La Divina Commedia Inferno Canto XXXI The song of the giants Time: Sunday, March 26, 1301 (Saturday, April 9, 1300): between three and four o’clock in the afternoon Place: Well of the giants People: Dante, Virgilio. Giants: Nembrot, Anteo, Fialte, Briareo, Tizio, Tifo © 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 Una med ma lingua pria mi m rse, 4 6 8 sì che mi tinse l’una e l’altra guancia, 1 4 6 8 3 e p i la medicina mi rip rse; 2 6 co ì d’ io che sol a far la lancia 2 4 7 8 d’Achille e del suo padre sser cagi ne 2 6 7 6 prima di trista e p i di bu na mancia. 1 4 6 8 N i d mmo il d sso al mi ero vall ne 2 4 6 su per la ripa che ’l cinge dint rno, 1 4 7 9 attraversando sanza alcun serm ne. 4 6 8 Quiv’ ra m n che n tte e m n che gi!rno, 1/2 4 6 8 sì che ’l vi"o m’andava#innanzi p$co; 1 3 6 8 12 ma%io senti’ sonare&un alto c'rno, 2 4 6 8 tanto ch’avr(bbe)*gne tu+n fatto fi,co, 1 4 5 7 8 che, c-ntra sé la sua via seguitando, 1 2 4 7 15 dirizzò li./cchi mi0i tutti1ad un l2co. 3 4 6 7 D3po la dolor45a r6tta, quando 1 6 8 Carlo Magno perdé la santa g7sta, 1 3 6 8 18 non sonò sì terribilm8nte9Orlando. 1 3 4 8 P:co portài;in là v<lta la testa, 1 4 6 7 che me parve ved=r m>lte?alte t@rri; 3 6 7 8 21 And’ io: «MaBCstro, dì, che tDrraEè quFsta?». 2 4 6 8 Ed GlliHa me: «Però che tu trascIrri 2 4 6 8 per le tJnebre trKppo da la lungi, 3 6 24 avviLn che pMi nel maginareNabbOrri. 2 4 8 Tu vedrai bPn, se tu là ti congiungi, 1 4 (6) 7 quanto ’l senso s’inganna di lontano; 1 3 6 27 peròQalquanto più te stRsso pungi». 2 4 6 8
2 One and the same tongue first stung me, so that it tinged both my cheeks, 3 and then supplied the medicine to me. Thus do I hear that the lance of Achilles and of his father was wont to be cause 6 first of a sad and then of a good gift. We turned our backs to the wretched valley, up over the bank that girds it round, 9 crossing without any speech. Here it was less than night and less than day, so that my sight went little forward; 12 but I heard a loud horn sounding, so that it would have made every thunder faint, and this, following its course counter to it, 15 directed my eyes wholly to one place. After the dolorous rout when Charlemagne lost the holy gest, 18 Roland sounded not so terribly. Short while I carried my head turned thitherward, when it seemed to me that I saw many high towers; 21 whereon I: “Master, say, what city is this?” And he to me: “Because thou dost cross through the darkness from too far off, 24 it happens that then thou dost err in thy imagining. Thou wilt see well, if thou drawest nigh there, how much the sense is deceived at a distance; 27 therefore spur thyself on somewhat more.”
