The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
Cahto xz. hell. 75 Here Pity lives alone, when it hath died. Who is a greater scelerate than he Who lets his passion 'gainst God's judgment bide ? ^ Lift up thy head erect, lift up and see Whom the earth swallowed in the Thebans' sight,' On which they shouted all, ' Ah, where dost flee, Anfiarus P wherefore dost thou leave the fight P' But he from running downwards could not rest, ^ Down, down to Minos, who each soul holds tight.
See how his back has now become his breast ; Because he wished to see too far before. Backwards he looks, with steps still backwards prest.
Tiresias see, who changed his semblance more, ^ When from a male a woman he became, Shifting each member with most wondrous lore : And after he was forced to smite the same Entwisted pair of serpents with his rod Ere his male nature he again could claim. *^ Against his belly Aruns' back doth prod Who, upon Luni's mountains where there slave Carrara's peasants in their low abode, Possessed amidst the marbles white a cave For dwelling-place, whence, not as now confined, ^ His vision swept the stars and ocean wave.
And she, who covers o'er her breasts behind, Which thou seest not from here, with long thick hair. Which on the other side hangs unconfined, Was Manto, who through many a land did fare, ^ And settled afterwards where I was bom. Of which, 'twill please me, thou shouldst somewhat hear. After her father quitted life forlorn. And Bacchus' city Thebes became a slave. She, through the world, a long time wandered lorn. ^ Line 34.
Anfiams, one of the seveii kinflrs who besieged Thebes, and who, while fighting in his chariot, was swallowed up in the yawning earth. As a false prophet he is placed in this ward of Malebolge. Line 40.
Tiresias, a soothsayer of Thebes, who, according to Ond*s *' Metamorphoses," book iii., changed himself into a woman by smiting two serpents, and could not recover his old form until , seven years afterwards, he met the same serpents, and again struck them with his rod. Line 46. Aruns, a soothsayer of Tuscany. Line 55. Manto, a sorceress, the daughter of the Theban soothsayer, Tiresias.
In a solitary act of forgetfulness, Dante, in Canto XXII. of the " Poigatory," enumerates her among the celebrities in Limbo. She founded Mantua, concerning which Yirgil indulges in a long digression, in which Dante, line ICJp, hints that he tiukes little interest.
76 HELL. Camto XX. In Upper Italy, deep waters lave The foot of the Alps, which gird Lamagna fair, Above the Tyrol, called Benaco's wave. A thousand springs, I fe-ncy, feed it there, 'Twixt G^rda and the distant Apennine, ^' With water which doth stagnate in that lair. There is a central spot, where the Trentine Bishop, the Brescian, and Verona's too. Each, that way travelling, might a blessing sign.
Sitteth Peschiera, strong and fair to view, The Brescians and the Bergamots to pent. There, where first downwards slope the banks anew. There, all the surplus water down is sent. Which in Benaco's bosom cannot flow, And makes a river, through green pastures blent. ^^ Soon as the wave begins to ghde below No more Benaco, Mincio is its name, Until Q-ovemo, where it meets the Po.
A plain it finds, ere far hath gone its stream In which it stretches out its waters mild, ^^ A place unhealthy in hot summer's flame. Then passing on her way the virgin wild Beheld a central station in the fen Uncultured, nor by habitants defiled. There, to escape all intercourse with men, *' She settled with her slaves, her art pursued And died where she had been a denizen.
Afterwards, scattered round that neighbourhood, Men gathered in that place, reputed strong Because the marsh on all sides barred inroad. ^ They raised a city o'er her bones ere long, And after her, who first had chosen the site. They called it Mantua, without rite or song. Of old its people were of no mean might Till Casalodi's madness was deceived ^^ By Pinamonti's cunning of his right. Line 61.
The lake Benaco, here so minutely described, is now called the Lago di Gnarda. Line 67) &c. The three bishoprics mentioned meet in this spot. Line 70. The garrison of Peschiera, to the south of the lake, where its surplus waters flow out and form the Mincio. Line 95. Albert, Count of Casalodi, was induced by Pinamonti to drive all the nobles from the State, making him believe that this would make him omnipotent with the people. Pinamonti then placed himself at the head of the latter, drove out Casalodi, and usurped the sovranty of the State.
