The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

repeated more than once, is said to have ori^nated with Empedodes. but is probably taken by Dante from his fovoonte master Aristotle, who has introduced it in his " Physics. Line 67. " 'Tis Nessns, who.

Kessas being slain by Hercules, revenged himself by leaving his poisoned robe to D^anira, making her believe that it was a love charm.

46 HELL. Cawto xn. So are not wont to do the dead men's feet." My leader to his breast now opposite, There, where the horse and human nature meet, Answered, " He lives, and in this lonely plight, ** 'Tis mine to show him all this dreary vale, Necessity compels us, not delight. She left her song, within Heaven's holy pale. Who trusted unto me this office new, No robber he, and I no spirit frail. ^ But by the virtue, through the which I knew My footsteps through this pathway wild to guide. Give one of your to be our convoy true, That he may show us where to cross the tide And carry this my comrade on his back, ^ No spirit he, who through the air can gHde." Great Ohiron to the right then turned him back. << Turn you, and guide them," he to Nessus cried, " And hinder any band that thwarts their track." Onwards we travelled with our trusty guide, ^^ Along the shore of the red boiling wave, Where shrieked aloud those boiled within its tide. Some to their brows I saw the liquid lave ; The Centaur told me : '^ These were tyrants fierce Who in their lives but blood and rapine gave. ^^ Here they bewail their punishment with tears ; See Alexander, Dionysius there. Who gave to Sicily such dolorous years. That forehead covered o'er with thick black hair Is Azzolino, that one by his %ide "® Obizzo d'Esti, with the locks all fair. On earth beneath his son's own hand he died." Then to the bard I turned, but he declared, " Not I, but this one here must be our guide." A little way beyond the Centaur neared ^^ Another troop, as fiu: as to the throat Above the bubbling stream were these upreared. A shadow by itself he bade us note, Saying, ''A heart, still cherished o'er the^ Thame, Within the lap of God this sinner smote." ^ Line 109.. " That forehead covered o'er with thick bhiok hair*' is Aciolino, a ruler of Padua and the surrounding countries, infamous for his cruel tyrannies, who died in 1260. He murdered two of the numerous husbands of his sister Gunizza, introduced by Dante in the " Paradise" as inhabiting the sphere of Venus. Par., Canto IX. Line 111. " Obizzo d'Esti, with the locks all fair." A Marquis of Ferrara, killed by his son for the sake of his wealth. Line 119. " A heait, still cherished o'er the Thame, Within the lap of God this sinner smote." Guy de Montfort, in order to revenge the deaUi of his father Simon,

Cahto XIII. HELL. 47 Then saw I people wlio from out the stream Lifted their head, and even all the breast, And several of these I knew by name. Shallower, and shallower still, the blood decreased, Until at last it ooly bathed the feet, *^ And there our passage o'er the stream we prest. '* As in this portion you did now behold, The bubbling source has ever shallower grown, I would that you shduldst know," the Centaur told, " That so it deepens, as it circles on, '*• Until once more its circuit course it brings, There, where 'tis doomed that tyranny should groan. 'Tis there that HeaTen's high justice ever stings « That Attila who was the scourge of earth, Pirrhus, and Sextus, and eternally wrings "* The tears, which by the boiling it draws forth From Pazzo and Cor^eto, both abhorred. Who in the highways made such constant dearth." Then he turned back, and crossed again the ford. slew Henry, nephew of King Henry III. of England, during the oelehration of the High Mass. The ItaJian chronicles relate that the heart of Henry waa emhalmed in a golden cup, and placed on a pillar over London Bridge, for a memorial to the English of the said outrage. Line 137. "From Pazso and Cometo, both abhorred." Two highway robbers of Italy, both of them of noble birth.