| INFERNO CANTO 11 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr. | Notes | Ann. |
Along the upper rim of a high bank formed by a ring of massive broken boulders, we came above a crowd more cruelly pent. UPON the margin of a lofty bank Which great rocks broken in a circle made, We came upon a still more cruel throng; |
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And here, because of the outrageous stench thrown up in excess by that deep abyss, we drew back till we were behind the lid And there, by reason of the horrible Excess of stench the deep abyss throws out, We drew ourselves aside behind the cover |
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of a great tomb, on which I made out this, inscribed: "I hold Pope Anastasius, enticed to leave the true path by Photinus." Of a great tomb, whereon I saw a writing, Which said: "Pope Anastasius I hold, Whom out of the right way Photinus drew." |
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"It would be better to delay descent so that our senses may grow somewhat used to this foul stench; and then we can ignore it." "Slow it behoveth our descent to be, So that the sense be first a little used To the sad blast, and then we shall not heed it." |
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So said my master, and I answered him: "Do find some compensation, lest this time be lost." And he: "You see, I've thought of that." The Master thus; and unto him I said, "Some compensation find, that the time pass not Idly;" and he: "Thou seest I think of that. |
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"My son, within this ring of broken rocks," he then began, "there are three smaller circles; like those that you are leaving, they range down. My son, upon the inside of these rocks," Began he then to say, "are three small circles, From grade to grade, like those which thou art leaving |
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Those circles are all full of cursed spirits; so that your seeing of them may suffice, learn now the how and why of their confinement. They all are full of spirits maledict; But that hereafter sight alone suffice thee, Hear how and wherefore they are in constraint. |
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Of every malice that earns hate in Heaven, injustice is the end; and each such end by force or fraud brings harm to other men. Of every malice that wins hate in Heaven, Injury is the end; and all such end Either by force or fraud afflicteth others. |
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However, fraud is man's peculiar vice; God finds it more displeasing-and therefore, the fraudulent are lower, suffering more. But because fraud is man's peculiar vice, More it displeases God; and so stand lowest The fraudulent, and greater dole assails them. |
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The violent take all of the first circle; but since one uses force against three persons, that circle's built of three divided rings. All the first circle of the Violent is; But since force may be used against three persons, In three rounds 'tis divided and constructed. |
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To God and to one's self and to one's neighbor- I mean, to them or what is theirs-one can do violence, as you shall now hear clearly. To God, to ourselves, and to our neighbour can we Use force; I say on them and on their things, As thou shalt hear with reason manifest. |
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Violent death and painful wounds may be inflicted on one's neighbor; his possessions may suffer ruin, fire, and extortion; A death by violence, and painful wounds, Are to our neighbour given; and in his substance Ruin, and arson, and injurious levies; |
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thus, murderers and those who strike in malice, as well as plunderers and robbers-these, in separated ranks, the first ring racks. Whence homicides, and he who smites unjustly, Marauders, and freebooters, the first round Tormenteth all in companies diverse. |
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A man can set violent hands against himself or his belongings; so within the second ring repents, though uselessly, Man may lay violent hands upon himself And his own goods; and therefore in the second Round must perforce without avail repent |
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whoever would deny himself your world, gambling away, wasting his patrimony, and weeping where he should instead be happy. Whoever of your world deprives himself, Who games, and dissipates his property, And weepeth there, where he should jocund be. |
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One can be violent against the Godhead, one's heart denying and blaspheming Him and scorning nature and the good in her; Violence can be done the Deity, In heart denying and blaspheming Him, And by disdaining Nature and her bounty. |
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so, with its sign, the smallest ring has sealed both Sodom and Cahors and all of those who speak in passionate contempt of God. And for this reason doth the smallest round Seal with its signet Sodom and Cahors, And who, disdaining God, speaks from the heart. |
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Now fraud, that eats away at every conscience, is practiced by a man against another who trusts in him, or one who has no trust. Fraud, wherewithal is every conscience stung, A man may practise upon him who trusts, And him who doth no confidence imburse. |
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This latter way seems only to cut off the bond of love that nature forges; thus, nestled within the second circle are: This latter mode, it would appear, dissevers Only the bond of love which Nature makes; Wherefore within the second circle nestle |
