Canto 1

Midway upon the road of our life I found myself within a dark wood, for the right way had been missed. Ah! how hard a thing it is to tell what this wild and rough and dense wood was, which in thought renews the fear! So bitter is it that death is little more. But in order to treat of the good that there I found, I will tell of the other things that I have seen there. I cannot well recount how I entered it, so full was I of slumber at that point where I abandoned the true way. But after I had arrived at the foot of a hill, where that valley ended which had pierced my heart with fear, I looked on high, and saw its shoulders clothed already with the rays of the planet² that leadeth men aright along every path. Then was the fear a little quieted which in the lake of my heart had lasted through the night that I passed so piteously. And even as one who with spent breath, issued out of the sea upon the shore, turns to the perilous water and gazes, so did my soul, which still was flying, turn back to look again upon the pass which never had a living person left.

Halfway through the journey of our life, I found myself in a dark wood, having lost the right path. Ah, how hard it is to describe that wild, rough, and dense wood! The thought of it brings back my fear. The wood is so bitter that death is little worse. But to tell of the good I found there, I will describe the other things I saw. I cannot clearly say how I entered the wood. I was so full of sleep when I left the true path. But then I came to the foot of a hill, where the valley that had filled my heart with fear ended. I looked up and saw the hill’s slopes already covered by the rays of the planet² that guides people along every path. Then the fear in the depths of my heart eased a little. It had lasted through the wretched night I had spent there. Like someone who has struggled ashore from the sea, then turns to gaze at the dangerous water, my soul looked back. Though still fleeing, it looked again at the passage no living person had ever left.

After I had rested a little my weary body I took my way again along the desert slope, so that the firm foot was always the lower. And lo! almost at the beginning of the steep a she-leopard, light and very nimble, which was covered with a spotted coat. And she did not move from before my face, nay, rather hindered so my road that to return I oftentimes had turned.

After resting my weary body for a little while, I set out again along the barren slope. As I climbed, my weight rested on my lower foot. And there, almost at the start of the steep climb, was a swift, nimble female leopard with a spotted coat. She would not move from my path. Instead, she blocked my way so completely that I often turned back.

The time was at the beginning of the morning, and the Sun was mounting upward with those stars that were with him when Love Divine first set in motion those beautiful things;³ so that the hour of the time and the sweet season were occasion of good hope to me concerning that wild beast with the dappled skin. But not so that the sight which appeared to me of a lion did not give me fear. He seemed to be coming against me, with head high and with ravening hunger, so that it seemed that the air was affrighted at him. And a she-wolf,⁴ who with all cravings seemed laden in her meagreness, and already had made many folk to live forlorn,—she caused me so much heaviness, with the fear that came from sight of her, that I lost hope of the height And such as he is who gaineth willingly, and the time arrives that makes him lose, who in all his thoughts weeps and is sad,—such made me the beast without repose that, coming on against me, little by little was pushing me back thither where the Sun is silent.

It was early morning, and the Sun was rising with the same stars that were with him when Divine Love first set those beautiful things in motion.³ The time of day and the pleasant season gave me good hope despite the wild beast with the spotted skin. But that hope did not keep me from being afraid when I saw a lion. He seemed to be coming toward me, his head held high and fiercely hungry. Even the air seemed frightened of him. Then a she-wolf⁴ appeared. Though thin, she seemed burdened with every craving, and she had already made many people live in misery. The fear I felt at seeing her weighed so heavily on me that I lost hope of reaching the height. The restless beast made me like someone who gladly gains wealth, then loses it when the time comes. Such a person weeps and grieves in all his thoughts. The beast came toward me, pushing me little by little back to where the Sun is silent.

While I was falling back to the low place, before mine eyes appeared one who through long silence seemed hoarse. When I saw him in the great desert, “Have pity on me!” I cried to him, “whatso thou art, or shade or real man.” He answered me: “Not man; man once I was, and my parents were Lombards, and Mantuans by country both. I was born sub Julio, though late, and I lived at Rome under the good Augustus, in the time of the false and lying gods. Poet was I, and sang of that just son of Anchises who came from Troy after proud Ilion had been burned. But thou, why returnest thou to so great annoy? Why dost thou not ascend the delectable mountain which is the source and cause of every joy?”

