INFERNO CANTO 09 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.	Notes	Ann.
The color cowardice displayed in me when I saw that my guide was driven back, made him more quickly mask his own new pallor. THAT hue which cowardice brought out on me, Beholding my Conductor backward turn, Sooner repressed within him his new colour.	09.003
He stood alert, like an attentive listener, because his eye could hardly journey far across the black air and the heavy fog. He stopped attentive, like a man who listens, Because the eye could not conduct him far Through the black air, and through the heavy fog.	09.006
"We have to win this battle," he began, "if not. . . But one so great had offered help. How slow that someone's coming to see me!" "Still it behoveth us to win the fight," Began he; "Else . . . Such offered us herself . . . O how I long that some one here arrive !"	09.009
But I saw well enough how he had covered his first words with the words that followed after- so different from what he had said before; Well I perceived, as soon as the beginning He covered up with what came afterward, That they were words quite different from the first;	09.012
nevertheless, his speech made me afraid, because I drew out from his broken phrase a meaning worse-perhaps-than he'd intended. But none the less his saying gave me fear, Because I carried out the broken phrase, Perhaps to a worse meaning than he had.	09.015
"Does anyone from the first circle, one whose only punishment is crippled hope, ever descend so deep in this sad hollow?" "Into this bottom of the doleful conch Doth any e'er descend from the first grade, Which for its pain has only hope cut off?"	09.018
That was my question. And he answered so: "It is quite rare for one of us to go along the way that I have taken now. This question put I; and he answered me: "Seldom it comes to pass that one of us Maketh the journey upon which I go.	09.021
But I, in truth, have been here once before: that savage witch Erichtho, she who called the shades back to their bodies, summoned me. True is it, once before I here below Was conjured by that pitiless Erictho, Who summoned back the shades unto their bodies.	09.024
My flesh had not been long stripped off when she had me descend through all the rings of Hell, to draw a spirit back from Judas' circle. Naked of me short while the flesh had been, Before within that wall she made me enter, To bring a spirit from the circle of Judas;	09.027
That is the deepest and the darkest place, the farthest from the heaven that girds all: so rest assured, I know the pathway well. That is the lowest region and the darkest, And farthest from the heaven which circles all. Well know I the way; therefore be reassured.	09.030
This swamp that breeds and breathes the giant stench surrounds the city of the sorrowing, which now we cannot enter without anger." This fen, which a prodigious stench exhales, Encompasses about the city dolent, Where now we cannot enter without anger."	09.033
And he said more, but I cannot remember because my eyes had wholly taken me to that high tower with the glowing summit And more he said, but not in mind I have it; Because mine eye had altogether drawn me Tow'rds the high tower with the red-flaming summit,	09.036
where, at one single point, there suddenly stood three infernal Furies flecked with blood, who had the limbs of women and their ways Where in a moment saw I swift uprisen The three infernal Furies stained with blood, Who had the limbs of women and their mien,	09.039
but wore, as girdles, snakes of deepest green; small serpents and horned vipers formed their hairs, and these were used to bind their bestial temples. And with the greenest hydras were begirt; Small serpents and cerastes were their tresses, Wherewith their horrid temples were entwined.	09.042
And he, who knew these handmaids well-they served the Queen of never-ending lamentation- said: "Look at the ferocious Erinyes! And he who well the handmaids of the Queen Of everlasting lamentation knew, Said unto me: "Behold the fierce Erinnys.	09.045
That is Megaera on the left, and she who weeps upon the right, that is Allecto; Tisiphone's between them." He was done. This is Megaera, on the left-hand side; She who is weeping on the right, Alecto; Tisiphone is between;"and then was silent.	09.048
Each Fury tore her breast with taloned nails; each, with her palms, beat on herself and wailed so loud that I, in fear, drew near the poet. Each one her breast was rending with her nails; They beat them with their palms, and cried so loud, That I for dread pressed close unto the Poet.	09.051
"Just let Medusa come; then we shall turn him into stone," they all cried, looking down; "we should have punished Theseus' assault." "Medusa come, so we to stone will change him !" All shouted looking down; "in evil hour Avenged we not on Theseus his assault !"	09.054
"Turn round and keep your eyes shut fast, for should the Gorgon show herself and you behold her, never again would you return above," "Turn thyself round, and keep thine eyes close shut, For if the Gorgon appear, and thou shouldst see it, No more returning upward would there be."	09.057
my master said; and he himself turned me around and, not content with just my hands, used his as well to cover up my eyes. Thus said the Master; and he turned me round Himself, and trusted not unto my hands So far as not to blind me with his own.	09.060
O you possessed of sturdy intellects, observe the teaching that is hidden here beneath the veil of verses so obscure. O ye who have undistempered intellects, Observe the doctrine that conceals itself Beneath the veil of the mysterious verses !	09.063
And now, across the turbid waves, there passed a reboantic fracas-horrid sound, enough to make both of the shorelines quake: And now there came across the turbid waves The clangour of a sound with terror fraught, Because of which both of the margins trembled;	09.066
