THE VISION

OF

HELL, PURGATORY, AND PARADISE

BY

DANTE ALIGHIERI

TRANSLATED BY

THE REV. H. F. CARY, M. A. 

HELL

OR THE INFERNO

Part 5

Cantos 9 - 12

CANTO IX

THE hue, which coward dread on my pale cheeksImprinted, when I saw my guide turn back, Chas'd that from his which newly they had worn, And inwardly restrain'd it. He, as oneWho listens, stood attentive: for his eyeNot far could lead him through the sable air, And the thick-gath'ring cloud. "It yet behoovesWe win this fight"--thus he began--"if not--Such aid to us is offer'd. --Oh, how longMe seems it, ere the promis'd help arrive!"

I noted, how the sequel of his wordsClok'd their beginning; for the last he spakeAgreed not with the first. But not the lessMy fear was at his saying; sith I drewTo import worse perchance, than that he held, His mutilated speech. "Doth ever anyInto this rueful concave's extreme depthDescend, out of the first degree, whose painIs deprivation merely of sweet hope?"

Thus I inquiring. "Rarely, " he replied, "It chances, that among us any makesThis journey, which I wend. Erewhile 'tis trueOnce came I here beneath, conjur'd by fellErictho, sorceress, who compell'd the shadesBack to their bodies. No long space my fleshWas naked of me, when within these wallsShe made me enter, to draw forth a spiritFrom out of Judas' circle. Lowest placeIs that of all, obscurest, and remov'dFarthest from heav'n's all-circling orb. The roadFull well I know: thou therefore rest secure. That lake, the noisome stench exhaling, roundThe city' of grief encompasses, which nowWe may not enter without rage. " Yet moreHe added: but I hold it not in mind, For that mine eye toward the lofty towerHad drawn me wholly, to its burning top. Where in an instant I beheld uprisenAt once three hellish furies stain'd with blood:In limb and motion feminine they seem'd;Around them greenest hydras twisting roll'dTheir volumes; adders and cerastes creptInstead of hair, and their fierce temples bound. 

He knowing well the miserable hagsWho tend the queen of endless woe, thus spake:

"Mark thou each dire Erinnys. To the leftThis is Megaera; on the right hand she, Who wails, Alecto; and TisiphoneI' th' midst. " This said, in silence he remain'dTheir breast they each one clawing tore; themselvesSmote with their palms, and such shrill clamour rais'd, That to the bard I clung, suspicion-bound. "Hasten Medusa: so to adamantHim shall we change;" all looking down exclaim'd. "E'en when by Theseus' might assail'd, we tookNo ill revenge. " "Turn thyself round, and keepThy count'nance hid; for if the Gorgon direBe shown, and thou shouldst view it, thy returnUpwards would be for ever lost. " This said, Himself my gentle master turn'd me round, Nor trusted he my hands, but with his ownHe also hid me. Ye of intellectSound and entire, mark well the lore conceal'dUnder close texture of the mystic strain!

And now there came o'er the perturbed wavesLoud-crashing, terrible, a sound that madeEither shore tremble, as if of a windImpetuous, from conflicting vapours sprung, That 'gainst some forest driving all its might, Plucks off the branches, beats them down and hurlsAfar; then onward passing proudly sweepsIts whirlwind rage, while beasts and shepherds fly. 

Mine eyes he loos'd, and spake: "And now directThy visual nerve along that ancient foam, There, thickest where the smoke ascends. " As frogsBefore their foe the serpent, through the wavePly swiftly all, till at the ground each oneLies on a heap; more than a thousand spiritsDestroy'd, so saw I fleeing before oneWho pass'd with unwet feet the Stygian sound. He, from his face removing the gross air, Oft his left hand forth stretch'd, and seem'd aloneBy that annoyance wearied. I perceiv'dThat he was sent from heav'n, and to my guideTurn'd me, who signal made that I should standQuiet, and bend to him. Ah me! how fullOf noble anger seem'd he! To the gateHe came, and with his wand touch'd it, whereatOpen without impediment it flew. 

