ILTweb: Dante:

Previous or Next Canto

INFERNO CANTO 32
Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr. Notes Ann.

Had I the crude and scrannel rhymes to suit the melancholy hole upon which all the other circling crags converge and rest, IF I had rhymes both rough and stridulous, As were appropriate to the dismal hole Down upon which thrust all the other rocks,

32.001 32.003

the juice of my conception would be pressed more fully; but because I feel their lack, I bring myself to speak, yet speak in fear; I would press out the juice of my conception More fully; but because I have them not, Not without fear I bring myself to speak;

32.006

for it is not a task to take in jest, to show the base of all the universe- nor for a tongue that cries out, "mama," "papa." For 'tis no enterprise to take in jest, To sketch the bottom of all the universe, Nor for a tongue that cries Mamma and Babbo.

32.009

But may those ladies now sustain my verse who helped Amphion when he walled up Thebes, so that my tale not differ from the fact. But may those Ladies help this verse of mine, Who helped Amphion in enclosing Thebes, That from the fact the word be not diverse.

32.011 32.012

O rabble, miscreated past all others, there in the place of which it's hard to speak, better if here you had been goats or sheep! O rabble ill-begotten above all, Who're in the place to speak of which is hard, 'Twere better ye had here been sheep or goats !

32.015

When we were down below in the dark well, beneath the giant's feet and lower yet, with my eyes still upon the steep embankment, When we were down within the darksome well, Beneath the giant's feet, but lower far, And I was scanning still the lofty wall,

32.018

I heard this said to me: "Watch how you pass; walk so that you not trample with your soles the heads of your exhausted, wretched brothers." heard it said to me: "Look how thou steppestI Take heed thou do not trample with thy feet The heads of the tired, miserable brothers !"

32.021

At this I turned and saw in front of me, beneath my feet, a lake that, frozen fast, had lost the look of water and seemed glass. Whereat I turned me round, and saw before me And underfoot a lake, that from the frost The semblance had of glass, and not of water.

32.024

The Danube where it flows in Austria, the Don beneath its frozen sky, have never made for their course so thick a veil in winter So thick a veil ne'er made upon its current In winter-time Danube in Austria, Nor there beneath the frigid sky the Don,

32.027

as there was here; for had Mount Tambernic or Pietrapana's mountain crashed upon it, not even at the edge would it have creaked. As there was here; so that if Tambernich Had fallen upon it, or Pietrapana, E'en at the edge 'twould not have given a creak.

32.028 32.030

And as the croaking frog sits with its muzzle above the water, in the season when the peasant woman often dreams of gleaning, And as to croak the frog doth place himself With muzzle out of water, -- when is dreaming Of gleaning oftentimes the peasant-girl, --

32.033

so, livid in the ice, up to the place where shame can show itself, were those sad shades, whose teeth were chattering with notes like storks'. Livid, as far down as where shame appears, Were the disconsolate shades within the ice, Setting their teeth unto the note of storks.

32.036

Each kept his face bent downward steadily; their mouths bore witness to the cold they felt, just as their eyes proclaimed their sorry hearts. Each one his countenance held downward bent: From mouth the cold, from eyes the doeful heart Among them witness of itself procures.

32.039

When I had looked around a while, my eyes turned toward my feet and saw two locked so close, the hair upon their heads had intermingled. When round about me somewhat I had looked, I downward turned me, and saw two so close, The hair upon their heads together mingled.

32.042

"Do tell me, you whose chests are pressed so tight," I said, "who are you?" They bent back their necks, and when they'd lifted up their faces toward me, "Ye who so strain your breasts together, tell me," I said."who are you;"and they bent their necks, And when to me their faces they had lifted,

32.045

their eyes, which wept upon the ground before, shed tears down on their lips until the cold held fast the tears and locked their lids still more. Their eyes, which first were only moist within, Gushed o'er the eyelids, and the frost congealed The tears between, and locked them up again.

32.048

No clamp has ever fastened plank to plank so tightly; and because of this, they butted each other like two rams, such was their fury. Clamp never bound together wood with wood So strongly; whereat they, like two he-goats, Butted together, so much wrath o'ercame them.

32.051

And one from whom the cold had taken both his ears, who kept his face bent low, then said: "Why do you keep on staring so at us? And one, who had by reason of the cold Lost both his ears, still with his visage downward, Said: "Why dost thou so mirror thyself in us ?

32.054

If you would like to know who these two are: that valley where Bisenzio descends, belonged to them and to their father Alberto. If thou desire to know who these two are, The valley whence Bisenzio descends Belonged to them and to their father Albert.

