Outline to Dante Alighieri

La Commedia Dante Alighieri


INFERNO

CANTO XXV

 

       
  Inferno: Canto XXV    
  Al fine de le sue parole il ladro At the end of his speech the thief  
  le mani alzò con amendue le fiche, raised both hands making the sign of the figs, an obscene gesture
  gridando: «Togli, Dio, ch’a te le squadro!». yelling: "Take this, God, they're for you!"  
       
  Da indi in qua mi fuor le serpi amiche, Then the serpents became my friends,  
  perch’una li s’avvolse allora al collo, because one wrapped itself around his neck,  
  come dicesse ‘Non vo’ che più diche’; as if saying 'I don't want you to say more;'  
       
  e un’altra a le braccia, e rilegollo, another wraps up his arms,  
  ribadendo sé stessa sì dinanzi, ties itself in front,  
  che non potea con esse dare un crollo. so he couldn't shake them off.  
       
  Ahi Pistoia, Pistoia, ché non stanzi O Pistoia, Pistoia, why don't you decree  
  d’incenerarti sì che più non duri, to burn yourself down so that no more will you endure,  
  poi che ‘n mal fare il seme tuo avanzi? then your evil seed won't be able to win?  
       
  Per tutt’i cerchi de lo ‘nferno scuri Within all the dark circles of hell  
  non vidi spirto in Dio tanto superbo, I haven't seen a spirit so against God  
  non quel che cadde a Tebe giù da’ muri. not even he who fell at Thebes from the wall.  
       
  El si fuggì che non parlò più verbo; And he fled since he couldn't speak anymore;  
  e io vidi un centauro pien di rabbia and I saw a centaur full of rage  
  venir chiamando: «Ov’è, ov’è l’acerbo?». coming and calling: "Where is he, where's the sour one?"  
       
  Maremma non cred’io che tante n’abbia, Maremma, I don’t think has so many a field in Tuscany
  quante bisce elli avea su per la groppa snakes as were upon him up to his withers  
  infin ove comincia nostra labbia. where began his human body.  
       
  Sovra le spalle, dietro da la coppa, Above his shoulder, behind his head,  
  con l’ali aperte li giacea un draco; with wings outstretched laid a dragon;  
  e quello affuoca qualunque s’intoppa. who blew fire at anyone nearby.  
       
  Lo mio maestro disse: «Questi è Caco, My master said: "This is Cacus,  
  che sotto ‘l sasso di monte Aventino who beneath the rock of mount Aventine  
  di sangue fece spesse volte laco. often made a lake of blood.  
       
  Non va co’ suoi fratei per un cammino, He doesn't walk with his brothers,  
  per lo furto che frodolente fece because of his fraudulent theft  
  del grande armento ch’elli ebbe a vicino; of the great herd that was nearby;  
       
  onde cessar le sue opere biece when his perverse work was stopped  
  sotto la mazza d’Ercule, che forse by the club of Hercules, who perhaps  
  gliene diè cento, e non sentì le diece». gave him a hundred blows, and he didn't feel but ten." he died after ten
       
  Mentre che sì parlava, ed el trascorse While he talked, and the centaur passed  
  e tre spiriti venner sotto noi, three spirits came beneath us,  
  de’ quali né io né ‘l duca mio s’accorse, and neither I nor my leader noticed them,  
       
  se non quando gridar: «Chi siete voi?»; except when they yelled: "Who are you?"  
  per che nostra novella si ristette, our discourse then stopped,  
  e intendemmo pur ad essi poi. and we watched them intently.  
       
  Io non li conoscea; ma ei seguette, I didn't know them; but then it happened,  
  come suol seguitar per alcun caso, as it usually does,  
  che l’un nomar un altro convenette, one called the other to come,  
       
  dicendo: «Cianfa dove fia rimaso?»; saying: "Cianfa, where has he stopped?"  
  per ch’io, acciò che ‘l duca stesse attento, then I, to get my leader’s attention,  
  mi puosi ‘l dito su dal mento al naso. placed my finger from my chin to my nose. indicating that he should remain silent
      (“Shh….”)
  Se tu se’ or, lettore, a creder lento If you are now, o reader, slow to believe  
  ciò ch’io dirò, non sarà maraviglia, what I will tell, it should be no wonder,  
  ché io che ‘l vidi, a pena il mi consento. because I who saw it, can hardly believe it.  
       
