel d' ogni froda,

Ch' ebbe

il

feel

their great Marshal, turning to Farfarello

Ed

and in speaking of Sardinia

;^

a bribe, and let

them

go.

Di

piano,

(Lat.

de

piano,

Span, de llano), then a legal, or

perhaps Sardinian phrase.

^

Logodoro, another of the Ju-

risdictions of Sardinia.

267

INFERNO.

CANTO

XXIT.

who

rolled his eyes to strike, said

'^
:

Get thee hence,

1"

wicked bird
" If you wish

to see or

hear Tuscans or

bards," the frightened sinner then resumed,

make them come.

little

and

But

let the

may

back, that they

not fear their vengeance

make seven come, on whistling

do when any of us gets out."
Cagnazzo

at these

and

his head,

said

words raised
^^

Hear the

;^

one that I am,

for

will
to

I will

Malebranche stand a

same place,

I, sitting in this

'^

Lom-

our wont

as is

his snout, shaking

malice,

which he

has contrived, to throw himself under."

Whereat

who had

he,

Che stralunava
Disse

gli

in great store.

artifices

occhi per ferire.

95

Fatti in cost, malvagio uccello.

Se voi volete vedere o udire,

Ricominci

Lombardi,

Toschi

Ma

lo spaurato appresso.
io

ne far venire.

Malebranche un poco in

stien le

S che

non teman

Ed

seggendo in questo luogo

io,

Per un eh'

Quando
Di

delle lor vendette

ne far venir

io son,

sufoler,

Ch'

stesso,

sette.

fare allor che fuori alcun si mette.

Crollando
egli

ei,

il

capo, e disse

ha pensato per

Let the Demons with

way a

their

little,"

il
:

105

muso.
Odi malizia

gittarsi giuso.

eh' avea lacciuoli a

" evil clutches give

100

com' nostr' uso

Cagnazzo a cotal motto lev

Ond'

cesso.

gran

that

my

divizia,

fellows

vengeance.

may

not fear their

INFERNO.

268
replied

my

for

CANTO

" Too malicious indeed

when

XXII.

I contrive

companions greater sorrow."

Alichino held in no longer, and in opposition

to the others said to

him

*^
:

If thou descend, I will

my

not follow thee at gallop/ but beat

Let the height be

the pitch.
a screen

to see if

toward the other

been most unripe^

well his time

new

for doing

Agii

The Navarrese chose

it.

ti

il

a lui

Se tu

tristizia

ti cali.

verr dietro di galoppo.

1'

ali

colle, e sia la ripa

dall' altra

Quel prima, eh' a

115

scudo,
vali.

che leggi, udirai nuovo ludo

Ciascun

110

tenne, e di rintoppo

veder se tu sol pi di noi

tu,

their purpose freed

miei maggior

a'

batter sovra la pece

Lascisi

si

altri, disse

non

Io

Ma

non

who had

first

Malizioso son io troppo,

Quando procuro
Alichin

he

planted his soles upon the ground,

All turned

sport.

side,

and in an instant leapt and from

Rispose

and be the bank

left,

thou alone prevailest over us."

Reader, thou shalt hear

their eyes

wings above

costa gli occhi volse

ci fare era pi crudo.

120

Lo Navarrese ben suo tempo colse

Ferm le piante a terra, e in un punto
;

Salt, e dal

proposto lor

si sciolse

\
^

thee
2

Will not nin, but

;

fly after

have wings as well as

Banks high

in

the

feet.

middle,

Cagnazzo

(verse

had been hardest

106),

to persuade,

who
who

turned up his snout, smelling the

and capable of being a screen or

trick at once.

"shield" to hide the demons.

crudus.

Crudo from Lat.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXII.

269

Thereat each suddenly was stung with rage;

himself.

but he most who had been cause of the mistake.^

He therefore started forth, and shouted " Thou'rt
:

caught

But

!"

availed

little it

The

not outspeed the terror.

and he,

flying, raised

for the

up

sinner went under

when

Not otherwise

his breast.^

the duck suddenly dives down,

proaches

wings could

the falcon ap-

and he returns up angry and defeated.

Calcabrina, furious at the trick, kept flying after

him, desirous that the sinner might escape, to have

a quarrel: and,

when

the barterer had disappeared,

he turned his talons on his fellow, and was clutched

with him above the ditch.

Di che ciascun

Ma

si

mosse, e grid

poco valse

che

in-

compunto,

quei pi, che cagion fu del difetto.

Per

Ma

di colpo fu

But the other was

Tu

se'

125

giunto.

ale al sospetto

1'

Non poter avanzar quegU and sotto,

E quei drizz, volando, suso il petto.
Non altrimenti 1' anitra di botto,
:

Quando

Ed

ei

il

falcon

s'

appressa,

130

gii s' attuffa.

ritorna su crucciato e rotto.

Irato Calcabrina della bu.ffa.

Volando dietro

gli

tenne, invaghito

Che quei campasse, per aver

E come

il

la zuffa.

135

barattier fu disparito^

Cos volse gli artigli al suo compagno,

fu con lui sovra

il

Alichino (see verse 112, &c.),

who made

the rest retire.

fosso ghermito.

^
1

Wheeled upwards

an angry falcon.

A A 2

again, like

o TO

INFERNO.

deed a sparrowhawk

down

dropt

The

to

CANTO

claw him well

',

and both

into the middle of the boiling marsh.

heat at once unclutched^ them

but

could not, their wings were so beglued.

rapidly, on

Barbariccia

coast with all their drags

on

side,

this

they

rise

with the rest lamenting, made four of them

to the other

fly

they descended

that,

They stretched their hooks towards

limed pair, who were already scalded within
crust.^ And we left them thus embroiled.^

to

the
the

bene sparvier grifagno

altro fu

Ad

over

and most

the stand.

Ma r

XXII.

ben

artigliar

lui

ambedue

140

Cadder nel mezzo del bollente stagno.

Lo

caldo sghermitor subito fue

Ma
S

per di levarsi era niente,

aveano inviscate

1'

ale sue.

145

Barbariccia con gli altri suoi dolente.

Quattro ne

Con
Di qua

tutti

f'

i raffi

gli

uncini verso

Ch' eran gi

'

cotti

separator)

comes from

editions have schermitor,

Some
instead

impaniati,

g'

150

boiling

clinging to them.

pitch

that

The

simile

mouse, in

of the frog and

next canto,

will

Dante's last parting stroke.

himself was exiled, as

be

He

we know,

under a miserable charge of " bar-

oi sghermitor, in verse 142.

Of

prestamente

dentro dalla crosta.

(un-

sghermitor

ghermire, to gripe, clutch.

'

costa

noi lasciammo lor cos impacciati.

The word

clutcher,

e assai

di l discesero alla posta

Porser

volar dall' altra

was

Verses 141-4.

tery"

which he never took the

trouble of denying.

ARGUMENT.
Dante keeps following

Guide

his

in

silence, with

head bent down,

meditating on the things he has had to witness in that chasm of

The

the pitch.

mind

fable of the frog

then fear that the ugly

He

and the mouse comes into his

Demons may

seek vengeance for

them coming with outstretched wings,

when Virgil takes him in his arms, and rapidly glides down with
him into the next chasm. Here they find the Hypocrites walking
their misfortune.

sees

along the narrow bottom in slow procession, heavy-laden with

cloaks of lead, which are gilded and of dazzling brightness on
the outside.

Dante speaks with Catalano and Loderingo, two

who had been appointed

Friars of Bologna,

Florence
disasters

just

chief magistrates of

under trying circumstances, and brought memorable

on that

begun

to tell

by

city

their hypocrisy

and bartery

them what he thinks of

and has

their evil deeds,

when

he observes Caiaphas stretched across the narrow road, and fixed

to

it,

in

on him

such a way that

as they pass.

minious punishment

all

The
is

the other Hypocrites have to trample

sight of that

enough.

High

Priest and his igno-

Hypocrisy did

its

very utmost

him and " the others of that Council," for which the Jews
suffer.
The Poets hasten away to another class of sinners.
in

still

272

INFERNO.

CANTO

XXIII.

we went

on,

CANTO XXIIL
Silent, apart, and without escort
the one before and the other after

My

Friars^ go their way.

the present

strife, to

Minor

thought was turned, by

where he speaks

JEsop's fable

Ay

of the frog and mouse f for

better,^

as the

and Yea pair not

than does the one case with the other,

if

with attentive mind the beginning and end of each

And

be well accoupled.^
Taciti,

e senza

soli,

one thought from the

as

compagnia

N' andavam I'un dinanzi e

Come

frati

Minor vanno per

Volto era in su la favola

Lo mio pensier per

Dov'

ei

altro dopo.

1'

la

via.

Isopo

d'

presente rissa,

parl della rana e del topo

Che pi non
Che r un

si

pareggia

mo

ed

ben

coli' altro fa, se

s'

accoppia

Principio e fine con la mente fissa

E come T un
'

Silent and bent like

Friars
2

pensier

dell' altro

humble

thoughtful.

mouse makes

friendship with a treacherous frog.

They spend some time

pleasantly

and dine together, and the frog

mouse
coming to

gets the foot of the

his

own

then,

and croaking

joyfully,

mouse on

tied to

a lake

he takes

the water with his friend

kite sees the

scoppia.

10

pounces on him, pulls out

the frog too, and devours both.

In the fable (here attributed

to jEsop), a country

face,

issa.

but a

the sur-

Or " are not more alike,"

The words in the original
both mean "now," and they often
^

&c.

occur in Dante.
is

still

Mo

issa {ic ipsa iord) in

^

Tuscany.

" Brought together and

pared."

The one Demon

seeks to injure

both

(Lat. modo)

used in Lombardy, and

fall

the

other,

into the pitch.

com-

gladly

and

CANTO

273

INFERNO.

XXIIl.

other bursts, so rose from that another then, which

made my

I thus bethought

double.

first fear

me

" These through us are put to scorn, and with hurt

and mockery of such

If rage be added to their malice, they

vex them.

dog the leveret that

will pursue us, fiercer than a

he snaps

must greatly

sort, as I believe

!"

Already I

felt

my

hair all rise with fear

stood looking back intently,^ as I said

me

thou do not hide thyself and

the Malebranche

and

" Master,

if

speedily, I dread

they are already after us.

I so

imagine them that I hear them now."

And

he

'^
:

If I were of leaded glass,^ I should

not draw thy outward image more quickly to me.

un

Cos nacque di quello

Che

la

prima paura mi

Io pensava cos

Sono

altro poi,

doppia.

f'

Questi per noi

scherniti, e

con danno e con beffa

S fatta, eh' assai credo che lor ni.

Se r

ira

sovra

il

mal voler

15

aggueffa,

s'

Ei ne verranno dietro pi crudeli.

Che cane a

quella levre eh' egli acceffa.

Gi mi sentia tutto arricciar

li

peli

20

Della paura, e stava indietro intento,

Quando
Te

me

io dissi

quei
L'

"

immagino

noi gli

s,

S' io fossi d'

immagine

Was

cefi

tostamente, io pavento

Di Malebranche
Io gli

Maestro, se non

avem

che gi

gi dietro

gli sento.

impiombato

non

di fuor tua

backwards intent."

^
|

vetro,

trarrei

If I were a mirror-glass.

25

274

INFERNO.

CANTO xxin.

Even now thy

than I impress^ that from within.

among mine, with

thoughts have entered

and

similar face

so that of

similar act

both I have made one

In case the right coast so slopes, that we

resolve.

may descend

we

into the other chasm,

shall escape

the imagined chase."

He

had not ended giving

saw them come with wings extended, not

will to seize us.

My

a mother, that

awakened by the

is

flies,

and caring more

noise,

who

as

and near

takes her child

him than

for

far oif, in

Guide suddenly took me

her sees the burning flames,

and

when

this resolve,

for herself,

pauses not so long as even to cast a shift about her.

me, che quella dentro impetro.

Piii tosto a

Pur mo venieno

Con

tuoi pensier tra

egh

che

Noi fuggirem

un

1'

Gi non compio di

immaginata

caccia.

tal consiglio

con V

rendere,

lungi, per volerne prendere.

vede presso a se

Che prende

il figlio,

Avendo pi

le

fiamme

e fugge, e

desta,

accese.

non

s'

arresta,

40

di lui che di se cura.

Tanto che solo una camicia vesta

35

ale tese,

Lo Duca mio di subito mi prese.

Come la madre eh' al remore

30

nell* altra bolgia scendere,

io gli vidi venir

Non molto

sol consigho fei.

la destra costa giaccia.

Che noi possiam

Ch'

miei

simile atto e con simile faccia,

S che d' entrambi

S'

Receive and imprint in me,

as in stone, that inward

image of

thine which thou hast described.

See verse 21, &c.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXIII.

And down

275

from the ridge of the hard bank, supine

pendent rock,^ which shuts

to the

he gave himself

one side of the other chasm.

Never did water run

through spout

so fast

to

when it approaches nearest

my Master down that bank, carry-

turn a land-mill's^ wheel,

to the ladles, as

ing

me away upon

his

companion.

and not

his breast, as his son

as

Scarcely had his feet reached the

bed of the depth below, when they reached the

height above us

but no fear

high Providence, that willed

gave him

to place

for the

them ministers

power of leaving it from

of the fifth ditch, takes the

it

all.

gi dal collo della ripa dura

Supin

diede alla pendente roccia.

si

Che r un

Non

de' lati

mai

corse

tosto

45

altra bolgia tura.

all'

acqua per doccia

volger ruota di mulin terragno,

Quand'

Come

il

ella

pi verso

Maestro mio per quel vivagno,

me

Portandosene

Come

suo

Appena furo
Del fondo

sovra

figlio, e
i

il

suo petto,

50

non come compagno.

pie suoi giunti al letto

gi, eh' ei giunsero in sul colle

Sovresso noi

Che r

le pale approccia,

ma non

alta Previdenza,

gli era sospetto

che lor volle

55

Porre ministri della fossa quinta.

Potere indi partirsi a tutti toUe.

'

shot

Placed

down

himself supine, and

a trough or spout.

the

takes his image from the poorest

steep

rock,

or

outer boundary of next chasm.

^

Mill on land

scarce,

and led

to

where water

kind of mills
is

the wheel in

Dante here
he took that

as

of the mother from some humble

Italian cottage on

fire.

276

INFERNO.

CANTO

XXIII.

There beneath we found a painted people, who

were going round with steps exceeding slow, weeping, and in their look tired and overcome.
They

had cloaks on, with deep hoods before

made
at

in the shape^ that they

Outward they

Cologne.

dazzles

but within

compared

derick's

mantle for eternity

We

all

to

lead,

make

their eyes,

monks

for the

are gilded,^ so that

and

it

so heavy, that Fre-

them were

straw.^

weary

turned again to the

along with

left hand,*^

But

them, intent upon their dreary weeping.

that

Laggi trovammo una gente dipinta,

Che giva intorno

assai

con

lenti passi,

60

Piangendo, e nel sembiante stanca e vinta.

Egli avean cappe con cappucci bassi

Dinanzi

agli occhi, fatte della taglia

Che per

li

monaci in Cologna

Di fuor dorate son,

Ma

le

Noi

ci

Con

i.e.

for ye are

unto vvhited sepulchres, which

indeed appear beautiful outward,

bones and

all

xxiii. 27.

"

loro insieme, intenti al tristo pianto

unto you, Scribes and

but are within

65

volgemmo ancor pure a man manca

Pharisees, hypocrites
like

manto

with large hoods or cowls.

Woe

mettea di paglia.

in eterno faticoso

eh' egli abbaglia

dentro tutte piombo, e gravi tanto.

Che Federigo

fassi.

full

of dead men's

uncleanness." Matt.

God

shall smite thee,

thou whited wall." Jets

xxiii. 3.

Lit.

" That Frederick

them of straw,"
Frederick II.

is

light as

put

straw.

said to have burnt

in leaden cloaks those

who were

guilty of high treason

and some

of the Popes are said to have fol-

lowed his example.

Glos. V.
*

As

See Ducange,

Capa or cappa plumbea.

before.

Canto

xxi. 137.

CANTO

277

INFERNO.

XXIII.

by

people, wearied

came

their burden,

so

slowly

company was new at every movement of

'^
the hip.
Wherefore I to my Guide
See that
thou find some one who may by deed or name be
known ; and move thy eyes around as we go on."
that our

And

who understood

one,

cried after us

'^
:

Stay your

through the brown

from

me

who run

so fast

Perhaps thou shalt obtain

air.

Guide turned round, and

at his

ye

feet,

which thou

that

Tuscan word,

the

Whereat

askest."
said

my

" Wait, and then

pace proceed."

I stood

still,

and saw two, shewing by

mind to be with me
narrow way retarded them.

their look

but the load and

great haste of

the

When

they came

up, long with eye askance they viewed me, without

Ma

per lo peso queUa gente stanca

Venia

pian, che noi

eravam nuovi

Di compagma ad ogni muover

Per eh'

io al

Alcun, eh'

Duca mio
al fatto

d'

Fa che tu

nome

al

Voi, che correte

Forse eh' avrai da

Onde

il

Duca

me

Tenete

il

trovi

quel che tu chiedi.

disse

Aspetta,

duo mostrar gran

fretta

viso, d' esser

carco e la via stretta.

il

80

suo passo procedi.

Ma

Quando

7^

piedi.

DeU' animo, col

tardavagli

muovi.

per V aura fosca

si volse, e

poi secondo

Ristetti, e vidi

anca.

conosca

si

E gli occhi, s andando, intorno

Ed un, che intese la parola Tosca,
Dirietro a noi grid

70

fur giunti, assai con

B B

1'

meco

occhio bieco

85

INFERNO.

278

Then

uttering a word.

the action of his throat

by
dead, by

That one seems

'^

XXIII.

turned to one another,

tliey

and said between them

CANTO

And

alive

they are

if

what privilege go they divested of the heavy stole ?"

Then they said to me " O Tuscan, that art come
:

sad hypocrites

college^ of the

the

to

who thou

And

to

tell

us

art disdain not."

them

I to

'^
:

in the great city^ I

On

Arno's beauteous river,

was born and grew

and

am

But you,

with the body that I have always had.

who are ye from whom distils such sorrow as I see,

down your cheeks ? And what pain is on ye that

glitters so

Mi

rimiraron senza far parola

Poi

Costui par vivo

s'

Dir chi tu

non avere

il

fui nato e cresciuto

Arno

bel fiume d'

i'

"

" Hypocrites, of a sad

Matt.

The

gran

95

villa,

ho sempre avuto.

che pena in voi, che

countenance"

alla

io veggio, dolor gi

" Congregation of hypocrites."

Joh XV. 34.

in dispregio.

chi siete, a cui tanto distilla,

Quant'

se'

son col corpo eh'

Ma voi

Vulg.).

venuto,

tristi se'

io a loro

90

Tosco, eh' al collegio

Degl' ipocriti

Sovra

atto della gola.

scoverti della grave stola

Poi dissermi

all'

son morti, per qual privilegio

ei

Vanno

Ed

volsero in s, e dicean seco

si

(hypocritcB

tristes

vi. 16.

fairest

and most famous

per

le

guance

s sfavilla ?

daughter of Rome, Florence ....

in

which I

even to
&c.

w^as born,

and nourished

the summit of

See Convito (Tr.

he speaks of his

exile.

i.

my

life,"

3), v^here

CANTO

And

279

INFERNO.

XXIII.

me

one of them replied to

"

Oui' orange^

mantles are of lead so thick, that the weights thus

We

cause their scales to creak.

and Bolognese

named

Catalano, and Loderingo he

and by thy city chosen together,

man

is

chosen, to maintain

such, that

were Jovial Friars/

its

as usually

one solitary

And we

peace.

were

yet appears^ round the Gardingo."

it

r un rispose a

me

Le cappe ranee

Son

di

Fan

cos cigolar le lor bilance.

piombo

Frati Godenti

grosse, che

fummo,

100

pesi

li

e Bolognesi,

Io Catalano, e costui Loderingo

Nomati

Come

da tua terra insieme

suole esser tolto

un uom

Per conservar sua pace

Ch' ancor

and of

make us tremble

like

an overcharged balance.
2

Friars

Mary,"

or

*'

instituted

and allowed

solingo

fummo

tali,

pare intorno dal Gardingo.

si

" Gilded" (ver. 64)

a weight to

105

presi.

the other a Ghibelline) to be chief

way only one

in the usual

Knights of

St.

by Urban IV.

to retain their worldly

of choosing

magistrates, instead

magistrate or Podest

one

ger (" solitary" or party-free), as

" These two
the law required.

goods, imder a solemn vow of be-

friars

coming " Peacemakers, defenders

crisy were in concord,

of

all

orphans and widows," &c.

Nicknamed
friars)

Frati Godenti (jovial

from their actual

life.

See

Benv. da Imola Com.

and death of Manfred caused great

agitation in

Florence

their

and the

under cover of

own gain than

Malespini,

good."

false

hypo-

more

for

for the public

c.

183

Vil-

lani, vii. 13.

^

In 1266, the news of the defeat

chief
stran-

" It

were."

yet

appears

what

we

Barterers and hypocrites

same time, we took a bribe

from the Guelphs who burnt and
at the

houses

Ghibellines (at that time masters

laid

of the city), " in order to satisfy

Uberti &c. in the street called

the people," chose both Catalano

Gardingo.

and Loderingo (one a Guelph and

See also note,

waste

the

of

the

Benv. da Imola, Com.

p. 108.

INFERNO.

S80
began

more, for to

And

O Friars, your evil" But said no

my eyes came one, cross-fixed in the

who

Friar Catalano,

perceived

whom

on

spirit,

selled the Pharisees

man

"When he saw me, he

stakes.

over, blowing into his beard with sighs.

all

" That confixed

one

that

it

this, said to

upon the

is

was expedient

Frati,

Ma

pi non

Un

crocifisso in terra

Quando mi

to

put

road, as thou seest; and has

passes.^

after the like fashion his father-in-law^ is

Id cominciai

Traverse and

weight of every one that

to feel the

me

thou lookest, coun-

to tortures for the people.^

naked he

XXIII.

"

ground with three

writhed

CANTO

And

racked in

vostri mali ....

occhi

dissi, eh' agli

con

mi

corse

110

pah.

tre

vide, tutto si distorse.

Soffiando nella barba co' sospiri.

E
Mi

frate Catalan, eh' a ci

il

disse

Quel

confitto,

Consigli

Porre un

uom

Farisei,

Attraversato e

Come

a tal

modo

il

'

Caiaphas,

who

is

si

ei

pesa pria.

said

" It

is

man
John,

feel

is

Stentare

necessary that he

&c.

how whoever passes weighs

The hypocrites,

before" passing.

with their heavy loads and short

steps,

" It

20

stenta

stretched or racked.

xi. 50.
:

to toil, suffer, lack, be stinted of,

should die for the people."

Lit.

martiri.

per la via.

suocero

expedient for us that one

a'

ed mestier che senta.

121. Si stenta

now means

115

che convenia

Qualunque passa, com'

accorse,

che tu miri,

per lo popolo

nudo

tu vedi

s'

have

Annas.

all to

trample on him.

John

xviii. 13, 24.

CANTO

INFERNO.

xxiir.

281

and the others of that Council, which was

this ditch,

a seed of evil for the Jews."

Then

wonder over him

I saw Virgil

that

was

distended on the cross so ignominiously in the eter-

He

nal exile.

" Let

it

afterwards addressed the Friar thus

not displease you, so

to tell us if

on the right hand

we both may go
Black Angels

be lawful for you,

it

lies

any gap by which

out hence, without constraining the

come and

to

extricate us from this

depth."

So he answered
there

is

" Nearer than thou dost hope,

a stone that

and bridges

all

moves from the Great

the cruel valleys, save that in this

broken and covers

'tis

In questa fossa, e

Che
AUor

fu per

li

Ye may mount up

not.

it

gli altri del Concilio,

Giudei mala sementa.

Yid' io maravigliar Virgilio

Sopra

Poscia drizz

Non

al

nell'

eterno

esilio.

Frate cotal voce

dispiaccia, se vi lece, dirci

alla

man

destra giace alcuna foce.

Onde noi ambedue possiamo

d' esto

Rispose adunque
appressa

un

fondo

130

uscirci

Senza costringer degU angeli

Che vegnan

S'

125

colui, eh' era disteso in croce

Tanto vilmente

Se

Barrier,^

neri.

a dipartirci.

Pi che tu non speri

sasso,

che dalla gran cerchia

Si muove, e varca tutti

vallon

135

feri,

Salvo eh' a questo rotto, e noi coperchia.

Or

shaft

circular wall of the great

the

iron

coloured

rock

where Geryon had landed

Poets.

B B 2

Canto

xviii. 3,

the

282

by

INFERNO.
ruins,

its

CANTO XXIU.

which slope down the

and on the

side,

bottom make a heap."^

The Guide

stood

down, then said

a while with head bent

still

" Falsely did he^

tell

the way,

who

hooks the sinners yonder."

And

the Friar

" At Bologna^ once I heard many

of the Devil's vices told

that he

amongst which, I heard

a liar and the father of lies."

is

Then with

my

large steps

Guide went on, some-

what disturbed with anger in

from the laden

his look

whereat I

spirits departed, following the prints

of his beloved feet.

Montar potrete su per

Che

giace in costa, e nel fondo soperchia.

Lo Duca

stette

Poi disse

Colui, che

Frate

il

egli

Appresso

il

un poco a

Mal contava
i

140

bisogna

la

peccator di l uncina.

vizj assai, tra i

quali udi',

bugiardo e padre di menzogna.

Duca

145

a gran passi sen g.

Turbato un poco

Ond'

testa china,

Io udi' gi dire a Bologna

Del Diavol
Ch'

la ruina.

d' ira

io dagl' incarcati

nel sembiante

mi

parti'

Dietro alle poste delle care piante.

'

Fragments

which
rise

still

*'

lie

of

above the bottom"

chasm, as when they

2

ter."

the

Lit.

bridge,

on the side, and

of the

fell.

" Badly told he the mat-

Malacoda, canto

xxi. 106.

Bologna more noted

ing the Devil's

avoiding them

vices

for tell-

than

" College"

for

of

hypocrites (verse 91), with their

scriptural phrases.
x^il. 58,

&c.

Compare canto

ARGUMENT.
In

this canto, the

vehement despair of the poor Italian peasant, who

has no food for his sheep, and thinks he

is

going to lose them,

gives a lively image of Dante's dependence on his mystic

while the
points to

Guide
Sun with freshened hair (Crinitus Apollo, Mn. ix. 638)
the real Virgil.
Here too on the shattered bridge, as at

the foot of the Hill in canto

first,

help in

many

senses

is

necessary;

and Dante, put quite out of breath by climbing from the den of
Virgil reminds him of their
the Hypocrites, sits down exhausted.
Mission

of the great things which

lie

beyond

this painful

journey

through Hell and he rises instantly; and "keeps speaking," as

they go on, " that he may not seem faint." In the Seventh Chasm,

which

is

Thieves
of St.

very dark and

James

ashamed

filled

at

in Pistoia, though another was

hanged

for

it.

He

is

being found amongst the Thieves, and recognised by

Dante, who had "seen him a

and he

with hideous serpents, they find the

and get speech of Vanni Fucci, who pillaged the sacristy

man

of blood and brutal passions;"

foretels the disasters that will lead to the Poet's exile.

^84

INFERNO.

CANTO

CANTO XXIV.

XXIV.

In that part of the youthful year/ when the Sun

tempers his locks beneath Aquarius, and the nights

wane towards

already

white

frost counterfeits his

while

half the day

the

fields

thigh,^ goes

white

all

il

L'

Lo

Sole

mezzo

d sen

tapin che

non

In February, when the Sun

rays) under the sign of Aquarius

campagna

the hoar-frosts look like

ei si

si

and

snow,

batte

sa che

si

to sunset
is

1'

anca

10

lagna.
faccia

so that the mezzo d

twelve hours after sunset.

2

" Cut or

" Cry and howl

when the nights " go away," grow

shorter towards the equinox

roba manca.

" freshens his hair" (gives warmer

is

vanno

sua penna tempra

alla

Ritorna a casa, e qua e l

the day

not what to

su la terra assempra

villanello, a cui la

but are soon melted.

fro

Aquario tempra,

1'

Biancheggiar tutta, ond'

and

to

who knows

Si leva e guarda, e vede la

il

and

di sua sorella bianca.

poco dura

Come

looks,

whereat he smites his

crin sotto

la brina in

immagine

Ma

and

rises,

del giovinetto anno,

gi le notti al

Quando

the peasant,

-?

back into the house, and

In quella parte

the hoar-

image, but short

sister's

fails,

laments like a poor wight

Che

when

the fashion of his plumes

lasts

whose stock of fodder

sees

therefore
xxi. 12.

In Italy

Kai

reckoned from sunset

xii.

>

make

upon thy

....

thigh."

Ai\ pa t6t

'7r7rAifj76To

162.

of his pen."

smite

Ezek.

(fifici^v

fiTipd.

re

Iliad.

INFERNO.

CANTO XXIV.

do

then comes out again, and recovers hope, ob-

how

serving

time

the world has changed

and takes

saw

face in little

its

and chases forth

his staff,

his

lambs

Thus the Master made me despond, when

to feed.

285

his

brow

so troubled

my

to the

For when we reached the

sore the plaster came.

scattered bridge,

and thus quickly

;^

Guide turned

me

to

with that

sweet aspect which I saw before at the foot of the

He

mountain.^

opened

his

some plan within himself,

ruin,

and

arms

having chosen

looking well at the

first

And

and took hold of me.

as

one who works,

always seeming to provide before-

calculates,

hand ;

after

so, lifting

me up

towards the summit of one

Poi riede, e la speranza ringavagna,

Veggendo

il

In poco

E
Cos

fuor

mi

d'

ora

aver cangiata faccia

prende suo vincastro,

le pecorelle

a pascer caccia

fece sbigottir lo Mastro,

Quand'

mondo

io gli vidi s

turbar la fronte,

mal giunse

cos tosto al

Che come noi venimmo

Lo Duca a me

si

al

lo impiastro.

guasto ponte.

20

volse con quel piglio

Dolce, eh' io vidi in prima a pie del monte.

Le braccia

aperse,

dopo alcun consigHo

Eletto seco, riguardando prima

Ben

la ruina, e

E come

diedemi di

piglio.

Che sempre par che innanzi

Cos, levando

'

25

quei che adopera ed istima,

See canto

me

si

provveggia

su ver la cima

xxiii. 146.

^
|

Recalls canto

i.

64, &c.

286

INFERNO.

CANTO XXIV.

block^ he viewed another splinter, saying

clamber over that, but try

was no way

"

Now

will carry thee."

first if it

one clad with cloak of lead ;

for scarcely we, he light and I pushed on, could
It

for

mount up from hold

And

to hold.

were

it

not that

on that precinct^ the ascent was shorter than on the

know

other, I

been defeated.

not about him, but I certainly had

But

as

Malebolge

all

hangs towards

the entrance of the lowest well, the

site

of every

valley imports that one side rises and the other de-

We,

scends.^

however, came

from which the

last stone^

length to the point

at

breaks

off.

The breath was

D' un ronchione, avvisava un' altra scheggia,

Dicendo

Ma
Non

Sovra quella poi

tenta pria

s*

tal eh' ella

ei

Potevam su montar
se

non

fosse,

Pi che

Non

Ma

ti

reggia.

30

era via da vestito di cappa,

Che noi a pena,

aggrappa

t'

Heve ed

io sospinto,

di chiappa in chiappa.

che da quel precinto.

dall' altro,

so di lui,

ma

era la costa corta,

ben

io sarei

perch Malebolge in vr

la

35

vinto.

porta

Del bassissimo pozzo tutta pende.

Lo sito di ciascuna valle

Che r una costa surge e 1'
Noi pur venimmo

Onde r ultima

"^

porta.
altra

si

40

su la punta

al fine in

pietra

scende

scoscende.

That inner boundary.

steep

The whole

outer side high and the inner low.

wards to Satan

place tends down;

and the

valleys,

lying like successive rings on the

hanging ground, have the

Compare canto
^

xviii.

Last stone of the ruin.

INFERNO.

CANTO XXIV.

my

from

SO exhausted

287

lungs/ when I was up, that

no farther; nay, seated me

I could

my

at

first

ar-

rival.
*^

Now

must thou

said the

Master

coverlet,

men come

*^

whoso consumes
self

on earth,

as

therefore rise

for

thus^ from

free thee

on down, or under

sitting

not into fame

smoke

in air or

foam in water.

Conquer thy panting with the

that conquers every battle, if with

A longer

sinks not down.^

era del

fui su, eh' io

Anzi m'

assisi nella

Maestro

In fama non

Sanza

si

la qual chi

si

ti

45

spoltre.

sotto coltre

sua vita consuma,

aere, o in

acqua

schiuma

la

vince ogni battaglia.

Pi lunga scala convien che

" So milked from

50

lascia,

ambascia

1'

Se col suo grave corpo non

oltre.

prima giunta.

vien,

per leva su, vinci

Lit.

it

che, seggendo in piuma.

Con r animo che

soul,

munta

Cotal vestigio in terra di s

Qual fummo in

And

heavy body

its

non potea pi

Ornai convien che tu cos

il

him-

ladder must be climbed.^

polmon

Quando

Disse

without which

his life, leaves such vestige of

La lena m'

sloth,"

my

si

s'

accascia.

sagUa

55

also poltrone,

*'

a do-nothing, an

lungs."

idler or poltroon."

^ Thus, by this hard and toilsome journey, hast thou to rouse

" The corruptible body pressdown

the soul, and the earthly
eth
tabernacle weigheth down the
mind that museth upon many

thyself, to cast off all

all

sloth

poltroonery for ever.

(spoltrare
trire,

*'

and

Spoltre

or spoltrire) from pol-

to lie idle, inert."

Hence

things."
^

Wisd.

ix. 15.

Compare canto

i.

118, &c.

288

INFERNO.

To have

quitted these

derstandest me,

now

CANTO XXIV,

not enough.

is

act so that

it

may

If thou unprofit thee."

shewing myself better furnished with

breath than I felt, and said " Go ; for I am strong
I then rose,

We took our way up the

and confident."

was rugged, narrow, and

faint

and greatly steeper

whereat a voice came from the other

unsuitable for forming words.^

said,

which

Speaking I went,^ that I might not

than the former.

seem

difficult,

cliiF,

know

foss,

not what

it

though I already was on the ridge of the arch

which

crosses there

moved

to anger.

who spake seemed

but he

had turned myself downwards

but the living eyes could not reach the bottom for

Non

basta da costoro esser partito

Se tu m' intendi, or fa

Levami aUor, mostrandomi

Megho
E dissi
Su

di lena eh' io
:

che

vagHa.

ti

fornito

non mi

sentia

Va, eh' io son forte e ardito.

per lo scoglio

prendemmo

60

la via,

Ch' era ronchioso, stretto e malagevole.

Ed

erto pi assai che quel di pria.

Parlando andava per non parer

Onde una voce

A
Non

fievole.

uscio dall' altro fosso,

65

parole formar disconvenevole.

so che disse, ancor che sovra

Fossi

Ma

dell'

dosso

arco gi, che varca quivi

chi parlava ad ira parca mosso.

Io era volto iu

Non potean

il

Spoke

gii

ire al

as I

ma

gli

fondo per

went on.

70

occhi vivi
1'

oscuro

Confused with rage.

