For she good service did thee in the gloom

Of the deep wood." This said, both onward moved.

m

CANTO XXI.

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.

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
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
Limed all the shore beneath. I that beheld,
But therein nought distinguish'd, save the bubbles
Raised by the boiling, and one mighty swell
Heave3, and by turns subsiding fall. While there

1 In the Venetians' arsenal.]

Come dentr'ai Navai della gran terra,

Tra le lacune del mar d'Adria posta,

Serban la pece la togata gente,

Ad uso di lor navi e di lor triremi;

Per solcar poi sicuri il mare ondoso, &c.

Ruccellai, Le Api, v. 165.

Dryden seems to have had the passage in the text before him in his Annus Mirabilis, st. 146, &c.

2 Boil'd.] Vidi flumen magno de Inferno procedere ardens, atque piceum. Alberici Visio, § 17.

Vidi etiam os putei magnum flammas emittentem, et nunc sursum nunc deorsum descendentem. Alberici Visio, § 11.

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 advanced 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 charged; by either haunch
He held him, the foot's sinew griping fast.

"Ye of our bridge!" he cried, "keen-talon'd
Lo! one of Santa Zita's elders1. Him [fiends!
Whelm ye beneath, while I return for more.
That land hath store of such. All men are there,
Except Bonturo, barterers2: of 'no'

For lucre there anaye' 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 writhing to the surface rose.
But those dark demons, shrouded by the bridge,
Cried, "Here the hallow'd visage3 saves not: here
Is other swimming than in Serchio's wave1,
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."
E'en thus the cook bestirs him, with his grooms,

1 One of Santa Zita's elders.] The elders or chief magistrates of Lucca, where Santa Zita was held in especial veneration. The name of this sinner is supposed to have been Martino Botaio.

2 Except Bonturo, barterers.] This is said ironically of Bonturo de' Dati. By barterers are meant peculators, of every description; all who traffic the interests of the public for their own private advantage.

3 The hallow'd visage.] A representation of the head of our Saviour worshiped at Lucca.

4 Is other swimming than in Serchio's wave.]

Qui si nuota altrimenti che nel Serchio. Serchio is the river that flows by Lucca. So Pulci, Morg. Magg. c. xxiv.

Qui si nuota nel sangue, e non nel Serchio.

To thrust the flesh1 into the caldron down
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 skreen thee: and whate'er of force
Be offer'd me, or insult, fear thou not;

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
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
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,
"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;
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
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." [fiends

I rose, and towards him moved with speed; the
Meantime all forward drew me terror seized,
Lest they should break the compact they had made.
Thus issuing from Caprona2, once I saw
Th' infantry, dreading lest his covenant
The foe should break; so close he hemm'd them

[round.

1 The flesh.] In eundem flumen corruunt: rursumque assurgentes, ac denuo recidentes, tamdiu ibidem cruciantur, donec in morem carnium excocti, &c. Alberici Visio, § 17.

2 From Caprona.] The surrender of the castle of Caprona to the combined forces of Florence and Lucca, on condition that the garrison should march out in safety, to which event Dante was a witness, took place in 1290. See G. Villani, Hist. lib. vii. c. 136.

I to my leader's side adhered, mine eyes 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."

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
Of the sixth arch. But would ye still proceed,
Up by this cavern go: not distant far,
Another rock will yield you passage safe.
Yesterday1, later by five hours than now,

Twelve hundred threescore years and six had fill'd
The circuit of their course, since here the way
Was broken. Thitherward I straight dispatch
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.
Come, Alichino, forth," with that he cried,
"And Calcabrina, and Cagnazzo2 thou!

1 Yesterday.] This passage fixes the era of Dante's descent at Good Friday, in the year 1300 (34 years from our blessed Lord's incarnation being added to 1266), and at the thirtyfifth year of our Poet's age. See Canto i: v. 1.

The awful event alluded to, the Evangelists inform us, happened" at the ninth hour," that is, our sixth, when "the rocks were rent," and the convulsion, according to Dante, was felt even in the depths of Hell. See Canto xii. v. 38.

2 Cagnazzo.] Pulci introduces some of these demons in a very pleasant adventure, related near the beginning of the second Canto of his Morgante Maggiore :

Non senti tu, Orlando, in quella tomba
Quelle parole, che colui rimbomba?
Io voglio andar a scoprir quello avello,
Là dove e' par che quella voce s'oda,
Ed escane Cagnazzo, e Farfarello,
O Libicocco, col suo Malacoda;
E finalmente s'accostava a quello,
Però che Orlando questa impresa loda,
E disse; scuopri, se vi fussi dentro
Quanti ne piovon mai dal ciel nel centro.

Stanze 30, 1.

"Perceivest the words, Orlando, which this fellow
Doth in our ears out of that tomb rebellow?

"I'll go, and straight the sepulchre uncase,

From whence, as seems to me, that voice was heard;
Be Farfarel and Cagnazzo to my face,

Or Libicoc with Malacoda, stirr'd:"

The troop of ten let Barbariccia lead.
With Libicocco, Draghinazzo haste,
Fang'd Ciriatto, Graffiacane fierce,
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. 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: "I charge thee, fear not: let them, as they will, Gnarl on 't is 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, Toward their leader for a signal looking,

Which he with sound obscene2 triumphant gave.

CANTO XXII.

ARGUMENT.

Virgil and Dante proceed, accompanied by the Demons, and see other sinners of the same description in the same gulf. The device of Ciampolo, one of these, to escape from the Demons, who had laid hold on him.

Ir hath been heretofore my chance to see
Horsemen with martial order shifting camp,
To onset sallying, or in muster ranged,
Or in retreat sometimes outstretch'd for flight:
Light-armed squadrons and fleet foragers
Scouring thy plains, Arezzo! have I seen,
And clashing tournaments, and tilting jousts,
Now with the sound of trumpets, now of bells,

And finally he drew near to the place;

Th' emprize Orlando praising with this word:
"Uncase it, thongh within as many dwell,

As ever were from heaven rain'd down to hell." 10 master!] Lombardi tells us that every edition, except his favourite Nidobeatina, has "O me" printed separately, instead of "Omè." This is not the case at least with Landino's of 1484. But there is no end of these inaccuracies.

2 With sound obscene.] Compare the original with Aristophanes, Nubes. 165:

σάλπιγξ ὁ πρωκτὸς ἐστίν.