s: Wagging the top, as a tongue uttering sounds,


s: Threw out its voice, and spake:  "When I escap'd


s: Ere thus Aeneas yet had nam'd the shore,


s: That should have crown'd Penelope with joy,


s: T' explore the world, and search the ways of life,


s: Man's evil and his virtue.  Forth I sail'd


s: With but one bark, and the small faithful band


s: To the strait pass, where Hercules ordain'd


s: The bound'ries not to be o'erstepp'd by man.


s: The walls of Seville to my right I left,


s: "O brothers!"  I began, "who to the west


s: Through perils without number now have reach'd,


s: To this the short remaining watch, that yet


s: Our senses have to wake, refuse not proof


s: Of the unpeopled world, following the track


s: Of Phoebus. Call to mind from whence we sprang:


s: Ye were not form'd to live the life of brutes


s: But virtue to pursue and knowledge high.


s: With these few words I sharpen'd for the voyage


s: Could scarcely have withheld them.  To the dawn


s: Our poop we turn'd, and for the witless flight


s: Made our oars wings, still gaining on the left.


s: Each star of the' other pole night now beheld,


s: And ours so low, that from the ocean-floor


s: It rose not.  Five times re-illum'd, as oft


s: Vanish'd the light from underneath the moon


s: Since the deep way we enter'd, when from far


s: Appear'd a mountain dim, loftiest methought


s: Of all I e'er beheld.  Joy seiz'd us straight,


s: But soon to mourning changed.  From the new land


s: A whirlwind sprung, and at her foremost side


s: Did strike the vessel.  Thrice it whirl'd her round


s: With all the waves, the fourth time lifted up


s: The poop, and sank the prow: so fate decreed:


s: NOW upward rose the flame, and still'd its light


s: To speak no more, and now pass'd on with leave


s: From the mild poet gain'd, when following came


s: Another, from whose top a sound confus'd,


s: Forth issuing, drew our eyes that way to look.


s: His cries first echoed, who had shap'd its mould,


s: Tormented, that the brazen monster seem'd


s: Pierc'd through with pain; thus while no way they found


s: Into its language turn'd the dismal words:


s: But soon as they had won their passage forth,


s: Up from the point, which vibrating obey'd


s: Their motion at the tongue, these sounds we heard:


s: "O thou!  to whom I now direct my voice!


s: That lately didst exclaim in Lombard phrase,


s: Let it not irk thee here to pause awhile,


s: And yet I burn.  If but e'en now thou fall


s: into this blind world, from that pleasant land


s: Of Latium, whence I draw my sum of guilt,


s: Have peace or war.  For of the mountains there


s: Whence Tyber first unlocks his mighty flood."


s: Leaning I listen'd yet with heedful ear,


s: When, as he touch'd my side, the leader thus:


s: In her proud tyrants' bosoms, nor is now:


s: But open war there left I none.  The state,


s: Ravenna hath maintain'd this many a year,


s: Is steadfast.  There Polenta's eagle broods,


s: O'ershadows Cervia. The green talons grasp


s: The land, that stood erewhile the proof so long,


s: And pil'd in bloody heap the host of France.


s: "The' old mastiff of Verruchio and the young,


s: That tore Montagna in their wrath, still make,


s: Where they are wont, an augre of their fangs.


s: Inconstant partisan! that changeth sides,


s: Or ever summer yields to winter's frost.


s: And she, whose flank is wash'd of Savio's wave,


s: As 'twixt the level and the steep she lies,


s: Lives so 'twixt tyrant power and liberty.


s: "Now tell us, I entreat thee, who art thou?


s: Be not more hard than others.  In the world,


s: So may thy name still rear its forehead high."


s: Then roar'd awhile the fire, its sharpen'd point


s: On either side wav'd, and thus breath'd at last:


s: This flame should rest unshaken.  But since ne'er,


s: Has found his upward way, I answer thee,


s: "A man of arms at first, I cloth'd me then


s: In good Saint Francis' girdle, hoping so


s: T' have made amends.  And certainly my hope


s: Had fail'd not, but that he, whom curses light on,


s: The' high priest again seduc'd me into sin.


s: And how and wherefore listen while I tell.


s: Long as this spirit mov'd the bones and pulp


s: My mother gave me, less my deeds bespake


s: And with such art conducted, that the sound


s: Reach'd the world's limit.  Soon as to that part


s: Of life I found me come, when each behoves


s: That which before had pleased me then I rued,


s: And to repentance and confession turn'd;


s: Wretch that I was! and well it had bested me!


s: The chief of the new Pharisees meantime,


s: All Christians were, nor against Acre one


s: Had fought, nor traffic'd in the Soldan's land),


s: In himself, rev'renc'd, nor in me that cord,


s: Which us'd to mark with leanness whom it girded.


s: This man besought: my counsel to that end


s: He ask'd:  and I was silent:  for his words


s: Seem'd drunken:  but forthwith he thus resum'd:


s: "From thy heart banish fear:  of all offence


s: Heav'n, as thou knowest, I have power to shut


s: And open:  and the keys are therefore twain,


s: The which my predecessor meanly priz'd."


s: Then, yielding to the forceful arguments,


s: And answer'd:  "Father! since thou washest me


s: Clear of that guilt wherein I now must fall,


s: Large promise with performance scant, be sure,


s: Shall make thee triumph in thy lofty seat."


s: "When I was number'd with the dead, then came


s: He met, who cried: "'Wrong me not; he is mine,


s: And must below to join the wretched crew,


s: For the deceitful counsel which he gave.


s: E'er since I watch'd him, hov'ring at his hair,


s: Seiz'd me, and cried, "Thou haply thought'st me not


s: Twin'd eight times round his callous back the tail,


s: Which biting with excess of rage, he spake:


s: "This is a guilty soul, that in the fire


s: Must vanish.'  Hence perdition-doom'd I rove


s: A prey to rankling sorrow in this garb."


s: When he had thus fulfill'd his words, the flame


s: And writhing its sharp horn.  We onward went,


s: Of those, who load them with committed sin.


s: WHO, e'en in words unfetter'd, might at full


s: Tell of the wounds and blood that now I saw,


s: Though he repeated oft the tale? No tongue


s: So vast a theme could equal, speech and thought


s: Collected, stood the people all, who e'er


s: Pour'd on Apulia's happy soil their blood,


s: Slain by the Trojans, and in that long war


s: When of the rings the measur'd booty made


s: A pile so high, as Rome's historian writes


s: Who errs not, with the multitude, that felt


s: The grinding force of Guiscard's Norman steel,


s: And those the rest, whose bones are gather'd yet


s: Branded th' Apulian name, or where beyond


s: One were to show transpierc'd, another his


s: Were but a thing of nought, to the' hideous sight


s: Of the ninth chasm.  A rundlet, that hath lost


s: Its middle or side stave, gapes not so wide,


s: As one I mark'd, torn from the chin throughout


s: Down to the hinder passage: 'twixt the legs


s: Dangling his entrails hung, the midriff lay


s: That turns th' englutted aliment to dross.


s: He ey'd me, with his hands laid his breast bare,


s: And cried;  "Now mark how I do rip me!  lo!


s: Walks Ali weeping, from the chin his face


s: Cleft to the forelock; and the others all


s: Whom here thou seest, while they liv'd, did sow


s: Scandal and schism, and therefore thus are rent.


s: A fiend is here behind, who with his sword


s: Each of this ream, when we have compast round


s: The dismal way, for first our gashes close


s: Art thou, that standest musing on the rock,


s: Sentenc'd upon thy crimes?"--"Him death not yet,"


s: My guide rejoin'd, "hath overta'en, nor sin


s: Conducts to torment; but, that he may make


s: Must through the depths of hell, from orb to orb,


s: Conduct him.  Trust my words, for they are true."


s: More than a hundred spirits, when that they heard,


s: Stood in the foss to mark me, through amazed,


s: Forgetful of their pangs.  "Thou, who perchance


s: Shalt shortly view the sun, this warning thou


s: Bear to Dolcino:  bid him, if he wish not


s: Here soon to follow me, that with good store


s: Of food he arm him, lest impris'ning snows


s: No easy conquest else."  With foot uprais'd


s: For stepping, spake Mohammed, on the ground


s: Then fix'd it to depart.  Another shade,


s: Pierc'd in the throat, his nostrils mutilate


s: E'en from beneath the eyebrows, and one ear


s: Lopt off, who with the rest through wonder stood


s: Gazing, before the rest advanc'd, and bar'd


s: His wind-pipe, that without was all o'ersmear'd


s: With crimson stain.  "O thou!" said 'he, "whom sin


s: Condemns not, and whom erst (unless too near


s: Have seen on Latian ground, call thou to mind


s: Returning, thou behold'st the pleasant land


s: And there instruct the twain, whom Fano boasts


s: That if 't is giv'n us here to scan aright


s: Shall be cast forth, and whelm'd under the waves


s: Of a fell tyrant.  'Twixt the Cyprian isle


s: Or Argive crew of old.  That one-ey'd traitor


s: (Whose realm there is a spirit here were fain


s: His eye had still lack'd sight of) them shall bring


s: To conf'rence with him, then so shape his end,


s: That they shall need not 'gainst Focara's wind


s: Offer up vow nor pray'r."  I answering thus:


s: "Declare, as thou dost wish that I above


s: In whom that sight doth wake such sad remembrance?"


s: Forthwith he laid his hand on the cheek-bone


s: Expanding, cried:  "Lo! this is he I wot of;


s: He speaks not for himself:  the outcast this


s: Who overwhelm'd the doubt in Caesar's mind,


s: Methought was Curio, from whose throat was cut


s: The tongue, which spake that hardy word.  Then one


s: Maim'd of each hand, uplifted in the gloom


s: The bleeding stumps, that they with gory spots


s: Sullied his face, and cried: "'Remember thee


s: 'The deed once done there is an end,' that prov'd


s: I added:  "Ay, and death to thine own tribe."


s: Whence heaping woe on woe he hurried off,


s: As one grief stung to madness.  But I there


s: Still linger'd to behold the troop, and saw


s: Things, such as I may fear without more proof


s: To tell of, but that conscience makes me firm,


s: The boon companion, who her strong breast-plate


s: Buckles on him, that feels no guilt within


s: And bids him on and fear not.  Without doubt


s: I saw, and yet it seems to pass before me,


s: Of the sad flock pac'd onward.  By the hair


s: It bore the sever'd member, lantern-wise


s: Pendent in hand, which look'd at us and said,


s: "Woe's me!"  The spirit lighted thus himself,


s: And two there were in one, and one in two.


s: How that may be he knows who ordereth so.


s: When at the bridge's foot direct he stood,


s: His arm aloft he rear'd, thrusting the head


s: Full in our view, that nearer we might hear


s: The words, which thus it utter'd:  "Now behold


s: This grievous torment, thou, who breathing go'st


s: Thou mayst bear tidings of me, know that I


s: Am Bertrand, he of Born, who gave King John


s: The counsel mischievous.  Father and son


s: For parting those so closely knit, my brain


s: That in this trunk inhabits.  Thus the law


s: Of the vast multitude, whom various wounds


s: Disfigur'd, that they long'd to stay and weep.


s: But Virgil rous'd me:  "What yet gazest on?


s: Wherefore doth fasten yet thy sight below


s: This weakness.  Know, if thou wouldst number them


s: That two and twenty miles the valley winds


s: Beneath our feet:  the time permitted now


s: Is short, and more not seen remains to see."


s: "If thou," I straight replied, "hadst weigh'd the cause


s: For which I look'd, thou hadst perchance excus'd


s: The tarrying still."  My leader part pursu'd


s: His way, the while I follow'd, answering him,


s: And adding thus:  "Within that cave I deem,


s: There is a spirit dwells, one of my blood,


s: Wailing the crime that costs him now so dear."


s: Then spake my master: "Let thy soul no more


s: Afflict itself for him.  Direct elsewhere


s: Its thought, and leave him.  At the bridge's foot


s: I mark'd how he did point with menacing look


s: At thee, and heard him by the others nam'd


s: Wert busied with his spirit, who once rul'd


s: The towers of Hautefort, that thou lookedst not


s: That way, ere he was gone."--"O guide belov'd!


