Classic Poem

CANTO XXII.

Argument.

The same place: cunning of one of the seething wretches, in order to escape from the fiends; who, being baffled, quarrel among themselves.

O FT have I seen the horseman leave his tent,
And in the order'd line of battle stand,
And sometimes fly from thence, on safety bent;
I have beheld swift troops o'er-run your land
For plunder, ye who in Arezzo dwell;
And jousts and tournaments with armid band,
At sound of trumpet move, and sound of bell,
With drums and with the beacon's burning light,
And eke of other signals could I tell:
But never did there move, within my sight,
Nor foot nor horseman at so strange a sign,
Nor ship by warning fire or pole-star bright.
We journey'd onward with the fiends malign;
A dreadful company! but in the church
We pray with saints, and in the tavern dine
With gluttons. Wholly then my eager search
Was tow'rd the boiling pitch, that I might know
The manner of the souls it did submerge.
As dolphins, when their archid backs they show
To sailors, ere the ocean-billows dash,
Who thence escape before the storm-winds blow;
Thus to the surface rise, with motion rash,
The Shades, to dull their sufferings' sharp edge,
Then hide them, swifter than the lightning's flash:
And as ye see the frogs around some ledge,
Their heads thrust forth, amid the water stand,
With feet and uncouth bulk among the sedge;
Thus stood on every side the sinful band:
But soon as Barbariccia they did see,
No longer tarried they anear the land.
I saw (and still it bears a pang to me)
One linger thus, as it doth sometimes chance
A frog remains, the while the others flee;
And Graffiacan, who next him did advance,
With sharp-hook'd weapon clutch'd his pitchy hair,
And drew him upwards, till unto my glance
The semblance of an otter he did wear.
(The demons' names I knew, for I applied
To list what appellation each might bear,
When they were call'd to be to us a guide.)
" O Rubicanti, him with sharp claws flay, "
With one accord the fiends accursid cried.
And I, " My Master, if thou canst, I pray,
Know who yon wretch may be, so sorely torn
By those his enemies, in evil way. "
My Leader then drew near that soul forlorn,
And ask'd him whence he came; and he replied:
" I in the kingdom of Navarre was born:
My mother placed me with a lordly guide;
For me unto a spendthrift she did bear,
Waster of self and goods. I by the side
Of good King Tybalt dwelt: but soon I there
Betook myself to deeds of little worth:
Whence in this heat do sharpest pains me tear. "
And Ciriatto, from whose mouth came forth,
On either side, long tusks as of a sow,
Now made him feel their points, with hellish mirth
The mouse had fallen 'mong cats of evil claw;
But Barbariccia did the wretch embrace,
And said: " Keep off, for he is mine by law! "
Unto my Master then he turn'd his face:
" Now ask him more (if eager thus thou art
To know) before my fellows him deface. "
He said; and Virgil: " Then to us impart
If any souls of Latium here abide
Beneath the pitch. " And he: " I did depart,
But now, from one who stood anear my side;
And still with him I would I were conceal'd,
Nor fearing hook nor claw. " To him replied
Fierce Libicocco: " Now, in sooth, we yield
Our sport too long: " and with sharp flesh-hook tore
His arm, which thence a bloody wound reveal'd.
And 'gainst his legs foul Draghignazzo bore
His dart: but quickly their decurion then
Turn'd upon them a look of menace sore.
And when the fiends were pacified again,
No longer did my Master wise delay,
But ask'd of him, still gazing on his pain:
" Who was the Shade whom thou but now didst say
That thou hast left, to journey an ill road? "
" Frate Gomita was he in his day,
He of Gallura, vessel of all fraud, "
He said; " when he his master's foes did hold,
Of every villain won he thanks and laud.
He let them go in peace, and took their gold,
As he himself relates; in much besides,
No small but sovereign cheat was he, of old
With him full oft Don Michael Zanchi 'bides
Who ruled in Logodoro; to their breath,
In talk Sardinian, no fatigue betides.
Alas! behold yon fiend who grinds his teeth!
More would I say; but fear the angry mood
Of him who now to tear me hasteneth. "
Then turn'd the chief to Farfarel, who stood,
With rolling eyeballs, all intent to smite,
And said: " Get hence, thou bird of evil brood! "
Again the wretch began, in dire affright:
" If thou on Tuscan or on Lombard Shade
Wouldst look, full soon I'll bring them to thy sight.
But now stand back, that none may be afraid;
For when no longer your revenge they fear,
Then, seated on the bank, by my sole aid,
For one, with your sharp hooks, ye seven may tear;
When the shrill whistle of the wary scout,
As pledge of safety, from my lips they hear. "
At this discourse, Cagnazzo raised his snout,
And shook his head, and said: " Now hear his guile,
Contrived to 'scape our vengeance, for this bout! "
And he, whose brain was fill'd with many a wile,
Replied: " I guileful am, indeed; who fain
Would cause my fellows greater woe, the while. "
Then Alichin no longer could refrain,
But 'gainst them all, said: " If thou dare to spring,
Not with swift feet alone shall I attain
To thee, but o'er the pitch will beat my wing;
Now let him go, and be the bank a screen,
Whence we may see if he alone can bring
More skill unto this work than ours, I ween. "
Reader, new sport now mayst thou hear: aside
Each turn'd, he first who cruelest had been;
And well the Navarrese his time did 'bide;
For both his feet he firmly placed, and then
At once he sprang towards the pitchy tide
And all were struck with sudden wrath amain,
But he the most who this mischance did cause;
Thus he gave chase, and cried: " Thou'rt mine again! "
But all in vain, because his wingid claws
Were not so swift as fear; the wretch arrives
Safe 'neath the flood: his foe then turns and shows
His breast up-raised. Even thus the wild duck dives
Before the hawk, and with the wave doth mix;
And then to soar the vex'd pursuer strives.
But Calcabrina, anger'd 'gainst such tricks,
Still flew behind him, pleased with this his loss,
Because on him the quarrel he would fix.
And, as the rogue from out their sight did pass,
Against his mate he turn'd with fiendish yell,
And clutch'd him, struggling, above the fosse.
But yet the other's claws could tear as well
As his, in sooth, and thus it chanced the two
In midst of the thick, boiling liquid fell.
And them full soon the heat asunder drew;
But now to raise themselves their power was none,
With wings beplaster'd sore with slimy glue.
Then Barbariccia and his fellows run,
Grieved at this chance; and four descend the coast,
With all the darts, to seek what might be done.
And quickly they betake them to their post,
And, helpful, stretch the weapons which they bear
To those who now are cook'd within the crust:
But we went on our way, and left them tangled there.