32.055 32.057

They came out of one body; and you can search all Caina, you will never find a shade more fit to sit within this ice- They from one body came, and all Caina Thou shalt search through, and shalt not find a shade More worthy to be fixed in gelatine;

32.058 32.060

not him who, at one blow, had chest and shadow shattered by Arthur's hand; and not Focaccia; and not this sinner here who so impedes Not he in whom were broken breast and shadow At one and the same blow by Arthur's hand; Focaccia not; not he who me encumbers

32.062 32.063

my vision with his head, I can't see past him; his name was Sassol Mascheroni; if you're Tuscan, now you know who he has been. So with his head I see no farther forward, And bore the name of Sassol Mascheroni; Well knowest thou who he was, if thou art Tuscan.

32.065 32.066

And lest you keep me talking any longer, know that I was Camiscion de' Pazzi; I'm waiting for Carlino to absolve me." And that thou put me not to further speech, Know that I Camicion de' Pazzi was, And wait Carlino to exonerate me."

32.068 32.069

And after that I saw a thousand faces made doglike by the cold; for which I shudder- and always will-when I face frozen fords. Then I beheld a thousand faces, made Purple with cold; whence o'er me comes a shudder, And evermore will come, at frozen ponds.

32.072

And while we were advancing toward the center to which all weight is drawn-I, shivering in that eternally cold shadow-I And while we were advancing tow'rds the middle, Where everything of weight unites together, And I was shivering in the eternal shade,

32.075

know not if it was will or destiny or chance, but as I walked among the heads, I struck my foot hard in the face of one. Whether 'twere will, or destiny, or chance, I know not; but in walking 'mong the heads I struck my foot hard in the face of one.

32.078

Weeping, he chided then: "Why trample me? If you've not come to add to the revenge of Montaperti, why do you molest me?" Weeping he growled: "Why dost thou trample me ? Unless thou comest to increase the vengeance of Montaperti, why dost thou molest me?"

32.081

And I: "My master, now wait here for me, that I may clear up just one doubt about him; then you can make me hurry as you will." And I: "My Master, now wait here for me, That I through him may issue from a doubt; Then thou mayst hurry me, as thou shalt wish."

32.084

My guide stood fast, and I went on to ask of him who still was cursing bitterly: "Who are you that rebukes another so?" The Leader stopped; and to that one I said Who was blaspheming vehemently still: "Who art thou, that thus reprehendest others ?"

32.087

"And who are you who go through Antenora, striking the cheeks of others," he replied, "too roughly-even if you were alive?" "Now who art thou, that goest through Antenora Smiting," eplied he, "other people's cheeks, So that, if thou wert living, 'twere too much ?"

32.088 32.090

"I am alive, and can be precious to you if you want fame," was my reply, "for I can set your name among my other notes." "Living I am, and dear to thee it may be," Was my response, ' if thou demandest fame, That 'mid the other notes thy name I place."

32.093

And he to me: "I want the contrary; so go away and do not harass me- your flattery is useless in this valley." And he to me: "For the reverse I long; Take thyself hence, and give me no more trouble; For ill thou knowest to flatter in this hollow."

32.096

At that I grabbed him by the scruff and said: "You'll have to name yourself to me or else you won't have even one hair left up here." Then by the scalp behind I seized upon him, And said: "It must needs be thou name thyself, Or not a hair remain upon thee here."

32.099

And he to me: "Though you should strip me bald, I shall not tell you who I am or show it, not if you pound my head a thousand times." Whence he to me: "Though thou strip off my hair, I will not tell thee who I am, nor show thee, If on my head a thousand times thou fall."

32.102

His hairs were wound around my hand already, and I had plucked from him more than one tuft while he was barking and his eyes stared down, I had his hair in hand already twisted, And more than one shock of it had pulled out, He barking, with his eyes held firmly down,

32.105

when someone else cried out: "What is it, Bocca? Isn't the music of your jaws enough for you without your bark? What devil's at you?" When cried another: "What doth ail thee, Bocca ? Is't not enough to clatter with thy jaws, But thou must bark ? what devil touches thee ?"

32.106 32.108

"And now," I said, "you traitor bent on evil, I do not need your talk, for I shall carry true news of you, and that will bring you shame." "Now," said I, "I care not to have thee speak, Accursed traitor; for unto thy shame I will report of thee veracious news."