"Outcasts of heav'n! O abject race and scorn'd!"Began he on the horrid grunsel standing, "Whence doth this wild excess of insolenceLodge in you? wherefore kick you 'gainst that willNe'er frustrate of its end, and which so oftHath laid on you enforcement of your pangs?What profits at the fays to but the horn?Your Cerberus, if ye remember, henceBears still, peel'd of their hair, his throat and maw. "

This said, he turn'd back o'er the filthy way, And syllable to us spake none, but woreThe semblance of a man by other careBeset, and keenly press'd, than thought of himWho in his presence stands. Then we our stepsToward that territory mov'd, secureAfter the hallow'd words. We unoppos'dThere enter'd; and my mind eager to learnWhat state a fortress like to that might hold, I soon as enter'd throw mine eye around, And see on every part wide-stretching spaceReplete with bitter pain and torment ill. 

As where Rhone stagnates on the plains of Arles, Or as at Pola, near Quarnaro's gulf, That closes Italy and laves her bounds, The place is all thick spread with sepulchres;So was it here, save what in horror hereExcell'd: for 'midst the graves were scattered flames, Wherewith intensely all throughout they burn'd, That iron for no craft there hotter needs. 

Their lids all hung suspended, and beneathFrom them forth issu'd lamentable moans, Such as the sad and tortur'd well might raise. 

I thus: "Master! say who are these, interr'dWithin these vaults, of whom distinct we hearThe dolorous sighs?" He answer thus return'd:

"The arch-heretics are here, accompaniedBy every sect their followers; and much more, Than thou believest, tombs are freighted: likeWith like is buried; and the monumentsAre different in degrees of heat. " This said, He to the right hand turning, on we pass'dBetwixt the afflicted and the ramparts high. 

CANTO X

NOW by a secret pathway we proceed, Between the walls, that hem the region round, And the tormented souls: my master first, I close behind his steps. "Virtue supreme!"I thus began; "who through these ample orbsIn circuit lead'st me, even as thou will'st, Speak thou, and satisfy my wish. May those, Who lie within these sepulchres, be seen?Already all the lids are rais'd, and noneO'er them keeps watch. " He thus in answer spake"They shall be closed all, what-time they hereFrom Josaphat return'd shall come, and bringTheir bodies, which above they now have left. The cemetery on this part obtainWith Epicurus all his followers, Who with the body make the spirit die. Here therefore satisfaction shall be soonBoth to the question ask'd, and to the wish, Which thou conceal'st in silence. " I replied:"I keep not, guide belov'd! from thee my heartSecreted, but to shun vain length of words, A lesson erewhile taught me by thyself. "

"O Tuscan! thou who through the city of fireAlive art passing, so discreet of speech!Here please thee stay awhile. Thy utteranceDeclares the place of thy nativityTo be that noble land, with which perchanceI too severely dealt. " Sudden that soundForth issu'd from a vault, whereat in fearI somewhat closer to my leader's sideApproaching, he thus spake: "What dost thou? Turn. Lo, Farinata, there! who hath himselfUplifted: from his girdle upwards allExpos'd behold him. " On his face was mineAlready fix'd; his breast and forehead thereErecting, seem'd as in high scorn he heldE'en hell. Between the sepulchres to himMy guide thrust me with fearless hands and prompt, This warning added: "See thy words be clear!"

He, soon as there I stood at the tomb's foot, Ey'd me a space, then in disdainful moodAddress'd me: "Say, what ancestors were thine?"

I, willing to obey him, straight reveal'dThe whole, nor kept back aught: whence he, his browSomewhat uplifting, cried: "Fiercely were theyAdverse to me, my party, and the bloodFrom whence I sprang: twice therefore I abroadScatter'd them. " "Though driv'n out, yet they each timeFrom all parts, " answer'd I, "return'd; an artWhich yours have shown, they are not skill'd to learn. "

Then, peering forth from the unclosed jaw, Rose from his side a shade, high as the chin, Leaning, methought, upon its knees uprais'd. It look'd around, as eager to exploreIf there were other with me; but perceivingThat fond imagination quench'd, with tearsThus spake: "If thou through this blind prison go'st. Led by thy lofty genius and profound, Where is my son? and wherefore not with thee?"

I straight replied: "Not of myself I come, By him, who there expects me, through this climeConducted, whom perchance Guido thy sonHad in contempt. " Already had his wordsAnd mode of punishment read me his name, Whence I so fully answer'd. He at onceExclaim'd, up starting, "How! said'st thou he HAD?No longer lives he? Strikes not on his eyeThe blessed daylight?" Then of some delayI made ere my reply aware, down fellSupine, not after forth appear'd he more. 

