The Divine Comedy ~ English Edition, translated by H.F. Cary - Inferno

Canto V
English Edition, translated by H.F. Cary

Circle Two

The Carnal

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1	FROM the first circle I descended thus
2	Down to the second, which, a lesser space
3	Embracing, so much more of grief contains

4	Provoking bitter moans. There, Minos stands
5	Grinning with ghastly feature: he, of all
6	Who enter, strict examining the crimes,

7	Gives sentence, and dismisses them beneath,
8	According as he foldeth him around:
9	For when before him comes th' ill fated soul,

10	It all confesses; and that judge severe
11	Of sins, considering what place in hell
12	Suits the transgression, with his tail so oft

13	Himself encircles, as degrees beneath
14	He dooms it to descend. Before him stand
15	Always a num'rous throng; and in his turn

16	Each one to judgment passing, speaks, and hears
17	His fate, thence downward to his dwelling hurl'd.
18	O thou! who to this residence of woe

19	Approachest? when he saw me coming, cried
20	Minos, relinquishing his dread employ,
21	Look how thou enter here; beware in whom

22	Thou place thy trust; let not the entrance broad
23	Deceive thee to thy harm. To him my guide:
24	Wherefore exclaimest? Hinder not his way

25	By destiny appointed; so 'tis will'd
26	Where will and power are one. Ask thou no more.
27	Now 'gin the rueful wailings to be heard.

28	Now am I come where many a plaining voice
29	Smites on mine ear. Into a place I came
30	Where light was silent all. Bellowing there groan'd

31	A noise as of a sea in tempest torn
32	By warring winds. The stormy blast of hell
33	With restless fury drives the spirits on

34	Whirl'd round and dash'd amain with sore annoy.
35	When they arrive before the ruinous sweep,
36	There shrieks are heard, there lamentations, moans,

37	And blasphemies 'gainst the good Power in heaven.
38	I understood that to this torment sad
39	The carnal sinners are condemn'd, in whom

40	Reason by lust is sway'd. As in large troops
41	And multitudinous, when winter reigns,
42	The starlings on their wings are borne abroad;

43	So bears the tyrannous gust those evil souls.
44	On this side and on that, above, below,
45	It drives them: hope of rest to solace them

46	Is none, nor e'en of milder pang. As cranes,
47	Chanting their dol'rous notes, traverse the sky,
48	Stretch'd out in long array: so I beheld

49	Spirits, who came loud wailing, hurried on
50	By their dire doom. Then I: Instructor! who
51	Are these, by the black air so scourg'd?-- The first

52	'Mong those, of whom thou question'st, he replied,
53	O'er many tongues was empress. She in vice
54	Of luxury was so shameless, that she made

55	Liking be lawful by promulg'd decree,
56	To clear the blame she had herself incurr'd.
57	This is Semiramis, of whom 'tis writ,

58	That she succeeded Ninus her espous'd;
59	And held the land, which now the Soldan rules.
60	The next in amorous fury slew herself,

61	And to Sicheus' ashes broke her faith:
62	Then follows Cleopatra, lustful queen.
63	There mark'd I Helen, for whose sake so long

64	The time was fraught with evil; there the great
65	Achilles, who with love fought to the end.
66	Paris I saw, and Tristan; and beside

67	A thousand more he show'd me, and by name
68	Pointed them out, whom love bereav'd of life.
69	When I had heard my sage instructor name

70	Those dames and knights of antique days, o'erpower'd
71	By pity, well-nigh in amaze my mind
72	Was lost; and I began: Bard! willingly

73	I would address those two together coming,
74	Which seem so light before the wind. He thus:
75	Note thou, when nearer they to us approach.

76	Then by that love which carries them along,
77	Entreat; and they will come. Soon as the wind
78	Sway'd them toward us, I thus fram'd my speech:

79	O wearied spirits! come, and hold discourse
80	With us, if by none else restrain'd. As doves
81	By fond desire invited, on wide wings

82	And firm, to their sweet nest returning home,
83	Cleave the air, wafted by their will along;
84	Thus issu'd from that troop, where Dido ranks,

85	They through the ill air speeding; with such force
86	My cry prevail'd by strong affection urg'd.
87	O gracious creature and benign! who go'st

88	Visiting, through this element obscure,
89	Us, who the world with bloody stain imbru'd;
90	If for a friend the King of all we own'd,

91	Our pray'r to him should for thy peace arise,
92	Since thou hast pity on our evil plight.
93	()f whatsoe'er to hear or to discourse

94	It pleases thee, that will we hear, of that
95	Freely with thee discourse, while e'er the wind,
96	As now, is mute. The land, that gave me birth,

97	Is situate on the coast, where Po descends
98	To rest in ocean with his sequent streams.
99	Love, that in gentle heart is quickly learnt,

100	Entangled him by that fair form, from me
101	Ta'en in such cruel sort, as grieves me still:
102	Love, that denial takes from none belov'd,

103	Caught me with pleasing him so passing well,
104	That, as thou see'st, he yet deserts me not.
105	Love brought us to one death: Caina waits

106	The soul, who spilt our life. Such were their words;
107	At hearing which downward I bent my looks,
108	And held them there so long, that the bard cried:

109	What art thou pond'ring? I in answer thus:
110	Alas! by what sweet thoughts, what fond desire
111	Must they at length to that ill pass have reach'd!

112	Then turning, I to them my speech address'd.
113	And thus began: Francesca! your sad fate
114	Even to tears my grief and pity moves.

115	But tell me; in the time of your sweet sighs,
116	By what, and how love granted, that ye knew
117	Your yet uncertain wishes? She replied:

118	No greater grief than to remember days
119	Of joy, when mis'ry is at hand! That kens
120	Thy learn'd instructor. Yet so eagerly

121	If thou art bent to know the primal root,
122	From whence our love gat being, I will do,
123	As one, who weeps and tells his tale. One day

124	For our delight we read of Lancelot,
125	How him love thrall'd. Alone we were, and no
126	Suspicion near us. Ofttimes by that reading

127	Our eyes were drawn together, and the hue
128	Fled from our alter'd cheek. But at one point
129	Alone we fell. When of that smile we read,

130	The wished smile, rapturously kiss'd
131	By one so deep in love, then he, who ne'er
132	From me shall separate, at once my lips

133	All trembling kiss'd. The book and writer both
134	Were love's purveyors. In its leaves that day
135	We read no more. While thus one spirit spake,

136	The other wail'd so sorely, that heartstruck
137	I through compassion fainting, seem'd not far
138	From death, and like a corpse fell to the ground.

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