The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
102 HELL. Cavto XXYII. And I, who had my answer prompt, replied, And thus began to speak without delay : ^ " O spirit, who below thyself dost hide, Romagna thine is not and was not aye Without some war within its tyrant's heart j But open war I left not in my day. As in past years Eavenna holds its part, ^ The eagle of Polenta broodeth there, So that o'er Cervia sweeps its wings athwart. The land that such a lengthened proof did bear.
And of the Frenchmen made a bloody heap, 'Neath the green branches doth again repair. ^ The mastiffs who possess Yerrucchio's keep, And through Montagna won such ill renown, Where they were wont their teeth still sharpened keep. Lamone's city and Santemo's town The argent-shielded lion's whelp doth bow, ^ Who changeth sides as springs and winters wonne.
The town by which the Savio's waters flow, So as she lies betwixt the hill and plain, Lives now 'neath tyranny, in freedom now. Now who thou art I pray thee to explain, " Not harder be it to thee than to the rest To tell, on earth thy memory to maintain.
After the flre a little time had hissed, In its own fashion, waved its pointed blade Hither and thither, then this speech addresst : ^ " If I believed that my reply were made To one who ever in the world could dwell. This flame without all motion would have stayed. But since there never from this deep of Hell Turned back again one soul, if truth I hear, ^^ Fearless of inâmy my tale I tell. Line 41.
Count Gnido da Polenta, who bore an eagle for his ooat of aims* Cervia was a small maritime town near Bavenna, over which Count Guide extended his rule. He was one of Dante's most munificent patrons during his exile. Line 43. The territory of Forli, over which Montef eltro had ruled, and where he had defeated the French after a lengthy siege. The green branches were the coat of arms of Odelaffi, then ruler of the country. Lme 46.
The mastiffa were Malatesta and his son Malatestino, lords of Rimini, who amongst other notorious acts of blood murdered Montagna, the head of the Ghibeline party in Bimini. Line 49. The towns of Faenza and Imola, situated on the above rivers, ruled by Maohinardo Pagano, whose arms were a lion's whelp on a silver shield. He was called from his treacheries the Demon, and is alluded to under tibat name in the " Purgatory," Canto XIV. Line 52. C.eseua, situated between a mountain and the river Savio.
Caitto XXVII. HELL. 106 t was a man-at-arms and then a friar, Believing thus rope-girt the past to mend, And sure that trust had been fulfilled entire, Had not the High Priest (whom all ill attend I) Led me again into my early sin ; And how and wherefore thou shalt comprehend. Whilst made of bone and flesh that form was mine The which my mother gave me, every deed Of mine was fox-like and not leonine.
The wary wiles and hidden ways at need I studied all and practised so the art That to the earth's confines the &une did speeds When I beheld that I had reached that part Of human life when every one should strike His sails and his worn rigging set apart ; That which had pleased me erst then caused dislike. And penitent confession did I use, Ah, weary wretch ! and had beeu saved belike.
The leader of the modem Pharisees, ^ Being at war within the Lateran, And neither with the Saracens nor Jews, For of his foes each was a Christian man.
And none had been with those who conquered Acre, Trafficking in the realm of the Soldan, ^ Nor his high place nor life vowed to his Maker, Bestrained him, nor did me that girdle hold Which wont to make those girt with it far meeker. !But just as Gonstantine Silvester called Within Soratte leprosy to heal, ^^ So this one called me as a master bold To cure the fever high which he did feel ; Asking my counsel and I silent stayed, Because his words delirium did reveal ; And then he said : * Be not thy heart afraid ; ^^ Now I absolve thee, teach me what to do, So that on earth be Palcstrina laid.
The heavens I can lock and open too, As thou dost know the worth of these two keys Although my predecessor little knew.* ^^ Line 67. A Franciscan, which Goido de Montefeltro became in his old age. Line 70. Pope Boniface YIIL, whose enmity to the Colonna family nuhde him destroy their honses in the Lateran.
