Inferno: Canto XXX

When Juno was enraged, in time of old,
With those of Thebes because of Semele,
As she had shown in fashion manifold,

So far strayed Athamas from sanity,
That as he saw his wife, with children twain
On either hand encumbered, thus cried he:

"Come, let us spread our nets, that we may gain
As prey the lion-whelps and lioness."
Then seizing one, Learchus, might and main,

He grasped him in his clutches pitiless,
And whirled and dashed him down upon a stone,
And she the other drowned in her distress,

Herself too with him; and when, all overthrown.
Was seen the pride of Trojans bold to dare,
So that the kingdom with its king was gone,

Then Hecuba, a captive, worn with care.
When she her own Polyx,ena saw dead,
And with the corpse of Polydorus there

On ocean's shore she met, and reason fled.
Wailing and sad, like dog she barked and bayed,
So far her mind by woe astray was led.

But not at Thebes or Troy the Furies made
Assault so fierce on any mortal wight.
Nor beasts — and much less men — so sorely frayed.

As I saw two pale shades in naked plight,
Who biting did their onward course pursue,
As doth the boar who from the stye takes flight.

One seized Capocchio, and his teeth thrust through
His neck i the nape, and dragged him down away,
And on the rocky ground his belly drew;

And the Aretine, who trembling still did stay.
Said, ' Lo! Gian Schicchi is that madman there,
And frenzied thus makes other souls his prey."

Then said I, "So may not that other tear
Thee with his teeth, grudge not, I thee entreat,"
To say who 'tis before it disappear."

And he: " The ancient spirit thou dost meet
Of that accursed Myrrha, who became
Enamoured of her sire in ways unmeet;

She to the deed of evil with him came
In likeness of another's form disguised,
E'en as that other yonder played his game

To win the lady of the stud so prized,
Buoso Donati's form assumed, and gave
To his last will its sanction legalised."

And when the two had passed who thus did rave.
On whom I fixed mine eye with gaze intent.
To other ill-starred souls my glance did wave;

I looked on one in form lute-fashion bent.
Had he but had his carcase lopped off there"
Whence from the groin the forked limbs are sent;

The dropsy, that so gives unequal share
Of ill-attempered moisture to each part,
That face and belly ill assorted are.

Constrained him so to keep his lips apart,
As doth the fevered man who, thirst-oppressed,
One towards the chin, and one above doth part.

"O ye who tread this world of ours unblest.
Though why I know not, free from penalty,"
Said he to us, " give heed to my request,

And look on Master Adam's misery.
Alive I had what fully met my will,
And now alas! for drop of water sigh.

The little streamlets that from each green hill
Of Casentino down to Arno go,
And form full many a cool and pleasant rill,

These not in vain around me ever flow,
For more that vision sets my soul athirst.
Than the foul ill that o'er my face works woe;

Stern justice, that repays my sin accurst,
The very place in which I sinned employs
To make me into sighs more frequent burst.

There is Romena, where with base alloys
I marred the coins the Baptist's head that bear,
For which I bore the fire that flesh destroys;

But could I only see the sad soul here
Of Alessandro, Guido, or their kin.
For that sight Branda's fount I well might spare.

And one already suffers there within.
If the fierce shades that flit around speak true;"
But how can I my way thus limb-tied win?

But were I once so lithe of limb anew
A single inch in fivescore years to move,
I would at once my course to him pursue.

And seek him where these dismal wretches rove,"
Though full eleven miles they circle round,
And half a mile the road's wide, or above.

Through them among this evil crew I'm bound;
They tempted me to coin the florins bright,
Wherein three carats of base dross were found.""

And I: " Who are those twain in woeful plight.
Who smoke like wetted hand in winter's rime.
And lie there near thee, close upon thy right?"

"When I first fell," he said, " to this drear clime,
I found them here, and since they have not stirred,
Nor do I think they will through endless time.

One against Joseph spake her lying word,
The other Sinon, that false Greek of Troy;
From their sharp fever all this reek is poured."

And one of them, as if in sore annoy,
Perhaps at mention as of evil fame.
Did on his belly's hide his fist employ.

And thence a sound, as from a tabret, came;
And Master Adam smote him on the face
With arm whose strength seemed every whit the same,

And said, " Though all my power to move one pace
These my swoln limbs a very nothing make.
My arm is free enough for such a case."

He answered: "When thou stoodest at the stake,
Thou hadst it not so nimble then to view;"
But so, and more, when thou to coin didst take."

Then said the dropsied one, "Thou speakest true;
But thou gav'st no such truthful evidence
When thou at Troy wast asked the truth to show."

"If I spake false, thou didst false coin dispense,""
Spake Sinon; " I stand here for one sole deed.
And thine are more than any fiend's immense."

Remember, O thou perjured one, that steed,"
Spake he whose paunch so monstrously did swell,
"And fret that all the world that tale may read."

"Fret thou for tongue parched, thirst unquenchable,"
Then said the Greek, "and all the moisture vile.
Which in thy paunch before thine eyes doth dwell."

And then the coiner: "Wide-oped to revile
Is still thy mouth, as 'twas its wont of old;
For if I thirst, and swoln with humours toil,

Thou hast the burning pain thy head doth hold.
To lap Narcissus' glass thou wouldst not need
With many words of prompting to be told."

Absorbed in listening to them I gave heed,
When he, my Master, said, " Nay, do but gaze;
A little more and I were wroth indeed."

And when I heard him thus in anger raise
His voice, I turned to him with shame so hot
That even, now it thrills my mind always;"

And e'en as one who dreams of evil lot,
And in his dream that it were dream doth seek,
So that what is he craves as though 'twere not.

So then was I, and lost my power to speak:
I sought excuse, and my excuse I found,
Yet knew it not in that confusion weak.

Less shame would cleanse, though guilt did more abound,"
So said my Master, " than thy fault hath been;
Cast then thy weight of sorrow to the ground.

Bethink thee well that I am near thee seen,
If e'er thy fortune thee again should place
Where such men rail in quarrel low and mean:

To wish to hear that marks a nature base."