Canto 6

When the mind returned, which closed itself before the pity of these two kinsfolk, that had all confounded me with sadness, new torments and new tormented souls I see around me wherever I move, and howsoever I turn, and wherever I gaze.

When I regained consciousness, I had fainted from pity for the two kinsfolk, whose suffering had overwhelmed me with sadness. Now I see new torments and tormented souls wherever I go, turn, or look.

I am in the third circle, that of the rain eternal, accursed, cold, and heavy. Its rule and quality are never new. Coarse hail, and foul water and snow pour down through the tenebrous air; the earth that receives them stinks. Cerberus, a beast cruel and monstrous, with three throats barks doglike above the people that are here submerged. He has vermilion eyes, and a greasy and black beard, and a big belly, and hands armed with claws: he tears the spirits, flays them, and rends them. The rain makes them howl like dogs; of one of their sides they make a screen for the other; the profane wretches often turn themselves.

I am in the third circle, where the rain is eternal, cursed, cold, and heavy. It always falls in the same way. Large hailstones, foul water, and snow pour down through the dark air. The earth that receives them stinks. Cerberus, a cruel and monstrous beast, barks like a dog from three throats over the people buried here. He has red eyes, a greasy black beard, a big belly, and clawed hands. He tears at the spirits, flays them, and rips them apart. The rain makes them howl like dogs. They use one side of their bodies to shield the other, and the sinful wretches often turn over.

When Cerberus, the great worm, observed us he opened his mouths, and showed his fangs to us; not a limb had he that he kept quiet. And my Leader opened wide his hands, took some earth, and with full fists threw it into the ravenous gullets. As the dog that barking craves, and becomes quiet when he bites his food, and is intent and fights only to devour it, such became those filthy faces of the demon Cerberus, who so thunders at the souls that they would fain be deaf.

When Cerberus, the great worm, saw us, he opened his mouths and showed us his fangs. Every limb of his body moved. My Guide spread his hands, picked up some earth, and threw two handfuls into the hungry mouths. A dog barks for food, then falls silent when it bites into it, focused only on struggling to devour it. So it was with the filthy faces of the demon Cerberus, whose thunderous cries make the souls wish they were deaf.

We were passing over the shades whom the heavy rain subdues, and were setting our feet upon their vain show that seems a body. They all of them lay upon the ground, except one who raised himself to sit, quickly as he saw us passing before him. “O thou who art led through this Hell,” he said to me, “recognize me, if thou canst; thou wast made before I was unmade.” And I to him, “The anguish which thou hast perchance withdraws thee from my memory, so that it seems not that I ever saw thee. But tell me who thou art, that in a place so woeful art set, and with such a punishment, that if any other is greater none is so displeasing.” And he to me, “Thy city which is so full of envy, that already the sack runs over, held me in it, in the serene life. You citizens called me Ciacco;¹⁵ for the damnable sin of gluttony, as thou seest, I am broken by the rain. And I, wretched soul, am not alone, for all these endure like punishment, for like sin,” and more he said not. I answered him, “Ciacco, thy trouble so weighs upon me, that it invites me to weeping; but tell me, if thou canst, to what will come the citizens of the divided city; if any one in it is just; and tell me the reason why such great discord has assailed it.”

We were passing over the shades beaten down by the heavy rain. We stepped on their ghostly forms, which only seemed to be bodies. They all lay on the ground, except one who quickly sat up when he saw us passing before him. “You who are being led through this Hell,” he said to me, “recognize me, if you can. You were made before I was unmade.” I said to him, “Your suffering may have changed you so much that I cannot remember you. It seems I have never seen you before. But tell me who you are, placed in such a sorrowful place and given such a punishment. Even if another punishment is worse, none is more unpleasant.” He said to me, “Your city is so full of envy that the sack is already overflowing. It was my home in the peaceful life. You citizens called me Ciacco;¹⁵ for the damnable sin of gluttony, as you see, I am broken by the rain. And I, a wretched soul, am not alone. All these suffer the same punishment for the same sin.” He said no more. I answered him, “Ciacco, your suffering weighs so heavily on me that it brings me close to tears. But tell me, if you can, what will become of the citizens of the divided city. Is anyone in it just? And tell me why such great discord has struck it.”

