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

Автор: Dante Alighieri
Издательство: Bookwire
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isbn: 9788027233335
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that it seems

       As if I saw thee never. But inform

       Me who thou art, that in a place so sad

       Art set, and in such torment, that although

       Other be greater, more disgustful none

       Can be imagin'd." He in answer thus:

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       "Thy city heap'd with envy to the brim,

       Ay that the measure overflows its bounds,

       Held me in brighter days. Ye citizens

       Were wont to name me Ciacco. For the sin

       Of glutt'ny, damned vice, beneath this rain,

       E'en as thou see'st, I with fatigue am worn;

       Nor I sole spirit in this woe: all these

       Have by like crime incurr'd like punishment."

       No more he said, and I my speech resum'd:

       "Ciacco! thy dire affliction grieves me much,

       Even to tears. But tell me, if thou know'st,

       What shall at length befall the citizens

       Of the divided city; whether any just one

       Inhabit there: and tell me of the cause,

       Whence jarring discord hath assail'd it thus?"

       He then: "After long striving they will come

       To blood; and the wild party from the woods

       Will chase the other with much injury forth.

       Then it behoves, that this must fall, within

       Three solar circles; and the other rise

       By borrow'd force of one, who under shore

       Now rests. It shall a long space hold aloof

       Its forehead, keeping under heavy weight

       The other oppress'd, indignant at the load,

       And grieving sore. The just are two in number,

       But they neglected. Av'rice, envy, pride,

       Three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of all

       On fire." Here ceas'd the lamentable sound;

       And I continu'd thus: "Still would I learn

       More from thee, farther parley still entreat.

       Of Farinata and Tegghiaio say,

       They who so well deserv'd, of Giacopo,

       Arrigo, Mosca, and the rest, who bent

       Their minds on working good. Oh! tell me where

       They bide, and to their knowledge let me come.

       For I am press'd with keen desire to hear,

       If heaven's sweet cup or poisonous drug of hell

       Be to their lip assign'd." He answer'd straight:

       "These are yet blacker spirits. Various crimes

       Have sunk them deeper in the dark abyss.

       If thou so far descendest, thou mayst see them.

       But to the pleasant world when thou return'st,

       Of me make mention, I entreat thee, there.

       No more I tell thee, answer thee no more."

       This said, his fixed eyes he turn'd askance,

       A little ey'd me, then bent down his head,

       And 'midst his blind companions with it fell.

       When thus my guide: "No more his bed he leaves,

       Ere the last angel-trumpet blow. The Power

       Adverse to these shall then in glory come,

       Each one forthwith to his sad tomb repair,

       Resume his fleshly vesture and his form,

       And hear the eternal doom re-echoing rend

       The vault." So pass'd we through that mixture foul

       Of spirits and rain, with tardy steps; meanwhile

       Touching, though slightly, on the life to come.

       For thus I question'd: "Shall these tortures, Sir!

       When the great sentence passes, be increas'd,

       Or mitigated, or as now severe?"

       He then: "Consult thy knowledge; that decides

       That as each thing to more perfection grows,

       It feels more sensibly both good and pain.

       Though ne'er to true perfection may arrive

       This race accurs'd, yet nearer then than now

       They shall approach it." Compassing that path

       Circuitous we journeyed, and discourse

       Much more than I relate between us pass'd:

       Till at the point, where the steps led below,

       Arriv'd, there Plutus, the great foe, we found.

       "AH me! O Satan! Satan!" loud exclaim'd

       Plutus, in accent hoarse of wild alarm:

       And the kind sage, whom no event surpris'd,

       To comfort me thus spake: "Let not thy fear

       Harm thee, for power in him, be sure, is none

       To hinder down this rock thy safe descent."

       Then to that sworn lip turning, "Peace!" he cried,

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       "Curs'd wolf! thy fury inward on thyself

       Prey, and consume thee! Through the dark profound

       Not without cause he passes. So 't is will'd

       On high, there where the great Archangel pour'd

       Heav'n's vengeance on the first adulterer proud."

       As sails full spread and bellying with the wind

       Drop suddenly collaps'd, if the mast split;

       So to the ground down dropp'd the cruel fiend.

       Thus we, descending to 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