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hypocrisy and flattery, sorcerers, and falsifiers, simony, and theft, and barrators and panders and like trash. Hypocrisy, flattery, and who deals in magic, Falsification, theft, and simony, Panders, and barrators, and the like filth. |
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But in the former way of fraud, not only the love that nature forges is forgotten, but added love that builds a special trust; By the other mode, forgotten is that love Which Nature makes, and what is after added, From which there is a special faith engendered. |
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thus, in the tightest circle, where there is the universe's center, seat of Dis, all traitors are consumed eternally." Hence in the smallest circle, where the point is Of the Universe, upon which Dis is seated, Whoe'er betrays for ever is consumed." |
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"Master, your reasoning is clear indeed," I said; "it has made plain for me the nature of this pit and the population in it. And I: "My Master, clear enough proceeds Thy reasoning, and full well distinguishes This cavern and the people who possess it. |
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But tell me: those the dense marsh holds, or those driven before the wind, or those on whom rain falls, or those who clash with such harsh tongues, But tell me, those within the fat lagoon, Whom the wind drives, and whom the rain doth beat, And who encounter with such bitter tongues, |
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why are they not all punished in the city of flaming red if God is angry with them? And if He's not, why then are they tormented?" Wherefore are they inside of the red city Not punished, if God has them in his wrath, And if he has not, wherefore in such fashion?" |
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And then to me, "Why does your reason wander so far from its accustomed course?" he said. "Or of what other things are you now thinking? And unto me he said: "Why wanders so Thine intellect from that which it is wont ? Or, sooth, thy mind where is it elsewhere looking ? |
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Have you forgotten, then, the words with which your Ethics treats of those three dispositions that strike at Heaven's will: incontinence Hast thou no recollection of those words With which thine Ethics thoroughly discusses The dispositions three, that Heaven abides not, -- |
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and malice and mad bestiality? And how the fault that is the least condemned and least offends God is incontinence? Incontinence, and Malice, and insane Bestiality ? and how Incontinence Less God offendeth, and less blame attracts? |
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If you consider carefully this judgment and call to mind the souls of upper Hell, who bear their penalties outside this city, If thou regardest this conclusion well, And to thy mind recallest who they are That up outside are undergoing penance, |
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you'll see why they have been set off from these unrighteous ones, and why, when heaven's vengeance hammers at them, it carries lesser anger." Clearly wilt thou perceive why from these felons They separated are, and why less wroth Justice divine doth smite them with its hammer." |
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"O sun that heals all sight that is perplexed, when I ask you, your answer so contents that doubting pleases me as much as knowing. "O Sun, that healest all distempered vision, Thou dost content me so, when thou resolvest, That doubting pleases me no less than knowing ! |
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Go back a little to that point," I said, "where you told me that usury offends divine goodness; unravel now that knot." Once more a little backward turn thee," said I, "There where thou sayest that usury offends Goodness divine, and disengage the knot." |
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"Philosophy, for one who understands, points out, and not in just one place," he said, "how nature follows-as she takes her course- "Philosophy,'' he said, "to him who heeds it, Noteth, not only in one place alone, After what manner Nature takes her course |
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the Divine Intellect and Divine Art; and if you read your Physics carefully, not many pages from the start, you'll see From Intellect Divine, and from its art; And if thy Physics carefully thou notest, After not many pages shalt thou find, |
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that when it can, your art would follow nature, just as a pupil imitates his master; so that your art is almost God's grandchild. That this your art as far as possible Follows, as the disciple doth the master; So that your art is, as it were, God's grandchild. |
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From these two, art and nature, it is fitting, if you recall how Genesis begins, for men to make their way, to gain their living; From these two, if thou bringest to thy mind Genesis at the beginning, it behoves Mankind to gain their life and to advance; |
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and since the usurer prefers another pathway, he scorns both nature in herself and art, her follower; his hope is elsewhere. And since the usurer takes another way, Nature herself and in her follower Disdains he, for elsewhere he puts his hope. |
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But follow me, for it is time to move; the Fishes glitter now on the horizon all the Wain is spread out over Caurus; But follow, now, as I would fain go on, For quivering are the Fishes on the horizon, And the Wain wholly over Caurus lies, |
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only beyond, can one climb down the cliff." And far beyond there we descend the crag." |
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