Previous or Next Canto

 
INFERNO CANTO 15
Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.		 NotesAnn.

	Now one of the hard borders bears us forward;
the river mist forms shadows overhead
and shields the shores and water from the fire.

	NOW bears us onward one of the hard margins,
And so the brooklet's mist o'ershadows it,
From fire it saves the water and the dikes.






15.001

15.003
 






	Just as between Wissant and Bruges, the Flemings,
in terror of the tide that floods toward them,
have built a wall of dykes to daunt the sea;

	Even as the Flemings, 'twixt Cadsand and Bruges,
Fearing the flood that tow'rds them hurls itself, 
Their bulwarks build to put the sea to flight;






15.004
15.005
15.006
 






	and as the Paduans, along the Brenta,
build bulwarks to defend their towns and castles
before the dog days fall on Carentana;

	And as the Paduans along the Brenta,
To guard their villas and their villages,
Or ever Chiarentana feel the heat;








15.009
 






	just so were these embankments, even though
they were not built so high and not so broad,
whoever was the artisan who made them.

	In such similitude had those been made,
Albeit not so lofty nor so thick,
Whoever he might be, the master made them.








15.012
 






	By now we were so distant from the wood
that I should not have made out where it was-
not even if I'd turned around to look-

	Now were we from the forest so remote,
I could not have discovered where it was,
Even if backward I had turned myself,








15.015
 






	when we came on a company of spirits
who made their way along the bank; and each
stared steadily at us, as in the dusk,

	When we a company of souls encountered,
Who came beside the dike, and every one
Gazed at us, as at evening we are wont








15.018
 






	beneath the new moon, men look at each other.
They knit their brows and squinted at us-just
as an old tailor at his needle's eye.

	To eye each other under a new moon,
And so towards us sharpened they their brows
As an old tailor at the needle's eye.








15.021
 






	And when that family looked harder, I
was recognized by one, who took me by
the hem and cried out: "This is marvelous!"

	Thus scrutinised by such a family,
By some one I was recognised, who seized
My garment's hem, and cried out, "What a marvel !"








15.024
 






	That spirit having stretched his arm toward me,
I fixed my eyes upon his baked, brown features,
so that the scorching of his face could not

	And I, when he stretched forth his arm-to me, 
On his baked aspect fastened so mine eyes,
That the scorched countenance prevented not








15.027
 






	prevent my mind from recognizing him;
and lowering my face to meet his face,
I answered him: "Are you here, Ser Brunetto?"

	His recognition by my intellect;
And bowing down my face unto his own, 
I made reply, "Are you here, Ser Brunetto ?" 







15.029
15.030
 






	And he: "My son, do not mind if Brunetto
Latino lingers for a while with you
and lets the file he's with pass on ahead."

	And he: "May't not displease thee, O my son,
If a brief space with thee Brunetto Latini
Backward return and let the trail go on."








15.033
 






	I said: "With all my strength I pray you, stay;
and if you'd have me rest awhile with you,
I shall, if that please him with whom I go."

	I said to him: "With all my power I ask it;
And if you wish me to sit down with you,
I will, if he please, for I go with him."








15.036
 






	"O son," he said, "whoever of this flock
stops but a moment, stays a hundred years
and cannot shield himself when fire strikes.

	"O son," he said, "whoever of this herd
A moment stops, lies then a hundred years,
Nor fans himself when smiteth him the fire. 








15.039
 






	Therefore move on; below-but close-I'll follow;
and then I shall rejoin my company,
who go lamenting their eternal sorrows."

	Therefore go on; I at thy skirts will come,
And afterward will I rejoin my band,
Which goes lamenting its eternal doom."








15.042
 






	I did not dare to leave my path for his
own level; but I walked with head bent low
as does a man who goes in reverence.

	I did not dare to go down from the road
Level to walk with him; but my head bowed
I held as one who goeth reverently.








15.045
 






	And he began: "What destiny or chance
has led you here below before your last
day came, and who is he who shows the way?"

	And he began: "What fortune or what fate
Before the last day leadeth thee down here ?
And who is this that showeth thee the way ?"








15.048
 






	"There, in the sunlit life above," I answered,
"before my years were full, I went astray
within a valley. Only yesterday

	"Up there above us in the life serene,"
I answered him, "I lost me in a valley,
Or ever yet my age had been completed.








15.051
 






	at dawn I turned my back upon it-but
when I was newly lost, he here appeared,
to guide me home again along this path."

	But yestermorn I turned my back upon it;
This one appeared to me, returning thither,
And homeward leadeth me along this road."








15.054
 






	And he to me: "If you pursue your star,
you cannot fail to reach a splendid harbor,
if in fair life, I judged you properly;

	And he to me: "If thou thy star do follow,
Thou canst not fail thee of a glorious port,
If well I judged in the life beautiful.








15.057
 






	and if I had not died too soon for this,
on seeing Heaven was so kind to you,
I should have helped sustain you in your work.

	And if I had not died so prematurely,
Seeing Heaven thus benignant unto thee,
I would have given thee comfort in the work.