Meanwhile the other, great of soul, near whomI yet was station'd, chang'd not count'nance stern, Nor mov'd the neck, nor bent his ribbed side. "And if, " continuing the first discourse, "They in this art, " he cried, "small skill have shown, That doth torment me more e'en than this bed. But not yet fifty times shall be relum'dHer aspect, who reigns here Queen of this realm, Ere thou shalt know the full weight of that art. So to the pleasant world mayst thou return, As thou shalt tell me, why in all their laws, Against my kin this people is so fell?"

"The slaughter and great havoc, " I replied, "That colour'd Arbia's flood with crimson stain--To these impute, that in our hallow'd domeSuch orisons ascend. " Sighing he shookThe head, then thus resum'd: "In that affrayI stood not singly, nor without just causeAssuredly should with the rest have stirr'd;But singly there I stood, when by consentOf all, Florence had to the ground been raz'd, The one who openly forbad the deed. "

"So may thy lineage find at last repose, "I thus adjur'd him, "as thou solve this knot, Which now involves my mind. If right I hear, Ye seem to view beforehand, that which timeLeads with him, of the present uninform'd. "

"We view, as one who hath an evil sight, "He answer'd, "plainly, objects far remote:So much of his large spendour yet impartsThe' Almighty Ruler; but when they approachOr actually exist, our intellectThen wholly fails, nor of your human stateExcept what others bring us know we aught. Hence therefore mayst thou understand, that allOur knowledge in that instant shall expire, When on futurity the portals close. "

Then conscious of my fault, and by remorseSmitten, I added thus: "Now shalt thou sayTo him there fallen, that his offspring stillIs to the living join'd; and bid him know, That if from answer silent I abstain'd, 'Twas that my thought was occupied intentUpon that error, which thy help hath solv'd. "

But now my master summoning me backI heard, and with more eager haste besoughtThe spirit to inform me, who with himPartook his lot. He answer thus return'd:

"More than a thousand with me here are laidWithin is Frederick, second of that name, And the Lord Cardinal, and of the restI speak not. " He, this said, from sight withdrew. But I my steps towards the ancient bardReverting, ruminated on the wordsBetokening me such ill. Onward he mov'd, And thus in going question'd: "Whence the' amazeThat holds thy senses wrapt?" I satisfiedThe' inquiry, and the sage enjoin'd me straight:"Let thy safe memory store what thou hast heardTo thee importing harm; and note thou this, "With his rais'd finger bidding me take heed, "When thou shalt stand before her gracious beam, Whose bright eye all surveys, she of thy lifeThe future tenour will to thee unfold. "

Forthwith he to the left hand turn'd his feet:We left the wall, and tow'rds the middle spaceWent by a path, that to a valley strikes;Which e'en thus high exhal'd its noisome steam. 

CANTO XI

UPON the utmost verge of a high bank, By craggy rocks environ'd round, we came, Where woes beneath more cruel yet were stow'd:And here to shun the horrible excessOf fetid exhalation, upward castFrom the profound abyss, behind the lidOf a great monument we stood retir'd, Whereon this scroll I mark'd: "I have in chargePope Anastasius, whom Photinus drewFrom the right path. --Ere our descent behoovesWe make delay, that somewhat first the sense, To the dire breath accustom'd, afterwardRegard it not. " My master thus; to whomAnswering I spake: "Some compensation findThat the time past not wholly lost. " He then:"Lo! how my thoughts e'en to thy wishes tend!My son! within these rocks, " he thus began, "Are three close circles in gradation plac'd, As these which now thou leav'st. Each one is fullOf spirits accurs'd; but that the sight aloneHereafter may suffice thee, listen howAnd for what cause in durance they abide. 

"Of all malicious act abhorr'd in heaven, The end is injury; and all such endEither by force or fraud works other's woeBut fraud, because of man peculiar evil, To God is more displeasing; and beneathThe fraudulent are therefore doom'd to' endureSeverer pang. The violent occupyAll the first circle; and because to forceThree persons are obnoxious, in three roundsHach within other sep'rate is it fram'd. To God, his neighbour, and himself, by manForce may be offer'd; to himself I sayAnd his possessions, as thou soon shalt hearAt full. Death, violent death, and painful woundsUpon his neighbour he inflicts; and wastesBy devastation, pillage, and the flames, His substance. Slayers, and each one that smitesIn malice, plund'rers, and all robbers, henceThe torment undergo of the first roundIn different herds. Man can do violenceTo himself and his own blessings: and for thisHe in the second round must aye deploreWith unavailing penitence his crime, Whoe'er deprives himself of life and light, In reckless lavishment his talent wastes, And sorrows there where he should dwell in joy. To God may force be offer'd, in the heartDenying and blaspheming his high power, And nature with her kindly law contemning. And thence the inmost round marks with its sealSodom and Cahors, and all such as speakContemptuously' of the Godhead in their hearts. 