3 PSi caramTnte mi prUVe per mano 1 4 7 e disse: «Pria che nWi siam piùXavanti, 2 4 (6) 7 8 30 acciò che ’l fatto mYn ti paZia strano, 2 4 6 8 sappi che non s[n t\rri, ma giganti, 1 (4/5) 6 e s]n nel p^zzo_int`rno da la ripa 2 4 6 33 da l’umbilicoain giubo tutti quanti». 4 6 8 Ccme quando la ndbbia si dissipa, 1 3 6 lo eguardofa pgcoha pico raffigura 2 4 6 36 ciò che cjla ’l vapkr che l’lere stipa, 1 3 6 8 comì forando l’nura grossape scura, 2 4 6 8 piùqe piùrappressando vsr’ la sptnda, 1 3 6 (8) 39 fugguemiverrwrexe cresc[i]ymi pazura; 2 4 7 però che, c{me su la c|rchia t}nda 2 3 4 8 Montereggi~n di trri si corna, 4 6 42 coì la prda che ’l pzzo circnda 2 4 7 torreggiavan di m a la persna 3 6 liorribili giganti, cui minaccia 2 6 8 45 Give del ciloancra quando tuna. 1 4 6 (8) Eio scorgva già d’alcun la faccia, 2 4 6 8 le spallee ’l pttoe del vntre gran parte, 2 4 7 9 48 e per le cste giùmbo le braccia. 4 6 7 Natura crto, quando lasciò l’arte 2 4 6 9 di sì fattianimali,assai fé bne 3 6 8 51 per tòrre taliessecutria Marte. 2 4 8 E s’lla d’elefanti e di bal¡ne 2 6 non si p¢nte, chi guarda sottilm£nte, 3 6 54 più giusta¤e più discr¥ta la ne t¦ne; 1 2 4 6
4 Then he took me tenderly by the hand, and said: “Before we go further forward, 30 in order that the fact may seem less strange to thee, know that these are not towers, but giants, and they are in the pit round about the bank, 33 from the navel downward, one and all of them.” As when the mist is dissipating, the look little by little shapes out 36 what conceals the vapor that thickens the air, so, as I pierced the gross and dark air, as we drew nearer and nearer to the brink, 39 error fled from me and fear grew upon me. For as above its circular enclosure Montereggione crowns itself with towers, 42 so betowered the bank which surrounds the pit with half their bodies the horrible giants, whom still threatens 45 Jove from heaven when he thunders. And already I discerned the face of one of them, his shoulders, and his breast, and great part of his belly, 48 and down along his sides both his arms. Nature, surely, when she left the art of such like living beings, did exceeding well 51 to take such executioners from Mars: and though of elephants and of whales she repent not, he who looks subtly 54 holds her therein more just and more discreet;
5 ché d§ve l’argom¨nto de la m©nte 1/2 6 s’aggiugneªal mal vol«re¬e a la p®ssa, 2 4 6 57 nessun riparo vi può far la g¯nte. 2 4 8 La faccia sua mi par°a lunga±e gr²ssa 2 4 7 8 c³me la pina di San Pi´troµa R¶ma, (1) 4 8 60 e·a sua proporzi¸ne¹ºran l’altre»¼ssa; (3) 6 7 9 sì che la ripa, ch’½ra peri¾¿ma (1) 4 6 dal mÀÁÂoÃin giù, ne mostrava bÄn tanto 2 4 7 9 63 di sÅvra, che di giugnereÆa la chiÇma 2 6 trÈ FriÉÊn s’averËen dato mal vanto; 1 3 6 7 9 però ch’i’ ne vedÌa trÍnta gran palmi 2 6 7 (9) 66 dal lÎcoÏin giù dÐv’ ÑmoÒaffibbia ’l manto. 2 4 6 8 «Raphèl maÓì amècche abì almi», 2 4 6 9 cominciòÔa gridar la fiÕra bÖcca, 3 6 8 69 cui non si conven×a più dØlci salmi. 1 6 8 E ’l duca mio vÙr’ lui:Ú«Anima sciÛcca, 2 4 6 7 tiÜnti col cÝrno,Þe con qußl ti disfàga 1 4 7 72 quand’ iraáoâaltra passïãn ti täcca! 2 4 8 Cércatiåal cællo,çe troverai la sèga 1 4 8 che ’l tién legato,êoëanima confuìa, 2 4 6 75 e vídi lui che ’l gran pîtto ti dïga». 2 4 (6) 7 Pði disseña me:ò«ólli stôssi s’accuõa; (1) 2 4 (5) 7 quösti÷è Nembrøtto per lo cui mal cùto (1.2) 4 8 9 78 pur un linguaggio nel múndo non s’uûa. 1 2 4 7 Lasciànlo stareüe non parliamoýa vòto; 2 4 8 ché coþì è a lui ciascun linguaggio 3 6 8 81 c me ’l suo ad altrui, ch’a nullo è n to». (1) 3 6 8
6 for where the faculty of the mind is added to evil will and to power, 57 the human race can make no defense against it. His face seemed to me long and huge as the pinecone of St. Peter’s at Rome, 60 and his other bones were in proportion with it; so that the bank, which was an apron from his middle downward, showed of him fully so much 63 above, that to reach to his hair three Frieslanders would have made ill vaunt: for I saw of him thirty great spans 66 down from the place where one buckles his cloak. “Rafel mai amech zabi almi,” began to cry the fierce mouth, 69 to which sweeter psalms were not befitting. And my Leader toward him: “Foolish soul! Keep to thy horn, and with that vent thyself, 72 when anger or other passion touches thee; seek at thy neck, and thou wilt find the cord that holds it tied, O soul confused! 75 and see it lying athwart thy great breast.” Then he said to me: “He accuses himself; this is Nimrod, because of whose evil thought 78 one language only is not used in the world. Let us leave him alone, and not speak in vain; for such is every language to him, 81 as his to others which is known to no one.”