Wherefore I

the darkness.

boundary/ and

to the other

'^
:

let

Master, see thou get

us dismount the wall

down and

distinguish nothing."

" Other answer I give thee not/' he

the deed

from hence and do not understand, so I

for as I hear

see

289

INFERNO.

CANTO XXIV.

for a

fit

said,

^'

than

request should be followed with

the work^ in silence."

We

went down the bridge, by the head where

bank; and then the chasm was

joins with the eighth

And

manifest to me.

I saw within

a fearful throng

it

of serpents, and of so strange a look, that even

my

the recollection scares^

no longer with

its

sand

for,

though

engenders

it

dismontiam

Dall' altro cinghio, e

Cos

giti

lo far

non

che

Noi discendemmo

poi

V opera tacendo.
ponte dalla

il

la bolgia

serpenti, e di

Che

la

Pi non

Che

rendo,

1'

testa,

ottava ripa,

manifesta

80

vidivi entro terribile stipa

Di

'

mi fu

ti

75

dimanda onesta

la

aggiunge con

s'

veggio, e niente affiguro.

Si dee seguir con

Ove

muro

lo

odo quinci, e non intendo.

io

Altra risposta, disse,

Se non

Am-

Maestro, fa che tu arrivi

Che com'

now

Let Libya boast

blood.

Chelydri, Jaculi and Parese, and Cenchres with

Perch' io

it

memoria
si

s
il

diversa mena.

sangue ancor mi scipa.

vanti Libia con sua rena

85

se Chehdri, Iaculi e Farce

The next " belt"

The work which

or ring-wall.
it

asks.

Lit.:

"Dissipates;" drives

back with horror.

C C

290

INFERNO.

CANTO XXIV.

phisbaena/ plagues so numerous or so dire

shewed, with

by the Red

Amid

Sea.^

cruel

this

and most dismal swarm were

terrified,

behind with serpents

tail

their

hands

these through their loins

and the head, and were coiled in knots

And

before.

without hope

They had

of lurkiiig hole or heliotrope.^

fixed the

never

Ethiopia, nor with the land that lies

all

people running, naked and

tied

it

lo

at one,

who was

near our shore,

sprang up a serpent, which transfixed him there

Produce,

Non

Ceneri con Anfesibena,

tante pestilenze,

ree

Mostr giammai con tutta

1'

N con

mar Rosso

ci

che di sopra

il

Etiopia,

90

e.

Tra questa cruda e tristissima copia

Corre van genti nude e spaTcntate,

Senza sperar pertugio o

Con

man

serpi le

elitropia.

dietro avean legate

Quelle ficcavan per le ren la coda

E
Ed

il

Some

Phars.

capo, ed eran dinanzi aggroppate.

ecco ad un, eh' era da nostra proda,

S'

avvent

un

of Lucan's
711, &c.

ix.

serpente, che

serpents.

Chelydrus

(xeAvSpos), a water -snake, that

leaves
track.

95

hideous

smell

on

its

Jaculus, dart-serpent " two

cubits in length," and so called

because it throws itself on its prey

stretched out, like a dart.

{n-apelas),

copper- snake, "that

marches on
de capello.

Parens

its

tail;"

or cobra

Cenchris {Kcyxpis),

stiff

trafsse

il

speckled snake

and "

Am-

phisbaena dire" (a/xcpi and ^aiv<a),

which " has a head at each end,"

and goes either way.

2

Lit.

" With that which

on the Red Sea

(e for e)

land of Egypt with

its

is

:" the

mud-river

and " Serbonian bog."

3

green stone or

red spots,

*'

invisible."

gem

said to render

its

with

bearer

where the neck

ther

'

took

O' nor

'

is

bound upon the

shoulders.

was ever written

And

after

Nei-

he

so quickly as

and burnt, and dropt down

fire,

ashes.^

291

INFERNO.

CANTO XXIV.

changed

all

to

he was thus dissolved upon the

ground, the ashes reunited, and of themselves at

once resumed the former shape.^
confest the Phoenix dies,

sages

'tis

born,

when

In

and

is

then re-

approaches the five-hundredth year.

it

life it eats

its

Thus by great

no herb or grain, but only

of incense and of spice

tears

and nard and myrrh are

its

last swathings.^

And

one who

as

through force of

L dove U

Ne s
Com*

Demon which

collo alle spalle

tosto mai,

ei s' accese, e arse, e

poi che fu a terra

La cener
Cos per

li

la

si

Lit.

Lit.

105

confessa.

si

al

cinquecentesimo anno appressa.

vita

non

pasce.

sol d' incenso lagrime e d'

nardo e mirra son

1'

amomo

110

ultime fasce.

quale quei che cade, e non sa com.

"

hoved him
^

divenisse.

ritorn di butto.

gran savi

Per forza di

cener tutto

distrutto.

Erba n biada in sua

100

Fenice muore, e poi rinasce.

Quando

Ma

annoda.

raccolse, e per s stessa

medesmo

In quel

Che

s'

drags him to the

I si scrisse,

Convenne che cascando

and knows not how,

falls,

And

ali

falling to

Demon

ashes

it

eh' a terra

be-

become."

" Returned to that same

il tira.

one (verse 97) at a blow," or instantly.

^

Butto for

botto.

Compare Metam.

xv. 392,

&c.

292

INFERNO.

CANTO

ground, or of other oppilation^ that

who, when he

fetters

looks fixtly round him,

rises,

XXIV.

men
all

be-

wildered by the great anguish he has undergone,

and looking sighs

Justice of

rose.

such was the sinner when he

God

O how

such blows of vengeance

severe, that showers

The Guide then asked him who he was. Whereupon he answered " I rained from Tuscany, short
:

while ago, into this wild gullet.

human, pleased me, mule

Fucci,^ savage beast
for

Bestial

that I was.

not

am Yanni

and Pistoia was a

life,

fitting

den

me."
d' altra

Quando

oppilazion che lega

si leva,

che intorno

si

1'

uomo,
115

mira,

Tutto smarrito dalla grande angoscia

Ch* egli ha
Tal era

sofferta, e

guardando sospira

Giustizia di Dio, quant' severa

Che

cotai colpi per vendetta croscia.

Lo Duca

dimand poi chi

il

Perch'

ei

rispose

Poco tempo
Vita bestiai
S

peccator levato poscia.

il

come

mul

20

Io piovvi di Toscana,

in questa gola fera.

mi piacque,
a

egli era

non umana.

eh' io fui

Bestia, e Pistoia

son Vanni Fucci

mi fu degna

125

tana.

" Obstruction" of the vital

spirits, " that binds a man" in

man," says Ben v. da Imola, *' and

most daring in every kind of

fits,
like those of Epilepsy or
" possession of a devil."

wickedness.

'

Vanni (Giovanni) Fucci, bas-

tard son of

of Pistoia.

M. Fucci
"

de'

Lazari

most villanous

And

because he was

of noble family, he often com-

mitted
punity.

many excesses
And though

with imfrequently

banished for enormous crimes,"

CANTO

And

man

And

him not to flee and

him down here, for I saw him

Guide

I to the

ask what crime thrust

once a

29o

INFERNO.

XXIV.

''

Teli

of rage and blood. "^

who

the sinner

me

rected towards

heard, feigned not

mind and

his

Then he

dismal shame. ^

said

me

that thou hast caught

but

di-

with a look of

face,

"

me more

It pains

misery wherein

in the

thou seest me, than when I was taken from the

other
I

am

of

deny thee what thou askest

I cannot

life.

put down so

far,

goodly furniture

its

Ed

io al

Duca

E dimanda
Ch' io

il

il

Dilli

because I robbed the sacristy

and

uom

drizz verso

di trista

Poi disse

me

1'

vergogna

non

animo

si

tion,

mi

il

135

io fui dell' altra vita tolto.

chiedi

io fui

alla sagrestia de' belli arredi

falsamente gi fu apposto altrui.

" bestial

His

rage"

might

have brought him to the marsh

when Dante

with Filippo Argenti, or down to

Phlegethon as " a murderer and

the

vi.)

'

was of the Neri factime

took part with the Bianchi (see

canto

volto,

vedi.

non posso negar quel che tu

He
at

130

dipinse.

&c., he always contrived to return.

infnse,

s'

In gi son messo tanto, perch'

pinse

il

Pi mi duol che tu m' hai colto

Che quand'

Ladro

was im-

gi di sangue e di corrucci.

Nella miseria, dove tu

Io

it

che non mucci,

peccator, che intese,

Ma

once

falsely

qual colpa quaggi

vidi

but no injustice

is

here done to hira or his "den."

See Landino, Vellut, Ottimo, &c.

and Murat. Rer.

Ital.

tom.

assassin;" but he robbed the Cathedral besides.

2

Lit.

"

And

painted himself

with dismal shame."

xi.

c c

:^

294

INFERNO.

puted

But

another.^

to

CANTO XXIV.

that thou mayest not joy

in this sight, if ever thou escape the dark abodes,

open thy ears and hear what I announce.

Pistoia

thinned of Neri f then Florence renovates

her people and her laws.^ Mars brings from Val-

first

is

dimagra a
clouds,

fiery

vapour/ which

and on Piceno's

is

wrapt in turbid

field shall

be assailed with

angry and impetuous storm ; whence

rend the mist, so that every Bianco

by

And

it.

Ma

have said

perch di

Se mai sarai di fuor

Apri

gli

suddenly shall

shall

may

this, that it

tal vista

it

be wounded
afflict

thee."

tu non godi.

140

de' luoghi bui.

orecchi al mio annunzio, e odi

Pistoia in pria di Neri

si

dimagra,

Poi Firenze rinnova genti e modi.

Tragge Marte vapor

di vai di

145

Magra,

Ch' di torbidi nuvoli involuto,

con tempesta impetuosa ed agra

Sopra campo Picen

Ond'

ei

'

detto

combattuto

Bianco ne sar feruto

150

r ho, perch doler ten debbia.

To Rampino who was put

to

Vanni della
Nona who was hanged for it.

the torture, and to

May

repente spezzer la nebbia,

S eh' ogni

fia

comes

de Valois

(Nov. 1301),

and be expelled in April 1302.

Ihid.

viii.

49.

Florence, drove out the Neri, and

The lightning-vapour which

Mars brings, is Morello Malaspina, who shall come (in 1304)
from his Magra valley, gather-

destroyed their houses, palaces,"

ing the Neri ("turbid clouds");

&c.

and

*'

party

In

1301, the Bianchi

of Pistoia, with

favour of the Bianchi

Vili. viii.

who

and
ruled

45.

The Bianchi

power

aid

in Florence

will

lose

their

when Charles

utterly

Bianchi on
Pistoia.

defeat

the

Campo Piceno

angry
near

ARGUMENT.
At

the end of his angry prophecy, Fucci rises into a boundless pale
rage, such as

is

hardly

known

in northern countries

sacrilegious thief and brute that he

The

blasphemy.

is,

gives vent to

too, with a load of serpents

comes shouting

finds five of his

names of them

all,

and

three in

first

Donati and Guercio

all

their time"

nello

whom

five

dragon on

human

shape, then

and very accurately sees the unheard of

de' Cavalcanti

are Agnello de' Brunelleschi,

Caligai

fiery

such

Cacus,

by dint of great attention learns

transformations they have to undergo.

de'

inflict

after.

Dante afterwards

in pursuit of him.

own countrymen

two changed into reptiles

the

on his haunch and a

like the

in the wildest

upon him, and

serpents instantly set

punishment, that Dante regards them as friends ever

his shoulders,

and

it

Buoso

The

reptiles are Cianfa

the three in

degli Abati,

human shape

and Puccio

de'

of very noble kindred, and "great thieves in

[magni fures suo tempore. Pietro).

Cianfa, and

Ag-

he attacks, are of families that sided with the Neri

Guercio and Buoso, who exchange shapes, are of families that belonged to the Bianchi, or opposite party.

Vili. viii. 39.

Poet equally recognises the base materials of both

party of Puccio

is

unknown, and he

that remains unchanged.

is

factions.

Our
The

the only one of the three

296

INFERNO.

CANTO XXV,

CANTO XXV.
up

At

the conclusion of his words, the thief raised

his

hands with both the figs/ shouting

them, God, for at thee I aim

From
friends

for

neck, as

time

that

if

them
the

forth

" Take

!"

my

were

serpents

one of them then coiled itself about his

saying, ' Thou shalt speak no farther I'^

and another about his arms

and

it

him

tied

again,^

rivetting itself in front so firmly, that he could not

Ah,

give a jog with them.

Al

fine delle sue parole

Le mani

alz

Gridando

Da

indi in

qua mi fur

why

le fiche,

dicesse

le

serpi amiche,

Io

non

vo' che pi diche

un' altra alle braccia, e rilegollo

Ah

stessa

Pistoia, Pistoia

fore

fists, and
thumbs between the
making
and middle fingers

the

fig'

with both, like the filthy

townsmen

(in 1228)

His

had "a tower

seventy cubits high, on the rock

of Carmignano

and

un

crollo.

che non stanzi

Clenching both his

senseless mule that he was.

dinanzi.

esse dare

thrusting the

it

avvolse allora al collo.

s'

Che non potea con

of

Pistoia

Togli, Dio, che a te le squadro.

Ribadendo s

ladro

con ambedue

Perch' una gli

Come

il

Pistoia

at the top

were two arms of marble

10

with hands that

Florence."

made

Malesp.

c.

the figs at

116

Vili

vi. 5.
2

Lit.

say more."
^

" I

will not that

thou

Diche for dica.

With head and

his body, tied his

tail

through

arms again so

that he could not stir them.

pare canto xxiv. 94.

Com-

291

INFERNO.

CANTO XXV.

dost thou not decree to burn thyself outright/ that

thou mayest endure no longer, since thou outgoest

thy seed^ in evil-doing
cles of Hell, I

saw no

not even him^

who

Through

the dark

cir-

proud towards God,

spirit so
fell

all

down from

the walls of

Thebes.

He

saw a Centaur,
is,

where

And

speaking not another word.

fled,

full

of rage,

come crying

the surly"^ thief

is

" Where

Maremma,^

I do

many snakes as he had on

where our human form^ begins. Over

believe, has not so

his

haunch, to

his

shoulders, behind the head, a dragon lay with out-

D* incenerarti,

che pi non duri.

Poi che in mal far lo seme tuo avanzi ?

Per

tutti

Spirto

Non
Ei

cerchi dello Inferno oscuri

non

vidi in

quel che cadde a Tebe gi de' muri.

fugg, che

si

Ed

Dio tanto superbo,

io vidi

non parl pi verbo

un Centauro pien

Venir gridando

Maremma non

Ov*

di rabbia

V acerbo

, ov'

15

cred' io che tante n' abbia,

Quante bisce

egli avea su

20

per la groppa.

Infine ove comincia nostra labbia.

Sopra

le spalle, dietro

Con r
*

To burn

once.

The

daUa coppa,

ale aperte gli giaceva

thyself to ashes at

factions of Pistoia, as

they alternately prevailed, used to

un

draco.

The heathenish blasphemer

Capane us.
^

Lit:

Canto
" The

burn each other's houses.

2 Thy ancestors, the " hacked

and unripe

and maimed" refuse of Catiline's

swarming with

followers.

See

Vili.

i.

32.

like

xiv.

acerb;" sour,

Capaneus.

fenny tract in Tuscany,

reptiles.

Compare ^n.

viii.

194.

298

INFERNO.

stretched wings

My

meets.^

and

Master said

neath the rock of

every one he

fire

That

^^

Cacus, who, be-

is

Mount Aventino,

He

a lake of blood.

on

sets

it

CANTO XXV.

full often

made

goes not with his brethren on

one same road/ because of the cunning theft he

made from

the great herd that lay near

him whence
:

crooked actions ceased beneath the club of Her-

his

cules,

who gave him perhaps

and he

it;

felt

hundred hlows with

not the^r^^ ten."

Whilst he thus spake, the Centaur ran past ; and

under us there came three

nor

my

Guide perceived,

spirits,

until they cried

quello affuoca qualunque

Lo mio Maestro
Che

sotto

disse

va co' suoi fratei per

Per

"

Who

intoppa.

s*

25

laco.

un cammino.

lo furar frodolente eh' ei fece

Del grande armento eh'

Onde

monte Aventino

Di sangue fece spesse volte

Non

neither I

Quegli Caco,

sasso di

il

whom

egli

ebbe a vicino

30

cessar le sue opere biece

Sotto la mazza d' Ercole, che forse

non

Gliene die cento, e

Mentre che

parlava, ed ei trascorse,

tre spiriti

De' quai n

sent le diece.

venner sotto
io,

il

Se non quando gridar

Duca mio
Chi

31. Biece for bieche

him
jEn.
^

Lit:

"And

(quello)
viii.

it

whoever

sets

on

is

met,

fire."

See

s'

accorse,

siete voi ?

Lat. ohliquce.

blood (canto
other

xii.

Centaurs

55)

river of

sides being

with

because,

Vanni Fucci, he was a

99, &c.

Goes not along the

35

noi,

the
like

thief be-

what they were.

299

INFERNO.

CANTO XXV.

Our story therefore paused, and we then

gave heed to them alone. I knew them not but
it happened, as usually it happens by some chance,
that one had to name another, saying ^^ Where has
Cianfa^ stopt ?" Whereat I, in order that my Guide
are ye ?"

my

might stand attentive, placed

from the chin

to the nose.^

If thou art now,

I

have to

it,

tell, it

scarce allow

on them,

lo

be no wonder

will

it to

Reader, slow to credit what

and

gli

Come

conoscea

Se tu

in

With

ma

essi poi.
ei

40

seguette,

suol seguitar per alcun caso,

io,

posi

il

acciocch

fia

rimaso

Duca

il

dito su dal

sei or, Lettore,

altro convenette,

all'

Cianfa dove

Perch'

Mi

up

si ristette,

pure ad

Che r un nomare
Dicendo

who saw

upon him.

fastens itself all

E intendemmo
non

for I

Whilst I kept gazing

myself.

Per che nostra novella

Io

a serpent with six feet darts

!^

front of one,

upwards

finger

mento

stesse attento,

45

al naso.

a creder lento

Ci eh' io dir, non sar maraviglia.

Che
Com'

che

io,

il

vidi,

appena

serpente con sei pie

Dinanzi

all'

50

lancia
s'

appigha.

42. Convenette, convenne.

Cianfa de' Donati, who has

been coming with the other three

is

si

uno, e tutto a lui

40. Seguette, segu.

and

mi consento.

io tenea levate in lor le ciglia.

Ed un

il

here transformed, as we

shall see, into a six-footed serpent.

Signal for silence.

"^

Lit.

" Kept

raised at them, lo !"

Cinon. Particelle.

my eyebrows
Ed for ecco.

INFERNO.

300
its

middle feet

clasped his belly, with the anterior

it

seized his arms

it

thighs; and put

upwards on

it

then fixed

The hinder

cheeks.

CANTO XXV.

feet

teeth in both his

its

stretched

it

along

his

between the two, and bent

its tail

Ivy was never so

his loins behind.

rooted to a tree, as round the other's limbs the hi-

deous monster entwined

mingled their colours

stuck

one, nor the

neither the

now seemed what

fore the flame,

Then they

had been of heated, wax, and

together, as if they

other ,^

own.

its

was at first ;

it

as up, be-

on paper goes a brown colour, which

not yet black, and the white dies away.

is

Co' pie di mezzo gli avvinse la pancia,

con gh anterior

Poi

gli

addent e

braccia prese

le

una

1'

altra guancia.

1'

55

Gli diretani alle cosce distese,

E
E

miseli la coda

amendue,

tr'

dietro per le ren su la ritese.

non

Ellera abbarbicata mai

Ad

alber

Per r
Poi

s'

come

s,

appiccar,

stati, e

N r un, n
Come
Per

1'

lo

mischiar lor colore

as

papiro suso

dall'

un

Neither the one colour (the

remained what

it

had been
piece

of

ardore

color bruno,

nero ancora, e

when you kindle

altro gi parca quel eh' era

man's) nor the other (the reptile's)

60

avviticchi le sue.

di calda cera

procede innanzi

Che non

come

fue

orribil fiera

membra

altrui

Fossero

1'

^^

bianco muore.

il

white

paper,

the

brown

that goes before the flame,

the

shade,

makes

white rapidly vanish in

transition to black.

its

The

me

other two looked on, and each cried

Agnello/ how thou changest

already neither two nor one

now become
mixed

when two

one,

shapes appeared to us

and the

chest,

them

:^

arms

thighs with the

became such members

all

ex-

both, and neither, the perverse image

seemed ; and such

As

Two

The former shape was

were never seen.

tinct in

lost.

The

lists. ^

legs, the belly,

Lo, thou art

where both were

in one face,

"

The two heads had

!"

were made of the four

as

301

INFERNO.

CANTO XXV.

went away with languid

it

step.

the lizard, beneath the mighty scourge of the

canicular days, going from hedge to hedge,'^ appears

duo riguardavano,

Gli altri

Gridava

e ciascuno

me, Agnl, come

Vedi che gi non

muti

ti

n duo n uno.

se'

Gi eran h duo capi un divenuti,

Quando

n'

70

apparver duo figure miste

In una faccia, ov' eran duo perduti.

Fersi le braccia

Le cosce con

duo

di quattro liste

gambe,

le

ventre, e

il

Divenner membra che non fur mai

Ogni primaio aspetto

Due

nessun

ivi

era casso

il

casso

viste.

immagine perversa

1'

Parca, e tal sen gi con lecito passo.

Come
Dei

four

il

ramarro, sotto la gran fersa

Agnello Brunellesclii.
Lit.

lists,

(lists,

name

"

The arms, from

being

were made two."

bands,

or

fillets)

(in

Liste
is

the

here given to the serpent's

forefeet

80

cangiando siepe,

d canicular,

and the sinner's arms.

Lit.

" All former aspect here

them) was quashed."

" Changing hedge,"

image

will

lit.

be a lively one

The

to those

who have seen Italian lizards thus

moving under the hot scourge

D D

30^

INFERNO.

a flash of lightning, if

it

CANTO XXV.

way

cross the

coming

so,

towards the bowels of the other two, appeared a

tle reptile^

burning with rage,

per corn.

And

at

which we

down

it

receive our nourishment

first

tionless,

but said nothing

it,

yawned only

He

upon him.

as

pep-

pierced that part/ in one of them,

;

fell

thief

nay, with his feet mo-

had come

as if sleep or fever

eyed the

then

The pierced

stretched out before him.

gazed on

and black

livid

lit-

reptile, the reptile

him

the one from his wound, the other from

its

smoked

violently,

Let Lucan

now be

silent,

and

smoke met.

their

where he

of poor Sabellus and

tells

Folgore par, se la via attraversa

Cos parea venendo verso

Degli

altri

mouth,

epe

1'

due un serpentello acceso.

Livido e nero come gran di pepe.

quella parte, donde prima preso

Nostro alimento,

un

all'

Poi cadde giuso innanzi

Lo

trafitto

Anzi

il

mir,

ma

di lor trafisse

1,'

il

lui disteso.

nulla disse

co' pie fermati sbadigliava.

Pur come sonno o febbre

Egli

85

1'

serpente, e quei lui riguardava

nn

v^oT

Fumavan

ifl

piajD;a,

forte, e

il

1!.

altro

fumo

90

assalisse.

s'

per

la

bocca

incontrava.

Taccia Lucano omai, l dove tocca

Del misero Sabello

of"

"

the sun in July and August.

The

living

creatures

ran and

returned as the appearance of a

flash

of lightning" {fidgnris co~

rnscantis Vulg.).

Ezek.

i.

14.

95

e di Nassidio,

Guercio Cavalcante.

The

navel

which here gets

a mystic nourishment

of conscious
the

man

" poison

Theft, that

a serpent."

makes

INFERNO.

CANTO XXV.

303

Nasidius;^ and wait to hear that which

Of Cadmus and

forth.

now

is

sent

of Arethusa^ be Ovid silent

and the other into a fount,

one into a serpent

for if he, poetizing, converts the

envy him

not.

For never

did he so transmute two natures front to front, that

both forms^ were ready to exchange their substance.

They mutually responded

reptile
spirit

cleft its

drew

thighs

into

tail

in such a way,^ that the

a fork, and the

The

his steps together.

fi

Che

Cadmo

e d'

trasmut,

invidio

1'

si

eh'

amendue

Che

il

le

forme

feruto ristrinse insieme

il

serpente la coda in forca fesse,

le

S' appiccar s,

Non

1'

facea segno alcun che

si

and Nasidius, who swells so as

which

armour,

on being

stung by serpents in the liibyan

Phars.

See Metam.

ix.
iv.

763, &e.

562

105

che in poco la giuntura

Tr.

his

orme.

cosce seco stesse

^
Sabellus, who melts away like
" snow under a hot south-wind ;"

100

a fronte a fronte

risposero a tai norme,

Le gambe con

v.

572.

paresse.

is God."
Conv.
The human soul,
the noblest of all Forms
made under heaven."

cause, which

first

iii.

that

2,
is

are

&c.

"

Ibid.
*

Or formative powers. " Every

Form proceeds from its

essential

cambiar lor materie fosser pronte.

Insieme

se quello in serpente, e quella in fonte

Che duo nature mai

Non

dis-

scocca.

si

Aretusa Ovidio

Converte poetando, io non

desert.

and the

no mark that was

attenda a udir quel eh' or

Taccia di

burst

legs

along with them so stuck to one another,

that soon their juncture left

to

wounded

Lit.: "

They corresponded to
mo-

each other by such rules or

dels," that they

exchanged

their

parts as follows in verse 104, &c.

304

INFERNO.

The cloven

cernible.

was

lost in the

other's hard.

and the two

other

and

grew

skin

its

saw the arms enter

much

Then

as

at the armpits,

short,

arms were

those

the hoo hinder feet, twisted to-

and the wretch from

his

had two^ thrust

and generates on one part

from another

hair,

forth.

Whilst the smoke with a new colour

other

the

became the member which man conceals

gether,

both,^

soft,

which were

feet of the brute,

lengthen themselves as
shortened.

assumed the figure that

tail
;

CANTO XXV.

veils

and

them

strips it

the one rose upright, and prostrate the

not therefore turning the impious lights,^

fell,

Togliea la coda fessa la figura,

Che

si

perdeva

110

e la sua pelle

Si facea molle, e quella di l dura.

Io vidi entrar le braccia per V ascelle,

duo pie

della fiera, eh' eran corti.

Tanto allungar, quanto accorciavan quelle.

Poscia

li

membro che V uom

il

fummo

Di color nuovo,

Per r una parte,

un

si lev,

Non
1

Two

feet.

man

altro
le

"

The

il

altro vela

pel suso
il

120

dipela,

cadde giuso.
lucerne empie,

body

is

the eye."

Matt.

vi.

22.

They did not shift their glaring

speedily

a reptile's colour,

the reptile a man's.

^

e dall' altra

Porti from

The angry smoke

gives the

uno

genera

torcendo per

hinder

1'

porgere, Lat. porrecti.

2

cela,

misero del suo n' avea duo porti.

il

Mentre che

L'

115

pie dirietro insieme attorti

Diventaron lo

light (lucerna) of the

eyes pregnant with thievishness

from one another,
for

change of posture,

till

that

the trans-

formation was completed.

INFERNO.

CANTO XXV.

305

under which they mutually exchanged visages

that

was

erect,

drew

his towards the temples

:^

he

and

from the too much matter that went thither, ears

came out of the smooth^ cheeks.

not back, but was retained, of

That which went

superfluity formed

its

a nose, and enlarged the lips to a

He

size.

fit

that

lay prone, thrusts forward his sharpened visage, and

draws back his ears into the head,

its

as the snail does

horns; and his tongue, which was before united

and apt

for speech, cleaves itself;

forked tongue recloses

The

soul that

and the smoke now

had become

along the valley, and after

Sotto

Quel

le

a brute, flies hissing

the other talking and

it

il

trasse in ver le

troppa materia, che in

Uscir

Di quel soverchio

f'

naso

si

venne,

125

ritenne.

alla faccia,

labbra ingross quanto convenne.

le

Quel, che giaceva,

E gli orecchi
Come face le
E

tempie

orecchi delle gote scempie

gli

Ci che non corse in dietro, e

rests.

quai ciascun cambiava muso.

eh' era dritto,

di

and in the other the

la lingua,

Prima a
Neir

il

muso innanzi

ritira

per la

130

caccia,

testa.

corna la lumaccia

che aveva unita e presta

parlar,

si

fende

altro si richiude, e

e la forcuta

il

fummo

135

resta.

L' anima, eh' era fiera divenuta.

Si fugge sufolando per la valle,

E r
'

Lit.

altro dietro a lui

parlando sputa.

"Each exchanged muz-

zle or visage with the

other.'''

"^

" Smooth"

(5ceff2jo?>,

Lat.

pHces), or serpent cheeks.

D D ^

sm-

INFERNO.

306

Then he turned

sputtering.

towards
to

it,

and said

run crawling,

Thus
change

CANTO XXV.

as I

novel shoulders

his

to the other

" I wish Buoso^

have done, along

change and

I beheld the seventh sink^

and here

novelty excuse me,

let the

tongue goes aught astray.^

were somewhat perplexed,

they could not

flee so covertly,

of the three companions that

The

but that I well

and

first

was he

other^

if

re-

my

And though my eyes

and my mind depressed,

tinguished Puccio* Sciancato

changed.

this path."

was he

it

came,

whom

dis-

alone,

who was

not

thou, Gaville,

lamentest.

Poscia

novelle spalle,

gli volse le

disse air altro

Com' ho

fatt' io,

vo'

I'

che Buoso corra,

carpon per questo

140

calle.

Cos vid' io la settima zavorra

Mutare

La

e trasmutare

e qui

mi

scusi

novit, se fior la lingua abborra.

E avvegnach gh
Non
io

Ed

145

occhi miei confusi

Fossero alquanto, e

Ch'

1'

animo smagato.

poter quei fuggirsi tanto chiusi,

non

scorgessi

ben Puccio Sciancato

era quei che sol, de' tre

Che venner prima, non

compagni

era mutato

150

L' altro era quel che tu, Gaville, piagni.

'

Buoso

Lit.

degli Abati.

" The seventh ballast :"

Fior ox fiore, adverb; abborra

(JLat.

aberrare), "swerves, deviates."

perhaps meaning "sink;" or the

Puccio

oiF-scourings, the despicable coil

Guercio

de' Caligai.

de' Cavalcanti, killed

of thieves and serpents at the bot-

at the village of Gaville in Val-

tom.

darno, which laments for the sore

Or goes

into too great details.

vengeance that was taken.

ARGUMENT.
Dante, after having seen and recognised the

five

noble thieves, ad-

dresses his native city in bitter concentrated sorrow and shame,

mingled with

heart-felt longings

which misgovernment,

many

faction,

and

The

affection.

calamities

and crime had been preparing

for

years before the date of his mystic Vision, and which, he

himself as Chief Magistrate in 1300 had done his utmost to prevent, are notified in

not directly alluded

form of prophecy.

and

to,

his

His own

exile,

though

of

deliver-

hopes of "morning"

ance for Florence and himself, and of justice on their enemies

were nearly connected with those calamities.
fate of Evil Counsellors in the

now

And when

Eighth Chasm,

to

he sees the

which his Guide

leads him, he " curbs his genius," and deeply feels he has not

to seek that deliverance

on however great a

and justice by

scale, are

ploy that superior wisdom, which

in deceiving others, for
fearful

kind

fraud.

The

arts of the fox,

To em-

extremely hateful to him.

is

any purpose,

the
is

good

gift of the

Almighty,

a Spiritual Theft of the

and the sinners, who have been guilty of

it,

most

are run

ning along the narrow chasm, each " stolen" from view, wrapt in
the
ing.

Flame

of his

own Consciousness, and tormented by its burnwho went together by night, cheated

Ulysses and Diomed,

and slew Dolon, and

stole the

here united in punishment.

mythic Palladium of Troy, are also

The former, speaking through

Flame, relates the manner and place of his death.

the

308

INFERNO.

CANTO

CANTO xxvr.

XXVI.

Joy, Florence, since thou art so great that over

name

land and sea thou beatest thy wings, and thy

through Hell expands

found

thy citizens

five such,

on me, and thou

But

thereby.

if

Among

itself!^

whereat shame comes

honour mountest not

great

to

the truth

the thieves I

dreamed of near the

is

morning,^ thou shalt feel ere long what Prato, not

And

speak of others, craves for thee.^

to

Godi, Firenze, poi che

Che per mare

E
Tra

li

Ma

il

tuo

sentirai di

True, thy energies,

qua da

arts,

and

but mark the fame thou

hast in Hell too

2

picciol

tante

suh AurorarUy

lucerna,

The same

spoken
^

of,

jam

Somma

tempore vera solent.

xix.

Purg.

quo

donnicerni

Ovid. Heroid.

ancient belief

is

ix. 13.

" What, not only others, hut

Prato," the nearest town,

" eagerly wishes thee." The Poet
even

sali.

tempo

eh' altri,

t'

agogna.

manifold

announces, with

here

emotion and brevity, the

awaits his
ready,

If morning dreams are true.

Namque

non ne

se presso al mattin del ver si sogna,

wealth carry thee triumphant far

;

ali,

spande.

si

onde mi vien vergogna,

cittadini,

Di quel che Prato, non

and wide

nome

1'

ladron trovai cinque cotali

tu in grande onranza

Tu

were

grande.

per terra batti

per lo Inferno

Tuoi

sei s

if it

as

quence of
wishes

it

native

the
folly

and crime
to bear

the

and

more

it

will

than

summit of

See note

1st, p. 2.

disasters of 1304, in

of which

al-

conse-

were come, as Time

his life-arch."

are

evil that

due

inevitable

make him less able

now (in 1300), "at
The

city

some

Prato was concerned,

especially

alluded

to.

In February of that year, the long

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXVI.

already come,
it

would not be

it

since indeed

me

heavier on

We

309

must be

it

grow

as I

too early.

So were

for it will

weigh the

older.

departed thence

and, by the stairs which

had given us to descend before,

Guide remounted and drew me up. And pur-

the rocky bourns^

my

suing our solitary

way among

the jaggs and branches

of the cliff/ the foot without the

non

se gi fosse,

Cos foss'

ei,

saria

hand sped

not.

per tempo.

10

da che pure esser dee

Che pi mi graver com' pi m' attempo.

Noi

partimmo

ci

Che

n'

avean fatte

Rimont

il

Lo

le

borni a scender pria,

Duca mio,

E proseguendo
Tra

e su per le scalee,

e trasse

mee.

Io

la solinga via

schegge e

pie senza la

tra'

rocchi dello scoglio.

man non

spedia.

si

and bloody contests of the Neri

how, in that year, on the

and Bianchi had brought Flo-

May,

rence to a state of anarchy

Hell and

and

and how the Car-

on the Arno

by Benedict XI., and remained

raia bridge (then of

p.

the 4th of
112),

June

vainly

(see note 2d,

trying

to

make

peace between the adherents of

the two factions.

June, a

fire,

On

lighted

the 10th of

by a

down under
tors,

wood) broke

the throng of specta-

" so that

many were drowned,

and the sport became a

Vili. viii.

priest

of

torments was given

its

the Cardinal da Prato was sent

till

first

a festive representation of

reality."

68-72.