"Fraud, that in every conscience leaves a sting, May be by man employ'd on one, whose trustHe wins, or on another who withholdsStrict confidence. Seems as the latter wayBroke but the bond of love which Nature makes. Whence in the second circle have their nestDissimulation, witchcraft, flatteries, Theft, falsehood, simony, all who seduceTo lust, or set their honesty at pawn, With such vile scum as these. The other wayForgets both Nature's general love, and thatWhich thereto added afterwards gives birthTo special faith. Whence in the lesser circle, Point of the universe, dread seat of Dis, The traitor is eternally consum'd. "

I thus: "Instructor, clearly thy discourseProceeds, distinguishing the hideous chasmAnd its inhabitants with skill exact. But tell me this: they of the dull, fat pool, Whom the rain beats, or whom the tempest drives, Or who with tongues so fierce conflicting meet, Wherefore within the city fire-illum'dAre not these punish'd, if God's wrath be on them?And if it be not, wherefore in such guiseAre they condemned?" He answer thus return'd:"Wherefore in dotage wanders thus thy mind, Not so accustom'd? or what other thoughtsPossess it? Dwell not in thy memoryThe words, wherein thy ethic page describesThree dispositions adverse to Heav'n's will, Incont'nence, malice, and mad brutishness, And how incontinence the least offendsGod, and least guilt incurs? If well thou noteThis judgment, and remember who they are, Without these walls to vain repentance doom'd, Thou shalt discern why they apart are plac'dFrom these fell spirits, and less wreakful poursJustice divine on them its vengeance down. "

"O Sun! who healest all imperfect sight, Thou so content'st me, when thou solv'st my doubt, That ignorance not less than knowledge charms. Yet somewhat turn thee back, " I in these wordsContinu'd, "where thou saidst, that usuryOffends celestial Goodness; and this knotPerplex'd unravel. " He thus made reply:"Philosophy, to an attentive ear, Clearly points out, not in one part alone, How imitative nature takes her courseFrom the celestial mind and from its art:And where her laws the Stagyrite unfolds, Not many leaves scann'd o'er, observing wellThou shalt discover, that your art on herObsequious follows, as the learner treadsIn his instructor's step, so that your artDeserves the name of second in descentFrom God. These two, if thou recall to mindCreation's holy book, from the beginningWere the right source of life and excellenceTo human kind. But in another pathThe usurer walks; and Nature in herselfAnd in her follower thus he sets at nought, Placing elsewhere his hope. But follow nowMy steps on forward journey bent; for nowThe Pisces play with undulating glanceAlong the' horizon, and the Wain lies allO'er the north-west; and onward there a spaceIs our steep passage down the rocky height. "

CANTO XII

THE place where to descend the precipiceWe came, was rough as Alp, and on its vergeSuch object lay, as every eye would shun. 

As is that ruin, which Adice's streamOn this side Trento struck, should'ring the wave, Or loos'd by earthquake or for lack of prop;For from the mountain's summit, whence it mov'dTo the low level, so the headlong rockIs shiver'd, that some passage it might giveTo him who from above would pass; e'en suchInto the chasm was that descent: and thereAt point of the disparted ridge lay stretch'dThe infamy of Crete, detested broodOf the feign'd heifer: and at sight of usIt gnaw'd itself, as one with rage distract. 

To him my guide exclaim'd: "Perchance thou deem'stThe King of Athens here, who, in the worldAbove, thy death contriv'd. Monster! avaunt!He comes not tutor'd by thy sister's art, But to behold your torments is he come. "

Like to a bull, that with impetuous springDarts, at the moment when the fatal blowHath struck him, but unable to proceedPlunges on either side; so saw I plungeThe Minotaur; whereat the sage exclaim'd:"Run to the passage! while he storms, 't is wellThat thou descend. " Thus down our road we tookThrough those dilapidated crags, that oftMov'd underneath my feet, to weight like theirsUnus'd. I pond'ring went, and thus he spake:

