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INFERNO CANTO 14
Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr. Notes Ann.

Love of our native city overcame me; I gathered up the scattered boughs and gave them back to him whose voice was spent already. BECAUSE the charity of my native place Constrained me, gathered I the scattered leaves, And gave them back to him, who now was hoarse.

14.001 14.003

From there we reached the boundary that divides the second from the third ring-and the sight of a dread work that justice had devised. Then came we to the confine, where disparted The second round is from the third, and where A horrible form of Justice is beheld.

14.006

To make these strange things clear, I must explain that we had come upon an open plain that banishes all green things from its bed. Clearly to manifest these novel things, I say that we arrived upon a plain, Which from its bed rejecteth every plant;

14.009

The wood of sorrow is a garland round it, just as that wood is ringed by a sad channel; here, at the very edge, we stayed our steps. The dolorous forest is a garland to it All round about, as the sad moat to that; There close upon the edge we stayed our feet.

14.012

The ground was made of sand, dry and compact, a sand not different in kind from that on which the feet of Cato had once tramped. The soil was of an arid and thick sand, Not of another fashion made than that Which by the feet of Cato once was pressed.

14.015

O vengeance of the Lord, how you should be dreaded by everyone who now can read whatever was made manifest to me! Vengeance of God, O how much oughtest thou By each one to be dreaded, who doth read That which was manifest unto mine eyes !

14.018

I saw so many flocks of naked souls, all weeping miserably, and it seemed that they were ruled by different decrees. Of naked souls beheld I many herds, Who all were weeping very miserably, And over them seemed set a law diverse.

14.021

Some lay upon the ground, flat on their backs; some huddled in a crouch, and there they sat; and others moved about incessantly. Supine upon the ground some folk were lying; And some were sitting all drawn up together, And others went about continually.

14.024

The largest group was those who walked about, the smallest, those supine in punishment; but these had looser tongues to tell their torment. Those who were going round were far the more, And those were less who lay down to their torment, But had their tongues more loosed to lamentation.

14.027

Above that plain of sand, distended flakes of fire showered down; their fall was slow- as snow descends on alps when no wind blows. O'er all the sand-waste, with a gradual fall, Were raining down dilated flakes of fire, As of the snow on Alp without a wind.

14.030

Just like the flames that Alexander saw in India's hot zones, when fires fell, intact and to the ground, on his battalions, As Alexander, in those torrid parts Of India, beheld upon his host Flames fall unbroken till they reached the ground,

14.031 14.033

for which-wisely-he had his soldiers tramp the soil to see that every fire was spent before new flames were added to the old; Whence he provided with his phalanxes To trample down the soil, because the vapour Better extinguished was while it was single;

14.036

so did the never-ending heat descend; with this, the sand was kindled just as tinder on meeting flint will flame-doubling the pain. Thus was descending the eternal heat, Whereby the sand was set on fire, like tinder Beneath the steel, for doubling of the dole.

14.039

The dance of wretched hands was never done; now here, now there, they tried to beat aside the fresh flames as they fell. And I began Without repose forever was the dance Of miserable hands, now there, now here, Shaking away from off them the fresh gleeds.

14.042

to speak: "My master, you who can defeat all things except for those tenacious demons who tried to block us at the entryway, "Master," began I, "thou who overcomest All things except the demons dire, that issued Against us at the entrance of the gate,

14.045

who is that giant there, who does not seem to heed the singeing-he who lies and scorns and scowls, he whom the rains can't seem to soften?" Who is that mighty one who seems to heed not The fire, and lieth lowering and disdainful, So that the rain seems not to ripen him ?"

14.048

And he himself, on noticing that I was querying my guide about him, cried: "That which I was in life, I am in death. And he himself, who had become aware That I was questioning my Guide about him, Cried: "Such as I was living, am I, dead

14.051

Though Jove wear out the smith from whom he took, in wrath, the keen-edged thunderbolt with which on my last day I was to be transfixed; If Jove should weary out his smith, from whom He seized in anger the sharp thunderbolt, Wherewith upon the last day I was smitten,

14.054

or if he tire the others, one by one, in Mongibello, at the sooty forge, while bellowing: 'O help, good Vulcan, help!'- And if he wearied out by turns the others In Mongibello at the swarthy forge, Vociferating, ' Help, good Vulcan, help ! '

14.056 14.057

just as he did when there was war at Phlegra- and casts his shafts at me with all his force, not even then would he have happy vengeance." Even as he did there at the fight of Phlegra, And shot his bolts at me with all his might, He would not have thereby a joyous vengeance."

