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INFERNO





CANTO I.



MIDWAY upon the journey of our life

I found myself within a forest dark,

⁠For the straightforward pathway had been lost.

Ah me! how hard a thing it is to say

⁠What was this forest savage, rough, and stern, ⁠5

⁠Which in the very thought renews the fear.

So bitter is it, death is little more;

⁠But of the good to treat, which there I found,

⁠Speak will I of the other things I saw there.

I cannot well repeat how there I entered, ⁠10

⁠So full was I of slumber at the moment

⁠In which I had abandoned the true way.

But after I had reached a mountain's foot,

⁠At that point where the valley terminated,

⁠Which had with consternation pierced my heart, ⁠15

​Upward I looked, and I beheld its shoulders,

⁠Vested already with that planet's rays

⁠Which leadeth others right by every road.

Then was the fear a little quieted

⁠That in my heart's lake had endured throughout ⁠20

⁠The night, which I had passed so piteously.

And even as he, who, with distressful breath,

⁠Forth issued from the sea upon the shore,

⁠Turns to the water perilous and gazes;

So did my soul, that still was fleeing onward, ⁠25

⁠Turn itself back to re-behold the pass

⁠Which never yet a living person left.

After my weary body I had rested,

⁠The way resumed I on the desert slope,

⁠So that the firm foot ever was the lower. ⁠30

And lo! almost where the ascent began,

⁠A panther light and swift exceedingly,

⁠Which with a spotted skin was covered o'er!

And never moved she from before my face,

⁠Nay, rather did impede so much my way, ⁠35

⁠That many times I to return had turned.

The time was the beginning of the morning,

⁠And up the sun was mounting with those stars

⁠That with him were, what time the Love Divine

​At first in motion set those beauteous things; ⁠40

⁠So were to me occasion of good hope,

⁠The variegated skin of that wild beast,

The hour of time, and the delicious season;

⁠But not so much, that did not give me fear

⁠A lion's aspect which appeared to me. ⁠45

He seemed as if against me he were coming

⁠With head uplifted, and with ravenous hunger,

⁠So that it seemed the air was afraid of him;

And a she-wolf, that with all hungerings

⁠Seemed to be laden in her meagreness, ⁠50

⁠And many folk has caused to live forlorn!

She brought upon me so much heaviness,

⁠With the affright that from her aspect came,

⁠That I the hope relinquished of the height.

And as he is who willingly acquires, ⁠55

⁠And the time comes that causes him to lose,

⁠Who weeps in all his thoughts and is despondent,

E'en such made me that beast withouten peace,

⁠Which, coming on against me by degrees,

⁠Thrust me back thither where the sun is silent. ⁠60

While I was rushing downward to the lowland,

⁠Before mine eyes did one present himself,

⁠Who seemed from long-continued silence hoarse.

​When I beheld him in the desert vast,

⁠"Have pity on me," unto him I cried, ⁠65

⁠"Whiche'er thou art, or shade or real man!"

He answered me: "Not man; man once I was,

⁠And both my parents were of Lombardy,

⁠And Mantuans by country both of them.

Sub Julio was I born, though it was late, ⁠70

⁠And lived at Rome under the good Augustus,

⁠During the time of false and lying gods.

A Poet was I, and I sang that just

⁠Son of Anchises, who came forth from Troy,

⁠After that Ilion the superb was burned. ⁠75

But thou, why goest thou back to such annoyance?

⁠Why climb'st thou not the Mount Delectable,

⁠Which is the source and cause of every joy?"

"Now, art thou that Virgilius and that fountain

⁠Which spreads abroad so wide a river of speech?" ⁠80

⁠I made response to him with bashful forehead.

"O, of the other poets honor and light,

⁠Avail me the long study and great love

⁠That have impelled me to explore thy volume!

Thou art my master, and my author thou, ⁠85

⁠Thou art alone the one from whom I took

⁠The beautiful style that has done honor to me.

​Behold the beast, for which I have turned back;

⁠Do thou protect me from her, famous Sage,

⁠For she doth make my veins and pulses tremble." ⁠90

"Thee it behoves to take another road,"

⁠Responded he, when he beheld me weeping,

⁠"If from this savage place thou wouldst escape;

Because this beast, at which thou criest out,

⁠Suffers not any one to pass her way, ⁠95

⁠But so doth harass him, that she destroys him;

And has a nature so malign and ruthless,

⁠That never doth she glut her greedy will,

⁠And after food is hungrier than before.

Many the animals with whom she weds, ⁠100

⁠And more they shall be still, until the Greyhound

⁠Comes, who shall make her perish in her pain.

He shall not feed on either earth or pelf,

⁠But upon wisdom, and on love and virtue;

⁠'Twixt Feltro and Feltro shall his nation be; ⁠105

Of that low Italy shall he be the saviour,

⁠On whose account the maid Camilla died,

⁠Euryalus, Turnus, Nisus, of their wounds;

Through every city shall he hunt her down,

⁠Until he shall have driven her back to Hell, ⁠110

⁠There from whence envy first did let her loose.

​Therefore I think and judge it for thy best

⁠Thou follow me, and I will be thy guide,

⁠And lead thee hence through the eternal place,

Where thou shalt hear the desperate lamentations, ⁠115

⁠Shalt see the ancient spirits disconsolate,

⁠Who cry out each one for the second death;

And thou shalt see those who contented are

⁠Within the fire, because they hope to come,

⁠Whene'er it may be, to the blessed people; ⁠120

To whom, then, if thou wishest to ascend,

⁠A soul shall be for that than I more worthy;

⁠With her at my departure I will leave thee;

Because that Emperor, who reigns above,

⁠In that I was rebellious to his law, ⁠125

⁠Wills that through me none come into his city.

He governs everywhere, and there he reigns;

⁠There is his city and his lofty throne;

⁠O happy he whom thereto he elects!"

And I to him: "Poet, I thee entreat, ⁠130

⁠By that same God whom thou didst never know,

⁠So that I may escape this woe and worse,

Thou wouldst conduct me there where thou hast said,

⁠That I may see the portal of Saint Peter,

⁠And those thou makest so disconsolate." ⁠135

Then he moved on, and I behind him followed.