Or, "curbstones" (borni, Fr.

jagged rocks that formed

of noble family and of the Neri

homes)

faction, destroyed more than 1700

the inner boundary of the chasm,

of the finest houses, towers, and

and made "

palaces, "and, in short," as Villani says, " burnt all the

and yolk, and costly places of the

city."

The same

to

marrow,

historian tells

stairs" for the

Poets

descend in canto xxiv. 79.

^ " Cliff'," or next bridge which
;

is

so steep that

hands and

feet.

it

requires both

310

INFERNO.

my memory

tue guides

not

it

me

something

not grudge

who

resting

is

who brightens the

from us, when as the fly
down along the valley,

time that he

gnat

the

to

may

the peasant

least hides his face

yields

sees

there perchance where he gathers grapes and

AUor mi

mi

ora

dolsi, e

drizzo la

ingegno affreno eh'

piii lo

mente a

Perch non corra, che

S che, se stella

M' ha dato
il

il

virti

villan eh' al

Vede

io

non

noi guidi

poggio

colui,

mosca cede

la

ci eh' io vidi

si

At

sellors
^

me

soglio,
;

25

riposa,

mondo schiara,
meno ascosa.

che

il

alla zanzara,

lucciole gi per la vallea.

Forse col dove vendemmia ed ara

20

buona o migUor cosa

faccia sua a noi tien

Come

sight of the Evil

and their

Coun-

"I may
may not

his face least hidden

summer. The

fate.

Lit.:

not myself envy

it,"

enviously with-

30

from us"

peasant " rests on the hill"

genius or talent, which happy star

air of his valleys

or Providence has given me.

Lit.

"

How many

fire-flies

is

swarm
forth in the evenings with far more
vigour than our own
and the
Italian gnats

hold from myself the good of that

ben, eh' io stesso noi m' invidi.

Nel tempo che

La

tills

ridoglio.

Quando

Quante

my

run where Vir-

lest it

the good, I

fire-flies^ as

at the

hill,

world

and curb

gift.^

As many
on the

wont,

saw

so that, if kindly star or

better have given to

myself that

what

to

am

genius more than I

XXVI.

and sorrow now again when

I sorrowed then/
I direct

CANTO

after sunset
flies

{quante lucciole) the peasant sees,"

fields

&c. The time when the sun "keeps

ing.

down

the

being dangerous

and

sees the fire-

in the vineyards and

where he has been labour-

INFERNO.

CANTO XXVI.

311

with flames thus numerous the eighth chasm was

all

gleaming, as I perceived, so soon as I came to where

the bottom shewed

avenged by the bears, saw

when

parture,

And

itself.

as

Elijah's chariot at its de-

the horses rose erect to heaven; for

he could not so follow

with his eyes as to see

it

other than the flame alone, like a

cending up

moved each of

thus

he/ who was

little

cloud, as-

those flames along

the gullet of the foss, for none of them shews the

theft,^

and every flame

upon the bridge, having

I stood
that, if I

steals a sinner.

had not caught

risen so^ to look,

a rock, I should have fallen

Di tante fiamme tutta risplendea

L' ottava bolgia,

Tosto che fui

l 've

qual colui, che

Vide

il

Che vedesse
come

si

vengi con

altro

Ed

ogni fiamma

s'

io

il

un

Elisha.

si),

Lit.

40
il

furto.

peccatore invola.

non

avessi

ii.

si

un ronchion

preso,

45

levoro, or levaronsi.

9-24.

it steals.

" Stood so risen {surto

that," &e.

sola.

sarei giti senza esser urto.

2 Kings

sinner

ponte a veder surto.

36. Levorsi,

The

35

la gola

che nessuna mostra

Io stava sovra

che la fiamma

nuvoletta, in su salire

fosso,

"

gli orsi.

con gh occhi seguire.

Del

Caduto

accorsi,

fondo parca.

movea ciascuna per

S che

m'

cavalli al Cielo erti levorsi

Che noi potea

Tal

si

il

io

carro d' Elia al dipartire,

Quando

com'

Had

scrambled up

with both hands and feet

and now

rises

(v.

18),

and eagerly leans

forward to see from the bridge, as

in verse Q9.

312

INFERNO.

CA><TO XXVI.

And

down without being pushed.

saw me thus
the spirits

intent, said

the Guide,

" Within those

who

fires are

each swathes himself with that which

burns him."
" Master/' I replied, " from hearing thee I

more

certain

but had already discerned

and already wished

fire,

which comes

from the

to say to thee

Who

to

it

be

so,

in that

is

so parted at the top, as if

where Eteocles was put with

pile^

feel

it

rose

his bro-

ther?

He

answered

tortured,

me

and Diomed

" Within
;

it

il

Duca,

Disse

elle

mi

Dentro

Ciascun

si

Maestro mio,

And

da' fuochi

son gH

fascia di quel eh'

ma

Che

cos fusse, e gi voleva dirti

Di sopra, che par surger

si

diviso

della pira,

Ov' Etecle col fratel fu miso

entro

50

gi m' era avviso

Chi in quel fuoco, che vien

per udirti

risposi,

pi certo

spirti

egh inceso.

io

in their flame

vide tanto atteso,

Son

Risposemi

is

and thus they run together

in punishments, as erst in wrath.

there, Ulysses

martira

.5.5

Ulisse e Diomede, e cos insieme

Alla vendetta corron, com'

dentro dalla lor fiamma

si

all'

The flame of the

54. Miso, messo.

have

funeral pile,

on which Eteocles was

his brother Polynices,

geme

50. Avviso, avvisto.

ira

divided

itself in

token of

laid with
is

said to

their
|

enmity.

Ltican.

Stat. Theh. xii. 431.

i.

145

313

INFERNO.

CANTO XXVI.

thej groan for the ambush of the horse/ that

by which the noble seed of the

Within it they lament the
came forth.
the door

whereby Deidamia
les

in death

and there they

made
Romans

artifice/

sorrows for Achil-

still

penalty for the Palla-

suffer

dium."^

" If they
I,

" Master

much, and repray

I pray thee

may

prayer

sparks can speak/' said

^vithin those

me

equal a thousand, deny

until the

horned flame comes hither.

how with

desire I

And

he to

bend me towards

me " Thy
:

and therefore

praise,

request

I accept

L' aguato del cavai, che

Ond' usc

de'

Piange visi entro

Romani
1'

arte,

Deidamia ancor

E
S' ei

not to wait

Thou

worthy of much

But do thou

60

gentil seme.

d'

Achille

vi si porta.

posson dentro da quelle

ripriego che

Che non mi
Finche

la

faville

egli a

G^

priego vaglia mille,

facci dell' attender niego,

fiamma cornuta qua vegna

Vedi che del

Ed

il

re-

porta

Parlar, diss' io. Maestro, assai ten priego,

seest

per che morta

duol

pena

del Palladio

il

my

it."

is

it.

f' la

that

me

disio ver lei

mi

piego.

La tua preghiera

Di molta lode

ed

io

degna

per V accetto

70

The wooden horse, by means

Troy was taken, and
^neas, the founder of Rome, dri-

that

ven forth to

cealing the prediction of his death,

of which

Italy.

Deidamia
telling him
Troy could not be taken

forsake

without him, but deceitfully con-

Ulysses induced Achilles to

E E

Which

they carried off

314

INFERNO.

me

Let

frain thy tongue.

ceived what thou wishest

CANTO

xxvr.

speak, for I have con-

and they, perhaps, be-

cause they were Greeks, might disdain thy words. "^

After the flame had come where time and place

seemed
this

of

fitting to

manner

"

you whilst

ye not

but

ye,

heard him speak in

two in one

fire

If I merited

you much

I lived, if I merited of

when on

little,

my. Guide,

earth I wrote the

one of you

let the

High

Verses,^

or

move

where he wan-

tell

dering^ went to die."

The

greater horn of the ancient flame began to

Ma fa

che la tua lingua

sostegna.

si

Lascia parlare a me, eh' io ho concetto

Ci che tu vuoi
Perch'

Poich

la

ei

fiamma fu venuta
al

lui parlare audivi

mentre

S' io meritai di voi assai

Quando

nel

vi

mondo

movete

Dove per

lui

Cominci a

o poco.

gli alti versi scrissi.

ma

1'

della

crollarsi,

Or " Might be shy of speakwhy their having

been Greeks could make thern so,
:

ing to thee;" but

not satisfactorily explained by

any of the commentators.

80

eh' io vissi,

un

di voi dica

perduto a morir

Lo maggior corno

is

e loco.

che siete duo dentro ad un fuoco,

S' io meritai di voi

quivi,

mio Duca tempo

In questa forma

Non

1^

fur Greci, forse del tuo detto.

Ove parve

voi,

eh' ei sarebbero schivi,

gissi.

fiamma antica

85

mormorando.

The iEneid

(in

which Ulysses

and Diomed are often spoken

of)

written in the high or tragic style.

Compare note 1st,

" Having:
2 Or
:

p. 241.

lost himself."

INFERNO.

CANTO xxvr.

shake

itself,

murmuring, just

Then

gles with the wind.^

like a flame that strug-

carrying to and fro the

were the tongue that spake/ threw forth

" When I departed from Circe,
voice, and said

top, as if
a

315

it

who beyond a year detained me there^ near Gaeta,

ere ^neas thus had named it, neither fondness for

my

my

son, nor reverence for

aged

father, nor the

due love that should have cheered Penelope, could

conquer in

me

the ardour that I had to gain expe-

rience of the world, and of

human

ventured into the deep open

Pur come quella

sea,

vice and worth

with but one ship,

cui vento affatica.

Indi la cima qua e l menando,

Come

fosse la lingua che parlasse,

Gitt voce di fuori, e disse

Mi

pi

un anno

d'

Prima che

Enea

dolcezza di

figlio,

ne

Vincer poter dentro a

Ma

Sol con

'

Lit.

which wind

and

fro.

per

un

1'

alto

wearies," or lashes to

The words have no

"

The

1'

ardore

mondo

esperto,
:

mare aperto

100

compagna

of iniquity

of hell."

out-

....

James

At Monte

it is

in.

set

on

fire

().

Circello, or Circe's

Promontory: near Gaeta, which

let at first.
2

me

legno, e con quella

" Just like that flame

far lieta.

degli vizj umani, e del valore

me

95

debito amore,

il

io ebbi a divenir del

misi

la piet

Lo qual dovea Penelope

90

presso a Gaeta,

nominasse

la

Del vecchio padre, n

Ch'

Quando

da Circe, che sottrasse

diparti'

Me

tong\ie

is

fire,

a world

is

named

after ^Eneas' nurse.

316

INFERNO.

CANTO

XXVI.

and with that small company, which had not deserted

Both the

me.

Morocco

saw

shores^ I

as far as Spain, far as

and saw Sardinia and the other

isles

which

that sea bathes round.

'^

and

we came

my

companions were old and slow, when

to that

narrow

where Hercules

pass,^

man from

signed his landmarks to hinder

On

farther.

other,
'

venturing

the right hand, I left Seville

had already

who through

Ceuta.

left

brothers

as-

on the

1'

I said,

hundred thousand dangers have

reached the West, deny not, to this the brief vigil

of your senses that remains, experience of the un-

non

Picciola, dalla qual

L'

un

lite e

Fin nel Marrocco, e

E r
Io e

altre

1'

isola de' Sardi,

compagni eravam vecchi

Ov' Ercole segn

Acciocch r
Dalla

Spagna,

che quel mare intorno bagna.

Quando venimmo

uom

man

frati, dissi,

105

e tardi.

a quella foce stretta,

li

suoi riguardi.

pi oltre non

destra

mi

si

metta

110

lasciai Sibilia,

m' avea

Dall' altra gi

lasciata Setta.

che per cento milia

Perigli siete giunti

fui deserto.

altro vidi infin la

1'

all'

Occidente,

questa tanto picciola vigilia

115

De' vostri sensi, eh' del rimanente.

Non

vogliate negar

European and African.

Strait of Gibraltar,

Columns of Hercules
or warnings, that

with
"

1'

venture beyond."
its

Marks

man may

esperienza.

not

In

Romagna

the landmarks and the road-poles

are

still

called riguardi.

in the sense of

Here used

Sacred Limits.

INFERNO.

CANTO XXVI.

317

peopled world behind the Sun.^

gin

ye were not formed

With

made my companions

I could hardly then

have checked them.

we

floor.^

and ours

so low, that

mondo

as oft, since

on the
all its

Fatti

Ma

non

foste a viver

Con questa

come

bruti.

120

acuti.

orazion piccila, al cammino.

Che appena poscia

E, volta nostra

gli avrei ritenuti.

poppa nel mattino,

De' remi facemmo ale

Sempre acquistando

la notte, e

il

del lato mancino.

polo

nostro tanto basso.

Che non surgeva fuor

Cinque volte racceso,

Lo lume

Or westward.

marin suolo.
130

era di sotto dalla Luna,

The Western

all

Conv. Tr.

del

e tante casso

Hemisphere, in Dante's time, was

supposed to be

125

al folle volo,

le stelle gi dell' altro

Vedea

Rowed

per seguir virtute e conoscenza.

Li miei compagni fee' io

Tutte

we had

senza gente.

Considerate la vostra semenza

made

Five times the light beneath the Moon^ had

Diretro al Sol, del

water.

turn-

rose not from the ocean

it

been rekindled and quenched

'

of our oars

Night already saw the other pole, with

left.^

stars

And,

foolish flight, always gaining

for the

speech

so eager for the voyage, that

ing the poop towards morning,

wings

this brief

ori-

but to

to live like brutes,

foUow virtue and knowledge.'

I

Consider your

iii.

the

vrjvffi,
^

covered with

&c.

pTfJ.

TO,

T6

TTTfp

Odijss. xi. 124.

They had now reached

the

Equator.

5.

west by south.

Cffjp*

See

E E 2

''

Five changes of the Moon.

318

INFERNO.

CANTO XXVI;

entered on the arduous passage,

when

Mountain/ dim with distance

to us a

seemed the highest I had ever

and soon our joy was turned

till

the waves

joyed,

fore-

it

at the

and the prow go down,

rise

We

it

and struck the

Three times

all

seen.^

me

to

tem-

part of our ship.

round with

and

for a

new

land,

to grief;

pest rose from the

poop

there appeared

made her whirl

fourth, made the

as pleased Another,^

the sea was closed above us."

Poi eh' entrati eravam neh' alto passo,

Quando
Per

n'

apparve una montagna, bruna

la distanza, e

parvemi

Quanto veduta non

Noi

ci

Che

allegrammo, e tosto torn in pianto

dalla

nuova

Tre volte

il

f'

terra

Infin che

il

Mountain of Purgatory

situ-

on the

of the globe, in the

Southern Hemisphere, and exactly

opposite

to

primo canto.

com'

mar fu sopra

ated, according to Dante,

other side

il

poppa

la prora ire in gi,

Jerusalem.

Canto

un turbo nacque,

girar con tutte

Alla quarta levar la

135

n' aveva alcuna.

percosse del legno

alta tanto,

1'

acque,

140

in suso,
altrui piacque,

noi richiuso.

xxxiv.

125

and Purg. canto

i.

24, &c.
2

Lit.

"

Seemed

so high, as I

had not seen any."

3

God.

Compare

note, p. 5i.

ARGUMENT.
The Flame of
of Virgil

Ulysses, having told

and

the spirit of

fame

in

is

its story,

Count Guido da Montefeltro, a Ghibelline of high

It comes moaning at the top, and sends

war and counsel.

forth eager inquiries about the people of

trjrmen.

Dante describes

rants, in 1300.

who he

is,

Romagna, Guido's coun-

their condition,

His words are

under various petty Ty-

brief, precise,

have a tone of large and deep sadness.

lates

departs with permission

immediately followed by another, which contains

and why condemned

to

and beautiful

Guido,

and

at his request, re-

such torment; after which,

the Poets pass onwards to the bridge of the Ninth

Chasm-

INFERNO.

3^0

CANTO
The

XXVII.

now erect and quiet,^ having

speak, and now went away from us with
the sweet Poet when another, that came

license of

made ns turn our eyes

it,

to its top, for a

As

confused sound that issued therefrom.

bulP (which bellowed

cilian

him

XXVII.

flame was

ceased to

behind

CANTO

and

was right

that

the Si-

with the lament of

first

who

had tuned

it

with

his file) kept bellowing with the suflferer's voice

although

that,

Gi

it

was of

brass,

seemed transfixed

it

e gi

da noi sen gi

Con la licenzia del dolce Poeta

Quando un' altra, che dietro a lei
Ne

Come

il

bue

Cicilian, che

Col pianto di

S che,

colui, e ci

longer

la

voce

con tutto eh'

moved

its

sharp

fu dritto.

e'

resembled the bellowing of a real

made

tyrant

Phalaris.

bull
for

which Pe~

the
It

Sicilian

was

con-

structed with such art, that the

cries

of those burning within

it

iO

fosse di rame,

Canto xxvi. 85.

invented

lima^

dell' afflitto,

bull

The brazen

mugghi prima

point to and fro like a tongue.

venia,

n' uscia.

Che r avea temperato con sua

Mugghiava con

rillus

fece volger gli occhi alla sua cima,

Per un confuso suon che fuor

No

so

era dritta ins la fiamma, e queta

Per non dir pi

'

and Phalaris, very

the

first

artist himself.

justly,

experiment on the

The

sinners here

too are tortured within the flames

they have prepared for themselves

by applying
counsels

their talents to

wicked

CANTO

INFERNO.

JCXVIt.

with pain

way nor

3^1

thus, having at their

from the

outlet

changed into

fire,

the dismal words were

But

language.^

its

commencement no
they had found

after

up through the point, giving to it that vibration which the tongue had given in their passage,

their road

we heard it
who
voice

say

Now

more

go, no

come perhaps a

now

little

me

not irk thee to

thou seest

irks not

it

now

If thou art but

although I burn.

my

though I have

;'^

let it

late,

I address

in Lombard,^ saying,

I urge thee

pause and speak with

this blind

whom

thou, to

spakest just

'

'^
:

me,

fallen into

world from that sweet Latian land, whence

Pure

el

pareva dal dolor

non aver

Cos, per

via

trafitto

n forame

Dal principio del fuoco, in suo linguaggio

Si con vertivan le parole grame.

Ma

15

poscia eh' ebber colto lor viaggio

Su per

la

punta, dandole quel guizzo

Che dato avea

Udimmo
La

dire

la lingua in lor passaggio.

tu, a cui io drizzo

mo Lombardo,

voce, e che parlavi

Dicendo

non

Issa ten va, pii

t'

20

aizzo

Perch' io sia giunto forse alquanto tardo,

Non

t'

incresca restare a parlar

Vedi che non in cresce a me,

Se tu pur

Caduto

'

Into

sound

mo

se' di

painful

at first,

in questo

till

murmuring

e ardo.

25

cieco

aizzo were

"

No more

words, and

Lombardy.

I stimulate or fan

thy flame ;" ask no farther speech

or

(now) and

Lombard

Virgil himself of

they got way.

issa

quella dolce terra

See canto xxvi. 86, &c,

2 " Lombard" for Italian
perhaps because

mondo

meco

'

of thee, Ulysses.

32^

INFERNO.

my guilt,

I bring all

peace or war

for I

me

tell

CANTO

if the

XXVII.

Romagnuols have

was of the mountains

there,^ be-

tween Urbino and the chain from which the Tiber

springs."

was eager downwards and bent, when my

Leader touched me on the side, saying " Speak
I

still

thou

this is a Lati an."

And

who had my answer ready

I,

without delay to speak

hidden

art

^^
:

Thy Romagna

then, began

soul, that there

is

and never was,

not,

without war in the hearts of her tyrants

war

just

now

I there left none.^

Latina, onde

Dimmi

se

but open

Ravenna

stands, as

mia colpa tutta reco

monti

Ch'

io fui de'

giogo di che Tever

il

Romagnuoli han pace o guerra

l intra

below

Urbino
30

si disserra.

Io era ingiuso ancora attento e chino.

Quando

il

mio Duca mi tent

Dicendo

Parla tu, questi Latino.

Ed

io eh'

di costa,

avea gi pronta la risposta.

Senza indugio a parlare incominciai

anima, che

Romagna

tua

sei

non

laggi nascosta,

, e

non fu mai

Senza guerra ne' cuor de' suoi tiranni

Ma

Of

palese nessuna or ven lasciai.

Ravenna

'

35

sta,

come

stata molti anni

Montefeltro, between Ur-

40

year of Jubilee and of Dante's

was no open war in

bino and that part of the Apen-

vision, there

nine chain from which "Tiber un-

Romagna, but abundant materials for it in the hearts of many

locks himself."
'^

In

the

spring of 1300, the

wretched Tyrants.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXVII.

many

has stood for

it

broods over

The

ions.

so that

it,

323

The Eagle^

years.

of Polenta

he covers Cervia with his pin-

town,^ which

made

ere while the long pro-

bation and the bloody heap of Frenchmen, finds itself

And

again under the Green Clutches.

the old Mas-

Mon-

of Verrucchio and the young,^ that marred

tiff

wont do ply

tagna, there where they are

L' aquila da Polenta la

their teeth.

cova,

si

S che Cervia ricuopre co' suoi vanni.

La

terra che f' gi la lunga prova,

di Franceschi sanguinoso

Sotto le branche verdi

il

Mastin vecchio,

Che

il

si

45

ritrova.

nuovo da Verrucchio,

Montagna

fecer di

mucchio,

il

mal governo.

L, dove soglion, fan de' denti succhio.

Guido Novello da Polenta,

Lord of Ravenna, and then of

Cervia too, who had an eagle on
his coat of arms. Ke was Dante's

Dante

V.)

of Francesca (see canto

and ruled his

and

well
years.

little

peacefully

"As

territory

many

for

an eagle stirreth up

him

that Forli

is

now

whose coat

or the Ordelaffi family,

of arms was a lion vert.

best friend, a Poet himself, and

Nephew

tells

" again under the green clutches,"

Malatesta Vecchio, and Mal-

testino dell'

Occhio (one-eyed) his

son, "mastiffs of Verrucchio" (a

castle of theirs)

who imprisoned

and then murdered Montagna

de'

her nest, fluttereth over her young,

Farcitati, leader of the Ghibellines

spreadeth abroad her wings," &c.

at

Deut. xxxii. 11.

ferocious tyranny

Forli,

which

siege in 1282.
is

its

stood

long

The Guido who

here listening was at that time

ruler

and by means of a

stratagem, he

made

ter of the besieging

great slaugh-

army, which

consisted mainly of Frenchmen.

Rimini, where they

;

still

or

lit.

exercise

"

make

a borer, auger, or gimlet of their

teeth."

Maltestino was the bro-

ther of Giovanni and Paolo (canto

V.)

and

is

again alluded to in

canto xxviii. 85.

See Benv. da

Imola Com. ; and Murat. Rer.

torn. XV.

Ital.

324

INFERNO.

The

cities

Lion of the

summer

Lamone and Santerno^ guides tlie little

argent den, who changes faction from the

And

to the winter.

mountain, so lives

Now

XXVII.

of

the Savio bathes, as

"

CANTO

between tyranny and freedom.

it

pray thee,

whose flank

between the plain and

lies

it

that city^

who thou

us

tell

not more hard than one has been^

thy name on earth maintain

to thee

art.

Be

so

may

front."

its

After the flame had roared awhile as usual,

moved

the sharp point to and fro, and then gave

forth this breath

Le

il

e di

quella, a cui

Santerno

Savio bagna

il

il

Tra tirannia

vive e stato franco.

sei ti

tra

il

fianco,

s'

si

50

dalla state al verno

Cos com' ella

Ora chi

piano e

prego che ne conte

il

monte.

55

Non

esser duro pi eh' altri sia stato.

Se

nome

il

Poscia che

Al

il

modo

Di qua,

tuo nel

mondo

tegna fronte.

fuoco alquanto ebbe rugghiato

suo,

1'

aguta punta mosse

di l, e poi die cotal fiato

S' io credessi

Cesena on the Savio

mone, and Imola near the Santerno under the rule of Machinardo Pagani, surnamed " Il Dia-

ruled by tyrants,

volo," whose arms were a lioncel

meaning,

field argent,

changing
ways,"

party,

all his life.

60

che mia risposta fosse

Faenza, near the river La-

on a

answer were

leoncel dal nido bianco,

Che muta parte

'

my

" If I thought

\^

Lamone

citt di

Conduce

it

now by

the

now
citi-

zens themselves.
3

Lit:

"Than
*'

He

other has been,"

than I have been to

and who kept

thee."

" facing

a child-like kindness and pity.

both

''

Found

speaks to Guido with

this utterance.

CANTO

one who ever could return

to

325

INFERNO.

XXVII.

But

should shake no more.^

turn alive from this depth,

to the world, this flame

none ever did

since

what

if

I hear

re-

be true,

without fear of infamy I answer thee.

" I was a man of arms

and then became a Cor-

my

certainly

hope were come in fuU,^ but

may

Great Priest,^

back

my

to

befall

ill

sins

first

my

who brought me

mother gave me,

my

persona che mai tornasse

Questa fiamma

Ma

Io fui

uom

d'

d'

certo

il

Se non fosse

Che mi

mondo,
:

io

s'

infamia

ti

odo

il

vero,

65

rispondo.

cinto, fare

ammenda

creder mio veniva intero.

il

Gran

Prete, a cui

mal prenda,

rimise nelle prime colpe

70

come, e quare voglio che m' intenda.

Mentre

eh' io

forma

fui d' ossa e di polpe,

Che

la

Non

furon leonine,

madre mi

1'

die,

ma

opere mie
di volpe.

" Should stand without

more shakes,"
2

deeds were

arme, e poi fui Cordigliero,

Credendomi,

al

staria senza pi scosse

torn vivo alcun,

Senza tema

Lit.

wish

perciocch giammai di questo fondo

Non

'

All wiles and

not those of the Hon, but of the fox.

for the

Whilst I was a form of bones

thee to hear from me.

and pulp, which

him

and how and why,

And

make amends.

delier/ hoping, thus girt, to

or speak no more.

75

Or, 'Miad been fulfilled:" I

should have been in Heaven in-

" Cordelier:" or monk, girt

stead of here.

with the Cord of St. Francis.

F F

Pope Boniface VIII.

S26

INFERNO.

knew

covert ways I

When

my

and used the

saw myself come

XXVII,

them

art of

so

ends of the earth the sound went

well, that to the

forth.

CANTO

period of

to that

age at which every one should lower

and

sails

gather in his ropes/ that which before had pleased

me

me, grieved

then

and with repentance and con-

fession I yielded myself,^

ah woe

The Prince

have availed me.

alas

and

new

of the

would

it

Pharisees^

Gli accorgimenti e le coperte vie

Io seppi tutte

Ch'

menai

e s

al fine della terra

Quando mi
Di mia
Calar

lor arte,

suono

il

uscie.

vidi giunto in quella parte

et,

dove ciascun dovrebbe

80

raccoglier le sarte.

le vele e

Ci che pria mi piaceva, allor m' increbbe

pentuto

e confesso

Ahi mi?er lasso

Lo Principe

rendei.

e giovato sarebbe.

nuovi Farisei

de'

In the Convito (Trat.

mi

iv.

28)

85

and with

all

peace.

And

herein

Dante, speaking of Old Age, and

we have from our own nature

the "sea of this life" on which

great lesson

our Soul has

says
a

haven and a

like

when he
lowers

is

it

grief nor

near the port,

draws
sails,

ought we

such a death as

were

for he,

and enters

it

even

to lower the

sails

softly with feeble steerage

so

trial,

the noble Soul

good mariner

his

as

rest to us after long

And

navigation.
is

voyage of

its

" Natural death

of our

worldly

turn to

God

operations,

with

all

reach this haven with

and

our under-

standing and heart, that

all

of suavity

we may
suavity

any

a ripe apple

is

for

in

this there is

no

bitterness

but as

lightly and without

violence loosened from

its

branch,

so our soul withovit grieving departs from the body in which

it

hath been," &c.

The
higher.
2

rest of this passage is

Gvxido

is

praised in

" Yield yourselves unto God,

as those that are alive

dead," &c.
2

still
it.

Rom.

vi.

from the

13.

Boniface VIII., at war with

S21

INFERNO.

CANTO xxvn.

waging

Saracens or Jews
Christian,

to

the Lateran, and not with

for

every enemy of his was a

war near
;

and none had been

to

conquer Acre,^ nor

been a merchant in the Soldan's land

regarded not

Holy Orders in
Cord which used to make

the Highest Office nor

me

in
it

that

girded leaner

those

out of Soracte^ to cure his leprosy, so this

me

whom

as Constantine called Silvestro

but

himself, nor

man

called

He

an adept to cure the fever of his pride.

as

Avendo guerra presso a Laterano,

E non

con Saracin, n con Giudei

Che ciascun suo nemico

era Cristiano,

nessuno era stato a vincer Acri,

N mercatante in terra di Soldano

N sommo uficio, a ordini sacri
Guard in

Che

li

suoi cinti pi macri.

Costantin chiese Silvestro

Dentro
Cos

mi

Siratti

a guarir della lebbre,

chiese questi per maestro

Rome, who

the Colonna family in

election.

He

laid

waste their palaces " near the La~

teran," in

May

1297

and then,

September 1298, demolished

their fortress of Penestrino (Palestrina),

which he had been un-

able to take

by

force,

and gained

possession of by ''promising

much

and performing nothing," as Guido

advised.

95

guarir della sua superba febbre.

had opposed his

in

90

n in me quel capestro

s,

solca far

Ma come

Vili. viii. 21,

da Imola Com.

23

Benv.

Acre, the last stronghold of

the Christians after all their crusades,

was

in April

1291 retaken

by the Sultan, who received advice

and aid from the renegades

and Christian merchants here

al-

luded to. Fill. vii. 145.

2 " Called Silvestro from within"
the cave where he lay hid in

Mount

Soracte, according to the old tradition

and made him the "

rich Father."

Canto

first

xix. 117.

328

INFERNO.

demanded counsel of me

and I kept

And

words seemed drunken.^

'

Let not thy heart misdoubt

cast Penestrino to the

and open,

my

Father

'

I can shut

me

to think silence

it,

fall,

the weighty

worst ;^ and

me

from that

large promise, with

make thee triumph

will

in thy

Seat.'

Domandommi

Perch

le

poi mi

disse

Fin or

ti

Lo

consigho

ed

io tacetti,

Tuo cor non

assolvo, e tu

sospetti

100

m' insegna fare

in terra getti.

Ciel poss' io serrare e disserrare,

Come

tu sai

Che

mio antecessor non ebbe

il

've

dissi

il
:

per son duo

mi pinser

Allor

gli

tacer

mi fu

mo

Lunga promessa con

With high rage and pride.

Celestine V. who resigned the
Keys which no threats or vio1

self resign.
:

make Boniface himVili. viii.

" Drove

105

care.

il

mi

peggio,
lavi

cader deggio,

1'

110

attender corto

nel!' alto seggio.

"

lence could

avviso

Padre, da che tu

Ti far trionfar

le chiavi,

argomenti gravi

Di quel peccato, ove

Lit.

sue parole parvero ebbre.

come Penestrino

Then

since thou cleansest

small observance of

High

I do absolve

Heaven

ground.

which I now must

guilt into

me

thou knowest ; for two are the keys that

as

arguments impelled
:

now

to

so to act, that I may-

predecessor^ held not dear.'

I said

XXVII.

silent, for his

then he said

even

me

and do thou teach

thee,

CANTO

63.

me there where

keeping silence seemed to

worst" plan;

i.e.

me

the

by his drunken

words, haughty rage, and sudden

absolution,
to speak.

made me think it safest

Compare Vili. viii. 23

Benv. da Imola Com., &c.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXVII.

07i\}

" Saint Francis afterwards,

when

was dead,

came for me ; but one of the Black Cherubim^

' Do
not take him
wrong me not.
to him
:

my

menials

because he

gave the fraudulent counsel, since which

by

For he who repents

his hair.

absolved
at the

He

must come down amongst

fast

said

nor

possible to repent

is it

have kept

not, cannot be

and

will a thine/

same time, the contradiction not permitting

wretched me

me

saying to

1 was a logician

how

May

I started

when he

seized me,

be thou didst not consider that

!'

" To Minos he bore me, who twined his

tail

times round his fearful back, and then biting

his great rage, said

This

'

me

ma un

Gli disse

Venir se ne dee gi

Perch diede

Dal quale in qua stato

non mi

far torto.

si

gli

sono

pu chi non

a' crini

la contraddizion

me

dolente

Quando mi

Tu non

come mi

prese, dicendomi

port

Forse
!

e quegli attorse

poi che per gran rabbia la

:

si

xxiii.

131

r F ^

125

morse.

Questi de' rei del fuoco faro

Compare canto

120

riscossi

Otto volte la coda al dosso duro

'

che noi consente.

pensavi eh' io loico fossi

A Minos mi

Disse

pente

si

pentere e volere insieme puossi.

Per

115

consiglio frodolente.

il

Ch' assolver non

in

Cherubini

miei meschini,

tra'

it

morto.

io fu'

de' neri

Noi portar

eight

a sinner for the thievish

is

Francesco venne poi, com'

Per

it.'

and Matt. xxv.

41.

330

INFERNO.
Therefore

fire.'^

I,

where thou

going thus clothed, I burn

When

CANTO

my

seest,

am

lost;

he his words had ended thus, the flame,

We

due fee

my

passed on, I and

is

its

sharp

Guide, along the

the other arch that covers the

clifi'up to

and

heart with pain."

sorrowing, departed, writhing and tossing

horn.

XXVII.

foss,

wherein

paid to those who, sowing discord, gather

guilt.^

Per eh'

Quand'

io l,

vestito
egli

dove vedi, son perduto

ebbe

il

Su per

A
*

ed

corno aguto.

io e

il

Duca mio,

il

su

fosso, in che si

1'

altr'

paga

arco

135

il fio

quei che, scommettendo, acquistan carco.

The

ners."

oltre,

il

lo scoglio infino in

Che copre

130

partio,

si

e dibattendo

Noi passammo

suo dir cos compiuto,

La fiamma dolorando
Torcendo

andando mi rancure.

fire

that " steals the sin-

Canto xxvi. 42.

Lit.:

"Who,

unbinding" those

hxj

disjoining or

whom Nature

ties

together with her

love" (canto
late a

xi.

k>Q),

'*

bond of

" accumu-

burden or load" of guilt

themselves.

for

AEGUMENT.
Our Pilgrim

more

and more heavy-laden, yet rapid and unconquer-

able

and

briefly describes the hideous condition of the

dal

now with

is

his

Guide looking down

and Schism" that are punished in

it.

into the

First

Ninth Chasm

"sowers of Scan-

comes Mahomet:

mere Sectarian who had taken up Christianity

meaning. The shadow of him, rent asunder from

in Dante's view, a

and perverted

its

the chin downwards, displays the conscious vileness and corruption

of his doctrines.

He

tells

how

bravest disciple and son-in-law

own

the Prophet's

thousand

"goes

fell

is

Dolcino,"

cleft

doing there

and the likelihood of his return

up

his

faithful followers, in

weeping before him,

" Brother

nephew, his

earliest

and

who, as Caliph, had battles with

which more than seventy

and who was himself assassinated by one of them

then asks what Dante

to

Ali
;

from chin
;

to forelock."