14.060

Then did my guide speak with such vehemence as I had never heard him use before: "O Capaneus, for your arrogance Then did my Leader speak with such great force, That I had never heard him speak so loud: "O Capaneus, in that is not extinguished

14.063

that is not quenched, you're punished all the more: no torture other than your own madness could offer pain enough to match your wrath." Thine arrogance, thou punished art the more; Not any torment, saving thine own rage, Would be unto thy fury pain complete."

14.066

But then, with gentler face he turned to me and said: "That man was one of seven kings besieging Thebes; he held-and still, it seems, Then he turned round to me with better lip, Saying: "One of the Seven Kings was he Who Thebes besieged, and held, and seems to hold

14.069

holds-God in great disdain, disprizing Him; but as I told him now, his maledictions sit well as ornaments upon his chest. God in disdain, and little seems to prize him; But, as I said to him, his own despites Are for his breast the fittest ornaments.

14.072

Now follow me and-take care-do not set your feet upon the sand that's burning hot, but always keep them back, close to the forest." Now follow me, and mind thou do not place As yet thy feet upon the burning sand, But always keep them close unto the wood."

14.075

In silence we had reached a place where flowed a slender watercourse out of the wood- a stream whose redness makes me shudder still. Speaking no word, we came to where there gushes Forth from the wood a little rivulet, Whose redness makes my hair still stand on end.

14.078

As from the Bulicame pours a brook whose waters then are shared by prostitutes, so did this stream run down across the sand. As from the Bulicame springs the brooklet, The sinful women later share among them, So downward through the sand it went its way.

14.079 14.080 14.081

Its bed and both its banks were made of stone, together with the slopes along its shores, so that I saw our passageway lay there. The bottom of it, and both sloping banks, Were made of stone, and the margins at the side; Whence I perceived that there the passage was.

14.084

"Among all other things that I have shown you since we first made our way across the gate whose threshold is forbidden to no one, "In all the rest which I have shown to thee Since we have entered in within the gate Whose threshold unto no one is denied,

14.087

no thing has yet been witnessed by your eyes as notable as this red rivulet, which quenches every flame that burns above it." Nothing has been discovered by thine eyes So notable as is the present river, Which all the little 'dames above it quenches."

14.090

These words were spoken by my guide; at this, I begged him to bestow the food for which he had already given me the craving. These words were of my Leader; whence I prayed him That he would give me largess of the food, For which he had given me largess of desire.

14.093

"A devastated land lies in midsea, a land that is called Crete," he answered me. "Under its king the world once lived chastely. "In the mid-sea there sits a wasted land," Said he thereafterward,"whose name is Crete, Under whose king the world of old was chaste.

14.096

Within that land there was a mountain blessed with leaves and waters, and they called it Ida; but it is withered now like some old thing. There is a mountain there, that once was glad With waters and with leaves, which was called Ida; Now 'tis deserted, as a thing worn out.

14.099

It once was chosen as a trusted cradle by Rhea for her son; to hide him better, when he cried out, she had her servants clamor. Rhea once chose it for the faithful cradle Of her own son; and to conceal him better, Whene'er he cried, she there had clamours made.

14.102

Within the mountain is a huge Old Man, who stands erect-his back turned toward Damietta- and looks at Rome as if it were his mirror. A grand old man stands in the mount erect, Who holds his shoulders turned tow'rds Damietta, And looks at Rome as if it were his mirror.

14.103 14.105

The Old Man's head is fashioned of fine gold, the purest silver forms his arms and chest, but he is made of brass down to the cleft; His head is fashioned of refined gold, And of pure silver are the arms and breast; Then he is brass as far down as the fork.

14.108

below that point he is of choicest iron except for his right foot, made of baked clay; and he rests more on this than on the left. From that point downward all is chosen iron, Save that the right foot is of kiln-baked clay, And more he stands on that than on the other.

