Inferno: Canto XXII

I have ere now seen horsemen moving camp, and commencing the assault, and holding their muster, and at times retiring to escape;

coursers have I seen upon your land, O Aretines! and seen the march of foragers, the shock of tournaments and race of jousts,

now with trumpets, and now with bells, with drums and castle-signals, and with native things and foreign:

but never yet to so uncouth a cornet saw I cavaliers nor footmen move, nor ship by mark of land or star.

We went with the ten Demons: ah, hideous company! but, ‘In church with saints, and with guzzlers in the tavern.’

Yet my intent was on the pitch, to see each habit of the chasm and of the people that were burning in it.

As dolphins, when with the arch of the back they make sign to mariners that they may prepare to save their ship:

so now and then, to ease the punishment, some sinner showed his back and hid in less time than it lightens.

And as at the edge of the water of a ditch, the frogs stand only with their muzzles out, so that they hide their feet and other bulk:

thus stood on every hand the sinners; but as Barbariccia approached, they instantly retired beneath the seething.

I saw, and my heart still shudders thereat, one linger so, as it will happen that one frog remains while the other spouts away;

and Graffiacane, who was nearest to him, hooked his pitchy locks and haled him up, so that to me he seemed an otter.

I already knew the name of every one, so well I noted them as they were chosen, and when they called each other, listened how.

“O Rubicante, see thou plant thy clutches on him, and flay him!” shouted together all the accursed crew.

And I: “Master, learn if thou canst, who is that piteous wight, fallen into the hand of his adversaries.”

My Guide drew close to [his side] and asked him whence he came; and he replied: “I was born in the kingdom of Navarre.

My mother placed me as servant of a lord; for she had borne me to a ribald waster of himself and of his substance.

Then I was domestic with the good king Thibault; here I set myself to doing barratry, of which I render reckoning in this heat.”

And Ciriatto, from whose mouth on either side came forth a tusk as from a hog, made him feel how one of them did rip.

Amongst evil cats the mouse had come; but Barbariccia locked him in his arms, and said: “Stand off whilst I enfork him!”

And turning his face to my Master: “Ask on,” he said, “if thou wouldst learn more from him, before some other undo him.”

The Guide therefore: “Now say, of the other sinners knowest thou any that is a Latian, beneath the pitch?” And he: “I parted just now from one who was a neighbour of theirs

[on the other side]; would I still were covered with him, for I should not fear claw nor hook!”

And Libicocco cried: “Too much have we endured!” and with the hook seized his arm, and mangling carried off a part of brawn.

Draghignazzo, he too, wished to have a catch at the legs below; whereat their Decurion wheeled around around with evil aspect,

When they were somewhat pacified, my Guide without delay asked him that still kept gazing on his wound:

“Who was he, from whom thou sayest that thou madest an ill departure to come ashore?” And he answered: “It was Friar Gomita,

he of Gallura, vessel of every fraud, who had his master’s enemies in hand, and did so to them that they all praise him for it:

money took he for himself, and dismissed them smoothly, as he says; and in his other offices besides, he was no petty but a sovereign barrator.

With him keeps company Don Michel Zanche of Logodoro; and in speaking of Sardinia the tongues of them do not feel weary.

Oh me! see that other grinning; I would say more; but fear he is preparing to claw my scurf.”

And their great Marshal, turning to Farfarello, who rolled his eyes to strike, said: “Off with thee, villanous bird!”

“If you wish to see or hear Tuscans or Lombards,” the frightened sinner then resumed, “I will make them come.

But let the [evil claws hold back] a little, that they may not fear their vengeance; and I, sitting in this same place,

for one that I am, will make seven come, on whistling as is our wont to do when any of us gets out.”

Cagnazzo at these words raised his snout, shaking his head, and said: “Hear the malice he has contrived, to throw himself down!”

Whereat he, who had artifices in great store, replied: “Too malicious indeed! when I contrive for my companions greater sorrow.”

Alichino held in no longer, and in opposition to the others said to him: “If thou stoop, I will not follow thee at gallop,

but beat my wings above the pitch; let the height be left, and be the bank a screen, to see if thou alone prevailest over us.”

O Reader, thou shalt hear new sport! All turned their eyes toward the other side, he first who had been most unripe for doing it.

The Navarrese chose well his time; planted his soles upon the ground, and in an instant leapt and from their purpose freed himself.

Thereat each was stung [with guilt]; but he most who had been cause of the mistake; he therefore started forth, and shouted:

“Thou’rt caught!”

But little it availed [him]; for wings could not outspeed the terror; the sinner went under; and he, flying, raised up his breast:

not otherwise the duck suddenly dives down, when the falcon approaches, and he returns up angry and defeated.

Calcabrina, furious at the trick, kept flying after him, desirous that the sinner might escape, to have a quarrel.

And, when the barrator had disappeared, he turned his talons on his fellow, and was clutched with him above the ditch.

But the other was indeed a sparrowhawk to claw him well; and both dropt down into the middle of the boiling pond.

The heat at once unclutched them; but rise they could not, their wings were so beglued.

Barbariccia with the rest lamenting, made four of them fly over to the other coast with all their drags; and most rapidly on this side, on that, they descended to the stand;

they stretched their hooks towards the limed pair, who were already scalded within the crust; and we left them thus embroiled.