INFERNO CANTO 18 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.	Notes	Ann.
There is a place in Hell called Malebolge, made all of stone the color of crude iron, as is the wall that makes its way around it. THERE is a place in Hell called Malebolge, Wholly of stone and of an iron colour, As is the circle that around it turns.	18.001 18.002 18.003
Right in the middle of this evil field is an abyss, a broad and yawning pit, whose structure I shall tell in its due place. Right in the middle of the field malign There yawns a well exceeding wide and deep, Of which its place the structure will recount.	18.006
The belt, then, that extends between the pit and that hard, steep wall's base is circular; its bottom has been split into ten valleys. Round, then, is that enclosure which remains Between the well and foot of the high, hard bank, And has distinct in valleys ten its bottom.	18.009
Just as, where moat on moat surrounds a castle in order to keep guard upon the walls, the ground they occupy will form a pattern, As where for the protection of the walls Many and many moats surround the castles, The part in which they are a figure forms,	18.012
so did the valleys here form a design; and as such fortresses have bridges running right from their thresholds toward the outer bank, Just such an image those presented there; And as about such strongholds from their gates Unto the outer bank are little bridges,	18.015
so here, across the banks and ditches, ridges ran from the base of that rock wall until the pit that cuts them short and joins them all. So from the precipice's base did crags Project, which intersected dikes and moats, Unto the well that truncates and collects them.	18.018
This was the place in which we found ourselves when Geryon had put us down; the poet held to the left, and I walked at his back. Within this place, down shaken from the back Of Geryon, we found us; and the Poet Held to the left, and I moved on behind.	18.021
Upon the right I saw new misery, I saw new tortures and new torturers, filling the first of Malebolge's moats. Upon my right hand I beheld new anguish, New torments, and new wielders of the lash, Wherewith the foremost Bolgia was replete.	18.024
Along its bottom, naked sinners moved, to our side of the middle, facing us; beyond that, they moved with us, but more quickly- Down at the bottom were the sinners naked; This side the middle came they facing us, Beyond it, with us, but with greater steps;	18.027
as, in the year of Jubilee, the Romans, confronted by great crowds, contrived a plan that let the people pass across the bridge, Even as the Romans, for the mighty host, The year of Jubilee, upon the bridge, Have chosen a mode to pass the people over;	18.029 18.030
for to one side went all who had their eyes upon the Castle, heading toward St. Peter's, and to the other, those who faced the Mount. For all upon one side towards the Castle Their faces have, and go unto St. Peter's; On the other side they go towards the Mountain.	18.031 18.033
Both left and right, along the somber rock, I saw horned demons with enormous whips, who lashed those spirits cruelly from behind. This side and that, along the livid stone Beheld I horned demons with great scourges, Who cruelly were beating them behind.	18.036
Ah, how their first strokes made those sinners lift their heels! Indeed no sinner waited for a second stroke to fall-or for a third. Ah me ! how they did make them lift their legs At the first blows ! and sooth not any one The second waited for, nor for the third.	18.039
And as I moved ahead, my eyes met those of someone else, and suddenly I said: "I was not spared the sight of him before." While I was going on, mine eyes by one Encountered were; and straight I said: "Already With sight of this one I am not unfed."	18.042
And so I stayed my steps, to study him; my gentle guide had stopped together with me and gave me leave to take a few steps back. Therefore I stayed my feet to make him out, And with me the sweet Guide came to a stand, And to my going somewhat back assented;	18.045
That scourged soul thought that he could hide himself by lowering his face; it helped him little, for I said: "You, who cast your eyes upon And he, the scourged one. thought to hide himself, Lowering his face, but little it availed him; For said I: "Thou that castest down thine eyes	18.048
the ground, if these your features are not false, must be Venedico Caccianemico; but what brings you to sauces so piquant?" If false are not the features which thou bearest; Thou art Venedico Caccianimico; But what doth bring thee to such pungent sauces ?"	18.049 18.050 18.051
And he to me: "I speak unwillingly; but your plain speech, that brings the memory of the old world to me, is what compels me; And he to me: "Unwillingly I tell it; But forces me thine utterance distinct, Which makes me recollect the ancient world.	18.054
For it was I who led Ghisolabella to do as the Marquis would have her do- however they retell that filthy tale. I was the one who the fair Ghisola Induced to grant the wishes of the Marquis, Howe'er the shameless story may be told.	18.057
I'm not the only Bolognese who weeps here; indeed, this place is so crammed full of us that not so many tongues have learned to say Not the sole Bolognese am I who weeps here; Nay, rather is this place so full of them, That not so many tongues to-day are taught	18.060
sipa between the Savena and Reno; if you want faith and testament of that, just call to mind our avaricious hearts." 'Twixt Reno and Savena to say sipa; And if thereof thou wishest pledge or proof, Bring to thy mind our avaricious heart."	18.061 18.063
And as he spoke, a demon cudgeled him with his horsewhip and cried: "Be off, you pimp, there are no women here for you to trick." While speaking in this manner, with his scourge A demon smote him, and said: "Get thee gone Pander, there are no women here for coin."	18.066
I joined my escort once again; and then with but few steps, we came upon a place where, from the bank, a rocky ridge ran out. I joined myself again unto mine Escort; Thereafterward with footsteps few we came To where a crag projected from the bank.	18.069