14.111

Each part of him, except the gold, is cracked; and down that fissure there are tears that drip; when gathered, they pierce through that cavern's floor Each part, except the gold, is by a fissure Asunder cleft, that dripping is with tears, Which gathered together perforate that cavern

14.113 14.114

and, crossing rocks into this valley, form the Acheron and Styx and Phlegethon; and then they make their way down this tight channel, From rock to rock they fall into this valley; Acheron, Styx, and Phlegethon they form; Then downward go along this narrow sluice

14.117

and at the point past which there's no descent, they form Cocytus; since you are to see what that pool is, I'll not describe it here." Unto that point where is no more descending. They form Cocytus; what that pool may be Thou shalt behold, so here 'tis not narrated."

14.120

And I asked him: "But if the rivulet must follow such a course down from our world, why can we see it only at this boundary?" And I to him: "If so the present runnel Doth take its rise in this way from our world, Why only on this verge appears it to us ?"

14.123

And he to me: "You know this place is round; and though the way that you have come is long, and always toward the left and toward the bottom, And he to me: "Thou knowest the place is round And notwithstanding thou hast journeyed far, Still to the left descending to the bottom,

14.126

you still have not completed all the circle: so that, if something new appears to us, it need not bring such wonder to your face." Thou hast not yet through all the circle turned. Therefore if something new appear to us, It should not bring amazement to thy face."

14.129

And I again: "Master, where's Phlegethon and where is Lethe? You omit the second and say this rain of tears has formed the first." And I again: "Master, where shall be found Lethe and Phlegethon, for of one thou'rt silent, And sayest the other of this rain is made ?"

14.132

"I'm pleased indeed," he said, "with all your questions; yet one of them might well have found its answer already-when you saw the red stream boiling. "In all thy questions truly thou dost please me," Replied he;"but the boiling of the red Water might well solve one of them thou makest.

14.135

You shall see Lethe, but past this abyss, there where the spirits go to cleanse themselves when their repented guilt is set aside." Thou shalt see Lethe, but outside this moat, There where the souls repair to lave themselves, When sin repented of has been removed."

14.136 14.138

Then he declared: "The time has come to quit this wood; see that you follow close behind me; these margins form a path that does not scorch, Then said he: "It is time now to abandon The wood; take heed that thou come after me; A way the margins make that are not burning,

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and over them, all flaming vapor is quenched." And over them all vapours are extinguished."