He

and on learning his errand

to earth, bids

him

give due warning

who

Schismatic and Communist,

is

Piedmont and Lombardy. Next comes Pier

fair face and shew of friendship, fomented dissensions amongst the small Princes of Romagna Curio,
who urged Caesar to cross the Rubicon and begin the civil war
Mosca de' Lamberti of Florence, who counselled and took part in
the murder of Buondelmonti, by which the factions of Guelphs and
Ghibellines were introduced
and lastly, Bertrand de Born, who
stirring

strife in

da Medicina, who, with a

divided father and son.

their crimes.

All of them have punishments representing

INFERNO.

CANTO

XXVIII.

CANTO XXYIIL
Who,
by

tell,

even with words

oft relating, the

set free,^

could ever fully

blood and the wounds that I

now saw?

Every tongue assuredly would fail, because of our speech and our memory^ that have small
capacity to
If

comprehend

much.

who

the people too were gathered,

all

upon Apulia's
Chi

so

fateful^

of old

land wailed for their blood,

poria mai, pur con parole sciolte,

Dicer del sangue e delle piaghe appieno,

Ch'

i'

ora vidi, per narrar pi volte

Ogni lingua per certo

Per

verria

sermone

lo nostro

meno

per

la

mente,

Ch' hanno a tanto comprender poco seno.

Se

s'

adunasse ancor tutta

Che

la gente.

gi in su la fortunata terra

Di Puglia fu del suo sangue dolente

Free from verse or rhyme.

Verso

sciolto,

sciolte,

prose.

blank verse

parole

Multa namque per intellectum

videmus, quibus Signa Vocalia desunt,

&c.

Intellectus

humanus

in

Romans under
X. 15,

&c.)

Punic

v(rar,

P. Decius (Liv.

then to the feecond

which lasted upwards

of 15 years, and gave Hannibal

the booty of "

more than

ime vita .... quando elevatur, in

Cannae, in Apulia.

tantum elevatur ut Memoria post

12; and Convito (Tr.

reditum

28, 27) to

vi.
'

ful

deficiat.

Lit.:

land

The Poet
sands

Dante (Epist.

Can Grande.

first

many

changes.

alludes to the thou-

of Apulians

slain

where

this

war

See Liv.

is

iv.

spoken

xxiii.

4,

5),

as

of,

well as the other sore trials which

"Fortuned," or eventscene of

three

bushels and a half" of rings at

by the

the "sacred people,"

who came

from Troy, had to go through

establishing their

If

in

Monarchy.

we read Trojani with

the


CANTO

shed by the E-omans

made

333

INFERNO.

XXVIII.

and in that long war which

so vast a spoil of rings, as

Livy

who

writes,

errs not;

with those^ who, by withstanding Robert

Guiscard,

felt

bones

the pains of blows

in heaps

lie

still

Apulian proved

false

at

and the

whose

rest^

Ceperano, where each

and there

at

Tagliacozzo,^

where old Alardo conquered without weapons

Per H Romani,

Che deh'

Come
Con

per la lunga guerra

anella

10

f' s alte spoglie,

Livio scrive, che

non

erra

quella, che sento di colpi doglie

Per contrastare a Ruberto Guiscardo

E r

and

altra,

il

cui

ossame ancor

s'

15

accoglie

Ceperan, l dove fu bugiardo

Ciascun Pughese

Ove

senz'

e l

arme vinse

Romani in
we must adopt the com-

il

da Tagliacozzo,
vecchio Alardo

He is

old editions, instead of

resisting him.

verse 10,

in Parad. xviii. 48.

named

again

Manfred, with his Germans

ment (geographically incorrect)

of Pietro di Dante
and make

and Tuscans, through treachery

the passage refer, as he does, to

of the Apulians at Ceperano and

by ^neas and

Benevento, defeated and slain by

the people slain

the Trojans in ea parte Apulice

quce dicitur Laurentia.

The

ex-

aggerations of Foscolo certainly

cannot help
*

*'

1265-6.
2

nil.

vii.

5-10.

At Tagliacozzo,

in

August

1268, Charles gained an easy and

us.

sudden victory over Conradin's

(Gibbon

superior forces, by the stratagem

Saracens"

cap. Ivi.),

herents in Apulia
feated

February

Charles of Anjou, in

The schismatic Greeks and

unbelieving
Hist.

with their ad;

so rapidly de-

by the famous Guiscard,

of Alardo (Ehrhard) deVallery

lying in wait

till

the

had defeated part of

Germans
his

army,

upon them when

son of Tancred de Hauteville, and

and then

Duke

they were scattered for plunder.

of Apulia, &c.

They got

nothing but "painful blows" by

Vili. vii.

falling

26-7.

334

INFERNO*

CANTO

xxviir.

one should shew his limbs transpierced, and another

his cut off;

were nought to equal the hideous mode

it

of the ninth chasm.

Even
cant,

a cask, through loss

yawns not

one I saw, ripped from

so wide^ as

the chin

down

Between

his legs the entrails

to the part that utters vilest sound.

hung the pluck apwretched sack that makes excrement

peared, and the

of what

Whilst I stood

swallowed.

is

of middle -piece or

all

intent^

on

seeing him, he looked at me, and with his hands

opened

his breast, saying

E
'

how

see

how Mahomet^

See

cerate myself!

Now

"

is

I dila-

mangled

qual forato suo membro, e qual mozzo

20

Mostrasse, d' agguagliar sarebbe nulla

Il

modo

della

nona bolgia

sozzo.

Gi veggia, per mezzul perdere o

Com'

io vidi

un, cos non

gambe pendevan

le

La

corata pareva, e

Che merda

Guardommi,
:

si trulla.

minugia

le

25

sacco

tristo

fa di quel che si trangugia.

Mentre che tutto in

Dicendo

il

pertugia,

si

Rotto dal mento insin dove

Tra

lulla,

lui

con

le

veder m' attacco,

man

Or vedi come

io

s'

aperse

mi

petto,

il

dilacco

30

Vedi come storpiato Maometto.

Lit.: " Is

not so holed." The

staves of a cask
it

fall

loses the middle

piece

(" cant")

of

open when
or the sideits

bottom.

all
**

Lit.

" Whilst I

fix

myself

on seeing him."

Dante's son Pietro tells how

" went with his mas-

Mahomet

always inquiring and

Lulla perhaps from lunella, the

ter's camels,

cant having the shape of a half or

learning about the Old and the

"

New

little

moon."

Testament," &c.

CANTO

me

Before

Ali weeping goes, cleft in the face from

And

chin to forelock.
seest here,

Devil

is

the others,

all

were in their

and of schism

335

INFERNO.

XXVIII.

whom

lifetime sowers of scandal

and therefore are they thus

thou

who

here behind,

cleft.

us thus cruelly,

splits

reapplying each of this throng to his sword's edge,

when we have wandered round

the dolorous road

wounds heal up ere any of us goes again

But thou, who art thou that musest
before him.
for our

on the

cliff,

perhaps in order to delay thy going to

upon thy accusations?"^

the punishment, adjudged

^^

Not yet has death come

Dinanzi a

me

to

tutti gli altri,

Un

vivi

al ciuffetto.

che tu vedi qui,

Seminator di scandalo

Fur

per son

e di

fessi cos.

Diavolo qua dietro, che n' accisma

Rimettendo ciascun

Quando avem
Perocch

Prima

di questa risma.

le ferite

sei,

il

37.

V.

&c.

rivada.

d' ire alla

le

pena,

tue accuse

giunse ancor, n colpa

Accisma (scisma)

In presence of Minos. Canto

7,

li

che in su lo scoglio muse,

Ch' giudicata in su

N morte

It is their

40

son richiuse

eh' altri dinanzi

tu chi

spada

volta la dolente strada

Forse per indugiar

35

scisma

S crudelmente, al taglio della

Ma

nor does guilt

sen va piangendo Ali

Fesso nel volto dal mento

him

own

guilt

that accuses, condemns, and tor-

45

il

mena,

splits, divides.

ments the

sinners.

^Vt

scirent

quia per quce peccai quis, per hcec

et torquetur.

Sapientiae xi. 17.

INFERNO.

136

But

him

to give

have

from round
speak

who am dead
Hell down here,

experience, I

full

conduct him through the

to

to

round

and

this is

true, as that I

to thee."

More than

when they heard him,

a hundred,

at

me, through won" Well, then, thou

Sun

ere long, tell Fra

stopped in the ditch to look

der forgetting their torment.

who perhaps

shalt see the

Dolcino,^ if he wish not speedily to follow

Rispose

Ma
A

il

mio Maestro, a tormentarlo

lo

Inferno quaggi di giro in giro

questo ver

cos,

com'

S' arrestaron nel fosso a

Per maraviglia obliando

Or

di'

Tu che

forse vedrai

S' egli

non vuol qui

il

50

io ti parlo.

udir,

1'

riguardarmi,
il

martiro.

dunque che

a Fra Dolcin

s'

armi,

Sole in breve,

tosto seguitarmi.

" a

noble and wealthy;" and, being

of great talent, and learn-

pursued and attacked by the In-

Fra Dolcino

(Diilcinus),

who

ing, and singular eloquence,"

preached Community of goods and

(as is said) of wives, at the time

of Dante's vision
the

per dar lui esperienza piena,

Pi fur di cento, che quando

me down

me, che morto son, convien menarlo

Per

man

XXVIII.

Master, " to torment liim.

my

lead him," replied

CANTO

and

*'

censured

Pope, Cardinals, and other

Dignitaries of the
for not

Holy Church,

doing their duty, nor lead-

ing the angelic

life,"

&c.

In 1305

he had several thousands of

lowers,

" some

of

whom

fol-

were

stoutly defended him"the women fighting too,"

quisition,
self,

on Monte Sebello, near Novara

in

Piedmont

taken

till

and could not be

his provisions

were cut

1307) by a snow-storm.
and " Sister Margaret" of

off (in

He

Trent,

his

wife,

were

with red-hot pincers,

mangled
and then

burnt with what remains of

life

CANTO

here^ to

33T

INFERNO.

XXVIII.

arm himself with

victuals, lest stress of

snow

bring victory to the Novarese, which otherwise would

After lifting up one foot to go

not be easy to attain."

away,

Mahomet

he stretched

it

and nose cut

then on the ground

to depart.

who had

Another,

me

said this to

up

off

through,

his throat pierced

eyebrows, and had but

to the

one single ear, standing to gaze in wonder with the

rest,

before the rest opened his weasand, which out-

wardly was red on every part, and said

whom

condemns

guilt

and

not,

whom

"

thou

I have seen

above on Latian ground ere now, unless too

much

Si di vivanda, che stretta di neve

Non

rechi la vittoria al Noarese,

Ch' altrimenti acquistar non saria

60

lieve.

Poi che r un pie per girsene sospese,

Maometto mi

disse est parola

Indi a partirsi in terra lo distese.

Un altro, che forata avea la gola

E tronco il naso infin sotto le ciglia,
E non avea ma' eh' un' orecchia sola.

65

Restato a riguardar per maraviglia

Con

gli altri,

innanzi agli

Ch' era di fuor

disse

d'

tu, cui

ogni parte vermiglia

colpa non condanna,

Ma'

di' ,

more

than.

they had in them, entirely refus-

ing to abjure their doctrines.

See

Benv. da Imola, and Land. Com.

viii.

canna,

70

cui gi vidi su in terra Latina,

66.

Vili.

altri apr la

84

Ital. torn, ix.,

and Murat. Rer.

where a

fuller

but

Lat. magis quam.

very partial account of them

is

given, in which they are called

Gazzari (vulgar for

ritans),

like the

"Waldenses.

G G

Catliari,

Pu-

Albigenses and

INFERNO.

338

me remember

resemblance do mislead
dicina/

if

CANTO

XXVIII.

Pier da

Me-

ever thou returnest to see the gentle plain^

that from Vercelli

Marcabo

slopes to

and make

kno^vn to the worthiest two^ of Fano, to Messer

Guido and

to Angiolello likewise, that, unless

our

foresight here be vain, they shall be cast out of their

and drowned near the

ship,

by

Cattolica,

fell ty-

Se troppa simiglianza non m' inganna.

Rimembriti di Pier da Medicina,

Se mai torni a veder

Che da

Marcab dichina

Vercello a

fa saper

a'

duo mighor

messer Guido,

Che, se

1'

lo dolce piano,

/o

di Fano,

anche ad Angiolello,

antiveder qui

non

vano.

G itati saran fuor di lor vasello,

E
'

80

mazzerati presso alla Cattolica,

Of Medicina,

little

town be-

a castle built

by the Venetians on

tween Bologna and Imola. Piero,

the southmost branch of the Po,

amongst other things, hindered

Guido of Ravenna and Malatesta

vigation

of Rimini from "contracting af-

after

finity

and alliance," and

at variance,

set

them

by secretly and

of-

ficiously informing each, that the

other was going to

him

cheat

near Ravenna, to obstruct

na-

their defeat at Ferrara, in

1308.
**

its

and entirely demolished

Ibid.

Guido

del Cassero

and An-

da Cagnano, two noble

giolello

citizens of

Fano: invited by Mal-

and got large presents from both

testino, the "

for his confidential falsehoods.

to friendly parley or dinner with

Dante

is

said to have

been a

frequent visitor in the house of

the Capitani or Cattani at
cina,

him
^

there.

Plain

descending
miles,

Medi-

and Piero might have seen

Benv. da Imola Com.
of Lombardy,
for

gently

more than

from Vercelli

to

200

Marcab,

One-eyed Traitor,"

him on an appointed
tolica, a seaport

Rimini

and

mazzerati, or

day, at Cat-

between Fano and

by his orders,
"thrown into the

there,

sea, in sacks

and with stones

tied

round

necks."

and

their

Vellut. Com.

word

in

Ibid,

Happily we have no

English

for mazzerare.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXVIII.

SS9

Between the isles of Cyprus and

Majorca, Neptune never saw so great a trespass
not even by Pirates, not by Argives.
do?te
That
rant's treachery.

who

traitor

sees with but one

land which one who

that he

here with

is

had never seen,

parley with

him ; then

ei/e,

and holds the

me would wish

make them come

will

act so, that they shall

to

need

no vow nor prayer against Focara's^ wind."

And I to him " Shew me and explain, so thou
:

me

wouldst have

that rues that sight."

is

Then he

thee,

who he

hand upon the jaw of one of

laid his

Per tradimento

Tra r

up of

carry tidings

d'

un tiranno

fello.

isola di Cipri e di Maiolica

Non vide mai s gran fallo Nettuno,

Non da Pirati, non da gente Argolica.
Quel traditor che vede pur con

di vedere esser digiuno.

Far venirli a parlamento seco

Poi far

85

meco

tien la terra, che tal qui

Vorrebbe

uno,

1'

s,

che

al

vento di Focara

Non far lor mestier voto n preco.

Ed io a lui Dimostrami e dichiara,

90

Se vuoi eh'

io porti

su di te novella.

Chi colui dalla veduta amara.

AUor pose

la

mano

alla mascella

Focara, a mountain near Cat-

tolica

so noted for

squalls, that

its

God keep

perilous

thee from

became a proBenv. da Imola Com.

Lit.:

the one

"He

of the bitter sight;"

who wishes

" fasting (canto

that he were

xviii.

42) from

the wind of Focara'

sight of," or had never seen, the

verb.

Young

Mastiff's land of Rimini.

340

INFERNO.

companions; and opened the mouth of him, say-

his

ing

" This

is

he, and he speaks not.

quenched the doubt in

prepared delay

me, who was

And

This outcast^

Caesar, affirming that to

men

Oh, how

dis-

always hurtful."^

is

mayed, with tongue

to

Canto xxvui.

seemed Curio

in his gorge,

slit

so daring in his speech

one who had both hands cut

off,

raising the

stumps through the dim air so that their blood de" Thou wilt recollect the Mosca^
filed his face, said
:

D' un suo compagno,

Gridando

bocca

e la

Questi desso, e non favella

Questi scacciato

il

Sempre con danno

quanto mi pareva

1'

il

fornito

attender sofferse.

100

sbigottito,

la lingua tagliata nella strozza.

Curio, eh' a dicer fu cos ardito

Ed

un, eh' avea

1'

una

Levando

S che

sangue facea

Grid

dubitar sommerse

In Cesare^ affermando che

Con

95

gli aperse,

il

1'

altra

moncherin per

1'

man

mozza.

aura fosca.

la faccia sozza,

05

Ricorderaiti anche del Mosca,

Curio, banished from

Rome

was engaged

to

wed

a lady of the

who fomid Caesar at Rimni (Ariminum) hesitating to pass the Ru-

Amidei family, broke his promise,

and betrothed himself to one of

bicon, and daringly with " venal

the Donati.

tongue" incensed him to

former met to consult how they

i.

it.

Lucan.

The

might avenge the

269, &c.

relations of the

affront

and by

Lit: " That the man prepared

advice of this Mosca, a noble and

always with injury endured delay."

famous Ghibelline of that time,

Semper nocuit

who

i.

differre paratis.

lb.

In the year 1215, the Buondel-

monte {Parad.

assisted

them with

hands, they dragged

281.

xvi. 140,

&c.)

who

his

the

own

young

bridegroom from his horse in open

day, and slew

him

at the foot of

CANTO

XXVIIT,

too,

ah

INFERNO.

me who
!

said,

341

thing done has an end

;'

which was the seed of evil to the Tuscan people."

" And death to thy kindred !"^ I added here.
Wherefore he, accumulating pain on pain, went

away

But

one distressed and mad.

as

remained

to

view the troop, and saw a thing which I should be

more proof; but

afraid to tell alone, without

conscience makes

the hauberk of his self-felt

Certainly I saw, and

purity.^

Che

dissi, lasso

Che

fu

Ed

good companion that

sure, the

man beneath

fortifies

me

io v'

mal seme

il

aggiunsi

Per eh'

egli,

E morte

io rimasi a

seem

fatta

see a

to

della gente Tosca.

di tua schiatta

accumulando duol con duolo.

Sen go come persona

Ma

still

Capo ha cosa

that

110

matta.

trista e

riguardar lo stuolo,

vidi cosa eh' io avrei paura.

Senza pi prova, di contarla solo

Se non che conscienzia m' assicura.

La buona compagnia che

1'

uom

115
francheggia

Sotto r osbergo del sentirsi pura.

Io vidi certo, ed ancor par eh' io

il

veggia.

Done deed

"ominous" statue of Mars.

" This murder was the cause and

will contrive to assert

commencement

itself:

the

of the

accursed

Guelph and Ghibelline

parties in

Florence."

104

V.

Malesp.

all

or,

A thing

>

and

done

then consult.'

Kill

him

;'

justify
is

soon

Or: "Thy race:" the great

Lit.:

xvi. 110.

" Conscience .... the

good companion that emboldens

man from

and

or frees a

first,

and

the hauberk of his feeling him-

in use as a proverb

here means

fatta, capo ha,^^ as

it,

speed

will

Lamberti family. Parad.

the old Chroniclers have

still

'

settled.'

Vili.

38.

The " Cosa

is

c.

dered,

It migrht

be ren-

self pure."

G G ^

fear,

under

342

INFERNO.

CANTO

XXVIII.

trunk going without a head, as the others of that

And

dismal herd were going.

was holding the

it

severed head, by the hair, swinging like a lantern

in

its

me

!"

hand

Of

and that looked

itself it

made

and said

at us,

lamp

:^

How

this

for itself a

were two in one, and one in two.

"

and they
can be,

he knows who so ordains.

When

was right beneath

it

the bridge,

it

raised the

head,^ to bring near to

"

Now

And

Un

who

il

any

see if

else

busto senza capo andar,

Di

le

quei mirava noi, e dicea

chiome

Lev

esser pu, quei sa che

diritto

The

Or

le

s'

130

vedi la pena molesta

veggendo

morti

alcuna grande come questa.

perch tu di

me

novella porti,

eternai recognition of his

hideous crime.

governa.

parole sue.

che, spirando, vai

Vedi

125

appi del ponte fue,

Per appressarne

Tu

braccio alto con tutta la testa

il

Che furo

eran due in uno, ed uno in due

Quando

me

se faceva a se stesso lucerna

Com'

120

gli altri della trista greggia.

capo tronco tenea per

Ed

be great as

come

Pesol con mano, a guisa di lanterna

breathing

that thou mayest carry tidings of me.

Andavan

bottom of

arm high up, with all the

us its words, which were

see the grievous penalty, thou,

goest to view the dead

this

us, at the

Or

"

And

the head too.

the head withal

:"

Cinon. Part., 147.

CANTO

343

INFERNO.

XXVIII.

know that I am Bertrand de Born, he who to

Young King gave the evil counsels. I made
father

and the son rebels

the

Ahithophel

each other.

to

the

did not do more with Absalom and David by his

malicious

my

thus united, I carry

its

Because I parted persons

instigations.

source^

which

retribution^

is

brain, ah

me

Thus the law of

in this trunk.

is

parted from

observed in me."

Sappi eh' io son Bertram dal Bornio, quelli

Che

al

Re Giovane

Io feci

il

padre e

Achitfel

non

David

di

il

diedi

mal

135

conforti.

figlio in s ribelli

f' piti d'

co'

Ab salone

malvagi pungelli.

Perch' io partii cos giunte persone,

Partito porto

il

mio cerebro,

lasso

140

Dal suo principio eh' in questo troncone.

Cos

osserva in

s'

me

lo contrappasso.

Lord Bertrand de Born ("

Bertran,'" &c.), the great

Trou-

badour, turbulent statesman and

warrior, of Hautefort in

he who made the

Guienne

Young King

("e/ reijoie"), Prince Henry, rebel against his

II.,

own

father

till

But even
4.)

loosely

writes "il re Giovane," so that the

error

is

easily

accounted for

and

Dante, who knew the Poems of

Bertrand (see Vuig. Eloq.

&c.), and

is

ii.

2, 3,

more accurate than

any of the historians, could not

make such a mistake. Foscolo

reads Re Giovine for Giovane ; but

badours, torn.

Re

(v.

in that re-

See Raynouard, Poesies des Trou-

The

rest.

himself

Villani

the Prince was killed.

and lent his aid

bellion

Henry

John among the

V.

Giovanni,

without any authority.

76, &c.

old reading of line 135

is

"King John;" and

Or from

spinal cord,

its

murder of
certainly, after
Becket, all the sons of Henry

less

successively rebelled against him,

sus) of Aristotle.

the

root or germ, the

which

is

in this head-

trimk or stock.

The

vTnrtTovQos {contra-pas-

ARGUMENT.

The numberless Shadows

Poet's eyes with tears

of discord and bloody strife have filled the

;

and he keeps

still

own
makes him quit the miserable spectacle
how he had seen Geri, at the foot of
to find his

gazing down, expecting

father's cousin, Geri del Bello,

;

and

among them.
tells, as

Virgil

they go on,

the bridge, pointing with

angry gesture, and then departing in the crowd.

From

the arch

now hears the wailings of a new class

Malebolge. They are the Falsifiers of every

of the Tenth Chasm, Dante

of sinners, the last in
sort

ness.

punished with innumerable diseases, in impure

Pietro di

Dante enumerates three

Of

air

and dark-

classes of Falsifiers

in

first class

are the Alche-

mists, Forgers, &c., such as GriiFolino of Arezzo,

and Capocchio

things, in deeds,

and in words.

of Siena, in the present canto, and

where we

the

Adamo

shall also find the other

two

da Brescia in the next,

classes.


346

INFERNO.

CANTO
The many
made my

down
Thou

XXIX.

people and the diverse wounds had

But Virgil said to me " Why art thou

Wherefore does thy sight still rest,
?
:

still

among

there,

the dismal mutilated shadows

hast not done so at the other chasms.

thou thinkest

sider, if

to

number them,

ley goes round two and twenty miles

La

molta gente e

Avean

Che

Ma

le luci

le diverse

mie

mi

disse

Perch

la vista tua

Laggi

tra

drunken

piaghe

1'

Che pur guate

pur

ombre

hai fatto

their

land

s all' altre

shall

be

(inebriabitur) with blood."

Isaiah xxxiv. 7.

Reader

mark

the true pathos, dignity, and justice of this scene,

si

triste

Che migha ventiduo

And

Moon

inebriate,

Pensa, se tu annoverar

"

Con-

that the val-

and the

;^

dello stare a piangere eran vaghe.

Virgilio

Tu non

XXIX.

eyes so drunken/ that they longed to stay

and weep.
gazing

CANTO

soffolge

smozzicate

bolge

le credi.

la valle volge

smallest

which

ring,

miles round

is

eleven

and so leaves us

to

imagine the vast dimensions and

population of

all

the Hell above.

The ingenious Dialogo

where the Poet

di

An-

Manetti (Giunta, Fior. 1506),

has to speak of a worthless rela-

tonio

tion of his own.

with curious plates and calcula-

Dante here gives the measurement of this Ninth ring of Male-

tions,

bolge

last

but one, with shadows

not to be numbered

and, in next

canto, that of the innermost or

now

before me, attempts

not very poetically or successfully

to reduce the

**

Site,

Form, and

Size of the Hell" to a kind of

architectural reality.

beneath our

already

is

that

conceded

is

347

INFERNO.

CANTO XXIX.

The time

feet.^

and

to us;

is

now

short,

far other things are to

be seen than thou dost see."

" Hadst thou/' I thereupon replied,

which

to the cause for

est

have vouchsafed

me

Guide was going on

my

making

I kept

spirit,

of

costs so

my

Luna

Meantime the

^'
:

Within

the guilt which

itself

sotto

Let not thy thought

'^
:

on him.^

Attend

nostri piedi

Ed

da veder, che tu non vedi.

Se tu

ornai,

some-

poco

to

Lo tempo
altro

that cavern

there."

the Master said

gi la

thou might-

went behind him, now

blood, laments

much down

henceforth distract

and

attended

eyes so fixed,^ I believe that a

my own

Then

yet to stay."^

and adding

reply,

where

1 looked, perhaps

^'

che n' concesso

avessi, rispos' io appresso.

Atteso alla cagion per eh' io guardava.

Forse m' avresti ancor lo star dimesso.

Parte sen gi, ed io retro

Lo Duca,

io

La

Dentro a quella cava,

teneva gli occhi

Credo

andava,

gli

gi facendo la risposta,

E soggiungendo
Dov'

eh'

un

spirto del

a posta.

mio sangue pianga

il

Maestro

Non

si

franga

Lo tuo pensier da qui innanzi

'

It is past

mid-day:

six hours

than the time given by the

Moon

in canto xx. 124, &c.

Or

"

20

colpa, che laggi cotanto costa.

Allor disse

later

15

To

stay yet longer.'^

Lit.

sovr' elio

" So

at

stand :"

so

eagerly and painfully looking for

one of my own kindred.

''

Virgil or

mere

Human

Wis-

348

INFERNO.

what

else,

and

him

let

the foot of the

CANTO XXU.

stay there

for I

saw him,

at

bridge, point to thee, and ve-

little

hemently threaten with

his finger

and heard them

him Geri del Bello.^ Thou wast then so totally

entangled upon him who once held Altaforte,^ that
thou didst not look that way; so he departed."^
" O my Guide his violent death, which is not
call

yet avenged for him," said

made him indignant

partner of his shame,

Attendi ad

ed

altro,

" by any that

I,

ei l si

rimanga

is

there-

25

Ch' io vidi lui a pie del ponticello

Mostrarti, e minacciar forte col dito,

Ed
Tu

udii

nominar Geri

eri allor s del tutto

del Bello.

impedito

Sovra colui che gi tenne Altaforte,

Che non guardasti

Duca mio
Che non

in l

la violenta

Fece lui disdegnoso

in Hell thinks of nothing

but vengeance and bloodshed.

This

Geri

was the

son

stirrer

one

up of

of the

strife,

of

Sacchetti

wretched squabble.

il

and, being a

was

slain

in

The

by

some
Ottimo

Com. says he " was a coiner too

(strife),

"he

placed in the Ninth Budget

is

and

having been a forger, he

is

spoken of in the present chapter,"

The forgery was probably

partial report, known to
Dante and this writer; for we
find no hint of it in other com&c.

mere

ments.
2

Or

" So wholly occupied

with him,"

i.e.

with Bertrand of

Hautefort, or "Altaforte."
2

but as his death was caused by

sowing of tares"

sia consorte,

for

Dante's granduncle (Allighieri

Bello, "the Fair")

diss' io,

onde sen go

dom, not to speak of Divine, bids

Dante waste no farther thought
on that miserable kinsman of his,

morte

onta

dell'

30

fu partito.

vendicata ancor,

gli

Per alcun che

who even

Or perhaps

parted :"
xix. 128.

52

" Till he

de-

for sinch, as in canto

CANTO

he went away without speaking

fore, as I suppose,

to

me

and in that has made me pity him the

Thus we spake, up

more."^
cKif,

849

INFERNO.

XXIX.

which shews the other

to the first place of the

valley, if

more

light

were

there, quite to the bottom.

When we

were above the

bolge, so that

last cloister of

Male-

lay-brethren^ could appear to our

its

view, lamentations pierced me, manifold, that had

shod with pity; whereat I covered

their arrows

my

ears with

hands.

Senza parlarmi,

in ci

m' ha

com'

io

stimo

35

fatto egli a s pi pio.

Cos parlammo insino

Che

my

dello scoglio

1'

al

luogo primo,

altra valle mostra,

Se pi lume vi fosse, tutto ad imo.

Quando noi fummo

in su

Di Malebolge,

Potean parere

alla

Lamenti saettaron

che

di piet ferrati

Ond'

io gli orecchi

avean

gli strali

con

man

adds to his torments in Hell,

makes me
" Here

pity

him

the wickedness of Geri and of his

(nephews

le

who took

vengeance on the Sacchetti thirty

is

45

copersi.

forgive any offence

whence there

amongst us a saying

that 'Ven-

geance a hundred years old has

milk

the more.

the Author reprehends

associates"

suoi conversi

diversi,

^
That rage for vengean ce, vivid
image of his former life, which

still

40

ultima chiostra

veduta nostra.

me

Che

1'

teeth'

(is

only cutting

its

teeth), Vendetta di cetito anni tiene

lattaiuoli !"

Ottimo Com.

also Benv. da Imola,

who

See

gives the

years after his death), " and tacitly

same explanation of this passage.

2 The
sinners are " lay-bro-

blames the pestilential

thers" in these cloisters, or en-

the Florentines,

spirit

who never

of

forget

an injury, nor without vengeance

closed rings, where

the

HH

Monks.

Demons

are

350

INFERNO.

Such grief

CANTO

would be,

as there

XXIX.

the diseases in

if

the hospitals of Yaldichiana/ between July and Sep-

Maremma and

tember, and of

together in one ditch

were

Sardinia,

such was there here

such stench issued thence, as

wont

is

to issue

all

and
from

putrid limbs.

We

descended on the

again to the
vivid,

last

bank of the long^

my

hand;^ and then

left

down towards

sight

was more

the depth in which the Minister

of the Great Sire, infallible Justice, punishes the

Qual dolor

di

falsi-

fora, se degli spedali

Di Valdichiana

cliff,

tra

Maremma,

luglio e

il

Sardigna

e di

settembre,

il

mali

Fossero in una fossa tutti insembre,

Tal era quivi

e tal

Qual suole uscir

puzzo

Noi discendemmo in su
Del lungo

Ed

scoglio,

allor fu la

membre.

dalle marcite

mia

1'

50

n' usciva,

ultima riva

pur da

man

sinistra.

vista pi viva

Gi vr lo fondo, dove la ministra

55

Dell' alto Sire, infallibil Giustizia,

49. Insembre (Fr. ensemble), insieme.

In the Valley of the sluggish

river Chiana, near

Arezzo, which

now thoroughly

drained, deadly

is

marsh -fevers

were frequent, espe-

cially during the hot months of

July, August, and September.

The drainage
or

marshy

of the

Maremma,

sea- coast south of the

Arno, was also undertaken by the

Tuscan Government some twenty

years

ago

and much excellent

land has already been gained for

cultivation,

and

rendered

quite

Compare canto xxv.

" Long," for it crosses all

healthy.

19.

the

chasms of Malebolge, from the

Great Barrier downwards.
xviii. 16,
^

As

Canto

&c.

in cantos xviii. 21, xix. 41,

xxi. 136,

&c.

CANTO

351

INFERNO.

XXIX.

fiers that

she here registers.^

sorrow to see the people in

a greater

when

infirm;^

do not think

was

it

^gina

all

the air was so malignant,, that every

animal, even to the

little

worm, dropt down

and

afterwards, as Poets hold for sure, the ancient peo-

were restored from seed of ants

ples

to see,

through that dim valley, the

upon the shoulders

some were

crawling

Punisce

Non

of the

along

on^

we went, without

Step by step

Fosse in Egina

Che

il

fu V aer

other

lay

dismal

the

and

path.

speech, looking at

tristizia

popol tutto infermo.

poi

tutti, e

Secondo che
Si ristorar di

poeti

seme

vermo,

genti antiche.

le

hanno per fermo.

formiche

di

60

pien di malizia.

gli animali, infino al picciol

Cascaron

languish-

falsator che qui registra.

credo eh' a veder maggior

Quando

spirits

was

it

This upon the belly, and

ing in diverse heaps.

that

than

65

Ch' era a veder per quella oscura valle

Languir

Qual sovra
L'

un

gli spirti
il

per diverse biche.

ventre, e qual sovra le spalle

dell' altro

giacca

e qual

carpone

Si trasmutava per lo tristo calle.

Passo passo andavam senza sermone.

Here on earth

in the

hymn

Dies

registers.

irce,

dies ilia

As
:

Liber scriptus proferetur,

In quo totum continetur,
TJnde
^

mundus judiceiur.

Allusion to the pestilence of

70

^gina, and mythic re-peopling

of it by the ant-born Myrmidons.
Ovid. Met.
3

Lit.

*'
:

vii.

523-657.

This, or some, crawl-

ing changed from place

along the dismal path."

to

place

S52

INFERNO.

and listening

to the sick

CANTO

who

XXIX.

could not raise their

bodies.

saw two

sit

leaning on each other, as pan

warm

leant on pan^ to

from head

is

to foot spotted

And never did I see currycomb plied

by stable-boy for whom his master waits, nor by one
with scabs.

who

stays unwillingly

awake

;'^

thick the clawing of his nails

as

each of these plied

upon

himself, for the

great fury of the itch, which has no other succour.

And

so the nails

drew down the

Guardando ed ascoltando

Che non potean

gli

scurf, as

does a

ammalati.

levar le lor persone.

Io vidi duo sedere a s appoggiati.

Come

a scaldar

Dal capo

E non

vidi

ai

s'

appoggia tegghia a tegghia.

pie di schianze maculati

75

giammai menare stregghia

ragazzo aspettato dal signorso.

N a colui che mal volentier vegghia

Come ciascun menava spesso il morso
Dell'

unghie sovra s per

la

gran rabbia

Del pizzicor, che non ha pi soccorso

si

"

Pan

77. Signorso, signor suo

tuo,

TnogWema

Vocab. della Crusca.

The warming
- fires

of which,

as in Boccac. Signorn

mia, fratello mio, &c.

or cover" for household

uses, says the

hearth

traevan gi Y unghie la scabbia,

80

before

without fenders

or

other apparatus, in those old days,

would give a familiar homely

il-

lustration of the attitude, back to

back, of these two helpless sinners

leaning against each other.

2

Who

is

eager for bed.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXIX.

bream

knife the scales from

them
^'

353

or other fish that has

larger.

