Classic Poem

CANTO XXI

From bridge to bridge we came, with other talk
Which to recite my Comedy hath no care,
Keeping the summit of the stony baulk.
Then stopt we, on Malebolge's following lair
To look, and other vain lamenting moil;
And marvellously dark I found it there.
As the Venetians in their arsenal boil
The lumps of pitch in winter, stiff as glue,
To caulk the ships whose timbers warp and spoil,
Since sail they cannot then; whereof in lieu,
Some of a vessel worn with voyage plug
The ribs, and others build their craft anew;
Some shape oars, others plait ropes, twist and tug,
Some hammer at the poop, some at the prow,
Or mend sails, one the jib and one the lug:
So, not by fire, but divine art knows how,
Thick pitch down there boiled, and on every side
The bank was slimed with the overbrimming slough.
The pitch I saw, but naught therein espied
Except the bubbles which the boiling raised,
And watched it all heave and comprest subside.
While downward fixedly thereon I gazed,
My Guide, suddenly saying " Have a care! "
Drew me to him from where I stood amazed.
I turned like one who cannot choose but dare
Turn round to look on that which he must flee
And who is overcome with sudden scare,
So that he puts not off his flight to see;
And there I saw a black devil ascend
The cliff behind us, running easily.
Ah, what a fell glance did his aspect send!
How did the grimness of his gesture daunt,
Light on his feet and with his wings opened!
His shoulder, that was sharp and arrogant,
For burden a sinner by the haunches bore
And of each foot the sinew he gript aslant.
" Ye Evil-Talons, " cried he from our shore,
" Behold an elder of Santa Zita! Throw
And thrust him under while I go for more
To the city I filled with them to overflow.
Barrators all, except Bonturo, and lief
Would each for money make a Yes of No. "
He flung him down, then wheeled along the cliff;
And never from his leash did mastiff bound
With more alacrity to chase a thief.
The sinner plunged, then rose and writhed him round.
But covered by the bridge the Demons cried:
" Here are no Holy Faces to be found;
Here's other diving than on Serchio side.
Above the pitch then heave not up thy chin
Unless thou care not from our hooks to hide. "
With more than a hundred prongs for discipline
They nicked him, crying, " There, thou dancer, lurk!
There's privacy to try thy thieving in. "
Even so the cooks bid underlings at work
About the cauldron that they overlean
Thrust down the flesh from floating with the fork.
The good Master: " That it may not be seen
That thou art here, crouch in yon broken bay,
So that the splinter serve thee for a screen.
And whatsoever outrage they essay,
Fear not; for I these matters well have conned,
Having ere now been once in like affray. "
The head now of the bridge he passed beyond;
And when he set on the sixth bank his foot
Needed his spirit to be well championed.
With such a fury and such tempestuous bruit
Wherewith the dogs rush out on the poor man
Who for alms halteth suddenly to make suit,
From underneath the bridge those demons ran,
And turned on him with crooks raised up on high.
But " Be not so outrageous, " he began;
" Before your grapnels upon me you try
Let one of you come forth to hear me. Wait
And then consider if those hooks you ply. "
All cried: " Let Evil-Tail go! " And thereat
One moved, and the others stayed firm where they stood,
And came to him saying " What avails him that? "
" Thinkest thou, Evil-Tail, then, that I could, "
My Master said, " have come secure thus far
Against all opposition of your brood
Without divine will and propitious star?
Let me pass on. 'Tis written in Heaven's book
That I for another this wild path unbar. "
Then was his pride so fallen that his hook
He let drop at his feet and to the rest
Exclaimed, " No more now! let him not be struck! "
My Guide to me: " O thou who cowerest
Beneath the splintered bridge where thou hast crept
Cowering, return, return now undistrest. "
At which I moved and to him quickly stept.
Whereon the devils thronged us all about,
So that I feared the pact might not be kept.
Thus did I once the foot-men who marched out
Under a treaty from Caprona see,
Ringed by so many foemen, fear and doubt.
And to my Master with my whole body
I drew close, turning not aside my head
From the look of them, which seemed not good to me.
Their irons they lowered and to each other said,
" Now shall I prick him on the rump? " and " Yes, "
Others would answer, " notch it for him red. "
But he whom my Guide held in talk of peace
Turned round immediately and looked askance,
And " Touzlemane, " he shouted, " cease there, cease! "
Then to us: " Further by this cliff advance
Will not be possible, for the sixth arch there
Lies shattered over all the ground's expanse.
And if it please you forward still to fare,
Follow along this ridge; not far away
Another cliff a path to you will spare.
Five hours later than this hour yesterday
A thousand ten score sixty and six years
Were ended, since the shattering of this way.
Thither, to watch if any take the airs
Out of the pitch, I send some of my men.
Follow them, nor have fear of any snares. "
" Forth, Hellequin and Frostyharrow! " then
That fiend continued, " and Dogsnarler, thou!
And Beardabristle to command the ten.
Furnacewind follow, and Dragonspittle too,
Fanged Swinewallow and Houndscratcher, and last
Farfarel and raging Scarletfury, you.
See that keen eyes upon the pitch ye cast.
Be these two safe, far as yon craggy knott
That all unbroken spans the antres vast. "
" O me! Master, to what pass are we brought? "
Said I. " Ah, without escort let us start,
If thou the way know'st, for I seek it not.
If thou beest wary, as wontedly thou wert,
Dost thou not see them, how their teeth they grind
And with their bent brows threaten us to our hurt? "
And he: " I'd have thee of a firmer mind.
Let them grind on, and frown and do their worst.
'Tis for those wretches to the pitch consigned. "
By the left bank they turned to go; but first
Each with his tongue between his teeth a-stretch
Made signal to his captain; he, reversed,
Made suddenly a trumpet of his breech.