The Divine Comedy (Illustrated Edition). Dante Alighieri

now were willing, he had tended still

      The thread and cordwain; and too late repents.

      “See next the wretches, who the needle left,

      The shuttle and the spindle, and became

      Diviners: baneful witcheries they wrought

      With images and herbs. But onward now:

For now doth Cain with fork of thorns8 confine

      On either hemisphere, touching the wave

      Beneath the towers of Seville. Yesternight

      The moon was round. Thou mayst remember well:

      For she good service did thee in the gloom

      Of the deep wood.” This said, both onward mov’d.

      Footnotes

1 Amphiaraüs, one of the seven kings who besieged Thebes. He is said to have been swallowed up by an opening of the earth.

2 “There is a spot.” Prato di Fame, where the dioceses of Trento, Verona, and Brescia meet.

3 “Peschiera.” A garrison situated to the south of the lake, where it empties and forms the Mincius.

4 Alberto da Casalodi, in possession of Mantua, was persuaded by Pinamonte Buonacossi to ingratiate himself with the people by banishing to their own castles the nobles, who were obnoxious to them. Pinamonte then put himself at the head of the populace, drove out Casalodi and his adherents, and obtained the sovereignty for himself.

5 “It is not long since there was in this city (Florence) a great master in necromancy, called Michele Scotto, because he was from Scotland.” Boccaccio, Decameron G. viii. N. 9.

6 An astrologer of Forli, on whose skill Guido da Montefeltro, lord of that place, so relied, that he is reported never to have gone into battle, except in the hour recommended to him by Bonatti. Landino and Vellutello speak of his book on astrology. Macchiavelli mentions him in the History of Florence, I. i. p. 24. ed. 1550. “He flourished about 1230 and 1260. Though a learned astronomer he was seduced by astrology, through which he was greatly in favor with many princes.”]

7 A shoemaker at Parma, who deserted his business to practice the arts of divination.

8 By Cain and the thorns (“The Man in the Moon”) the Poet denotes that luminary. The same superstition is alluded to in the Paradise, Canto ii. 52.

      Canto XXI

       Table of Contents

      ARGUMENT.—Still in the eighth circle, which bears the name of Malebolge, they look down from the bridge that passes over its fifth gulf, upon the barterers or public peculators. These are plunged in a lake of boiling pitch, and guarded by Demons, to whom Virgil, leaving Dante apart, presents himself; and license being obtained to pass onward, both pursue their way.

      THUS we from bridge to bridge, with other talk,

      The which my drama cares not to rehearse,

      Pass’d on; and to the summit reaching, stood

      To view another gap, within the round

      Of Malebolge, other bootless pangs.

      Marvelous darkness shadow’d o’er the place.

      In the Venetians’ arsenal as boils

      Through wintry months tenacious pitch, to smear

      Their unsound vessels; for th’ inclement time

      Sea-faring men restrains, and in that while

      His bark one builds anew, another stops

      The ribs of his, that hath made many a voyage;

      One hammers at the prow, one at the poop;

      This shapeth oars, that other cables twirls,

      The mizen one repairs and main-sail rent

      So not by force of fire but art divine

      Boil’d here a glutinous thick mass, that round

      Lim’d all the shore beneath. I that beheld,

      But therein nought distinguish’d, save the surge,

      Rais’d by the boiling, in one mighty swell

      Heave, and by turns subsiding and fall. While there

      I fix’d my ken below, “Mark! mark!” my guide

      Exclaiming, drew me towards him from the place,

      Wherein I stood. I turn’d myself as one,

      Impatient to behold that which beheld

      He needs must shun, whom sudden fear unmans,

      That he his flight delays not for the view.

      Behind me I discern’d a devil black,

      That running, up advanc’d along the rock.

      Ah! what fierce cruelty his look bespake!

      In act how bitter did he seem, with wings

      Buoyant outstretch’d and feet of nimblest tread!

      His shoulder proudly eminent and sharp

      Was with a sinner charg’d; by either haunch

      He held him, the foot’s sinew griping fast.

      “Ye of our bridge!” he cried, “keen-talon’d fiends!

      Lo! one of Santa Zita’s elders! Him

      Whelm ye beneath, while I return for more.

      That land hath store of such. All men are there,

      Except Bonturo, barterers: of ’no’

      For lucre there an ’aye’ is quickly made.”

      Him dashing down, o’er the rough rock he turn’d,

      Nor ever after thief a mastiff loos’d

      Sped with like eager haste. That other sank

      And forthwith writing to the surface rose.

      But those dark demons, shrouded by the bridge,

      Cried “Here the hallow’d visage saves not: here

      Is other swimming than in Serchio’s wave.

      Wherefore if thou desire we rend thee not,

      Take heed thou mount not o’er the pitch.” This said,

      They grappled him with more than hundred hooks,

      And shouted: “Cover’d thou must sport thee here;

      So, if thou canst, in secret mayst thou filch.”