La Divina Commedia Inferno Canto XVII The song of Gerione Time: Sunday, March 26, 1301 (Saturday, April 9, 1300): towards dawn Place: Circle VII - Group III: violents against God, nature, art (blasphemers, sodomites, usurers) People: Dante, Virgilio, Gerione, Reginaldo degli Scrovegni, Catello dei Gianfigliazzi, one of the family of the Obriachi © 2021 Dr. M. Junker: Fonetics, metrics, accents colored, protected by Namirial SpA © 1994 Le Lettere: Critical Edition of the Divine Comedy (by Giorgio Petrocchi) English Translation by Charles Eliot Norton: 1901/1952 (Encyclopædia Britannica)
1 « cco la fi ra con la c da aguzza, 1 4 8 che passa i m nti e r mpe i muri e l’armi! 2 4 6 8 3 cco col i che tutto ’l m ndo appuzza!». 1 4 6 8 Sì cominciò lo mio duca a parlarmi; (1) 4 7 e accenn lle che venisse a pr da, 4 8 6 vicino al fin d’i passeggiati marmi. (2) 4 8 E qu lla s zza imagine di fr da (2) 4 6 s n v nne, e arrivò la t sta e ’l busto, 2 6 8 9 ma ’n su la riva non trasse la c da. 4 7 La faccia sua !ra faccia d’u"m giusto, 2 4 5 7 (9) tanto benigna#av$a di fu%r la p&lle, 1 4 6 8 12 e d’un serp'nte tutto l’altro fusto; 4 6 8 due branche(av)a pil*+e,insin l’asc-lle; 2 4 6 8 lo d.sso/e ’l p0tto1e2ambedue le c3ste 2 4 8 15 dipinti4av5a di n6di7e di rot8lle. 2 4 6 Con più col9r, somm:sse;e sovrap<ste 2 4 6 non f=r mai drappi Tartari né Turchi, 2/3 4 6 18 né fu>r tai t?le per Aragne@impAste. (2) 4 8 CBme talvClta stannoDa rivaEi burchi, 1 4 6 8 che parte sFnoGin acquaHe parteIin tJrra, 2 4 6 8 21 e cKme là tra li TedLschi lurchi (2) 4 8 lo bMvero s’assNttaOa far sua guPrra, 2 6 8 coQì la fiRra pSssima si stava (2) 4 6 24 su l’Trlo ch’è di piUtraVe ’l sabbiWn sXrra. 2 6 9 Nel vano tutta sua cYda guizzava, 2 4 7 torcZndo[in sù la venen\]a f^rca 2 4 8 27 ch’a gui_a di scorpi`n la puntaaarmava. 2 6 8
2 “Behold the wild beast with the pointed tail, that passes mountains, and breaks walls and weapons; 3 behold him that infects all the world.” Thus began my Leader to speak to me; and he beckoned to him that he should come to shore 6 near the end of the marbles we had walked on. And that loathsome image of fraud came onward, and landed his head and his bust, 9 but did not draw up his tail on the bank. His face was the face of a just man (so benignant the skin it had outwardly), 12 and all his trunk was of a serpent; he had two paws, hairy to the armpits; his back and his breast and both his sides 15 were painted with nooses and rings. With more colors of groundwork and pattern Tartars or Turks never made cloth, 18 nor were such webs laid on the loom by Arachne. As sometimes boats lie on the shore, and are partly in water and partly on the ground, 21 and as yonder, among the gluttonous Germans, the beaver settles himself to make his war, so lay that worst of beasts 24 upon the edge of stone which closes in the sand. In the void all his tail was quivering, twisting upwards its venomous fork, 27 which in guise of a scorpion armed the point.
