Outline to Dante Alighieri

La Commedia Dante Alighieri


INFERNO

CANTO XXXIII

 

         
  Inferno: Canto XXXIII      
  La bocca sollevò dal fiero pasto His mouth lifted up from the fierce dinner    
  quel peccator, forbendola a’capelli of that sinner, wiping it with the hair    
  del capo ch’elli avea di retro guasto. of the head that he had left wasted.    
         
  Poi cominciò: «Tu vuo’ ch’io rinovelli Then he began: "You wish that I renew    
  disperato dolor che ‘l cor mi preme the desperate pain that my heart presses upon me    
  già pur pensando, pria ch’io ne favelli. just thinking about it, before I tell of it.    
         
  Ma se le mie parole esser dien seme But if my words are to be seeds    
  che frutti infamia al traditor ch’i’ rodo, of infamous fruits to the traitor whom I gnaw    
  parlar e lagrimar vedrai insieme. you'll see me talk and weep at the same time.    
         
  Io non so chi tu se’ né per che modo I don't know who you are nor how you    
  venuto se’ qua giù; ma fiorentino came down here; but a Florentine    
  mi sembri veramente quand’io t’odo. you seem truly to me when I hear you.    
         
  Tu dei saper ch’i’ fui conte Ugolino, You must know that I was count Ugolino,    
  e questi è l’arcivescovo Ruggieri: and this is archbishop Ruggieri:    
  or ti dirò perché i son tal vicino. now I'll tell you why I'm so close to him.    
         
  Che per l’effetto de’ suo’ mai pensieri, That by effect of his bad intentions,    
  fidandomi di lui, io fossi preso I confided in him, I was taken    
  e poscia morto, dir non è mestieri; and then killed, it's not necessary to say how;    
         
  però quel che non puoi avere inteso, but that which you can't know,    
  cioè come la morte mia fu cruda, is how cruel was my death,    
  udirai, e saprai s’e’ m’ha offeso. you'll hear, and know how he so offends me.    
      a tower in Pisa where he was held  
  Breve pertugio dentro da la Muda A narrow wound within the Muda prisoner with his sons by Ruggieri  
  la qual per me ha ‘l titol de la fame, which because of me now has the title of hunger the Muda known as 'tower of hunger'  
  e che conviene ancor ch’altrui si chiuda, and within which others are sure to be enclosed, he was starved to death within tower  
         
  m’avea mostrato per lo suo forame which through it's opening showed me the wound(hole) in the Muda  
  più lune già, quand’io feci ‘l mal sonno many moons, until I slept a final evil sleep    
  che del futuro mi squarciò ‘l velame. that was the current drawn on me into the future.    
         
  Questi pareva a me maestro e donno, This man who seemed to me master and gift, his final vigil  
  cacciando il lupo e ‘ lupicini al monte hunted down the wolf and his cubs upon the mountain Ugolino and his sons  
  per che i Pisan veder Lucca non ponno. from which the Pisans cannot see Lucca.    
         
  Con cagne magre, studiose e conte With the hounds lean, studious and fleet    
  Gualandi con Sismondi e con Lanfranchi Gualandi with Sismondi and with Lanfranchi    
  s’avea messi dinanzi da la fronte. who he had placed before him.    
         
  In picciol corso mi parieno stanchi After a short while it seem that they tired    
  lo padre e ‘ figli, e con l’agute scane the father and his sons, and with their sharp fangs of the hounds above  
  mi parea lor veder fender li fianchi. it seemed to me that I saw their flanks torn apart.    
         
  Quando fui desto innanzi la dimane, When I was awakened just before dawn,    
  pianger senti’ fra ‘l sonno i miei figliuoli by the crying I heard, while sleeping, of my sons    
  ch’eran con meco, e dimandar del pane. who were with me, and asking for some bread.    
         
  Ben se’ crudel, se tu già non ti duoli You're so cruel, if you aren't already in pain    
  pensando ciò che ‘l mio cor s’annunziava; just thinking of that which my heart announced;    
  e se non piangi, di che pianger suoli? and if you're not already crying, what would you cry for?    
         
  Già eran desti, e l’ora s’appressava They were already awake, and their time was approaching    
  che ‘l cibo ne solea essere addotto, when the food was usually brought,    
  e per suo sogno ciascun dubitava; and for each one his dream turned to doubt;    
         
  e io senti’ chiavar l’uscio di sotto and I heard the key turn at the foot    
  a l’orribile torre; ond’io guardai of the horrible tower; then I looked at    
  nel viso a’ mie’ figliuoi sanza far motto. the faces of my sons without saying a word.    
         
  Io non piangea, sì dentro impetrai: I didn't cry, I became a stone within:    
  piangevan elli; e Anselmuccio mio they cried: and my little Anselm    
  disse: “Tu guardi sì, padre! che hai?”. said: 'You look funny, father!  What do you have?'    
         