  Com’io tenea levate in lor le ciglia, Just as I was raising my eyes,  
  e un serpente con sei piè si lancia a serpent with six legs darts up  
  dinanzi a l’uno, e tutto a lui s’appiglia. in front of one, and grabs onto him with all.  
       
  Co’ piè di mezzo li avvinse la pancia, With its middle feet it grasps his belly,  
  e con li anterior le braccia prese; and with the front grabs his arms;  
  poi li addentò e l’una e l’altra guancia; then fixed his teeth on one and the other cheek;  
       
  li diretani a le cosce distese, the back feet were on his thighs,  
  e miseli la coda tra ‘mbedue, and he placed his tail between the two,  
  e dietro per le ren sù la ritese. and bent it upward toward his back.  
       
  Ellera abbarbicata mai non fue Ivy was never so rooted to  
  ad alber sì, come l’orribil fiera a tree as that horrible beast  
  per l’altrui membra avviticchiò le sue. with his limbs attached to him.  
       
  Poi s’appiccar, come di calda cera Then they stuck together, just like when wax  
  fossero stati, e mischiar lor colore, is heated, and mixes its colors together,  
  né l’un né l’altro già parea quel ch’era: one into the other then soon it seemed to be what it was:  
       
  come procede innanzi da l’ardore, just as before the flame burns  
  per lo papiro suso, un color bruno upon the paper, there is a brown color  
  che non è nero ancora e ‘l bianco more. that is not yet black then the white dies away.  
       
  Li altri due ‘l riguardavano, e ciascuno The other two were looking at each other  
  gridava: «Omè, Agnel, come ti muti! yelling: “O my, Agnello, how you've changed!  
  Vedi che già non se’ né due né uno». You see that your’e neither two nor one."  
       
  Già eran li due capi un divenuti, Already the two heads became one,  
  quando n’apparver due figure miste so that it appeared to be two bodies mixed  
  in una faccia, ov’eran due perduti. with one face, where two were lost.  
       
  Fersi le braccia due di quattro liste; Two arms were made of the four limbs;  
  le cosce con le gambe e ‘l ventre e ‘l casso the thighs and the legs and the belly and the thorax  
  divenner membra che non fuor mai viste. became body parts that I've never seen.  
       
  Ogne primaio aspetto ivi era casso: Every original aspect was cancelled:  
  due e nessun l’imagine perversa it seemed two and nothing - a perverse image;  
  parea; e tal sen gio con lento passo. and so it left with slow steps.  
       
  Come ‘l ramarro sotto la gran fersa Just as the lizard under the oppressive heat of a  
  dei dì canicular, cangiando sepe, canicular day, darting from hedge to hedge, dog day of summer
  folgore par se la via attraversa, appears as a flash as it crosses the path,  
       
  sì pareva, venendo verso l’epe so coming toward the bellies  
  de li altri due, un serpentello acceso, of the other two, came a small snake,  
  livido e nero come gran di pepe; livid and black like a grain of pepper.  
       
  e quella parte onde prima è preso and bit one of them in that part where  
  nostro alimento, a l’un di lor trafisse; we get our first nourishment; umbilicus
  poi cadde giuso innanzi lui disteso. then fell down stretched out in front of him.  
       
  Lo trafitto ‘l mirò, ma nulla disse; The bitten one looked at it, but said nothing;  
  anzi, co’ piè fermati, sbadigliava instead, standing still, yawned  
  pur come sonno o febbre l’assalisse. as if sleep or fever assailed him. effect of poisonous snake bite
       
  Elli ‘l serpente, e quei lui riguardava; Both the serpent and he looked at each other;  
  l’un per la piaga, e l’altro per la bocca the one from his wound, and the other with its mouth  
  fummavan forte, e ‘l fummo si scontrava. both smoking strongly, and the smoke met.  
       
  Taccia Lucano ormai là dove tocca Let Lucan now be silent where he tells about the  
  del misero Sabello e di Nasidio, miserable Sabellus and Nasidius,  
  e attenda a udir quel ch’or si scocca. and wait to hear that which now will unfold.  
       
  Taccia di Cadmo e d’Aretusa Ovidio; Let Ovid be silent about Cadmus and Arethusa;  
  ché se quello in serpente e quella in fonte where he poetically changes one into a serpent  
  converte poetando, io non lo ‘nvidio; the other into a fount, I don't envy him;  
       
  ché due nature mai a fronte a fronte for never before a face to face transmission of natures  
  non trasmutò sì ch’amendue le forme of both forms  
  a cambiar lor matera fosser pronte. readily exchanged their substance.  
       