s: His violent death yet unaveng'd," said I,


s: Made him contemptuous:  therefore, as I think,


s: He pass'd me speechless by; and doing so


s: Hath made me more compassionate his fate."


s: So we discours'd to where the rock first show'd


s: The other valley, had more light been there,


s: E'en to the lowest depth.  Soon as we came


s: O'er the last cloister in the dismal rounds


s: Were to our view expos'd, then many a dart


s: With points of thrilling pity, that I clos'd


s: Both ears against the volley with mine hands.


s: As were the torment, if each lazar-house


s: 'Twixt July and September, with the isle


s: Had heap'd their maladies all in one foss


s: Together; such was here the torment: dire


s: The stench, as issuing steams from fester'd limbs.


s: Descended still to leftward.  Then my sight


s: Was livelier to explore the depth, wherein


s: All-searching Justice, dooms to punishment


s: Each living thing, e'en to the little worm,


s: (And afterward, as bards of yore have told,


s: From seed of emmets) than was here to see


s: The spirits, that languish'd through the murky vale


s: Up-pil'd on many a stack.  Confus'd they lay,


s: One o'er the belly, o'er the shoulders one


s: Roll'd of another; sideling crawl'd a third


s: We journey'd on, in silence looking round


s: And list'ning those diseas'd, who strove in vain


s: To lift their forms.  Then two I mark'd, that sat


s: Propp'd 'gainst each other, as two brazen pans


s: Set to retain the heat.  From head to foot,


s: A tetter bark'd them round. Nor saw I e'er


s: Groom currying so fast, for whom his lord


s: Tir'd with long watching, as of these each one


s: Plied quickly his keen nails, through furiousness


s: Came drawn from underneath in flakes, like scales


s: Scrap'd from the bream or fish of broader mail.


s: "O thou, who with thy fingers rendest off


s: Thy coat of proof," thus spake my guide to one,


s: "And sometimes makest tearing pincers of them,


s: Serve thee for everlasting to this toil."


s: "Both are of Latium," weeping he replied,


s: "Whom tortur'd thus thou seest:  but who art thou


s: That hast inquir'd of us?"  To whom my guide:


s: "One that descend with this man, who yet lives,


s: From rock to rock, and show him hell's abyss."


s: Then started they asunder, and each turn'd


s: Trembling toward us, with the rest, whose ear


s: Those words redounding struck.  To me my liege


s: Address'd him:  "Speak to them whate'er thou list."


s: Filch your remembrance from the thoughts of men


s: And of what race ye come.  Your punishment,


s: Deter you not from opening thus much to me."


s: To die by fire; but that, for which I died,


s: Leads me not here.  True is in sport I told him,


s: That I had learn'd to wing my flight in air.


s: The secret of mine art:  and only hence,


s: Prevail'd on one suppos'd his sire to burn me.


s: But Minos to this chasm last of the ten,


s: Has doom'd me.  Him no subterfuge eludes."


s: Then to the bard I spake:  "Was ever race


s: Light as Sienna's?  Sure not France herself


s: Can show a tribe so frivolous and vain."


s: The other leprous spirit heard my words,


s: And thus return'd:  "Be Stricca from this charge


s: Discover'd in that garden, where such seed


s: Roots deepest in the soil:  and be that troop


s: Lavish'd his vineyards and wide-spreading woods,


s: A spectacle for all.  That thou mayst know


s: Thus gladly, bend this way thy sharpen'd sight,


s: That well my face may answer to thy ken;


s: So shalt thou see I am Capocchio's ghost,


s: Who forg'd transmuted metals by the power


s: Thus needs must well remember how I aped


s: WHAT time resentment burn'd in Juno's breast


s: As more than once in dire mischance was rued,


s: That he his spouse beholding with a babe


s: Laden on either arm, "Spread out," he cried,


s: And the young lions at the pass:  "then forth


s: Stretch'd he his merciless talons, grasping one,


s: Whom swinging down he dash'd upon a rock,


s: And with her other burden self-destroy'd


s: The hapless mother plung'd:  and when the pride


s: Of all-presuming Troy fell from its height,


s: By fortune overwhelm'd, and the old king


s: With his realm perish'd, then did Hecuba,


s: A wretch forlorn and captive, when she saw


s: Polyxena first slaughter'd, and her son,


s: Next met the mourner's view, then reft of sense


s: Such mighty power had grief to wrench her soul.


s: Bet ne'er the Furies or of Thebes or Troy


s: With such fell cruelty were seen, their goads


s: That gnarling wildly scamper'd, like the swine


s: Excluded from his stye.  One reach'd Capocchio,


s: And in the neck-joint sticking deep his fangs,


s: Dragg'd him, that o'er the solid pavement rubb'd


s: His belly stretch'd out prone.  The other shape,


s: He of Arezzo, there left trembling, spake;


s: "That sprite of air is Schicchi; in like mood


s: Of random mischief vent he still his spite."


s: To whom I answ'ring:  "Oh!  as thou dost hope,


s: The other may not flesh its jaws on thee,


s: Ere it speed hence."--" That is the ancient soul


s: Of wretched Myrrha," he replied, "who burn'd


s: With most unholy flame for her own sire,


s: And a false shape assuming, so perform'd


s: The deed of sin; e'en as the other there,


s: That onward passes, dar'd to counterfeit


s: The seal affixing, that himself might gain,


s: For his own share, the lady of the herd."


s: When vanish'd the two furious shades, on whom


s: Mine eye was held, I turn'd it back to view


s: In fashion like a lute, had but the groin


s: Been sever'd, where it meets the forked part.


s: Swoln dropsy, disproportioning the limbs


s: With ill-converted moisture, that the paunch


s: Suits not the visage, open'd wide his lips


s: Gasping as in the hectic man for drought,


s: One towards the chin, the other upward curl'd.


s: Wherefore I know not, are exempt from pain,"


s: The rills, that glitter down the grassy slopes


s: The banks whereby they glide to Arno's stream,


s: For more the pictur'd semblance dries me up,


s: Much more than the disease, which makes the flesh


s: Desert these shrivel'd cheeks.  So from the place,


s: Where I transgress'd, stern justice urging me,


s: Takes means to quicken more my lab'ring sighs.


s: The metal with the Baptist's form imprest,


s: For which on earth I left my body burnt.


s: But if I here might see the sorrowing soul


s: For Branda's limpid spring I would not change


s: The welcome sight.  One is e'en now within,


s: If truly the mad spirits tell, that round


s: Are wand'ring.  But wherein besteads me that?


s: My limbs are fetter'd.  Were I but so light,


s: That I each hundred years might move one inch,


s: Seeking him out amidst the shapeless crew,


s: Than half of one across.  They brought me down


s: Among this tribe; induc'd by them I stamp'd


s: The florens with three carats of alloy."


s: "Who are that abject pair," I next inquir'd,


s: "That closely bounding thee upon thy right


s: Lie smoking, like a band in winter steep'd


s: In the chill stream?"--"When to this gulf I dropt,"


s: He answer'd, "here I found them; since that hour


s: They have not turn'd, nor ever shall, I ween,


s: Till time hath run his course.  One is that dame


s: Sinon the other, that false Greek from Troy.


s: Sharp fever drains the reeky moistness out,


s: In such a cloud upsteam'd."  When that he heard,


s: One, gall'd perchance to be so darkly nam'd,


s: With clench'd hand smote him on the braced paunch,


s: That like a drum resounded:  but forthwith


s: Returning with his arm, that seem'd as hard.


s: "Though my o'erweighty limbs have ta'en from me


s: The power to move," said he, "I have an arm


s: Was answer'd:  "When thou wentest to the fire,


s: Then readier when it coin'd th' impostor gold."


s: And thus the dropsied:  "Ay, now speak'st thou true.


s: But there thou gav'st not such true testimony,


s: When thou wast question'd of the truth, at Troy."


s: "If I spake false, thou falsely stamp'dst the coin,"


s: Said Sinon; "I am here but for one fault,


s: "Remember," he replied, "O perjur'd one,


s: The horse remember, that did teem with death,


s: And all the world be witness to thy guilt."


s: "To thine," return'd the Greek, "witness the thirst


s: Whence thy tongue cracks, witness the fluid mound,


s: Rear'd by thy belly up before thine eyes,


s: A mass corrupt."  To whom the coiner thus:


s: "Thy mouth gapes wide as ever to let pass


s: Yet I am stuff'd with moisture.  Thou art parch'd,


s: Pains rack thy head, no urging would'st thou need


s: I was all fix'd to listen, when my guide


s: Admonish'd:  "Now beware:  a little more.


s: And I do quarrel with thee."  I perceiv'd


s: How angrily he spake, and towards him turn'd


s: With shame so poignant, as remember'd yet


s: Confounds me.  As a man that dreams of harm


s: Befall'n him, dreaming wishes it a dream,


s: And that which is, desires as if it were not,


s: Such then was I, who wanting power to speak


s: Wish'd to excuse myself, and all the while


s: Excus'd me, though unweeting that I did.


s: "More grievous fault than thine has been, less shame,"


s: My master cried, "might expiate.  Therefore cast


s: Chance bring thee, where like conference is held,


s: Such wrangling is a joy for vulgar minds."


s: THE very tongue, whose keen reproof before


s: Had wounded me, that either cheek was stain'd,


s: Now minister'd my cure.  So have I heard,


s: Achilles and his father's javelin caus'd


s: Pain first, and then the boon of health restor'd.


s: W cross'd th' encircled mound in silence.  There


s: Was twilight dim, that far long the gloom


s: Mine eye advanc'd not:  but I heard a horn


s: Sounded aloud. The peal it blew had made


s: The thunder feeble.  Following its course


s: The adverse way, my strained eyes were bent


s: O'erthrew the host of Charlemagne, and quench'd


s: His saintly warfare.  Thitherward not long


s: My head was rais'd, when many lofty towers


s: Methought I spied.  "Master," said I, "what land


s: Is this?"  He answer'd straight:  "Too long a space


s: To traverse:  thou hast therefore widely err'd


s: Thou well shalt see, how distance can delude


s: The sense.  A little therefore urge thee on."


s: "Yet know," said he, "ere farther we advance,


s: That it less strange may seem, these are not towers,


s: But giants.  In the pit they stand immers'd,


s: Each from his navel downward, round the bank."


s: Our vision traces what the mist involves


s: Condens'd in air; so piercing through the gross


s: We near'd toward the brink, mine error fled,


s: And fear came o'er me.  As with circling round


s: Of turrets, Montereggion crowns his walls,


s: E'en thus the shore, encompassing th' abyss,


s: Was turreted with giants, half their length


s: Uprearing, horrible, whom Jove from heav'n


s: Yet threatens, when his mutt'ring thunder rolls.


s: Shoulders, and breast, and of the belly huge


s: Great part, and both arms down along his ribs.


s: All-teeming nature, when her plastic hand


s: Left framing of these monsters, did display


s: Past doubt her wisdom, taking from mad War


s: Such slaves to do his bidding; and if she


s: Repent her not of th' elephant and whale,


s: Wiser and more discreet; for when brute force


s: Resistance none avails.  His visage seem'd


s: In length and bulk, as doth the pine, that tops


s: Saint Peter's Roman fane; and th' other bones


s: The bank, which girdled him below, such height


s: Arose his stature, that three Friezelanders


s: Had striv'n in vain to reach but to his hair.


s: Downward from whence a man his garments loops.


s: So shouted his fierce lips, which sweeter hymns


s: Became not; and my guide address'd him thus:


s: "O senseless spirit!  let thy horn for thee


s: Interpret:  therewith vent thy rage, if rage


s: Or other passion wring thee.  Search thy neck,


s: There shalt thou find the belt that binds it on.