3 Lo duca disse:b«cr convidn che si terca 2 4 5 7 la nfstra viagun phcoiinsinoja quklla 2 4 6 8 30 blstia malvagia che colà si cmrca». 1 4 8 Però scendnmmooa la dpstra mammqlla, 2 4 7 e dirce passi fsmmotin su lo strumo, 2 4 6 33 per bvn cessar la rwnaxe la fiammylla. (2) 4 6 E quando nzi{a l|i venuti s}mo, 2 4 6 8 p~co piùltre vggioin su la rna (1) 4 6 36 gnte sed r propinquaal lco scmo. 1 4 6 8 Quivi ’l mastro:«Acciò che tutta pina 1 4 6 8 esperïnza d’sto girn prti», 4 (6) 9 39 mi disse, «va,e vdi la lr mna. 2 4 6 9 Li tui ragionamnti san là crti; 2 6 9 mntre che trni, parlerò con qusta, (1) 4 8 42 che ne concdai sui meri forti». 4 7 Co¡ì¢anc£r su per la str¤ma t¥sta 2 4 5 8 di quel s¦ttimo c§rchio tutto s¨lo 3 6 8 45 andai, d©ve sedªa la g«nte m¬sta. 2 3 6 8 Per li ®cchi f¯ra scoppiava l°r du±lo; 2 4 7 di qua, di là soccorr²en con le mani 2 4 7 48 quando³a’ vap´ri,µe quando¶al caldo su·lo: 1 4 6 8 non altrim¸nti fan di state¹i cani 4 6 8 ºr c»l c¼ffo½¾r c¿l piè, quando sÀn mÁrsi 1 3 4 6 7 51 o da pulciÂo da mÃscheÄo da tafani. 3 6 PÅi che nel viÆoÇa cÈrti liÉÊcchi pËrsi, 1 4 6 8 nÌ’ quali ’l dolorÍÎo fÏco casca, 2 6 8 54 non ne conÐbbiÑalcun; maÒio m’accÓrsi (1) 4 6 8
4 The Leader said: “Now needs must bend our way a little toward that 30 wicked beast which is couching yonder.” Therefore we descended on the right hand side and took ten steps upon the verge 33 in order completely to avoid the sand and the flamelets. And when we had come to him, I see, a little farther on, upon the sand 36 people sitting near to the empty space. Here the Master said to me: “In order that thou mayst carry away quite full experience 39 of this round, now go and see their condition. Let thy talk there be brief; until thou returnest I will speak with this beast, 42 that it may concede to us its strong shoulders.” Thus, further up along the extreme head of that seventh circle, all alone 45 I went where the sad people were sitting. Their woe was bursting forth through their eyes; now here, now there they made help with their hands, sometimes 48 against the vapors, and sometimes against the hot soil. Not otherwise do the dogs in summer, now with muzzle, now with paws, when they are bitten 51 either by fleas, or flies, or gadflies. When I set my eyes on the face of certain of those on whom the grievous fire falls, 54 I did not recognize one of them; but I perceived
5 che dal cÔlloÕa ciascun pendÖa×una tasca 3 6 8 ch’avØa cÙrto colÚreÛe cÜrto sÝgno, 2 3 6 8 57 e quindi par che ’l lÞroßàcchio si pasca. 2 4 (6) 7 E cám’ io riguardando tra lâr vãgno, 3 6 (9) in una bärsa gialla vidiåaæçurro 4 6 8 60 che d’un leèéneêavëa facciaìe contígno. (2) 4 6 7 Pîi, procedïndo di mio ðguardoñil curro, 1 4 8 vidineòun’altra cóme sangue rôssa, 1 4 6 8 63 mostrandoõun’öca bianca più che burro. 2 4 6 (8) E÷un che d’una scrøfaùaúûurraüe grýssa 2 6 8 segnatoþav a lo suo sacch tto bianco, 2 4 (6) 8 66 mi disse: «Che fai tu in qu sta f ssa? 2 5 6 (8) r te ne va; e perché s ’ vivo anco, 1 4 7 9 sappi che ’l mio vicin Vitalïano 1 (4) 6 69 sederà qui dal mio sinistro fianco. 3 4 (6) 8 Con qu sti Fiorentin s n pado ano: 2 6 (7) sp sse fïate mi ’ntr nan li or cchi 1 4 7 72 gridando: “V gna ’l cavali r sovrano, 2 4 8 che recherà la tasca con tre b cchi!”». 4 6 (9) Qui dist rse la b cca e di fu r trasse (1) 3 6 9 75 la lingua, c me b e che ’l na o l cchi. 2 4 6 8 E io, tem ndo n ’l più star crucciasse 2 4 6/7 8 lui che di p co star m’av a ’mmonito, 1 (4) 6 8 78 torn!’mi"in di#tro da l’anime lasse. 2 4 7 Trov$’%il duca mio ch’&ra salito 2 4 6 7 già su la gr'ppa del fi(ro)animale, 1 4 7 81 e disse*a me:+«,r s-e f.rte/e0ardito. 2 4 5 7
