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, Marvellous darkness shadow'd o'er the place. Through wintry months tenacious pitch, to smear 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, "Ye of our bridge!" he cried, "keen-talon'd 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, 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 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 For I am well advised, who have been erst With storm and fury, as when dogs rush forth Forthwith so fell his pride, that he let drop And to the rest exclaim'd: "We have no power I rose, and towards him moved with speed; the [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, Twelve hundred threescore years and six had fill'd 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 Stanze 30, 1. "Perceivest the words, Orlando, which this fellow "I'll go, and straight the sepulchre uncase, From whence, as seems to me, that voice was heard; Or Libicoc with Malacoda, stirr'd:" The troop of ten let Barbariccia lead. 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 And finally he drew near to the place; Th' emprize Orlando praising with this word: 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. |