English Edition, translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
| 1 | AT the return of consciousness, that closed |
| 2 | Before the pity of those two relations, |
| 3 | Which utterly with sadness had confused me, |
| 4 | New torments I behold, and new tormented |
| 5 | Around me, whichsoever way I move, |
| 6 | And whichsoever way I turn, and gaze. |
| 7 | In the third circle am I of the rain |
| 8 | Eternal, maledict, and cold, and heavy; |
| 9 | Its law and quality are never new. |
| 10 | Huge hail, and water sombre-hued, and snow, |
| 11 | Athwart the tenebrous air pour down amain; |
| 12 | Noisome the earth is, that receiveth this. |
| 13 | Cerberus, monster cruel and uncouth, |
| 14 | With his three gullets like a dog is barking |
| 15 | Over the people that are there submerged. |
| 16 | Red eyes he has, and unctuous beard and black, |
| 17 | And belly large, and armed with claws his hands; |
| 18 | He rends the spirits, flays, and quarters them. |
| 19 | Howl the rain maketh them like unto dogs; |
| 20 | One side they make a shelter for the other; |
| 21 | Oft turn themselves the wretched reprobates. |
| 22 | When Cerberus perceived us, the great worm! |
| 23 | His mouths he opened, and displayed his tusks; |
| 24 | Not a limb had he that was motionless. |
| 25 | And my Conductor, with his spans extended, |
| 26 | Took of the earth, and with his fists well filled, |
| 27 | He threw it into those rapacious gullets. |
| 28 | Such as that dog is, who by barking craves, |
| 29 | And quiet grows soon as his food he gnaws, |
| 30 | For to devour it he but thinks and struggles, |
| 31 | The like became those muzzles filth-begrimed |
| 32 | Of Cerberus the demon, who so thunders |
| 33 | Over the souls that they would fain be deaf |
| 34 | We passed across the shadows, which subdues |
| 35 | The heavy rain-storm, and we placed our feet |
| 36 | Upon their vanity that person seems. |
| 37 | They all were Iying prone upon the earth, |
| 38 | Excepting one, who sat upright as soon |
| 39 | As he beheld us passing on before him. |
| 40 | O thou that art conducted through this Hell, |
| 41 | He said to me. recall me, if thou canst; |
| 42 | Thyself wast made before I was unmade. |
| 43 | And I to him: The anguish which thou hast |
| 44 | Perhaps doth draw thee out of my remembrance, |
| 45 | So that it seems not I have ever seen thee. |
| 46 | But tell me who thou art, that in so doleful |
| 47 | A place art put, and in such punishment, |
| 48 | If some are greater, none is so displeasing. |
| 49 | And he to me: Thy city, which is full |
| 50 | Of envy so that now the sack runs over, |
| 51 | Held me within it in the life serene. |
| 52 | You citizens were wont to call me Ciacco; |
| 53 | For the pernicious sin of gluttony |
| 54 | I as thou seest, am hattered bv this rain |
| 55 | And I, sad soul, am not the only one, |
| 56 | For all these suffer the like penalty |
| 57 | For the like sin, and word no more spake he. |
| 58 | I answered him: Ciacco, thy wretchedness |
| 59 | Weighs on me so that it to weep invites me; |
| 60 | But tell me, if thou knowest, to what shall come |
| 61 | The citizens of the divided city; |
| 62 | If any there be just; and the occasion |
| 63 | Tell me why so much discord has assailed it. |
| 64 | And he to me: They, after long contention, |
| 65 | Will come to bloodshed; and the rustic party |
| 66 | Will drive the other out with much offence. |
| 67 | Then afterwards behoves it this one fall |
| 68 | Within three suns, and rise again the other |
| 69 | By force of him who now is on the coast. |
| 70 | High will it hold its forehead a long while, |
| 71 | Keeping the other under heavy burdens, |
| 72 | Howe’er it weeps thereat and is indignant. |
| 73 | The just are two, and are not understood there; |
| 74 | Envy and Arrogance and Avarice |
| 75 | Are the three sparks that have all hearts enkindled. |
| 76 | Here ended he his tearful utterance; |
| 77 | And I to him: I wish thee still to teach me, |
| 78 | And make a gift to me of further speech. |
| 79 | Farinata and Tegghiaio, once so worthy, |
| 80 | Jacopo Rusticucci, Arrigo, and Mosca, |
| 81 | And others who on good deeds set their thoughts, |
| 82 | Say where they are, and cause that I may know them; |
| 83 | For great desire constraineth me to learn |
| 84 | If Heaven doth sweeten them, or Hell envenom. |
| 85 | And he: They are among the blacker souls; |
| 86 | A different sin downweighs them to the bottom; |
| 87 | If thou so far descendest, thou canst see them. |
| 88 | But when thou art again in the sweet world, |
| 89 | I pray thee to the mind of others bring me; |
| 90 | No more I tell thee and no more I answer. |
| 91 | Then his straightforward eyes he turned askance, |
| 92 | Eyed me a little, and then bowed his head; |
| 93 | He fell therewith prone like the other blind. |
| 94 | And the Guide said to me: He wakes no more |
| 95 | This side the sound of the angelic trumpet; |
| 96 | When shall approach the hostile Potentate, |
| 97 | Each one shall find again his dismal tomb, |
| 98 | Shall reassume his flesh and his own figure, |
| 99 | Shall hear what through eternity re-echoes. |
| 100 | So we passed onward o’er the filthy mixture |
| 101 | Of shadows and of rain with footsteps slow, |
| 102 | Touching a little on the future life. |
| 103 | Wherefore I said: Master, these torments here, |
| 104 | Will they increase after the mighty sentence, |
| 105 | Or lesser be, or will they be as burning? |
| 106 | And he to me: Return unto thy science, |
| 107 | Which wills, that as the thing more perfect is, |
| 108 | The more it feels of pleasure and of pain. |
| 109 | Albeit that this people maledict |
| 110 | To true perfection never can attain, |
| 111 | Hereafter more than now they look to be. |
| 112 | Round in a circle by that road we went, |
| 113 | Speaking much more, which I do not repeat; |
| 114 | We came unto the point where the descent is; |
| 115 | There we found Plutus the great enemy. |