CANTO III.

Through me to the city dolorous lies the way, Who pass through me shall pains eternal prove, Through me are reached the people lost for aye. 'Twas Justice did my Glorious Maker move; I was created by the Power Divine,[203] The Highest Wisdom, and the Primal Love. No thing's creation earlier was than mine, If not eternal;[204] I for aye endure: Ye who make entrance, every hope resign! These words beheld I writ in hue obscure 10 On summit of a gateway; wherefore I: 'Hard[205] is their meaning, Master.' Like one sure Beforehand of my thought, he made reply: 'Here it behoves to leave all fears behind; All cowardice behoveth here to die. For now the place I told thee of we find, Where thou the miserable folk shouldst see Who the true good[206] of reason have resigned.' Then, with a glance of glad serenity, He took my hand in his, which made me bold, 20 And brought me in where secret things there be. There sighs and plaints and wailings uncontrolled The dim and starless air resounded through; Nor at the first could I from tears withhold. The various languages and words of woe, The uncouth accents,[207] mixed with angry cries And smiting palms and voices loud and low, Composed a tumult which doth circling rise For ever in that air obscured for aye; As when the sand upon the whirlwind flies. 30 And, horror-stricken,[208] I began to say: 'Master, what sound can this be that I hear, And who the folk thus whelmed in misery?' And he replied: 'In this condition drear Are held the souls of that inglorious crew Who lived unhonoured, but from guilt kept clear. Mingled they are with caitiff angels, who, Though from avowed rebellion they refrained, Disloyal to God, did selfish ends pursue. Heaven hurled them forth, lest they her beauty stained; Received they are not by the nether hell, 41 Else triumph[209] thence were by the guilty gained.' And I: 'What bear they, Master, to compel Their lamentations in such grievous tone?' He answered: 'In few words I will thee tell. No hope of death is to the wretches known; So dim the life and abject where they sigh They count all sufferings easier than their own. Of them the world endures no memory; Mercy and justice them alike disdain. 50 Speak we not of them: glance, and pass them by.' I saw a banner[210] when I looked again, Which, always whirling round, advanced in haste As if despising steadfast to remain. And after it so many people chased In long procession, I should not have said That death[211] had ever wrought such countless waste. Some first I recognised, and then the shade I saw and knew of him, the search to close, Whose dastard soul the great refusal[212] made. 60 Straightway I knew and was assured that those Were of the tribe of caitiffs,[213] even the race Despised of God and hated of His foes. The wretches, who when living showed no trace Of life, went naked, and were fiercely stung By wasps and hornets swarming in that place. Blood drawn by these out of their faces sprung And, mingled with their tears, was at their feet Sucked up by loathsome worms it fell among. Casting mine eyes beyond, of these replete, 70 People I saw beside an ample stream, Whereon I said: 'O Master, I entreat, Tell who these are, and by what law they seem Impatient till across the river gone; As I distinguish by this feeble gleam.' And he: 'These things shall unto thee be known What time our footsteps shall at rest be found Upon the woful shores of Acheron.' Then with ashamèd eyes cast on the ground, Fearing my words were irksome in his ear, 80 Until we reached the stream I made no sound. And toward us, lo, within a bark drew near A veteran[214] who with ancient hair was white, Shouting: 'Ye souls depraved, be filled with fear. Hope never more of Heaven to win the sight; I come to take you to the other strand, To frost and fire and everlasting night. And thou, O living soul, who there dost stand, From 'mong the dead withdraw thee.' Then, aware That not at all I stirred at his command, 90 'By other ways,[215] from other ports thou'lt fare; But they will lead thee to another shore, And 'tis a skiff more buoyant must thee bear.' And then my leader: 'Charon, be not sore, For thus it has been willed where power ne'er came Short of the will; thou therefore ask no more.' And hereupon his shaggy cheeks grew tame Who is the pilot of the livid pool, And round about whose eyes glowed wheels of flame. But all the shades, naked and spent with dool, 100 Stood chattering with their teeth, and changing hue Soon as they heard the words unmerciful. God they blasphemed, and families whence they grew; Mankind, the time, place, seed in which began Their lives, and seed whence they were born. Then drew They crowding all together, as they ran, Bitterly weeping, to the accursed shore Predestinate for every godless man. The demon Charon, with eyes evermore Aglow, makes signals, gathering them all; 110 And whoso lingers smiteth with his oar. And as the faded leaves of autumn fall One after the other, till at last the bough Sees on the ground spread all its coronal; With Adam's evil seed so haps it now: At signs each falls in turn from off the coast, As fowls[216] into the ambush fluttering go. The gloomy waters thus by them are crossed, And ere upon the further side they land, On this, anew, is gathering a host. 120 'Son,' said the courteous Master,[217] 'understand, All such as in the wrath of God expire, From every country muster on this strand. To cross the river they are all on fire; Their wills by Heavenly justice goaded on Until their terror merges in desire. This way no righteous soul has ever gone; Wherefore[218] of thee if Charon should complain, Now art thou sure what by his words is shown.' When he had uttered this the dismal plain 130 Trembled[219] so violently, my terror past Recalling now, I'm bathed in sweat again. Out of the tearful ground there moaned a blast Whence lightning flashed forth red and terrible, Which vanquished all my senses; and, as cast In sudden slumber, to the ground I fell.

FOOTNOTES:

[203] _Power Divine, etc._: The Persons of the Trinity, described by their attributes.

[204] _If not eternal_: Only the angels and the heavenly spheres were created before Inferno. The creation of man came later. But from _Inf._