"who

thou

began

!"

my

Guide

to

one of them,

with thy fingers dismailest^ thyself, and some-

times makest pincers of them;

tell

me

there be

if

any Latian among these who are here within

may thy

nails eternally sufiice thee for that

" Latians are we,

so

work."

whom

thou seest so disfigured

here, both of us," replied the one weeping ; " but
thou,

who

art

thou that hast inquired of us ?"

And the Guide said " I am one, who with this

living man descend from steep to steep, and mean
:

to

Then they sprang

shew him Hell."

Come

coltel di

d' altro

scardova

Cominci

il

ti

abbia.

1'

85

dismaglie,

Duca mio

E che fai d' esse tal

Dimmi s' alcun Latino
Che son

le scaglie,

pesce che pi larghe

che colle dita

tu,

un

di loro,

volta tanaglie

tra costoro

quinc' entro, se

1'

unghia

ti

basti

Eternalmente a cotesto lavoro.

Latin sem noi, che tu vedi

Qui ambedue, rispose

Ma
E

il

tu chi

Duca

sei,

disse

Con questo

si

ruppe

1'

off' thy

guasti

un piangendo

1'

lo

che di noi dimandasti ?

Io son un, che discendo

95

Inferno a lui intendo.

comun

rincalzo,

Keepest rending and some-

times picking

90

vivo gi di balzo in balzo,

di mostrar

Allor

asunder,^

mail of scurf.

HH

Lit.

"

Then the mutual propThey ceased to

ping broke," &c.

354

INFERNO.

CANTO

XXIX.

and each turned trembling towards me, with others

that

by echo heard him.

The kind Master

saying

to

me

directed himself wholly/

" Tell them what thou wishest."

And
memory

I began,

he desired

as

" So may your

human minds in the

for many circling suns

not fade^ away from

first

world, but

tell

me who

may

it

live

Let not

ye are, and of what nation.

your ugly and disgusting punishment fright ye from

revealing yourselves to me."

" I was of Arezzo,"^ replied the one, " and Al-

E tremando

ciascuno a

me

si

volse

Con altri, che 1' udiron di rimbalzo.

Lo buon Maestro a me tutto s' accolse,
Dicendo

Ed
Se

Di' a lor ci che tu vuoli.

io incominciai, poscia eh' ci volse

la vostra

memoria non

Nel primo mondo

Ma

s'

dall'

ella viva sotto

Ditemi chi voi

La

100

s'

imboli

umane menti.

molti Soli

siete, e di

105

che genti

vostra sconcia e fastidiosa pena

Di palesarvi a

me non

vi spaventi.

Io fui d' Arezzo, e Albero da Siena,

lean on one another, and turned

me, " the living man," trem-

&c.

to

bling in their weakness and surprise

along with others,

who

words of Virgil.
1
Or " Gathered himself
:

to

me;" bent

towards

would

in-

me

still

his head, arms, &c.

do.

as

a kind

Italian

" Not steal

" under

live

many

itself away,"

many suns,"

years.

years) as in canto

a
all

but

or for

("by rebound") heard the

directly

Lit.:

Soli

(solar

68.

vi.

"MasterGrifFolino of Arezzo,

great Alchemist,"

&c.,

who,

under pretence of teaching Albero

real

or adopted son of the

Bishop or Inquisitor of Siena

the art of flying, got

much money

CANTO

355

INFERNO.

XXIX.

me burnt;
bring me here.

but that for wKich I

bero da Siena got

died, does not

him, speaking in jest

the air in

I could raise myself through

And

flight.'

'Tis true, I said to

who had

he,

a fond desire

shew him the

and

little

art

and only because I made him not a Dsedalus,

me be

he made
son.

But

chemy

may

wit, willed that I should

to the last

budget of the ten,

And

^^
:

people vain as the Sienese

are not so vain

by

Io

Now

mettere al fuoco

fe'

eh' io dissi a lui,

110

non mi mena.

parlando a giuoco

saprei levar per

aere a volo

1'

quei che avea vaghezza e senno poco,

Volle eh' io gli mostrassi

1'

Perch' io noi feci Dedalo,

Ardere a

tal,

che

arte

mi

Dann Minos,
io dissi al

fece

avea per figliuolo.

1'

Gente

a cui

Poeta

vana come

fallir

from the witless youth

la

and then

a dealer in the Black Art.

da Imola, Pietro, &c.

non

usai.

120

lece.

Or fu giammai
Sanese

Certo non la Francesca

was denounced and burnt

115

e solo

Ma neir ultima bolgia delle diece

Me per alchimia, che nel mondo
Ed

were there ever

Certainly the French^

quel, per eh' io mori', qui

mi

who

far."

Rispose I'un, mi

Ver

for the al-

condemned me."

I said to the Poet

Ma

for a

the world, Minos,

that I practised in

not err,

who had him

burnt by one

alive as

Benv.

The Ottimo

bids us note, that " almost none

s d' assai.

of the Alchemists dared to practise in their

own

country,

more

especially in public."
^

Boccaccio, speaking of this

passage, says, "

The whole world

INFERNO.

i6

CANTO XXIX.

Whereat the other leper/ who heard me,

sponded

my

to

words

" Except the Stricca who

contrived to spend so moderately

first

re-

and Niccol, who

discovered the costly usage of the clove, in the

garden^ where such seed takes root

company

in

which Caccia of Asciano^ squandered

and his great

his vineyard

Onde r

mio

al detto

Che seppe

and the Abba-

forest,

che m' intese,

altro lebbroso,

Rispose

and except the

Tranne

125

lo Stricca,

far le temperate spese

Niccol, che la costuma ricca

Del garofano prima discoperse

dove

Neil' orto,

tal

seme

Caccia

d'

appicca

130

Ascian la vigna e la gran fronda,

Tranne, tra ne ne

125.

no vainer
people than the French," &c.
aware that there

is

s'

tranne la brigata, in che disperse

is

and then goes on

shew that

to

tra.

fortune
de'

in

follies

and Niccol

Bonsignori of Siena, who

the " costly mode of

invented

the Sienese are descended from

roasting pheasants and capons at

them

fires

apparently

confounding

Siena with Sena Gallica or Sinigaglia, whicli

was indeed founded

by the Gauls.

The Sienese again

called "gente vana,'" Purg.

xiii.

151.

The

other scabbed

made with

cloves" (Benv.

da Imola, and Pietro)

company

spendereccia, or godereccia,'" con-

young noblemen
who squandered more than two
sisting of twelve

leper

is

hundred thousand florens

Capocchio, a Florentine who

is

months.

said to have studied natural phi-

losophy along with Dante

was burnt

He
the

at Siena for

ironically bids

Stricca,"

Sienese,

who

and

Alchemy.

Dante " except

vainest

spent

of
his

all

the

whole

and the

or club, called " brigata

in ten

See Benv. da Imola

Landino, &c.
^

In Siena, where such

follies

take root or "fasten."

^

Caccia sold his vineyards and

forests

of Asciano, near

and spent them

Siena

in his club.

gliato^

who

357

INFERNO.

CANTO XXIX.

shewed

But

his wit.

that thou mayest

know

thus seconds thee against the Sienese, sharpen

thine

eye upon me, that

my

may give thee

am the shadow

face

right response:^ so shalt thou see I

of Capocchio,

And

who

falsified the

thou must recollect,

metals

if I rightly

by alchemy.

how

eye thee/

good an ape I was of Nature."

E r

Ma

Abbagliato

il

perch sappi chi

Contra

Who

falsai

li

1'

io fui di

me

1'

occhio,

risponda

ti

ombra

135

di Capocchio,

metalli con alchimia,

ten dee ricordar, se ben

Com'

'

seconda

mia ben

S vedrai eh' io son

s ti

Sanesi, aguzza ver

S che la faccia

Che

suo senno proferse.

t'

adocchio.

natura buona scimia.

" was poor" (Ottimo),

make

abbagliato an adjective,

and

and contributed his wit, instead

of the " twenty thousand florens"

epithet of Asciano, or of senno

that each

May
guish me

buted.

of the

Some

as Benv. da

others

contri-

few commentators,

Imola and Lombardi,

but without necessity or

2

enable thee

through the

profit.

to

distin-

scurf.

Rightly recognise thee.

ARGUMENT.
Still

on the brim of the Tenth Chasm, in which new horrors await

"Here," says the Ottimo Com., "all

VIS.

the sight, by

murky

{se pi

air

lume

the senses are assailed:

vi fosse,

lamentations that 'have arrows shod with pity

of

'

putrid limbs

;'

;'

the touch, by hideous scurf,

lying on one another

and the

taste,

by

&c.)

the ear, by

the smell,

by stench

and by the sinners

thirst that

'

craves one

drop of water,' " &c.

Here Gianni Schicchi of Florence, and

Myrrha, who counterfeited the persons of others for wicked pur-

little

poses, represent the Falsifiers " in deeds ;" Sinon and Potiphar's
wife, the Falsifiers

between Master

" in words."

Adam

of

The canto ends with a dialogue

Brescia and Sinon, who strike and abuse

each other with a grim scorn and

memorable reproof from

base conversation.

zeal.

Dante gets

a sharp

and

Virgil, for listening too eagerly to their

360

INFERNO.

CANTO XXX.

CANTO XXX.
At

Juno was incensed

the time that

Theban bloody

against the

Semele

for

as she already

more than

once had shewn, Athamas^ grew so insane, that he,

come laden on

seeing his wife, with the two sons,

either hand, cried

may

" Spread^ we the

and her young

take the lioness

pass;" and then

stretched out his

grasping the one that had the

nets, that
lions

at the

pitiless

talons,

name Learchus

whirled him, and dashed him on a rock

Nel tempo

and

and she

che Giunone era crucciata

Per Semele contra

Come mostr

gi

il

sangue Tebano,

una ed

Ataman te divenne tanto

Che veggendo

la

altra fiata,

insano,

moglie

co'

duo

figli

Venir carcata di ciascuna mano.

Grid

La

Tendiam

le reti, s eh' io pigli

lionessa e

lioncini al varco

poi distese

dispietati artigh,

Prendendo V un che avea nome Learco,

'

rotollo, e percosselo

Compare

Ovid.

Metam.

iv.

ad un sasso

10

ridentem, et parva Learchum

Bra-

and note the brevity of

chia tendentem, rapit, et bis terque

Dante, and the fresh touches by

per auras More rotat fundce, rigi-

which he shews the very heart of

doque infantia saxo Discutit ossa

the story, here as elsewhere.

ferox,

416-561

His

retia

tendite silvis

modo cum gemina

prole lecence ....

visa

est

Hie
mihi

Deque sinu matris

&c.

mother
lo

And

then

Ino,

the

Seque super pontum, nul-

tardata timore, Mittit, onusque

siium,

&c.

Ibid. iv. 512, &c.

INFERNO.

CANTO XXX.

361

And when

with her other burden drowned herself.

Fortune brought low the all-daring^ pride of the

King

Trojans, so that their

dom was

blotted out

Hecuba,

sad, miserable,

and

had seen Polyxena her daughter

captive, after she

slain,

together with his king-

and on the sea-strand,

forlorn,^ discerned the

mangled body of her Polydorus

she, out of her
senses, barked like a dog
to such a degree had
:

sorrow wrung her soul.

But neither Theban Furies

nor Trojan were ever seen in aught so crueP

in stinging brutes,

quella

E quando

and much

anneg con

s'

1'

less

human

not

limbs

as

altro incarco.

la fortuna volse in

basso

L' altezza de' Troian, che tutto ardiva,

regno

S che insieme col

Ecuba

trista,

misera e

il

Re fu

casso

15

cattiva.

Poscia che vide Polisena morta,

del suo Polidoro, in su la riva

Del mar,

si

fu la dolorosa accorta,

Forsennata latr

Tanto dolor

Ma

di

Tebe

Si vider

le f' la

mente

bestie,

non che membra umane,

of the Trojans, which dared all."

2

Lit.

on the

"

And

torta.

n Troiane

furie,

" The highness, or pride,

Lit.:

she the doleful,

sea -strand

Or, " ever seen so fierce or

cruel in any person or thing

so cruel in

discerned."

to

rage

limbs," or

Priameiaque conjux .... novo

tratu terruit auras,

&c.

la-

Metam.

speak of
bodies

saw two shadows," &c.

QuanV
I I

to

human

good editions

404-535, &c.

not

stinging even brutes

not

Troja simul Priamusque cadiint ;

xiii.

20

mai in alcun tanto crude.

Non punger

'

come cane

human

"as

Some

read, in verse 25,

io vidi in due,

&c. ("as

S62

INFERNO.

CANTO XXX.

I saw two shadows, pale and naked, which ran biting

manner

in the

that a

hungry swine^ does when he

The one came

thrust out from his sty.

and fixed

chio,

dragging him,
belly.

And

said to

me

made

Oh !"

Quant'

the

the Aretine,^

" That goblin

rabid, he goes thus

''

il

mangling others."
^^

may

so

due ombre smorte

Grattar gli fece

'

25

modo

di quel

si

schiude.

a Capocchio, ed in sul

Del collo r assann,

the other not

e nude,

porco, quando del porcil

una giunse

L'

trembling,

Gianni Schicchi ; ^ and,

is

Che mordendo correvan

Che

bottom claw his

solid

who remained

said I to him,

io vidi

Capoc-

tusks on his neck-joint, so that,

its
it

to

is

nodo

che tirando

30

ventre al fondo sodo.

il

E r Aretin, che rimase tremando.

Mi disse Quel folletto Gianni Schicchi,
E va rabbioso altrui cos conciando.
:

Oh,

saw them,
two

in

reading

diss' io lui, se

1'

altro

the Furies, fierce or cruel

shadows,"
is

&c.).

This

adopted by Foscolo,

who does not mention

non

ti

ficchi

Buoso Donati, who meant

" his ill-got

money

to leave

for charitable

purposes," persuaded this Gianni

that the

to put himself in the uncle's bed,

Aldine, Cruscan, Giunta, &c. are

assume the voice and features of

against

a dying

'

He

it.

compares those

fierce

un-

clean spirits to swine, devil-pos-

in

serving

GrifFolino of Arezzo.

best

'

Gianni (Johnny) Schicchi

de'

Cavalcanti of Florence, a kinsman

of Dante's friend Guido, and a
soldier.

Simon Donati, having

privately smothered his sick uncle

dictate a will

Gianni made over

the whole property to Simon, re-

on a memorable occasion.

sest

man, and

due form.

for

the troop"
rens.

himself the

mare"

worth 1000 gold

flo-

See Pietro di Dante, Benv.

da Imola, and Ottimo.

last

uncle's

Lady, or Queen of

The two

do not mention the murder

of Buoso.

plant

me who

teeth on thee, grudge not to tell

its

ere

it is,

363

INFERNO.

CANTO XXX.

snatch itself from hence."

it

And

he

me

to

" That

is

the ancient spirit of

Myrrha, who loved her father with more

flagitious

She came

than rightful love.

to sin

with him

who

guised in alien form;^ even as the other

dis-

there

going away, undertook, that he might gain the

is

Lady
nati,

making a testament and giving

And when

my

Buoso Do-

of the troop, to disguise himself as

eye,

ill-born spirits.

I turned

Ed

dir chi , pria

me

egli a

Di Mirra

ti

scellerata,

had kept

like a lute, if

he
35

sia fatica

che di qui

Quell' V

legal form."

to observe the other

saw one shapen

Li denti addosso, non

it

it

whom

the furious two,^ on

were passed,

to

si

spicchi.

anima antica

che divenne

Al padre fuor del dritto amore amica.

40

Questa a peccar con esso cos venne,

Falsificando s in altrui forma,

Come r

che in l sen va, sostenne.

altro,

Per guadagnar

la

donna

Falsificare in s

Buoso Donati,

Testando, e dando

al

Sovra

quali io avea

1'

passati,

occhio tenuto,

Rivolsilo a guardar gli altri

un

Io vidi

'

into the

form of

a stranger {Aliena potentior, &c.

Metam.

iv.

340)

dertook " to

mal

nati.

fatto a guisa di liuto,

Lit.: " Falsifying herself into

other's form,"

45

testamento norma.

duo rabbiosi fur

poi che
i

della torma.

as Gianni un-

falsify

Buoso

into

himself:" to represent Buoso in

his

own

the same

person.

Some

Buoso who

is

the thieves in canto xxv.

t

say

put

Gianni and Myrrha.

it

is

among

INFERNO.

364

had but had

man

CANTO XXX.

where

his groin cut short at the part

The heavy dropsy, which with its

ill-digested humour so disproportions the limbs, that
the visage corresponds not to the paunch, made him
hold his lips apart, as does the hectic patient, who
forked.

is

one Up towards his chin, and

for thirst curls the

the other upwards.

"

ye

who
know

exempt from every punishment,

are

not, in this grim world," said he to

and why I
us, " look and attend to the misery of Master Adam.^

When
now,

had enough of what

alive, I

alas

I crave one

Pur

eh' egli avesse avuta

Tronca dal

La grave

che

lato

Che

il

Faceva

lui tener le

etico fa,

un verso

voi,

il

Diss'

50

forcuto.

umor, che mal converte,

alla ventraia.

55

labbra aperte,

che per la sete

mento, e

1'

altro in su riverte.
siete,

mondo gramo.

so io perch, nel

egU a

The

F anguinaia

che senza alcuna pena

E non

and

dispaia

non risponde

viso

Come r

1'

drop of water.

uomo ha

1'

idropisia, che

Le membra con

L'

little

I wished

60

noi, guardate e attendete

Alla miseria del maestro

Adamo

Io ebbi vivo assai di quel eh' io volli,

E
'

Adam

ora, lasso

and

un goccici

of Brescia, " a coiner

and perfect master

ridi,

in his art;"

extremely greedy

gain, says Landino.

"

By

of

desire

of Guido, Alessandro, and Aghinolfo,

brothers,

and

Counts

of

d'

acqua bramo.

Romena, he
false florens

crime he was
Florence.

and made

coined
of gold
at

last

In him

is

for

which

burnt in
set

forth

covetousness and thirst of money."

Ottimo.

365

INFERNO.

CANTO XXX.

from the verdant

rivulets that

hills

of Casentino^ de-

scend into the Arno, making their channels cool and

me, and not in vain

moist, stand constantly before

me up

image of them dries

for the

The

iiesh.^

my

which from

does the malady

more, than

far

visage wears the

me, takes

rigid Justice, that searches

occasion from the place at which I sinned, to give

my

There

sighs a quicker flight.^

is

Romena where

I falsified the alloy, sealed with the Baptist's

Li ruscelletti, che de' verdi

image ;^

colli

Del Casentin discendon giuso in Arno,

Facendo

lor canali e freddi e molli,

Sempre mi stanno

Che r imagine

Che
La

il

innanzi, e

lor via pi

mi

metter pi

Romena,

La lega
^

gli

noted

Arno
for

clearness of

" There

its

beauty

and

is

the

mountain streams.

Guidos, a few

seat of the

miles below the

sources of the Arno, and a

little

to the west of the Camaldoli.

^

Lit.

"

Lit.

more

Whereby

grow lean

put

my

sighs

make them more

quick and frequent.

^

The

(giglio)

on the

florens,

with

the

on one side and

other,

were

Lily
I I

first

St,

John

coined in

the year 1252, and each of them

contained 24 carats of pure gold

(

Villani, vi. 54), like the

Zecchino.
every where

verb.

They soon
;

modern

circulated

and " Genuine as

became

pro-

" For that the Floraines

been so

"To

to flight,"

ov' io peccai,

the yellow floren"

in the face."
^

70

suggellata del Batista,

Romena,"

is

mi discarno.

l dov' io falsai

above Arezzo,

its

m* asciuga.

miei sospiri in fuga.

Casentino, the upper Valley

of the

fruga,

Tragge cagion del luogo,

Ivi

non indarno

male, ond' io nel volto

rigida giustizia, che

65

fair

and bright," says our

own Chaucer in his Pardonere's

Tale.
Guido stamped the Baptist's image on his own base coin,
which "had three carats of alloy."

366

INFERNO.

which on earth I

for

left

my

CANTO XXX.

But

body burnt.

if I

could see the miserable soul of Guido here, or of

Alessandro, or their brother, for Branda's fount^ I

would not give the

One

sight.

within already,

is

if

mad shadows that go around speak true. But

what avails it me whose limbs are tied ? Were I

the

only
a

move one inch

so light, that I could

still

in

years, I should already have put myself

hundred

upon the road

to seek

him amid

winds round eleven miles, and

ple,

though

less

than half a mile across.

it

this disfigured^ peo-

in such a crew

not

Through them am

me

they induced

is

to

stamp the

flo-

rens that had three carats of alloy."

Per eh'

Ma

s'

io

il

corpo suso arso

io vedessi qui

Di Guido, o

1'

anima

trista

Alessandro, o di lor frate.

d'

Per fonte Branda non darei

Dentro ee

1'

una

lasciai.

gi, se

1'

la vista.

arrabbiate

Ombre, che vanno intorno, dicon vero

Ma

che mi

pur

S' io fossi

Ch'

vai, eh'

ho

le

membra

80

legate

di tanto ancor leggiero,

anni andare un' oncia.

io potessi in cent'

Io sarei messo gi per lo sentiero.

Cercando

Con

lui tra

85

questa gente sconcia,

tutto eh' ella volge undici miglia,

E men

d'

un mezzo

Io son per lor tra

di traverso

fatta famiglia

Ei m' indussero a battere

non

ci

ha.

fiorini,

90

Ch' avevan tre carati di mondiglia.

"

The fountain

to

ena goes for water."

which

ali Si-

Ottimo Com.

pisfig^rej

ijy diseases.

The

crowd of them extends round the

INFERNO.

CANTO XXX.

And

him

I to

"

Who

367

are the abject^ two, lying

close to thy right confines,^

and smoking

like a

hand

in winter-time ?"

bathed
" Here I found them, when I rained into
riven pot," he answered

''
;

and since then they

have not given a turn, and will not give,

One

to all eternity.

Joseph

the other

is

the false

who

ivife^

Burning fever makes them reek

Troy.

And

who

one of them,

I think,

accused

Sinon, the Greek from

false

is

this

so strongly."^

took offence perhaps

at

being named thus darkly,^ smote the rigid belly of

Ed

io

a lui

Chi son

li

duo

tapini,

Che fuman come man bagnata

Giacendo

Qui

li

il

verno.

stretti a' tuoi destri confini ?

trovai, e poi volta

non

dierno.

Rispose, quando piovvi in questo greppo,

E non
una

L'

95

credo che dieno in sempiterno.

la falsa,

L' altro

il

che accus Giuseppe

falso

Sinon Greco da Troia

Per febbre acuta gittan tanto leppo.

r un di
Forse

lor,

che

d' esser

si

rec a noia

nomato

00

oscuro,

94. Dierno, dettero, diedero.

96. Dieno, deano, or diano.

whole of
is

this last

chasm, which

eleven miles in circumference^,

and not

less

than half a mile in

'

Or

Right

low, humble, raimvol.

side: "confines" of his

wide dropsy.
^

lie

roasting toge-

Lit.:

"Because of acute

fever

they throw out such a smoking

breadth.

Trojan Greek,
ther.

Potiphar's wife, and the false

stench."

Leppo properly

the stifling
ter
^

signifies

smoke of greasy mat-

burning without flame.

'*

Named

so obscurely ;"

and

368

INFERNO.

him with

his

fist

it

sounded

CANTO XXX.

drum

like a

and Mas-

Adam

smote him in the face with his arm, that

did not seem less hard,^ saying to him " Though

ter

am

my

kept from moving by

weighty limbs/

have an arm free for such necessity." Thereat he

answered " When thou wast going to the iire, tliou
:

hadst

it

not so ready; but as ready, and more,

when

thou wast coining."^

And
true

when

he of the dropsy

" In this thou say est

but thou wast not so true a witness there,

questioned of the truth at Troy."

" If I spoke

thou too didst

false,

Col pugno

gli

percosse

Quella son, come fosse

E mastro Adamo

gli

1'

epa croia.

un tamburo

percosse

Col braccio suo, che non parve

Dicendo a

lui

Ancor che mi

Lo muover, per

Ho
Ond'

io
ei

il

le

Al fuoco, non

Ma

avei

e pi

idropico

Ma
L

tu

too,

1'

Tu

non

di'

quando

've del ver fosti a Troia richiesto.

by such a despicable

**

fosti s ver testimonio,

Though

il

115

conio,

taken away from me, by the limbs

that are heavy," &c.

" Not less hard" and swollen

Lit.

110

coniavi.

ver di questo

than his rigid paunch.

-

105

duro,

son gravi.

avei tu cos presto

hireling coiner.
'

men

tu andavi

S' io dissi falso, e tu falsasti

that,

volto

sia tolto

membra che

Quando
1'

E r

braccio a tal mestier disciolto.

rispose

falsify the coin/'

to

Thou hadst

a ready

arm

for

coining, indeed; and wast] bound

move

is

and burnt

for

it.

said Sinon
for

369

INFERNO.

CANTO XXX.

" and I

am

here for one crime, and thou

more than any other Demon."

" Recollect thee, perjurer, of the

he who had the inflated paunch

*^
;

horse," answered

and be

it

pun-

ishment to thee that all the world knows thereof."^

" To thee be punishment the thirst that cracks thy
tongue," replied the Greek, " and the putrid water

which makes that belly such a hedge before thy eyes."

Then

usual, to speak
stuffs

'^

the coiner:
ill

Thus thy jaw gapes wide,

have

for if I

as

and moisture

thirst,

me, thou hast the burning, and the head that

pains thee

and

mahe

to

thee lick the mirror of

Nar-

thou wouldst not require many words of in-

cissus

vitation."^

Disse Sinone

son qui per un

fallo,

tu per pi che alcun altro Dimenio.

Ricorditi, spergiuro, del cavallo,

Rispose quei eh' aveva enfiata F epa

sieti

reo che tutto

il

te sia

rea la sete onde

Disse

il

Che
Allora

il
il

monetier

Cos

ho

sete,

arsura, e

il

dir

si

120

saUo.

crepa,
1'

acqua marcia

ventre innanzi agli occhi

s' i'
1'

ti

Greco, la lingua, e

La bocca tua per

Che
Tu hai

mondo

assiepa.

s t'

squarcia

mal come suole

125

ed umor mi rinfarcia.
capo che

ti

duole

E per leccar lo specchio di Narcisso,

Non vorresti a invitar molte parole.

Counts every coin a crime.

Lit.

**
:

Be

it evil

to thee, that all the

or afflictive

world knows"

how thou
wooden
^

didst

lie

about the

horse.

Thou

hast the parching fever

370

INFERNO.

was standing

Master said

"

Now

keep on looking

me

heard him speak to

him with such shame,

hut think of

And

the

When

longer, and I quarrel with thee !"

little

as I

when

intent to hear them,

all

me

to

CANTO XXX.

in anger, I turned towards

that

me

comes over

it

again

it.^

one who dreams of something hurtful to

as

him, and dreaming wishes

it

a dream, so that he

longs for that which

it

were not

I,

is,

as if

who, without power

myself and
that I

all

to excuse

it.^

ascoltarli er' io del tutto fisso,

Quando

Maestro mi disse

il

Che per poco

Quand'

io

il

che teco

me

senti' a

Volsimi verso

lui

con

Or pur

non mi

parlar con
tal

30

mira,

risso

ira,

vergogna,

Ch' ancor per la memoria mi

wished

to speak,

the while excused, and never thought

was doing

Ad

such grew

si

135

gira.

quale quei, che suo dannaggio sogna,

Che sognando desidera sognare,

che quel eh'

Tal mi

Che

Me

fee' io,

art,

come non

non potendo

tuttavia, e

wouldst

and, ugly as

full

eagerly ap-

me

" Overspreads, encircles

again,

or even yet,

but think of

it."

alcuna donna vedesse,

egli

when

Boccaccio has

I
:

gli si

In another very beautiful pas-

{Purg.

10-21),

V.

Dante,

blushing at a gentler reproof of

the

same

vi'hat

sort,

is

again " some-

tinged with the colour wliich

at times

vergogna, che, sempre eh'

pardon."

fatta

140

girerebbe per capo."

" S' egli vi venisse, ella gli farebbe

s

parlare.

sage

fountain of Narcissus.

Or

agogna

noi mi credea fare.

ply thyself to the clear mirror-

fosse,

disiava scusarmi, e scusava

and the headache

thou

makes

man worthy

of

371

INFERNO.

CANTO XXX.

" Less shame washes

thine has been," said the Master

thee of

all

And

sorrow.

thy side, should

again

it

greater

off a

'^
:

I^

am

always

to

hear

Maggior

men vergogna

Maestro, che

il

ogni

d'

il

tristizia ti

fa ragion eh' io

ti

sia

Che

I,

disgrava

sempre

145

allato,

accogha,
;

voler ci udire bassa voglia.

the Poet Virgil and

:

to

whom

emalike

such contest, such mean jangling,

" Thou art my master
is foreign.

my

t'

sien genti in simigliante piato

blem of Wisdom

and

lava,

tuo non stato

Se pi avvien che fortuna

Dove

for the

a vulgar wish."

difetto

Disse

Per

it is

at

out that Fortune brings

thee where people are in similar contest

wish

than

therefore unload

count that

fall

fault

author.

Thou

alone,"

Canto

&c.

i.

Honor

85.

est ho-

mini qui separai se a contentionibus

omnes autem

stulti

contumeliis.

Prov. xx.

by Pietro

Dante.

di

3.

miscentur

Quoted

ARGUMENT.
The Poets now mount up, and cross the bank which separates the last
chasm of Malebolge from the Central Pit, or Ninth Circle, wherein
Satan himself is placed. The air is thick and gloomy {Zeeh. xiv.
so that Dante can see but little way before him.
Rev. ix. 2)
6, 7
The sound of a horn, louder than any thunder, suddenly attracts
;

all his

attention

and, looking in the direction from which

it

comes,

he dimly discerns the figures of huge Giants standing round the

edge of the

Pit.

These are the proud rebellious Nephilim and

"mighty men which were

which

of old," &c. {Genes,

vi.

4); "giants

groan under the waters" {Job xxvi. 5) *' sons of earth"

who made open war against Heaven. The first of them is Nimrod
still

of Babel,

who shouts

in

perplexed unintelligible speech, and

himself a mass of stupidity and confusion

{Vtilg. Eloq.

i.

7) tells

for

is

Dante elsewhere

how "man, under persuasion

of the Giant,

took upon him to surpass Nature and the Author of Nature" on

the plain of Shinar, and was baffled and confounded.

him, the Poets turn to the

the Pit

takes
all

till

them

left

they come to Ephialtes

in his

arms and

sets

After seeing

hand, and go along the brim of

;

and then

them down "

guilt," or lowest part of Hell,

to Antaeus,

into the

where eternal cold freezes and

locks up Cocytus, the marsh (canto xiv. 119) that receives

rivers.

K K

who

bottom of

all

its

INFERNO.

374

CANTO
One and
it

XXXI.

XXXI.

same tongue

the

CANTO

wounded me

first

my

tinged with blushes both

cheeks, and then held

Thus

forth the medicine to me.

so that

I have heard that

the lance of Achilles, and of his father, used to the

occasion

We

of sad and then of healing

first

turned our back to the wretched valley, up

by the bank

that girds

my

than day, so that

;

round, crossing without

it

Here was

any speech.

me

gift.^

less

than night and less

eye went

way

little

before

but I heard a high^ horn sound so loudly, that

Una medesma
mi

Si che

lingua pria mi morse,

tinse

1'

una

poi la medicina

mi

1'

altra guancia,

riporse.

Cos od' io che soleva la lancia

D' Achille, e del suo padre, esser cagione

Prima

buona mancia.

di trista e poi di

Noi demmo

Su per

il

dosso al misero vallone.

la ripa

che

cinge dintorno.

il

Attraversando senza alcun sermone.

Quivi era
S che

Ma
'

As

men
il

che notte e

viso

io senti'

men

m' andava innanzi poco

sonare

un

the rust of Achilles' spear

alto

corno

Telephus the king.

And ofAchilles

alone could heal the wounds that

for his queint spere

weapon had

with

tongue in

mflicted, so Virgil's

last

Thus Chaucer
Tale

"

And

canto,
in

fell

his

in

131,

&c.

Squier's

speech of

IO

che giorno,

it

For he couth

hoth heale and dere."

Shakspear, 2 Hen. VI. act

2

" High up,"

"large, mighty,"

V.

v.

19,

75.

And

v. sc. 1.

&c.

Or

CANTO

375

INFERNO.

XXXI.

would have made any thunder weak

it

towards

following

it

main had
sound

loith his so terribly.

town

lofty towers

my

when

eyes

all

Charle-

holy emprise,^ Orlando did not

lost the

Short while had I kept

when

looking up^ in that direction,

many

directed

After the dolorous rout,

one place.

to

way/

its

which,

whereat I

seemed

" Master

to see

say,

what

this ?"

is

And

he

me

to

darkness too far

" Because thou traversest the

follows that thou errest in

off,^ it

Tanto, eh' avrebbe ogni tuon fatto fioco

Che, contra s la sua via seguitando.

Dirizz gli occhi miei tutti ad

Dopo

la dolorosa rotta,

Magno perde

Carlo

Non

son

quando

la santa gesta.

l alta la testa.

Che mi parve veder molte

Ond'

Ed

io

egli a

Per

le

Maestro,

me

15

loco.

terribilmente Orlando.

Poco portai in

un

di',

alte torri

20

che terra questa ?

Per che tu trascorri

tenebre troppo dalla lungi,

Avvien che poi nel maginare aborri.

24. Aborri, aberri, erri.

low

itself,"

my eyes

fol-

who heard

course " against or towards

cording to

or up meeting

Magni,

The sound made

its

it.

Failed in the enterprise against

the Saracens " whom Biserta sent
2

from Afric shore,"

valles

at

Ronces-

when Orlando, in despair,

blew so terrible a blast that he

it

eight miles

off,

ac-

Turpin {Vita Caroli

e. xxiii.),

was hindered by

the traitor Ganellon

from coming

to his assistance.
^

Lit.

" Carried

my head high

thitherward," &c.
*

Thou

art walking, or looking,

rent his horn and the veins and

through the darkness at too great

sinews of his neck

a distance

and Charles,

from them.

376

INFERNO.

Thou shalt see indeed, when thou

how much the sense at distance is

thy imagining.
arrivest there,

deceived

spur

therefore

Then

lovingly^ he took

" Ere

we go

strange

me by

downwards

As when
and

the hand, and said:

may seem

less

a mist

all

is

around

pit,^

bank, from

its

of them."

vanishing, the eye by

little

reshapes^ that which the air-crowding va-

little

pour hides

darksome

air,

Tu

somewhat more."

know, they are not towers, but

Giants; and are in the

the middle

thee

farther, that the reality

thee,

to

CANTO XXXI,

through that gross and

so lohilst piercing

more and more approaching towards

vedrai ben, se tu l

Quanto

senso

il

s'

Per alquanto pi

ti

25

congiungi.

inganna di lontano
te stesso

pungi.

Poi caramente mi prese per mano,

disse

Pria che noi siam

Acciocch

fatto

il

Sappi che non son

men

torri,

ti

pii avanti.

30

paia strano.

ma

giganti,

son nel pozzo, intorno dalla ripa.

ombehco

Dall'

Come quando

la

in giuso tutti quanti.

nebbia

si

dissipa,

Lo sguardo a poco a poco

Ci che cela
Cos forando

1'

il

vapor, che

aura grossa

35

raffigura
1'

aere stipa

e scura.