a sound not other than a wind's when, wild because it must contend with warmer currents, it strikes against the forest without let, Not otherwise it was than of a wind Impetuous on account of adverse heats, That smites the forest, and, without restraint,	09.069
shattering, beating down, bearing off branches, as it moves proudly, clouds of dust before it, and puts to flight both animals and shepherds. The branches rends, beats down, and bears away; Right onward, laden with dust, it goes superb, And puts to flight the wild beasts and the shepherds.	09.072
He freed my eyes and said: "Now let your optic nerve turn directly toward that ancient foam, there where the mist is thickest and most acrid." Mine eyes he loosed, and said: "Direct the nerve Of vision now along that ancient foam, There yonder where that smoke is most intense."	09.075
As frogs confronted by their enemy, the snake, will scatter underwater till each hunches in a heap along the bottom, Even as the frogs before the hostile serpent Across the water scatter all abroad, Until each one is huddled in the earth.	09.078
so did the thousand ruined souls I saw take flight before a figure crossing Styx who walked as if on land and with dry soles. More than a thousand ruined souls I saw, Thus fleeing from before one who on foot Was passing o'er the Styx with soles unwet	09.081
He thrust away the thick air from his face, waving his left hand frequently before him; that seemed the only task that wearied him. From off his face he fanned that unctuous air, Waving his left hand oft in front of him, And only with that anguish seemed he weary.	09.084
I knew well he was Heaven's messenger, and I turned toward my master; and he made a sign that I be still and bow before him. Well I perceived one sent from Heaven was he, And to the Master turned; and he made sign That I should quiet stand, and bow before him.	09.087
How full of high disdain he seemed to me! He came up to the gate, and with a wand, he opened it, for there was no resistance. Ah! how disdainful he appeared to me ! He reached the gate, and with a little rod He opened it, for there was no resistance.	09.090
"O you cast out of Heaven, hated crowd," were his first words upon that horrid threshold, "why do you harbor this presumptuousness? "O banished out of Heaven, people despised !" Thus he began upon the horrid threshold; "Whence is this arrogance within you couched ?	09.093
Why are you so reluctant to endure that Will whose aim can never be cut short, and which so often added to your hurts? Wherefore recalcitrate against that will, From which the end can never be cut off, And which has many times increased your pain ?	09.096
What good is it to thrust against the fates? Your Cerberus, if you remember well, for that, had both his throat and chin stripped clean." What helpeth it to butt against the fates? Your Cerberus, if you remember well, For that still bears his chin and gullet peeled."	09.099
At that he turned and took the filthy road, and did not speak to us, but had the look of one who is obsessed by other cares Then he returned along the miry road, And spake no word to us, but had the look Of one whom other care constrains and goads	09.102
than those that press and gnaw at those before him; and we moved forward, on into the city, in safety, having heard his holy words. Than that of him who in his presence is; And we our feet directed tow'rds the city, After those holy words all confident.	09.105
We made our way inside without a struggle; and I, who wanted so much to observe the state of things that such a fortress guarded, Within we entered without any contest; And I, who inclination had to see What the condition such a fortress holds,	09.108
as soon as I had entered, looked about. I saw, on every side, a spreading plain of lamentation and atrocious pain. Soon as I was within, cast round mine eye, And see on every hand an ample plain, Full of distress and torment terrible.	09.111
Just as at Arles, where Rhone becomes a marsh, just as at Pola, near Quarnero's gulf, that closes Italy and bathes its borders, Even as at Arles, where stagnant grows the Rhone, Even as at Pola near to the Quarnaro, That shuts in Italy and bathes its borders,	09.114
the sepulchers make all the plain uneven, so they did here on every side, except that here the sepulchers were much more harsh; The sepulchres make all the place uneven; So likewise did they there on every side, Saving that there the manner was more bitter;	09.117
for flames were scattered through the tombs, and these had kindled all of them to glowing heat; no artisan could ask for hotter iron. For flames between the sepulchres were scattered, By which they so intensely heated were, That iron more so asks not any art.	09.120
The lid of every tomb was lifted up, and from each tomb such sorry cries arose as could come only from the sad and hurt. All of their coverings uplifted were, And from them issued forth such dire laments, Sooth seemed they of the wretched and tormented.	09.123
And I: "Master, who can these people be who, buried in great chests of stone like these, must speak by way of sighs in agony?" And I: "My Master, what are all those people Who, having sepulture within those tombs, Make themselves audible by doleful sighs ?"	09.126
And he to me: "Here are arch-heretics and those who followed them, from every sect; those tombs are much more crowded than you think. And he to me: "Here are the Heresiarchs, With their disciples of all sects, and much More than thou thinkest laden are the tombs.	09.129
Here, like has been ensepulchered with like; some monuments are heated more, some less." And then he turned around and to his right; Here like together with its like is buried; And more and less the monuments are heated." And when he to the right had turned, we passed	09.132
we passed between the torments and high walls. Between the torments and high parapets.	09.133

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