  Perciò non lacrimai né rispuos’io But I didn't cry nor respond    
  tutto quel giorno né la notte appresso, all that day and including the night,    
  infin che l’altro sol nel mondo uscìo. until the next sun rise.    
         
  Come un poco di raggio si fu messo As a small ray was sent    
  nel doloroso carcere, e io scorsi into the painful prison, and I discovered    
  per quattro visi il mio aspetto stesso, the four faces of mine with the same aspect as my own,    
         
  ambo le man per lo dolor mi morsi; I bit both my hands out of pain;    
  ed ei, pensando ch’io ‘l fessi per voglia and they, thinking that I did it because of the desire    
  di manicar, di subito levorsi to eat, immediately jumped up    
         
  e disser: “Padre, assai ci fia men doglia and said: 'Father, it would give us much less pain    
  se tu mangi di noi: tu ne vestisti if you eat us: your not dressed    
  queste misere carni, e tu le spoglia”. with enough meat, and have none to spare.'    
         
  Queta’mi allor per non farli più tristi; I calmed myself then in order to not make them sadder;    
  lo dì e l’altro stemmo tutti muti; that day and the next we were all quiet;    
  ahi dura terra, perché non t’apristi? o hard earth, why didn't you open it? open the door of the tower which was  
      locked  
  Poscia che fummo al quarto dì venuti, When we came to the fourth day,    
  Gaddo mi si gittò disteso a’ piedi, Gaddo threw himself stretched out at my feet,    
  dicendo: “Padre mio, ché non mi aiuti?”. saying: 'My father, why don't you help me?'    
         
  Quivi morì; e come tu mi vedi, There he died, and as you see me,    
  vid’io cascar li tre ad uno ad uno I saw the other three fall one by one    
  tra ‘l quinto dì e ‘l sesto; ond’io mi diedi, between the fifth and the sixth day; when I became,    
         
  già cieco, a brancolar sovra ciascuno, already blind, shuffling over each one,    
  e due dì li chiamai, poi che fur morti. and for two days calling them, after they were dead.    
  Poscia, più che ‘l dolor, poté ‘l digiuno». Then, even more pain, than of fasting."    
         
  Quand’ebbe detto ciò, con li occhi torti When he had so spoken, with twisted eyes    
  riprese ‘l teschio misero co’denti, he again grabbed the head of the miserable one with his teeth,    
  che furo a l’osso, come d’un can, forti. which were down to the bone, like a powerful dog.    
         
  Ahi Pisa, vituperio de le genti Ah Pisa, the vituperativness of your people    
  del bel paese là dove ‘l sì suona, of the beautiful country there where the 'sì' sounds sì in the Tucson and Italian dialect the  
  poi che i vicini a te punir son lenti, since those around you are slow to punish you, same word for yes  
         
  muovasi la Capraia e la Gorgona, move Capraaia and Gorgona, two island in the Tyrrhenian Sea  
  e faccian siepe ad Arno in su la foce, and block up the Arno at its mouth,    
  sì ch’elli annieghi in te ogne persona! so that they every person within you drowns.    
         
  Ché se ‘l conte Ugolino aveva voce For if count Ugolino had the infamy    
  d’aver tradita te de le castella, to have betrayed you of your castles,    
  non dovei tu i figliuoi porre a tal croce. you should not have crucified his sons.    
         
  Innocenti facea l’età novella, They were innocent and young in age,    
  novella Tebe, Uguiccione e ‘l Brigata a new Thebes, Uguiccion and Brigata Thebes sight of terrible crimes in ancient world  
  e li altri due che ‘l canto suso appella. and the other two that the canto has named above. Gaddo and Anselmo  
         
  Noi passammo oltre, là ‘ve la gelata We went further on, there where the ice    
  ruvidamente un’altra gente fascia, rigidly encloses another group of people,    
  non volta in giù, ma tutta riversata. not turned downward, but all reversed.    
         
  Lo pianto stesso lì pianger non lascia, The crying of itself does not allow them to cry,    
  e ‘l duol che truova in su li occhi rintoppo, and the pain found within their eyes impedes,    
  si volge in entro a far crescer l’ambascia; it turns inward to increase the agony;    
         
  ché le lagrime prime fanno groppo, for the tears at first make a knot,    
  e sì come visiere di cristallo, and just like crystal visors,    
  riempion sotto ‘l ciglio tutto il coppo. fill up the whole cup under the eyebrow.    
         
  E avvegna che, sì come d’un callo, And although, just like a callous,    
  per la freddura ciascun sentimento because of the cold all sentiment    
  cessato avesse del mio viso stallo, had left my face still,    
         
  già mi parea sentire alquanto vento: yet I seemed to feel some wind:    
  per ch’io: «Maestro mio, questo chi move? so that I said: "My master, who moves this?    
  non è qua giù ogne vapore spento?». isn't it true that down here all vapor is spent?"    
         