Pi e pi appressando in ver la sponda,

Mindful of

and
2

Et

its effect

Pit or

his sharp rebuke,

on me.

Well of canto

xviii. 5.

aperuit piiteum ahyssi

ohscuratus est sol et aer de

putei.

Rev.

ix. 2.

Gigantes, et

in profundis

convivce ejus.

Quod

14.

fumo

inferni

ix. 18.

gantes non resurgant, &c.

et

ibi sint

Prov.

Gi-

Is. xxvi.

Gradually gets the real out-

lines of things

from the vapour.

377

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXI.

the brink, error flees from me, and fear comes on

For

me.

as

Montereggione,^ on

crowned with towers

whom

horrible giants,

ens

when he

so

its

circular wall,

with half their

Jove from heaven

is

bodies"^ the

threat-

still

thunders, towered the brow which com-

passes the pit: and already I discerned the face of

one, the shoulders and the breast, and great part of

down along his

certainly, when she left

the belly, and

sides both arms.

ture

off the art of

Na-

making

animals like these, did very well, in taking away

And

such executioners from Mars.

if

who

her not of Elephants and Whales, he

Fuggemi

giungemi paura

errore, e

Perocch come in su

Montereggion

la cerchia

Cos la proda, che

il

Torreggiavan di mezza

subtly

tonda

corona

di torri si

she repents

40

pozzo circonda,
la

persona

Gli orribili giganti, cui minaccia

Giove del cielo ancora, quando tuona

Ed

io

Le

scorgeva gi
spalle, e

per

Natura

Di

il

le coste

certo,

s fatti

45

alcun la faccia.

d'

petto, e del ventre gran parte,

gi

ambo

quando

le braccia.

lasci

1'

arte

50

animali, assai f' bene,

Per tor cotaU esecutori a Marte.

s'

ella d' elefanti e di

Non
'

si

balene

pente, chi guarda sottilmente.

castle near Siena

"which

on the circuit of its walls," says

the Ottimo, " has about one tower
for every

50 braccia (or 94

feet),

having none in the middle," or

K K

The ruins
them are still visible.
2 The giants, standing half out

centre of the fortress.

of

of the

brim.

pit,

were as towers on

its

INFERNO.

378

CANTO XXXI,

more

looksj therein regards her as

and prudent

just

mind is joined to evil

for when
will and power, men can make no defence against it.
the argument^ of

His visage seemed

Avas

long and large as the

Rome, and

pine^ of St. Peter's at

were in proportion

me

to

to it

his other

bones

so that the bank,

which

an apron^ from his middle downwards, shewed

much

us certainly so
landers*

of him above, that three Frieze-

had vainly boasted

have reached his hair

to

downwards from the place where a man buckles

on his mantle, I saw thirty large spans of him.
'^
Raafel maaee aamech zaabee almee,"^ began

for

Pi giusta

Che dove
S'

1'

pi discreta la ne tiene

argomento

aggiunge

NessuQ riparo

La

mente

della

mal volere ed

al

vi

pu

Come la pina di San

E a sua proporzione
S che la ripa, eh' era

e grossa,

Pietro a

eran

ossa

60

perizoma

gi,

Di sopra, che

di giungere alla

ne mostrava ben tanto

averian dato

s'

Roma

le altr'

Dal mezzo in

Tre Frison

55

alla possa,

far la gente.

mi parea lunga

faccia sua

chioma

mal vanto

Perocch' io ne vedea trenta gran palmi

Dal luogo in
Rafel mai

amech

Force of mind: arma

See Aristotle,
^

gi, dov'

The

Polii,

i.

rationis.

Belvedere.

in the garden

In

affibbia

time

it

il

manto.

stood in front of the old

Church of

2.

from the monument of Hadrian,

of the

s'

zab almi.

colossal pine of bronze,

which now stands

uom

65

Dante's

St. Peter.

Consuerunt folia

runt sihi perizomata.

ficus, et fece-

Gen.

iii.

7.

''

Standing one upon another.

Shadowy words from

his old

CANTO

379

INFERNO.

XXXI.

shout the savage mouth, for which no sweeter

to

psalmody is
" Dull spirit
with that,

And

fit.

keep
rage

if

thy horn

to

my

him

towards

Guide

and vent thyself

other passion touches thee.

or

Search on thy neck, and thou shalt find the belt

that holds

that girdles^ thy

"

He

whose

tied,

it

spirit

huge

This

device one tongue

ill

Then he

breast."

accuses himself.^

said to

me

Nimrod, through

is

not

is

itself

now used

in the

Let us leave him standing, and not speak

world.

Cominci a gridar
Cui non

confused; and see

il

si

la fiera bocca,

convenien pi dolci salmi.

Duca mio ver

lui

Anima

Tienti col corno, e con quel

Quand'

ira o altra

passion

70

sciocca,

disfoga,

ti

ti

tocca.

Cercati al collo, e troverai la soga

Che

il

anima confusa,

tien legato, o

vedi lui che

Poi disse a

me

gran petto

il

Egli stesso

ti

doga.

1^:^

accusa.

s'

Questi Nembrotto, per lo cui mal coto

Pure un linguaggio nel mondo non

Lasciamlo

Babel.

See

v.

habitant

cum

76-81.

eis.

non parliamo a voto

stare, e

Ecce gi-

gantes gemunt suh aquis,

Nudus

et

qui

est in-

fenius coram ilio. Job. xxvi. Virgil speaks " towards" not to him.
^

Or

lies

across the whole of

thy large breast.

Doga, " stave"

of a cask, as in Purg.

xii.

105

'^

" and

kingdom was

Babel," &c.

x.

Geti.

10.

netto Latini (Trsor, Li v.

says

**
:

Nembrot

i.

Brue.

22)

ediffia la tour

Babel en Babylonie, o advint

la

diversit des lengaiges et la con-

mesmes mua

dogare, to gird, Src.

tells his guilt.

the beginning of his

fusion

109.

mighty Nimrod

bianche e bigle^' in Vili.

vii.

usa.

His own jargon

It is the

then " stripe" of colour, as " doghe

Whence

s'

des parleures.
sa langue

en Caldeu," &c.

Nembrot
Hebreu

380

INFERNO.

in vain; for every language

CANTO XXXI.

him,

to

is

as to others

which no one understands."

his

We
and

therefore journeyed on, turning to the left;

at a

much

from him we found another,

and larger. What the artist ^^ to gh'd

crossbow-shot

fiercer

him could be, I cannot tell but he had his right

arm pinioned down behind, and the other before,
with a chain which held him clasped from the neck
;

downwards, and on the uncovered part went round

" This proud spirit willed to
to the fifth turn.^

power against high Jove," said my Guide

" whence he has such reward.
Ephialtes is his
name ; and he made the great endeavours,^ when

try his

Che

80

cos a lui ciascun linguaggio,

Come il suo ad altrui, eh' a nullo

Facemmo adunque pii lungo viaggio
Volti a sinistra

Trovammo

cinger

Non

lui,

1'

Dinanzi

qual che fosse

;

ma

ei

il

un

balestro

maggio.

collo in gi,

85

maestro,

tenea succinto

altro, e dietro il

D' una catena, che

Dal

al trar d'

altro assai pi fiero e

so io dir
1'

ed

noto.

braccio destro,

il

teneva avvinto

che in su lo scoperto

Si ravvolgeva infino al giro quinto.

Questo superbo

voli' essere

Di sua potenza contra

Disse
Fialte

Made

il

mio Duca, ond'

ha nome

five

e fece le

turns on the visible

part of his body.

^

Ter sunt conati imponere Pelio

Ossam

Scilicet,

atque Ossee fronda-

sommo

il

90

esperto

ha

egli

Giove,
cotal merto.

gran prove,
sum
i.

involvere

281.

The

Oiympiim.

responds with that which

gives him.

Georg,

size of Ephialtes cor-

Odyss.

xi.

Homer

307, &c.

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXI.

made

the giants

he then

the gods afraid

he never moves."
him " If it were possible, I should
:

might have experience of the huge

Whereat he answered

Briareus."

see Antaeus near at hand,

who

He whom

who

^^
:

Thou

speaks and

will put us into the

thou desirest to see

and made

tied

is

the arms, which

i^layed,

And I to
wish my eyes

tered/

181

bottom of
is

like this, save that

unfet-

is

all guilt.

beyond

far

shalt

and

he appears in

No

mighty earthquake ever

shook a tower so violently,

as Ephialtes forthAvith

more

visage

ferocious."

Then more than ever

shook himself.^

Quando
Le

Ed

giganti fer paura ai Dei

braccia, eh' ei

io a lui

Che

dreaded
95

men, giammai non muove.

S' esser puote, io vorrei

dello smisurato Briareo

Esperienza avesser

Ond'

ei

rispose

Tu

gli

occhi miei.

vedrai Anteo

100

Presso di qui, che parla, ed disciolto.

Che ne porr

nel fondo d' ogni reo.

Quel che tu vuoi veder,

Ed

legato, e fatto

piti l

come

molto.

questo.

105

Salvo che pi feroce par nel volto.

Non

fu tremuoto gi tanto rubesto.

Che

scotesse

Come
AUor
'

una

torre cos forte.

Fialte a scuotersi fu presto.

temetti pi che

For Antaeus did not join

mai
his

la

morte.

petuous (rubesfo, 'robustious,' and

brothers in war against the gods,

like

verse 119, &c.

shake

Lit.

"

Not

yet has there been

an earthquake so mighty or im-

it

antiquated) that
a tower

so

it

could

violently,

as

Ephialtes was ready or quick to

shake himself."

INFERNO.
death

and nothing

had

fear,

We

was wanting

else

for it

but the

I not seen his bands.

then proceeded farther on, and reached An-

who

taeus,

CANTO XXXI.

the head, forth issued

full five ells, besides

"

from the cavern.

thou

who

in the fateful val-

which made Scipio heir of glory when Hannibal

ley,^

retreated with his hosts, didst take of old a thousand

lions for

been

thy prey; and through whom,^ hadst thou

high war of thy brethren,

at the

it

seems yet

be believed that the sons of earth had conquered

to

down

set us

E non
S' io

and be not shy

E venimmo ad

the

110

allotta,

Anteo, che ben cinqu'

alle.

la testa, uscia fuor della grotta.

che nella fortunata

Che

where

avessi viste le ritorte.

Noi procedemmo pi avanti

tu,

it

era mestier pi che la dotta,

v'

non

Senza

do

to

valle,

1 1

fece Scip'ion di gloria creda.

Quando Annibal

co' suoi diede le spalle,

Recasti gi mille lion per preda,

che se fossi stato

De' tuoi

fratelli,

Che avrebber

vinto

all'

guerra

alta

ancor par eh'

i

ei si

figh della terra

120

creda,

Mettine giuso, e non ten venga schifo,

Dove Cocito

la freddura serra.

Near Carthage, where

''

more

lions

and combat with Hercules

Bagrada

than 20,000 Carthaginians were

qua

slain;" and the fate of Carthage

sulcator arenas,

and Rome,

and "

was decided.

Valley
Antaeus

all

the world,"

Liv. xxx. 32, &c.

of the Bagrada, where

liad his cave

and prey of

se

Lit.

been," &c.

"

lentus agit siccce

&c. Lucan.

And

if

iv.

588.

who hadst

Coeloque pepercit,qubd

non Phlegreeis AntcEum sustulit arvis.

Ibid. 596.

383

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXI.

up Cocytus. Do not make us go to Tityos nor Typhon '} this man can give of that which
cold locks

here

for.

Therefore bend thee, and curl

i?i

scorn

he

lives,

longed

is

not thy lip

earth

for

he can restore thy fame on

and

Grace before the time

call

Thus spake the Master

forth

great stress, and took

may

Then

Such

one bundle.

Guide.

me

Ch'

ti

n a Tifo

ti

non

me he made

seems to view.

as the Carisenda^

china, e

when he

" Come here, that I

Questi pu dar di quel che qui

Per

Yirgil,

of himself and

far ire a Tizio,

ci

Ancor

herself."

and he in haste stretched

my

grasp, said to

take thee."

Non

him not unto

so

life/^

hands, whence Hercules of old did feel

the

felt their

awaits long

still

si

brama

25

torcer lo grifo.

pu nel mondo render fama

lunga vita ancor aspetta.

ei vive, e

Se innanzi tempo grazia a s noi chiama.

Cos disse

il

Le man

Maestro

sent gi

me

Poi fece

s,

che un fascio
la

other giants, " sons of

Two

The

Bologna
beneath,

thick leaning tower of

;

which, to one

seems

itself

Duca mio,
stretta.

sentio,

to

er' egli

who

is

stoop

ti

ed

prenda.

135

io.

Carisenda

when
hangs,

Ibid.

2 Still has to descend the whole

" arch of his life." See note, p. 2.
^

si

130

fretta

Fatti in qua, s eh' io

Qual pare a riguardar

Earth," in Lucan.

il

grande

quando prender

Disse a

quegh in

distese, e prese

Ond' Ercole
Virgilio,

a cloud, against which

is

passing over

other (Asinelli) tower

but leans

far less

it.

is

it

The

higher,

than the Cari-

senda, and not so strikingly with

The Carisenda
name from the Garisendi

corner foremost.

has

its

384

INFERJsO.

beneath the leaning

it

so, that it

to

me who

time^ I

CANTO

when

side,

hangs opposed

a cloud

is

XXXI.

going over

such Antseus seemed

him bend and

should have wished to go by other
stood attent to see

at the

road.

But gently on the deep, which swallows^ Lucifer

with Judas, he placed us

nor lingered there thus

bent, but raised himself as in a ship the mast.

Sotto

il

chinato,

Sovr' essa

s,

quando un nuvol vada

eh' ella in contrario

me

Tal parve Anteo a

e fu tal ora

Ch'

ir

Ma

lievemente

voluto
al

E come

family

chinato

it

is

now.

Benv. da Imola.
^

or

Lit.

then, that I

pos

si

145

lev.

swallow

" Neither

me

should

Ps. Ixix. 15.

alive,

the deep

mouth upon me."

" Swallow them up

as the grave

have wished to get down by some

as those that

other way.

pit."

Prov.

let

up, and let not the

pit shut her

" It was such hour,"

moment

fece dimora,

albero in nave

in I)ante's time than

per altra strada

ci

and was much liigher

140

fondo, che divora

Lucifero con Giuda,

che stava a bada

Di vederlo chinare,
io avrei

penda

i.

and whole,

go down into the

12.

ARGUMENT.
This Ninth and Last, or frozen Circle, lowest part of the Universe, and
farthest

remote from the Source of all light and heat, divides

The
name from Cain who
sinners who have done

into four concentric Rings.

which has
tains the

its

The second

first

or outermost

slew his brother Abel, and conviolence to their

trayer of his country" (Pietro di Dante, &c.),

many

is

filled

with those

guilty of treachery against their native land.

of his

in these two rings

Camiccion

own kindred.

or Antenora, so called " from Antcnor the Trojan, be-

who have been

finds

is

itself

the Caina,

Dante

own countrymen, both Guelphs and Ghibellines,

and learns the names of those in the First from
;

de' Pazzi,

and of those

in the

Second from Bocca degli

He

has a very special detestation of Bocca, through whose

treachery so many of the Guelphs were slaughtered, and " every

Abati.

family in Florence thrown into mourning;" and, as the Ottimo re-

marks, "falls into a very rude method, that he has used to no

other spirit."

The canto

leaves

him

L L

Antenora beside two

same hole.

in the

sinners that are frozen close together in the

386

INFERNO.

CANTO

CANTO

xxxir.

XXXII.

If I had rhymes both rough and hoarse, as

would

befit the

dismal hole, on which

all

the other

rocky steeps converge and weigh,^ I should press

my

out the juice of

since I have

myself to
of

all

them

conception more fully

not,

the Universe

is

describe the bottom

not an enterprise for being

taken up in sport, nor for a tongue that cries

But may those Ladies^ help

and papa.

but

not without fear I bring

thereof; for to

tell

mamma

my verse, who

helped Amphion with walls to close in Thebes

my words may not be diverse from the fact.

O ye, beyond all others, miscreated rabble,

so

that

S'

ID avessi

Come
Sovra

le

rime e aspre e chiocce,

si

converrebbe

il

qual pontan tutte F

Pi pienamente

ma

suco

non

1'

mi conduco

abbo,

impresa da pigliare a gabbo.

Descriver fondo a tutto

N da hngua

Ma

il

altre rocce,

perch' io

senza tema a dicer

Che non

buco,

al tristo

Io premerei di mio concetto

Non

that

quelle

che chiami

Donne

aiutino

universo.

1'

il

mamma
mio

e babbo.

verso,

10

Ch' aiutaro Anfone a chiuder Tebe,

S

Oh
^

che dal fatto

il

dir

non

sia diverso.

sovra tutte mal creata plebe.

Meeting

as at the keystone of

a bridge or vault.

Rocce for

roccie.

Muses, by whose aid Amphion

reared the walls of Thebes.

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXXII.

387

which

are in the place, to speak of

is

hard, better

had ye here on earth been sheep or goats

When we

were down in the dark

much

the Giant's feet,

at the

lower,i

and I

passest

to

under

pit,

was gazing

still

high wall, I heard a voice say

how thou

me

^'

Look

take care that with thy soles thou

tread not on the heads of the weary wretched bro-

Whereat

thers."^

me and

I turned myself, and saw before

my

beneath

which through

feet a lake,

had the semblance of glass and not of water.

Danube

did the

in Austria

make

was here

frigid sky,^ as there

for if

Tabernicch^

Me'

foste state qui pecore o zebe.

noi

nel loco, onde parlare duro

fummo

Ed

mirava ancora

udimmi

all'

alto

muro.

Guarda come passi

che tu non calchi con

Fa

s,

Le

teste de' fratei miseri lassi.

io

sotto

Avea

Non

mi
i

Di verno

Com'

This

il

volsi, e

piedi

la

Tanai

20

piante

lago, che per gielo

non

d'

acqua sembiante.

25

grosso velo

Danoia in Austericch,
l sotto
:

circle, like

il

freddo

cielo.

che se Tabernicch

Male-

bolge, slopes towards Satan.

Two

le

vidimi davante

corso suo

era quivi

last

un

di vetro, e

fece al

15

pie del Gigante, assai pi bassi.

io

gi nel pozzo scuro

Sotto

Per eh'

beneath the

stai

Dicere

afar

Che

Come

Never

so thick a veil for

Don

his course in winter, nor the

frost

brothers of verse 55, &c.

Hyperhoreas glacies, Tandim-

que nivalem.
*

Georg,

iv.

517.

Probably the Frusta Gora, a

388

INFERNO.

had

on

fallen

it,

or Pietrapana,

And

the villager oft dreams that she

where

Each held

downwards

his face turned

their cold,

of their hearts

is testified

and by the eyes the sorrow

amongst them.^

had looked round awhile,

so, livid,

sounding with their teeth

ice,

by the mouth

When

gleaning

is

hue of shame appears/ the doleful

the

shades were in the

like storks.^

as the frog

with his face out of the water/ when

to croak, sits

to

XXXIT.

would not even

it

edge have given a creak.

at the

up

CANTO

turned

Vi fosse su caduto, o Pietrapana,

Non

avria

E come

pur

a gracidar

Col muso fuor

si

Eran

1'

dell'

Da

acqua, quando sogna

la villana

in gi tenea volta la faccia

bocca

solitary

the

in

io

il

freddo, e dagli occhi

ebbi

d'

Up

Lit.

is

il

cor tristo

40

intorno alquanto visto,

Pietrapana

procaccia.

of Tovarnich in

Sclavona.

another

high mountain near Lucca.

^

si

mountain, the only one

district

35

nella ghiaccia,

denti in nota di cicogna.

Tra lor testimonianza

Quand'

dove appar vergogna,

ombre dolenti

Mettendo

Ognuna

l,

rana

sta la

Di spigolar sovente
Livide insin

30

dall' orlo fatto cricch.

to their necks in ice.

:

" Putting their teeth

into the note of the stork ;" rattling with them, as the stork does

In the warm summer nights,

with her

bill.

Ipsa

sibi

during the Italian harvest, when

crepitante ciconia rostro.

the village gleaner dreams of her

vi.

day-work.

Image of

trasting with the eternal winter

like the peaceful touches in

mer's wildest hattle-scenes.

Ho-

Metam.

97.
*

heat, con-

ptaudat

By

their chattering teeth

and

eyes glazed with tears, "testimony

is

given" of their cold and the sad-

ness of their hearts.

CANTO

my

towards

389

INFERNO.

XXXII.

feet

and saw two

pressed against

so

each other, that they had the hairs of their head

" Tell me, ye who thus together press

intermixed.

your bosoms/' said

And

'^

T,

are ye ?"

who

they bended their necks

had raised

me,

their faces towards

and when they

their eyes,

which

only inwardly were moist before,^ gushed at the

and the

bound

frost

cramp did ever gird

like

the tears between them,

fast

and closed them up again

lids,

wood with wood no

iron

Wherefore they,

so strongly.

two he-goats, butted one another

such rage

came over them.

And

who had

one,

with his face

Volsimi

Che
Ditemi

both ears by the cold,

downwards said " Why art thou

still

piedi, e vidi

a'

due

s stretti.

pel del capo aveano insieme misto.

il

voi,

che

stringete

Diss* io, chi siete

lost

poi eh' ebber

li

quei piegare

visi

me

Gli occhi lor, eh' eran pria

Gocciar su per

Le lagrime

petti.
colli

45

eretti,

pur dentro

molli.

le labbra, e il gielo strinse

tra essi, e riserrolU.

Legno con legno spranga mai non

Forte cos

li

ond'

ei,

come duo

cinse

50

becchi,

Cozzare insieme, tant' ira H vinse.

Ed

un, eh' avea perduti

Per

la freddura,

Disse

'

up.

gli

spoken

to,

all

frozen

they forget

orecchi

col viso in giue

Perch cotanto in noi

Their brotherly love

When

pur

ambo

ti

specchi ?

their hatred for an

bend

LL2

instant,

their necks with effort.

and

390

INFERNO.

much

looking so

who

CANTO

know

If thou desirest to

at us?^

are these two,^ the valley

XXXII.

whence the Bisenzio

descends was their father Albert's and

They

theirs.

issued from one body;^ and thou mayest search the

whole Caina, and

be fixed in gelatine

to

shadow

at

more worthy
whose breast and

shalt not find a shade

:^

not him,-^

one blow were pierced by Arthur's hand

not Focaccia

not

;^

this,

who

me

so obstructs

55

Se vuoi saper chi son cotesti due,

La

valle,

onde Bisenzio

Del padre loro Alberto

D' un corpo uscir

Degna pi

dichina.

si

e di lor fue.

e tutta la Caina

non

Potrai cercare, e

with

troverai

ombra

d' esser fitta in gelatina

60

Non quelli a cui fu rotto il petto, e F ombra

Con esso un colpo per la man d' Arti
Non Focaccia non questi, che m' ingombra
;

Or, staring over our icy forms,

Napoleone

sons

and Alessandro,

Count Alberto,

of

stroke of his lance, that the sun

shone through the wound

as over a mirror.

whose

afterwards

is

ley of

Lancelot

Bisenzio, a small river

that flows
six miles

many

into

the

Arno some

below Florence.

other

acts

After

of treachery,

they betrayed and murdered each

'

iii.

They were sons of one mother.

du Lac

fol.

Romance

(Paris,

197, &c.)

"

of

1513

Et

la

lance passa parmi la plaie

ung

ray de soleil," &c.

Focaccia

Pistoia,

de'

Cancellieri

who, for a

silly

of

boyish

yoimg cousin's

Fixed in this frozen marsh.

offence, cut off his

Mordrec or Modred, bastard

hand, and murdered his uncle

son

of

King Arthur.

By

his

many Knights of the

Round Table were slain. Arthur

treachery

pierced

the

traitor with

such a

dit

I'histoire qu'aprs l'ouverture de

other.

in falling, as

related in the old

P.

and

of a blow that

Modred gave him

possessions lay in the upper valtlie

died

thereby giving rise to the factions

of the Bianchi and Neri in Pistoia

and Florence. Benv. da Imola ;

Vili. viii.

38.

CANTO

his

INFERNO.

XXXII.

head that I see no

SassoP Mascheroni

farther,

and who was named

thou beest a Tuscan, well

if

391

And

knowest thou now who he was.

mayest not put

me

was Camiccion^

de' Pazzi,

know

to further speech,

and

am

that

thou

that I

waiting for Car-

me."

lino to excuse

Afterwards I saw a thousand visages, made dog-

by the cold

gish

me, and always

frozen fords.^

Col capo

si,

whence shuddering comes over

And

as

eh' io

non veggio

sei,

ben

E perch non mi
Sappi eh'

Ed

of the

think

we were going towards

sa'

the

oltre pi,

fu nomato Sassol Mascheroni

Se Tosco

omai chi

65

fu.

metti in pi sermoni.

io fu'

il

Camicion

aspetto Carlin che

Poscia vid' io mille

Fatti per freddo

come, wh7i

will

visi

mi

de' Pazzi,

scagioni.

70

cagnazzi

onde mi vien

ribrezzo,

verr sempre, de' gelati guazzi.

E mentre

eh'

andavamo

in ver lo mezzo.

70. Cagnazzi, cagneschi, paonazzi.

'

Sassol de' Toschi of Florence,

to " excuse,"

whom he

seem

his

murdered

inheritance

riously

carried,

for the sake of

Pazzi.

He

own

vigne in Valdarno for money, to

in

who

castle

of Piantre-

vegete),

the Florentines, after the exiled

and then

Whites and Ghibellines had de-

says, the treach-

eries of Carlino de' Pazzi,

who

fended it twenty - nine days

" whence many, even of the best
:

treacher-

ously slew his kinsman Ubertino

de'

his

betrayed the

Benv. da Imola, &c.

Of Val darn o

make

Carlino (in 1302)

and was noto-

through the whole city

trifling.

or

" nailed

cask" {clavatus in una

beheaded.

be great enough

living, will

still

guardian of his brother's only son,

is

exiles of Florence,

taken," &c.
^

were slain or

Vili. viii.

5Z.

Those ice-fords of the

Pit.

INFERNO.

392
middle^ at which

CANTO

weight unites, and I was shiver-

all

ing in the eternal shade, whether

tiny or chance, I

know not

heads, I hit

my

"Weeping

cried out to

on

me

it

XXXII.

was

it

will, or des-

but, walking

amid the

foot violently against the face of one.

me " Why
:

tramplest thou

If thou comest not to increase the ven-

geance for Montaperti,^ why dost thou molest me ?"

And I " My Master now wait me here, that
!

may

me

rid

of a doubt respecting

thou, however

The Master

much thou

And

stood.

pleasest,

him

make me

kept bitterly reviling, I said

What

haste."

which

still

art thou,

who

to that shade,
''

then shalt

thus reproachest others ?"

Al quale ogni gravezza

Ed

tremava

io

Se voler

Non

nell'

fu, o destino,

so

ma

si

rauna.

eterno rezzo.

o fortuna.

passeggiando tra

Forte percossi

75

le teste.

pie nel viso ad una.

il

Piangendo mi sgrid

Perch mi peste ?

Se tu non vieni a crescer

la

80

vendetta

Di Mont' Aperti, perch mi moleste ?

Ed

io

Maestro mio, or qui m' aspetta.

S eh' io esca

Poi mi

Lo Duca

quantunque

farai,

stette

d'un dubbio per costui

ed

vorrai, fretta.

io dissi a colui,

Che bestemmiava duramente ancora

Qual

of all

moral.

all

the Universe

gravity,

Convito, Tr.

cen-

physical and
ii.

che cos rampogni altrui ?

" Middle" of Hell, and of the

Earth, and
tre

sei tu,

c. 3,

&c.

"^

at

The great defeat of the Guelphs

Montaperti (see canto

x.

86)

was completed by the treachery

of

Bocca

degli Abati,

who

here

CANTO

393

INFERNO.

XXXII.

" Nay, who

art thou/'

he answered,

''

that through

the Antenora goest, smiting the cheeks of others

that, if
''

est

fame,

it

alive,"

may

be precious to thee, that I put thy

name among

And

he

alive, it

the other notes."

me " The

to

contrary

is

what I long

Take thyself away and pester me no more

ill knowest how to flatter on this icy slope."
!

Then

so

were too much

was my reply ; " and if thou seek-

thou wert

am

?"

him by the

I seized

afterscalp,

for

for.

thou

and said

" It will be necessary that thou name thyself, or

that not a hair

he

me

to

"

Or tu

remain upon thee here

Even

chi

if

le gote,

Si che, se vivo fossi, troppo fora

Fu mia
Ch'

Ed

io

e caro esser

risposta, se

metta

egli a

me

il

sai

ti

90

puote.

domandi fama,

nome

tuo tra V altre note.

Del contrario ho

Levati quinci, e

Che mal

tell

che vai per V Antenora

sei,

io

Whence

thou unhair me, I will not

Percotendo, rispose, altrui

Vivo son

!"

io

brama

non mi dar pi lagna

95

Perch tu mi dischiomi,

100

lusingar per questa lama.

Allor lo presi per la cuticagna,

dissi

E' converr che tu

che capei qui su non

Ond'

egli a
ti

me

dir eh' io

95.

who cut
Jacopo del Vacca
speaks

nomi,

rimagna.

n mostrerolti,

Lagna, cause of complaint,

off the
de'

sia,

ti

ti

hand of

Pazzi, stan-

dard-bearer of the Florentine ca-

valry,

who was near

hiiii,

during

the "ruinous" assault of Farinata's

German

troops.

Vili. vi.

78, 79.

394

INFERNO.

am

thee

who

foul

upon

had

his hair coiled

my

nor shew

thee,

it

CANTO

xxxir.

though thou

fall

head a thousand times."

more than one

my

on

I already

hand, and had plucked

he barking and keeping

down his eyes, when another cried " What ails thee.

off

tuft of

it,

Bocca?

Is

not enough for thee to chatter with

it

What

thy jaws, but thou must bark too?

upon thee
*'

Devil

is

?"

Now,"

want thee

" accursed

said I,

speak

to

for to

traitor

do not

thy shame I will bear

true tidings of thee."

"

Go away !" he answered " and

tell

But be not

thee.

Se miUe

who now had

mano

capelli in

tratto glien avea pi d'

Latrando

Quando un

Non

ti

lui

le

vo'

Malvagio traditor

ciocca,

hai tu,

105

Bocca?

mascelle.

qual Diavol

latri ?

non

una

Che

basta sonar con

diss' io,

avvolti,

occhi in gi raccolti

gli

altro grid

Se tu non

Omai,

con

his tongue so

capo mi tomi.

fiate in sul

Io avea gi

thou gettest out from

silent, if

hence, respecting him,^

what pleases

che tu

ti

tocca ?

favelle.

110

eh' alla tua onta

Io porter di te vere novelle.

Va

via, rispose, e ci

Ma

non

Di quel

che tu vuoi, conta

tacer, se tu di

eh' ebbe or cos la

Buoso da Duera of Cremona,

for money betrayed the Ghihellines, allowing Guy de Mont'

who

fort to

qua entro

pass the Oglio, with the

eschi.

Hngua pronta.

French army of Charles of Anjou,

1265; at which the people of

in

Cremona were
they

so

extirpated his

enraged, that

whole race.

CANTO

ready.
^

Him

395

INFERNO.

XXXII.

Here he laments the Frenchmen's silver.

of Duera/ thou canst say, I saw there, where
'

the sinners stand pinched in

who

asked

else

Shouldst thou be

ice.'^

was there, thou hast beside thee the

Beccaria^ whose gorge was

del Soldanier,^ I think,

slit

by Florence.

Gianni

farther on, with Ganel-

is

and Tribaldello^ who oped Faenza when

lone,^

it

slept."

Ei piange qui

1'

argento de* Franceschi

Ilo

Io vidi, potrai dir, quel da Duera

L, dove

Se

peccatori stanno freschi.

dimandato,

fossi

altri

chi v' era

Tu

hai da lato quel di Beccaria,

Di

cui seg Fiorenza la gorgiera.

Gianni del Soldanier credo che

Piti l

con Ganellone,

Buoso himself "

carried off much

exile.

Imola

Ital.
^

t.

Vili.

vii.

fix or

dormia.

the defeat of Manfred, " put himself at the

head of the populace

Murai. Rer.

regarding the issue, which was

to hurt the Ghibellines

star fresco,

v.

is

'*

to

said to

himself," &c.
*

Tesauro Beccaria of Pavia,

accused of treacher-

Ganellone or Gano, the

at

and new Ganillion," &c.

cer,
5

Tribaldello

exiled Ghibellines, and beheaded

his native

Benv. da Imola;

Vili.

Q5.
^

This Gianni was of Ghibel-

line family

and

in

1266, after

Chau-

Nonne' s Prieste's Tale.

Faenza, who

in 1258.

trai-

ously plotting to bring back the

vi.

and ruin

Vili. vii. 14.

Roncesvalles
celebrated
in the old poets. " O new Scariot
tor

117.

Abbot of Vallombrosa and Legate

of Pope Alexander IV. at Florence, was

si

in order to rise into power, not

pucker,"

be derived from
^

sia

Benv. da

709.

ix. p.

The phrase

be in a

at last in miser-

120

e Tribaldello

Ch' apr Faenza quando

money," but died

able poverty and

to the

de'

for

city at

Manfredi of

money opened
dead of night

French in 1282

and that

same year was slain with them,

in the "bloody heap" (canto xxvii.
44) at Forli.

Vili. vii.

80, 81.

896

INFERNO.

We

had already

when

him,

left

CANTO

saw two frozen

was a cap

in one hole so closely, that the one head

And

to the other.

bread

as

where the brain

thou

and the other

who by such

parts.

brutal token shewest thy

him whom thou devourest,

hate on

tell

me why,"

''on this condition, that if thou with reason

complainest of him,

may

offence,
that,

temples of Menalippus for

the

rage, than he the skull

hunger,

Not otherwise

joins with the nape.

gnaw

did Tydeus^

said

for

uppermost put his teeth into the other there

so the

"

chewed

is

XXXII.

Noi eravam

S,

il

da

his

sovran
il

if

li

cervel

elio,

una buca

ghiacciati in

si

altro pose

all'

aggiunge con

altrimenti Tideo

25

manduca.

si

denti
s'

altro era cappello

all'

pan per fame

il

L, 've

Non

duo

che r un capo

Cos

and

I speak, be not dried up."

partiti gi

io vidi

E come

are

yet repay thee in the world above,

wherewith

Ch'

knowing who ye

I,

la nuca.

130

rose

Le tempie a Menahppo per disdegno,

Che quei faceva

tu,

teschio e

il

che mostri per

bestiai

Odio sovra colui che tu

Dimmi
Che

il

perch,

se tu a ragion di lui

ti

Se quella, con eh'

See Statius, Theh.

&c.

Caput,

caput, o

vili.
!

740,
si

segno

per

tal

convegno,

135

piangi,

io te

io parlo,

mihi

siete, e la

Nel mondo suso ancor

altre cose.

mangi,

ti

diss' io

Sappiendo chi voi

1'

sua pecca.

ne cangia

non

quis

nam

si

secca.

Apportet, Menalippe, tuum

volvers arvis

&c.

