THE DIVINE COMEDY: Inferno, Purgatorio & Paradiso (3 Classic Translations in One Edition). Dante Alighieri

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THE DIVINE COMEDY: Inferno, Purgatorio & Paradiso (3 Classic Translations in One Edition) - Dante Alighieri

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the fourth steep ledge,

       Gain'd on the dismal shore, that all the woe

       Hems in of all the universe. Ah me!

       Almighty Justice! in what store thou heap'st

       New pains, new troubles, as I here beheld!

       Wherefore doth fault of ours bring us to this?

       E'en as a billow, on Charybdis rising,

       Against encounter'd billow dashing breaks;

       Such is the dance this wretched race must lead,

       Whom more than elsewhere numerous here I found,

       From one side and the other, with loud voice,

       Both roll'd on weights by main forge of their breasts,

       Then smote together, and each one forthwith

       Roll'd them back voluble, turning again,

       Exclaiming these, "Why holdest thou so fast?"

       Those answering, "And why castest thou away?"

       So still repeating their despiteful song,

       They to the opposite point on either hand

       Travers'd the horrid circle: then arriv'd,

       Both turn'd them round, and through the middle space

       Conflicting met again. At sight whereof

       I, stung with grief, thus spake: "O say, my guide!

       What race is this? Were these, whose heads are shorn,

       On our left hand, all sep'rate to the church?"

       He straight replied: "In their first life these all

       In mind were so distorted, that they made,

       According to due measure, of their wealth,

       No use. This clearly from their words collect,

       Which they howl forth, at each extremity

       Arriving of the circle, where their crime

       Contrary' in kind disparts them. To the church

       Were separate those, that with no hairy cowls

       Are crown'd, both Popes and Cardinals, o'er whom

       Av'rice dominion absolute maintains."

       I then: "Mid such as these some needs must be,

       Whom I shall recognize, that with the blot

       Of these foul sins were stain'd." He answering thus:

       "Vain thought conceiv'st thou. That ignoble life,

       Which made them vile before, now makes them dark,

       And to all knowledge indiscernible.

       Forever they shall meet in this rude shock:

       These from the tomb with clenched grasp shall rise,

       Those with close-shaven locks. That ill they gave,

       And ill they kept, hath of the beauteous world

       Depriv'd, and set them at this strife, which needs

       No labour'd phrase of mine to set if off.

       Now may'st thou see, my son! how brief, how vain,

       The goods committed into fortune's hands,

       For which the human race keep such a coil!

       Not all the gold, that is beneath the moon,

       Or ever hath been, of these toil-worn souls

       Might purchase rest for one." I thus rejoin'd:

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       "My guide! of thee this also would I learn;

       This fortune, that thou speak'st of, what it is,

       Whose talons grasp the blessings of the world?"

       He thus: "O beings blind! what ignorance

       Besets you? Now my judgment hear and mark.

       He, whose transcendent wisdom passes all,

       The heavens creating, gave them ruling powers

       To guide them, so that each part shines to each,

       Their light in equal distribution pour'd.

       By similar appointment he ordain'd

       Over the world's bright images to rule.

       Superintendence of a guiding hand

       And general minister, which at due time

       May change the empty vantages of life

       From race to race, from one to other's blood,

       Beyond prevention of man's wisest care:

       Wherefore one nation rises into sway,

       Another languishes, e'en as her will

       Decrees, from us conceal'd, as in the grass

       The serpent train. Against her nought avails

       Your utmost wisdom. She with foresight plans,

       Judges, and carries on her reign, as theirs

       The other powers divine. Her changes know

       Nore intermission: by necessity

       She is made swift, so frequent come who claim

       Succession in her favours. This is she,

       So execrated e'en by those, whose debt

       To her is rather praise; they wrongfully

       With blame requite her, and with evil word;

       But she is blessed, and for that recks not:

       Amidst the other primal beings glad

       Rolls on her sphere, and in her bliss exults.

       Now on our way pass we, to heavier woe

       Descending: for each star is falling now,

       That mounted at our entrance, and forbids

       Too long our tarrying." We

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