La Divina Commedia Inferno Canto XXXIV The song of Lucifero Time: Sunday, March 26, 1301 (Saturday, April 9, 1300): about seven o’clock in the afternoon; after the passage in the southern hemisphere, seven o’clock in the morning Place: Ditch IX: traitors (Giudecca and Cocito), “natural cavern” – beach of the Antipurgatory People: Dante, Virgilio, Lucifero, Giuda, Bruto, Cassio © 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 «V x ll r g s pr d unt nf rn 2 4 6 v rso di n i; però dinanzi mira», 1 4 6 8 3 disse ’l ma stro mio, «se tu ’l disc rni». 1 4 6 8 C me quando una gr ssa n bbia spira, 1 3 6 8 o quando l’emisp rio n stro ann tta, 2 6 8 6 par di lungi un molin che ’l v nto gira, 1 3 6 8 ved r mi parve un tal dificio all tta; 2 4 6 8 p i per lo v nto mi ristr nsi r tro 1 4 8 9 al duca mio, ché non lì ra altra gr tta. 2 4 (6) 7 8 Già ra, e con pa ura!il m"tto#in m$tro, 1 2 6 8 là d%ve l’&mbre tutte'(ran cop)rte, (1) 4 6 7 12 e traspar*en c+me festuca,in v-tro. 4 5 8 Altre s.no/a giac0re;1altre stanno23rte, 1 3 6 7 9 qu4lla col capo5e qu6lla con le piante; 1 4 6 15 altra, c7m’ arco,8il v9lto:a’ piè rinv;rte. 1 4 6 8 Quando n<i fummo fatti tanto=avante, 1 (3) 4 6 8 ch’al mio ma>?stro piacque di mostrarmi 4 6 18 la cre@atura ch’AbbeBil bCl sembiante, 4 6 8 d’innanzi mi si tDlseEe fé restarmi, 2 6 8 «Fcco Dite», dicGndo,H«ed IccoJil lKco 1 3 6 8 21 Lve conviMn che di fortNzza t’armi». 1 4 8 COm’ io divPnniQallRr gelatoSe fiTco, 2 4 6 8 nol dimandar, lettUr, ch’i’ non lo scrivo, 1 4 6 8 24 però ch’Vgne parlar sarWbbe pXco. 2 3 6 8 Io non morY’Ze non rima[i vivo; (2) 4 (6) 8 p\nsa]oggimai per te, s’hai fi^r d’ing_gno, 1 4 6 8 27 qual io div`nni, d’unoae d’altro privo. 2 4 6 8
2 “Vexilla regis prodeunt inferni toward us; therefore look forward,” 3 said my Master; “see if thou discern him.” As when a thick fog breathes, or when our hemisphere darkens to night, 6 a mill which the wind is turning seems from afar, such a structure it seemed to me that I then saw. Then, because of the wind, I drew me behind 9 my Leader; for no other shelter was there. I was now (and with fear I put it into verse), there where the shades were wholly covered, 12 and showed through like a straw in glass. Some are lying down; some are upright, this one with his head, and that with his soles uppermost; 15 another, like a bow, bends his face to his feet. When we had gone so far forward that it pleased my Master to show me 18 the creature which had the fair semblance, he took himself from before me and made me stop, saying: “Lo Dis! and lo the place 21 where it is needful that thou arm thyself with fortitude!” How frozen and faint I then became, ask it not, Reader, for I do not write it, 24 because all speech would be little. I did not die, and did not remain alive: think now for thyself, if thou hast a grain of wit, 27 what I became, deprived of one and the other.