ARGUMENT.
'*

man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished"

qua peccai quis, per hcec et torquetur) is the unalterable
law which Dante sees written
not only in the ancient Hebrew
records, but in every part of the Universe.
The sinners whom he
here finds frozen together in one hole, are Count Ugolino and
Archbishop Ruggieri (Roger) of Pisa, traitors both and Ruggieri has the Shadow of Ugolhio's hunger gnawing upon him in
the eternal ice, while Ugolino has the image of his own base
treachery and hideous death continually before him.
He lifts up
his head from the horrid meal, and pauses, when Dante recalls
to him his earthly life, in the same way as the storm paused for

Wherewithal a
(quia per

Francesca

The two

and the Archbishop

is silent

tragedies occurred about the very

was nearly twenty-four years of age

means

See canto

as Paolo.

same time

when

we have

and, so far as

v.

Dante
the

of ascertaining, he seems to have been accurately acquainted

with the circumstances of both, and to have taken them exactly

The Archbishop was summoned

as they occurred.

account

for the

murder of Ugolino

with what

result

to
is

Rome, to
known

not

perhaps because the Romish clergy, when found guilty of great

The Pisans

crimes, are usually suppressed and taken out of sight.

never recovered their ancient state and power, after the disasters

and crimes of 1284-9

but lost their islands of Sardinia and Cor-

sica; were seized with cowardice ("vilt" in Fill.

Guido

di Montefeltro, the best

vii.

general of the time,

154), so that

whom

they had

appointed Lord

of their city, " durst not shew himself" with

Italy.

137

them
when the Florentines were laying waste and burning its suburbs.
They and it rapidly became quite insignificant in the affairs of
Fill. vii.

viii. 2,

30, &c.

After leaving Ugolino, the Poets go on to the Third Ring or Ptolo-its name from
who "had abundance of

maea, which takes

the Ptolomseus (1 Maccab, xvi.

11, &c.)

silver

his two sons; and,

"when Simon and

treacherously slew

them "

berigo and Branca

d'

in the

"made

the high priest and

his sons

had drunk largely,"

banqueting place."

Oria are found

MM

and gold," and

Simon

great banquet," for his father-in-law

in

it.

Friar Al-

INFERNO.

398

CANTO
From
wiping

it

my

upon the

head he had laid waste

" Thou wiliest that I re-

hair of the
:

very thought, before I

words are

my

traitor

whom

may

thou seemest

know

that I

La

to

when

but,

me

Tu

hast to

this the

Arch-

a'

capelli

vuoi eh' io rinnovelli

Disperato dolor, che

il

cor

Gi pur pensando, pria eh'

Che

hast

eh' egli avea diretro guasto.

Poi cominci

se le

not

fiero pasto

Quel peccator, forbendola

Ma

know

Thou

was Count Ugolino, and

Del capo

I hear thee, in truth

a Florentine.

bocca sollev dal

if

I gnaw, thou shalt see

by what mode thou

be, nor
;

But

bear fruit of

speak and weep at the same time.

who thou mayest

come down here

heart, even

tell thereof.

be a seed, that

to

infamy to the

me

XXXIII.

desperate grief, which wrings

at the

XXXIII.

repast that sinner raised his mouth,

fell

Then he began

behind.

new

the

CANTO

mi preme,
io

ne favelU.

mie parole esser den seme,

frutti

infamia al traditor eh' io rodo.

Parlare e lagrimar vedrai insieme.

Io

non

so chi tu

Venuto

sei

sie,

n per che modo

quaggi

ma

Fiorentino

Mi sembri veramente, quand' io t' odo.

Tu dei saper eh' io fui il Conte UgoHno,
E questi V Arcivescovo Ruggieri
:

10

CANTO

bishop Ruggieri

such a neighbour
his

ti

Che per

1'

effetto de' suoi

am

of

eiFect

Count Ugolino

mal

de'

Gherar-

Guelphs

in

p.

Ghi

In the year 1284, Pisa

bellines.

city of

pensieri,

Tuscany that

587; Cronica di Pisa, in Tartin.

Supp. Rer.

and Archbishop Ruggieri

degli Ubaldini, chief of the

was the only

lo

di lui, io fossi preso

deschi, chief of the

;

That by the

him.

to

why

I will tell thee

dir perch' io son tal vicino.

Fidandomi

Pisa

now

devices I, confiding in him, was taken and

ill

Or

399

INFERNO.

XXXIII.

Again,

Ital.

t.

i.

July

in

564.

p.

when

1288,

three parties were competing for

the mastery in Pisa, viz.

Nino

de*

Judge of Gallura, with

Visconti,

Guelphs

adhered to the Ghibelline party;

certain

and Ugolino himself was of a Ghi-

the rest of the

belline family, but quite unscru-

opposition to both, " Archbishop

In

Ruggieri degli Ubaldini, with the

pulous, and eager for power.

that

same

year, after

the disas-

Lanfranchi,

trous sea-fight with the Genoese,

Sismondi

on Sunday, 6th August, in which

houses

the Pisans lost

leys,

many

of their gal-

and had 16,000 of their best

men

and

and

and, in

and

Gualandi,

Ghibelline

other

the said

in order to

Ugolino, with

Guelphs

Count Ugolino,

make himself master,

united with the Archbishop and

and

betrayed Judge

killed or taken prisoners,

" the Florentines (in September)

his

formed a league with the Luc-

was his own grandson, son of his

chese, Sienese, &c. together with

the Genoese to

make war on Pisa

the Florentines and other Tus-

cans by

by

land,

Ugolino, who had fled

sea."

from the

and the Genoese

battle before

it

was

fully

party,

Nino, not

considering

own daughter

he

that

and they arranged

that he should be expelled from

Pisa with his followers, or seized

in

person.

J^ino

hearing

this,

and not finding himself able

make

to

defence, left the city and

decided,

now by bribery and other

means induced the Floren-

went

unfair

leagued with the Florentines and

tines

to withdraw

the league

and by

secretly

from

their aid " ex-

to

Calci,

his

castle

and

make war on the

The Count, before Nino

Lucchese, to
Pisans.

pelled the Ghibellines from Pisa,

was gone, in order the better

and made himself master of

conceal his treachery,

with the Guelphs."

98.

to

when every

92,

thing was arranged for the ex-

Genuens.

pulsion of the Judge, went out of

Vili. vii.

See also Annoi,

it

400

INFERNO.

thereafter put to death,

it

CANTO xxxni.

not necessary to say

is

but that which thou canst not have learnt, that

how
if

cruel was

my

death, thou shalt hear

is,

and know

he has offended me.

poscia morto, dir

non

mestieri.

Per quel che non puoi avere inteso,

come

Cio,

Udirai

morte mia fu cruda,

la

e saprai se

m' ha

Pisa to a manor of his called Set-

As soon

timo.

as

he was informed

of Nino's departure, he returned

and was

to Pisa with great joy,

made Lord

But

his

offeso.

two of his sons and three (or two?

below)

as

of his grandchildren,

sons of his son, and put in prison."

Vili. vii.

121.

"In

the following March, the

Pisans,

who had imprisoned Count

of the city amid great

rejoicing and festivity.

20

was of brief duration.

Ugolino with two of his sons, and

Fortune turned against him, as

two sons of his son Count Guelfo

lordliness

it

pleased God, because of his

treacheries

truth

it

and

sins

for

with

was said he had caused

Anselmo da Capraia,

his sister's

son, to be poisoned, out of envy

and

fear, lest

much

Anselmo, who was

esteemed in Pisa, might

take his place

The

force of

the Guelphs being thus impaired,

the

Archbishop took means

to

we have mentioned above),

(as

ziani,

caused the

be thrown into the Arno, and

to

food withheld from the

all

previously kept demanding penitence with loud cries, and yet they

him

fess

by the fury of the peo-

ple, telling

them

that he

had be-

said

who died of hunger in

few days. But the Count had

prisoners,

permitted no

his palace

of that

tower to be locked up, the keys

betray Count Ugolino, and caused

to be suddenly attacked in

door

in

An-

a tower on the Piazza degli

him.

friar or priest to

All the

five,

when

condead,

were dragged together from the

tower and meanly interred

and

trayed Pisa, and given up their

from thenceforward the said prison

and

was called the Tower of Famine,

Castles

to

Lucchese

the

Florentines

and the people having

come upon him without any

fence, he

surrendered.

this assault, a bastard

And

dein

son and a

grandson of Count Ugolino's were

killed

and he himself taken, with

and always

will

be.

For

this

cruelty the Pisans throughout the

whole world, wherever

it

became

known, were greatly blamed

so

much

for the

who by reason

not

Count himself,

of his crimes and

CANTO

^^

me

INFERNO.

XXXIII,

401

narrow hole within the mew, which from

has the

title

of Famine, and in which others

yet must be shut up, had through

shewn me

several moons,^

when

opening already-

its

I slept the evil sleep

me the curtain of the future. This man

me lord and master, chasing the wolf and

that rent for

seemed

to

his whelps,

upon the mountain^

which the Pisans

for

With hounds meagre,

cannot see Lucca.

keen, and

dextrous, he had put in front of

him Gualandi with

Sismondi, and with Lanfranchi.^

After short course.

Breve pertugio dentro dalla muda,

La qual per me ha

titol della

il

fame,

in che conviene ancor eh' altri

M' avea mostrato per

Pi lune

Che

gi,

quand'

del futuro

Questi pareva a

Cacciando

Per che

il

lo

suo forame

io feci

mi squarci

me

chiuda,

si

il
il

25

mal sonno.
velame.

maestro e donno.

lupo e

lupicini al monte.

Pisan veder Lucca non ponno.

Con cagne magre,

30

studiose e conte,

Gualandi con Sismondi, e con Lanfranchi

S' avea

messi dinanzi dalla fronte.

treachery was perhaps worthy of

Supplenti. Rer. Ital.

such a death, but for his sons and

&c.

grandsons who were young boys

From

and innocent, cK erano giovani

Monte

sarzoni

innocenti^

For further

details see Cronica

di Pisa, in Murat. Rer. Ital.

p. 979,

vi.

&c.

p.

Pis. ibid.

t.

Fragm.

xxiv. p. 648,

&c.

Hist.
;

and

the other Cren, di Pisa, in Tartin.

MM

i.

p.

564,

July to March.
St.

Giuliano between

Pisa and Lucca, which are some

twelve miles apart.
^

xv.

Annales Genuen. ibid.

608, &c.
t.

128.

Vili. vii.

t.

Ruggieri, Lord and Master

of the chase

the Ghibelline no-

bles, leaders of the

or populace

Wolf with

keen Hounds

Ugolino, the father

sons.

402

INFERNO.

CANTO

the father and his sons seemed to

methought I saw

their flanks torn

me weary

by the sharp

XXXIII.

and

teeth.

awoke before the dawn, I heard my sons

who were with me, weeping amid their sleep, and

When

Thou

asking for bread.

art right cruel, if

not grieve already at the thought of what

foreboded

and

thou weepest not,

if

thou used to weep

at

thou dost

my

heart

what

art

They were now awake, and

the hour approaching at which our food used to be

brought us, and each was anxious from his dream,

and below I heard the outlet of the horrible tower

locked up

my

whereat I looked into the faces of

sons, without uttering a word.

I did not

weep

They wept; and my

stony grew I within.

so

little

In picciol corso mi pareano stanchi

Lo padre e i figli, e con 1' agute scane

Mi parea lor veder fender li fianchi.
Quando fui desto innanzi la dimane.
Pianger

senti' fra

sonno

'1

miei

35

figliuoli,

Ch' erano meco, e dimandar del pane.

Ben

Pensando

tu gi

sei crudel, se

se

non

Gi eran

Che

il

ci eh'

il

non

ti

mio cor

s'

annunziava

piangi, di che pianger suoli?

desti, e

ora

1'

s'

appressava

cibo ne soleva essere addotto,

E per suo sogno ciascun dubitava,

Ed io sentii chiavar 1' uscio di sotto
All' orribile torre

Nel viso
Io

40

duoli,

a'

ond'

io

guardai

miei figliuoi senza far motto.

non piangeva,
Piangevan

45

elli

s
;

dentro impietrai

Anselmuccio mio

50

CANTO

403

INFERNO.

XXXTII.

Anselm said
thee V But

Thou

lookest so

no

I shed

ails

that

all

Sun came

another

till

When

upon the world.

nor answered

tear,

day^ nor the next night,

Father, what

forth

a small ray was sent into

the doleful prison, and I discerned in their four faces

my

the aspect of
grief;

own, I

and they, thinking that I did

eating, of a

give us

didst put

less pain, if

upon us

Father,

thou wilt eat of us

it
:

will

thou

and do thou

this miserable flesh,

Then

strip it off.'

hands for

from desire of

it

sudden rose up, and said

much

my

on both

bit

calmed myself, in order not

to

make them more unhappy. That day and the next

we all were mute. Ah, hard earth why didst thou
not open ? When we had come to the fourth day,
!

Disse

Tu

guardi

Padre, che hai

Per non lagrimai, ne rispos'

io

Tutto quel giorno, n la notte appresso,

Infin che

1'

mondo

altro Sol nel

Come un poco

di raggio

si

Nel doloroso carcere, ed

Per quattro

visi

il

uscio.

fu messo

55

io scorsi

mio aspetto

stesso.

Ambo le mani per dolor mi morsi

E quei, pensando eh' io il fessi per vogHa
;

Di manicar,

disser

di subito levorsi,

Padre, assai

Se tu mangi

di noi

Quel

allor,

d, e

Ahi dura
Poscia che

men

ci fa

le spoglia.

per non farh pi

altro

terra,

fummo

stemmo

tristi

tutti

perch non
al

doglia,

tu ne vestisti

Queste misere carni, e tu

Quetaimi

60

t'

muti

apristi ?

quarto d venuti.

65

404

INFERNO.

Gaddo threw himself

stretched out at

ing

'

My

father

why

he died ; and even

fall

don't

each

1 betook

and

When

fifth

There

'

day and the

me, already blind,

fasting

feet, say-

you help me ?

for three days called

Then

dead.

my

XXXIII.

thou seest me, saw I the three

as

one by one, between the

whence

CANTO

to

them,

groping over

after

had more power than

he had spoken

this,

sixth,

they were
grief." ^

with eyes distorted

he seized the miserable skull again with

his teeth,

were strong upon the bone.

Ah,

which

as a dog's

Pisa

scandal to the people of the beauteous land

where " Si"

Since thy neighbours are

is

heard

Gaddo mi

si gitt

Dicendo

Padre mio, che non m'

Quivi mor

il

disteso a' piedi,

come tu mi

Vid' io cascar

Tra

!^

li

tre

quinto d e

il

vedi,

ond' io mi diedi

sesto,

chiamai, poi eh'

Poscia, piti che

Quand' ebbe detto

Riprese

il

Che furo
Ahi

dolor, pot

ci,

all'

osso,

otto

il

7^

digiuno.
torti

un

d'

can, forti.

Pisa, vituperio delle genti

l

dove

and the old Pisan com-

mentator, Buti, says the tower was

opened after eight days, " dopo
li

fur morti

con gh occhi

come

So that Ugolino died on the

ninth day

ei

teschio misero co' denti,

Del bel paese

il

70

ad uno ad uno,

Gi cieco a brancolar sovra ciascuno

tre d

aiuti ?

giorni^

Many volumes

have been written about verse 75.

Does the pi pot ("was more

suona

il s

80

powerful") indicate only that hunger killed Ugolino

Or

that fast-

ing overcame his senses, and made

him

die eating as his poor chil-

dren had invited

The words

ad-

mit of either meaning.

'^

Italy,

where Si

is

the word

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXXIIl.

slow to punish thee,

let the

405

Capraia and Gorgona^

move, and hedge up the Arno

may drown

mouth, that

at its

For

in thee every living soul.

if

it

Count

Ugolino had the fame of having betrayed thee in

thy

thou oughtest not to have put his sons

castles,

Their youthful age, thou modern

into such torture.

Thebes

made innocent Uguccione and

the other two

We

whom my

went

Poi che

Muovasi

song above has named.^

where the

farther on,

la

Brigata, and

vcd a te

punir son

frost

ruggedly

lenti.

Capraia e la Gorgona,

Arno

faccian siepe ad

in su la foce,

S eh' egli annieghi in te ogni persona.

Che

se

il

Conte UgoHno aveva voce

D' aver tradita

te delle castella,

Non

figliuoi

dovei tu

Innocenti facea
Novella Tebe

Uguccione

duo che

gli altri

Noi passamm'

8)

gives J or ja as characteristic of

the

Germans, Saxons, &c.

il

Oc

contemporary historians, that Ugolino' s

guilty,

seems

as well as in Provence, to part of

it

gave name)

Oil or oui of

the French, and Si of the Italians.

'

the
2

Small

islands,

not

far

from

sons and grandsons were

not innocent, the Archhishop not

of the "Spaniards" (the Langue

;

90

la gelata

d'Oc, used at the Court of Castile

which

Brigata,

canto suso appella.

il

dove

oltre,

Dante {Vulg. Eloq.

for yes.

tal croce.

et novella,

1'

porre a

85

&c.

but the Veltro

much more

like a

than a piece of sober history.

is

still

romance

One

led to expect speedy proofs of

many hazardous assertions in

and they have now been due

it,

for

mouth of the Arno.

twenty-two years.

Troya in his

darken every part of the subjects

Veltro Allegorico

(Fior. 1826, p. 28, &c.) asserts,

in opposition to Villani

and other

on which they
excusable

Such books

treat,

among

and are in-

serious

men.

406

INFERNO.

CANTO

XXXIII.

inwraps another people, not bent forwards, but

The very weeping

reversed.^

all

there allows them not

weep and the grief, which finds impediment

upon their eyes, turns inward to increase the agony
to

form a knot, and, like crystal

for their first tears

vizors,

And

all

the cavity beneath their eyebrows.

although, as from a callous, through the cold

had departed from

feeling

me

to

up

fill

as if I felt

my

face,^ it

Whereat

some wind.

all

now seemed
I

" Master,

who moves this ? Is not all heat extinguished here

below?" Whence he to me: "Soon shalt thou be
Ruvidamente un'

altra gente fascia.

Non

ma

Lo

volta in gi,

pianto stesso

tutta riversata.

pianger non

lascia,

duol, che truova in su gli occhi rintoppo,

il

Si volve in entro a far crescer

Che

come

Riempion

sotto

la

il

ciglio tutto

come

d'

un

il

coppo.

stallo.

Gi mi parca sentire alquanto vento

Per

Non

'

The

eh' io

Maestro mio, questo chi muove

quaggiuso ogni vapore spento?

egli a

me

to

Ring, or Ptolomaea.

spirits in it

have their heads

turned backwards, and not down,

like those in the

105

Avaccio sarai dove

The Poets have now come

the Third

100

callo,

freddura ciascun sentimento

Cessato avesse del mio viso

Ond'

visiere di cristallo,

avvegna che^

Per

ambascia

95

lacrime prime fanno groppo,

le

E,

1'

Caina and An-

tenora.

They shew no

feeling of

shame, or desire to conceal themselves " all heat is extinguished"

:

among them.
2

" Left

the

abode of my face."

CANTO

INFERNO.

XXXIII.

where thine eye

407

seeing the cause which rains

itself^

And

the blast/ shall answer thee in this."

one of

the wretched shadows of the icy crust cried out to

us

"

souls, so cruel that the last post

given to you

may

that I
little

the hard veils from

vent the grief, .which

" If thou wouldst have

my

stuffs

weeping freeze again."

ere the

him

to

Remove

of

all is

my

face,

heart, a

Wherefore

me

aid thee, tell

me who thou art and if I do not extricate

may I have to go to the bottom of the ice."

thee,

He

answered

Di

ci

la

cagion che

Levatemi dal viso

io a lui

Dimmi

chi

sei,

veli,

dolor che

il

pianto

il

Se vuoi eh'
e

s'

io

non

Al fondo della ghiaccia

Rispose

Adunque

See next canto, verses 8, 50, Sfc.

de'

ir

il

cor m' impregna.

raggeli.

si

io ti
ti

sovvegna.

115

disbrigo,

mi convegna.

son Frate Alberigo,

io

The wind here comes down.

Old Alberigo

110

ultima posta.

1'

duri

poco pria che

Per eh'

v'
i

S eh* io sfoghi

fiato piove.

il

anime crudeli

Tanto, che data

Friar Alberigo,^ I

de' tristi della fredda crosta

Grid a noi

Un

am

far V occhio la risposta,

ti

Veggendo

E un

Then

^^
:

Manfredi,

passion, gave
face.

quietly

him

a slap on the

Alberic " dissembled and

bore

the

And

afiront

for

when

another of the Jovial Friars (see

long time.

their profession, canto xxiii. 103).

he thought the other might have

His kindred were Guelphs and

forgotten

Lords of Faenza

wished to be reconciled.

and one

them, the

"young and

Manfredo

de' Manfredi, in a

of

fiery"
fit

of

it,

at last,

pretended

that

Manfred begged pardon

youthful heat

and,

the

he

Then
for

his

peace

INFERNO.

408

am he

CANTO xxxin.

of the fruits from the

receive dates for

my

who

garden,

ill

here

figs."^

Hah !" said I to him, " then art thou dead too ?"
How my body stands in the
And he to me
"

*'

Such

world above, I have no knowledge.

falls

down

that thou

more

has this Ptolomsea, that oftentimes the soul

hither, ere Atropos impels

And

it.^

privilege

willingly mayest rid the glazen tears from

know

face,

that forthwith,

when

off

my

the soul betrays,

Io son quel delle frutte del mal orto.

Che qui riprendo

Oh,

dissi lui, or sei tu

Ed

egli a

me

Nel mondo

120

dattero per figo.

ancor morto

Come

il

mio corpo

stea

su, nulla scienzia porto.

Cotal vantaggio ha questa Tolomea,

Che spesse

volte

T anima

ci

Innanzi eh' Atrops mossa

E perch
Le

tu pi volentier

le dea.

mi rade

invetriate lagrime dal volto.

Sappi, che tosto che

being made up

between them,

Alberic gave a banquet, to which

Manfred and his son (Alberghetto, or "little Alberic") were

The supper

1'

anima

And

Or, get

Ere Atropos

and the son, Alberic meanwhile looking on and rejoicing."

father

Benv. da Imola.
di Dante.

See also Pietro

The " Fruit of Friar

is

family, also

repayment.

'

and slew both the

became a
garden"

Ibid.

sud-

!'

concealed behind a screen, rushed

forth armed,

same Manfredi

who had been

fruit

ill

(canto xxxii. 122), a Ghibelline

came.

denly his servants,

"

Faenza, from which Tribaldello

great alacrity old Alberic cried,

Now bring the

The

proverb.

of the

trade.

Alberic" thenceforth

over, with

invited.

125

cade

thread, or

**

full

cuts

the

life-

gives signal to move."

Veniat mors super

illos

et

scendant in Infernum viventes, "

them go down quick

into Hell."

Quoted by

Ps.

liv.

delet

(or living)

16

Pietro, &c.

Iv.

15.

her body

as I did,

thereafter rules

She

falls

know,

rushing to this cistern

this shade,

d'

and perhaps the

which winters here behind me,

Thou must

now come down it is Ser

and many years have passed since

Oria;^

he was thus shut up."

" I believe," said I
;

Branca

for

drinks,

and

Demon

revolved.

all

thou art but

if

Branca

me

time has

it, till its

apparent on the earth above.

still

is

taken from her by a

is

who

body of

409

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXIU.

to

him,

^^

that thou deceivest

Oria never died

d'

and

eats,

and

and puts on clothes."

sleeps,

" In the ditch above, of the Malebranche," said

'^

he,

there where the

tenacious

pitch^ is boiling,

Come fee' io, il corpo suo T tolto

Da un Dimenio, che poscia il governa,
Mentre che
Ella ruina in

tempo suo

il

fatta cisterna

saper, se tu vien

Ser Branca

Poscia passati eh'

Io credo, dissi a

Che Branca

d'

lui,

L dove

d' Oria, e
ei

fu

giuso

son pi anni

racchiuso.

che tu m* inganni

Oria non mor unquanche,

the

diss' ei, di

"

140

great Doria

family,

In con-

junction with his nephew, he ina

Malebranche,

bolle la tenace pece.

Ghibellines of Genoa.

to

mo

pur

135

mangia, e bee, e dorme, e veste panni.

Nel fosso su,

vited

ombra, che di qua dietro mi verna.

Tu il dei
Egh

Of

tutto sia volto.

forse pare ancor lo corpo suso

Dell'

'

130

banquet,

and there

treacherously murdered, his

Michel Zanche of
Logodoro, " in order to get pos-

father-in-law,

session of his

immense wealth."

Benv. da Imola

own

N N

Pietro.

See canto xxi.

&c.

410

INFERNO.

Michel Zanelle^ had not yet arrived, when

left

body of

a Devil in his stead in the

who

of one of his kindred

CANTO

XXXIII.

this

man

himself,

and

did the treachery along

But reach hither thy hand open my

And I opened them not for him and to
eyes."
be rude to him was courtesy.^
Ah, Genoese men estranged from all morality,
with him.

and

of

full

all

corruption,^

why

are ye not scattered

For with the worst

from the earth ?

spirit*

of Ro-

magna, found I one of ye, who

for his deeds

now

and above on earth

still

in soul bathes in Cocytus,

seems alive in body.

Non
Che

era giunto ancora Michel Zanche,

questi lasci

Nel corpo suo,

Che

Ma

un Diavolo

un suo prossimano,

e d'

qua

distendi oramai in

gli occhi

cortesia fu

ed

apersi

150

ogni magagna,

Perch non

mondo spersi ?
Romagna

siete voi del

col peggiore spirto di

un

diversi

tal di voi,

che per sua opra

In anima in Cocito gi

si

155

bagna,

in corpo par vivo ancor di sopra.

The

So Ariosto {Ori. Fur. xxvii.

barterer of canto xxii,

Gli

"

'tis

teco

cortesia

V esser

a charity to be rude

Compare ^wna/.

Rer.

Ital. vi.

at the

608)

for 1294, written

time by Jacopo Doria {Ja-

cobus de Auria), in which, quite

bad an account

as

is

given of the

Genoese.

to thee."
3

non ghele

io

d'

'R'ovai

villano,

mano.

la

D' ogni costume, e pien

Che

lui fece.

lui esser villano.

Ahi Genovesi, uomini

145

in sua vece

tradimento insieme con

il

Aprimi

77)

even

Crew.

(Murat.

With

the Friar Alberigo.

AEGUMENT.
The Judecca,
Iscariot,

or Last Circlet of Cocytus, takes

the

Realm

too

is

name from Judas

who betrayed their masThe Arch Traitor Satan, " Emperor of

and contains the souls of those

and benefactors.'

ters

its

'

of Sorrow," stands fixed in the Centre of it; and he

punished by his own Sin.

nowing back

to

All the streams of Guilt keep

him, as their source

and from beneath his three

Faces (Shadows of his consciousness) issue forth the mighty wings

with which he struggles, as

it

were, to raise himself; and sends

out winds that freeze him only the more

Dante has

Marsh.

to

take a

full

fi^rmly in his evex-swelling

view of him too

carried through the Centre by his Mystic

Guide

the hair of Satan," not without significance

"the other face of the Judecca."

our Pilgrim

maining

over

is

verses.

And now

and

is

now behind him, and

the Stars of

'

to

the

*'

bright world."

till

Heaven

is

" sore tra-

it

leads from

After some brief inquiries,

for any repose," by aid of the heaven-sent Wishe " plucks himself from the Abyss ;" and follows climbing,

"without caring

dom

down on

and a tone of gladness goes through the re-

Hell

Darkness

set

is

on

the bitter journey of

he has got beyond the Everlasting No,' and

vailled," and the " way is long and difficult," but
above

and then

" grappling

they see the Stars in the opposite hemisphere.

412

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXIV.

CANTO XXXIV.
^^

The

banners of the King^ of Hell

forth towards us

Master, "

now

issue

therefore look before/' said the

look if thou discern him."

thick mist breathes, or

when

when

As,

the night comes on

our hemisphere, a mill, turning with the wind, appears at distance

to see

such an engine did I

now seem

and, for the wind,^ shrunk back behind

Guide, because no other shed was there.

I

had come (and with

all

fear I

put

it

my

Already

into verse)

where

the souls were covered/ and shone through like

Vexilla Regis prodeunt Inferni

Verso
Disse

di noi
il

per dinanzi mira.

Maestro mio, se tu

Come quando una

il

discerni.

grossa nebbia spira,

quando V emisperio nostro annotta

Par da lungi un mulin che

Veder mi parve un

al

vento gira

tal difcio allotta

Poi per lo vento mi ristrinsi retro

Al Duca mio
Gi era

(e

The

che non

con paura

L, dove

1'

ombre

trasparean

come

il

era altra grotta.

v'

metto in metro)

tutte eran coverte,

festuca in vetro.

Vexilla Regis prodeunt,

which Dante here brings to bear

It is

chanted in the service of the

Holy Week.

upon the hateful banners of Satan,

"The

hymn

'

In the

is

the first verse of a sacred

10

of triumph, in praise of the Cross.

Cocytus.

wind."

See

v.

51, &c.

last or central ring of

Some keep

straw in glass.

on

right, this

When we
Guide

once so

shew

ano-

so far, that

it

pleased

the Creature which was

he took himself from before me, and

" Lo Dis and lo the place
stop, saying
:

behoves thee arm thyself with fortitude."

How cy chill
not, O Reader for
i

main

me

to

soles

its

fair,^

it

would

some stand up-

to feet.

had proceeded on

to

made me
where

lying

head, and that upon

its

bow, bends face

ther, like a

my

413

INFERNO.

C4NTO XXXIV.

and hoarse I then became, ask

I write

fa il to tell.^

alive

now

not, because all speech

it

I did not die, and did not re-

think for thyself,

if

thou hast any

Altre stanno a giacere, altre stanno erte.

Quella col capo, e quella con

com' arco,

Altra,

Quando noi fummo

Ch'

La

al

fatti

creatura eh' ebbe

Ecco

si tolse,

il

io

15

tanto avante,

mostrarmi

di

bel sembiante,

e f' restarmi,

Dite, dicendo, ed ecco

Ove convien che

piedi inverte.

a'

mio Maestro piacque

Dinanzi mi

Com'

volto

il

piante

le

di fortezza

20

loco

il

armi.

t'

divenni allor gelato e fioco.

Noi dimandar. Lettor,

eh' io

non

lo scrivo,

Per eh' ogni parlar sarebbe poco.

non

Io

morii, e

non rimasi

Pensa oramai per

te, s'

vivo

25

hai fior d' ingegno,

26. Fior, sprinkling, trace, &c.

1

Lit.

"

Which had

the beau-

teous semblance:" fairest of the

How
heaven, O

Angels once.
fallen

from

"

.... brought down

art

sides of the pit" {ad infernum, in

profundum

thou

Lucifer

to hell, to the

Lit.

laci).

"

Isaiah xiv, 12.

Would be

would go short way

in

N N 2

which

was

little ;"

to tell the state

at sight of Dis.

414

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXIV.

grain of ingenuity, what I became, de prived of both

death a/nd

The Emperor

life.

of the dolorous realm,

from mid breast stood forth out of the

am

in size

Mark now how

which corresponds
brows against

Oh how

me, when I saw three

to

Qual

io divenni, d'

Lo Imperador

ugly now, and

is

Maker, well may

his

come from him.

great that whole must

such a part." If he was

to

once as beautiful as he
his

lifted

giganti

great a marvel seemed

faces^

uno

on

head

his

non fan con

le

sue braccia

Ben dee da

and

lui

tutto,

me

gran meraviglia.

vidi tre facce alla sua testa

one of the giants,

atical

of conscious opposition to

Power,

the

and Wisdom,

Love, in canto

arms.

less

..."

His other parts besides

Prone on the flood, extended long

many

a rood.

off the pool

est

Ignorance

His mighty stature."

The

three faces are

and
hope-

black

dark;

and

Hatred in the pale-yellow

194, &c.

emblem-

{Par. Lost,

114):
.

" Each passion dimm'd his

face

Thrice
'

in the

Hence Milton

face.
iv.

i.

&c.

Forthwith upright he rears from

Par. Lost,

5,

Impotence, glowing with rage,

envioiis
.

iii.

in the scarlet or vermilion

and large
floating

35

le ciglia,

than they do with one of Satan's

Lay

procedere ogni lutto.

Or, I "agree better," in size

stature, with

30

confaccia.

suo Fattore alz

quanto parve a

Quando

si

com' egh ora brutto,

S' ei fu s bel,
il

The

del doloroso regno

Ch' a cos fatta parte

contra

it

e d' altro privo.

Vedi oggimai quant' esser dee quel

up

all aiEiction

Da mezzo il petto uscia fuor della ghiaccia

E pi con un gigante io mi convegno,
Che

and I

liker to a giant, than the giants are to

his arms.^

be,

ice

changed

with pale,

envy, and despair."

ire,

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXIV.

one in front, and

it

415

was fier^red

the others were

two, that were adjoined to this, above the very mid-

and they were joined up to

and the right seemed between white and

dle of each shoulder

his crest

;^

yellow; the

left

was such

to look on, as

they

who
Un-

come from where the Nile begins his valley.^

der each there issued forth two mighty wings, of
size befitting such a bird
sea-sails I never saw so
broad.^ No plumes had they ; but were in form and
:

and he was flapping them, so

that three winds went forth from him, whereby Cotexture like a bat's

una

L'

i*

dinanzi^ e quella era vermiglia

L' altre eran due, che

Sovr' esso

si

mezzo

giungeano

la destra

La

il

al

s'

aggiungeano a questa

40

di ciascuna spalla,

luogo della cresta.

parea tra bianca e gialla

sinistra a vedere era tal, quali

Vengon

di l, ove

il

Nilo

Sotto ciascuna uscivan duo grand'

Quanto

si

45

avvalla.

s'

ali,

conveniva a tanto uccello

Vele di mar non vid' io mai cotah.

Non avean penne, ma di vispistrello

Era lor modo e quelle svolazzava,

50

S,

Lit: "

crest."

che tre venti

Up

The

si

movean da

to the place of his

three

their qualities to

faces

unite

form the Crest

emblem of his Pride.

.... " Under the Ethiop line

of him,
2

By

Nilus head."

Has wings

huge vampire

the blasts
rance,

Igno-

and Hatred, which freeze

Marsh

of Sin

himself

only

the

all

of Impotency,

forth

thereby
the

more

iv. 282.

'...." At last his sail-broad

He spreads for flight."
Ibid.

like a

and, flapping them, sends

fixing

Par. Lost,

elio.

ii.

strongly in

it.

vans
*

927.

Lit.

their

*'

But

mode," or

as

a bat's was

fashion.

416

INFERNO.

cytus

was frozen.

ali

down

With

CANTO XXXIV.

sixjeyes_lie_wept

In every mouth he champed a sinner with

brake

so that

To

torment.

and

chins gushed tears andjbloodj^ foam.

three

like a

his teeth,

he thus kept three of them in

the one in front, the biting was^nought,

compared with the tearing

him remained

for

at^imes the back of

quite stript of skin.

" That soul up there, which suffers greatest punishment," said the Master, " is Judas Iscariot, he

who has his Jiead_wi thin, and outside plies his legs.
Of the other two, who have their heads beneath,
that one, who hangs from the black visage, is Brutus Mo
how he writhes himself, and utters not a
!