15.060
 






	But that malicious, that ungrateful people
come down, in ancient times, from Fiesole-
still keeping something of the rock and mountain-

	But that ungrateful and malignant people,
Which of old time from Fesole descended, 
And smacks still of the mountain and the granite,







15.062
15.063
 






	for your good deeds, will be your enemy:
and there is cause-among the sour sorbs,
the sweet fig is not meant to bear its fruit.

	Will make itself, for thy good deeds, thy foe;
And it is right; for among crabbed sorbs
It ill befits the sweet fig to bear fruit.








15.066
 






	The world has long since called them blind, a people
presumptuous, avaricious, envious;
be sure to cleanse yourself of their foul ways.

	Old rumour in the world proclaims them blind; 
A people avaricious, envious, proud:,
Take heed that of their customs thou do cleanse thee.






15.067

15.069
 






	Your fortune holds in store such honor for you,
one party and the other will be hungry
for you-but keep the grass far from the goat.

	Thy fortune so much honour doth reserve thee,
One party and the other shall be hungry
For thee; but far from goat shall be the grass.








15.072
 






	For let the beasts of Fiesole find forage
among themselves, and leave the plant alone-
if still, among their dung, it rises up-

	Their litter let the beasts of Fesole
Make of themselves, nor let them touch the plant,
If any still upon their dunghill rise,








15.075
 






	in which there lives again the sacred seed
of those few Romans who remained in Florence
when such a nest of wickedness was built."

	In which may yet revive the consecrated
Seed of those Romans, who remained there when
The nest of such great malice it became."








15.078
 






	"If my desire were answered totally,"
I said to Ser Brunetto, "you'd still be
among, not banished from, humanity.

	"If my entreaty wholly were fulfilled,"
Replied I to him, "not yet would you be
In banishment from human nature placed;








15.081
 






	Within my memory is fixed-and now
moves me-your dear, your kind paternal image
when, in the world above, from time to time

	For in my mind is fixed, and touches now
My heart the dear and good paternal image
Of you, when in the world from hour to hour








15.084
 






	you taught me how man makes himself eternal;
and while I live, my gratitude for that
must always be apparent in my words.

	You taught me how a man becomes eternal;
And how much I am grateful, while I live
Behoves that in my language be discerned.








15.087
 






	What you have told me of my course, I write;
I keep it with another text, for comment
by one who'll understand, if I may reach her.

	What you narrate of my career I write,
And keep it to be glossed with other text 
By a Lady who can do it, if I reach her.







15.089
15.090
 






	One thing alone I'd have you plainly see:
so long as I am not rebuked by conscience,
I stand prepared for Fortune, come what may.

	This much will I have manifest to you;
Provided that my conscience do not chide me,
For whatsoever Fortune I am ready.








15.093
 






	My ears find no new pledge in that prediction;
therefore, let Fortune turn her wheel as she
may please, and let the peasant turn his mattock."

	Such handsel is not new unto mine ears;
Therefore let Fortune turn her wheel around
As it may please her, and the churl his mattock." 








15.096
 






	At this, my master turned his head around
and toward the right, and looked at me and said:
"He who takes note of this has listened well."

	My Master thereupon on his right cheek
Did backward turn himself, and looked at me;
Then said: "He listeneth well who noteth it."








15.099
 






	But nonetheless, my talk with Ser Brunetto
continues, and I ask of him who are
his comrades of repute and excellence.

	Nor speaking less on that account, I go
With Ser Brunetto, and I ask who are
His most known and most eminent companions.








15.102
 






	And he to me: "To know of some is good;
but for the rest, silence is to be praised;
the time we have is short for so much talk.

	And he to me: "To know of some is well;
Of others it were laudable to be silent,
For short would be the time for so much speech.








15.105
 






	In brief, know that my company has clerics
and men of letters and of fame-and all
were stained by one same sin upon the earth.

	Know them in sum, that all of them were clerks,
And men of letters great and of great fame,
In the world tainted with the selfsame sin.








15.108
 






	That sorry crowd holds Priscian and Francesco
d'Accorso; and among them you can see,
if you have any longing for such scurf,

	Priscian goes yonder with that wretched crowd, 
And Francis of Accorso; and thou hadst seen there 
If thou hadst had a hankering for such scurf,






15.109
15.110
15.111
 






	the one the Servant of His Servants sent
from the Arno to the Bacchiglione's banks,
and there he left his tendons strained by sin.

	That one, who by the Servant of the Servants
From Arno was transferred to Bacchiglione, 
Where he has left his sin-excited nerves.







15.113
15.114
 






	I would say more; but both my walk and words
must not be longer, for-beyond-I see
new smoke emerging from the sandy bed.

	More would I say, but coming and discoursing
Can be no longer; for that I behold
New smoke uprising yonder from the sand.








15.117
 






	Now people come with whom I must not be.
Let my Tesoro, in which I still live,
be precious to you; and I ask no more."

	A people comes with whom I may not be;
Commended unto thee be my Tesoro, 
In which I still live, and no more I ask."







15.119
15.120
 






	And then he turned and seemed like one of those
who race across the fields to win the green
cloth at Verona; of those runners, he

	Then he turned round, and seemed to be of those
Who at Verona run for the Green Mantle 
Across the plain; and seemed to be among them







15.122
15.123
 






	appeared to be the winner, not the loser.

	The one who wins, and not the one who loses.




15.124

Previous or Next Canto