The Divine Comedy. Dante Alighieri

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 abating, thus

      They spake: "Come thou alone; and let him go

      Who 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 dark

      Hast 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 times

      Security hast render'd me, and drawn

      From 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 none

      Hath power to disappoint us, by such high

      Authority permitted. But do thou

      Expect me here; meanwhile thy wearied spirit

      Comfort, and feed with kindly hope, assur'd

      I will not leave thee in this lower world."

      This said, departs the sire benevolent,

      And quits me. Hesitating I remain

      At 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 once

      To trial fled within. Clos'd were the gates

      By those our adversaries on the breast

      Of my liege lord: excluded he return'd

      To me with tardy steps. Upon the ground

      His eyes were bent, and from his brow eras'd

      All confidence, while thus with sighs he spake:

      "Who hath denied me these abodes of woe?"

      Then thus to me: "That I am anger'd, think

      No ground of terror: in this trial I

      Shall vanquish, use what arts they may within

      For hindrance. This their insolence, not new,

      Erewhile at gate less secret they display'd,

      Which still is without bolt; upon its arch

      Thou saw'st the deadly scroll: and even now

      On this side of its entrance, down the steep,

      Passing the circles, unescorted, comes

      One whose strong might can open us this land."

      CANTO IX

      THE hue, which coward dread on my pale cheeks

      Imprinted, when I saw my guide turn back,

      Chas'd that from his which newly they had worn,

      And inwardly restrain'd it. He, as one

      Who listens, stood attentive: for his eye

      Not far could lead him through the sable air,

      And the thick-gath'ring cloud. "It yet behooves

      We win this fight"—thus he began—"if not—

      Such aid to us is offer'd.—Oh, how long

      Me seems it, ere the promis'd help arrive!"

      I noted, how the sequel of his words

      Clok'd their beginning; for the last he spake

      Agreed not with the first. But not the less

      My fear was at his saying; sith I drew

      To import worse perchance, than that he held,

      His mutilated speech. "Doth ever any

      Into this rueful concave's extreme depth

      Descend, out of the first degree, whose pain

      Is deprivation merely of sweet hope?"

      Thus I inquiring. "Rarely," he replied,

      "It chances, that among us any makes

      This journey, which I wend. Erewhile 'tis true

      Once came I here beneath, conjur'd by fell

      Erictho, sorceress, who compell'd the shades

      Back to their bodies. No long space my flesh

      Was naked of me, when within these walls

      She made me enter, to draw forth a spirit

      From out of Judas' circle. Lowest place

      Is that of all, obscurest, and remov'd

      Farthest from heav'n's all-circling orb. The road

      Full well I know: thou therefore rest secure.

      That lake, the noisome stench exhaling, round

      The city' of grief encompasses, which now

      We may not enter without rage." Yet more

      He added: but I hold it not in mind,

      For that mine eye toward the lofty tower

      Had drawn me wholly, to its burning top.

      Where in an instant I beheld uprisen

      At once three hellish furies stain'd with blood:

      In limb and motion feminine they seem'd;

      Around them greenest hydras twisting roll'd

      Their volumes; adders and cerastes crept

      Instead of hair, and their fierce temples bound.

      He knowing well the miserable hags

      Who tend the queen of endless woe, thus spake:

      "Mark thou each dire Erinnys. To the left

      This is Megaera; on the right hand she,

      Who wails, Alecto; and Tisiphone

      I' th' midst." This said, in silence he remain'd

      Their breast they each one clawing tore; themselves

      Smote with their palms, and such shrill clamour rais'd,

      That to the bard I clung, suspicion-bound.

      "Hasten Medusa: so to adamant

      Him shall we change;" all looking down exclaim'd.

      "E'en when by