CiHTo XX. HELL. 77 But I must warn thee, be it ne'er believed, If some should otherwise originate My town, the truth should keep them undeceived. And I : " O master, all thou dost relate '^** To me is certain, and so wins belief, That fuel spent for me were others' prate. But tell me of yon band^ who wonne in grief, If thou seest any worthy of remark : For only about that my mind is lief.
'*•'* Then he continued : " He whose shoulders dark Are covered with his cheeks' thick-spreading beard. What time the males of Greece did all embark, So that the babes in cradles sole were spared, Was Augur, and with Calchas gave the sign, "" In Aulis for the cable to be sheared. Euripilus his name, and by design My epic names him in a certain place, Thou know'st it well who know'st its every line.
That other who fills up a little space, "^ Was Michel Scot, who veritably knew Of cheating magic every secret grace. Guide Bonatti see : Asdente view, Who now would wish he ne'er had left his thread And leather, but too late repentance grew. ^^ Behold the wretches who the needle fled And distaff, striving at prophetic strain. With herbs and shapes they worked their deeds of dread.
But onwards now : already seeks the main, With boundary of both hemispheres in view, ^^* Beyond Seville, the faggot-bearing Cain : And yestreen to its full the round moon grew ; Thou shouldst remember well it did not darken In that deep underwood the whole night through. So spake he, and we walked on while I hearken. ^^ Line 113. ^neid, 'book ii., line 114 : — " Saspensi Enrypylnm scitatum oracnla Fhosbi mittimns. Line 118.
Bonatti was an astrologer of Forli, and adviser of Monte Feltro. Asdente, a shoemaker of Parma, who left his business to practise the soothsayer's art, in which he acquired a great local reputation. Line 126. The faggot-bearing Cain is the moon, the spots on whose face were supposed, in the Middle Ages, to be Cain with a faggot of thorns. The superstition still lingers in the old phrase of the man in the moon.
Cahto xz. hell. 75 Here Pity lives alone, when it has died. Who is a greater scelerate than he Who lets his passion 'gainst God's judgment bide ? ^ Lift up your head erect, lift up and see Whom the earth swallowed in the Thebans' sight,' On which they shouted all, ' Ah, where do flee, Anfiarus P wherefore do you leave the fight P' But he from running downwards could not rest, ^ Down, down to Minos, who each soul holds tight. See how his back has now become his breast ; Because he wished to see too far before. Backwards he looks, with steps still backwards prest. Tiresias see, who changed his semblance more, ^ When from a male a woman he became, Shifting each member with most wondrous lore : And after he was forced to smite the same Entwisted pair of serpents with his rod Ere his male nature he again could claim. *^ Against his belly Aruns' back does prod Who, upon Luni's mountains where there slave Carrara's peasants in their low abode, Possessed amidst the marbles white a cave For dwelling-place, whence, not as now confined, ^ His vision swept the stars and ocean wave. And she, who covers o'er her breasts behind, Which you seest not from here, with long thick hair. Which on the other side hangs unconfined, Was Manto, who through many a land did fare, ^ And settled afterwards where I was bom. Of which, 'twill please me, you should somewhat hear. After her father quitted life forlorn. And Bacchus' city Thebes became a slave. She, through the world, a long time wandered lorn. ^ Line 34. Anfiams, one of the seveii kinflrs who besieged Thebes, and who, while fighting in his chariot, was swallowed up in the yawning earth. As a false prophet he is placed in this ward of Malebolge. Line 40. Tiresias, a soothsayer of Thebes, who, according to Ond*s *' Metamorphoses," book iii., changed himself into a woman by smiting two serpents, and could not recover his old form until , seven years afterwards, he met the same serpents, and again struck them with his rod. Line 46. Aruns, a soothsayer of Tuscany. Line 55. Manto, a sorceress, the daughter of the Theban soothsayer, Tiresias. In a solitary act of forgetfulness, Dante, in Canto XXII. of the " Poigatory," enumerates her among the celebrities in Limbo. She founded Mantua, concerning which Yirgil indulges in a long digression, in which Dante, line ICJp, hints that he tiukes little interest.