He consulted Montefeltro on the way by which he could get their other place, Palestrina, into his power, who advised him not to use force, but deceive them by promises which he would nofc keep. Line 89. An allusion to the renegade Christians who had assisted the Sol« dan in reconquering Acre^ the last Christian possession in the East. Line 105. Pope Celestme V., who made the great refusal. See Canto III.
104 HELL. Cakto XXVIII. Then weighty arguments my mind did seize, There where my silence would be worst advice, And I said, * Father, since thou wilt release Me from the sin which I must exercise, Scant execution of a promise strong, "® In thy high seat to triumph will suffice. When I was dead St. Francis came along For me, but one of the fell cherubs black Said to him, * Take him not nor do me wrong.
Amidst my wretched ones he down must track, "* Because that fraudulent advice he gave. Since when my grip on him doth never slack ; The impenitent can no absolving save. Nor penitence and evil will befall Together, since they contradiction have.' ^^ O wretched me, how did I tremble all The while he seized me, saying, ' Thou perchance Didst not suppose I was so logical.
To Minos did he bear me who did lance His tail eight times around his body hard, ^^ And then he bit himself in raging trance. Saying, * He's of the wicked, fire-embarred. Whence as thou seest me here am I forlorn. And wandering vestured thus my grief I guard. When thus irnto an end Ms speech had borne, ^^ The flame departed on its way with grief. Twisting and waving wide its sharpened horn. Onwards we travelled then, I and my chief.
Up o'er the rocks unto the bridge that rolls Above the pit in which they pay their f eof, ^^ Who sowing c^cord burden thus their souls. Line 119. There can be no sncli thing as tme repentance where the wiU to do evil continnes, and -without tme repentance there can be no efficiency in absolution. This is probably the correct doctrine of the Boman CaUioIio Church, though not asserted in bad times, or in any times by bad men.
Such was dearly Dante's belief, and with it CTCn Luther would hardly have been inclined to quarrel. Line 135, The bridse over the ninth pit described in the next Canto, in which the founders of schisms and discords are punished.
102 HELL. Cavto XXYII. And I, who had my answer prompt, replied, And thus began to speak without delay : ^ " O spirit, who below yourself do hide, Romagna your is not and was not aye Without some war within its tyrant's heart j But open war I left not in my day. As in past years Eavenna holds its part, ^ The eagle of Polenta broods there, So that o'er Cervia sweeps its wings athwart. The land that such a lengthened proof did bear. And of the Frenchmen made a bloody heap, 'Neath the green branches does again repair. ^ The mastiffs who possess Yerrucchio's keep, And through Montagna won such ill renown, Where they were wont their teeth still sharpened keep. Lamone's city and Santemo's town The argent-shielded lion's whelp does bow, ^ Who changes sides as springs and winters wonne. The town by which the Savio's waters flow, So as she lies betwixt the hill and plain, Lives now 'neath tyranny, in freedom now. Now who you are I pray you to explain, " Not harder be it to you than to the rest To tell, on earth your memory to maintain." After the flre a little time had hissed, In its own fashion, waved its pointed blade Hither and thither, then this speech addresst : ^ " If I believed that my reply were made To one who ever in the world could dwell. This flame without all motion would have stayed. But since there never from this deep of Hell Turned back again one soul, if truth I hear, ^^ Fearless of in&my my tale I tell. Line 41. Count Gnido da Polenta, who bore an eagle for his ooat of aims* Cervia was a small maritime town near Bavenna, over which Count Guide extended his rule. He was one of Dante's most munificent patrons during his exile. Line 43. The territory of Forli, over which Montef eltro had ruled, and where he had defeated the French after a lengthy siege. The green branches were the coat of arms of Odelaffi, then ruler of the country. Lme 46. The mastiffa were Malatesta and his son Malatestino, lords of Rimini, who amongst other notorious acts of blood murdered Montagna, the head of the Ghibeline party in Bimini. Line 49. The towns of Faenza and Imola, situated on the above rivers, ruled by Maohinardo Pagano, whose arms were a lion's whelp on a silver shield. He was called from his treacheries the Demon, and is alluded to under tibat name in the " Purgatory," Canto XIV. Line 52. C.eseua, situated between a mountain and the river Savio.