Quindi Cocito tutto

Con

sei ocelli

Gocciava

Da

il

piangeva, e per tre menti

pianto e sanguinosa bava.

Verso

Rimanea

il

il

mordere era nulla

che

tal volta la

schiena

della pelle tutta brulla.

Queir anima
Disse

il

graffiar,

il

ne facea cos dolenti.

quel dinanzi

Che

55

peccatore, a guisa di maciulla

S che tre

De

aggelava.

ogni bocca dirompea co' denti

Un

s'

lass, eh'

60

ha maggior pena,

Maestro, Giuda Scariotto,

capo ha dentro, e fuor

gli altri

duo, eh' haono

il

le

capo

gambe mena.
di sotto.

Quei, che pende dal nero ceffo, Bruto

Vedi come

'

si

storce, e

In the Monarchia and Convito,

and also

in

many

passages of the

Purgatorio and Paradiso, Dante

non

fa

motto

^h

alludes to Caesar as the appointed

Founder of

that Universal

Mon-

archy by which the temporal go-

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXIV.

And

word.

that other

must we depart ;

As he

who seems so
reascending
and now

Cassius,

is

But night

stark of limb.

is

we have

for

417

seen the whole."

desired, I clasped his neck

opportunity of time and place

were opened

applied

far,

and then from shag

him

sides,

shag descended down, be-

to

had come

to

crusts.

where the thigh revolves

che par

altro Cassio,

shaggy

to the

my

just on the swelling of the haunch,^

Er

and he took

and when the wings

tween the tangled hair and frozen

When we

Guide with

membruto.

Ma la notte risurge ed oramai

da partir, che tutto avm veduto.
;

Come a lui piacque, il collo gli avvinghiai

Ed ei prese di tempo e luogo poste

70

E, quando

ale furo aperte assai.

1'

Appigli s alle vellute coste.

Di

vello in vello gi discese poscia.

Tra

il

75

folto pelo e le gelate croste.

Quando noi fummo

dove la coscia

Si volge appunto in sul grosso dell' anche.

vemment

of the whole world was

to be provided for

and Brutus

is

regarded as the treacherous murderer of Caesar

ties,

his

good quali-

fixed

Heavens

in the

him our Earth

and the

centre,

revolve, Conv. Tr.

5); and here the old

iii. c.

commenta-

tors find mystic

allusion to the

make
The Kal

" Night of Sin."

The Poets have

his guilt

seem blacker.

tkvov {Sueton.

and the 'ETo?pe,

Vit. Cces.
tp'

i.

82),

irdpei

{Matt. xxvi. 50), might be connected in Dante's mind.

1

is

and the fortitude which he

here continues to shew, only

ffv,

with Dante, for to

Night is coming (it "ascends"

now been

twenty-four hours, or

one night and one day, in Hell.

See cantos

ii.

vii.

98

XX. 124; xxi. 112, &c.

^

xi.

113

xxix. 10.

Come^tojhe hip-joint of him,

which

is

exactly at the middle.

418

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXIV.

labour and with difficulty turned his head where

he had had his

one who mounts

hair, as

my

stairs," said

forespent, " must we

thought we were

so that I

''

returning into Hell again.

by such

and grappled on the

feet before,

Hold thee

fast

for

Guide, panting like a

man

much

ill."

depart from

so

Thereafter through the opening of a rock he issued

forth,

me on

and put

me he

stretched his

I raised

my

brim

its

wary

step.

and thought

eyes,

then towards

to see Lucifer as

him; and saw him with the

I had left
upw_ard^s.^

And

a point^

was that

it

the gross people,

Lo Duca con

who

had passed,

fatica e

legs turned
see not

what

they

may

eve?t

con angoscia

Volse la testa ov' egli avea

Ed

to sit;

le

zanche.

aggrappossi al pel, come

uom

che

sale,

80

S che in Inferno io credea tornar anche.

Attienti ben, che per cotali scale,

Disse

il

Maestro, ansando com'

uom

lasso,

Conviensi dipartir da tanto male.

Poi usc fuor per lo foro

E pose me

in su

me

Appresso porse a

d'

un

sasso,

orlo a sedere

1'

1'

85

accorto passo.

Io levai gli occhi, e credetti vedere

Lucifero, com'

vidili le

s'

io

i'

gambe

Qual era

Lit:

avea lasciato,

in su tenere.

90

divenni allora travagliato.

La gente grossa

'

1'

il

"Saw him

pensi, che

il

punto

non vede

eh' io avea passato.

'

holding the

legs upwards," as in verse 104.

of

Centre of the Universe and

all gravity.

judge

if I

grew toil-worn

then.

the Master, "

" Rise up

!"

said

upon thy feet the way is long, and

the road ;^ and now to middle tierce^ the

difficult

Sun

419

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXIV.

returns."

was no palace-hall, there where we

It

dungeon with an

native

evil floor

stood, but

and want of light.

" Before I pluck myself from the Abyss," said I

when
to

*^

risen up,

draw me out of

this,

how

is

Master

me

speak to

Where

error.

the ice

is

he fixed thus upside down

in so short a time, has the

made

little,

And

And how,

Sun from eve

morn

to

transit?"

Levati su, disse

La

Maestro, in piede

il

via lunga, e

il

cammino

malvagio,

95

E gi il Sole a mezza terza riede.

Non era camminata di palagio
L ov' eravm, ma naturai burella
Ch' avea mal suolo, e di lume disagio.

Prima

Maestro mio,

mi divella.
quando fui dritto,

eh' io dell' Abisso

trarmi

diss' io

d' erro

un poco mi

favella.

Ov' la ghiaccia ? e questi com'

S sottosopra

Da

....
And

sera a

" Long

is

come

mane ha

fatto

way

the

il

fitto

poc' ora

Sol tragitto

105

fore the stroke of three, the

hard, tha<; out of Hell leads

up

in

100

morning-hour

Third

or with us nine

to light."

Par. Lost,

ii.

432.

o'clock, at the season

when days

and nights are of equal length.

'

The mezza Terza

or " middle

Tierce" of Dante, as

explained

by himself (Convito, Tr. iv. 23),

means the time immediately be-

The Poets have now got

opposite hemisphere

night

(v.

centre.

and

into the
left

the

68) on this side of the

420

INFERNO.

And
still

he

to

me

" Thou imaginest that thou

upon the other

CANTO XXXI V.

art

side of the cntrej^ where I caught

Worm^ which

hold on the hair of the evil

Thou wast on
when I turned

through the world.

long as I descended

then didst pass the point^ to

every part are drawn

which

all

and now thou

pierces

that side,

so

myself, thou

from

gravities

art arrived be-

neath the hemisphere opposed to that^ which canopies the great dry land,

consumed the Man, who without

mit^ was

Ed

and underneath whose sum-

egli

me

Tu immagini

Di

mi

presi

Al qual

mondo

fora.

si

volsi, tu passasti

traggon

sei or sotto

1'

d'

ogni parte

pesi

110
:

cui colmo consunto

il

Fu r uom che nacque

The

punto

il

quel, che la gran secca

Coverchia, e sotto

"

emisperio giunto.

Che opposto a

il

l fosti cotanto, quant' io scesi

Quando mi

was

ancora

D' esser di l dal eentro, ov' io

Al pel del verme reo che

sin

e visse senza pecca

piercing Serpent, even

115

our Northern Hemisphere which

Leviathan that crooked Serpent."

" And he laid
Isaiah xxvii. 1.

canopies the "dry lancP^ {Genesis

hold on the Dragon, that old Ser-

part of the globe which, in Dante's

pent, which

tan

....

is

the Devil and Sa-

and cast him into the

bottomless Pit."

i?ey.

xx.

2.

Our

i.

or stands over that northern

9, 10),

time, was supposed to be the only

part uncovered by sea.

Pole

**

is

The North

manifest to nearly

all

gnawed through by Satan,

as an apple by a worm.
2 Lowest point of the Universe,

the uncovered part of the Earth;"

Centre of

part."

earth

all

Gravity.

The Poets

are

now

in

Hemisphere, placed opposite

the
to

and the South Pole "

from
*

nearly

all

Convito, Tr.

The highest

point,

the

is

hidden

uncovered

iii. c.

5.

or culminating

above Jerusalem where the

421

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXIV.

born and

Thou

lived.

upon a

hast thy feet

little

sphere, which forms the other face^ of the Judecca.

Here

it

when it is evening there and

who made a ladder for us with his hair,
rnorn,

is

this Fiend,

was

fixed as he

still

is

he_down from Heaven

OrL_this

and came

our hemisphere

to

side fell

and here the land, which

through fear of him veiled

erst stood out,

sea,

before.

itself

with

and perhaps, in

order to escape from him, that which on this side

empty

appears,^ left here the

space,

and upwards

rushed."

Down
his

from Beelzebub

there,

tomb extends,

Tu

hai

Che r

ne

questi, che

la terra,

f'

di l sera

scala col pelo,

come prima

che pria di qua

Per paura di

E venne

sight

altra faccia fa della Giudecca.

era.

questa parte cadde gi dal Cielo

as

piedi in su picciola spera,

Fitto ancora,

Da

removed

known by

a space,^ not

is

Qui da man, quando

as far

all'

Per fuggir

lui f' del

mar

emisperio nostro
lui lasci

si

qui

il

120

sporse.

velo,
e forse

luogo voto

125

Quella che appar di qua, e su ricorse.

Luogo

laggi da Belzeb rimoto

Tanto, quanto la tomba

Divine

Man "was consumed"

died for our transgressions.

Jerusalem

have set

it

in the
Ista

est

Jerusalem

posui earn, &c.

in

The face which looks towards

Heaven and not towards Hell.
2 Or the Mount of Purgatory

or

" This

midst of the nations," &c.

is

antipodes of Jerusalem.
^ An open space, which goes
from Beelzebub, " Prince of De-

medio Gentium

Ezek.

distende.

si

v. 5.

422

INFERNO.

CANTO XXXIV.

but by the sound of a rivulet descending in

the hollow of a rock which

it

by

bright world

along

has eaten out with

The Guide and

tortuous course and slow declivity.^

I entered

it,

that hidden road, to return into the

and, without caring for any rest,

mounted up, he

first

and

we

I second, so far that I dis-

tinguished through a round opening the beauteous

Heaven

things which

bears

and thence we issued

out, again to see the Stars.

Che non per

ma

vista,

per suono noto

D' un ruscelletto, che quivi discende

Per

la

buca

d'

un

sasso, eh' egli

130

ha roso

Col corso eh' egU avvolge e poco pende.

Lo Duca ed

Entrammo

vils,"

a ritornar nel chiaro

senza cura aver

Salimmo

per quel cammino ascoso

io

su, ei

d'

io vidi delle cose belle

Che porta

il

per un pertugio tondo

quindi uscimmo a riveder

to the
:

opposite surface of

or as far as his

tomb

of Hell goes on the other side.

*

the

Lit.:

"Has gnawed

course which

it

135

io secondo.

Tanto eh'

the earth

alcun riposo

primo ed

Ciel,

mondo

out with

winds and

le stelle.

bends

little," or

gently downwards.

It flows in a spiral direction and

by slow degrees.
let

It is the stream-

of Sin from PurgatOry, which

also flows

back

END OF THE INFERNO.

to Satan.

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

Abati degli, Bocca, xxxii. 106.

Ali, xxviii. 32.

Buoso, XXV. 140.

Alichino, xxi. 118; xxii. 112.

Abbagliato, xxix. 132.

Abel,

Alps, XX. 62.

Pennine, xx. 65.

56.

iv.

Abraham,
Absalom,

Altaforte (Hautefort), xxix. 29.

58.

iv.

Amphiaraus, xx. 34.

xxviii. 137.

Accorso, Francesco, xv. 110.

Amphion,

Acheron,

Anastasius, Pope,

Achilles,

65

v.

xiv. 116.

78;

iii.

xii.

71

xxvi. 62

Anaxagoras,
Anchises,

xxxi. 5.

xxxii. 11.
xi. 8.

137.

iv.

74.

i.

Acqiiacheta, xvi. 97.

Andrea

Acre, xxvii. 89.

Angiolello, Cagnano, xxviii. 133.

Adam,

115

iii.

Annas,

55.

iv.

^gina,
^neas,

Antenora, xxxii. 88.

xxix. 59.

32

iEsop, fable

iv.

122

xxvi. 93.

Antiochus, xix. 87.

Apennines,

of, xxiii. 4.

xvi.

Apuglia, xxviii.

JEtna, (Mongibello), xiv. 56.

Aghinolfo

xxxiii. 50.

Antaeus, xxxi. 100.

river, xii. 5.

ii.

Arachne,

de' Guidi, xxx. 77-

96

Alardo, xxviii. 18.

Aretines, xxii. 5

Ahithophel, xxviii. 137.

Arethusa, xxv. 97.

Alberigo, Friar, xxxiii. 118.

Arezzo, xxix. 109.

Alberto da Siena, xxix. 109.

Argenti, Filippo,

79

de' Guidi,

xxx. 77.

degli Alberti, xxxii. 55.

Alexander,

xii.

107

Alessio Interminei,
Alecto,

ix.

Ariadne,

xii.

47.

vili.

61.

122.

xi. 101.

Arles, ix. 112.

Arno,

95

xiv. 31.

xviii.

xxx. 31.

20.

Aristotle, iv. 131

xvi. 41.

Alessandro

x. 86.

Argives, xxviii. 84.

degli Alberti, xxxii. 57.

vi.

xxvii. 29.

xvii. 18.

Arbia, river,

Tegghiaio,

9.

Agnello Brunelleschi, xxv. 63.

Aldobrandi,

da, xiii. 133.

121.

xxiii.

Anselmuccio,

Master, xxx. 61, &c.

Adige,

Jacopo

St.,

Arrigo

xiii.

146; xv. 113;

XXX. 65

xxxiii. 83.

de' Fifanti, vi. 80.

Arthur, King, xxxii. 62.

o2

xxiii.

INDEX OF PUOPER NAMES.

426
Aruns, xx. 46.

Brunetto Latini,

Asciano, Caccia

Brutus, Lucius Junius,

xxix. 131.

d',

Athens,

Buiamonte,

4.

Bulicame,

17.

xii.

iv.

127.

Marcus Junius, xxxiv.

Asdente of Parma, xx. 118.

Athamas, xxx.

&c.

xv. 30,

65.

xvii. 72.

xiv. 79.

Atropos, xxxiii. 126.

Buonacossi, Pinamonte, xx. 96.

Attila, xii. 134; xiii. 149.

Buonturo

Augustus,

Buoso da Duera,

71.

i,

Aventine, mount, xxv. 26.

Avicenna,

Asciano, xxix. 131.

d'

Caccianemico,

143.

iv.

Donati, xxx. 44.

de'

Caccia

144.

iv.

Azzolino da Este,

xii.

Cadmus, xxv.

Bacchus, city

Cadsand, xv.

xx. 59.

of,

70;

ii.

131

x.

xviii. 50.

Cacus, xxv. 25.

110.

Bacchiglione, river, xv. 113.

Beatrice,

xxxii. 116.

degli Abati, xxv. 140.

Aulis, XX. 111.

Averrhoes,

de' Dati, xxi. 41.

xii.

88

XV. 90.

97.
4.

Julius,

Caesar,

70

i.

Beccaria, xxxii. 119.

Cagnano, Angiolello,

Beelzebub, xxxiv, 127.

Cahors,

Bello, Geri del, xxix. 27.

Caiaphas,

Benacus, lake, xx. 63 &c.

Cain, XX. 126.

Benedict

iv.

123

xxviii. 98.

St.,

Abbey

of, xvi.

Caina,

100.

Bom,

v.

xxiii. 115.

107

xxxii. 58.

Calcabrina, xxi. 118; xxii. 133.

Bergamese, xx. 71.

Bertrand de

xxviii. 77.

xi. 50.

Calchas, xx. 110.

xxviii. 134.

Bianchi, xxiv. 150.

Camiccion

de' Pazzi, xxxii. 68.

Bisenzio, river, xxxii. 56.

Camilla,

107

Bocca

Camonica, Val, xx. 65.

degli Abati, xxxii. 106.

Bologna,

83

xi.

iv.

124.

Cancellieri, xxxii. 63.

xxiii. 142.

Bolognese,

i.

58

xviii.

Capaneus,

xiv.

62

xxv. 15.

Capocchio, xxix. 136

xxiii. 103.

Bonatti, Guido, xx. 118.

Boniface VIII., xix. 53

Capraia,
;

xxvii.

isle, xxxiii.

xxx. 28.

82.

Caprona, xxi. 95.

Cardinal degli Ubaldini,

70, 85.

x. 120.

Borsieri, Guglielmo, xvi. 70.

Carisenda, tower, xxxi. 136.

Branca Doria,

Carlino de' Pazzi, xxxii. 69.

xxxiii. 137, 140.

Branda, Fount, xxx. 78.

Carrarese, xx. 48.

Brenta, river, xv.

Casalodi, xx. 95.

5.

Brescia, xx. 68.

Casentino, valley, xxx. 65.

Brescians, xx. 71.

Cassero, Guido del, xxviii. 77.

Briareus, xxxi. 98.

Cassius, xxxiv. 67.

Brigata, xxxiii. 89.

Castel St. Angelo, xviii. 32.

Bruges, xv.

Catalano, Friar, xxiii. 104, 114.

4.

Brunelleschi, Agnello, xxv. 63.

Cato, xiv. 15.

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

427

Cattolica, xxviii. 80.

Daedalus, xvii. Ill

Cavalcanti

Damietta,

de',

Cavalcante, x. 60.

Francesco, xxv.

Danube,

151.

xxxii. 27.

Gianni, xxx. 32, 44,

David,

Guido,

Deidamia, xxvi. 62.

Caurus,

x. 63.

Cecina, river,
Celestine

59

iii.

xxvii.

105.

56 &c.

xii.

Ceperano,

xxv. 17.

13

vi.

98.

ix.

Cervia, xxvii. 42.

Charybdis,

vii.

Chiana, Val

vi.

Ciampolo,

68

xii.

Elisha, xxvi. 34.

Empedocles,

Erynnis,

23.

ix.

ix.

45.

Este, Azzolino da,

xix. 83.

Obizzo,

63.

119; xxxi. 123;

of, xxiii.

63.

110.
xviii. 56.

Eteocles, xxvi. 54.

Euclid,

Colchis, xviii. 87.

xii.

Ill

xii.

Ethiopia, xxiv. 89

156; xxxiv. 52.

monks

138.

iv.

Epicurus, x. 14.
Erichtho,

122; xxii. 55.

Cocytus, xiv.

121.

iv.

Ephialtes, xxxi. 84.

v.

65

Buoso, xxx. 44.

de',

xxii. 48.

Clement V.,

x.

river, xxxii. 27.

Electra,

Circe, xxvi. 91.

Cologne,

viii.

xxxiv. 20.

52, 58, &c.

Ciriatto, xxi.

xxxiii.

Dis (Satan),

107.

xii.

140.

Elijah, xxvi. 35.

Cianfa de' Donati, xxv. 43.

Cleopatra,

iv.

Duera, Buoso da, xxxii. 116.

9.

Christians, xxvii. 88.

Ciacco,

Dioscorides,

Doria, Branca, xxxiii. 137, 140.

xxix. 47.

65 &c.

xii.

137.

Cianfa, xxv. 43.

22.

di,

Chiarentana, xv.

Chiron,

xxvi. 56.

Donati

94, 109, 128.

iii.

iv.

Diomede,

Don,

43.

Charlemain, xxxi. 17.

Charon,

61, 85.

V.

Dolcino, Fra', xxviii. 55.

Ceuta, xxvi. 11.

xii.

136.

iv.

Diogenes,

39

Cesena, xxvii. 52.

Chaos,

68.

xii.

Dionysius, tyrant,

xxviii. 16.

Cerberus,

Dido,

xxviii. 138.

Democritus,

xiii. 9.

V.,

Centaurs,

^8

iv.

Dejanira,

114.

xi.

xxix. 116.

xiv. 104.

iv.

Euryalus,

xxxiv. 45.

142.
i.

108.

Colonna, family, xxvii. 86.

Eurypylus, xx. 112.

Constantine, xix. 115; xxvii. 94.

Faenza, xxvii. 49; xxxii. 123.

Fano, xxviii. 76.

Cornelia,

Corneto,

iv.

128.

city, xiii. 9.

Rinier da,
Crete,

xii.

12

xii.

137.

xiv. 95.

Farinata,

vi.

Feltro,

105.

i.

79

Fiesole, brutes

of,

Curio, xxviii. 93, 102.

Filippo Argenti,

Cyclopes, xiv. 55.

Fishes, sign

Cyprus,

Flemings, xxv.

xxviii. 82.

x. 32.

xv. 62.

viii.

of, xi.

4.

61.

113.

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

428
Florence,

75
1

92

x.

95

xxiii.

143

xxiv, 144

xvi.

xxvi.

viii.

62

70

xxxiii. 12.

Florentines,
;

xvii.

Greeks, xxvi. 75

GriiFolino, xxix.

109

xv. 61

xvi.

Gualdrada,

Fortune,

Cavalcante,

78, &c.

vii.

de' Guidi, xxx. 77.

da Montefeltro, xxvii. 67 &c.

France, xix. 87.

Francesca,

Francesco

74 &c.

Guidoguerra,

Accorso, xv. 110.

Guglielmo Borsieri,

v.

d'

Francis, Saint, xxvii. 112.

French,

44

xxvii.

xxix.

123

xiii.

Emperor,

59, 68

x.

121

xxiii. 66.

Hector,

122.

iv.

Hecuba, xxx.
Helena,

Fucci, Vanni, xxiv. 125.

Heraclitus,

Furies, ix. 38 &c.

Hercules,

xxxiii. 68.

10 &c.

xiii.

Frieselanders, xxxi. 64.

Gaddo,

16.

64.

v.

138.

iv.

32

xxv.

Hippocrates,

Galen,

Homer,

iv.

Gallura, xxii. 82.

Horace,

iv.

Ganellone, xxxii. 122.

Hypsipile,

Garda, lake, xx. 65.

Jacob, Patriarch,

Gardingo,

Jacopo da

143.

xxiii. 108.

xvii. 21.

97 &c.

Geryon,

xvii.

Ghisola,

xviii. 55.

143.

iv.

89.

92.

xviii.

St.

iv.

Hebrew,

59.

Andrea,

Jason, Argonaut,

Geri del Bello, xxix. 27.

Germans,

Icarus, xvii. 109.

Ida,

mount,

xiv. 98.

Jehosaphat, valley

of, x. 11.

Jesus Christ alluded

St.,

church, xix. 17.

Gomita, Fra',

Gorgon,

ix.

Gorgona,

xxiii. 103.

xxii. 81.

56.

isle, xxxiii. 82.

Governo, xx. 78.

Greece, xx. 88, 108.

xvi. 14.

xviii. 86.

Gianni del Soldanier, xxxii. 121.

Giovanni

xix. 85.

Jerusalem, xxxiv. 114.

Godenti, Frati,

133.

xiii.

80

vi.

Gianfigliazzi, xvii. 59.

Gianni Schicchi, xxx. 32, 44.

88.

Rusticucci,

Gavill, XXV. 151.

Genoese, xxxiii. 151.

108

xxvi.

xxxi. 132.

Gaeta, xxvi. 92.

iv.

xvi. 70.

Hannibal, xxxi. 117.

Harpies,

II.,

xvi. 38.

Guiscard, Robert, xxviii. 14.

xxxii. 115

Frederick

63.

x.

del Cassero, xxviii. 77.

xxvii. 43.

xvi. 37.

Guido Bonatti, xx. 118.

Focaccia Cancellieri, xxxii. 63.

99

xxx. 31.

Guidi, Counts, xxx. 77.

Focara, mount, xxviii. 89.

Forli, xvi.

xxx. 98, 122.

Gualandi, xxxiii. 32.

xxxii. 120.

73

xiii.

to,

iv.

53

xxxiv. 115.

Jews, xxiii. 123

Ilium,

i.

xxvii. 87.

75.

India, xiv. 32.

Interminei, Alessio,

xviii.

122.

John, Evangelist, xix. 106.

Baptist,

xiii.

Joseph, xxx. 97.

143

xxx. 74.

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

Jove, xiv. 52

Italy,

106;

i.

Malacoda, xxi. 76 &c.

59.

iv.

Malatesta di Rimini, xxvii. 46.

114; xx. 61.

ix.

Judas Iscariot,
xxxi. 143

Majorca, xxviii, 82.

xxxi. 45, 92.

Isaac, Patriarch,

27

ix.

xix.

96

Malebolge,
xxv. 5

128.

iv.

Juno, XXX.

Lamberti

Lamone,

Mosca,

xxviii. 106.

Mantuans,

120.

xiii.

Marcab,

Lateran, xxvii. 86.

Latians (Italians), xxii. 65

33

xxvii.

xxix. 88, 91.

Latini, Brunetto, xv. 30 &c.

Latinus, King,

Latium,

xxvii.

Lavinia,

iv.

xxviii. 71-

69

i.

58.

ii.

castle, xxviii. 75.

xxv. 19

Mars,

144

xiii.

xxix. 48.

xxiv. 145

128.

iv.

Mascheroni, Sassolo, xxxii. 65.

Medea,

5, 10.

xviii. 96.

Medicina, Piero da,

88.

isle, xviii.

Libicocco, xxi. 121

Medusa,
xxii. 70.

Megaera,

xxviii. 73.

52.

ix.

ix.

46.

Libya, xxiv. 85.

Menalippus, xxxii. 131,

Limbo,

Michael, Archangel,

45, &c.

iv,

iv.

141

Loderingo, Friar,

Logodoro,

xxiii. 104.

xxii. 89.

Lombards,

68

i.

Lombardy,
Lucan,
Lucca,

90

iv.

xviii.

xiii.

151.

xxi,

38

xxxiii.

iv.

xiii.

xxxiv. 89.

96

xx.

36

xiv. 56.

Parcitati, xxvii, 47.

Montereggione, xxxi. 41.

Montone,

128.

river, xvi. 94.

Mordrec, xxxii. 61.

Maccabees,

Mosca

xix. 86.

Machinardo Pagani, xxvii.

Magra, Val di, xxiv. 145.
xxviii.

xxxiii.

xii. 12, 25.

Mongibello,

Luni Mountains, xx. 47.

Mahomet,

Montaperti, xxxii. 81.

97, 100.

Lucifer, xxxi. 143

Lucretia,

88

124; xxix. 120.

Montagna
ii.

xxii.

river, xx. 77.

V.

Minotaur,
;

30.

Lucia,

Minos,
xxvii.

xxv. 94.

122

Michele Zanche,
Mincio,

Plain, xxviii. 74.

Lotto degli Agli,

11.

144.

xxii. 99.

vii.

Michael Scot, xx. 116.

xxviii. 12.

xxxi.

51.

Matthew, Apostle, xix. 94.

126.

Lethe, xiv. 131, 136.

Livy,

23 &c.

xxiii.

Maremma,

Martia,

125.

iv.

27

Learchus, xxx.

Lemnos,

Tribaldello, xxxii. 122.

Lanfranchi, xxxiii. 32.

Lano,

37

xxiv.

Manto, XX. 55 &c.

Mantua, xx. 93.

128.

v.

Manfredi, Alberigo, xxxiii. 118.

river, xxvii. 49.

Lancelot,

xviii.

xxix. 41.

Malebranche,

1.

de'.

v.

Maltestino, xxviii. 85.

Judecca, xxxiv. 117.

Julia,

Gianciotto and Paolo,

xxxiv. 62.

429

31 &c.

50.

de'

Moses,

iv.

Mozzi

de',

Lamberti, xxviii. 106.

57.

Andrea, xv, 112.

Rocco,

xiii.

143.

430

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

Myrrha, xxx. 38.

Photinus,

Napoleone degli Alberti, xxxii. 55.

Piceno's

Narcissus, xxx. 128.

Pier da Medicina, xxviii. 73.

Nasidius, XXV. 95.

ix. 8.

field,

xxiv. 128.

delle Vigne, xiii. 128.

Navarre, xxii. 48.

Pietrapana, mount, xxxii. 29.

Neptune,

Pinamonte, xx. 96.

xxviii. 83.

Neri, xxiv. 143.

Pisa, xxxiii. 79.

Nessus, Centaur,

67 &c.

xii.

Pisans, xxxiii. 30.

Nicholas III., Pope, xix. 31 &c.

Pistoia, xxiv. 126, 143

Nile, xxxiv. 45.

Plato,

Nimrod, xxxi. 77.

Plutus,

Ninus,

Po,

59.

v.

Nisus,

108.

i.

Novarese, xxviii. 59.

Obizzo

Este,

d'

xii.

117

xviii. 56.

v.

115;

vi.

98

vii. 2.

XX. 78.

Pola, city,

ix.

Polenta,

116

v.

113.
xxvii. 41.

Polydorus, xxx. 17.

Polynices, xxvi. 54.

Ordelaffi, xxvii. 45.

Orlando, xxxi. 17.

Polyxena, xxx. 17.

Orpheus,

Prato, town, xvi. 9.

140.

iv.

Priam, xxx. 15.

Orsini, xix. 70.

Ovid,

iv.

90

XXV. 97.

Paduans, xv. 7

Priscian, xv. 109.

Proserpine,

xviii. 67.

Pagano, Machinardo,

xxvii. 50.

44

ix.

x. 80.

Ptolomaea, xxxiii. 124.

Palladium, xxvi. 63.

Ptolomaeus, Claudius,

Paris, V. 67.

Pyrrhus,

Pasiphae,

Quarnaro, gulf,

xii. 13.

Paul, Apostle,
Pazzi,

xii.

Rachel,

32.

ii.

137

Peleus, xxxi.

Red

102

iv.

60.

xxvii. 40.

Sea, xxiv. 90.

Penelope, xxvi. 96.

Reno,

river, xviii. 61.

Penestrino, xxvii. 102.

Rhea,

xiv. 100.

Penthesilea,

Rhone,

124.

xxviii. 86.

Perillus, xxvii. 7.

Rinier da Corneto,

Peschiera, xx. 70.

Pazzo,

Peter, Staint,

i.

134

ii.

24

xix.

xii.

137.

137.

xii.

Robert Guiscard,

xxviii. 114.

Romagna, xxvii. 37 xxxiii. 154.

Romagnuols, xxvii. 28.
Romans, xv. 77 xviii. 28 xxvi.

91, 94.

Phaeton, xxvii. 107.

Phalaris, xxvii. 7.

Pharisees, xxiii. 116

xxvii. 85.

Philip the Fair, xix. 85.

viii.

Rome,

xxviii. 10.
i.

71

ii.

20

xiv.

105

castle,

xxx. 73.

Ruggieri, Archbishop, xxxiii. 14.

Phoenix, xxiv. 107.

xii.

Romena,

19, 24.

Pholus, Centaur,

60

xxxi. 59.

Phlegethon, xiv. 116.

Phlegyas,

142.

113.

ix.
;

97

v.

iv.

135.

xii.

ii.

Ravenna,

xxxii. 68.

5.

iv.

xxv. 10.

134.

iv.

72.

Rusticucci,

vi.

80

xvi. 44,

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

Sabellus, xxv. 95.
Saladin,

'

Thales,

137.

iv.

Thames,

129.

iv.

431

120.

xii.

Salimbeni, Niccolo, xxix. 127.

Thebans, xx. 32

Santerno, river, xxvii. 49.

Thebes,
15

Saracens, xxvii. 87.

Sardinians, xxii. 89

xxix. 48.

XXX. 22

xxx.

69

xiv.

2.

59

xx.

xxxii. 11

Theseus,

Satan,

Thibault, King, xxii. 52.

See Dis.

1.

ix. 54.

Saturn, xiv. 96.

Tiber, xxvii. 30.

Savena, river,

Tiresias, xx. 40.

xviii. 51.

Savio, river, xxvii. 52.

Tisiphone,

Scaramiglione, xxi. 103.

Tityos, xxxi. 124.

Schicchi, Gianni, xxx. 32, 44.

Toppo, jousts

of, xiii.

Scipio, xxxi. 116.

Trent,

xx. 67.

Scot, Michael, xx. 116.

Tribaldello, xxxii. 122.

Semele, xxx.

Tristan,

v.

Troy,

74

2.

Semiramis,

v,

Seneca,

141.

iv.

58.

i.

Turks,

iv.

48.

ix.

xii. 5

Tully,

Serchio, river, xxi. 49.

xxx. 98, &c.

141.

xvii. 17.

126; xxvi. 110.

Turnus,

Sichaeus,

62.

Tuscan, xxii. 99

Sicilian Bull, xxvii. 7.

xxviii.

109.

i.

108

xxiii.

Tuscany, xxiv. 122.

Siena, xxix. 109, 129.

Tydeus, xxxii. 130.

Sienese, xxix. 122.

Typhon, xxxi. 124.

Pope, xix. 117; xxvii.

Simon Magus,

xix.

Sinon, XXX. 98 &c.

Ubbriachi,

Sismondi, xxxiii. 32.

Uberti, xxiii. 108.

Socrates,

Sodom,

iv.

xvii. 62.

Farinata,

134.

vi.

79

Ugolino, xxxii. 125

xi. 50.

x. 32.

xxx.

Soldanier, Gianni del, xxxii. 121.

Uguccione, xxxiii. 89.

Soracte, mount, xxvii. 95.

Ulysses, xxvi. 56, &c.

Stricca, xxix. 125.

Urbino, xxvii. 29.

Strophades,
vii.

ix.

81

xiv. 116.

Valdimagra, xxiv. 145.

Tagliacozzo, xxviii. 18.

Vanni

Tarquin,

Vanni Fucci, xxiv. 125.

127.

vi.

79

della

Nona,

Venetians, xxi.

Tartars, xvii. 17.

Tegghiaio,

Thais, xxviii. 133.

&c.

Valdichiana, xxix. 47.

Tabernicch, xxxii. 28.

iv.

Val Camonica, xx. 65.

xiii. 11.

106

x. 120.

Ruggieri, xxxiii. 14.

1.

xvi. 41.

Tyrol, XX. 63.

Ubaldini degli, Ottaviano,

94.

Styx,

76, 91

xxxii. 66.

Sicily, xii. 108.

Silvestro,

121.

67.

Seville, XX.
v.

xxxiii.

89.

Sassol Mascheroni, xxxii. 65.

vii.

xxv.

7.

Vercelli, xxviii. 75.

Verona, xv. 122.

xxiv. 139.

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

432
Veronese, xx. 68.

Zanche, Michele,

Verucchio, castle, xxvii. 46.

xxii.

144.

Viso, mount, xvi. 95.

Zeno,

Vigne, Pier

Zita, Santa, xxi. 38.

delle, xiii. 58.

iv.

138.

THE END.

LONDON

PRINTED BY ROBSON, LEVEY, AND FRANKLYN,

Great New Street, Fetter Lane.

xxxui.

f>>>r

DATE DUE
wotf

J1DV12
JAN 2 7 1397

MNl4

^^

c^m^f^^i^Y^pfK)^

DEC

Mf.

MAR26

ma

WA

FES
DEMCO,

APR

fflfi

m,
323

1
2 n

?fl03

1998

AP14
P^c

WSj

R p3 umi
1

? 7

Al99Ti

APR

I^PR

8 ^imo

iv

INC. 38-2971

? iUiJ3

3 1197 00047 4483