  Insieme si rispuosero a tai norme, Together they responded to each other in such a fashion,  
  che ‘l serpente la coda in forca fesse, that the serpent made its tail forked,  
  e il feruto ristrinse insieme l’orme. and the wounded one fused his foot print.  
       
  Le gambe con le cosce seco stesse The legs and the thighs so stuck  
  s’appiccar sì, che ‘n poco la giuntura together that soon their junction  
  non facea segno alcun che si paresse. didn't make any sign that was apparent.  
       
  Togliea la coda fessa la figura The cleft tail assumed the figure  
  che si perdeva là, e la sua pelle that was lost by the one, and its skin  
  si facea molle, e quella di là dura. became soft, and that of the other hard.  
       
  Io vidi intrar le braccia per l’ascelle, I saw the arms enter into the armpits,  
  e i due piè de la fiera, ch’eran corti, and the two feet of the beast, which were short,  
  tanto allungar quanto accorciavan quelle. elongate as much as the other's shortened.  
       
  Poscia li piè di retro, insieme attorti, Then the back legs, twisting together,  
  diventaron lo membro che l’uom cela, became the organ which man conceals,  
  e ‘l misero del suo n’avea due porti. and the miserable one had both his taken away.  
       
  Mentre che ‘l fummo l’uno e l’altro vela While the smoke veils both  
  di color novo, e genera ‘l pel suso in a new color, and generates hair on one  
  per l’una parte e da l’altra il dipela, while the other becomes hairless,  
       
  l’un si levò e l’altro cadde giuso, the one stood up and the other fell down,  
  non torcendo però le lucerne empie, not ever turning away their impish glances,  
  sotto le quai ciascun cambiava muso. under which they exchanged faces.  
       
  Quel ch’era dritto, il trasse ver’ le tempie, The one upright, drew his inward toward the temples,  
  e di troppa matera ch’in là venne and the excess matter there came  
  uscir li orecchi de le gote scempie; out as ears from his smooth cheeks;  
       
  ciò che non corse in dietro e si ritenne that which didn't go backward was retained  
  di quel soverchio, fé naso a la faccia as that covering, became his nose and face  
  e le labbra ingrossò quanto convenne. and the lips enlarged as much as they could.  
       
  Quel che giacea, il muso innanzi caccia, The one laying down, pushed his face forward,  
  e li orecchi ritira per la testa and the ears retracted into the head  
  come face le corna la lumaccia; just like a snail does with its horns;  
       
  e la lingua, ch’avea unita e presta and the tongue, which was united and ready  
  prima a parlar, si fende, e la forcuta before to speak, split, and the forked one  
  ne l’altro si richiude; e ‘l fummo resta. of the other closed, and the smoke stopped.  
       
  L’anima ch’era fiera divenuta, The soul that had become beast left,  
  suffolando si fugge per la valle, hissing he fled the valley,  
  e l’altro dietro a lui parlando sputa. and the other behind him spit forth words.  
       
  Poscia li volse le novelle spalle, Then he turned his new shoulders  
  e disse a l’altro: «I’ vo’ che Buoso corra, and said to the other: "I want Buoso to run  
  com’ho fatt’io, carpon per questo calle». as I have, slithering in the streets."  
       
  Così vid’io la settima zavorra So I saw the seventh ballast  
  mutare e trasmutare; e qui mi scusi change and rechange; and here excuse me  
  la novità se fior la penna abborra. if the novelty exceeds my pen.  
       
  E avvegna che li occhi miei confusi Although I was somewhat confused by  
  fossero alquanto e l’animo smagato, my eyes and my mind dazzled,  
  non poter quei fuggirsi tanto chiusi, they couldn't escape undetected,  
       
  ch’i’ non scorgessi ben Puccio Sciancato; for I knew for sure it was Puccio Sciancato;  
  ed era quel che sol, di tre compagni and it was he alone, of the three companions  
  che venner prima, non era mutato; that first came, he alone remained unchanged;  
       
  l’altr’era quel che tu, Gaville, piagni. the other was he, who you, Gaville, cried over.  
       

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Translated by:
Anthony LaPorta
anthonylaporta@msn.com

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