La Divina Commedia Inferno Canto VII The song of the stygian swamp Time: Sunday, March 26, 1301 (Saturday, April 9, 1300): shortly after midnight Place: Circle IV: misers and prodigals Circle V: irascibles and indolents People: Dante, Virgilio, Pluto © 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 «P pe Satàn, p pe Satàn al ppe!», 1 4 5 8 cominciò Pluto con la v ce chi ccia; 3 4 8 3 e qu l savio gentil, che tutto s ppe, 3 6 8 disse per confortarmi: «Non ti n ccia 1 6 la tua pa ura; ché, pod r ch’ lli abbia, 4 6 8 9 6 non ci torrà lo sc nder qu sta r ccia». 4 6 8 P i si riv lse a qu lla ’nfiata labbia, (1) 4 6 8 e disse: «Taci, malad tto lupo! 2 4 8 9 consuma d ntro te con la tua rabbia. 2 4 6 Non è sanza cagi n l’andare al cupo: 2 3 6 8 vu lsi ne l’alto, là d ve Mich le 1 4 6 12 fé la vend tta del sup rbo strupo». 1 4 8 Quali dal v nto le gonfiate v le 1 4 8 caggiono avv lte, p i che l’alber fiacca, 1 4 6 8 15 tal cadde a t rra la fi!ra crud"le. 1 2 4 7 Così scend#mmo ne la quarta lacca, 2 4 8 pigliando più de la dol$nte ripa 2 4 8 18 che ’l mal de l’univ%rso tutto&insacca. 2 6 8 Ahi giustizia di Dio! tante chi stipa 1 3 6 7 n've travaglie(e p)ne quant’ io viddi? 1 4 6 8/9 21 e perché nostra c*lpa sì ne scipa? 3 4 6 8 C+me fa l’,nda là s-vra Cariddi, 1 4 6 7 che si frange con qu.lla/in cui s’int0ppa, 3 6 8 24 co1ì convi2n che qui la g3nte riddi. 2 4 6 8 Qui vid’ i’ g4nte più ch’altr5ve tr6ppa, 1 4 6 8 e d’una parte7e d’altra, con grand’ urli, 4 6 9 27 voltando p89i per f:rza di p;ppa. 2 4 7
2 “Pape Satan, pape Satan aleppe,” began Pluto with his clucking voice. 3 And that gentle Sage, who knew everything, said to comfort me: “Let not thy fear hurt thee; for, whatever power he have, 6 he shall not take from thee the descent of this rock.” Then he turned to that swollen lip and said: “Be silent, accursed wolf!’ 9 consume thyself inwardly with thine own rage: not without cause is this going to the depth; it is willed on high, there where Michael 12 wrought the vengeance for the proud rape.” As sails swollen by the wind fall in a heap when the mast snaps, 15 so fell to earth the cruel wild-beast. Thus we descended into the fourth hollow, taking more of the woeful bank 18 which insacks the evil of the whole universe. Ah. justice of God! who heaps up so many new travails and penalties as I saw? 21 And why does our guilt so ruin us? As does the wave, yonder upon Charybdis, which is broken on that which it encounters, 24 so needs must here the people counterdance. Here I saw many more people than elsewhere, both on the one side and the other, with great howls 27 rolling weights by force of chest.
3 Percot<ansi ’nc=ntro;>e p?scia pur lì 3 6 8 si rivolg@a ciascun, voltandoAa rBtro, 4 6 8 30 gridando: «Perché tiCni?»De «Perché burli?». 2 5 6 9 Così tornavan per lo cErchio tFtro 2 4 8 daGHgne manoIa l’oppJKito punto, 2 4 7 33 gridandosiLanche lMroNontOPo mQtro; 2 4 6 8 pRi si volgSa ciascun, quand’ Tra giunto, 1 4 6 (8) per lo suo mUVWo cXrchioYa l’altra giZstra. 4 6 8 36 E[io, ch’av\a lo c]r qua^i compunto, 2 4 6 7 dissi: «Ma_`stro mio,abr mi dimcstra 1 4 6 7 che gdnteeè qufsta,ge se tutti fuhr chirci 2 4 7 39 qujsti chercutika la sinistra nlstra». 1 4 8 Ed mllina me: «Tutti quanti fuor guprci 2 4 5 7 9 sì de la mqnterin la vita primasia, 1 4 7 42 che con mitura nullo spundio fvrci. 4 6 8 Assai la vwce lxr chiaro l’abbayia, 2 4 6 7 quando vzgnono{a’ due punti del c|rchio 1 3 7 45 d}ve c~lpa contraria li dispaia. 1 3 6 Qusti fur chrci, che non han coprchio 1 4 8 pil oal capo,e papie cardinali, 2 4 6 48 in cuiuaavariziail suo soprchio». (3) 6 Eio: «Mastro, tra qusti cotali 2 4 7 dovr’io bn riconscerealcuni 2/3 4 7 51 che furoimmndi di cotsti mali». 2 4 8 Ed llia me: «Vano pensiroaduni: 2 4 5 8 la sconoscnte vita chei fé s zzi, 4 6 9 54 ad ¡gne conosc¢nza£¤r li fa bruni. 2 6 7
4 They struck against each other, and then there each wheeled round, rolling back, 30 crying: “Why boldest thou?” and “Why flingest thou away?” Thus they turned through the dark circle on either hand to the opposite point, 33 still crying out at each other their opprobrious measure; then each wheeled round, when he had come through his half circle to the other joust. 36 And I, who had my heart as it were pierced through, said: “My Master, now declare to me what folk this is, and if all were clerks 39 these tonsured ones on our left.” And he to me: “Each and all of these were so asquint in mind in the first life 42 that they made no spending in it with due measure. Clearly enough their voice bays it forth, when they come to the two points of the circle 45 where the contrary fault divides them. These were clerks who have no hairy covering on their heads, and Popes and Cardinals, 48 in whom avarice practices its excess.” And I: “Master, among such as these I ought surely to recognize some 51 who were polluted with these evils.” And he to me: “Thou harborest a vain thought; the undiscerning life that made them foul 54 now makes them dim to all discernment.
