Inferno: Canto IX

That hue which coward fear spread o'er my face,
Seeing my Leader turn back to the rear,
Bade his, to him unwonted, flee apace.

Intent he stood, as one who seeks to hear,
For the eye failed to throw its glance afar,
Through the black air and thick mists hovering near.

"Behoves us still to conquer in this war,"
Spake he: " if not... such help to us was given....
Still, till it comes, how slow the moments are!"

Well saw I soon, as he to hide had striven"
His opening speech with what came in the rear.
That first and last on different track were driven.

But none the less in me his speech wrought fear,
For I that broken phrase interpreted
In sense, perchance, than what he meant more drear.

Doth ever any down this cavern tread.
Coming from that first grade of this dark pit.
Where all their pain is but that hope is fled?"

This asked I, and he spake, " So chances it
But seldom one from out our company
Doth on this path by which I travel flit;

True is it, once before, down hither I
Journeyed, by that stern Erichtho constrained.
Wont souls to summon where their corpses lie.

Scarce had my soul from flesh its exit gained,
When she forced me within these walls to come,
To fetch a soul in Judas' pit detained.

The lowest region that, and darkest gloom,
And furthest from the Heaven that all doth bind:
Full well I know the road; for trust make room.

This fen, which breathes the foul and noisome wind.
The city of great sorrows girdeth round,
Where without wrath we may not entrance find."

More then he said, not now in memory found.
For by mine eyes my whole soul drawn had been
To the high tower with fiery summit crowned,

Where in a moment, standing up, were seen
Three Furies, hell-bred and of blood-stained hue,
Who had the limbs of women and their mien.

Green hydras as their girdle met my view,
Serpents and horned vipers served for hair.
And o'er their temples dread a garland threw;

And he, who knew that they the handmaids were
Of the great Queen of endless misery,
Said to me, " Lo, the fierce Erinnyes there!

Megaera on the left hand meets thine eye,
Alecto there stands wailing on the right,
Tisiphone between." No more heard I.

Each tore her breast with nails in sore despite,
Smote with her palms, and cried with such sharp tone.
That I the poet clasped for very fright.

"Let but Medusa come; we'll make him stone,"
Upon us looking down they all did cry;
"That Theseus went unpunished was ill done."

"Turn thyself back, and keep fast closed thine eye,
For if the Gorgon come, and thou it see,
Thou ne'er again shalt reach the world on high."

So spake my Guide, and with his own hands he
Turned me; nor was he with my hands content.
But with his own he helped to blindfold me.

O ye who own a mind intelligent,
Admire the wisdom which is here concealed
Beneath the veil of rhymes so strangely blent.

And now upon the turbid waves there pealed
A crash and clang at which I stood aghast,
That made both shores to trembling movement yield;

Not otherwise it was than tempest blast,
Impetuous rushing through opposing heat,
That smites the forest, sweeping on so fast,

It rends the branches, beats them, bears off fleet,
And in its pride moves on, while dust-clouds dance,
And beasts and shepherds drives to seek retreat.

He oped mine eyes and said, " Now cast thy glance
Of vision on that foul and ancient lake.
There where the murkiest clouds of smoke ad- vance."

And as the frogs at sight of hostile snake
Are scattered through the waters far and wide,
Till, huddling, all the shore their refuge make.

More than a thousand ruined souls I spied
Thus fleeing from before the face of one,
Who with dry feet had crossed the Stygian tide.

He from his face swept that thick air and dun,
And often waved his left hand as he went,
And with that anguish seemed his strength half-gone.

Well I perceived that he from Heaven was sent;
And to my Master turned, and he made sign
That I should silent stand before him bent.

Ah me! how full he seemed of scorn divine!
He reached the gate, and then, with wand in hand,
He oped it, nought withstanding his design.

"Exiles from heaven, race for ever banned!"
So he began, that dreaded threshold o'er,
'Whence comes this proud resistance to command?

Why at that Will thus kick ye more and more.
Whose end ne'er fails its measure to fulfil,
And oft hath added to your torments sore?

What boots it butting against Fate's strong will?
Your Cerberus, if you remember well,
For that bears chin and throat denuded still."

Then turned he back on that path foul and fell,
And spoke no word to us, but had the mien
Of one in whom deep cares and carking dwell,

All else before him slighted and unseen.
We then towards that region took our path.
After those holy words, with soul serene.

We passed within, and met no warring wrath;
And I, who had a strong desire to know
The state that such high fortress round it hath.

When I had entered, looked around, and lo!
I see on every side a wide champaign,
Filled with sore torments and with bitterest woe.

As where the Rhone stagnates o'er Arli's plain.
Or as at Pola near Quarnaro's shore,
Italians limit, bordered by the main.

With sepulchres the earth is studded o'er,"
So rose they there on every side around,
Saving that here the fashion grieved me more;

For flames were scattered o'er each burial mound,
Which set them all in such a fiery glow.
No art needs more in iron furnace found.

The lids were hung right o'er the tombs below.
And out of them there came such wailings loud,
They seemed of men tormented and in woe.

And I: " O Master, who then are that crowd
Who in these tombs thus sepulchred appear,
Whose sighs we hear as if in deep grief bowed?"

And he to me: " Heresiarchs are they here.
With followers of all sects; more numerous race
Than thou would'st deem, the laden tombstones bear.

Here like with like still finds its burial-place,
Some monuments more heated, others less."
And when he to the right had turned a space.

We passed where high towers on the tortures press.