32.111

"Be off," he answered; "tell them what you like, but don't be silent, if you make it back, about the one whose tongue was now so quick. "Begone," replied he, "and tell what thou wilt, But be not silent, if thou issue hence, Of him who had just now his tongue so prompt;

32.114

Here he laments the silver of the Frenchmen; 'I saw,' you then can say, 'him of Duera, down there, where all the sinners are kept cool.' He weepeth here the silver of the French; 'I saw,' thus canst thou phrase it, 'him of Duera There where the sinners stand out in the cold.'

32.116 32.117

And if you're asked who else was there in ice, one of the Beccheria is beside you- he had his gullet sliced right through by Florence. If thou shouldst questioned be who else was there, Thou hast beside thee him of Beccaria, Of whom the gorget Florence slit asunder;

32.119 32.120

Gianni de' Soldanieri, I believe, lies there with Ganelon and Tebaldello, he who unlocked Faenza while it slept." Gianni del Soldanier, I think, may be Yonder with Ganellon, and Tebaldello Who oped Faenza when the people slep

32.121 32.122 32.123

We had already taken leave of him, when I saw two shades frozen in one hole, so that one's head served as the other's cap; Already we had gone away from him, When I beheld two frozen in one hole, So that one head a hood was to the other;

32.126

and just as he who's hungry chews his bread, one sinner dug his teeth into the other right at the place where brain is joined to nape: And even as bread through hunger is devoured, The uppermost on the other set his teeth, There where the brain is to the nape united.

32.129

no differently had Tydeus gnawed the temples of Menalippus, out of indignation, than this one chewed the skull and other parts. Not in another fashion Tydeus gnawed The temples of Menalippus in disdain, Than that one did the skull and the other things.

32.130 32.132

"O you who show, with such a bestial sign, your hatred for the one on whom you feed, tell me the cause," I said; "we can agree "O thou, who showest by such bestial sign Thy hatred against him whom thou art eating, Tell me the wherefore," said I, "with this compact,

32.135

that if your quarrel with him is justified, then knowing who you are and what's his sin, I shall repay you yet on earth above, That if thou rightfully of him complain, In knowing who ye are, and his transgression, I in the world above repay thee for it,

32.138

if that with which I speak does not dry up." If that wherewith I speak be not dried up."

