THE DIVINE COMEDY BY DANTE ALIGHIERI(XVIII)

Directory:THE DIVINE COMEDY

CANTO XVIII

ARGUMENT.—The Poet describes the situation and form of the eight circle, divided into ten gulfs, which contain as many different descriptions of fraudulent sinners; but in the present Canto he treats only of two sorts: the first is of those who, either for their own pleasure, or for that of another, have seduced any woman from her duty; and these are scourged of demons in the first gulf: the other sort is of flatterers, who in the second gulf are condemned to remain immersed in filth.

THERE is a place within the depths of Hell

Call'd Malebolge, all of rock dark-stain'd

With hue ferruginous, e'en as the steep

That round it circling winds. Right in the midst

Of that abominable region yawns

A spacious gulf profound, whereof the frame

Due time shall tell. The circle, that remains,

Throughout its round, between the gulf and base

Of the high craggy banks, successive forms

Ten bastions, in its hollow bottom raised.

As where, to guard the walls, full many a foss

Begirds some stately castle, sure defence

Affording to the space within; so here

Were model'd these: and as like fortresses,

E'en from their threshold to the brink without,

Are flank'd with bridges; from the rock's low base

Thus flinty paths advanced, that 'cross the moles

And dykes struck onward far as to the gulf,

That in one bound collected cuts them off.

Such was the place, wherein we found ourselves

From Geryon's back dislodged. The bard to left

Held on his way, and I behind him moved.

On our right hand new misery I saw,

New pains, new executioner of wrath,

That swarming peopled that first chasm. Below

Were naked sinners. Hitherward they came,

Meeting our faces, from the middle point;

With us beyond, but with a larger stride.

E'en thus the Romans,〖In the year 1300, Pope Boniface VIII, to remedy the inconvenience occasioned by the press over the bridge of St. Angelo during the time of the Jubilee, caused it to be divided lengthwise by a partition. G. Villani, who was present, describes the order that was preserved, lib. viii. c. xxxvi. It was at this time, and on this occasion, that he first conceived the design of “compiling his book.”〗 when the year returns

Of Jubilee, with better speed to rid

The thronging multitudes, their means devise

For such as pass the bridge; that on one side

All front toward the castle, and approach

Saint Peter's fane, on the other toward the mount.

Each diverse way, along the grisly rock,

Horn'd demons I beheld, with lashes huge,

That on their back unmercifully smote.

Ah! how they made them bound at the first stripe!

None for the second waited, nor the third.

Meantime, as on I pass'd, one met my sight,

Whom soon as view'd, “Of him,” cried I, “not yet

Mine eye hath had his fill.” I therefore stay'd

My feet to scan him, and the teacher kind

Paused with me, and consented I should walk

Backward a space; and the tormented spirit,

Who thought to hide him, bent his visage down.

But it avail'd him naught; for I exclaim'd:

“Thou who dost cast thine eye upon the ground,

Unless thy features do belie thee much,

Venedico〖Venedico Caccianimico, a Bolognese, who prevailed on his sister Ghisola to prostitute herself to Obizzo da Este. (See Canto xii.)〗 art thou. But what brings thee

Into this bitter seasoning?” He replied:

“Unwillingly I answer to thy words.

But thy clear speech, that to my mind recalls

The world I once inhabited, constrains me.

Know then 't was I who led fair Ghisola

To do the Marquis' will, however fame

The shameful tale have bruited. Nor alone

Bologna hither sendeth me to mourn.

Rather with us the place is so o'er throng'd,

That not so many tongues this day are taught,

Betwixt the Reno and Savena's stream,

To answer Sipa〖“To answer Sipa.” He denotes Bologna by its situation between the rivers Savena to the east and Reno to the west, and by a peculiarity of dialect, the use of the affirmative “sipa” instead either of “si” or of “sia.”〗 in their country's phrase.

And if of that securer proof thou need,

Remember but our craving thirst for gold.”

Him speaking thus, a demon with his throng

Struck and exclaim'd, “Away, corrupter! here

Women are none for sale.” Forthwith I join'd

My escort, and few paces thence we came

To where a rock forth issued from the bank.

That easily ascended, to the right

Upon its splinter turning, we depart

From those eternal barriers. When arrived

Where, underneath, the gaping arch lets pass

The scourged souls: “Pause here,” the teacher said,

“And let these others miserable now

Strike on thy ken; faces not yet beheld,

For that together they with us have walk'd.”

From the old bridge we eyed the pack, who came

From the other side toward us, like the rest,

Excoriate from the lash. My gentle guide,

By me unquestion'd, thus his speech resumed:

“Behold that lofty shade, who this way tends,

And seems too woe-begone to drop a tear.

How yet the regal aspect he retains!

Jason is he, whose skill and prowess won

The ram from Colchis. To the Lemnian isle

His passage thither led him, when those bold

And pitiless women had slain all their males.

There he with tokens and fair witching words

Hypsipyle〖She deceived the other women, by concealing her father Thoas, when they slew their males.〗 beguiled, a virgin young,

Who first had all the rest herself beguiled.

Impregnated, he left her there forlorn.

Such is the guilt condemns him to this pain.

Here too Medea's injuries are avenged.

All bear him company, who like deceit

To his have practised. And thus much to know

Of the first vale suffice thee, and of those

Whom its keen torments urge.” Now had we come

Where, crossing the next pier, the straiten'd path

Bestrides its shoulders to another arch.

Hence, in the second chasm we heard the ghosts,

Who gibber in low melancholy sounds,

With wide-stretch'd nostrils snort, and on themselves

Smite with their palms. Upon the banks a scurf,

From the foul steam condensed, encrusting hung,

That held sharp combat with the sight and smell.

So hollow is the depth, that from no part,

Save on the summit of the rocky span,

Could I distinguish aught. Thus far we came;

And thence I saw, within the foss below,

A crowd immersed in ordure, that appear'd

Draff of the human body. There beneath

Searching with eye inquisitive, I mark'd

One with his head so grimed, 't were hard to deem

If he were clerk or layman. Loud he cried:

“Why greedily thus bendest more on me,

Than on these other filthy ones, thy ken?”

“Because, if true my memory,” I replied,

“I heretofore have seen thee with dry locks;

And thou Alessio〖Of the old Interminei family.〗 art, of Lucca sprung.

Therefore than all the rest I scan thee more.”

Then beating on his brain, these words he spake:

“Me thus low down my flatteries have sunk,

Wherewith I ne'er enough could glut my tongue.”

My leader thus: “A little further stretch

Thy face, that thou the visage well mayst note

Of that besotted, sluttish courtesan,

Who there doth rend her with defiled nails,

Now crouching down, now risen on her feet.

Thaïs〖“Thaïs.” In the Eunuchus of Terence, Thraso asks if Thaïs was obliged to him for his present; and Gnatho replies, that she had expressed her obligation in the most forcible terms.〗 is this, the harlot, whose false lip

Answer'd her doting paramour that ask'd,

‘Thankest me much!’—‘Say rather, wondrously,’

And, seeing this, here satiate be our view.”

All Directories