7 Fac mmo adunque più lungo vïaggio, 2 4 7 vòlti a sinistra; e al trar d’un bal stro 1 4 7 84 trovammo l’altro assai più f ro e maggio. 2 4 6 8 A cigner lui qual che f sse ’l ma stro, 2 4 5 7 non s io dir, ma l ten a soccinto 2 4 6 8 87 dinanzi l’altro e di tro il braccio d stro 2 4 6 8 d’una cat na che ’l ten a avvinto 4 8 dal c llo in giù, sì che ’n su lo scop!rto 2 4 (5) 7 90 si ravvolgéa"infino#al giro quinto. 4 6 8 «Qu$sto sup%rbo v&lle'(sser esp)rto 1 4 6 7 di sua pot*nza c+ntra ’l s,mmo Gi-ve», (2) 4 (6) 8 93 disse ’l mio duca,.«/nd’ 0lli1ha cotal m2rto. 1 4 6 (9) Fïalte3ha n4me,5e f6ce le gran pr7ve 2 4 6 (9) quando8i giganti f9r pa:ura;a’ dèi; (1) 4 (6) 8 96 le braccia ch’<l menò, già mai non m=ve». 2 4 6 8 E>io?a lui: «S’@sser puAte,Bio vorrCi 2 4 5 7 8 che de lo DmiEurato BrïarFo 6 99 esperïGnzaHavIsser liJKcchi mLi». 4 6 8 Mnd’ Ni rispuOPe: «Tu vedraiQAntRo 2 4 6 8 prSsso di qui che parlaTed è disciUlto, 1 4 6 102 che ne porrà nel fVndo d’Wgne rXo. 4 6 8 QuYl che tu vuZ’ ved[r, più là\è m]lto 1 4 6 8 ed è legato^e fatto c_me qu`sto, 4 6 (8) 105 salvo che più ferace par nel vblto». 1 4 6 8 Non fu tremcto già tanto rubdsto, 2 4 6 7 che scotessefuna tgrre cohì firte, 3 6 9 108 cjme Fïalteka scultersi fu prmsto. (1) 4 6
8 Then we made a longer journey, turning to the left, and at a crossbow-shot 84 we found the next, far more fierce and larger. Who had been the master to bind him I cannot tell; but he had shackled 87 behind, and the other in front, his right arm by a chain which held him girt from the neck downward, so that upon his uncovered part 90 it was wound as far as the fifth coil. “This proud one wished to make trial of his power against the supreme Jove,” 93 said my Leader, “wherefore he has such requital. Ephialtes is his name, and he made his great endeavors when the giants caused fear to the Gods: 96 the arms which he plied he moves nevermore.” And I to him: “If it may be, I would that of the measureless Briareus 99 my eyes might have experience.” Whereon he answered: “Thou shalt see Antaeus hard by here, who speaks, and is unfettered, 102 who will set us at the bottom of all sin. He whom thou wishest to see is much farther on, and is bound and fashioned like this one, 105 save that he seems more ferocious in his look.” Never was earthquake so mighty that it shook a tower as violently 108 as Ephialtes was quick to shake himself.