  Ond’elli a me: «Avaccio sarai dove Whereupon he said to me: "Soon you'll be where    
  di ciò ti farà l’occhio la risposta, that which you will see will be the answer,    
  veggendo la cagion che ‘l fiato piove». seeing the cause which makes it blow."    
         
  E un de’ tristi de la fredda crosta And one of the sad ones of the icy crust    
  gridò a noi: «O anime crudeli, screamed out at us: "O cruel souls,    
  tanto che data v’è l’ultima posta, such that the last place is given to you, he thought they were also condemned  
         
  levatemi dal viso i duri veli, lift from my face the hard curtain,    
  sì ch’io sfoghi ‘l duol che ‘l cor m’impregna, so that I may release the pain that swells my heart,    
  un poco, pria che ‘l pianto si raggeli». a little, before the crying re-freezes."    
         
  Per ch’io a lui: «Se vuo’ ch’i’ ti sovvegna, Then I said to him: "If you wish that I aid you,    
  dimmi chi se’, e s’io non ti disbrigo, tell me who you are, and If I don't free you,    
  al fondo de la ghiaccia ir mi convegna». then I'll go to the bottom of the ice.    
      lay priest of Faenza who murdered his  
  Rispuose adunque: «I’ son frate Alberigo; He then responded: "I am father Alberigo;  family  
  i’ son quel da le frutta del mal orto, I am the one with the bad fruit, the signal to have his family killed at  
  che qui riprendo dattero per figo». who here receives dates instead of figs." dinner was 'bring in the fruit'  
         
  «Oh!», diss’io lui, «or se’ tu ancor morto?». "O!" I said to him, "now you're dead?" he was still alive in 1300  
  Ed elli a me: «Come ‘l mio corpo stea and he to me: "How my body is able to    
  nel mondo sù, nulla scienza porto. remain up in the world, I have not the knowledge. can't explain it  
         
  Cotal vantaggio ha questa Tolomea, Such advantage are here in Ptolomea,    
  che spesse volte l’anima ci cade often the soul falls    
  innanzi ch’Atropòs mossa le dea. before Atropos makes the last move. a spirit who cuts the thread of life  
         
  E perché tu più volentier mi rade and so that you more willingly will rid    
  le ‘nvetriate lagrime dal volto, my face of the frozen tears,    
  sappie che, tosto che l’anima trade you should know that, as soon as the soul betrays    
         
  come fec’io, il corpo suo l’è tolto as I did, its body is taken over    
  da un demonio, che poscia il governa by a demon, that governs it    
  mentre che ‘l tempo suo tutto sia vòlto. for its remaining time.    
         
  Ella ruina in sì fatta cisterna; It falls rushing into this cistern; verna Latin sings like a bird in spring -  
  e forse pare ancor lo corpo suso and perhaps the body of this other is alive, inhabited by a demon while  
  de l’ombra che di qua dietro mi verna. shadow behind me is still singing. soul is here in hell  
         
  Tu ‘l dei saper, se tu vien pur mo giuso: You'd know him, if you come right now:    
  elli è ser Branca Doria, e son più anni he is Ser Branca Doria, and he has spent    
  poscia passati ch’el fu sì racchiuso». many years here so enclosed."    
         
  «Io credo», diss’io lui, «che tu m’inganni; "I believe," I said to him, "that you're deceiving me;    
  ché Branca Doria non morì unquanche, for Branca Doria is not dead at all,    
  e mangia e bee e dorme e veste panni». he eats, drinks, sleeps and dresses himself."    
         
  «Nel fosso sù», diss’el, «de’ Malebranche, "In the fossa above," he said, "of Malebranche,    
  là dove bolle la tenace pece, there where the thick pitch boils, son-in-law of Branca Doria who was  
  non era ancor giunto Michel Zanche, Michel Zanche had not yet arrived, killed at the dinner party of the 'bad fruit'  
         
  che questi lasciò il diavolo in sua vece when this one left a devil took over    
  nel corpo suo, ed un suo prossimano his body, and another one of his relatives    
  che ‘l tradimento insieme con lui fece. who did the deed together with him.    
         
  Ma distendi oggimai in qua la mano; But reach out now here with your hand;    
  aprimi li occhi». E io non gliel’apersi; open my eyes." And I did not open them; to be courteous toward him would be  
  e cortesia fu lui esser villano. and courtesy was for him to be villainous. against the wishes of God  
         
  Ahi Genovesi, uomini diversi O you Genovese, men apart from    
  d’ogne costume e pien d’ogne magagna, every custom and full of corruption,    
  perché non siete voi del mondo spersi? why are you not scattered in the world?    
         
  Ché col peggiore spirto di Romagna That with the worst spirit of Romagna    
  trovai di voi un tal, che per sua opra I found one of you who because of his deeds    
  in anima in Cocito già si bagna,   his soul bathes now in Cocytus,    
         
  e in corpo par vivo ancor di sopra. and in body seems yet alive above.    
         

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Translated by:
Anthony LaPorta
anthonylaporta@msn.com

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