Classic Poem

CANTO XII.

Argument.

Seventh Circle, divided into three zones; in which the violent are punished. First Zone; those who have done violence to their neighbour.
O F wild and fearful aspect was the spot
Of our descent; and somewhat there we spied,
A form with yet more dreadful horror fraught.
Ev'n as the ruin caus'd, when, from the side
Of Adigi by Trent, the cliff gave way,
With sudden crash, and smote the foaming tide,
(Perchance from earthquake or from lack of stay)
And from the mountain's summit whence it came,
Unto the plain, so steep the height ye may
Scarce find a path; thus was this gulf the same.
And there, lay stretched upon the highest brow
Of that sharp precipice the Cretan shame,
The monster erst conceived in the false cow;
And when he saw us, with his teeth he tore
Himself, as one whose ire doth work him woe.
Thus spake the sage who led me to this shore:
" Perchance, the Duke of Athens thou dost fear,
Who slew thee in the world above, of yore?
Go to, thou beast, this mortal comes not here,
Taught by thy sister; but he journeyeth
To see the manner of your torments drear. "
Even as the savage bull who, when he hath
Receiv'd his mortal wound, no more has skill
To turn, but boundeth to and fro in wrath,
Thus did the Minotaur; and he who still
Supported me cried out: " Run to the height;
Descend while rage doth yet the monster fill. "
Thus did we bend our course along the strait
And stony pathway of the deep descent,
Which yielded oft to my unwonted weight.
Pensive I was: " Perchance thy thoughts are bent "
(Thus Virgil;) " on yon cliff defended well
By the brute anger I but now have spent.
Know, that when erst unto this depth of hell
I came from out the dim and shadowy bourne,
'Twas ere yon rock from the high summit fell.
A little while (if clearly I discern)
Before He came who snatch'd the mighty prey
Of Dis from out the circling zone supern,
On every side this valley foul and gray
Trembled, as if, methought, the Universe
Was mov'd by love; the which, there are who say,
Did many times in chaos wild disperse
The world: and then yon ancient cliff did here,
And elsewhere, fall with sudden strange reverse.
But look thou downwards; for we now draw near
The bloody river, in whose boiling tide
The violent do find their fitting sphere. "
O blind cupidity, O foolish pride,
Ye spur us on, in our short life, and woe
Eternal is the meed we must abide!
An ample fosse in form of bended bow
I saw, like that which doth the whole embrace,
Ev'n as my guide had said to me. And lo!
Between the bank and it, in order'd race,
Arm'd with their darts we saw the Centaurs run,
As those on earth who go unto the chase.
Perceiving us, they stopp'd, and each began
To gaze in wonder, and then three drew near,
With arrows fitted to the bow. And one
Cried from afar: " Now wherefore come ye here?
And to what punishment the pathway try?
Speak where ye stand; if not, expect my spear. "
My Master said: " To Cheiron the reply
We make anon: of evil fate to thee
Hath been the wrath that brought thee here for aye. "
Then touching me, he said: " Know, this is he
Who for the beauteous Dejanira died,
And took his own revenge. He whom we see
In midst, with head upon his breast down-weigh'd,
Is the great Cheiron, who Achilles rear'd;
This other, Pholus, erst so fill'd with pride. "
Around the fosse in thousands they appear'd,
Flinging their darts at every Shade who more
Came forth than was his meed. And as we near'd
Those swift, fierce creatures on the bloody shore,
Cheiron did with an arrow's hilt divide
The shaggy hair which on his lips he wore.
When he had thus reveal'd the cavern wide
Of his huge mouth, unto his mates he said:
" See ye the stones from 'neath the hindmost glide?
Not thus do pass the footsteps of the dead. "
And Virgil, who approach'd that wondrous sight,
The double nature in one form array'd,
Thus spake: " In sooth he liveth, and aright
To him alone I show the land of flame;
Necessity doth lead us, not delight.
For, one from singing Hallelujah came,
And gave me the new office that I wear:
No robber this, nor I by deeds of shame
Brought hither. By the virtue which doth bear
My steps along this path with dangers fraught,
Give us a guide, who may to us declare
Of yon dark river the most shallow spot;
And on his shoulders be this mortal sped,
Who is no spirit on thin air to float. "
Cheiron then turn'd, and unto Nessus said:
" Go, be their guide unto the further shore,
And see that none draw near to work them dread. "
Now with our faithful escort we pass'd o'er
The space 'twixt us and the vermilion flood,
Where they who there were seeth'd lamented sore.
Some plunged therein unto the eyebrows stood;
And the great Centaur said: " Tyrants they be,
Who erst in spoil and gore their hands imbrued.
Here Alexander mourns; and here we see
That Dionysius famed in days of old,
Who caused such doleful years to Sicily.
That brow whose locks do hang in dusky fold
Is Azzolino; and yon forehead fair,
Obizzo d'Este, whom, in truth 'tis told,
His wicked son did unto darkness bear. "
Then turn'd I to the Poet, and he said:
" Let Nessus be the first, me second here. "
A little further on, the Centaur stay'd,
By those who in the boiling stream made moan,
But only to the throat the waves had spread.
He pointed tow'rds a spirit all alone,
And thus he spake: " Within God's holy place
He cleft the heart that yet o'er Thames is shown. "
Then saw I those who lifted up their face,
And eke their chest, from out the crimson flood;
And some I could in my remembrance trace.
Thus lessen'd more and more the stream of blood,
Until it only o'er the feet did flow:
Here was the spot where now our footsteps should
Pass o'er the wave. " As hitherwards more low
Hath still diminishid the boiling tide. "
(The Centaur spake) " I would that thou should'st know
That more and more increases tow'rd the side
To which we look, its depth, till it attain
The spot where sorely mourns the tyrant's pride.
There, Divine Justice pierces with sharp pain
That Attila who was the scourge of God;
Pyrrhus, and Sextus; and for aye, in rain,
From Regnier da Corneto the red flood
Sad tears doth press; Regnier de' Pazzi, too,
Who waged such cruel wars upon the road. "
Then turn'd he, and re-pass'd the stream of fearful hue.