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

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

Circle Three

The Gluttons

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1	MY sense reviving, that erewhile had droop'd
2	With pity for the kindred shades, whence grief
3	O'ercame me wholly, straight around I see

4	New torments, new tormented souls, which way
5	Soe'er I move, or turn, or bend my sight.
6	In the third circle I arrive, of show'rs

7	Ceaseless, accursed, heavy, and cold, unchang'd
8	For ever, both in kind and in degree.
9	Large hail, discolour'd water, sleety flaw

10	Through the dun midnight air stream'd down amain:
11	Stank all the land whereon that tempest fell.
12	Cerberus, cruel monster, fierce and strange,

13	Through his wide threefold throat barks as a dog
14	Over the multitude immers'd beneath.
15	His eyes glare crimson, black his unctuous beard,

16	His belly large, and claw'd the hands, with which
17	He tears the spirits, flays them, and their limbs
18	Piecemeal disparts. Howling there spread, as curs,

19	Under the rainy deluge, with one side
20	The other screening, oft they roll them round,
21	A wretched, godless crew. When that great worm

22	Descried us, savage Cerberus, he op'd
23	His jaws, and the fangs show'd us; not a limb
24	Of him but trembled. Then my guide, his palms

25	Expanding on the ground, thence filled with earth
26	Rais'd them, and cast it in his ravenous maw.
27	E'en as a dog, that yelling bays for food

28	His keeper, when the morsel comes, lets fall
29	His fury, bent alone with eager haste
30	To swallow it; so dropp'd the loathsome cheeks

31	Of demon Cerberus, who thund'ring stuns
32	The spirits, that they for deafness wish in vain.
33	We, o'er the shades thrown prostrate by the brunt

34	Of the heavy tempest passing, set our feet
35	Upon their emptiness, that substance seem'd.
36	They all along the earth extended lay

37	Save one, that sudden rais'd himself to sit,
38	Soon as that way he saw us pass. O thou!
39	He cried, who through the infernal shades art led,

40	Own, if again thou know'st me. Thou wast fram'd
41	Or ere my frame was broken. I replied:
42	The anguish thou endur'st perchance so takes

43	Thy form from my remembrance, that it seems
44	As if I saw thee never. But inform
45	Me who thou art, that in a place so sad

46	Art set, and in such torment, that although
47	Other be greater, more disgustful none
48	Can be imagin'd. He in answer thus:

49	Thy city heap'd with envy to the brim,
50	Ay that the measure overflows its bounds,
51	Held me in brighter days. Ye citizens

52	Were wont to name me Ciacco. For the sin
53	Of glutt'ny, damned vice, beneath this rain,
54	E'en as thou see'st, I with fatigue am worn;

55	Nor I sole spirit in this woe: all these
56	Have by like crime incurr'd like punishment.
57	No more he said, and I my speech resum'd:

58	Ciacco! thy dire affliction grieves me much,
59	Even to tears. But tell me, if thou know'st,
60	What shall at length befall the citizens

61	Of the divided city; whether any just one
62	Inhabit there: and tell me of the cause,
63	Whence jarring discord hath assail'd it thus?

64	He then: After long striving they will come
65	To blood; and the wild party from the woods
66	Will chase the other with much injury forth.

67	Then it behoves, that this must fall, within
68	Three solar circles; and the other rise
69	By borrow'd force of one, who under shore

70	Now rests. It shall a long space hold aloof
71	Its forehead, keeping under heavy weight
72	The other oppress'd, indignant at the load,

73	And grieving sore. The just are two in number,
74	But they neglected. Av'rice, envy, pride,
75	Three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of all

76	On fire. Here ceas'd the lamentable sound;
77	And I continu'd thus: Still would I learn
78	More from thee, farther parley still entreat.

79	Of Farinata and Tegghiaio say,
80	They who so well deserv'd, of Giacopo,
81	Arrigo, Mosca, and the rest, who bent

82	Their minds on working good. Oh! tell me where
83	They bide, and to their knowledge let me come.
84	For I am press'd with keen desire to hear,

85	If heaven's sweet cup or poisonous drug of hell
86	Be to their lip assign'd. He answer'd straight:
87	These are yet blacker spirits. Various crimes

88	Have sunk them deeper in the dark abyss.
89	If thou so far descendest, thou mayst see them.
90	But to the pleasant world when thou return'st,

91	Of me make mention, I entreat thee, there.
92	No more I tell thee, answer thee no more.
93	This said, his fixed eyes he turn'd askance,

94	A little ey'd me, then bent down his head,
95	And 'midst his blind companions with it fell.
96	When thus my guide: No more his bed he leaves,

97	Ere the last angel-trumpet blow. The Power
98	Adverse to these shall then in glory come,
99	Each one forthwith to his sad tomb repair,

100	Resume his fleshly vesture and his form,
101	And hear the eternal doom re-echoing rend
102	The vault. So pass'd we through that mixture foul

103	Of spirits and rain, with tardy steps; meanwhile
104	Touching, though slightly, on the life to come.
105	For thus I question'd: Shall these tortures, Sir!

106	When the great sentence passes, be increas'd,
107	Or mitigated, or as now severe?
108	He then: Consult thy knowledge; that decides

109	That as each thing to more perfection grows,
110	It feels more sensibly both good and pain.
111	Though ne'er to true perfection may arrive

112	This race accurs'd, yet nearer then than now
113	They shall approach it. Compassing that path
114	Circuitous we journeyed, and discourse

115	Much more than I relate between us pass'd:
116	Till at the point, where the steps led below,
117	Arriv'd, there Plutus, the great foe, we found.

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