At once three hellish furies stain'd with blood: Who tend the queen of endless woe, thus spake : I' th' midst." This said, in silence he remain’d. Him shall we change;" all looking down exclaim'd: Sound and entire, mark well the lore 2 conceal'd And now there came o'er the perturbed waves Loud-crashing, terrible, a sound that made 2 The lore.] The poet probably intends to call the reader's attention to the allegorical and mystic sense of the present Canto, and not, as Venturi supposes, to that of the whole work. Landino supposes this hidden meaning to be, that in the case of those vices which proceed from incontinence and intemperance, reason, which is figured under the person of Virgil, with the ordinary grace of God, may be a sufficient safeguard; but that in the instance of more heinous crimes, such as those we shall hereafter see punished, a special grace, represented by the angel, is requisite for our defence. Either shore tremble, as if of a wind1 Impetuous, from conflicting vapours sprung, Who pass'd with unwet feet the Stygian sound. That he was sent from heaven; and to my guide He came, and with his wand3 touch'd it, whereat "Outcasts of heaven! O abject race, and scorn'd!" Began he, on the horrid grunsel standing, 66 Whence doth this wild excess of insolence Lodge in you? wherefore kick you 'gainst that will A wind.] Imitated by Berni: Com' un gruppo di vento in la marina Ed in terra con furia repentina Gli arbori abbatte, sveglie, sfronda e straccia. Smarriti fuggon i lavoratori E per le selve le fiere e' pastori. Orl. Inn. lib. i. c. ii. st. 6. 2 Afar.] "Porta i fiori," ," "carries away the blossoms," is the common reading. Porta fuori," which is the right reading, adopted by Lombardi in his edition from the Nidobeatina, for which he claims it exclusively, I had also seen in Landino's edition of 1484, and adopted from thence, long before it was my chance to meet with Lombardi. 3 With his wand.] She with her rod did softly smite the raile, Which straight flew ope. Spenser, F.Q. b. iv. c. iii. st. 46. 4 Your Cerberus.] Cerberus is feigned to have been dragged by Hercules, bound with a threefold chain, of which, says the angel, he still bears the marks. Bears still, peel'd of their hair, his throat and maw." This said, he turn'd back o'er the filthy way, After the hallow'd words. We, unopposed, As where Rhone stagnates on the plains of Arles', Or as at Pola2, near Quarnaro's gulf, That closes Italy and laves her bounds, Their lids all hung suspended; and beneath, I thus: "Master! say who are these, interr'd Within these vaults, of whom distinct we hear The dolorous sighs." He answer thus return'd: Lombardi blames the other interpreters for having supposed that the angel attributes this exploit to Hercules, a fabulous hero, rather than to our Saviour. It would seem as if the good father had forgotten that Cerberus is himself no less a creature of the imagination than the hero who encountered him. 1 The plains of Arles.] In Provence. See Ariosto, Orl. Fur. c. xxxix. st. 72: Fu da ogni parte in quest' ultima guerra These sepulchres are mentioned in the Life of Charlemagne, which goes under the name of Archbishop Turpin, cap. 28. and 30. and by Fazio degli Uberti, Dittamondo. cap. xxi. L. iv. 2 At Pola.] A city of Istria, situated near the gulf of Quarnaro, in the Adriatic sea. 3 They burn'd.] Mr. Darley observes, that in the Incantation of Hervor (v. Northern Antiquities, vol. ii.) the spirit of Angantyr lies in a tomb "all on fire." "The arch-heretics are here, accompanied Dante, having obtained permission from his guide, holds discourse with Farinata degli Uberti and Cavalcante Cavalcanti, who lie in their fiery tombs that are yet open, and not to be closed up till after the last judgment. Farinata predicts the Poet's exile from Florence; and shows him that the condemned have knowledge of future things, but are ignorant of what is at present passing, unless it be revealed by some new comer from earth. Now by a secret pathway we proceed, Between the walls, that hem the region round, And the tormented souls: my master first, I close behind his steps. "Virtue supreme!" I thus began: "who through these ample orbs In circuit lead'st me, even as thou will'st; Speak thou, and satisfy my wish. May those, Who lie within these sepulchres, be seen? Already all the lids are raised, and none 66 O'er them keeps watch." He thus in answer spake : Who with the body make the spirit die. 1 Josaphat.] It seems to have been a common opinion among the Jews, as well as among many Christians, that the general judgment will be held in the valley of Josaphat, or Jehoshaphat: "I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people, and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land." Joel, iii. 2. 2 The wish.] The wish, that Dante had not expressed, was to see and converse with the followers of Epicurus; among whom, we shall see, were Farinata degli Uberti and Cavalcante Cavalcanti. Which thou conceal'st in silence." I replied: "O Tuscan! thou, who through the city of fire To be that noble land, with which perchance The whole, nor kept back aught: whence he, his brow Somewhat uplifting, cried : "Fiercely were they Adverse to me, my party, and the blood From whence I sprang: twice2, therefore, I abroad Scatter'd them." Though driven out, yet they each time 66 From all parts," answer'd I, "return'd; an art Which yours have shown they are not skill'd to learn." 1 Farinata.] Farinata degli Uberti, a noble Florentine, was the leader of the Ghibelline faction, when they obtained a signal victory over the Guelfi at Montaperto, near the river Arbia. Macchiavelli calls him "a man of exalted soul, and great military talents." Hist. of Flor. b. ii. His grandson, Bonifacio, or, as he is commonly called, Fazio degli Uberti, wrote a poem, entitled the Dittamondo, in imitation of Dante. I shall have frequent occasion to refer to it throughout these notes. At the conclusion of cap. 27, 1. ii. he makes mention of his ancestor Farinata. See note to Life of Dante, p. 20. 2 Twice.] The first time in 1248, when they were driven out by Frederick the Second. See G. Villani. lib. vi. c. 34; and the second time in 1260. See note to v. 83. |