And he to me, “After long contention they will come to blood, and the savage party will chase out the other with great injury. Thereafter within three suns it behoves this to fall, and the other to surmount through the force of one who even now is tacking. It will hold high its front long time, keeping the other under heavy burdens, however it may lament and be shamed thereat. Two men are just, but there they are not heeded; Pride, Envy, Avarice are the three sparks that have inflamed their hearts.”¹⁶

And he said to me, “After a long struggle, they will come to bloodshed. The savage party will drive out the other, causing it great harm. Then, within three years, the savage party must fall, and the other will rise to power. It will rise through the power of someone who is even now changing sides. It will hold its head high for a long time, keeping the other party under heavy burdens. The other party may complain and feel ashamed, but it will remain burdened. Two men are just, but no one there listens to them. Pride, Envy, and Greed are the three sparks that have set their hearts ablaze.”¹⁶

Here he set end unto the lamentable sound.

Here he brought the mournful sound to an end.

And I to him, “Still I would that thou teach me, and that of more speech thou make a gift to me. Farinata and the Tegghiaio who were so worthy, Jacopo Rusticucci, Arrigo, and the Mosca, and the rest who set their minds on well-doing, tell me where they are, and cause that I may know them, for great desire constrains me to learn if Heaven sweeten them, or Hell envenom.

And I said to him, “I would still like you to teach me and tell me more. Farinata and Tegghiaio were so worthy, as were Jacopo Rusticucci, Arrigo, Mosca, and the others who devoted themselves to doing good. Tell me where they are, so I may find them. I am eager to know whether Heaven comforts them or Hell torments them.

And he, “They are among the blacker souls: a different sin weighs them down to the bottom; if thou so far descendest, thou canst see them. But when thou shalt be in the sweet world I pray thee that thou bring me to the memory of others. More I say not to thee, and more I answer thee not.” His straight eyes he twisted then awry, looked at me a little, and then bent his head, and fell with it level with the other blind.

And he said, “They are among the darker souls. A different sin weighs them down to the bottom. If you descend that far, you can see them. But when you return to the sweet world, I ask you to remind others of me. I will say no more to you, and I will answer you no further.” His eyes, which had been looking straight ahead, turned to one side. He looked at me for a moment, then bowed his head and fell, lying level with the other blind souls.

And the Leader said to me, “He wakes no more this side the sound of the angelic trump. When the hostile Sovereign shall come, each one will find again his dismal tomb, will take again his flesh and his shape, will hear that which through eternity reechoes.”

And the Leader said to me, “He will not wake again until the angel’s trumpet sounds. When the hostile Sovereign comes, each one will find his gloomy tomb again. Each will regain his flesh and form and hear what echoes through eternity.”

Thus we passed along with slow steps through the foul mixture of the shades and of the rain, touching a little on the future life. Wherefore I said, “Master, these torments will they increase after the great sentence, or will they become less, or will they be just as burning?” And he to me, “Return to thy science, which declares that the more perfect a thing is the more it feels the good, and so the pain. Though this accursed people never can attain to true perfection, it expects thereafter to be more than now.”

So we walked slowly through the foul mixture of spirits and rain, speaking a little about the life to come. I asked, “Master, will these torments grow worse after the great judgment? Will they lessen, or will they burn just as fiercely?” He replied, “Think back to your learning. It tells you that the more perfect a thing is, the more it feels pleasure and pain. Though these damned souls can never reach true perfection, they expect to be more perfect after the judgment than they are now.”

We took a circling course along that road, speaking far more than I repeat; and came to the point where the descent is. Here we found Pluto,¹⁷ the great enemy.

We followed the road as it curved around, talking about far more than I repeat here. We came to the place where the descent begins. There we found Pluto,¹⁷ the great enemy.