s: Wild spirit!  lo, upon thy mighty breast


s: Where hangs the baldrick!"  Then to me he spake:


s: "He doth accuse himself.  Nimrod is this,


s: Through whose ill counsel in the world no more


s: One tongue prevails.  But pass we on, nor waste


s: Our words; for so each language is to him,


s: Then to the leftward turning sped we forth,


s: And at a sling's throw found another shade


s: Far fiercer and more huge.  I cannot say


s: What master hand had girt him; but he held


s: Behind the right arm fetter'd, and before


s: The other with a chain, that fasten'd him


s: From the neck down, and five times round his form


s: Apparent met the wreathed links.  "This proud one


s: Would of his strength against almighty Jove


s: Make trial," said my guide; "whence he is thus


s: Great was his prowess, when the giants brought


s: Fear on the gods:  those arms, which then he piled,


s: Now moves he never."  Forthwith I return'd:


s: "Fain would I, if 't were possible, mine eyes


s: Experience next."  He answer'd: "Thou shalt see


s: Not far from hence Antaeus, who both speaks


s: And is unfetter'd, who shall place us there


s: Where guilt is at its depth.  Far onward stands


s: Whom thou wouldst fain behold, in chains, and made


s: Like to this spirit, save that in his looks


s: More fell he seems."  By violent earthquake rock'd


s: Ne'er shook a tow'r, so reeling to its base,


s: I dreaded death, nor than the terror more


s: That held him fast.  We, straightway journeying on,


s: Without the head, forth issued from the cave.


s: "O thou, who in the fortunate vale, that made


s: Great Scipio heir of glory, when his sword


s: Drove back the troop of Hannibal in flight,


s: Who thence of old didst carry for thy spoil


s: An hundred lions; and if thou hadst fought


s: In the high conflict on thy brethren's side,


s: Seems as men yet believ'd, that through thine arm


s: The sons of earth had conquer'd, now vouchsafe


s: To place us down beneath, where numbing cold


s: Locks up Cocytus.  Force not that we crave


s: Or Tityus' help or Typhon's.  Here is one


s: Can give what in this realm ye covet.  Stoop


s: Therefore, nor scornfully distort thy lip.


s: Renown on thee, for he doth live, and looks


s: Grace call him not unto herself."  Thus spake


s: The teacher.  He in haste forth stretch'd his hands,


s: And caught my guide.  Alcides whilom felt


s: That grapple straighten'd score.  Soon as my guide


s: Had felt it, he bespake me thus:  "This way


s: That I may clasp thee;" then so caught me up,


s: That we were both one burden.  As appears


s: Where it doth lean, if chance a passing cloud


s: Such then Antaeus seem'd, as at mine ease


s: I mark'd him stooping.  I were fain at times


s: T' have pass'd another way.  Yet in th' abyss,


s: I,ightly he plac'd us; nor there leaning stay'd,


s: COULD I command rough rhimes and hoarse, to suit


s: That hole of sorrow, o'er which ev'ry rock


s: His firm abutment rears, then might the vein


s: Of fancy rise full springing:  but not mine


s: Such measures, and with falt'ring awe I touch


s: The mighty theme; for to describe the depth


s: To jest with, and demands a tongue not us'd


s: To infant babbling.  But let them assist


s: My song, the tuneful maidens, by whose aid


s: Amphion wall'd in Thebes, so with the truth


s: My speech shall best accord.  Oh ill-starr'd folk,


s: In such a mansion, as scarce thought finds words


s: To speak of, better had ye here on earth


s: Been flocks or mountain goats.  As down we stood


s: In the dark pit beneath the giants' feet,


s: Bespoke me thus:  "Look how thou walkest.  Take


s: Good heed, thy soles do tread not on the heads


s: Of thy poor brethren."  Thereupon I turn'd,


s: A lake, whose frozen surface liker seem'd


s: To glass than water.  Not so thick a veil


s: In winter e'er hath Austrian Danube spread


s: O'er his still course, nor Tanais far remote


s: Under the chilling sky.  Roll'd o'er that mass


s: Not e'en its rim had creak'd. As peeps the frog


s: Croaking above the wave, what time in dreams


s: The village gleaner oft pursues her toil,


s: So, to where modest shame appears, thus low


s: Blue pinch'd and shrin'd in ice the spirits stood,


s: Moving their teeth in shrill note like the stork.


s: His face each downward held; their mouth the cold,


s: Their eyes express'd the dolour of their heart.


s: A space I look'd around, then at my feet


s: Saw two so strictly join'd, that of their head


s: The very hairs were mingled.  "Tell me ye,


s: Whose bosoms thus together press," said I,


s: "Who are ye?"  At that sound their necks they bent,


s: And when their looks were lifted up to me,


s: Straightway their eyes, before all moist within,


s: Distill'd upon their lips, and the frost bound


s: The tears betwixt those orbs and held them there.


s: Plank unto plank hath never cramp clos'd up


s: So stoutly.  Whence like two enraged goats


s: They clash'd together; them such fury seiz'd.


s: And one, from whom the cold both ears had reft,


s: Exclaim'd, still looking downward: "Why on us


s: Dost speculate so long?  If thou wouldst know


s: Who are these two, the valley, whence his wave


s: Their sire Alberto, and next him themselves.


s: They from one body issued; and throughout


s: Caina thou mayst search, nor find a shade


s: Not him, whose breast and shadow Arthur's land


s: At that one blow dissever'd, not Focaccia,


s: No not this spirit, whose o'erjutting head


s: Obstructs my onward view:  he bore the name


s: Well knowest who he was:  and to cut short


s: Carlino here my kinsman, whose deep guilt


s: Shall wash out mine."  A thousand visages


s: Then mark'd I, which the keen and eager cold


s: Had shap'd into a doggish grin; whence creeps


s: A shiv'ring horror o'er me, at the thought


s: Of those frore shallows.  While we journey'd on


s: Toward the middle, at whose point unites


s: All heavy substance, and I trembling went


s: Through that eternal chillness, I know not


s: But, passing 'midst the heads, my foot did strike


s: With violent blow against the face of one.


s: "Wherefore dost bruise me?" weeping, he exclaim'd,


s: "Unless thy errand be some fresh revenge


s: For Montaperto, wherefore troublest me?"


s: I thus:  "Instructor, now await me here,


s: That I through him may rid me of my doubt.


s: Thenceforth what haste thou wilt."  The teacher paus'd,


s: Still curs'd me in his wrath.  "What art thou, speak,


s: That railest thus on others?"  He replied:


s: "Now who art thou, that smiting others' cheeks


s: Through Antenora roamest, with such force


s: As were past suff'rance, wert thou living still?"


s: "And I am living, to thy joy perchance,"


s: That with the rest I may thy name enrol."


s: Said he, "thou tender'st:  hence; nor vex me more.


s: Ill knowest thou to flatter in this vale."


s: Then seizing on his hinder scalp, I cried:


s: "Name thee, or not a hair shall tarry here."


s: "Rend all away," he answer'd, "yet for that


s: Though at my head thou pluck a thousand times."


s: Now I had grasp'd his tresses, and stript off


s: More than one tuft, he barking, with his eyes


s: Drawn in and downward, when another cried,


s: "What ails thee, Bocca?  Sound not loud enough


s: Thy chatt'ring teeth, but thou must bark outright?


s: True tidings will I bear."--" Off," he replied,


s: "Tell what thou list; but as thou escape from hence


s: To speak of him whose tongue hath been so glib,


s: Forget not:  here he wails the Frenchman's gold.


s: 'Him of Duera,' thou canst say, 'I mark'd,


s: Where the starv'd sinners pine.'  If thou be ask'd


s: What other shade was with them, at thy side


s: The biting axe of Florence.  Farther on,


s: We now had left him, passing on our way,


s: Pent in one hollow, that the head of one


s: Is raven'd up through hunger, th' uppermost


s: Did so apply his fangs to th' other's brain,


s: Where the spine joins it.  Not more furiously


s: Than on that skull and on its garbage he.


s: "O thou who show'st so beastly sign of hate


s: 'Gainst him thou prey'st on, let me hear," said I


s: "The cause, on such condition, that if right


s: Warrant thy grievance, knowing who ye are,


s: If that, wherewith I speak be moist so long."


s: HIS jaws uplifting from their fell repast,


s: That sinner wip'd them on the hairs o' th' head,


s: Which he behind had mangled, then began:


s: Sorrow past cure, which but to think of wrings


s: My heart, or ere I tell on't. But if words,


s: That I may utter, shall prove seed to bear


s: The traitor whom I gnaw at, thou at once


s: Shalt see me speak and weep.  Who thou mayst be


s: I know not, nor how here below art come:


s: When I do hear thee.  Know I was on earth


s: Ruggieri.  Why I neighbour him so close,


s: Now list.  That through effect of his ill thoughts


s: What therefore thou canst not have heard, that is,


s: How cruel was the murder, shalt thou hear,


s: And know if he have wrong'd me.  A small grate


s: Within that mew, which for my sake the name


s: Of famine bears, where others yet must pine,


s: Already through its opening sev'ral moons


s: Had shown me, when I slept the evil sleep,


s: That from the future tore the curtain off.


s: This one, methought, as master of the sport,


s: Rode forth to chase the gaunt wolf and his whelps


s: Unto the mountain, which forbids the sight


s: Of Lucca to the Pisan.  With lean brachs


s: After short course the father and the sons


s: Seem'd tir'd and lagging, and methought I saw


s: The sharp tusks gore their sides.  When I awoke


s: Before the dawn, amid their sleep I heard


s: My sons (for they were with me) weep and ask


s: For bread.  Right cruel art thou, if no pang


s: Thou feel at thinking what my heart foretold;


s: And if not now, why use thy tears to flow?


s: Now had they waken'd; and the hour drew near


s: When they were wont to bring us food; the mind


s: Of each misgave him through his dream, and I


s: Heard, at its outlet underneath lock'd up


s: The' horrible tower:  whence uttering not a word


s: I wept not:  so all stone I felt within.


s: They wept:  and one, my little Anslem, cried:


s: "Thou lookest so!  Father what ails thee?"  Yet


s: I shed no tear, nor answer'd all that day


s: Came out upon the world.  When a faint beam


s: Through agony I bit, and they who thought


s: I did it through desire of feeding, rose


s: O' th' sudden, and cried, 'Father, we should grieve


s: Far less, if thou wouldst eat of us: thou gav'st


s: And do thou strip them off from us again.'


s: Then, not to make them sadder, I kept down


s: My spirit in stillness.  That day and the next


s: We all were silent.  Ah, obdurate earth!


s: To the fourth day, then Geddo at my feet


s: Outstretch'd did fling him, crying, 'Hast no help


s: For me, my father!'  "There he died, and e'en


s: Plainly as thou seest me, saw I the three


s: Fall one by one 'twixt the fifth day and sixth:


s: Whence I betook me now grown blind to grope


s: Call'd on them who were dead.  Then fasting got


s: The mastery of grief."  Thus having spoke,


s: Once more upon the wretched skull his teeth


s: He fasten'd, like a mastiff's 'gainst the bone


s: Firm and unyielding.  Oh thou Pisa!  shame


s: Of all the people, who their dwelling make


s: In that fair region, where th' Italian voice


s: Is heard, since that thy neighbours are so slack


s: To punish, from their deep foundations rise


s: The mouth of Arno, that each soul in thee


s: To stretch his children on the rack.  For them,


s: Of gentle ones, of whom my song hath told,


s: Their tender years, thou modern Thebes!  did make


s: Where others skarf'd in rugged folds of ice


s: Not on their feet were turn'd, but each revers'd


s: For at their eyes grief seeking passage finds


s: For increase of sharp anguish:  the first tears


s: Hang cluster'd, and like crystal vizors show,


s: Now though the cold had from my face dislodg'd


s: Each feeling, as 't were callous, yet me seem'd


s: Some breath of wind I felt.  "Whence cometh this,"


s: All vapour quench'd?"--"'Thou shalt be speedily,"


s: He answer'd, "where thine eye shall tell thee whence


s: The cause descrying of this airy shower."


s: Then cried out one in the chill crust who mourn'd:


s: "O souls so cruel!  that the farthest post


s: Hath been assign'd you, from this face remove


s: The harden'd veil, that I may vent the grief


s: Impregnate at my heart, some little space


s: "Say who thou wast, if thou wouldst have mine aid;


s: Its fruitage, and am here repaid, the date


s: More luscious for my fig."--"Hah!"  I exclaim'd,


s: "Art thou too dead!"--"How in the world aloft


s: And that thou mayst wipe out more willingly


s: The glazed tear-drops that o'erlay mine eyes,


s: Know that the soul, that moment she betrays,


s: Till all its time be rounded; headlong she


s: Falls to this cistern.  And perchance above


s: Who here behind me winters.  Him thou know'st,


s: The years are many that have pass'd away,


s: Since to this fastness Branca Doria came."