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Previous or Next Canto

INFERNO CANTO 14 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.	*Notes*	*Ann.*
Love of our native city overcame me; I gathered up the scattered boughs and gave them back to him whose voice was spent already. BECAUSE the charity of my native place Constrained me, gathered I the scattered leaves, And gave them back to him, who now was hoarse.	14.001 14.003
From there we reached the boundary that divides the second from the third ring-and the sight of a dread work that justice had devised. Then came we to the confine, where disparted The second round is from the third, and where A horrible form of Justice is beheld.	14.006
To make these strange things clear, I must explain that we had come upon an open plain that banishes all green things from its bed. Clearly to manifest these novel things, I say that we arrived upon a plain, Which from its bed rejecteth every plant;	14.009
The wood of sorrow is a garland round it, just as that wood is ringed by a sad channel; here, at the very edge, we stayed our steps. The dolorous forest is a garland to it All round about, as the sad moat to that; There close upon the edge we stayed our feet.	14.012
The ground was made of sand, dry and compact, a sand not different in kind from that on which the feet of Cato had once tramped. The soil was of an arid and thick sand, Not of another fashion made than that Which by the feet of Cato once was pressed.	14.015
O vengeance of the Lord, how you should be dreaded by everyone who now can read whatever was made manifest to me! Vengeance of God, O how much oughtest thou By each one to be dreaded, who doth read That which was manifest unto mine eyes !	14.018
I saw so many flocks of naked souls, all weeping miserably, and it seemed that they were ruled by different decrees. Of naked souls beheld I many herds, Who all were weeping very miserably, And over them seemed set a law diverse.	14.021
Some lay upon the ground, flat on their backs; some huddled in a crouch, and there they sat; and others moved about incessantly. Supine upon the ground some folk were lying; And some were sitting all drawn up together, And others went about continually.	14.024
The largest group was those who walked about, the smallest, those supine in punishment; but these had looser tongues to tell their torment. Those who were going round were far the more, And those were less who lay down to their torment, But had their tongues more loosed to lamentation.	14.027
Above that plain of sand, distended flakes of fire showered down; their fall was slow- as snow descends on alps when no wind blows. O'er all the sand-waste, with a gradual fall, Were raining down dilated flakes of fire, As of the snow on Alp without a wind.	14.030
Just like the flames that Alexander saw in India's hot zones, when fires fell, intact and to the ground, on his battalions, As Alexander, in those torrid parts Of India, beheld upon his host Flames fall unbroken till they reached the ground,	14.031 14.033
for which-wisely-he had his soldiers tramp the soil to see that every fire was spent before new flames were added to the old; Whence he provided with his phalanxes To trample down the soil, because the vapour Better extinguished was while it was single;	14.036
so did the never-ending heat descend; with this, the sand was kindled just as tinder on meeting flint will flame-doubling the pain. Thus was descending the eternal heat, Whereby the sand was set on fire, like tinder Beneath the steel, for doubling of the dole.	14.039
The dance of wretched hands was never done; now here, now there, they tried to beat aside the fresh flames as they fell. And I began Without repose forever was the dance Of miserable hands, now there, now here, Shaking away from off them the fresh gleeds.	14.042
to speak: "My master, you who can defeat all things except for those tenacious demons who tried to block us at the entryway, "Master," began I, "thou who overcomest All things except the demons dire, that issued Against us at the entrance of the gate,	14.045
who is that giant there, who does not seem to heed the singeing-he who lies and scorns and scowls, he whom the rains can't seem to soften?" Who is that mighty one who seems to heed not The fire, and lieth lowering and disdainful, So that the rain seems not to ripen him ?"	14.048
And he himself, on noticing that I was querying my guide about him, cried: "That which I was in life, I am in death. And he himself, who had become aware That I was questioning my Guide about him, Cried: "Such as I was living, am I, dead	14.051
Though Jove wear out the smith from whom he took, in wrath, the keen-edged thunderbolt with which on my last day I was to be transfixed; If Jove should weary out his smith, from whom He seized in anger the sharp thunderbolt, Wherewith upon the last day I was smitten,	14.054
or if he tire the others, one by one, in Mongibello, at the sooty forge, while bellowing: 'O help, good Vulcan, help!'- And if he wearied out by turns the others In Mongibello at the swarthy forge, Vociferating, ' Help, good Vulcan, help ! '	14.056 14.057
just as he did when there was war at Phlegra- and casts his shafts at me with all his force, not even then would he have happy vengeance." Even as he did there at the fight of Phlegra, And shot his bolts at me with all his might, He would not have thereby a joyous vengeance."	14.060
Then did my guide speak with such vehemence as I had never heard him use before: "O Capaneus, for your arrogance Then did my Leader speak with such great force, That I had never heard him speak so loud: "O Capaneus, in that is not extinguished	14.063
that is not quenched, you're punished all the more: no torture other than your own madness could offer pain enough to match your wrath." Thine arrogance, thou punished art the more; Not any torment, saving thine own rage, Would be unto thy fury pain complete."	14.066
But then, with gentler face he turned to me and said: "That man was one of seven kings besieging Thebes; he held-and still, it seems, Then he turned round to me with better lip, Saying: "One of the Seven Kings was he Who Thebes besieged, and held, and seems to hold	14.069
holds-God in great disdain, disprizing Him; but as I told him now, his maledictions sit well as ornaments upon his chest. God in disdain, and little seems to prize him; But, as I said to him, his own despites Are for his breast the fittest ornaments.	14.072
