| |
| 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. | 5 |
| Marvellous darkness shadow’d o’er the place. | |
| In the Venetians’ arsenal as boils | |
| Through wintry months tenacious pitch, to smear | |
| Their unsound vessels; for the inclement time | |
| Seafaring men restrains, and in that while | 10 |
| 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 mizzen one repairs, and main-sail rent; | 15 |
| So, not by force of fire but art divine, | |
| Boil’d here a glutinous thick mass, that round | |
| Limed all the shore beneath. I that beheld, | |
| But therein naught distinguish’d, save the bubbles | |
| Raised by the boiling, and one mighty swell | 20 |
| Heave, and by turns subsiding fall. While there | |
| I fix’d my ken below, “Mark! mark!” my guide | |
| Exclaiming, drew me toward him from the place | |
| Wherein I stood. I turn’d myself, as one | |
| Impatient to behold that which beheld | 25 |
| 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 advanced along the rock. | |
| Ah! what fierce cruelty his look bespake. | 30 |
| 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 charged; by either haunch | |
| He held him, the foot’s sinew griping fast. | 35 |
| “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’ | 40 |
| For lucre there an ‘ay’ is quickly made.” | |
| Him dashing down, o’er the rough rock he turn’d; | |
| Nor ever after thief a mastiff loosed | |
| Sped with like eager haste. That other sank, | |
| And forthwith writing to the surface rose. | 45 |
| 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, | 50 |
| 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.” | |
| E’en thus the cook bestirs him, with his grooms, | |
| To thrust the flesh into the caldron down | 55 |
| With flesh-hooks, that it float not on the top. | |
| Me then my guide bespake: “Lest they descry | |
| That thou art here, behind a craggy rock | |
| Bend low and screen thee: and whate’er of force | |
| Be offer’d me, or insult, fear thou not; | 60 |
| For I am well advised, who have been erst | |
| In the like fray.” Beyond the bridge’s head | |
| Therewith he pass’d; and reaching the sixth pier, | |
| Behoved him then a forehead terror-proof. | |
| With storm and fury, as when dogs rush forth | 65 |
| Upon the poor man’s back, who suddenly | |
| From whence he standeth makes his suit; so rush’d | |
| Those from beneath the arch, and against him | |
| Their weapons all they pointed. He, aloud: | |
| “Be none of you outrageous: ere your tine | 70 |
| Dare seize me, come forth from amongst you one, | |
| Who having heard my words, decide he then | |
| If he shall tear these limbs.” They shouted loud, | |
| “Go, Malacoda!” Whereat one advanced, | |
| The others standing firm, and as he came, | 75 |
| “What may this turn avail him?” he exclaim’d. | |
| “Believest thou, Malacoda! I had come | |
| Thus far from all your skirmishing secure,” | |
| My teacher answer’d, “without will divine | |
| And destiny propitious? Pass we then; | 80 |
| For so Heaven’s pleasure is, that I should lead | |
| Another through this savage wilderness.” | |
| Forthwith so fell his pride, that he let drop | |
| The instrument of torture at his feet, | |
| And to the rest exclaim’d: “We have no power | 85 |
| To strike him.” Then to me my guide: “O thou! | |
| Who on the bridge among the crags dost sit | |
| Low crouching, safely now to me return.” | |
| I rose, and toward him moved with speed; the fiends | |
| Meantime all forward drew: me terror seized, | 90 |
| Lest they should break the compact they had made. | |
| Thus issuing from Caprona, 1 once I saw | |
| Th’ infantry, dreading lest his covenant | |
| The foe should break; so close he hemm’d them round. | |
| I to my leader’s side adhered, mine eyes | 95 |
| With fixt and motionless observance bent | |
| On their unkindly visage. They their hooks | |
| Protruding, one the other thus bespake: | |
| “Wilt thou I touch him on the hip?” To whom | |
| Was answer’d: “Even so; nor miss thy aim.” | 100 |
| But he, who was in conference with my guide, | |
| Turn’d rapid round; and thus the demon spake: | |
| “Stay, stay thee, Scarmiglione!” Then to us | |
| He added: “Further footing to your step | |
| This rock affords not, shiver’d to the base | 105 |
| Of the sixth arch. But would ye still proceed, | |
| Up by this cavern go: not distant far, | |
| Another rock will yield you passage safe. | |
| Yesterday, 2 later by five hours than now, | |
| Twelve hundred threescore years and six had fill’d | 110 |
| The circuit of their course, since here the way | |
| Was broken. Thitherward I straight despatch | |
| Certain of these my scouts, who shall espy | |
| If any on the surface bask. With them | |
| Go ye: for ye shall find them nothing fell. | 115 |
| Come, Alichino, forth,” with that he cried, | |
| “And Calcabrina, and Cagnozzo thou! | |
| The troop of ten let Barbariccia lead. | |
| With Libicocco, Draghinazzo haste, | |
| Fang’d Ciriatta, Graffiacane fierce, | 120 |
| And Farfarello, and mad Rubicant. | |
| Search ye around the bubbling tar. For these, | |
| In safety lead them, where the other crag | |
| Uninterrupted traverses the dens.” | |
| I then: “O master! what a sight is there. | 125 |
| Ah! without escort, journey we alone, | |
| Which, if thou know the way, I covet not. | |
| Unless thy prudence fail thee, dost not mark | |
| How they do gnarl upon us, and their scowl | |
| Threatens us present tortures?” He replied: | 130 |
| “I charge thee, fear not: let them, as they will, | |
| Gnarl on: ’tis but in token of their spite | |
| Against the souls who mourn in torment steep’d.” | |
| To leftward o’er the pier they turn’d; but each | |
| Had first between his teeth prest close the tongue, | 135 |
| Toward their leader for a signal looking, | |
| Which he with sound obscene triumphant gave. | |