s: "Now," answer'd I, "methinks thou mockest me,


s: But doth all natural functions of a man,


s: Eats, drinks, and sleeps, and putteth raiment on."


s: By th' evil talons guarded, where the pitch


s: Tenacious boils, had Michael Zanche reach'd,


s: Who with him treachery wrought.  But now put forth


s: Thy hand, and ope mine eyes."  I op'd them not.


s: With every foulness stain'd, why from the earth


s: Are ye not cancel'd?  Such an one of yours


s: Is in Cocytus plung'd, and yet doth seem


s: "THE banners of Hell's Monarch do come forth


s: Towards us; therefore look," so spake my guide,


s: "If thou discern him."  As, when breathes a cloud


s: Heavy and dense, or when the shades of night


s: Fall on our hemisphere, seems view'd from far


s: A windmill, which the blast stirs briskly round,


s: Such was the fabric then methought I saw,


s: To shield me from the wind, forthwith I drew


s: Behind my guide:  no covert else was there.


s: Now came I (and with fear I bid my strain


s: Record the marvel) where the souls were all


s: Whelm'd underneath, transparent, as through glass


s: Pellucid the frail stem.  Some prone were laid,


s: Others stood upright, this upon the soles,


s: That on his head, a third with face to feet


s: Arch'd like a bow.  When to the point we came,


s: Whereat my guide was pleas'd that I should see


s: He from before me stepp'd and made me pause.


s: "Lo!"  he exclaim'd, "lo Dis! and lo the place,


s: Where thou hast need to arm thy heart with strength."


s: Ask me not, reader!  for I write it not,


s: Since words would fail to tell thee of my state.


s: I was not dead nor living.  Think thyself


s: If quick conception work in thee at all,


s: How I did feel.  That emperor, who sways


s: The realm of sorrow, at mid breast from th' ice


s: Stood forth; and I in stature am more like


s: A giant, than the giants are in his arms.


s: Mark now how great that whole must be, which suits


s: May all our mis'ry flow.  Oh what a sight!


s: How passing strange it seem'd, when I did spy


s: Of hue vermilion, th' other two with this


s: Midway each shoulder join'd and at the crest;


s: The right 'twixt wan and yellow seem'd:  the left


s: To look on, such as come from whence old Nile


s: Stoops to the lowlands.  Under each shot forth


s: Outstretch'd on the wide sea.  No plumes had they,


s: But were in texture like a bat, and these


s: He flapp'd i' th' air, that from him issued still


s: Three winds, wherewith Cocytus to its depth


s: Was frozen.  At six eyes he wept:  the tears


s: Adown three chins distill'd with bloody foam.


s: At every mouth his teeth a sinner champ'd


s: Bruis'd as with pond'rous engine, so that three


s: Were in this guise tormented.  But far more


s: Than from that gnawing, was the foremost pang'd


s: By the fierce rending, whence ofttimes the back


s: Was stript of all its skin.  "That upper spirit,


s: Who hath worse punishment," so spake my guide,


s: And plies the feet without.  Of th' other two,


s: Whose heads are under, from the murky jaw


s: Who hangs, is Brutus:  lo!  how he doth writhe


s: And speaks not!  Th' other Cassius, that appears


s: So large of limb.  But night now re-ascends,


s: And it is time for parting.  All is seen."


s: I clipp'd him round the neck, for so he bade;


s: And noting time and place, he, when the wings


s: Enough were op'd, caught fast the shaggy sides,


s: And down from pile to pile descending stepp'd


s: Between the thick fell and the jagged ice.


s: Soon as he reach'd the point, whereat the thigh


s: Upon the swelling of the haunches turns,


s: My leader there with pain and struggling hard


s: Turn'd round his head, where his feet stood before,


s: And grappled at the fell, as one who mounts,


s: That into hell methought we turn'd again.


s: "Expect that by such stairs as these," thus spake


s: The teacher, panting like a man forespent,


s: And plac'd me on a brink to sit, next join'd


s: With wary step my side.  I rais'd mine eyes,


s: Where he was lately left, but saw him now


s: With legs held upward.  Let the grosser sort,


s: Who see not what the point was I had pass'd,


s: Bethink them if sore toil oppress'd me then.


s: "Arise," my master cried, "upon thy feet.


s: "The way is long, and much uncouth the road;


s: And now within one hour and half of noon


s: The sun returns."  It was no palace-hall


s: But natural dungeon where ill footing was


s: And scant supply of light.  "Ere from th' abyss


s: "My guide!  vouchsafe few words to set me free


s: From error's thralldom.  Where is now the ice?


s: How standeth he in posture thus revers'd?


s: And how from eve to morn in space so brief


s: Hath the sun made his transit?"  He in few


s: Thus answering spake:  "Thou deemest thou art still


s: On th' other side the centre, where I grasp'd


s: Th' abhorred worm, that boreth through the world.


s: Thou wast on th' other side, so long as I


s: Descended; when I turn'd, thou didst o'erpass


s: That point, to which from ev'ry part is dragg'd


s: All heavy substance.  Thou art now arriv'd


s: Which the great continent doth overspread,


s: The Man, that was born sinless, and so liv'd.


s: Thy feet are planted on the smallest sphere,


s: Here rises, when there evening sets:  and he,


s: Whose shaggy pile was scal'd, yet standeth fix'd,


s: As at the first.  On this part he fell down


s: From heav'n; and th' earth, here prominent before,


s: Through fear of him did veil her with the sea,


s: And to our hemisphere retir'd.  Perchance


s: To shun him was the vacant space left here


s: By what of firm land on this side appears,


s: That sprang aloof."  There is a place beneath,


s: The vaulted tomb, discover'd not by sight,


s: But by the sound of brooklet, that descends


s: Which, as it winds with no precipitous course,


s: The wave hath eaten.  By that hidden way


s: To the fair world:  and heedless of repose


s: We climbed, he first, I following his steps,


s: Till on our view the beautiful lights of heav'n


s: Dawn, through a circular opening in the cave:


s: Verse 1.  In the midway.]  That the era of the Poem is intended


s: by these words to be fixed to the thirty fifth year of the poet's


s: v. 29.  The hinder foot.]  It is to be remembered, that in


s: ascending a hill the weight of the body rests on the hinder foot.


s: v. 30.  A panther.]  Pleasure or luxury.


s: v. 36.  With those stars.]  The sun was in Aries, in which sign


s: he supposes it to have begun its course at the creation.


s: v. 56.  Where the sun in silence rests.]  Hence Milton appears to


s: The same metaphor will recur, Canto V. v. 29.


s: v. 65.  When the power of Julius.] This is explained by the


s: commentators to mean "Although it was rather late with respect to


s: v. 98.  That greyhound.]  This passage is intended as an eulogium


s: v. 102.  'Twizt either Feltro.]  Verona, the country of Can della


s: Trivigiana, and Monte Feltro, a city in the territory of Urbino.


s: v. 103.  Italia's plains.]  "Umile Italia," from Virgil, Aen lib.


s: v. 115.  Content in fire.]  The spirits in Purgatory.


s: v. 118.  A spirit worthier.]  Beatrice, who conducts the Poet


s: v. 130.  Saint Peter's gate.]  The gate of Purgatory, which the


s: Poet feigns to be guarded by an angel placed on that station by


s: v. 1.  Now was the day.]  A compendium of Virgil's description


s: Aen. lib. iv 522.  Nox erat, &c. Compare Apollonius Rhodius, lib


s: the Lord said unto him, Go thy way; for he is a chosen vessel


s: v. 46.  Thy soul.] L'anima tua e da viltate offesa. So in Berni,


s: v. 64.  Who rest suspended.]  The spirits in Limbo, neither


s: admitted to a state of glory nor doomed to punishment.


s: v. 61.  A friend not of my fortune, but myself.]  Se non fortunae


s: v. 78.  Whatever is contain'd.]  Every other thing comprised


s: within the lunar heaven, which, being the lowest of all, has the


s: v. 93.  A blessed dame.]  The divine mercy.


s: v. 97.  Lucia.]  The enlightening grace of heaven.


s: v. 124.  Three maids.]  The divine mercy, Lucia, and Beatrice.


s: v. 127.  As florets.]  This simile is well translated by


s: But right as floures through the cold of night


s: And speden in her kinde course by rowe, &c.


s: It has been imitated by many others, among whom see Berni,


s: Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.]  The three


s: v. 9.  all hope abandoned.] Lasciate ogni speranza voi


s: Levied to side with warring winds, and poise


s: v. 40.  Lest th' accursed tribe.]  Lest the rebellious angels


s: should exult at seeing those who were neutral and therefore less


s: guilty, condemned to the same punishment with themselves.


s: Yielding, abjur'd his high estate.] This is


s: commonly understood of Celestine the Fifth, who abdicated the


s: papal power in 1294. Venturi mentions a work written by


s: Innocenzio Barcellini, of the Celestine order, and printed in


s: Milan in 1701, In which an attempt is made to put a different


s: Portitor has horrendus aquas et flumina servat


s: Terribili squalore Charon, cui plurima mento


s: Canities inculta jacet; stant lumina flamma.


s: In thrilling regions of thick ribbed ice.


s: Shakesp. Measure for Measure, a. iii.s.1.


s: Lividissima, maximeque est profunda vorago.


s: His looks were dreadful, and his fiery eyes


s: Like two great beacons glared bright and wide.


s: v. 104.  As fall off the light of autumnal leaves.]


s: Quam multa in silvis autumul frigore primo


s: v. 8.  A thund'rous sound.]  Imitated, as Mr. Thyer has remarked,


s: Noise, other, than the sound of dance or song


s: Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage.


s: v. 79.  Of semblance neither sorrowful nor glad.]


s: v. 90.  The Monarch of sublimest song.]  Homer.


s: "Vie pui bello e il tacerle, che il favellarne."


s: v. 117.  Electra.]  The daughter of Atlas, and mother of Dardanus


s: reddit poeta noster in octavo ubi Aeneas ad Avandrum sic ait


s: v. 125.  Julia.]  The daughter of Julius Caesar, and wife of


s: v. 126.  The Soldan fierce.]  Saladin or Salaheddin, the  rival


s: of  Richard coeur de lion.  See D'Herbelot, Bibl. Orient. and


s: Knolles's Hist. of the Turks p. 57 to 73 and the Life of Saladin,


s: Latin translation. He is introduced by Petrarch in the Triumph of


s: v. 128.  The master of the sapient throng.]


s: Aristotle--Petrarch assigns the first place to Plato. See Triumph


s: Pulci, in his Morgante Maggiore, c. xviii. says,


s: Democritus,who maintained the world to have been formed by the


s: v. 140.  Avicen.]  See D'Herbelot Bibl. Orient. article  Sina. He


s: Averroes, called by the Arabians Roschd, translated and commented


s: Lett. Ital. t. v. 1. ii. c. ii. sect. 4.) he was the source of


s: modern philosophical impiety. The critic quotes some passages


s: poet, by whom they were held in horror and detestation He adds,


s: that this fanatic admirer of Aristotle translated his writings


s: with that felicity, which might be expected from one who did not


s: know a syllable of Greek, and who was therefore compelled to


s: avail himself of the unfaithful Arabic versions. D'Herbelot, on


s: the other hand, informs us, that "Averroes was the first who


s: made their translation:  and that we had for a long time no other


s: was made from this Arabic version of this great philosopher


s: (Averroes), who afterwards added to it a very ample commentary,


s: of which Thomas Aquinas, and the other scholastic writers,


s: availed themselves, before the Greek originals of Aristotle and


s: his commentators were known to us in Europe." According to


s: D'Herbelot, he died in 1198: but Tiraboschi places that event


s: v. 5.  Grinning with ghastly feature.]  Hence Milton:


s: v. 46.  As cranes.]  This simile is imitated by Lorenzo de


s: Medici, in his Ambra, a poem, first published by Mr. Roscoe, in


s: Marking the tracts of air, the clamorous cranes


s: Wheel their due flight in varied ranks descried:


s: And each with outstretch'd neck his rank maintains


s: In marshal'd order through th' ethereal void.


