The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri

82 HELL. Canto XXU. Ebe now Tve witnessed knighthood move afield, Pass in review and rally in the fight, And prest at times for safety backwards yield ; Over your land Pve seen the scouts in flight, O Aretines, and seen the squadrons swell * For tourney and for jousting all bedight. And move to sound of trumpet, drum, and bell. With signals flung from castled towers afar, In native and in foreign modes as well ; But never with such curious pipe of war Have I seen men-at-arms and footmen throng, Nor ships at signal from the shore, or star. With those two demons did we move along. Ah, fearful company ! but to the Church Saints only and to taverns sots belong. Engrossed alone within that pitch I search. To witness all contained in its black grave, And all the people turning in their smurch. Like dolphins roll their backs upon the wave. And warn the watchful wanderers of the main. Their vessels from the coming storm to save, So striving to alleviate their pain. Some of those sinners' backs would upwards float, And quick as lightning disappear again. And as around the margin of a moat ^^ Stand frogs with heads alone that outwards peep. Their feet and bulk all hidden to the throat. Such order did those wretched sinners keep ; But soon as Barbariccia drew him near, So did they vanish in the boiling deep. ^ I saw it and my heart still quakes with fear. One sinner waited there, as has appeared When one frog stays while others disappear. And Grafiacan, who close to him had neared. Suddenly seized him by his pitchy hair, ^ And dragged him upwards like an otter speared. Already of their names I was aware, Having remarked them when elect thereto, And heard them call each other here and there. " O Eubicante, do you seize him too, _ ^^ Stick in the talons so that you mayst flay," Shouted together all that cursed crew. And I : " My master, if you can, essay To know what wretch is this such ills betide. Thus fallen in his foemen's hands a prey." ^

Canto XXII. HELL. 83 My leader then advanced him to his side, And asked him whence he was; "A Navarrese Was I by birth," the wretched soul replied. ** My mother gave me a lord's liveries, Since she had borne me to a ribald thing ** That wrecked his holdings and himself with these. After I served the good Tibaldo, king ; There I began to practise with chicane, For which in heat I pay the reckoning." Ciriatto, from whose mouth long tushes twain ** Issued on each side like a forest boar, Of a boar's goring made him feel the pain. The mouse had fallen among cats galore ; But Barbariccia stayed him with his hand, And shouted, " Wait there till I haul him o'er." «^ Then to my master turned his face. " Demand Again," said he, •* if more you wouldest know Of him before he's tortured by my band." My leader then : " 'Mongst those bad souls below, Knowest you any that were Latin bom Beneath the pitch ?" And he : " Awhile ago I had one for my neighbour there forlorn ; Would I were now with him in covert laid ! I would not then by hook and claw be torn." Then Libicocco : ** We've too long delayed," He said, and seized his arm so with his hook That tearing it a ghastly strip he flayed. And Draghignazzo also downwards strook, To seize him by his legs ; the devils' lord Turned round to quell them with a savage look ; And when some quiet was again restored. To him who only gazed upon his sore My chief without delay addressed the word. " And who was he whom when you cam'st to shore You quittedst, as you say'st, in evil tide ?" ^ " Frate Gomita was the name he bore, He of G-alliera, vase of fraud," replied That wretched one ; " his master's enemies So did he treat that each his praises cried ; Line 47. The jobber who falls into the demon's clntchea is one Ciampolo ; he became a f avonrite of Tibanlt, King of Navarre, in whose court he found a field for his knaveries. Line 81. Frate Gomita was a Sardinian who abused the confidence of his master, the Governor of Galliera, one of the four presidencies into which the island of Sardixua was divided.

84 HELL. Canto XXII. He took their coin and loosed them ; in this wise ** Still does he boast, and in all deeds before All others he was king of jobberies. So Michel Zanche, he of Logodore, TIses this gift, and of Sardinia there Their tongues in wagging weary neyermore. ^ Ah ! see that other, how his fangs are bare ; I would say more, but tremble lest that fellow Be not preparing now to comb my hair.*' The devils' leader turned to Farfarello, Whose eyes were rolling in his thirst to tear, ^ *' Stand off, you bird of evil !" did he bellow. " K you have any wish to see or hear," Besuined he then, who stood in terror nigh, " Tuscans or Lombards, I will bring them here. But let the Malebranche stand them by, ^^ So that through fear they be not backwards driven. And in this very place remaining, I, Instead of my own self will bring you seven, If I but whistle, so to sally out Amongst us is the signal always given." ^^ Cagnazzo at the motion raised his snout, Shaking his head and cried, " The malice know Downwards to throw himself is all his thought." When he, whose snares were ever ready, slow Answered, " Malicious is indeed the spite "® Which for myself procures greater woe." Alichin held no more and opposite To all the others cried : " If you from there Cast yourself down I'll follow on your flight Not running, o'er the pitch my wing will bear. ^^* Leave him the summit, from the bank stand clear, And see what he alone 'gainst us can dare." O you who readest, novel sport shall hear. Each one then turned his eyes the other way ; He first who most suspicious did appear. ^^ The Navarrese chose time for making play. Upon the bank his feet he firmly set. Then bounding from their purpose burst away. With that vexation each one sore beset. And chiefly him of all their loss the cause, ^** Who chasing after cried, " I have you yet." Line 88. Mioliel Zanche was' Governor of Logodore, another of the four Sardinian presidencies. He was said to have been murdered by his 8on-in«law, of the powerful Genoese house of Doria, and his name will recur in Canto XXXIlL, where his son-in-law is found. Line 126. Alichin, who, opposed to all the rest, had induced them to yield to the trickster's suggestion.