6 that from the neck of each was hanging a pouch, which had a certain color and a certain device, 57 and therewith it seems their eye is fed. And as I come gazing among them, I saw upon a yellow purse azure 60 which had the face and bearing of a lion.” Then as the current of my look proceeded, I saw another, red as blood, 63 display a goose whiter than butter. And one, who with an azure and gravid sow had his little white sack marked, 66 said to me: “What art thou doing in this ditch? Now get thee gone: and since thou art still alive, know that my neighbor, Vitaliano, 69 will sit here at my left side. With these Florentines am I, a Paduan; often they stun my ears, 72 shouting: ‘Let the sovereign cavalier come who will bring the pouch with the three beaks.’ ” Then he twisted his mouth, and thrust out 75 his tongue, like an ox that licks its nose. And I, fearing lest longer stay might vex him who had admonished me to stay but little, 78 turned back from these weary souls. I found my Leader, who had already mounted upon the croup of the fierce animal, 81 and he said to me: “Now be thou strong and courageous;
7 Omai si sc1nde per sì fatte scale; 2 4 8 m2nta dinanzi, ch’i’ v3glio45sser m678o, 1 4 7 8 84 sì che la c9da non p:ssa far male». (1) 4 7 (9) Qual è colui che sì pr;sso<ha ’l ripr=>?o (1) 4 7 (8) de la quartana, c’ha già l’unghie @mArte, 4 (7) 8 87 e triBma tutto pur guardando ’l rCDEo, 2 4 6 8 tal divFnn’ ioGa le parHle pIrte; 1 4 8 ma vergJgna mi fé le sue minacce, 3 6 8 90 cheKinnanziLa buMn segnNr fa sOrvo fPrte. 2 4 6 8 I’ m’assettaiQin su quRlle spallacce; 1 4 7 sì vSlli dir, ma la vTce non vUnne 1/2 4 7 93 cVm’ io credWtti: ‘Fa che tu m’abbracce’. 2 4 6 8 MaXYsso, ch’altra vZlta mi sovv[nne 2 4 6 ad altro f\rse, t]sto ch’i’ montai 2 4 6 96 con le braccia m’avvinse^e mi sost_nne; 3 6 e disse: «Gerï`n, mavitibomai: 2 6 7 le rcte larghe,de lo scender sia pfco; 2 4 7 (9) 99 pgnsa la nhva sima che tujhai». 1 (4) 6 Ckme la naviclllamnsce di loco 1 6 7 in diptroqin dirtro, sì quindi si tslse; 2 4 6 7 102 e pti ch’al tutto si sentìua givco, 2 4 8 là ’v’ wra ’l pxtto, la cyda rivzlse, 1 2 4 7 e qu{lla t|}a, come~anguilla, msse, (2) 4 8 105 e con le branche l’erea sé racclse. 4 6 8 Maggir paura non cr do che fsse 2 4 7 quando Fetnteabbandonò li frni, 1 4 8 108 per che ’l cil, cme pareancr, si csse; 3 4 6 8
8 henceforth the descent is by such stairs; mount thou in front, for I wish to be between, 84 so that the tail cannot do harm.” As is he who has so near the shivering fit of the quartan that his nails are already pale, 87 and he is all of a tremble only looking at the shade, such I became at these uttered words: but his exhortations wrought shame in me, 90 which in presence of a good lord makes a servant strong. I seated myself on those huge shoulders. “So do,” I wished to say, but the