32.139

Previous or Next Canto

INFERNO CANTO 32 Mandelbaum Tr. and Longfellow Tr.	*Notes*	*Ann.*
Had I the crude and scrannel rhymes to suit the melancholy hole upon which all the other circling crags converge and rest, IF I had rhymes both rough and stridulous, As were appropriate to the dismal hole Down upon which thrust all the other rocks,	32.001 32.003
the juice of my conception would be pressed more fully; but because I feel their lack, I bring myself to speak, yet speak in fear; I would press out the juice of my conception More fully; but because I have them not, Not without fear I bring myself to speak;	32.006
for it is not a task to take in jest, to show the base of all the universe- nor for a tongue that cries out, "mama," "papa." For 'tis no enterprise to take in jest, To sketch the bottom of all the universe, Nor for a tongue that cries Mamma and Babbo.	32.009
But may those ladies now sustain my verse who helped Amphion when he walled up Thebes, so that my tale not differ from the fact. But may those Ladies help this verse of mine, Who helped Amphion in enclosing Thebes, That from the fact the word be not diverse.	32.011 32.012
O rabble, miscreated past all others, there in the place of which it's hard to speak, better if here you had been goats or sheep! O rabble ill-begotten above all, Who're in the place to speak of which is hard, 'Twere better ye had here been sheep or goats !	32.015
When we were down below in the dark well, beneath the giant's feet and lower yet, with my eyes still upon the steep embankment, When we were down within the darksome well, Beneath the giant's feet, but lower far, And I was scanning still the lofty wall,	32.018
I heard this said to me: "Watch how you pass; walk so that you not trample with your soles the heads of your exhausted, wretched brothers." heard it said to me: "Look how thou steppestI Take heed thou do not trample with thy feet The heads of the tired, miserable brothers !"	32.021
At this I turned and saw in front of me, beneath my feet, a lake that, frozen fast, had lost the look of water and seemed glass. Whereat I turned me round, and saw before me And underfoot a lake, that from the frost The semblance had of glass, and not of water.	32.024
The Danube where it flows in Austria, the Don beneath its frozen sky, have never made for their course so thick a veil in winter So thick a veil ne'er made upon its current In winter-time Danube in Austria, Nor there beneath the frigid sky the Don,	32.027
as there was here; for had Mount Tambernic or Pietrapana's mountain crashed upon it, not even at the edge would it have creaked. As there was here; so that if Tambernich Had fallen upon it, or Pietrapana, E'en at the edge 'twould not have given a creak.	32.028 32.030
And as the croaking frog sits with its muzzle above the water, in the season when the peasant woman often dreams of gleaning, And as to croak the frog doth place himself With muzzle out of water, -- when is dreaming Of gleaning oftentimes the peasant-girl, --	32.033
so, livid in the ice, up to the place where shame can show itself, were those sad shades, whose teeth were chattering with notes like storks'. Livid, as far down as where shame appears, Were the disconsolate shades within the ice, Setting their teeth unto the note of storks.	32.036
Each kept his face bent downward steadily; their mouths bore witness to the cold they felt, just as their eyes proclaimed their sorry hearts. Each one his countenance held downward bent: From mouth the cold, from eyes the doeful heart Among them witness of itself procures.	32.039
When I had looked around a while, my eyes turned toward my feet and saw two locked so close, the hair upon their heads had intermingled. When round about me somewhat I had looked, I downward turned me, and saw two so close, The hair upon their heads together mingled.	32.042
"Do tell me, you whose chests are pressed so tight," I said, "who are you?" They bent back their necks, and when they'd lifted up their faces toward me, "Ye who so strain your breasts together, tell me," I said."who are you;"and they bent their necks, And when to me their faces they had lifted,	32.045
their eyes, which wept upon the ground before, shed tears down on their lips until the cold held fast the tears and locked their lids still more. Their eyes, which first were only moist within, Gushed o'er the eyelids, and the frost congealed The tears between, and locked them up again.	32.048
No clamp has ever fastened plank to plank so tightly; and because of this, they butted each other like two rams, such was their fury. Clamp never bound together wood with wood So strongly; whereat they, like two he-goats, Butted together, so much wrath o'ercame them.	32.051
And one from whom the cold had taken both his ears, who kept his face bent low, then said: "Why do you keep on staring so at us? And one, who had by reason of the cold Lost both his ears, still with his visage downward, Said: "Why dost thou so mirror thyself in us ?	32.054
If you would like to know who these two are: that valley where Bisenzio descends, belonged to them and to their father Alberto. If thou desire to know who these two are, The valley whence Bisenzio descends Belonged to them and to their father Albert.	32.055 32.057
They came out of one body; and you can search all Caina, you will never find a shade more fit to sit within this ice- They from one body came, and all Caina Thou shalt search through, and shalt not find a shade More worthy to be fixed in gelatine;	32.058 32.060
not him who, at one blow, had chest and shadow shattered by Arthur's hand; and not Focaccia; and not this sinner here who so impedes Not he in whom were broken breast and shadow At one and the same blow by Arthur's hand; Focaccia not; not he who me encumbers	32.062 32.063
my vision with his head, I can't see past him; his name was Sassol Mascheroni; if you're Tuscan, now you know who he has been. So with his head I see no farther forward, And bore the name of Sassol Mascheroni; Well knowest thou who he was, if thou art Tuscan.	32.065 32.066
And lest you keep me talking any longer, know that I was Camiscion de' Pazzi; I'm waiting for Carlino to absolve me." And that thou put me not to further speech, Know that I Camicion de' Pazzi was, And wait Carlino to exonerate me."	32.068 32.069