s: Compare Homer.  Il. iii. 3. Virgil. Aeneid. 1 x. 264, and


s: Ruccellai, Le Api, 942, and Dante's Purgatory, Canto XXIV. 63.


s: v. 99  Love, that in gentle heart is quickly learnt.]


s: Amor, Ch' al cor gentil ratto s'apprende.


s: A line taken by Marino, Adone, c. cxli. st. 251.


s: v. 102.  Love, that denial takes from none belov'd.]


s: Amore mal non perdono l'amore a nullo amato.


s: Che non sia al fin sempre amato chi ama.


s: Indeed many of the Italian poets have repeated this verse.


s: v. 105.  Caina.]  The place to which murderers are doomed.


s: v. 113.  Francesca.]  Francesca, daughter of Guido da Polenta,


s: lord of Ravenna, was given by her father in marriage to


s: Lanciotto, son of Malatesta, lord of Rimini, a man of


s: extraordinary courage, but deformed in his person. His brother


s: Paolo, who unhappily possessed those graces which the husband of


s: Francesca wanted, engaged her affections; and being taken in


s: adultery, they were both put to death by the enraged Lanciotto.


s: The whole of this passage is alluded to by Petrarch, in his


s: The original perhaps was in Boetius de Consol. Philosoph. "In


s: omni adversitate fortunae infelicissimum genus est infortunii


s: the lover of Ginevra, or Guinever, celebrated in romance.  The


s: incident alluded to seems to have made a strong impression on the


s: v. 136.  And like a corpse fell to the ground ]


s: Berni has made a sportive application of these lines, in his Orl.


s: v. 21.  That great worm.]  So in Canto XXXIV Lucifer is called


s: Th' abhorred worm, that boreth through the world.


s: Ch' al gran verme infernal mette la briglia,


s: v. 52.  Ciacco.]  So called from his inordinate appetite: Ciacco,


s: not been transmitted to us. He is introduced in Boccaccio's


s: v. 61.  The divided city.]  The city of Florence, divided into


s: v. 65.  The wild party from the woods.]  So called, because it


s: was headed by Veri de' Cerchi, whose family had lately come into


s: the city from Acone, and the woody country of the Val di Nievole.


s: v. 66.  The other.]  The opposite parts of the Neri, at the head


s: Charles of Valois, by whose means the Neri were replaced.


s: v. 73.  The just are two in number.]  Who these two were, the


s: v. 80.  Giacopo.] Giacopo Rusticucci.  See Canto XVI, and Notes.


s: v. 81.  Arrigo, Mosca.]  Of Arrigo, who is said by the


s: commentators to have been of the noble family of the Fifanti, no


s: mention afterwards occurs.  Mosca degli Uberti is introduced in


s: passage in St. Augustin:--"Cum fiet resurrectio carnis, et


s: bonorum gaudia et malorum tormenta majora erunt. "--At the


s: resurrection of the flesh, both the happiness of the good and the


s: v. 1.  Ah me!  O Satan!  Satan!]  Pape Satan, Pape Satan, aleppe.


s: See the Life of Benvenuto Cellini, translated by Dr. Nugent, v.


s: ii.  b. iii c. vii. p 113, where he mentions "having heard the


s: words Paix, paix, Satan!  allez, paix!  in the court of justice


s: at Paris.  I recollected what Dante said, when he with his master


s: painter, were together in France, and visited Paris with


s: particular attention, where the court of justice may be


s: considered as hell.  Hence it is that Dante, who was likewise


s: perfect master of the French, made use of that expression, and I


s: have often been surprised that it was never understood in that


s: v. 12.  The first adulterer proud.]  Satan.


s: As when two billows in the Irish sowndes


s: With roaring rage, and dashing on all sides,


s: That filleth all the sea with foam, divides


s: v. 48.  Popes and cardinals.]  Ariosto, having personified


s: Avarice as a strange and hideous monster, says of her--


s: Worse did she in the court of Rome, for there


s: v. 91.  By necessity.]  This sentiment called forth the


s: reprehension of Cecco d'Ascoli, in his Acerba, l. 1. c. i.


s: Herein, O bard of Florence, didst thou err


s: Are fated to their goal.  Fortune is none,


s: That reason cannot conquer. Mark thou, Dante,


s: v. 18.  Phlegyas.]  Phlegyas, who was so incensed against Apollo


s: for having violated his daughter Coronis, that he set fire to the


s: v. 59.  Filippo Argenti.]  Boccaccio tells us, "he was a man


s: remarkable for the large proportions and extraordinary vigor of


s: his bodily frame, and the extreme waywardness and irascibility of


s: v. 66.  The city, that of Dis is nam'd.]  So Ariosto. Orl. Fur.


s: v. 94.  Seven times.]  The commentators, says Venturi, perplex


s: themselves with the inquiry what seven perils these were from


s: which Dante had been delivered by Virgil.  Reckoning the beasts


s: in the first Canto as one of them, and adding Charon, Minos,


s: Cerberus, Plutus, Phlegyas and Filippo Argenti, as so many


s: others, we shall have the number, and if this be not


s: satisfactory, we may suppose a determinate to have been put for


s: v. 109.  At war 'twixt will and will not.]


s: The words I have adopted as a translation, are Shakespeare's,


s: v. 122.  This their insolence, not new.]  Virgil assures our


s: poet, that these evil spirits had formerly shown the same


s: insolence when our Savior descended into hell. They attempted to


s: prevent him from entering at the gate, over which Dante had read


s: the fatal inscription.  "That gate which," says the Roman poet,


s: "an angel has just passed, by whose aid we shall overcome this


s: opposition, and gain admittance into the city."


s: v. 1.  The hue.]  Virgil, perceiving that Dante was pale with


s: fear, restrained those outward tokens of displeasure which his


s: v. 23.  Erictho.]  Erictho, a Thessalian sorceress, according to


s: Lucan, Pharsal. l. vi. was employed by Sextus, son of Pompey the


s: Great, to conjure up a spirit, who should inform him of the issue


s: v. 25.                No long space my flesh


s: Quae corpus complexa animae tam fortis inane.


s: Dante appears to have fallen into a strange anachronism. Virgil's


s: Et gravis in geminum vergens eaput amphisbaena.


s: Cerastes horn'd, hydrus and elops drear,


s: v. 67.  A wind.]  Imitated by Berni, Orl. Inn. l. 1. e. ii. st.


s: She with her rod did softly smite the raile


s: v. 96.  What profits at the fays to but the horn.]  "Of what


s: avail can it be to offer violence to impassive beings?"


s: v. 97. Your Cerberus.]  Cerberus is feigned to have been dragged


s: by Hercules, bound with a three fold chain, of which, says the


s: v. 111.  The plains of Arles.] In Provence.  See Ariosto, Orl.


s: v. 112.  At Pola.]  A city of Istria, situated near the gulf of


s: v. 12.  Josaphat.]  It seems to have been a common opinion among


s: judgment will be held in the valley of Josaphat, or Jehoshaphat:


s: "I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into


s: the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my


s: people, and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered


s: among the nations, and parted my land."  Joel, iii. 2.


s: v. 32.  Farinata.]  Farinata degli Uberti, a noble Florentine,


s: was the leader of the Ghibelline faction, when they obtained a


s: signal victory over the Guelfi at Montaperto, near the river


s: Arbia.  Macchiavelli calls him "a man of exalted soul, and great


s: military talents."  Hist. of Flor. b. ii.


s: v. 52.  A shade.]  The spirit of Cavalcante Cavalcanti, a noble


s: v. 59.  My son.]  Guido, the son of Cavalcante Cavalcanti; "he


s: whom I call the first of my friends," says Dante in his Vita


s: Nuova, where the commencement of their friendship is related.


s: >From the character given of him by contemporary writers his


s: temper was well formed to assimilate with that of our poet. "He


s: was," according to G. Villani, l. viii. c. 41. "of a


s: philosophical and elegant mind, if he had not been too delicate


s: and fastidious." And Dino Compagni terms him "a young and noble


s: knight, brave and courteous, but of a lofty scornful spirit, much


s: after his return to Florence, December 1300, during the spring of


s: Guido Cavalcanti, being more given to philosophy than poetry, was


s: namesake Guido Guinicelli, as we shall see in the Purgatory,


s: Canto XI.  His "Canzone sopra il Terreno Amore" was thought


s: worthy of being illustrated by numerous and ample commentaries.


s: Crescimbeni Ist. della Volg. Poes. l. v.


s: For a playful sonnet which Dante addressed to him, and a spirited


s: v. 66.  Saidst thou he had?]  In Aeschylus, the shade of Darius


s: is represented as inquiring with similar anxiety after the fate


s: Atossa:  Xerxes astonish'd, desolate, alone--


s: Ghost of Dar:  How will this end?  Nay, pause not.  Is he safe?


s: v. 77.  Not yet fifty times.]  "Not fifty months shall be passed,


s: returning from banishment to thy native city"


s: v.83.  The slaughter.]  "By means of Farinata degli Uberti, the


s: Guelfi were conquered by the army of King Manfredi, near the


s: river Arbia, with so great a slaughter, that those who escaped


s: from that defeat took refuge not in Florence, which city they


s: considered as lost to them, but in Lucca."  Macchiavelli. Hist.


s: v. 86.  Such orisons.]  This appears to allude to certain prayers


s: deliverance from the hostile attempts of the Uberti.


s: v. 90.  Singly there I stood.]  Guido Novello assembled a council


s: order to maintain the ascendancy of the Ghibelline party in


s: Tuscany, it was necessary to destroy Florence, which could serve


s: only (the people of that city beingvGuelfi) to enable the party


s: attached to the church to recover its strength.  This cruel


s: sentence, passed upon so noble a city, met with no opposition


s: from any of its citizens or friends, except Farinata degli


s: Uberti, who openly and without reserve forbade the measure,


s: affirming that he had endured so many hardships, and encountered


s: so many dangers, with no other view than that of being able to


s: pass his days in his own country. Macchiavelli. Hist. of Flor. b.


s: v. 103.  My fault.]  Dante felt remorse for not having returned


s: an immediate answer to the inquiry of Cavalcante, from which


s: delay he was led to believe that his son Guido was no longer


s: v. 120.  Frederick.]  The Emperor Frederick the Second, who died


s: made Cardinal in 1245, and deceased about 1273.  On account of


s: his great influence, he was generally known by the appellation of


s: v. 9.  Pope Anastasius.]  The commentators are not agreed


s: concerning the identity of the person, who is here mentioned as a


s: have been Anastasius the Second, by others, the Fourth of that


s: name; while a third set, jealous of the integrity of the papal


s: faith, contend that our poet has confounded him with Anastasius


s: v. 17.  My son.]  The remainder of the present Canto may be


s: considered as a syllabus of the whole of this part of the poem.


s: v. 48.  And sorrows.]  This fine moral, that not to enjoy our


s: being is to be ungrateful to the Author of it, is well expressed


s: For he whose daies in wilful woe are worne


s: That will not use his gifts for thankless


s: v. 53.  Cahors.]  A city in Guienne, much frequented by usurers


s: v. 83.  Thy ethic page.]  He refers to Aristotle's Ethics.


s: "In the next place, entering, on another division of the subject,


s: of things to be avoided, malice, incontinence, and brutishness."


s: v. 104.  Her laws.]  Aristotle's Physics.  [GREEK


s: HERE]  "Art imitates nature." --See the Coltivazione of Alamanni,


s: sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread."


s: v. 119.  The wain.] The constellation Bootes, or Charles's wain.


s: v. 17.  The king of Athens.]  Theseus, who was enabled, by the


s: instructions of Ariadne, the sister of the Minotaur, to destroy


s: As when some vig'rous youth with sharpen'd axe


s: A pastur'd bullock smites behind the horns


s: And hews the muscle through; he, at the stroke


s: v. 36.  He arriv'd.]  Our Saviour, who, according to Dante, when


s: he ascended from hell, carried with him the souls of the


s: patriarchs, and other just men, out of the first circle. See


s: v. 96.  Nessus.]  Our poet was probably induced, by the following


s: Nessus edit membrisque valens scitusque vadorum.