9 Allnr temott’ io più che mai la mprte, 2 4.5 6 8 e non v’qra mestirr più che la dstta, 3 6 7 111 s’io non avtssi viste le riturte. (1) 4 6 Nvi procedwmmo piùxavanteyallztta, 1 4 8 e venimmo{ad Ant|o, che b}n cinque~alle, 3 6 8 9 114 sanza la tsta,usca fur de la grtta. 1 4 6 7 « tu che ne la fortun ta valle (1) 2 8 che fce Scipïon di glria rda, 2 6 8 117 quand’ Anibàl c’ sui dide le spalle, 4 6 7 recasti già mille len per prda, 2 4 5 8 e che, se fssi statoa l’alta gurra 2 4 6 8 120 d’ tui fratlli,ancr par che si crda 2 4 6 7 ch’avrbber vintoi figli de la trra: 2 4 6 mttine giù,e non tn vgna schifo, 1 4 8 123 dve Coc to la freddura s¡rra. (1) 4 8 Non ci fare¢ire£a Tizio né¤a Tifo: 1 3 4 6 qu¥sti può dar di qu¦l che qui si brama; 1 4 6 8 126 però ti china§e non t¨rcer lo grifo. 2 4 7 Anc©r ti può nel mªndo r«nder fama, 2 4 6 8 ch’¬l vive, e lunga vita®anc¯r asp°tta 1 2 4 6 8 129 se ’nnanzi t±mpo grazia²a sé n³l chiama». 2 4 6 8 Co´ì disse ’l maµ¶stro;·e qu¸lli¹in frºtta 2 3 6 8 le man dist»¼e,½e pr¾¿e ’l duca mio, 2 4 6 8 132 Ànd’ Árcule sentì già grande strÂtta. 2 6 8 Virgilio, quando prÃnder si sentÄo, 2 (4) 6 disseÅa me: «Fatti qua, sì ch’io ti prÆnda»; 1 3 4 6 8 135 pÇi fÈce sì ch’un fascioÉÊraËÌlliÍeÎio. 1 4 6 (7) 8
10 Then more than ever did I fear death; and for it there had been no need of more than the fright, 111 if I had not seen his bonds. We then proceeded further forward, and came to Antaeus, who stood full five ells, 114 besides his head, above the rock. “O thou that, in the fateful valley which made Scipio the heir of glory, 117 when Hannibal with his followers turned his back, didst once bring a thousand lions for booty, and who hadst thou been at the high war 120 of thy brothers, it seems that some still believe that the sons of the Earth would have conquered, set us below (and disdain not to do so) 123 where the cold locks up Cocytus. Make us not go to Tityus, nor to Typhon; this man can give of that which is longed for here; 126 therefore stoop, and twist not thy muzzle. He can yet restore fame to thee in the world; for he is living, and still expects long life, 129 if Grace does not untimely call him to itself.” Thus said the Master: and he in haste stretched out those hands, and took my Leader, 132 of which Hercules once felt the mighty grip. Virgil, when he felt himself taken up, said to me: “Come hither, so that I may take thee”: 135 then he did so that he and I were one bundle.
11 Qual pareÏa riguardar la CariÐÑnda 2 6 sÒtto ’l chinato, quandoÓun nÔvol vada 1 4 6 8 138 sÕvr’ Össa sì, ch×d ØllaÙincÚntro pÛnda: 2 4 6 8 tal parveÜAntèoÝa me che stavaÞa bada 1 2 4 6 8 di vedßrlo chinare,àe fu tal ára 3 6 8 9 141 ch’i’âavrãi volutoäir per altra strada. (3) 6 8 Ma lievemånteæal fçndo che divèra 4 6 Lucéfero con Giuda, ci sposò; 2 6 144 né, sì chinato, li fêce dimëra, 1 2 4 6 7 e cìmeíîlberoïin nave si levò. (2) 3 6
12 As the Carisenda seems to the view, beneath its leaning side, when a cloud is going 138 over it so that the tower hangs counter to it, thus seemed Antaeus to me who was watching to see him stoop; and it was a moment 141 when I could have wished to go by another road. But lightly in the depth that swallows Lucifer with Judas he set us down; 144 nor, thus stooping, did he there make stay, but like the mast of a ship he raised himself.
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