THE VISION

OF

HELL, PURGATORY, AND PARADISE

BY

DANTE ALIGHIERI

TRANSLATED BY

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

HELL

OR THE INFERNO

Part 4

Cantos 7 - 8

CANTO VII

"AH me! O Satan! Satan!" loud exclaim'dPlutus, in accent hoarse of wild alarm:And the kind sage, whom no event surpris'd, To comfort me thus spake: "Let not thy fearHarm thee, for power in him, be sure, is noneTo hinder down this rock thy safe descent. "Then to that sworn lip turning, "Peace!" he cried, "Curs'd wolf! thy fury inward on thyselfPrey, and consume thee! Through the dark profoundNot without cause he passes. So 't is will'dOn high, there where the great Archangel pour'dHeav'n's vengeance on the first adulterer proud. "

As sails full spread and bellying with the windDrop suddenly collaps'd, if the mast split;So to the ground down dropp'd the cruel fiend. 

Thus we, descending to the fourth steep ledge, Gain'd on the dismal shore, that all the woeHems in of all the universe. Ah me!Almighty Justice! in what store thou heap'stNew pains, new troubles, as I here beheld!Wherefore doth fault of ours bring us to this?

E'en as a billow, on Charybdis rising, Against encounter'd billow dashing breaks;Such is the dance this wretched race must lead, Whom more than elsewhere numerous here I found, From one side and the other, with loud voice, Both roll'd on weights by main forge of their breasts, Then smote together, and each one forthwithRoll'd them back voluble, turning again, Exclaiming these, "Why holdest thou so fast?"Those answering, "And why castest thou away?"So still repeating their despiteful song, They to the opposite point on either handTravers'd the horrid circle: then arriv'd, Both turn'd them round, and through the middle spaceConflicting met again. At sight whereofI, stung with grief, thus spake: "O say, my guide!What race is this? Were these, whose heads are shorn, On our left hand, all sep'rate to the church?"

He straight replied: "In their first life these allIn mind were so distorted, that they made, According to due measure, of their wealth, No use. This clearly from their words collect, Which they howl forth, at each extremityArriving of the circle, where their crimeContrary' in kind disparts them. To the churchWere separate those, that with no hairy cowlsAre crown'd, both Popes and Cardinals, o'er whomAv'rice dominion absolute maintains. "

I then: "Mid such as these some needs must be, Whom I shall recognize, that with the blotOf these foul sins were stain'd. " He answering thus:"Vain thought conceiv'st thou. That ignoble life, Which made them vile before, now makes them dark, And to all knowledge indiscernible. Forever they shall meet in this rude shock:These from the tomb with clenched grasp shall rise, Those with close-shaven locks. That ill they gave, And ill they kept, hath of the beauteous worldDepriv'd, and set them at this strife, which needsNo labour'd phrase of mine to set if off. Now may'st thou see, my son! how brief, how vain, The goods committed into fortune's hands, For which the human race keep such a coil!Not all the gold, that is beneath the moon, Or ever hath been, of these toil-worn soulsMight purchase rest for one. " I thus rejoin'd:

"My guide! of thee this also would I learn;This fortune, that thou speak'st of, what it is, Whose talons grasp the blessings of the world?"

He thus: "O beings blind! what ignoranceBesets you? Now my judgment hear and mark. He, whose transcendent wisdom passes all, The heavens creating, gave them ruling powersTo guide them, so that each part shines to each, Their light in equal distribution pour'd. By similar appointment he ordain'dOver the world's bright images to rule. Superintendence of a guiding handAnd general minister, which at due timeMay change the empty vantages of lifeFrom race to race, from one to other's blood, Beyond prevention of man's wisest care:Wherefore one nation rises into sway, Another languishes, e'en as her willDecrees, from us conceal'd, as in the grassThe serpent train. Against her nought availsYour utmost wisdom. She with foresight plans, Judges, and carries on her reign, as theirsThe other powers divine. Her changes knowNore intermission: by necessityShe is made swift, so frequent come who claimSuccession in her favours. This is she, So execrated e'en by those, whose debtTo her is rather praise; they wrongfullyWith blame requite her, and with evil word;But she is blessed, and for that recks not:Amidst the other primal beings gladRolls on her sphere, and in her bliss exults. Now on our way pass we, to heavier woeDescending: for each star is falling now, That mounted at our entrance, and forbidsToo long our tarrying. " We the circle cross'dTo the next steep, arriving at a well, That boiling pours itself down to a fossSluic'd from its source. Far murkier was the waveThan sablest grain: and we in companyOf the' inky waters, journeying by their side, Enter'd, though by a different track, beneath. Into a lake, the Stygian nam'd, expandsThe dismal stream, when it hath reach'd the footOf the grey wither'd cliffs. Intent I stoodTo gaze, and in the marish sunk descriedA miry tribe, all naked, and with looksBetok'ning rage. They with their hands aloneStruck not, but with the head, the breast, the feet, Cutting each other piecemeal with their fangs. 

The good instructor spake; "Now seest thou, son!The souls of those, whom anger overcame. This too for certain know, that underneathThe water dwells a multitude, whose sighsInto these bubbles make the surface heave, As thine eye tells thee wheresoe'er it turn. "Fix'd in the slime they say: "Sad once were weIn the sweet air made gladsome by the sun, Carrying a foul and lazy mist within:Now in these murky settlings are we sad. "Such dolorous strain they gurgle in their throats. But word distinct can utter none. " Our routeThus compass'd we, a segment widely stretch'dBetween the dry embankment, and the coreOf the loath'd pool, turning meanwhile our eyesDownward on those who gulp'd its muddy lees;Nor stopp'd, till to a tower's low base we came. 