We climbed quite easily along that height; and turning right upon its jagged back, we took our leave of those eternal circlings. This very easily did we ascend, And turning to the right along its ridge, From those eternal circles we departed.	18.072
When we had reached the point where that ridge opens below to leave a passage for the lashed, my guide said: "Stay, and make sure that the sight When we were there, where it is hollowed out Beneath, to give a passage to the scourged, The Guide said: "Wait, and see that on thee strike	18.075
of still more ill-born spirits strikes your eyes, for you have not yet seen their faces, since they have been moving in our own direction." The vision of those others evil-born, Of whom thou hast not yet beheld the faces, Because together with us they have gone."	18.078
From the old bridge we looked down at the ranks of those approaching from the other side; they too were driven onward by the lash. From the old bridge we looked upon the train Which tow'rds us came upon the other border, And which the scourges in like manner smite.	18.081
And my good master, though I had not asked, urged me: "Look at that mighty one who comes and does not seem to shed a tear of pain: And the good Master, without my inquiring, Said to me: "See that tall one who is coming, And for his pain seems not to shed a tear;	18.084
how he still keeps the image of a king! That shade is Jason, who with heart and head deprived the men of Colchis of their ram. Still what a royal aspect he retains ! That Jason is, who by his heart and cunning The Colchians of the Ram made destitute.	18.086 18.087
He made a landfall on the isle of Lemnos after its women, bold and pitiless, had given all their island males to death. He by the isle of Lemnos passed along After the daring women pitiless Had unto death devoted all their males.	18.090
With polished words and love signs he took in Hypsipyle, the girl whose own deception had earlier deceived the other women. There with his tokens and with ornate words Did he deceive Hypsipyle, the maiden Who first, herself, had all the rest deceived.	18.092 18.093
And he abandoned her, alone and pregnant; such guilt condemns him to such punishment; and for Medea, too, revenge is taken. There did he leave her pregnant and forlorn; Such sin unto such punishment condemns him, And also for Medea is vengeance done.	18.096
With him go those who cheated so: this is enough for you to know of that first valley and of the souls it clamps within its jaws." With him go those who in such wise deceive; And this sufficient be of the first valley To know, and those that in its jaws it holds."	18.099
We were already where the narrow path reaches and intersects the second bank and serves as shoulder for another bridge. We were already where the narrow path Crosses athwart the second dike, and forms Of that a buttress for another arch.	18.102
We heard the people whine in the next pouch and heard them as they snorted with their snouts; we heard them use their palms to beat themselves. Thence we heard people, who are making moan In the next Bolgia, snorting with their muzzles, And with their palms beating upon themselves	18.105
And exhalations, rising from below, stuck to the banks, encrusting them with mold, and so waged war against both eyes and nose. The margins were incrusted with a mould By exhalation from below, that sticks there, And with the eyes and nostrils wages war.	18.108
The bottom is so deep, we found no spot to see it from, except by climbing up the arch until the bridge's highest point. The bottom is so deep, no place suffices To give us sight of it, without ascending The arch's back, where most the crag impends.	18.111
This was the place we reached; the ditch beneath held people plunged in excrement that seemed as if it had been poured from human privies. Thither we came, and thence down in the moat I saw a people smothered in a filth That out of human privies seemed to flow	18.114
And while my eyes searched that abysmal sight, I saw one with a head so smeared with shit, one could not see if he were lay or cleric. And whilst below there with mine eye I search, I saw one with his head so foul with ordure, It was not clear if he were clerk or layman.	18.117
He howled: "Why do you stare more greedily at me than at the others who are filthy?" And I: "Because, if I remember right, He screamed to me: "Wherefore art thou so eager To look at me more than the other foul ones ?" And I to him: "Because, if I remember,	18.120
I have seen you before, with your hair dry; and so I eye you more than all: you are Alessio Interminei of Lucca."' I have already seen thee with dry hair, And thou'rt Alessio Interminei of Lucca; Therefore I eye thee more than all the others."	18.122 18.123
Then he continued, pounding on his pate: "I am plunged here because of flatteries- of which my tongue had such sufficiency." And he thereon, belabouring his pumpkin: "The flatteries have submerged me here below, Wherewith my tongue was never surfeited."	18.126
At which my guide advised me: "See you thrust your head a little farther to the front, so that your eyes can clearly glimpse the face Then said to me the Guide: "See that thou thrust Thy visage somewhat farther in advance, That with thine eyes thou well the face attain	18.129
of that besmirched, bedraggled harridan who scratches at herself with shit-filled nails, and now she crouches, now she stands upright. Of that uncleanly and dishevelled drab, Who there doth scratch herself with filthy nails, And crouches now, and now on foot is standing.	18.132
That is Thais, the harlot who returned her lover's question, 'Are you very grateful to me?' by saying, 'Yes, enormously.'" Thais the harlot is it, who replied Unto her paramour, when he said, ' Have I Great gratitude from thee ?' -- ' Nay, marvellous ;	18.133 18.135
And now our sight has had its fill of this." And herewith let our sight be satisfied."	18.136

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