Now follow me and-take care-do not set your feet upon the sand that's burning hot, but always keep them back, close to the forest." Now follow me, and mind thou do not place As yet thy feet upon the burning sand, But always keep them close unto the wood."	14.075
In silence we had reached a place where flowed a slender watercourse out of the wood- a stream whose redness makes me shudder still. Speaking no word, we came to where there gushes Forth from the wood a little rivulet, Whose redness makes my hair still stand on end.	14.078
As from the Bulicame pours a brook whose waters then are shared by prostitutes, so did this stream run down across the sand. As from the Bulicame springs the brooklet, The sinful women later share among them, So downward through the sand it went its way.	14.079 14.080 14.081
Its bed and both its banks were made of stone, together with the slopes along its shores, so that I saw our passageway lay there. The bottom of it, and both sloping banks, Were made of stone, and the margins at the side; Whence I perceived that there the passage was.	14.084
"Among all other things that I have shown you since we first made our way across the gate whose threshold is forbidden to no one, "In all the rest which I have shown to thee Since we have entered in within the gate Whose threshold unto no one is denied,	14.087
no thing has yet been witnessed by your eyes as notable as this red rivulet, which quenches every flame that burns above it." Nothing has been discovered by thine eyes So notable as is the present river, Which all the little 'dames above it quenches."	14.090
These words were spoken by my guide; at this, I begged him to bestow the food for which he had already given me the craving. These words were of my Leader; whence I prayed him That he would give me largess of the food, For which he had given me largess of desire.	14.093
"A devastated land lies in midsea, a land that is called Crete," he answered me. "Under its king the world once lived chastely. "In the mid-sea there sits a wasted land," Said he thereafterward,"whose name is Crete, Under whose king the world of old was chaste.	14.096
Within that land there was a mountain blessed with leaves and waters, and they called it Ida; but it is withered now like some old thing. There is a mountain there, that once was glad With waters and with leaves, which was called Ida; Now 'tis deserted, as a thing worn out.	14.099
It once was chosen as a trusted cradle by Rhea for her son; to hide him better, when he cried out, she had her servants clamor. Rhea once chose it for the faithful cradle Of her own son; and to conceal him better, Whene'er he cried, she there had clamours made.	14.102
Within the mountain is a huge Old Man, who stands erect-his back turned toward Damietta- and looks at Rome as if it were his mirror. A grand old man stands in the mount erect, Who holds his shoulders turned tow'rds Damietta, And looks at Rome as if it were his mirror.	14.103 14.105
The Old Man's head is fashioned of fine gold, the purest silver forms his arms and chest, but he is made of brass down to the cleft; His head is fashioned of refined gold, And of pure silver are the arms and breast; Then he is brass as far down as the fork.	14.108
below that point he is of choicest iron except for his right foot, made of baked clay; and he rests more on this than on the left. From that point downward all is chosen iron, Save that the right foot is of kiln-baked clay, And more he stands on that than on the other.	14.111
Each part of him, except the gold, is cracked; and down that fissure there are tears that drip; when gathered, they pierce through that cavern's floor Each part, except the gold, is by a fissure Asunder cleft, that dripping is with tears, Which gathered together perforate that cavern	14.113 14.114
and, crossing rocks into this valley, form the Acheron and Styx and Phlegethon; and then they make their way down this tight channel, From rock to rock they fall into this valley; Acheron, Styx, and Phlegethon they form; Then downward go along this narrow sluice	14.117
and at the point past which there's no descent, they form Cocytus; since you are to see what that pool is, I'll not describe it here." Unto that point where is no more descending. They form Cocytus; what that pool may be Thou shalt behold, so here 'tis not narrated."	14.120
And I asked him: "But if the rivulet must follow such a course down from our world, why can we see it only at this boundary?" And I to him: "If so the present runnel Doth take its rise in this way from our world, Why only on this verge appears it to us ?"	14.123
And he to me: "You know this place is round; and though the way that you have come is long, and always toward the left and toward the bottom, And he to me: "Thou knowest the place is round And notwithstanding thou hast journeyed far, Still to the left descending to the bottom,	14.126
you still have not completed all the circle: so that, if something new appears to us, it need not bring such wonder to your face." Thou hast not yet through all the circle turned. Therefore if something new appear to us, It should not bring amazement to thy face."	14.129
And I again: "Master, where's Phlegethon and where is Lethe? You omit the second and say this rain of tears has formed the first." And I again: "Master, where shall be found Lethe and Phlegethon, for of one thou'rt silent, And sayest the other of this rain is made ?"	14.132
"I'm pleased indeed," he said, "with all your questions; yet one of them might well have found its answer already-when you saw the red stream boiling. "In all thy questions truly thou dost please me," Replied he;"but the boiling of the red Water might well solve one of them thou makest.	14.135
You shall see Lethe, but past this abyss, there where the spirits go to cleanse themselves when their repented guilt is set aside." Thou shalt see Lethe, but outside this moat, There where the souls repair to lave themselves, When sin repented of has been removed."	14.136 14.138
Then he declared: "The time has come to quit this wood; see that you follow close behind me; these margins form a path that does not scorch, Then said he: "It is time now to abandon The wood; take heed that thou come after me; A way the margins make that are not burning,	14.141
and over them, all flaming vapor is quenched." And over them all vapours are extinguished."	14.142