And after that I saw a thousand faces made doglike by the cold; for which I shudder- and always will-when I face frozen fords. Then I beheld a thousand faces, made Purple with cold; whence o'er me comes a shudder, And evermore will come, at frozen ponds.	32.072
And while we were advancing toward the center to which all weight is drawn-I, shivering in that eternally cold shadow-I And while we were advancing tow'rds the middle, Where everything of weight unites together, And I was shivering in the eternal shade,	32.075
know not if it was will or destiny or chance, but as I walked among the heads, I struck my foot hard in the face of one. Whether 'twere will, or destiny, or chance, I know not; but in walking 'mong the heads I struck my foot hard in the face of one.	32.078
Weeping, he chided then: "Why trample me? If you've not come to add to the revenge of Montaperti, why do you molest me?" Weeping he growled: "Why dost thou trample me ? Unless thou comest to increase the vengeance of Montaperti, why dost thou molest me?"	32.081
And I: "My master, now wait here for me, that I may clear up just one doubt about him; then you can make me hurry as you will." And I: "My Master, now wait here for me, That I through him may issue from a doubt; Then thou mayst hurry me, as thou shalt wish."	32.084
My guide stood fast, and I went on to ask of him who still was cursing bitterly: "Who are you that rebukes another so?" The Leader stopped; and to that one I said Who was blaspheming vehemently still: "Who art thou, that thus reprehendest others ?"	32.087
"And who are you who go through Antenora, striking the cheeks of others," he replied, "too roughly-even if you were alive?" "Now who art thou, that goest through Antenora Smiting," eplied he, "other people's cheeks, So that, if thou wert living, 'twere too much ?"	32.088 32.090
"I am alive, and can be precious to you if you want fame," was my reply, "for I can set your name among my other notes." "Living I am, and dear to thee it may be," Was my response, ' if thou demandest fame, That 'mid the other notes thy name I place."	32.093
And he to me: "I want the contrary; so go away and do not harass me- your flattery is useless in this valley." And he to me: "For the reverse I long; Take thyself hence, and give me no more trouble; For ill thou knowest to flatter in this hollow."	32.096
At that I grabbed him by the scruff and said: "You'll have to name yourself to me or else you won't have even one hair left up here." Then by the scalp behind I seized upon him, And said: "It must needs be thou name thyself, Or not a hair remain upon thee here."	32.099
And he to me: "Though you should strip me bald, I shall not tell you who I am or show it, not if you pound my head a thousand times." Whence he to me: "Though thou strip off my hair, I will not tell thee who I am, nor show thee, If on my head a thousand times thou fall."	32.102
His hairs were wound around my hand already, and I had plucked from him more than one tuft while he was barking and his eyes stared down, I had his hair in hand already twisted, And more than one shock of it had pulled out, He barking, with his eyes held firmly down,	32.105
when someone else cried out: "What is it, Bocca? Isn't the music of your jaws enough for you without your bark? What devil's at you?" When cried another: "What doth ail thee, Bocca ? Is't not enough to clatter with thy jaws, But thou must bark ? what devil touches thee ?"	32.106 32.108
"And now," I said, "you traitor bent on evil, I do not need your talk, for I shall carry true news of you, and that will bring you shame." "Now," said I, "I care not to have thee speak, Accursed traitor; for unto thy shame I will report of thee veracious news."	32.111
"Be off," he answered; "tell them what you like, but don't be silent, if you make it back, about the one whose tongue was now so quick. "Begone," replied he, "and tell what thou wilt, But be not silent, if thou issue hence, Of him who had just now his tongue so prompt;	32.114
Here he laments the silver of the Frenchmen; 'I saw,' you then can say, 'him of Duera, down there, where all the sinners are kept cool.' He weepeth here the silver of the French; 'I saw,' thus canst thou phrase it, 'him of Duera There where the sinners stand out in the cold.'	32.116 32.117
And if you're asked who else was there in ice, one of the Beccheria is beside you- he had his gullet sliced right through by Florence. If thou shouldst questioned be who else was there, Thou hast beside thee him of Beccaria, Of whom the gorget Florence slit asunder;	32.119 32.120
Gianni de' Soldanieri, I believe, lies there with Ganelon and Tebaldello, he who unlocked Faenza while it slept." Gianni del Soldanier, I think, may be Yonder with Ganellon, and Tebaldello Who oped Faenza when the people slep	32.121 32.122 32.123
We had already taken leave of him, when I saw two shades frozen in one hole, so that one's head served as the other's cap; Already we had gone away from him, When I beheld two frozen in one hole, So that one head a hood was to the other;	32.126
and just as he who's hungry chews his bread, one sinner dug his teeth into the other right at the place where brain is joined to nape: And even as bread through hunger is devoured, The uppermost on the other set his teeth, There where the brain is to the nape united.	32.129
no differently had Tydeus gnawed the temples of Menalippus, out of indignation, than this one chewed the skull and other parts. Not in another fashion Tydeus gnawed The temples of Menalippus in disdain, Than that one did the skull and the other things.	32.130 32.132
"O you who show, with such a bestial sign, your hatred for the one on whom you feed, tell me the cause," I said; "we can agree "O thou, who showest by such bestial sign Thy hatred against him whom thou art eating, Tell me the wherefore," said I, "with this compact,	32.135
that if your quarrel with him is justified, then knowing who you are and what's his sin, I shall repay you yet on earth above, That if thou rightfully of him complain, In knowing who ye are, and his transgression, I in the world above repay thee for it,	32.138
if that with which I speak does not dry up." If that wherewith I speak be not dried up."	32.139