"Perhaps thy thoughts are of this ruin'd steep, Guarded by the brute violence, which IHave vanquish'd now. Know then, that when I erstHither descended to the nether hell, This rock was not yet fallen. But past doubt(If well I mark) not long ere He arrived, Who carried off from Dis the mighty spoilOf the highest circle, then through all its boundsSuch trembling seiz'd the deep concave and foul, I thought the universe was thrill'd with love, Whereby, there are who deem, the world hath oftBeen into chaos turn'd: and in that point, Here, and elsewhere, that old rock toppled down. But fix thine eyes beneath: the river of bloodApproaches, in the which all those are steep'd, Who have by violence injur'd. " O blind lust!O foolish wrath! who so dost goad us onIn the brief life, and in the eternal thenThus miserably o'erwhelm us. I beheldAn ample foss, that in a bow was bent, As circling all the plain; for so my guideHad told. Between it and the rampart's baseOn trail ran Centaurs, with keen arrows arm'd, As to the chase they on the earth were wont. 

At seeing us descend they each one stood;And issuing from the troop, three sped with bowsAnd missile weapons chosen first; of whomOne cried from far: "Say to what pain ye comeCondemn'd, who down this steep have journied? SpeakFrom whence ye stand, or else the bow I draw. "

To whom my guide: "Our answer shall be madeTo Chiron, there, when nearer him we come. Ill was thy mind, thus ever quick and rash. "

Then me he touch'd, and spake: "Nessus is this, Who for the fair Deianira died, And wrought himself revenge for his own fate. He in the midst, that on his breast looks down, Is the great Chiron who Achilles nurs'd;That other Pholus, prone to wrath. " AroundThe foss these go by thousands, aiming shaftsAt whatsoever spirit dares emergeFrom out the blood, more than his guilt allows. 

We to those beasts, that rapid strode along, Drew near, when Chiron took an arrow forth, And with the notch push'd back his shaggy beardTo the cheek-bone, then his great mouth to viewExposing, to his fellows thus exclaim'd:"Are ye aware, that he who comes behindMoves what he touches? The feet of the deadAre not so wont. " My trusty guide, who nowStood near his breast, where the two natures join, Thus made reply: "He is indeed alive, And solitary so must needs by meBe shown the gloomy vale, thereto induc'dBy strict necessity, not by delight. She left her joyful harpings in the sky, Who this new office to my care consign'd. He is no robber, no dark spirit I. But by that virtue, which empowers my stepTo treat so wild a path, grant us, I pray, One of thy band, whom we may trust secure, Who to the ford may lead us, and conveyAcross, him mounted on his back; for heIs not a spirit that may walk the air. "

Then on his right breast turning, Chiron thusTo Nessus spake: "Return, and be their guide. And if ye chance to cross another troop, Command them keep aloof. " Onward we mov'd, The faithful escort by our side, alongThe border of the crimson-seething flood, Whence from those steep'd within loud shrieks arose. 

Some there I mark'd, as high as to their browImmers'd, of whom the mighty Centaur thus:"These are the souls of tyrants, who were givenTo blood and rapine. Here they wail aloudTheir merciless wrongs. Here Alexander dwells, And Dionysius fell, who many a yearOf woe wrought for fair Sicily. That browWhereon the hair so jetty clust'ring hangs, Is Azzolino; that with flaxen locksObizzo' of Este, in the world destroy'dBy his foul step-son. " To the bard rever'dI turned me round, and thus he spake; "Let himBe to thee now first leader, me but nextTo him in rank. " Then farther on a spaceThe Centaur paus'd, near some, who at the throatWere extant from the wave; and showing usA spirit by itself apart retir'd, Exclaim'd: "He in God's bosom smote the heart, Which yet is honour'd on the bank of Thames. "

A race I next espied, who held the head, And even all the bust above the stream. 'Midst these I many a face remember'd well. Thus shallow more and more the blood became, So that at last it but imbru'd the feet;And there our passage lay athwart the foss. 

"As ever on this side the boiling waveThou seest diminishing, " the Centaur said, "So on the other, be thou well assur'd, It lower still and lower sinks its bed, Till in that part it reuniting join, Where 't is the lot of tyranny to mourn. There Heav'n's stern justice lays chastising handOn Attila, who was the scourge of earth, On Sextus, and on Pyrrhus, and extractsTears ever by the seething flood unlock'dFrom the Rinieri, of Corneto this, Pazzo the other nam'd, who fill'd the waysWith violence and war. " This said, he turn'd, And quitting us, alone repass'd the ford.