76 HELL. Camto XX. In Upper Italy, deep waters lave The foot of the Alps, which gird Lamagna fair, Above the Tyrol, called Benaco's wave. A thousand springs, I fe-ncy, feed it there, 'Twixt G^rda and the distant Apennine, ^' With water which does stagnate in that lair. There is a central spot, where the Trentine Bishop, the Brescian, and Verona's too. Each, that way travelling, might a blessing sign. Sits Peschiera, strong and fair to view, The Brescians and the Bergamots to pent. There, where first downwards slope the banks anew. There, all the surplus water down is sent. Which in Benaco's bosom cannot flow, And makes a river, through green pastures blent. ^^ Soon as the wave begins to ghde below No more Benaco, Mincio is its name, Until Q-ovemo, where it meets the Po. A plain it finds, ere far has gone its stream In which it stretches out its waters mild, ^^ A place unhealthy in hot summer's flame. Then passing on her way the virgin wild Beheld a central station in the fen Uncultured, nor by habitants defiled. There, to escape all intercourse with men, *' She settled with her slaves, her art pursued And died where she had been a denizen. Afterwards, scattered round that neighbourhood, Men gathered in that place, reputed strong Because the marsh on all sides barred inroad. ^ They raised a city o'er her bones ere long, And after her, who first had chosen the site. They called it Mantua, without rite or song. Of old its people were of no mean might Till Casalodi's madness was deceived ^^ By Pinamonti's cunning of his right. Line 61. The lake Benaco, here so minutely described, is now called the Lago di Gnarda. Line 67) &c. The three bishoprics mentioned meet in this spot. Line 70. The garrison of Peschiera, to the south of the lake, where its surplus waters flow out and form the Mincio. Line 95. Albert, Count of Casalodi, was induced by Pinamonti to drive all the nobles from the State, making him believe that this would make him omnipotent with the people. Pinamonti then placed himself at the head of the latter, drove out Casalodi, and usurped the sovranty of the State.
CiHTo XX. HELL. 77 But I must warn you, be it ne'er believed, If some should otherwise originate My town, the truth should keep them undeceived." And I : " O master, all you do relate '^** To me is certain, and so wins belief, That fuel spent for me were others' prate. But tell me of yon band^ who wonne in grief, If you seest any worthy of remark : For only about that my mind is lief." '*•'* Then he continued : " He whose shoulders dark Are covered with his cheeks' thick-spreading beard. What time the males of Greece did all embark, So that the babes in cradles sole were spared, Was Augur, and with Calchas gave the sign, "" In Aulis for the cable to be sheared. Euripilus his name, and by design My epic names him in a certain place, You know'st it well who know'st its every line. That other who fills up a little space, "^ Was Michel Scot, who veritably knew Of cheating magic every secret grace. Guide Bonatti see : Asdente view, Who now would wish he ne'er had left his thread And leather, but too late repentance grew. ^^ Behold the wretches who the needle fled And distaff, striving at prophetic strain. With herbs and shapes they worked their deeds of dread. But onwards now : already seeks the main, With boundary of both hemispheres in view, ^^* Beyond Seville, the faggot-bearing Cain : And yestreen to its full the round moon grew ; You should remember well it did not darken In that deep underwood the whole night through." So spake he, and we walked on while I hearken. ^^ Line 113. ^neid, 'book ii., line 114 : — " Saspensi Enrypylnm scitatum oracnla Fhosbi mittimns." Line 118. Bonatti was an astrologer of Forli, and adviser of Monte Feltro. Asdente, a shoemaker of Parma, who left his business to practise the soothsayer's art, in which he acquired a great local reputation. Line 126. The faggot-bearing Cain is the moon, the spots on whose face were supposed, in the Middle Ages, to be Cain with a faggot of thorns. The superstition still lingers in the old phrase of the man in the moon.
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