These words were borne along from them to us。
As soon as I had heard those souls tormented；
I bowed my face； and so long held it down
Until the Poet said to me： 〃What thinkest？〃
When I made answer； I began： 〃Alas！
How many pleasant thoughts； how much desire；
Conducted these unto the dolorous pass！〃
Then unto them I turned me； and I spake；
And I began： 〃Thine agonies； Francesca；
Sad and compassionate to weeping make me。
But tell me； at the time of those sweet sighs；
By what and in what manner Love conceded；
That you should know your dubious desires？〃
And she to me： 〃There is no greater sorrow
Than to be mindful of the happy time
In misery； and that thy Teacher knows。
But； if to recognise the earliest root
Of love in us thou hast so great desire；
I will do even as he who weeps and speaks。
One day we reading were for our delight
Of Launcelot； how Love did him enthral。
Alone we were and without any fear。
Full many a time our eyes together drew
That reading； and drove the colour from our faces；
But one point only was it that o'ercame us。
When as we read of the much…longed…for smile
Being by such a noble lover kissed；
This one； who ne'er from me shall be divided；
Kissed me upon the mouth all palpitating。
Galeotto was the book and he who wrote it。
That day no farther did we read therein。〃
And all the while one spirit uttered this；
The other one did weep so； that； for pity；
I swooned away as if I had been dying；
And fell； even as a dead body falls。
Inferno： Canto VI
At the return of consciousness； that closed
Before the pity of those two relations；
Which utterly with sadness had confused me；
New torments I behold； and new tormented
Around me； whichsoever way I move；
And whichsoever way I turn； and gaze。
In the third circle am I of the rain
Eternal； maledict； and cold； and heavy；
Its law and quality are never new。
Huge hail； and water sombre…hued； and snow；
Athwart the tenebrous air pour down amain；
Noisome the earth is； that receiveth this。
Cerberus； monster cruel and uncouth；
With his three gullets like a dog is barking
Over the people that are there submerged。
Red eyes he has； and unctuous beard and black；
And belly large； and armed with claws his hands；
He rends the spirits； flays； and quarters them。
Howl the rain maketh them like unto dogs；
One side they make a shelter for the other；
Oft turn themselves the wretched reprobates。
When Cerberus perceived us； the great worm！
His mouths he opened； and displayed his tusks；
Not a limb had he that was motionless。
And my Conductor； with his spans extended；
Took of the earth； and with his fists well filled；
He threw it into those rapacious gullets。
Such as that dog is； who by barking craves；
And quiet grows soon as his food he gnaws；
For to devour it he but thinks and struggles；
The like became those muzzles filth…begrimed
Of Cerberus the demon； who so thunders
Over the souls that they would fain be deaf。
We passed across the shadows； which subdues
The heavy rain…storm； and we placed our feet
Upon their vanity that person seems。
They all were lying prone upon the earth；
Excepting one； who sat upright as soon
As he beheld us passing on before him。
〃O thou that art conducted through this Hell；〃
He said to me； 〃recall me； if thou canst；
Thyself wast made before I was unmade。〃
And I to him： 〃The anguish which thou hast
Perhaps doth draw thee out of my remembrance；
So that it seems not I have ever seen thee。
But tell me who thou art； that in so doleful
A place art put； and in such punishment；
If some are greater； none is so displeasing。〃
And he to me： 〃Thy city； which is full
Of envy so that now the sack runs over；
Held me within it in the life serene。
You citizens were wont to call me Ciacco；
For the pernicious sin of gluttony
I； as thou seest； am battered by this rain。
And I； sad soul； am not the only one；
For all these suffer the like penalty
For the like sin；〃 and word no more spake he。
I answered him： 〃Ciacco； thy wretchedness
Weighs on me so that it to weep invites me；
But tell me； if thou knowest； to what shall come
The citizens of the divided city；
If any there be just； and the occasion
Tell me why so much discord has assailed it。〃
And he to me： 〃They； after long contention；
Will come to bloodshed； and the rustic party
Will drive the other out with much offence。
Then afterwards behoves it this one fall
Within three suns； and rise again the other
By force of him who now is on the coast。
High will it hold its forehead a long while；
Keeping the other under heavy burdens；
Howe'er it weeps thereat and is indignant。
The just are two； and are not understood there；
Envy and Arrogance and Avarice
Are the three sparks that have all hearts enkindled。〃
Here ended he his tearful utterance；
And I to him： 〃I wish thee still to teach me；
And make a gift to me of further speech。
Farinata and Tegghiaio； once so worthy；