5 In ett¥rno verranno¦a li due c§zzi: 3 6 qu¨sti resurgeranno del sepulcro 1 6 57 col pugno chiu©o,ªe qu«sti c¬i crin m zzi. 2 4 6 9 Mal dare®e mal ten¯r lo m°ndo pulcro 2 6 8 ha t±lto l²ro,³e p´stiµa qu¶sta zuffa: 2 4 6 8 60 qual ·lla sia, par¸le non ci¹appulcro. 2 4 6 ºr pu»i, figliu¼l, ved½r la c¾rta buffa (1) 2 4 6 8 d’i b¿n che sÀn commÁssiÂa la fortuna, 2 4 6 63 per che l’umana gÃnte si rabuffa; 2 4 6 ché tutto l’Äro ch’è sÅtto la luna 2 4 7 e che già fu, di quÆst’ anime stanche 4 7 66 non poterÇbbe farne poÈareÉuna». 4 6 9 «MaÊËstro mio», diss’ io,Ì«Ír mi dìÎanche: 2 4 6 7 9 quÏsta fortuna di che tu mi tÐcche, 1 4 8 69 cheÑè, cheÒi bÓn del mÔndoÕha sì tra branche?». 2 4 6 8 E quÖlli×a me:Ø«Ùh creÚature sciÛcche, 2 4 (5) 8 quantaÜignoranzaÝè quÞlla che v’offßnde! 1 4 6 72 àr vá’ che tu mia sentânza ne ’mbãcche. 2 4 7 Colui lo cui savär tutto trascånde, 2 6 7 fæce li ciçlièe diè lér chi conduce 1 4 7 75 sì, ch’êgne parteëad ìgne parte splínde, 1 2 4 6 8 distribuîïndoðigualmñnte la luce. 4 7 Similemònteóa li splendôr mondani 4 8 78 ordinò general ministraõe duce 3 6 8 che permutasseöa t÷mpo li bøn vani 4 6 9 di gùnteúin gûnteüe d’unoýin altro sangue, 2 4 6 8 81 þltre la difensi n d’i s nni umani; 1 6 8
6 Forever will they come to the two buttings; these will rise from the sepulchre 57 with closed fist, and these with shorn hair. Ill-giving and ill-keeping have taken from them the beautiful world, and set them to this scuffle; 60 what that is, I adorn not words for it. Now, son, thou canst see the brief jest of the goods that are committed to Fortune, 63 for which the human race struggle with each other; for all the gold that is beneath the moon, or that ever was, of these weary souls 66 could not make a single one repose.” “Master,” said I to him, “now tell me further, this Fortune, on which thou touchest to me, what 69 is it, which has the goods of the world so in its clutches?” And he to me: “O foolish creatures, how great is that ignorance which harms you! 72 I would have thee now receive my opinion concerning her. He whose wisdom transcends all, made the heavens, and gave them their guides, 75 so that every part shines on every part, distributing equally the light. In like wise for the splendors of the world, 78 He ordained a general ministress and guide, who should from time to time transfer the vain goods from race to race, and from one blood to another, 81 beyond the resistance of human wit.
