Inferno: Canto XXVII

The flame was now erect and quiet, having ceased to speak, and now went away from us with licence of the sweet Poet;

when another, that came behind it, made us turn our eyes to its top, for a confused sound that issued therefrom.

As the Sicilian bull (which bellowed first with the lament of him—and that was right—who had tuned it with his file) kept bellowing with the sufferer’s voice; so that,

although it was of brass, it seemed transfixed with pain:

thus, having at their commencement no way or outlet from the fire, the dismal words were changed into its language.

But after they had found their road up through the point, giving to it the vibration which the tongue had given in their passage,

we heard it say: “O thou, at whom I aim my voice! and who just now wast speaking Lombard, saying, ‘Now go, no more I urge thee’;

though I have come perhaps a little late, let it not irk thee to pause and speak with me. Thou seest it irks not me, although I burn.

If thou art but now fallen into this blind world from that sweet Latian land, whence I bring all my guilt,

tell me if the Romagnuols have peace or war: for I was of the mountains there, between Urbino and the yoke from which the Tiber springs.”

I still was eager downwards and bent, when my Leader touched me on the side, saying: “Speak thou; this is a Latian.”

And I, who had my answer ready then, began without delay to speak: “O soul, that there below art hidden!

thy Romagna is not, and never was, without war in the hearts of her tyrants; but open[ly] just now I there left none.

Ravenna stands, as it has stood for many years: the Eagle of Polenta broods over it, so that he covers Cervia with his pinions.

The city, which made erewhile the long probation, and sanguinary heap of [the] Frenchmen, finds itself again under the Green Clutches.

The old Mastiff of Verrucchio and the young, who of Montagna made evil governance, there, where they are wont, ply their teeth.

The cities of Lamone and Santerno guides [the] Lioncel of the white lair, who changes faction from the summer to the winter;

and that [city] whose flank the Savio bathes, as it lies between the plain and mount, so lives it between tyranny and freedom.

Now I pray thee, tell us who thou art; be not more hard than one has been to thee, so may thy name on earth maintain its front.”

After the flame had roared awhile as usual, it moved the sharp point to and fro, and then gave forth this breath:

“If I thought my answer were to one who ever could return to the world, this flame should shake no more;

but since none ever did return alive from this depth, if what I hear be true, without fear of infamy I answer thee.

I was a man of arms; and then became a Cordelier, hoping, thus girt, to make amends; and certainly my hope were come in full,

but for the Great Priest, may ill befall him! who brought me back to my first sins; and how and why, I wish thee to hear from me.

Whilst I was the form of bones and pulp, which my mother gave me, my deeds were not those of the lion, but of the fox.

All wiles and covert ways I knew; and used the art of them so well, that to the ends of the earth the sound went forth.

When I saw myself come to that period of my age at which every one should lower sails and gather in his ropes,

that which before had pleased me, grieved me then; and with repentance and confession I [became a monk]; ah woe alas! and it would have availed me.

The Prince of the new Pharisees—waging war near to the Lateran, and not with Saracens or Jews;

for every enemy of his was Christian, and none had been to conquer Acre, nor been a merchant in the Soldan’s land—

regarded not the Highest Office nor Holy Orders in himself, nor in me that Cord which used to make those whom it girded leaner.

But as Constantine [sought] Silvestro [within] Soracte to cure his leprosy, so this man called me as an adept

to cure the fever of his pride; he demanded counsel of me; and I kept silent, for his words seemed drunken.

And then he said to me: ‘Let not thy heart misdoubt; even now I do absolve thee, and do thou teach me so to act, that I may cast Penestrino to the ground.

Heaven I can shut and open, as thou knowest: for two are the keys that my predecessor held not dear.’

Then the weighty arguments impelled me to think silence worst; and I said: ‘Father! since thou cleansest me

from that guilt into which I now must fall, large promise, with small observance of it, will make thee triumph in thy High Seat.’

Saint Francis afterwards, when I was dead, came for me; but one of the Black Cherubim said to him: ‘Do not take him; wrong me not.

He must come down amongst my menials; because he gave the fraudulent counsel, since which I have kept fast by his hair:

for he who repents not, cannot be absolved; nor is it possible to repent and will a thing at the same time, the contradiction not permitting it.’

O wretched me! how I started when he seized me, saying to me: ‘May be thou didst not think that I was a logician!’

To Minos he bore me, who twined his tail eight times round his fearful back, and then biting it in great rage,

said: ‘This is a sinner for the thievish fire’; therefore I, where thou seest, am lost; and going thus clothed, in heart I grieve.”

When he his words had ended thus, the flame, sorrowing, departed, writhing and tossing its sharp horn.

We passed on, I and my Guide, along the cliff up to the other arch that covers the foss, in which their fee is paid to those who, sowing discord, gather guilt.