Inferno: Canto XXX

What time, incensed against the Theban maid,
Juno pour'd out her wrath upon the land; —
That wrath the Goddess more than once displayed —

So lost to reason Athamas became.
That when he saw his wife, in either hand
Bearing a child, he furious did exclaim,

"Extend the nets, that at the pass I may
Enclose the lioness and both her young."
Then, stretching forth his talons to the prey.

He seized Learchus; and against a stone.
Insensate — dash'd him; while the mother sprung
Deep into ocean with her other son. —

Or, when by fortune humbled in the dust,
Troy, once all daring, was in ruin laid,
And, with his life, his kingdom Priam lost —

The wretched Hecuba, sad, captive queen.
When she Polixena a corpse surveyed,
And on the margin of the deep had seen

Her Polydorus — mournful interview! —
In frenzy bark'd, like to a dog; — so great
The power of grief her reason to subdue.

But never furies, whencesoe'er they came,
Trojan, or Theban — with such rancorous hate
Tormented beasts — much less the human frame, —

As two pale naked spirits that I saw,
Who, like a hog excluded from the sty.
Came running furiously with open jaw.

One seized Cappocchio's neck, and rent him sore
With fang unfix'd; then, as he drew him by.
Grated his belly o'er the rocky floor.

The Aretine, all trembling with alarm,
Said: "Gianni Schicchi is the one you see.
Who roves infuriate, working other's harm."

"Oh," I exclaim'd, "may ne'er the other sprite
Tear with his fangs thy back, as thou to me
Tell who it is, ere hurried from our sight."

Then answer'd he; "Know, Myrrha is her name —
That wicked one, who cherish'd in her breast
For her own father an unhallow'd flame.

Her wicked purpose that she might obtain.
In borrow'd robes fictitiously she dress'd;
Like him that goeth yonder; who, to gain

The choicest of the herd, dared represent
Buosso Donati, and upon him took
To sign and seal a forged testament."

Then, when this furious pair had onward passed.
Whom I had scann'd with such an eager look,
Towards other tortured souls mine eyes I cast.

One I beheld who like a lute was made,
Had but the groin been amputated there
Where in the human form the fork's displayed.

The dropsy, which an ill-assorted grace
Gives to the body, making it appear
Most strangely disproportion'd to the face,

Compell'd him both his lips to open wide;
E'en as a hectic lifts one lip on high.
And lets the other, parch'd with thirst, subside.

"O ye! who free from punishment are here
In this unhappy world! (I know not why,")
He said to us, "behold, and lend your ear

To master Adam's miserable strain.
What I desired on earth, I compass'd — all;
One drop of water now I crave in vain.

The rivulets, which from the verdant hills
Of Casentino into Arno fall,
Cooling the channels with their limpid rills.

Seem always in my sight; nor idly so, —
For their fond image more dries up my skin
Than all the torture which my features show.

Stern justice, racking me with inward throes —
E'en from the very region of my sin
Occasion takes to aggravate my woes:

There is Romena, where of old I learnt
To forge the coin that bore the Baptist's head;
For which offence my earthly frame was burnt:

But could the sight of Guido bless my soul.
Or Alexander, or their brother sad,
I'd change it not for Branda's fountain cool.

One here below I might already view,
If the mad souls around us speak the truth;
But fetter'd thus, alas! what can I do?

Were I so light that in a century
I could advance a single inch forsooth.
Already on my journey should I be

In search of him among this people vile,
Although eleven miles the vale is spread.
Nor less in width extends than half a mile.

To them I owe this curs'd society;
By them to stamp the florins was I led,
Mix'd with three carats of alloy." Thus he. —

And I rejoin'd: "Who are that pair
That on the right lie smoking, like a hand
In water steep'd, and then exposed in air?"

"Since first I found them here," was his reply,
"When down I fell to this ill-fated strand.
They ne'er have turn'd, nor will, I think, for aye.

One — the false dame who Joseph dared accuse;
Sinon the other — that false Greek from Troy:
Their burning fever doth this steam diffuse."

And one of them, who, at this title rude.
Experienced haply somewhat of annoy.
Struck with his fist the other's stomach crude.

That sounded like a drum: — with arm uprear'd,
Adam return'd the blow upon his face.
Which no less hard than his own paunch appear'd;—

Exclaiming: "Ha! although I am debarr'd
By these unwieldy limbs from change of place.
Still I've an arm for my defence prepared."

"Not quite so ready was it," he rejoin'd,
"When to the flames they bore you tightly bound.
Though still more ready was it when you coined."

He with the dropsy: "Now your speech is true; —
But not so true a witness were you found.
When of the truth at Troy they questioned you."

"If I spake false, you falsely coin'd," replied
Sinon, — "and here for but one fault am I,
While you for more than any fiend beside."

"Remember, perjured one, the horse at Troy,"
Answer'd the spirit of the stomach high;
"That thou art guilty, knows each puny boy."

"Proof of thy guilt thy gaping mouth supplies,"
The Greek retorted, "and that ample fount
Rear'd by thy tumid paunch before thine eyes."

The coiner then: "So runs your tongue — the same
To utter evil as 'twas ever wont;
And if I thirst, and moisture swells my frame.

You are burnt up, and pains torment your head;
And to lap up Narcissus' looking glass
No pressing invitation would you need."

Listening I stood intent, with all my mind,
When cried the master: "Now beware;— alas!
To quarrel with thee am I much inclined."

When I perceived the wrath in which he spake,
I turn'd me to him with such sense of shame
As will not even now my thoughts forsake.

And like to one who dreams of miseries.
Which, as he dreams, he hopes may prove a dream.
And longs for that which all the time is his;—

So I, to whom my tongue its aid refused,
E'en by the wish to palliate what I'd done
Had unawares my own offence excused.

My master said: "Less shame would wash away
A far more heinous fault than thine, my son;
Then let no sorrow on thy spirits prey.

Consider I am always at thy side,
If e'er again thou happen to be placed
Where, in like strife, each other, men deride:

The wish to hear them shows a vulgar taste.