7 per ch’una g nte imp ra e l’altra langue, 4 6 8 segu ndo lo giudicio di cost i, 2 6 84 che è occulto c me in rba l’angue. 4 6 8 V stro sav r non ha contasto a l i: (1) 4 8 qu sta prov de, giudica, e pers gue 1 4 6 87 suo r gno c me il l ro li altri dèi. 2 4 6 8 Le sue permutazi n non hanno tri gue: (2) 6 8 necessità la fa sser vel ce; 4 7 90 sì sp!sso vi"n chi vic#nda cons$gue. 2 4 7 Qu%st’ è col&i ch’è tanto p'sta(in cr)ce 1/2 4 6 8 pur da col*r che le dovr+en dar l,de, 1 4 8 93 dandole bia-mo.a t/rto0e mala v1ce; 1 4 6 8 ma23lla s’è be4ata5e ciò non 6de: 2 6 8 con l’altre prime cre7ature li8ta 2 4 8 96 v9lve sua sp:ra;e be<ata si g=de. 1 4 7 >r discendiamo?omai@a maggiAr piBta; (1) 4 6 9 giàCDgne stElla cade che saliva 1 4 6 99 quand’ io mi mFssi,Ge ’l trHppo star si viIta». 2 4 6 8 Noi ricidJmmoKil cLrchioMa l’altra riva 1 4 6 8 sNvr’ una fOnte che bPlleQe rivRrsa 4 7 102 per un fossato che da lSi deriva. 4 8 L’acquaTUra buViaWassai più che pXrsa; 1 4 7 e nYi,Zin compagnia de l’[nde bige, 2 6 8 105 intrammo giù per una via div\rsa. 2 4 8 In la palude va c’ha n]me Stige 4 6 8 qu^sto tristo rusc_l, quand’ è disc`ao 1 3 6 8 108 al piè de le maligne piagge grige. 2 6 8
8 Wherefore one race rules, and another languishes, pursuant to her judgment, 84 which is hidden like the snake in the grass. Your wisdom has no withstanding of her: she foresees, judges, and pursues 87 her reign, as theirs the other gods. Her permutations have no truce; necessity compels her to be swift, 90 so often comes he who obtains a turn. This is she who is so set upon the cross, even by those who ought to give her praise, 93 giving her blame amiss and ill report. But she is blessed and hears this not: with the other Primal Creatures glad 96 she turns her sphere, and blessed she rejoices. Now let us descend at once to greater woe: already every star is sinking that was rising 99 when I set out, and too long stay is forbidden.” We crossed the circle to the other bank, above a fount that bubbles up and pours out 102 through a trench which proceeds from it. The water was far darker than perse; and we, in company with the dusky waves, 105 entered down through a strange way. A marsh makes that is named Styx, this dismal little stream, when it has descended 108 to the foot of the malign gray slopes.
9 Ebio, che di mirare stavacintdeo, 2 6 8 vidi gfnti fanggheiin quel pantano, 1 3 6 111 ignude tutte, con sembiantejoffklo. 2 4 8 Qumste si percotnan non pur con mano, 1 6 7.8 ma con la tostape col pqttore csi pitdi, 4 7 114 troncandosi cu’ dvntiwa branoxa brano. 2 6 8 Lo buyn maz{stro disse: «Figlio,|}r v~di 2 4 6 8 (9) l’anime di colr cui vinse l’ira; 1 6 8 117 eanche v’ che tu per crto crdi 2 4 6 8 che stto l’acqua è gnte che sospira, 2 4 6 e fanno pullular qust’ acquaal summo, 2 6 8 120 cme l’cchio ti dice,u’ che s’aggira. 1 3 6 (7) Fitti nel limo dicon: “Tristi fummo 1 4 6 8 ne l’ere dlce che dal sl s’allegra, 2 4 8 123 portando dntroaccidïo fummo: 2 4 8 r ciattristiam ne la belltta ngra”. 1 4 8 Qust’ inno si gorgglian ne la strzza, 2 6 126 ché dir nl psson con parlaintgra». 2 4 8 Coì girammo de la l rda p¡zza 2 4 8 grand’ arco, tra la ripa s¢cca£e ’l mézzo, 2 6 8 129 con li¤¥cchi vòlti¦a chi del fango§ing¨zza. 2 4 6 8 Venimmo©al piè d’una tªrre«al da s¬zzo. 2 4 7
10 And I, who was standing intent to gaze, saw muddy people in that swamp, 111 all naked and with look of hurt. They were smiting each other, not with hand only, but with the head, with the chest, and with the feet, 114 mangling one another piecemeal with their teeth. The good Master said: “Son, now thou seest the souls of those whom anger overcame; 117 and also I will that thou believe for certain that under the water are folk who sigh, and make this water bubble at the surface, 120 as thine eye tells thee wherever it turns. Fixed in the slime, they say: ‘Sullen were we in the sweet air that is gladdened by the Sun, 123 bearing within ourselves the sluggish fume; now we are sullen in the black mire.’ This hymn they gurgle in their throats, 126 for they cannot speak with entire words.” Thus we circled of the foul fen a great arc, between the dry bank and the slough, 129 with eyes turned on those who guzzle the mire. We came at length to the foot of a tower.
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