The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (essential books to read TXT) 📕

For I am press’d with keen desire to hear, If heaven’s sweet cup or poisonous drug of hell Be to their lip assign’d.” He answer’d straight: “These are yet blacker spirits. Various crimes Have sunk them deeper in the dark abyss.

If thou so far descendest, thou mayst see them.

But to the pleasant world when thou return’st, Of me make mention, I entreat thee, there.

No more I tell thee, answer thee no more.”

This said, his fixed eyes he turn’d askance, A little ey’d me, then bent down his head, And ‘midst his blind companions with it fell.

When thus my guide: “No more his bed he leaves, Ere the last angel-trumpet blow. The Power Adverse to these shall then in glory come, Each one forthwith to his sad tomb repair, Resume his fleshly vesture and his form, And hear the eternal doom re-echoing rend The vault.” So pass’d we through that mixture foul Of spirits and rain, with tardy steps; meanwhile Touching, though slightly, on the life to come.

For thus I question’d: “Shall these tortures, Sir!

When the great sentence passes, be increas’d, Or mitigated, or as now severe?”

He then: “Consult thy knowledge; that decides That as each thing to more perfection grows, It feels more sensibly both good and pain.

Though ne’er to true perfection may arrive This race accurs’d, yet nearer then than now They shall approach it.” Compassing that path Circuitous we journeyed, and discourse Much more than I relate between us pass’d: Till at the point, where the steps led below, Arriv’d, there Plutus, the great foe, we found.

CANTO VII

“AH me! O Satan! Satan!” loud exclaim’d Plutus, in accent hoarse of wild alarm: And the kind sage, whom no event surpris’d, To comfort me thus spake: “Let not thy fear Harm thee, for power in him, be sure, is none To hinder down this rock thy safe descent.”

Then to that sworn lip turning, ” Peace!” he cried, “Curs’d wolf! thy fury inward on thyself Prey, and consume thee! Through the dark profound Not without cause he passes. So ‘t is will’d On high, there where the great Archangel pour’d Heav’n’s vengeance on the first adulterer proud.”

As sails full spread and bellying with the wind Drop 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 woe Hems in of all the universe. Ah me!

Almighty Justice! in what store thou heap’st New 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 forthwith Roll’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 hand Travers’d the horrid circle: then arriv’d, Both turn’d them round, and through the middle space Conflicting met again. At sight whereof I, 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 all In 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 extremity Arriving of the circle, where their crime Contrary’ in kind disparts them. To the church Were separate those, that with no hairy cowls Are crown’d, both Popes and Cardinals, o’er whom Av’rice dominion absolute maintains.”

I then: “Mid such as these some needs must be, Whom I shall recognize, that with the blot Of 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 world Depriv’d, and set them at this strife, which needs No 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 souls Might 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 ignorance Besets you? Now my judgment hear and mark.

He, whose transcendent wisdom passes all, The heavens creating, gave them ruling powers To guide them, so that each part shines to each, Their light in equal distribution pour’d.

By similar appointment he ordain’d Over the world’s bright images to rule.

Superintendence of a guiding hand

And general minister, which at due time May change the empty vantages of life From 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 will Decrees, from us conceal’d, as in the grass The serpent train. Against her nought avails Your utmost wisdom. She with foresight plans, Judges, and carries on her reign, as theirs The other powers divine. Her changes know Nore intermission: by necessity

She is made swift, so frequent come who claim Succession in her favours. This is she, So execrated e’en by those, whose debt To her is rather praise; they wrongfully With blame requite her, and with evil word; But she is blessed, and for that recks not: Amidst the other primal beings glad Rolls on her sphere, and in her bliss exults.

Now on our way pass we, to heavier woe Descending: for each star is falling now, That mounted at our entrance, and forbids Too long our tarrying.” We the circle cross’d To the next steep, arriving at a well, That boiling pours itself down to a foss Sluic’d from its source. Far murkier was the wave Than sablest grain: and we in company Of the’ inky waters, journeying by their side, Enter’d, though by a different track, beneath.

Into a lake, the Stygian nam’d, expands The dismal stream, when it hath reach’d the foot Of the grey wither’d cliffs. Intent I stood To gaze, and in the marish sunk descried A miry tribe, all naked, and with looks Betok’ning rage. They with their hands alone Struck 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 underneath The water dwells a multitude, whose sighs Into 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 we In 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 route Thus compass’d we, a segment widely stretch’d Between the dry embankment, and the core Of the loath’d pool, turning meanwhile our eyes Downward 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 ere We reach’d the lofty turret’s base, our eyes Its height ascended, where two cressets hung We mark’d, and from afar another light Return the signal, so remote, that scarce The eye could catch its beam. I turning round To the deep source of knowledge, thus inquir’d: “Say what this means? and what that other light In 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 spied Toward us coming, under the sole sway Of 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’er The slimy pool we pass.” As one who hears Of some great wrong he hath sustain’d, whereat Inly he pines; so Phlegyas inly pin’d In his fierce ire. My guide descending stepp’d Into the skiff, and bade me enter next Close at his side; nor till my entrance seem’d The 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. I know thee well, E’en thus in filth disguis’d.” Then stretch’d he forth Hands to the bark; whereof my teacher sage Aware, thrusting him back: “Away! down there To the’ other dogs!” then, with his arms my neck Encircling, kiss’d my cheek, and spake: “O soul Justly disdainful! blest was she in whom Thou was conceiv’d! He in the world was one For arrogance noted; to his memory No virtue lends its lustre; even so Here is his shadow furious. There above How many now hold themselves mighty kings Who here like swine shall wallow in the mire, Leaving behind them horrible dispraise!”

I then: “Master! him fain would I behold Whelm’d in these dregs, before we quit the lake.”

He thus: “Or ever to thy view the shore Be offer’d, satisfied shall be that wish, Which well deserves completion.” Scarce his words Were ended, when I saw the miry tribes Set on him with such violence, that yet For that render I thanks to God and praise “To Filippo Argenti:” cried they all: And on himself the moody Florentine Turn’d his avenging fangs. Him here we left, Nor speak I of him more. But on mine ear Sudden 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 fire Had issu’d.” He replied: “Eternal fire, That inward burns, shows them with ruddy flame Illum’d; as in this nether hell thou seest.”

We came within the fosses deep, that moat This region comfortless. The walls appear’d As they were fram’d of iron. We had made Wide circuit, ere a place we reach’d, where loud The mariner cried vehement: “Go forth!

The’ entrance is here!” Upon the gates I spied More than a thousand, who of old from heaven Were hurl’d. With ireful gestures, “Who is this,”

They cried, “that without death first felt, goes through The regions of the dead?” My sapient guide Made sign that he for secret parley wish’d; Whereat their angry scorn