s: And Ovid's authority was Sophocles, who says of this Centaur--


s: Deep flowing, bore the passenger for hire


s: v. 110.  Ezzolino.]  Ezzolino, or Azzolino di Romano, a most


s: cruel tyrant in the Marca Trivigiana, Lord of Padua, Vicenza,


s: Verona, and Brescia, who died in 1260.  His atrocities form the


s: subject of a Latin tragedy, called Eccerinis, by Albertino


s: Mussato, of Padua, the contemporary of Dante, and the most


s: elegant writer of Latin verse of that age.  See also the


s: Paradise, Canto IX. Berni Orl. Inn. l ii c. xxv. st. 50. Ariosto.


s: d'Ancona, was murdered by his own son (whom, for the most


s: unnatural act Dante calls his step-son), for the sake of the


s: treasures which his rapacity had amassed. See Ariosto. Orl. Fur.


s: c. iii. st 32.  He died in 1293 according to Gibbon.  Ant. of the


s: v. 119.  He.]  "Henrie, the brother of this Edmund, and son to


s: the foresaid king of Almaine (Richard, brother of Henry III. of


s: England) as he returned from Affrike, where he had been with


s: Prince Edward, was slain at Viterbo in Italy (whither he was come


s: afore the high altar, as the same Henrie kneeled there to hear


s: divine service." A.D. 1272, Holinshed's chronicles p 275.  See


s: v. 135.  On Sextus and on Pyrrhus.]  Sextus either the son of


s: conjectures, Sextus Claudius Nero, and Pyrrhus king of Epirus.


s: Two noted marauders, by whose depredations the public ways in


s: Italy were infested.  The latter was of the noble family of Pazzi


s: v. 10.  Betwixt Corneto and Cecina's stream.]  A wild and woody


s: tract of country, abounding in deer, goats, and wild boars.


s: Cecina is a river not far to the south of Leghorn, Corneto, a


s: small city on the same coast in the patrimony of the church.


s: v. 14.  Broad are their pennons.]  From Virg. Aen. l. iii. 216.


s: v. 48.  In my verse described.]  The commentators explain this,


s: "If he could have believed, in consequence of my assurances


s: alone, that of which he hath now had ocular proof, he would not


s: have stretched forth his hand against thee."  But I am of opinion


s: v. 56.  That pleasant word of thine.]  "Since you have inveigled


s: me to speak my holding forth so gratifying an expectation, let it


s: have spread for me, so as to be somewhat prolix in my answer."


s: v. 60. I it was.]  Pietro delle Vigne, a native of Capua, who,


s: from a low condition, raised himself by his eloquence and legal


s: knowledge to the office of Chancellor to the Emperor Frederick


s: empire became unbounded.  The courtiers, envious of his exalted


s: situation, contrived, by means of forged letters, to make


s: Frederick believe that he held a secret and traitorous


s: intercourse with the Pope, who was then at enmity with the


s: Emperor.  In consequence of this supposed crime he was cruelly


s: condemned by his too credulous sovereign to lose his eyes, and,


s: being driven to despair by his unmerited calamity and disgrace,


s: he put an end to his life by dashing out his brains against the


s: walls of a church, in the year 1245.  Both Frederick and Pietro


s: delle Vigne composed verses in the Sicilian dialect which are yet


s: v. 67.  The harlot.]  Envy.  Chaucer alludes to this in the


s: Out of the house of Cesar; thus saith Dant.


s: v. 119.  Each fan o' th' wood.]  Hence perhaps Milton:


s: v. 122.  Lano.]  Lano, a Siennese, who, being reduced by


s: prodigality to a state of extreme want, found his existence no


s: longer supportable; and, having been sent by his countrymen on a


s: military expedition, to assist the Florentine against the


s: Aretini, took that opportunity of exposing himself to certain


s: death, in the engagement which took place at Toppo near Arezzo.


s: Jacopo da Sant' Andrea, a Paduan, who, having wasted his property


s: v. 144.  In that City.]  "I was an inhabitant of Florence, that


s: city which changed her first patron Mars for St. John the


s: Baptist, for which reason the vengeance of the deity thus


s: slighted will never be appeased:  and, if some remains of his


s: status were not still visible on the bridge over the Arno, she


s: would have been already leveled to the ground; and thus the


s: citizens, who raised her again from the ashes to which Attila had


s: The relic of antiquity to which the superstition of Florence


s: attached so high an importance, was carried away by a flood, that


s: without the ill effects that were apprehended from the loss of


s: v. 152.  I slung the fatal noose.]  We are not informed who this


s: v. 15.  By Cato's foot.]  See Lucan, Phars, l. 9.


s: v. 26. Dilated flakes of fire.]  Compare Tasso.  G. L. c. x. st.


s: v. 28.  As, in the torrid Indian clime.]  Landino refers to


s: Albertus Magnus for the circumstance here alluded to.


s: More hot than Aetn' or flaming Mongibell.


s: st. 21.  It would be endless to refer to parallel passages in the


s: v. 64.  This of the seven kings was one.]  Compare Aesch.  Seven


s: v. 76.  Bulicame.]  A warm medicinal spring near Viterbo, the


s: waters of which, as Landino and Vellutelli affirm, passed by a


s: place of ill fame.  Venturi, with less probability, conjectures


s: that Dante would imply, that it was the scene of much licentious


s: merriment among those who frequented its baths.


s: v. 133.  Whither.] On the other side of Purgatory.


s: v. 10.  Chiarentana.]  A part of the Alps where the Brenta


s: rises, which river is much swoln as soon as the snow begins to


s: v. 28.  Brunetto.]  "Ser Brunetto, a Florentine, the secretary or


s: work so little read, that both the subject of it and the language


s: reign of St. Louis,under the title of Tresor, and contains a


s: species of philosophical course of lectures divided into theory


s: and practice, or, as he expresses it, "un enchaussement des


s: choses divines et humaines," &c.  Sir R. Clayton's Translation of


s: illuminated portrait of Brunetto in his  study prefixed.  Mus.


s: Brit. MSS. 17, E. 1. Tesor.  It is divided into four books, the


s: first, on Cosmogony and Theology, the second, a translation of


s: Aristotle's Ethics; the third on Virtues and Vices; the fourth,


s: on Rhetoric.  For an interesting memoir relating to this work,


s: see Hist. de l'Acad. des Inscriptions, tom. vii. 296.  His


s: Tesoretto, one of the earliest productions of Italian poetry, is


s: a curious work, not unlike the writings of Chaucer in style and


s: numbers, though Bembo remarks, that his pupil, however largely he


s: is perhaps but little known, I will here add a slight sketch of


s: Brunetto describes himself as returning from an embassy to the


s: King of Spain, on which he had been sent by the Guelph party from


s: bay mule, who tells him that the Guelfi are driven out of the


s: Struck with grief at these mournful tidings, and musing with his


s: head bent downwards, he loses his road, and wanders into a wood.


s: Here Nature, whose figure is described with sublimity, appears,


s: and  discloses to him the secrets of her operations.  After this


s: he wanders into a desert; but at length proceeds on his way,


s: under the protection of a banner, with which Nature had furnished


s: champaign, where are assembled many emperors, kings, and sages.


s: It is the habitation of Virtue and her daughters, the four


s: Cardinal Virtues.  Here Brunetto sees also Courtesy, Bounty,


s: Loyalty, and Prowess, and hears the instructions they give to a


s: knight, which occupy about a fourth part of the poem.  Leaving


s: this territory, he passes over valleys, mountains, woods,


s: forests, and bridges, till he arrives in a beautiful valley


s: covered with flowers on all sides, and the richest in the world;


s: but which was continually  shifting its appearance from a round


s: figure to a square, from obscurity to light, and from


s: populousness to solitude.  This is the region of Pleasure, or


s: Cupid, who is accompanied by four ladies, Love, Hope, Fear, and


s: Desire.  In one part of it he meets with Ovid, and is instructed


s: by him how to conquer the passion of love, and to escape from


s: that place.  After his escape he makes his confession to a friar,


s: mountain, he meets with Ptolemy, a venerable old man.  Here the


s: narrative breaks off. The  poem ends, as it began, with an


s: address to Rustico di Filippo, on whom he lavishes every sort of


s: It has been observed, that Dante derived the idea of opening his


s: poem by describing himself as lost in a wood, from the Tesoretto


s: of his master.  I know not whether it has been remarked, that the


s: his pupil, is mentioned in the Tesoretto with great horror.


s: Dante's twenty-fifth sonnet is a jocose one, addressed to


s: v. 62.  Who in old times came down from Fesole.]  See G. Villani


s: v. 89.  With another text.]  He refers to the prediction of


s: v. 110.  Priscian.]  There is no reason to believe, as the


s: commentators observe that the grammarian of this name was stained


s: Dante puts the individual for the species, and implies the


s: frequency of the crime among those who abused the opportunities


s: which the education of youth afforded them, to so abominable a


s: v. 111.  Francesco.]  Son of Accorso, a Florentine, celebrated


s: for his skill in jurisprudence, and commonly known by the name of


s: v. 113.  Him.]  Andrea de' Mozzi, who, that his scandalous life


s: might be less exposed to observation, was translated either by


s: Nicholas III, or Boniface VIII from the see of Florence to that


s: of Vicenza, through which passes the river Baccchiglione.  At the


s: v. 114.  The servants' servant.]  Servo de' servi.  So Ariosto,


s: v. 124.  I commend my Treasure to thee.]  Brunetto's great work,


s: v. 38.  Gualdrada.]  Gualdrada was the daughter of Bellincione


s: Berti, of whom mention is made in the Paradise, Canto XV, and


s: The Emperor Otho IV. being at a festival in Florence, where


s: Gualdrada was present, was struck with her beauty; and inquiring


s: who she was, was answered by Bellincione, that she was the


s: daughter of one who, if it was his Majesty's pleasure, would make


s: arose from her seat, and blushing, in an animated tone of voice,


s: desired her father that he would not be so liberal in his offers,


s: who should be her lawful husband.  The Emperor was not less


s: delighted by her resolute modesty than he had before been by the


s: loveliness of her person, and calling to him Guido, one of his


s: barons, gave her to him in marriage, at the same time raising him


s: to the rank of a count, and bestowing on her the whole of


s: Casentino, and a part of the territory of Romagna, as her


s: portion.  Two sons were the offspring of this union, Guglielmo


s: and Ruggieri, the latter of whom was father of Guidoguerra, a man


s: hundred Florentines of the Guelph party, was signally


s: instrumental to the victory obtained at Benevento by Charles of


s: Anjou, over Manfredi, King of Naples, in 1265.   One of the


s: consequences of this victory was the expulsion of the Ghibellini,


s: v. 39.  Many a noble act.]  Compare Tasso, G. L. c. i. st. 1.


s: v. 42.  Aldobrandiu]  Tegghiaio Aldobrandi was of the noble


s: family of Adimari, and much esteemed for his military talents.


s: He endeavored to dissuade the Florentines from the attack, which


s: they meditated against the Siennese, and the rejection of his


s: counsel occasioned the memorable defeat, which the former


s: sustained at Montaperto, and the consequent banishment of the


s: remarkable for his opulence and the generosity of his spirit.


s: v. 70.  Borsiere.]  Guglielmo Borsiere, another Florentine, whom


s: Boccaccio, in a story which he relates of him, terms "a man of


s: courteous and elegant manners, and of great readiness in


s: v. 84.  When thou with pleasure shalt retrace the past.]


s: v. 121.  Ever to that truth.]  This memorable apophthegm is


s: Sempre a quel ver, ch' ha faccia di menzogna


s: Si dovrebbe tacer dall' uom ch'e saggio.


s: v. 53.  A pouch.]  A purse, whereon the armorial bearings of each


s: v. 57.  A yellow purse.]  The arms of the Gianfigliazzi of


s: v. 60.  Another.]  Those of the Ubbriachi, another Florentine


s: v. 62.  A fat and azure swine.]  The arms of the Scrovigni a


s: v. 69.  That noble knight.]  Giovanni Bujamonti, a Florentine


s: v. 28.  With us beyond.]  Beyond the middle point they tended the


s: v. 29.  E'en thus the Romans.]  In the year 1300, Pope Boniface


s: people who were passing over the bridge of St. Angelo during the


s: time of the Jubilee, caused it to be divided length wise by a


s: partition, and ordered, that all those who were going to St.