3 Lo ’mperadbr del dolorcdo regno 4 8 da mfgho ’l pittojuscka fulr de la ghiaccia; 2 4 6 7 30 e più con un gigantemio mi convngno, 2 6 cheoi giganti non fan con le sue braccia: 3 6 (9) vpdiqoggimai quant’ rsser dse quel tutto 1 4 6 8 33 ch’a cotì fatta parte si confaccia. 4 6 S’ul fu sì bvl cwm’ xlliyèz{ra brutto, 1 2 3 4 6 8 e c|ntra ’l suo fatt}re~alzò le ciglia, 2 4 6 8 36 ben de da lui procderegne lutto. 1 2 4 6 8 h quanto parvea me gran maraviglia 1 2 4 6 7 quand’ io vidi tr faccea la sua tsta! (2) 3 6 39 L’una dinanzi,e qullara vermiglia; 1 4 6 l’altr’ ran due, che s’aggiugnenoa qusta 1 4 8 sovrsso ’l mo di ciascuna spalla, 2 4 8 42 e sé giugnenoal lco de la crsta: 2 4 6 e la dstra para tra biancae gialla; 3 6 8 la sinistraa vedrera tal, quali 3 6 7 9 45 vgnon di là ¡nde ’l Nilo s’avvalla. 1 4 5 7 S¢tto ciascuna£uscivan due grand’ ali, 1 4 6 8 9 quanto si conven¤a¥a tanto¦ucc§llo: 1 6 8 48 v¨le di mar non vid’ io mai cotali. 1 4 (5) 7 8 Non av©an pªnne, ma di vispistr«llo 3 4 ¬ra l r m®do;¯e qu°lle ±volazzava, 1/3 4 6 51 sì che tr² v³nti si mov´an daµ¶llo: 1 3 4 8 quindi Cocito tutto s’aggelava. 1 4 6 Con s·i¸¹cchi piangéa,ºe per tr» m¼nti 2 3 6 9 54 gocciava ’l pianto½e sanguin¾¿a bava. 2 4 8
4 The emperor of the woeful realm issued forth from the ice from the middle of his breast; 30 and I compare better with a giant, than the giants do with his arms. See now how great must be that whole 33 which is conformed to such a part. If he was as fair as he now is foul, and lifted up his brows against his Maker, 36 well should all tribulation proceed from him. Oh how great a marvel it seemed to me, when I saw three faces on his head! 39 one in front, and that was crimson; the others were two, which were adjoined to this above the very middle of each shoulder, 42 and they were joined up to the place of the crest; and the right seemed between white and yellow, the left was such in appearance as those 45 who come from there whence the Nile descends. Beneath each came forth two great wings, of size befitting so great a bird; 48 sails of the sea I never saw such. They had no feathers, but of a bat was their fashion; and he was flapping them 51 so that three winds were proceeding from him, whereby Cocytus was all congealed. With six eyes he was weeping, and over three chins 54 were trickling the tears and bloody drivel.
5 DaÀÁgne bÂcca dirompÃa cÄ’ dÅnti 2 4 8 un peccatÆre,Ça guiÈa di maciulla, 4 6 57 sì che trÉ ne facÊa coËì dolÌnti. 1 3 6 8 A quÍl dinanziÎil mÏrdereÐÑra nulla (2) 4 6 8 vÒrso ’l graffiar, che talvÓlta la schiÔna 1 4 7 60 rimanÕa de la pÖlle tutta brulla. 3 6 8 «Qu×ll’ anima là sù c’ha maggiØr pÙna», 2 6 9 disse ’l maÚÛstro,Ü«è Giuda ScarïÝtto, 1 4 6 63 che ’l capoÞha dßntroàe fuár le gambe mâna. 2 4 6 8 De liãaltri due c’hannoäil capo di såtto, 2 4 5 7 quæl che pçnde dal nèro céffoêè Bruto: 1 3 6 8 66 vëdi cìme si stírce,îe non fa mïtto!; 1 3 6 (9) e l’altroðè Cassio, che par sì membruto. 2 4 7 8 Ma la nñtte riòurge,óeôoramai 3 6 69 è da partir, ché tuttoõavöm veduto». 4 6 8 C÷m’ a lui piacque,øil cùllo liúavvinghiai; 4 6 ed ûl prüýe di tþmpo e l co p ste, 2 3 6 8 72 e quando l’ali fu ro ap rte assai, 2 4 6 8 appigliò sé a le vellute c ste; 3 4 8 di v llo in v llo giù disc e p scia 2 4 6 8 75 tra ’l f lto p lo e le gelate cr ste. 2 4 8 Quando n i fummo là d ve la c scia 1 4 6 si v lge, a punto in sul gr sso de l’anche, 2 4 7 78 lo duca, con fatica e con ang scia, 2 6 v lse la t sta v’ !lli"av#a le $anche, 1 4 6 8 e%aggrapp&ssi'al p(l c)m’ *m che sale, 4 6 8 81 sì che ’n inf+rno,i’ cred-a tornar anche. 1 4 7 (9)
