Euclid, geometrician, and Ptolemy, -- Galen, Hippocrates, and Avicenna, I cannot all of them pourtray in full, -- Because so drives me onward the long theme, That many times the word comes short of fact. The sixfold company in two divides; Another way my sapient Guide conducts me Forth from the quiet to the air that trembles ; And to a place I come where nothing shines. 145 150 CANTO V. THUS I descended out of the first circle Down to the second, that less space begirds, Examines the transgressions at the entrance; I say, that when the spirit evil-born Cometh before him, wholly it confesses; Seeth what place in Hell is meet for it; Girds himself with his tail as many times As grades he wishes it should be thrust down. Always before him many of them stand; They go by turns each one unto the judgment; They speak, and hear, and then are downward hurled. "O thou, that to this dolorous hostelry Comest," said Minos to me, when he saw me, Leaving the practice of so great an office, "Look how thou enterest, and in whom thou trustest; Let not the portal's amplitude deceive thee." And unto him my Guide: "Why criest thou too? Do not impede his journey fate-ordained; It is so willed there where is power to ao That which is willed; and ask no further question." And now begin the dolesome notes to grow Audible unto me; now am I come There where much lamentation strikes upon me. I came into a place mute of all light, Which bellows as the sea does in a tempest, If by opposing winds 't is combated. ΤΟ 20 The infernal hurricane that never rests Hurtles the spirits onward in its rapine; Whirling them round, and smiting, it molests them. When they arrive before the precipice, There are the shrieks, the plaints, and the laments, I understood that unto such a torment The carnal malefactors were condemned, And as the wings of starlings bear them on In the cold season in large band and full, It hither, thither, downward, upward, drives them; 35 40 45 50 Thou fain wouldst have," then said he unto me, To sensual vices she was so abandoned, 55 That lustful she made licit in her law, To remove the blame to which she had been led. She is Semiramis, of whom we read That she succeeded Ninus, and was his spouse; And broke faith with the ashes of Sichæus; Helen I saw, for whom so many ruthless Seasons revolved; and saw the great Achilles, Paris I saw, Tristan; and more than a thousand Shades did he name and point out with his finger, After that I had listened to my Teacher, Whom Love had separated from our life. Naming the dames of eld and cavaliers, And I began: "O Poet, willingly Speak would I to those two, who go together, 60 65 70 75 And he to me: "Thou'lt mark, when they shall be Nearer to us; and then do thou implore them My voice uplift I: "O ye weary souls! With open and steady wings to the sweet nest Who visiting goest through the purple air We would pray unto him to give thee peace, Upon the sea-shore where the Po descends Love, that on gentle heart doth swiftly seize, That was ta'en from me, and still the mode offends me. Love, that exempts no one beloved from loving, Seized me with pleasure of this man so strongly, Love has conducted us unto one death; Caïna waiteth him who quenched our life!" I bowed my face, and so long held it down And I began: "Thine agonies, Francesca, By what and in what manner Love conceded, And she to me: "There is no greater sorrow Of love in us thou hast so great desire, Of Launcelot, how Love did him enthral. Full many a time our eyes together drew That reading, and drove the colour from our faces; When as we read of the much-longed-for smile This one, who ne'er from me shall be divided, Galeotto was the book and he who wrote it. That day no farther did we read therein." And all the while one spirit uttered this, The other one did weep so, that, for pity, I swooned away as if I had been dying, And fell, even as a dead body falls. 125 130 135 140 CANTO VI. At the return of consciousness, that closed Eternal, maledict, and cold, and heavy; Huge hail, and water sombre-hued, and snow, Cerberus, monster cruel and uncouth, With his three gullets like a dog is barking Red eyes he has, and unctuous beard and black, And belly large, and armed with claws his hands; Howl the rain maketh them like unto dogs; His mouths he opened, and displayed his tusks; Took of the earth, and with his fists well filled, And quiet grows soon as his food he gnaws, Of Cerberus the demon, who so thunders The heavy rain-storm, and we placed our feet Excepting one, who sat upright as soon "O thou that art conducted through this Hell," Perhaps doth draw thee out of my remembrance, A place art put, and in such punishment, Of envy so that now the sack runs over, I, as thou seest, am battered by this rain. For all these suffer the like penalty For the like sin ;" and word no more spake he. I answered him: "Ciacco, thy wretchedness Weighs on me so that it to weep invites me; The citizens of the divided city; If any there be just; and the occasion |