s: Peter's should keep one side, and those returning the other.


s: prevailed on his sister Ghisola to prostitute herself to Obizzo


s: da  Este, Marquis of Ferrara, whom we have seen among the


s: v. 62.  To answer Sipa.]  He denotes Bologna by its situation


s: between the rivers Savena to the east, and Reno to the west of


s: that city; and by a peculiarity of dialect, the use of the


s: Flaccus l.ii.  Hypsipyle deceived the other women by concealing


s: her father Thoas, when they had agreed to put all their males to


s: v. 120.  Alessio.]  Alessio, of an ancient and considerable


s: v. 130.  Thais.]  He alludes to that passage in the Eunuchus of


s: Terence where Thraso asks if Thais was obliged to him for the


s: present he had sent her, and Gnatho replies, that she had


s: expressed her obligation in the most forcible terms.


s: T.  Magnas vero agere gratias Thais mihi?


s: v. 18.  Saint John's fair dome.]  The apertures in the  rock were


s: Florence, one of which, Dante says he had broken, to rescue a


s: child  that was playing near and fell in. He intimates that the


s: motive of his  breaking the font had been maliciously represented


s: v. 55.  O Boniface!]  The spirit mistakes Dante for  Boniface


s: arrived so soon, in consequence, as it should seem, of a


s: prophecy, which  predicted the death of that Pope at a later


s: v. 58.  In guile.]  "Thou didst presume to arrive by fraudulent


s: means at the papal power, and afterwards to abuse it."


s: v. 71.  In the mighty mantle I was rob'd.]  Nicholas III, of the


s: Orsini family, whom the poet therefore calls "figliuol dell'


s: orsa," "son of the she-bear."  He died in 1281.


s: v. 86.  From forth the west, a shepherd without law.]   Bertrand


s: de Got Archbishop of Bordeaux, who succeeded to the pontificate


s: in 1305, and assumed the title of Clement V. He transferred the


s: holy  see to Avignon in 1308 (where it remained till 1376), and


s: v. 97.  Nor Peter.]  Acts of the Apostles, c.i. 26.


s: v. 103.  Against Charles.]  Nicholas III. was enraged against


s: Charles I, King of Sicily, because he rejected with scorn a


s: proposition made by that Pope for an alliance between their


s: families.  See G. Villani, Hist. l. vii. c. liv.


s: Petrarch.  Opera fol. ed. Basil. 1551. Epist. sine titulo liber.


s: v. 118.  Ah, Constantine.]  He alludes to the pretended gift of


s: the Lateran by Constantine to Silvester, of which Dante himself


s: seems to imply a doubt, in his treatise "De Monarchia." - "Ergo


s: scindere Imperium, Imperatori non licet.  Si ergo aliquae,


s: The gift is by Ariosto very humorously placed in the moon, among


s: Milton has translated both this passage and that in the text.


s: v. 30.  Before whose eyes.]  Amphiaraus, one of the seven kings


s: who besieged Thebes.  He is said to have been swallowed up by  an


s: where it is told how the "Bishop Amphiaraus" fell down to hell.


s: A different reason for his being doomed thus to perish is


s: Corpora serpentum baculi violaverat ictu, &c.


s: v. 43.  Aruns.]  Aruns is said to have dwelt in the  mountains of


s: above Carrara, celebrated for its marble.  Lucan. Phars. l. i.


s: "Like Aruns, who amidst the white marbles of Luni, contemplated


s: the celestial bodies and their motions."


s: v. 50.  Manto.]  The daughter of Tiresias of Thebes, a city


s: dedicated to Bacchus.  From Manto Mantua, the country of Virgil


s: derives its name. The Poet proceeds to describe the situation of


s: v. 61.  Between the vale.]  The lake Benacus, now called  the


s: Lago di Garda, though here said to lie between Garda, Val


s: Camonica, and the Apennine, is, however, very distant from the


s: v. 63.  There is a spot.]  Prato di Fame, where the dioceses of


s: v. 69.  Peschiera.]  A garrison situated to the south of the


s: lake, where it empties itself and forms the Mincius.


s: v. 94.  Casalodi's madness.]  Alberto da Casalodi, who had got


s: possession of Mantua, was persuaded by Pinamonte Buonacossi, that


s: own castles the nobles, who were obnoxious to them.  No sooner


s: was this done, than Pinamonte put himself at the head of the


s: populace, drove out Casalodi and his adherents, and obtained the


s: Suspensi Eurypilum scitatum oracula Phoebi


s: astrologer to the Emperor Frederick II. lived in the thirteenth


s: century.  For further particulars relating to this singular man,


s: see Warton's History of English Poetry, vol. i. diss. ii. and


s: sect. ix.  p 292, and the Notes to Mr. Scott's "Lay of the Last


s: Minstrel," a  poem in which a happy use is made of the traditions


s: mentioned by G. Villani. Hist. l. x. c. cv. and cxli. and l. xii.


s: v. 116.  Guido Bonatti.]  An astrologer of Forli, on whose  skill


s: recommended to him as fortunate by Bonatti.


s: Landino and Vellutello, speak of a book, which he composed on the


s: v. 116.  Asdente.]  A shoemaker at Parma, who deserted his


s: business to practice the arts of divination.


s: v. 123.  Cain with fork of thorns.]  By Cain and the thorns, or


s: what is still vulgarly called the Man in the Moon, the Poet


s: denotes that luminary.  The same superstition is alluded to in


s: the Paradise, Canto II. 52.  The curious reader may consult Brand


s: v. 7.  In the Venetians' arsenal.]  Compare Ruccellai, Le  Api,


s: v. 37.  One of Santa Zita's elders.]  The elders or chief


s: magistrates of Lucca, where Santa Zita was held in especial


s: veneration.  The name of this sinner is supposed to have been


s: v. 40.  Except Bonturo, barterers.]  This is said ironically of


s: Bonturo de' Dati.  By barterers are meant peculators, of every


s: description; all who traffic the interests of the public  for


s: v. 48.  Is other swimming than in Serchio's wave.]


s: Qui si nuota altrimenti che nel Serchio.


s: Serchio is the river that flows by Lucca.  So Pulci, Morg. Mag.


s: Qui si nuota nel sangue, e non nel Serchio.


s: v. 92.  From Caprona.]  The surrender of the castle of Caprona to


s: garrison should march out in safety, to which event Dante was a


s: witness, took place in 1290.  See G. Villani, Hist. l. vii. c.


s: v. 109.  Yesterday.]  This passage fixes the era of Dante's


s: descent at Good Friday, in the year 1300 (34 years from our


s: blessed  Lord's incarnation being added to 1266), and at the


s: thirty-fifth  year of our poet's age. See Canto I. v. 1.


s: The awful event alluded to, the Evangelists inform us, happened


s: "at the ninth hour," that is, our sixth, when "the rocks  were


s: rent," and the convulsion, according to Dante, was felt even in


s: v. 16.  In the church.]  This proverb is repeated by Pulci, Morg.


s: v. 47.  Born in Navarre's domain.]  The name of this peculator is


s: v. 51.  The good king Thibault.]  "Thibault I. king of Navarre,


s: died on the 8th of June, 1233, as much to be commended for the


s: desire he showed of aiding the war in the Holy Land, as


s: reprehensible and faulty for his design of oppressing the rights


s: and privileges of the church, on which account it is said that


s: the whole kingdom was under an interdict for the space of three


s: entire years.  Thibault undoubtedly merits praise, as for his


s: other endowments, so especially for his cultivation of the


s: liberal arts, his exercise and knowledge of music and poetry in


s: which he much excelled, that he was accustomed to compose verses


s: and sing them to the viol, and to exhibit his poetical


s: compositions publicly in his palace, that they might be


s: criticized by all."  Mariana, History of Spain, b. xiii.  c. 9.


s: An account of Thibault, and two of his songs, with what were


s: probably the original melodies, may be seen in Dr. Burney's


s: History of Music, v. ii. c. iv.  His poems, which are in the


s: French language, were edited by M. l'Eveque de la Ravalliere.


s: Paris.  1742. 2 vol. 12mo.  Dante twice quotes one of his verses


s: From "the good king Thibault" are descended the good, but more


s: unfortunate monarch, Louis XVI. of France, and consequently the


s: present legitimate sovereign of that realm.  See Henault, Abrege


s: v. 80.  The friar Gomita.]  He was entrusted by Nino de' Visconti


s: into which Sardinia was divided.  Having his master's enemies in


s: his power, he took a bribe from them, and allowed them to escape.


s: v. 88.  Michel Zanche.]  The president of Logodoro, another of


s: the four Sardinian jurisdictions.  See Canto XXXIII.


s: v. 5.  Aesop's fable.]  The fable of the frog, who offered to


s: carry the mouse across a ditch, with the intention of drowning


s: him  when both were carried off by a kite.  It is not among those


s: v. 63.  Monks in Cologne.]  They wore their cowls unusually


s: v. 66.  Frederick's.]  The Emperor Frederick II. is said to have


s: punished those who were guilty of high treason, by wrapping them


s: up in lead, and casting them into a furnace.


s: v. 101.  Our bonnets gleaming bright with orange hue.]  It is


s: observed by Venturi, that the word "rance" does not here signify


s: "rancid or disgustful," as it is explained by the old


s: commentators, but "orange-coloured," in which sense it occurs in


s: v. 104.  Joyous friars.]  "Those who ruled the city of Florence


s: on the part of the Ghibillines, perceiving this discontent and


s: murmuring, which they were fearful might produce a rebellion


s: against themselves, in order to satisfy the people, made choice


s: of two knights, Frati Godenti (joyous friars) of Bologna, on whom


s: Catalano de'  Malavolti, the other M. Loderingo di Liandolo; one


s: an adherent of the Guelph, the other of the Ghibelline party.  It


s: St. Mary, and became knights on taking that habit:  their robes


s: were white, the mantle sable, and the arms a white field and red


s: cross with two stars.  Their office was to defend widows and


s: orphans; they were to act as mediators; they had internal


s: regulations like other religious bodies.  The  above-mentioned M.


s: before they too well deserved the appellation given them, and


s: were found to be more bent on enjoying themselves than on any


s: other  subject.  These two friars were called in by the


s: Florentines, and had a residence assigned them in the palace


s: belonging to the people over against the Abbey.  Such was the


s: dependence placed on the character of their order that it was


s: expected they would be impartial, and would save the commonwealth


s: opposite parties, they secretly and hypocritically concurred in


s: promoting their own advantage rather than the public good."  G.


s: v. 110.  Gardingo's vicinage.]  The name of that part of the city


s: and destroyed under the partial and iniquitous administration of


s: v. 117.  That pierced spirit.]  Caiaphas.


s: v. 124.  The father of his consort.]  Annas, father-in-law to


s: v. 146.  He is a liar.]  John, c. viii. 44.  Dante had perhaps


s: heard this text from one of the pulpits in Bologna.


s: v. 1.  In the year's early nonage.]  "At the latter part of


s: January, when the sun enters into Aquarius, and the equinox is


s: drawing near, when the hoar-frosts in the morning often wear the


s: appearance of snow but are melted by the rising sun."


s: Hesternis vitiis animum quoque praegravat una,


s: Atque affigit humi divinae particulam aurae.


s: v. 82.  Of her sands.]  Compare Lucan, Phars. l. ix. 703.


s: v. 92.  Heliotrope.]  The occult properties of this stone are


s: described by Solinus, c. xl, and by Boccaccio, in his humorous


s: tale  of Calandrino. Decam. G. viii. N. 3.


s: In Chiabrera's Ruggiero, Scaltrimento begs of Sofia, who is


s: sending him on a perilous errand, to lend him the heliotrope.


s: Secondo il mio talento agli occhi altrui.


s: Trust to my hand the heliotrope, by which


s: I may at will from others' eyes conceal me


s: c xxv. and Fortiguerra, Ricciardetto, c. x. st. 17.


s: Gower in his Confessio Amantis, lib. vii, enumerates it among the


s: v. 104.  The Arabian phoenix.]  This is translated from Ovid,


s: Una est quae reparat, seque ipsa reseminat ales,


s: v. 120.  Vanni Fucci.]  He is said to have been an illegitimate


s: offspring of the family of Lazari in Pistoia, and, having robbed


s: the sacristy of the church of St. James in that city, to have


s: charged Vanni della Nona with the sacrilege, in consequence of


s: which accusation the latter suffered death.


