Inferno: Canto XXVII

Already was the flame erect and still.
Speaking no more and turned from us away.
With kindly leave from my sweet Poet's will.

Behind it yet another fire did play,
And made us turn our eyes to its high flame
By sounds confused that from it made their way.

As that Sicilian bull, whose bellowing came
First from his moaning — and that doom was right —
Who with his file had modelled out its frame.

Bellowed with voice of torment and affright,
So that, though it was fashioned all of brass,
It seemed as if transfixed with sore despite.

So, as they had no way nor chink to pass
From their source in the flame, the words of woe
Took tone and accent as its nature was;"

But after they had travelled from below
Up to the point, thus giving it the turn
The tongue impressed upon them in their flow.

We heard it say, " O thou to whom I yearn
To speak, whose speech doth as a Lombard's sound,
Saying, ' Go thy way; I need not more to learn!'

Because I am as somewhat tardy found.
Let it not irk thee with me now to speak;
Thou see'st it irks not me, though thus fire-bound.

If thou but lately this blind world dost seek,
Fallen from that sweet Latin land above,
Whence I drew all in me that's vile and weak.

Tell me if peace or war Romagnuols prove:
I from the hills come 'twixt Urbino's town
And that high ridge whence Tiber's waters move."

I was still listening with my head bent down.
When he, my Leader, spoke, and touched my side:
"Speak thou, for he too is as Latin known."

And I with answer ready-made replied.
Beginning then my speech without delay:
"O soul, who down below thyself dost hide,

Romagna never was, nor is this day,
Without fierce war within its tyrants' heart:
But none was open when I came away.

Ravenna through long years plays unchanged part;
The Eagle of Polenta nestles there.
And its wide wings o'er Cervia doth dispart.

The land which passed through trial long and drear,
And laid the French in heaps with bloody sword.
Between the green claws doth again appear:

Verrucchio's mastiff old and new-sprung lord,
Who poor Montagna treacherously slew.
Have with their teeth, as with an auger, bored.

Lamone's city and Santerno's too
Are ruled by lion's whelp in argent nest.
Who between heat and frost takes party new;

And that whose slopes by Savio are caressed,
As it lies there between the mount and plain.
So midway lives, half-free and half-oppressed.

And now, I pray thee, who thou art explain;
Be not more stubborn than the rest are found.
So may thy name on earth its place maintain."

And when the flame had made its wonted sound
A little while, its point waved to and fro,
And then their way the whispering murmurs wound:

"If I had deemed my answer e'er should go
To one whose steps should to the world return,
This flame would stand, nor further flickering show;

But inasmuch as from this dismal bourne
No living man returns, if truth I hear,
I make my answer with no fear of scorn.

I was a man of arms, then Cordelier,
Deeming that I, so girt, might make amend;
And true enough that deeming might appear.

But that the High Priest — evil be his end! —
Sent me back yet again to former crime;
And how and why I will thou apprehend.

While I in bone and flesh yet lived my time
In form my mother gave me, every deed
Did with the fox-mood, not the lion's, chime.

The shifts and byways underground that lead.
All these I knew, and so applied each art.
The fame thereof made all the world give heed;

And when I knew that I had reached that part
Of life when for each single soul 'tis right
To reef the sails and coil the ropes apart.

That which before had pleased now gave despite.
Contrite and shriven, I knelt on bended knees,
Ah woe is me! and had found help of might.

But that the chief of our new Pharisees,
At war with foes hard by the Lateran —
Not Saracens nor even Jews were these,

Those foes of his were Christians, every man.
And none to conquer Acre went to fight,
Nor trafficked in the land of the Soldan.

Nor sacred orders nor his post of might
Did he regard, nor yet that cord of mine.
Which whoso wore grew thinner in men's sight;

But, as Sylvester was by Constantine
Called from Soratt', his leprosy to heal,
So he called me, as skilful to divine.

For that proud fever, cure to work his weal:
He asked my counsel and I held my peace,
For those his words did drunkard's thoughts reveal.

Then he, 'Let not thine heart be ill at ease;
I from all sin absolve thee; teach thou me
How Palestrina from the earth may cease;

I, as thou know'st, have power to ope for thee,
Or close, Heaven's gates, wherefore the keys are twain.
Which he held cheap who here preceded me.'

His weighty reasonings then did me constrain,
There where it seemed worst counsel to be dumb.
And I said, ' Since, O Father, every stain

Thou dost wash off that on me now must come.
Promise profuse, fulfilment scant and late,
Will make thee triumph in thy lofty home.'

Then Francis came, when I had passed death's gate,
For me; but one of those swarth cherubin
Said, 'Take him not; defraud not my estate;

Down 'mong my varlets he must needs come in,"
Because he gave the counsel fraudulent,
For which till now I at his hair have been;

There is no pardon for the impenitent.
And penitence goes not with evil will;
Things thus opposed may not by us be blent.'

Ah me! what anguish through my soul did thrill
When he had seized me, saying, ' Thou, may be,
Deem'dst not that I could boast logician's skill?"

So he to Minos brought me, and then he
Eight times around his strong back curled his tail
And bit it in his wrath's ferocity.

And said, ' With sinners of the fiery veil
He goes.' And so I'm lost in this drear seat,
And in this garb I tell my sorrow's tale."

And when he thus had made his speech complete,
The flame departed, moaning yet once more,
Its sharp horn writhing in vibrations fleet.

My Leader then and I passed on before.
Up o'er the rock another arch above,
Which hides the fosse where they pay forfeit sore

Who, sowing discord, heavy-burdened move.