voice came not 93 as I thought, “that thou embrace me.” But he who other time had succored me, in other chance, soon as I mounted, 96 clasped me and sustained me with his arms; and he said: “Geryon, move on now; let thy circles be wide, and thy descending slow; 99 consider the novel burden that thou hast.” As the little vessel goes from its place, backward, backward, so he thence withdrew; 102 and when he felt himself quite at play, he turned his tail to where his breast had been, and moved it stretched out like an eel, 105 and with his paws gathered the air to himself. Greater fear I do not think there was when Phaëthon abandoned the reins, 108 whereby heaven, as is still apparent, was scorched;
9 né quandoIcaro miero le rni (1.2) 3 6 sentì spennar per la scaldata cra, 2 4 8 111 gridandoil padrea lui «Mala via tini!», 2 4 6 (7) 9 che fu la mia, quando vidi ch’i’ra (2) 4 5 7 ne l’ere d’gne parte,e vidi spnta 2 (4) 6 (8) 114 gne veduta fur che de la fra. 1 4 6 lla s n va notando l¡nta l¢nta; 1 4 6 8 r£ta¤e disc¥nde, ma non me n’acc¦rgo 1 4 (7) 117 se non che§al vi¨o©e di sªtto mi v«nta. 2 4 7 Io sent¬a già da la man d stra®il g¯rgo 1 (3) 4 8 far s°tto n±i²un orribile scr³scio, 1/2 4 7 120 per che con li´µcchi ’n giù la t¶sta sp·rgo. 2 4 6 8 All¸r fu’¹io più timidoºa lo st»scio, 2 4 6 però ch’i’ vidi fu¼chi½e sent¾’ pianti; 2 4 6 9 123 ¿nd’ io tremando tutto mi raccÀscio. 2 4 6 E vidi pÁi, ché nÂl vedÃa davanti, 2 4 6 8 lo scÄndereÅe ’l girar per li gran mali 2 6 (9) 126 che s’appressavan da divÆrsi canti. 4 8 CÇme ’l falcÈn ch’è statoÉassai su l’ali, 1 4 (6) 8 che sanza vedÊr lËgoroÌoÍuccÎllo 2 5 6 129 fa direÏal falconiÐreÑ«Omè, tu cali!», 2 6 8 (9) discÒnde lassoÓÔnde si mÕveÖi×nØllo, 2 4 5 8 per cÙnto rÚte,Ûe da lunge si pÜne 2 4 7 132 dal suo maÝÞstro, dißdegnàáoâe fãllo; 4 8 coäì ne puåæeçal fèndo Gerïéne 2 4 6 al pièêal piè de la stagliata rëcca, 2 4 8 135 e, discarcate le nìstre persíne, (1) 4 7
10 nor when the wretched Icarus felt his loins unfeathering by the melted wax, 111 his father crying to him: “Ill way thou holdest,” than mine was, when I saw that I was in the air on every side, and saw vanished 114 every sight, except that of the beast. It goes along swimming slowly, slowly, wheels and descends, but I perceive it not, 117 save for the wind upon my face, and from below. I heard now on the right hand the gulf making beneath us a horrible din; 120 wherefore I stretch out my head, with my eyes downward. Then I became more terrified at the precipice, because I saw fires and heard laments; 123 whereat I, trembling, all the closer cling. And I saw then, for I had not seen them before, the descending and the circling, by the great evils 126 which were drawing near on divers sides. As the falcon which has been long on wing, that, without sight of lure or bird, 129 makes the falconer say: “Ah me, thou stoopest!” descends weary, whence it started swiftly, through a hundred circles, and alights 132 disdainful and sullen far from its master; so Geryon set us at the bottom, at the very foot of the rough hewn rock, 135 and, disburdened of our persons,
11 si dileguò cîme da cïrda cðcca. 4 5 8
12 vanished as arrow from the bowstring.
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