Jacopo Rusticucci； Arrigo； and Mosca；
And others who on good deeds set their thoughts；
Say where they are； and cause that I may know them；
For great desire constraineth me to learn
If Heaven doth sweeten them； or Hell envenom。〃
And he： 〃They are among the blacker souls；
A different sin downweighs them to the bottom；
If thou so far descendest； thou canst see them。
But when thou art again in the sweet world；
I pray thee to the mind of others bring me；
No more I tell thee and no more I answer。〃
Then his straightforward eyes he turned askance；
Eyed me a little； and then bowed his head；
He fell therewith prone like the other blind。
And the Guide said to me： 〃He wakes no more
This side the sound of the angelic trumpet；
When shall approach the hostile Potentate；
Each one shall find again his dismal tomb；
Shall reassume his flesh and his own figure；
Shall hear what through eternity re…echoes。〃
So we passed onward o'er the filthy mixture
Of shadows and of rain with footsteps slow；
Touching a little on the future life。
Wherefore I said： 〃Master； these torments here；
Will they increase after the mighty sentence；
Or lesser be； or will they be as burning？〃
And he to me： 〃Return unto thy science；
Which wills； that as the thing more perfect is；
The more it feels of pleasure and of pain。
Albeit that this people maledict
To true perfection never can attain；
Hereafter more than now they look to be。〃
Round in a circle by that road we went；
Speaking much more； which I do not repeat；
We came unto the point where the descent is；
There we found Plutus the great enemy。
Inferno： Canto VII
〃Pape Satan； Pape Satan； Aleppe！〃
Thus Plutus with his clucking voice began；
And that benignant Sage； who all things knew；
Said； to encourage me： 〃Let not thy fear
Harm thee； for any power that he may have
Shall not prevent thy going down this crag。〃
Then he turned round unto that bloated lip；
And said： 〃Be silent； thou accursed wolf；
Consume within thyself with thine own rage。
Not causeless is this journey to the abyss；
Thus is it willed on high； where Michael wrought
Vengeance upon the proud adultery。〃
Even as the sails inflated by the wind
Involved together fall when snaps the mast；
So fell the cruel monster to the earth。
Thus we descended into the fourth chasm；
Gaining still farther on the dolesome shore
Which all the woe of the universe insacks。
Justice of God； ah！ who heaps up so many
New toils and sufferings as I beheld？
And why doth our transgression waste us so？
As doth the billow there upon Charybdis；
That breaks itself on that which it encounters；
So here the folk must dance their roundelay。
Here saw I people； more than elsewhere； many；
On one side and the other； with great howls；
Rolling weights forward by main force of chest。
They clashed together； and then at that point
Each one turned backward； rolling retrograde；
Crying； 〃Why keepest？〃 and； 〃Why squanderest thou？〃
Thus they returned along the lurid circle
On either hand unto the opposite point；
Shouting their shameful metre evermore。
Then each； when he arrived there； wheeled about
Through his half…circle to another joust；
And I； who had my heart pierced as it were；
Exclaimed： 〃My Master； now declare to me
What people these are； and if all were clerks；
These shaven crowns upon the left of us。〃
And he to me： 〃All of them were asquint
In intellect in the first life； so much
That there with measure they no spending made。
Clearly enough their voices bark it forth；
Whene'er they reach the two points of the circle；
Where sunders them the opposite defect。
Clerks those were who no hairy covering
Have on the head； and Popes and Cardinals；
In whom doth Avarice practise its excess。〃
And I： 〃My Master； among such as these
I ought forsooth to recognise some few；
Who were infected with these maladies。〃
And he to me： 〃Vain thought thou entertainest；
The undiscerning life which made them sordid
Now makes them unto all discernment dim。
Forever shall they come to these two buttings；
These from the sepulchre shall rise again
With the fist closed； and these with tresses shorn。
Ill giving and ill keeping the fair world
Have ta'en from them； and placed them in this scuffle；
Whate'er it be； no words adorn I for it。
Now canst thou； Son； behold the transient farce
Of goods that are committed unto Fortune；
For which the human race each other buffet；
For all the gold that is beneath the moon；
Or ever has been； of these weary souls
Could never make a single one repose。〃
〃Master；〃 I said to him； 〃now tell me also
What is this Fortune which thou speakest of；
That has the world's goods so within its clutches？〃
And he to me： 〃O creatures imbecile；
What ignorance is this which doth beset you？
Now will I have thee learn my judgment of her。
He whose omniscience everything transcends
The heavens created； and gave who should guide them；