Caitto XXVII. HELL. 106 t was a man-at-arms and then a friar, Believing thus rope-girt the past to mend, And sure that trust had been fulfilled entire, Had not the High Priest (whom all ill attend I) Led me again into my early sin ; And how and wherefore you shall comprehend. Whilst made of bone and flesh that form was mine The which my mother gave me, every deed Of mine was fox-like and not leonine. The wary wiles and hidden ways at need I studied all and practised so the art That to the earth's confines the &une did speeds When I beheld that I had reached that part Of human life when every one should strike His sails and his worn rigging set apart ; That which had pleased me erst then caused dislike. And penitent confession did I use, Ah, weary wretch ! and had beeu saved belike. The leader of the modem Pharisees, ^ Being at war within the Lateran, And neither with the Saracens nor Jews, For of his foes each was a Christian man. And none had been with those who conquered Acre, Trafficking in the realm of the Soldan, ^ Nor his high place nor life vowed to his Maker, Bestrained him, nor did me that girdle hold Which wont to make those girt with it far meeker. !But just as Gonstantine Silvester called Within Soratte leprosy to heal, ^^ So this one called me as a master bold To cure the fever high which he did feel ; Asking my counsel and I silent stayed, Because his words delirium did reveal ; And then he said : * Be not your heart afraid ; ^^ Now I absolve you, teach me what to do, So that on earth be Palcstrina laid. The heavens I can lock and open too, As you do know the worth of these two keys Although my predecessor little knew.* ^^ Line 67. A Franciscan, which Goido de Montefeltro became in his old age. Line 70. Pope Boniface YIIL, whose enmity to the Colonna family nuhde him destroy their honses in the Lateran. He consulted Montefeltro on the way by which he could get their other place, Palestrina, into his power, who advised him not to use force, but deceive them by promises which he would nofc keep. Line 89. An allusion to the renegade Christians who had assisted the Sol« dan in reconquering Acre^ the last Christian possession in the East. Line 105. Pope Celestme V., who made the great refusal. See Canto III.
104 HELL. Cakto XXVIII. Then weighty arguments my mind did seize, There where my silence would be worst advice, And I said, * Father, since you will release Me from the sin which I must exercise, Scant execution of a promise strong, "® In your high seat to triumph will suffice. When I was dead St. Francis came along For me, but one of the fell cherubs black Said to him, * Take him not nor do me wrong. Amidst my wretched ones he down must track, "* Because that fraudulent advice he gave. Since when my grip on him does never slack ; The impenitent can no absolving save. Nor penitence and evil will befall Together, since they contradiction have.' ^^ O wretched me, how did I tremble all The while he seized me, saying, ' You perchance Didst not suppose I was so logical.' To Minos did he bear me who did lance His tail eight times around his body hard, ^^ And then he bit himself in raging trance. Saying, * He's of the wicked, fire-embarred.' Whence as you seest me here am I forlorn. And wandering vestured thus my grief I guard." When thus irnto an end Ms speech had borne, ^^ The flame departed on its way with grief. Twisting and waving wide its sharpened horn. Onwards we travelled then, I and my chief. Up o'er the rocks unto the bridge that rolls Above the pit in which they pay their f eof, ^^ Who sowing c^cord burden thus their souls. Line 119. There can be no sncli thing as tme repentance where the wiU to do evil continnes, and -without tme repentance there can be no efficiency in absolution. This is probably the correct doctrine of the Boman CaUioIio Church, though not asserted in bad times, or in any times by bad men. Such was dearly Dante's belief, and with it CTCn Luther would hardly have been inclined to quarrel. Line 135, The bridse over the ninth pit described in the next Canto, in which the founders of schisms and discords are punished.
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