As I fell back toward the low place, someone appeared before my eyes. He seemed hoarse from long silence. When I saw him in the vast desert, I cried out, “Have pity on me, whoever you are, ghost or living man.” He answered me: “I am not a man, though I once was. My parents were Lombards, and both came from Mantua. I was born under Julius Caesar, though late in his time. I lived in Rome under the good Augustus, when people worshipped false and lying gods. I was a poet, and I sang of the righteous son of Anchises who came from Troy after proud Ilion was burned. But why are you returning to such misery? Why don't you climb the delightful mountain, the source and cause of every joy?”

“Art thou then that Virgil and that fount which poureth forth so large a stream of speech?” replied I to him with bashful front: “O honor and light of the other poem I may the long seal avail me, and the great love, which have made me search thy volume! Thou art my master and my author; thou alone art he from whom I took the fair style that hath done me honor. Behold the beast because of which I turned; help me against her, famous sage, for she makes any veins and pulses tremble.” “Thee it behoves to hold another course,” he replied, when he saw me weeping, “if thou wishest to escape from this savage place; for this beast, because of which thou criest out, lets not any one pass along her way, but so hinders him that she kills him! and she has a nature so malign and evil that she never sates her greedy will, and after food is hungrier than before. Many are the animals with which she wives, and there shall be more yet, till the hound⁵ shall come that will make her die of grief. He shall not feed on land or goods, but wisdom and love and valor, and his birthplace shall be between Feltro and Feltro. Of that humble⁶ Italy shall he be the salvation, for which the virgin Camilla died, and Euryalus, Turnus and Nisus of their wounds. He shall hunt her through every town till he shall have set her back in hell, there whence envy first sent her forth. Wherefore I think and deem it for thy best that thou follow me, and I will be thy guide, and will lead thee hence through the eternal place where thou shalt hear the despairing shrieks, shalt see the ancient spirits woeful who each proclaim the second death. And then thou shalt see those who are contented in the fire, because they hope to come, whenever it may be, to the blessed folk; to whom if thou wilt thereafter ascend, then shall be a soul more worthy than I for that. With her I will leave thee at my departure; for that Emperor who reigneth them above, because I was rebellious to His law, wills not that into His city any one should come through me. In all parts He governs and them He reigns: there in His city and His lofty seat. O happy he whom thereto He elects!” And I to him, “Poet, I beseech thee by that God whom thou didst not know, in order that I may escape this ill and worse, that thou lead me thither whom thou now hast said, so that I may see the gate of St. Peter, and those whom thou makest so afflicted.”

“Are you Virgil, the fountain that pours out such a great stream of speech?” I replied, lowering my face shyly. “O honor and light of the other poets, may my long study and the great love that made me search your book serve me well! You are my master and my author. You alone are the one from whom I learned the beautiful style that has brought me honor. Look at the beast that made me turn back. Help me against her, famous sage, for she makes my veins and pulses tremble.” “You must take another path,” he replied, when he saw me weeping, “if you wish to escape this savage place. For this beast you cry out against lets no one pass her way. She blocks their path until she kills them! Her nature is so wicked and evil that she never satisfies her greedy desire. After feeding, she is hungrier than before. She mates with many animals, and there will be more yet, until the hound⁵ comes and makes her die of grief. He will not feed on land or goods, but on wisdom, love, and valor. His birthplace will be between Feltro and Feltro. He will be the salvation of that humble⁶ Italy, for which the virgin Camilla died, and Euryalus, Turnus, and Nisus died of their wounds. He will hunt the beast through every town until he has driven her back to hell, where envy first sent her out. So I think it best that you follow me. I will be your guide and lead you from here through the eternal place. There you will hear the despairing shrieks and see the sorrowful ancient spirits, each of whom cries out for the second death. Then you will see those who are content in the fire, because they hope to join the blessed people, whenever that may be. If you then wish to ascend to the blessed, a soul more worthy than I will guide you there. I will leave you with her when I depart. For the Emperor who reigns above does not want anyone to enter his city through me, because I rebelled against his law. He governs everywhere, and there he reigns. There are his city and his lofty throne. Oh, happy is the one he chooses to bring there!” And I said to him, “Poet, I beg you by that God whom you did not know, lead me to the place you have described. Do this so that I may escape this evil and worse, and see the gate of St. Peter and those you describe as so afflicted.”

Then he moved on, and I behind him kept.

Then he moved on, and I followed behind him.