CANTO VIII

MY theme pursuing, I relate that ereWe reach'd the lofty turret's base, our eyesIts height ascended, where two cressets hungWe mark'd, and from afar another lightReturn the signal, so remote, that scarceThe eye could catch its beam. I turning roundTo the deep source of knowledge, thus inquir'd:"Say what this means? and what that other lightIn answer set? what agency doth this?"

"There on the filthy waters, " he replied, "E'en now what next awaits us mayst thou see, If the marsh-gender'd fog conceal it not. "

Never was arrow from the cord dismiss'd, That ran its way so nimbly through the air, As a small bark, that through the waves I spiedToward us coming, under the sole swayOf one that ferried it, who cried aloud:"Art thou arriv'd, fell spirit?"--"Phlegyas, Phlegyas, This time thou criest in vain, " my lord replied;"No longer shalt thou have us, but while o'erThe slimy pool we pass. " As one who hearsOf some great wrong he hath sustain'd, whereatInly he pines; so Phlegyas inly pin'dIn his fierce ire. My guide descending stepp'dInto the skiff, and bade me enter nextClose at his side; nor till my entrance seem'dThe vessel freighted. Soon as both embark'd, Cutting the waves, goes on the ancient prow, More deeply than with others it is wont. 

While we our course o'er the dead channel held. One drench'd in mire before me came, and said;"Who art thou, that thou comest ere thine hour?"

I answer'd: "Though I come, I tarry not;But who art thou, that art become so foul?"

"One, as thou seest, who mourn:" he straight replied. 

To which I thus: "In mourning and in woe, Curs'd spirit! tarry thou. G I know thee well, E'en thus in filth disguis'd. " Then stretch'd he forthHands to the bark; whereof my teacher sageAware, thrusting him back: "Away! down there;

"To the' other dogs!" then, with his arms my neckEncircling, kiss'd my cheek, and spake: "O soulJustly disdainful! blest was she in whomThou was conceiv'd! He in the world was oneFor arrogance noted; to his memoryNo virtue lends its lustre; even soHere is his shadow furious. There aboveHow many now hold themselves mighty kingsWho here like swine shall wallow in the mire, Leaving behind them horrible dispraise!"

I then: "Master! him fain would I beholdWhelm'd in these dregs, before we quit the lake. "

He thus: "Or ever to thy view the shoreBe offer'd, satisfied shall be that wish, Which well deserves completion. " Scarce his wordsWere ended, when I saw the miry tribesSet on him with such violence, that yetFor that render I thanks to God and praise"To Filippo Argenti:" cried they all:And on himself the moody FlorentineTurn'd his avenging fangs. Him here we left, Nor speak I of him more. But on mine earSudden a sound of lamentation smote, Whereat mine eye unbarr'd I sent abroad. 

And thus the good instructor: "Now, my son!Draws near the city, that of Dis is nam'd, With its grave denizens, a mighty throng. "

I thus: "The minarets already, Sir!There certes in the valley I descry, Gleaming vermilion, as if they from fireHad issu'd. " He replied: "Eternal fire, That inward burns, shows them with ruddy flameIllum'd; as in this nether hell thou seest. "

We came within the fosses deep, that moatThis region comfortless. The walls appear'dAs they were fram'd of iron. We had madeWide circuit, ere a place we reach'd, where loudThe mariner cried vehement: "Go forth!The' entrance is here!" Upon the gates I spiedMore than a thousand, who of old from heavenWere hurl'd. With ireful gestures, "Who is this, "They cried, "that without death first felt, goes throughThe regions of the dead?" My sapient guideMade sign that he for secret parley wish'd;Whereat their angry scorn abating, thusThey spake: "Come thou alone; and let him goWho hath so hardily enter'd this realm. Alone return he by his witless way;If well he know it, let him prove. For thee, Here shalt thou tarry, who through clime so darkHast been his escort. " Now bethink thee, reader!What cheer was mine at sound of those curs'd words. I did believe I never should return. 

"O my lov'd guide! who more than seven timesSecurity hast render'd me, and drawnFrom peril deep, whereto I stood expos'd, Desert me not, " I cried, "in this extreme. And if our onward going be denied, Together trace we back our steps with speed. "

My liege, who thither had conducted me, Replied: "Fear not: for of our passage noneHath power to disappoint us, by such highAuthority permitted. But do thouExpect me here; meanwhile thy wearied spiritComfort, and feed with kindly hope, assur'dI will not leave thee in this lower world. "

This said, departs the sire benevolent, And quits me. Hesitating I remainAt war 'twixt will and will not in my thoughts. 

I could not hear what terms he offer'd them, But they conferr'd not long, for all at onceTo trial fled within. Clos'd were the gatesBy those our adversaries on the breastOf my liege lord: excluded he return'dTo me with tardy steps. Upon the groundHis eyes were bent, and from his brow eras'dAll confidence, while thus with sighs he spake:"Who hath denied me these abodes of woe?"Then thus to me: "That I am anger'd, thinkNo ground of terror: in this trial IShall vanquish, use what arts they may withinFor hindrance. This their insolence, not new, Erewhile at gate less secret they display'd, Which still is without bolt; upon its archThou saw'st the deadly scroll: and even nowOn this side of its entrance, down the steep, Passing the circles, unescorted, comesOne whose strong might can open us this land. "