English Edition, translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
| 1 | WHO ever could, e’en with untrammelled words, |
| 2 | Tell of the blood and of the wounds in full |
| 3 | Which now I saw, by many times narrating? |
| 4 | Each tongue would for a certainty fall short |
| 5 | By reason of our speech and memory, |
| 6 | That have small room to comprehend so much |
| 7 | If were again assembled all the people |
| 8 | Which formerly upon the fateful land |
| 9 | Of Puglia were lamenting for their blood |
| 10 | Shed by the Romans and the lingering war |
| 11 | That of the rings made such illustrious spoils, |
| 12 | As Livy has recorded, who errs not, |
| 13 | With those who felt the agony of blows |
| 14 | By making counterstand to Robert Guiscard, |
| 15 | And all the rest, whose bones are gathered still |
| 16 | At Ceperano, where a renegade |
| 17 | Was each Apulian, and at Tagliacozzo, |
| 18 | Where without arms the old Alardo conquered, |
| 19 | And one his limb transpierced, and one lopped off, |
| 20 | Should show, it would be nothing to compare |
| 21 | With the disgusting mode of the ninth Bolgia. |
| 22 | A cask by losing centre-piece or cant |
| 23 | Was never shattered so, as I saw one |
| 24 | Rent from the chin to where one breaketh wind. |
| 25 | Between his legs were hanging down his entrails; |
| 26 | His heart was visible, and the dismal sack |
| 27 | That maketh excrement of what is eaten. |
| 28 | While I was all absorbed in seeing him, |
| 29 | He looked at me, and opened with his hands |
| 30 | His bosom, saying: See now how I rend me; |
| 31 | How mutilated, see, is Mahomet; |
| 32 | In front of me doth Ali weeping go, |
| 33 | Cleft in the face from forelock unto chin; |
| 34 | And all the others whom thou here beholdest, |
| 35 | Disseminators of scandal and of schism |
| 36 | While living were, and therefore are cleft thus. |
| 37 | A devil is behind here, who doth cleave us |
| 38 | Thus cruelly, unto the falchion’s edge |
| 39 | Putting again each one of all this ream, |
| 40 | When we have gone around the doleful road; |
| 41 | By reason that our wounds are closed again |
| 42 | Ere any one in front of him repass. |
| 43 | But who art thou, that musest on the crag, |
| 44 | Perchance to postpone going to the pain |
| 45 | That is adjudged upon thine accusations ? |
| 46 | Nor death hath reached him yet, nor guilt doth bring him, |
| 47 | My Master made reply, to be tormented; |
| 48 | But to procure him full experience, |
| 49 | Me, who am dead, behoves it to conduct him |
| 50 | Down here through Hell, from circle unto circle; |
| 51 | And this is true as that I speak to thee. |
| 52 | More than a hundred were there when they heard him, |
| 53 | Who in the moat stood still to look at me, |
| 54 | Through wonderment oblivious of their torture. |
| 55 | Now say to Fra Dolcino, then, to arm him, |
| 56 | Thou, who perhaps wilt shortly see the sun, |
| 57 | If soon he wish not here to follow me, |
| 58 | So with provisions,that no stress of snow |
| 59 | May give the victory to the Novarese, |
| 60 | Which otherwise to gain would not be easy. |
| 61 | After one foot to go away he lifted, |
| 62 | This word did Mahomet say unto me, |
| 63 | Then to depart upon the ground he stretched it. |
| 64 | Another one, who had his throat pierced through, |
| 65 | And nose cut off close underneath the brows, |
| 66 | And had no longer but a single ear, |
| 67 | Staying to look in wonder with the others, |
| 68 | Before the others did his gullet open, |
| 69 | Which outwardly was red in every part, |
| 70 | And said: O thou, whom guilt doth not condemn, |
| 71 | And whom I once saw up in Latian land, |
| 72 | Unless too great similitude deceive me, |
| 73 | Call to remembrance Pier da Medicina, |
| 74 | If e’er thou see again the lovely plain |
| 75 | That from Vercelli slopes to Marcabo, |
| 76 | And make it known to the best two of Fano, |
| 77 | To Messer Guido and Angiolello likewise, |
| 78 | That if foreseeing here be not in vain, |
| 79 | Cast over from their vessel shall they be, |
| 80 | And drowned near unto the Cattolica, |
| 81 | By the betrayal of a tyrant fell. |
| 82 | Between the isles of Cyprus and Majorca |
| 83 | Neptune ne’er yet beheld so great a crime |
| 84 | Neither of pirates nor Argolic people. |
| 85 | That traitor, who sees only with one eye, |
| 86 | And holds the land, which some one here with me |
| 87 | Would fain be fasting from the vision of, |
| 88 | Will make them come unto a parley with him; |
| 89 | Then will do so, that to Focara’s wind |
| 90 | They will not stand in need of vow or prayer. |
| 91 | And I to him: Show to me and declare, |
| 92 | If thou wouldst have me bear up news of thee, |
| 93 | Who is this person of the bitter vision. |
| 94 | Then did he lay his hand upon the jaw |
| 95 | Of one of his companions, and his mouth |
| 96 | Oped, crying: This is he, and he speaks not. |
| 97 | This one, being banished, every doubt submerged |
| 98 | In Caesar by affirming the forearmed |
| 99 | Always with detriment allowed delay. |
| 100 | O how bewildered unto me appeared, |
| 101 | With tongue asunder in his windpipe slit, |
| 102 | Curio, who in speaking was so bold ! |
| 103 | And one, who both his hands dissevered had, |
| 104 | The stumps uplifting through the murky air, |
| 105 | So that the blood made horrible his face, |
| 106 | Cried out: Thou shalt remember Mosca also, |
| 107 | Who said, alas ! ‘ A thing done has an end!’ |
| 108 | Which was an ill seed for the Tuscan people |
| 109 | And death unto thy race,thereto I added; |
| 110 | Whence he, accumulating woe on woe, |
| 111 | Departed, like a person sad and crazed. |
| 112 | But I remained to look upon the crowd; |
| 113 | And saw a thing which I should be afraid, |
| 114 | Without some further proof, even to recount, |
| 115 | If it were not that conscience reassures me, |
| 116 | That good companion which emboldens man |
| 117 | Beneath the hauberk of its feeling pure. |
| 118 | I truly saw, and still I seem to see it, |
| 119 | A trunk without a head walk in like manner |
| 120 | As walked the others of the mournful herd. |
| 121 | And by the hair it held the head dissevered, |
| 122 | Hung from the hand in fashion of a lantern, |
| 123 | And that upon us gazed and said: O me! |
| 124 | It of itself made to itself a lamp, |
| 125 | And they were two in one, and one in two; |
| 126 | How that can be, He knows who so ordains it. |
| 127 | When it was come close to the bridge’s foot, |
| 128 | It lifted high its arm with all the head, |
| 129 | To bring more closely unto us its words, |
| 130 | Which were: Behold now the sore penalty, |
| 131 | Thou, who dost breathing go the dead beholding; |
| 132 | Behold if any be as great as this. |
| 133 | And so that thou may carry news of me, |
| 134 | Know that Bertram de Born am I, the same |
| 135 | Who gave to the Young King the evil comfort. |
| 136 | I made the father and the son rebellious; |
| 137 | Achitophel not more with Absalom |
| 138 | And David did with his accursed goadings. |
| 139 | Because I parted persons so united, |
| 140 | Parted do I now bear my brain, alas! |
| 141 | From its beginning, which is in this trunk. |
| 142 | Thus is observed in me the counterpoise. |