s: v. 142.  Pistoia.]  "In May 1301, the Bianchi party, of Pistoia,


s: with the assistance and favor of the Bianchi who ruled Florence,


s: drove out the Neri party from the former place, destroying their


s: houses, Palaces and farms."  Giov. Villani, Hist. l. viii. e


s: v. 144.  From Valdimagra.]  The commentators explain this


s: prophetical threat to allude to the victory obtained by the


s: Marquis Marcello Malaspina of Valdimagra (a tract of country now


s: called the Lunigiana) who put himself at the head of the Neri and


s: Pistoia, soon after the occurrence related in the preceding note.


s: Of this engagement I find no mention in Villani.  Currado


s: Malaspina is introduced in the eighth Canto of Purgatory; where


s: it appears that, although on the present occaision they espoused


s: contrary sides, some important favours were nevertheless


s: conferred by that family on our poet at a subsequent perid of his


s: Dicendo:  Togli, Iddio; che puoi piu farmi?


s: v. 15.  Not him]  Capanaeus.  Canto XIV.


s: v. 18.  On Marenna's marsh.]  An extensive tract near the


s: v. 31.  A hundred blows.]  Less than ten blows, out of the


s: hundred Hercules gave him, deprived him of feeling.


s: v. 39.  Cianfa]  He is said to have been of the family of Donati


s: I am a scribbled form, drawn up with a pen


s: v. 81.  As if by sleep or fev'rous fit assail'd.]


s: Is drown'd in sleep, and all thy body fev'ry.


s: v. 131.  Buoso.]  He is said to have been of the Donati family.


s: v. 138.  Sciancato.]  Puccio Sciancato, a noted robber, whose


s: familly, Venturi says, he has not been able to discover.


s: v. 140.  Gaville.]  Francesco Guercio Cavalcante was killed at


s: Gaville, near Florence; and in revenge of his death several


s: inhabitants of that district were put to death.


s: Namque sub Auroram, jam dormitante lucerna,


s: The same poetical superstition is alluded to in the Purgatory,


s: v. 9. Shall feel what Prato.]  The poet prognosticates the


s: calamities which were soon to befal his native city, and which he


s: calamities more particularly pointed at, are said to be the fall


s: of a wooden bridge over the Arno, in May, 1304, where a large


s: multitude were assembled to witness a representation  of hell nnd


s: lives were lost; and a conflagration that in the following month


s: destroyed more than seventeen hundred houses, many ofthem


s: sumptuous buildings.  See G. Villani, Hist. l. viii. c. 70 and


s: v. 22.  More than I am wont.]  "When I reflect on the punishment


s: allotted to those who do not give sincere and upright advice to


s: others I am more anxious than ever not to abuse to so bad a


s: purpose those talents, whatever they may be, which Nature, or


s: rather Providence, has conferred on me."  It is probable that


s: this declaration was the result of real feeling Textd have


s: any opinion or party he had espoused, and to whom indigence and


s: exile might have offerred strong temptations to deviate from that


s: v. 35.  as he, whose wrongs.] Kings, b. ii. c. ii.


s: v. 54.  ascending from that funeral pile.] The flame is said to


s: have divided on the funeral pile which consumed tile bodies of


s: Eteocles and Polynices, as if conscious of the enmity that


s: v. 60.  The ambush of the horse.]  "The ambush of the wooden


s: horse, that caused Aeneas to quit the city of Troy and seek his


s: fortune in Italy, where his descendants founded the Roman


s: v. 93.  Nor fondness for my son] Imitated hp Tasso, G. L. c.


s: This imagined voyage of Ulysses into the Atlantic is alluded to


s: v. 106.  The strait pass.]  The straits of Gibraltar.


s: v. 122.  Made our oars wings.l So Chiabrera, Cant. Eroiche. xiii


s: v. 128.  A mountain dim.] The mountain of Purgatorg


s: v. 6.  The Sicilian Bull.] The engine of torture invented by


s: v. 26.  Of the mountains there.]  Montefeltro.


s: v. 38.  Polenta's eagle.]  Guido Novello da Polenta, who bore an


s: eagle for his coat of arms.  The name of Polenta was derived from


s: Ravenna.  Guido was the son of Ostasio da Polenta, and made


s: himself master of Ravenna, in 1265.  In 1322 he was deprived of


s: his sovereignty, and died at Bologna in the year following.  This


s: by the historian of Italian literature, among the poets of his


s: time.  Tiraboschi, Storia della Lett. Ital. t. v. 1. iii. c. ii.


s: wwhich Tiraboschi expressed, respecting the duration of Guido's


s: absence from Ravenna, when he was driven from that city in 1295,


s: by the arms of Pietro, archbishop of Monreale.  It must evidently


s: (in 1300) as not having suffered any material disturbance for


s: v. 41.  The land.l The territory of Forli, the inhabitants of


s: which, in 1282, mere enabled, hy the strategem of Guido da


s: Montefeltro,  who then governed it, to defeat with great


s: slaughter the French army by which it had been besieged.  See G.


s: Villani, l. vii. c. 81.  The poet informs Guido, its former


s: ruler, that it is now in the possession of Sinibaldo Ordolaffi,


s: or Ardelaffi, whom he designates by his coat of arms, a lion


s: v. 43.  The old mastiff of Verucchio and the young.]  Malatesta


s: and Malatestino his son, lords of Rimini, called, from their


s: ferocity, the mastiffs of Verruchio, which was the name of their


s: v. 44.  Montagna.]  Montagna de'Parcitati, a noble knight, and


s: leader of the Ghibelline party at Rimini, murdered by


s: v. 46.  Lamone's city and Santerno's.]  Lamone is the river at


s: v. 47.  The lion of the snowy lair.]  Machinardo Pagano, whose


s: arms were a lion azure on a field argent; mentioned again in the


s: Purgatory, Canto XIV. 122.  See G. Villani passim, where he is


s: v. 50.  Whose flank is wash'd of SSavio's wave.]  Cesena,


s: situated at the foot of a mountain, and washed by the river


s: Savio, that often descends with a swoln and rapid stream from the


s: v. 64.  A man of arms.]  Guido da Montefeltro.


s: v. 68.  The high priest.]  Boniface VIII.


s: v. 72.  The nature of the lion than the fox.]


s: v. 81. The chief of the new Pharisee.]  Boniface VIII. whose


s: enmity to the family of Colonna prompted him to destroy their


s: houses near the Lateran.  Wishing to obtain possession of their


s: other seat, Penestrino, he consulted with Guido da Montefeltro


s: how he might accomplish his purpose, offering him at the same


s: time absolution for his past sins, as well as for that which he


s: was then tempting him to commit.  Guido's advice was, that kind


s: words and fair promises nonld put his enemies into his power; and


s: He alludes to the renegade Christians, by whom the Saracens, in


s: Apri., 1291, were assisted to recover St.John d'Acre, the last


s: possession of the Christians in the Iloly Land. The regret


s: expressed by the Florentine annalist G. Villani, for the loss of


s: this valuable fortress, is well worthy of observation, l. vii. c.


s: v. 89.  As in Soracte Constantine besought.]  So in Dante's


s: Imperator, mundatus a lepra intercessione Syvestri, tunc summni


s: pontificis imperii sedem, scilicet Romam, donavit ecclesiae, cum


s: multis allis imperii dignitatibus."  Lib.iii.


s: v. 101.  My predecessor.]  Celestine V. See Notes to Canto III.


s: v.8.  In that long war.]  The war of Hannibal in Italy.  "When


s: Mago brought news of his victories to Carthage, in order to make


s: his successes more easily credited, he commanded the golden rings


s: v. 12.  Guiscard's Norman steel.]  Robert Guiscard, who conquered


s: v. 13.  And those the rest.] The army of Manfredi, which, through


s: Anjou in 1205, and fell in such numbers that the bones of the


s: slain were still gathered near Ceperano.  G. Villani, l. vii. c.


s: v. 10.  O Tagliocozzo.]  He alludes to tile victory which Charles


s: v. 32.  Ali.]  The disciple of Mohammed.


s: v. 53.  Dolcino.]  "In 1305, a friar, called Dolcino, who


s: belonged to no regular order, contrived to raise in Novarra, in


s: Lombardy, a large company of the meaner sort of people, declaring


s: community of property and of wives, with many other such


s: heretical doctrines.  He blamed the pope, cardinals, and other


s: prelates of the holy church, for not observing their duty, nor


s: leading the angelic life, and affirmed that he ought to be pope.


s: He was followed by more than three thousand men and women, who


s: lived promiscuously on the mountains together, like beasts, and,


s: when they wanted provisions, supplied themselves by depredation


s: and rapine.  This lasted for two years till, many being struck


s: with compunction at the dissolute life they led, his sect was


s: much diminished; and through failure of food, and the severity of


s: errors had seduced."  G. Villanni, l. viii. c. 84.


s: Landino observes, that he was possessed of singular eloquence,


s: and that both he and Margarita endored their fate with a firmness


s: v. 69.  Medicina.]  A place in the territory of Bologna.  Piero


s: fomented dissensions among the inhabitants of that city, and


s: among the leaders of the neighbouring states.


s: v. 72.  The twain.]  Guido dal Cassero and Angiolello da Cagnano,


s: were invited by Malatestino da Rimini to an entertainment on


s: pretence that he had some important business to transact with


s: them:  and, according to instructions given by him, they mere


s: drowned in their passage near Catolica, between Rimini and Fano.


s: v. 85.  Focara's wind.] Focara is a mountain, from which a wind


s: blows that is peculiarly dangerous to the navigators of that


s: v. 94.  The doubt in Caesar's mind.]  Curio, whose speech


s: (according to Lucan) determined Julius Caesar to proceed when he


s: had arrived at Rimini (the ancient Ariminum), and doubted whether


s: Tolle moras:  semper nocuit differre paratis


s: v. 102.  Mosca.]  Buondelmonte was engaged to marry a lady of the


s: meeting of themselves and their kinsmen was held, to consider of


s: the best means of revenging the insult.  Mosca degli Uberti


s: persuaded them to resolve on the assassination of Buondelmonte,


s: exclaiming to them  "the thing once done, there is an end."  The


s: counsel and its effects were the source of many terrible


s: calamities to the state of Florence.  "This murder," says G.


s: Villani, l. v. c. 38,  "was the cause and beginning of the


s: accursed Guelph and Ghibelline parties in Florence."  It happened


s: What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted?


s: v. 160.  Bertrand.]  Bertrand de Born, Vicomte de Hautefort, near


s: father, Henry II. of England.  Bertrand holds a distinguished


s: place among the Provencal poets.  He is quoted in Dante, "De


s: Vulg. Eloq." l. ii. c. 2.  For the translation of some extracts


s: from his poems, see Millot, Hist. Litteraire des Troubadors t. i.


s: v. 26.  Geri of Bello.]  A kinsman of the Poet's, who was


s: murdered by one of the Sacchetti family.  His being placed here,


s: may be considered as a proof that Dante was more impartial in the


s: v. 44.  As were the torment.]  It is very probable that these


s: lines gave Milton the idea of his celebrated description:


s: Before their eyes appear'd, sad, noisome, dark,


s: A lasar-house it seem'd, wherein were laid


s: Numbers of all diseas'd, all maladies, &c.


s: v. 45.  Valdichiana.]  The valley through which passes the river


s: Chiana, bounded by Arezzo, Cortona, Montepulciano, and Chiusi. In


s: stagnation of the water, but has since been drained by the


s: Emperor Leopold II.  The Chiana is mentioned as a remarkably


s: sluggish stream, in the Paradise, Canto XIII. 21.


s: v. 47.  Maremma's pestilent fen.]  See Note to Canto XXV. v. 18.


s: v. 58.  In Aegina.] He alludes to the fable of the ants changed


s: v. 104.  Arezzo was my dwelling.]  Grifolino of Arezzo, who


s: promised Albero, son of the Bishop of Sienna, that he would teach


s: Albero prevailed on his father to have him burnt for a


s: The same imputation is again cast on the Siennese, Purg. Canto