6 At each mouth he was crushing with his teeth a sinner, in manner of a heckle, 57 so that he thus was making three of them woeful. To the one in front the biting was nothing to the clawing, whereby sometimes his back 60 remained all stripped of the skin. “That soul up there which has the greatest punishment,” said the Master, “is Judas Iscariot, 63 who has his head within, and plies his legs outside. Of the other two who have their heads downwards, he who hangs from the black muzzle is Brutus; 66 see how he writhes and says not a word; and the other is Cassius, who seems so large-limbed. But the night is rising again; and now 69 we must depart, for we have seen the whole.” As was his pleasure, I clasped his neck, and he took advantage of time and place, 72 and when the wings were wide opened he caught hold on the shaggy flanks; down from shag to shag he then descended 75 between the matted hair and the frozen crusts. When we were where the thigh turns just on the thick of the haunch, 78 my Leader, with effort and stress of breath, turned his head to where he had had his shanks, and grappled to the hair like one who mounts, 81 so that I believed we were returning again to hell.
7 «Atti.nti b/n, ché per cotali scale», 2 4 8 disse ’l ma01stro,2ansando c3m’ u4m lasso, 1 4 6 9 84 «convi5nsi dipartir da tanto male». 2 6 8 P6i7uscì fu8r per lo fóro d’un sasso 1 3 4 7 e pu9:e me;in su l’<rlo=a sed>re; 2 4 7 87 appr?sso p@rseAa me l’accBrto passo. 2 4 6 8 Io levai liCDcchiEe credFtti vedGre 1 3 4 7 LucHfero com’ io l’avIa lasciato, 2 6 8 90 e vidili le gambeJin sù tenKre; 2 6 8 e s’io divLnniMallNra travagliato, 2 4 6 la gOnte grPssaQil pRnsi, che non vSde 2 4 6 (9) 93 qual è quel punto ch’ioTavUa passato. 2 4 (6.8) «Lèvati sù», disse ’l maVWstro,X«in piYde: 1 4 5 8 la viaZè lunga[e ’l cammino\è malvagio, 2 4 7 96 e già]il s^le_a m`aba tcrza ridde». 2 4 6 8 Non era camminata di palagio 2 6 là ’v’ eravam, ma natural burflla 1 4 8 99 ch’avga mal suhloie di lume dijagio. 2 (3) 4 7 «Prima ch’io de l’abisso mi divklla, 1 (3) 6 malmstro mio», diss’ io quando fui dritto, 2 4 6 102 «a trarmi d’nrrooun ppco mi favqlla: 2 4 6 rv’ è la ghiaccia?se qutsti cum’ è fitto 2 4 6 (9) sì sottosvpra?we cxme,yin sì pzc’ {ra, 1 4 6 8 105 da s|ra}a mane~ha fattoil sl tragitto?». 2 4 6 8 Ed llia me: «Tuimaginianc ra 2 4 (5) 7 d’sser di là dal cntro,v’ io mi pri 1 4 6 8 108 al pl del vrmo ro che ’l mndo fóra. 2 4 6 8
8 “Cling fast hold, for by such stairs,” said the Master, panting like one weary, 84 “must we depart from so great evil.” Then he came forth through the cleft of a rock, and placed me upon its edge to sit; 87 then stretched toward me his cautious step. I raised my eyes, and thought to see Lucifer as I had left him, 90 and I saw him holding his legs upward; and if I then became perplexed, let the dull folk suppose it, who see not 93 what that point is which I had passed. “Rise up on foot,” said the Master; “the way is long and the road is difficult, 96 and already the sun returns to mid-tierce.” It was no hallway of a palace where we were, but a natural dungeon 99 which had a bad floor, and lack of light. “Before I tear myself from the Abyss, my Master,” said I when I had risen up, 102 “to draw me out of error talk a little with me. Where is the ice? and this one, how is he fixed thus upside down? and how in such short while 105 has the sun made transit from evening to morning?” And he to me: “Thou imaginest that thou still art on the other side of the centre, where I laid hold 108 on the hair of the wicked Worm that pierces the world.
9 Di là fsti cotanto quant’ io sci; 2 3 6 9 quand’ io mi vlsi, tu passasti ’l punto 2 4 6 8 111 al qual si traggon d’gne partei pi. 2 4 6 8 E s’r stto l’emisprio giunto 2/3 4 8 ch’è contrapstoa qul che la gran s cca 4 6 (9) 114 cov¡rchia,¢e s£tto ’l cui c¤lmo consunto 2 (4) 7 fu l’u¥m che nacque¦e visse sanza p§cca; 2 4 6 8 tu¨hai©i piªdi«in su p¬cciola sp ra 2 4 7 117 che l’altra faccia fa de la Giud®cca. 2 4 6 Qui¯è da man, quando di là°è s±ra; 1 4 5 8 e qu²sti, che ne fé scala c³l p´lo, 2 7 120 fittoµè¶anc·ra sì c¸me prim’ ¹ra. 1 4 6 7 9 Da quºsta parte cadde giù dal ci»lo; 2 4 6 8 e la t¼rra, che pria di qua si sp½rse, 3 6 8 123 per pa¾ura di lui fé del mar v¿lo, 3 6 7 9 e vÀnneÁa l’emispÂrio nÃstro;Äe fÅrse 2 6 8 per fuggir lui lasciò qui lÆco vòto (3) 4 6 8 126 quÇlla ch’appar di qua,Èe sù ricÉrse». 1 4 6 8 LuÊgoËè là giù da BelÌebù remÍto 1 4 8 tanto quanto la tÎmba si distÏnde, 1 3 6 129 che non per vista, ma per suÐnoÑè nÒto 2 4 8 d’un ruscellÓtto che quivi discÔnde 4 7 per la buca d’un sasso, ch’ÕlliÖha r×Øo, 3 6 8 132 col cÙrso ch’ÚlliÛavvÜlge,Ýe pÞco pßnde. 2 4 6 8 Lo ducaàeáio per quâl camminoãascäåo 2 4 6 8 intrammoæa ritornar nel chiaro mçndo; 2 6 8 135 e sanza curaèavér d’alcun ripêëo, 2 4 6 8
10 On that side thou wast so long as I descended; when I turned, thou didst pass the point 111 to which from every part all weighty things are drawn; and thou art now arrived beneath the hemisphere which is opposite to that which the great dry land 114 covers, and beneath whose zenith was slain the Man who was born and lived without sin: thou hast thy feet upon a little circle 117 which forms the other face of the Judecca. Here it is morning when it is evening there; and this one who made a ladder for us with his hair 120 is still fixed even as he was before. On this side he fell down from heaven, and the earth, which before was spread out on this side, 123 through fear of him made of the sea a veil, and came to our hemisphere; and perhaps to fly from him that land left here this vacant space 126 which appears on this side and ran back upward.” A place is there below, stretching from Beelzebub as far as his tomb extends, 129 which is not known by sight, but by the sound of a rivulet which descends here along the hollow of a rock that it has gnawed 132 with its winding and gently sloping course. My Leader and I by that hidden road entered, to return into the bright world; 135 and without care to have any repose,
11 salimmo sù,ìíl primoîeïio secðndo, 2 4 5 6 8 tanto ch’i’ vidi de le cñòe bólle 1 4 8 138 che pôrta ’l ciõl, per un pertugio töndo. 2 4 8 E quindi÷uscimmoøa rivedùr le stúlle. 2 4 8
12 we mounted up, he first and I second, so far that I saw some of the beautiful things 138 which Heaven bears through a round opening, and thence we issued forth again to see the stars.
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