Canto 14

Because the charity of my native place constrained me, I gathered up the scattered leaves and gave them back to him who was already hoarse.

Because I felt compassion for a fellow Florentine, I gathered the scattered leaves and returned them to him, though he was already hoarse.

Then we came to the confine, where the second round is divided from the third, and where is seen a horrible mode of justice.

Then we came to the boundary between the second and third rounds, where a horrible form of justice can be seen.

To make clearly manifest the new things, I say that we had reached a plain which from its bed removeth every plant. The woeful wood is a garland round about it, even as the dismal foss to that. Here, on the very edge, we stayed our steps. The floor was a dry and dense sand, not made in other fashion than that which of old was trodden by the feet of Cato.

To make these new sights clear, I should say that we had reached a plain where no plants grew. The sorrowful wood surrounded the plain like a garland, just as the gloomy ditch surrounded the wood. We stopped at the very edge of the plain. The ground was covered with dry, dense sand, just like the sand Cato once walked on.

O vengeance of God, how much thou oughtest to be feared by every one who readeth that which was manifest unto mine eyes!

O vengeance of God, how greatly everyone who reads of what I saw should fear you!

Of naked souls I saw many flocks, that were all weeping very miserably, and diverse law seemed imposed upon them. Some folk were lying supine on the ground, some were seated all crouched up, and others were going about continually. Those who were going around were far the more, and those the fewer who were lying down under the torment, but they had their tongues more loose for wailing.

I saw many groups of naked souls, all weeping miserably. Different rules seemed to be imposed on them. Some lay on their backs on the ground, some sat huddled up, and others walked around without stopping. Far more were walking around than lying down in torment, but those lying down cried out more freely.

Over all the sand, with a slow falling, were raining down dilated flakes of fire, as of snow on alps without a wind. As the flames which Alexander in those hot parts of India saw falling upon his host, solid to the ground, wherefore he took care to trample the soil by his troops, because the vapor was better extinguished while it was single; so was descending the eternal glow whereby the sand was kindled, like tinder beneath the steel, for doubling of the dole. Without repose was ever the dance of the wretched hands, now there, now here, brushing from them the fresh burning.

Large flakes of fire fell slowly over all the sand, like snow falling on the Alps without wind. Alexander saw flames fall like this on his army in the hot regions of India. They fell all the way to the ground. So he ordered his troops to trample the ground, because the flames were easier to put out while still separate. In the same way, the eternal fire fell and set the sand alight, like a spark striking tinder. This doubled the suffering. The wretches’ hands never stopped moving, brushing away the fresh flames now here, now there.

I began, “Master, thou that overcomest everything, except the obdurate demons, who at the entrance of the gate came out against us, who is that great one that seemeth not to heed the fire, and lies scornful and contorted, so that the rain seems not to ripen him?” And that same one who had perceived that I was asking my Leader about him, cried out, “Such as I was alive, such am I dead. Though Jove weary his smith, from whom in wrath he took the sharp thunderbolt wherewith on my last day I was smitten, or though he weary the others, turn by turn, in Mongibello at the black forge, crying, ‘Good Vulcan, help, help!’ even as he did at the fight of Phlegra, and should hurl on me with all his might, thereby he should not have glad vengeance.”

I began, “Master, you overcome everything except the stubborn demons who came out against us at the gate. Who is that great figure who seems not to care about the fire? He lies there twisted and scornful, as though the rain cannot make him yield.” The figure realized I was asking my Leader about him and cried out, “As I was in life, so I am in death. Jove took the sharp thunderbolt from his smith in anger and struck me with it on my last day. Though Jove wear out that smith, or wear out the others in turn at the black forge in Mongibello, he will not have the joy of vengeance. Though he cry, ‘Good Vulcan, help, help!’ just as he did at the battle of Phlegra, and hurl thunderbolts at me with all his might, he will not have the joy of vengeance.”

Then my Leader spoke with force so great that I had not heard him so loud, “O Capaneus, in that thy pride is not quenched, art thou the more punished; no torture save thine own rage would be a pain adequate to thy fury.”

Then my Leader spoke more forcefully than I had ever heard him speak. “O Capaneus, your punishment is greater because your pride has not been quenched. No torture but your own rage could cause pain enough to match your fury.”

Then he turned round to me with better look, saying, “He was one of the Seven Kings that besieged Thebes, and he held, and it appears that he holds God in disdain, and little it appears that he prizes Him; but as I said to him, his own despites are very due adornments for his breast. Now come on behind me, and take heed withal, not to set thy feet upon the burning sand, but keep them always close unto the wood.”

Then he turned to me with a gentler look and said, “He was one of the Seven Kings who besieged Thebes. He held God in contempt, and it seems he still does. He appears to have little regard for God. But as I told him, his own scorn is a fitting ornament for his chest. Now follow me, and be careful not to step on the burning sand. Keep your feet close to the wood at all times.”

Silent we came to where spirts forth from the wood a little streamlet, the redness of which still makes me shudder. As from the Bulicame issues a brooklet, which then the sinful women share among them, so this down across the sand went along.⁴⁸ Its bed and both its sloping banks were made of stone, and the margins on the side, whereby I perceived that the crossing⁴⁹ was there.

In silence, we came to a little stream that flowed out of the wood. Its redness still makes me shudder. The stream ran down across the sand, like the brook that flows from the Bulicame and is shared among the sinful women.⁴⁸ Its bed, sloping banks, and edges were made of stone. From this, I realized that the crossing⁴⁹ was there.

“Among all else that I have shown to thee, since we entered through the gate whose threshold is barred to no one, nothing has been discerned by thine eyes so notable as is the present stream which deadens all the flamelets upon it.” These words were of my Leader, wherefore I prayed him, that he should give me largess of the food for which he had given me largess of desire.

“Of all I have shown you since we entered through the gate that is closed to no one, your eyes have seen nothing as remarkable as this stream. It puts out all the little flames that fall on it.” These were my Guide’s words, so I asked him to give me the food he had made me so eager to have.

“In mid sea sits a wasted land,” said he then, “which is named Crete, under whose king the world of old was chaste. A mountain is there that of old was glad with waters and with leaves, which is called Ida; now it is desert, like a thing outworn. Rhea chose it of old for the trusty cradle of her little son, and to conceal him better when he cried had shoutings made there. Within the mountain stands erect a great old man, who holds his shoulders turned towards Damietta, and looks at Rome as if his mirror. His head is formed of fine gold, and pure silver are his arms and breast; then he is of brass far as to the fork. From there downward he is all of chosen iron, save that his right foot is of baked clay, and he stands erect on that more than on the other.⁵⁰ Every part except the gold is cleft with a fissure that trickles tears, which collected perforate that cavern. Their course falls from rock to rock into this valley; they form Acheron, Styx, and Phlegethon; then it goes down through this narrow channel far as where there is no more descending. They form Cocytus, and what that pool is, thou shalt see; therefore here is it not told.”

“In the middle of the sea lies a desolate land called Crete,” he said. “Under its king, the world was chaste long ago. There is a mountain there called Ida. It was once rich with water and leaves. Now it is barren, like something worn out. Long ago, Rhea chose Ida as a safe cradle for her little son. To hide him better when he cried, she had people shout on the mountain. “Inside the mountain stands a great old man. His shoulders are turned toward Damietta, and he looks at Rome as if it were his mirror. His head is made of fine gold, and his arms and chest are pure silver. Below that, he is made of brass down to his waist. From there down, he is all choice iron, except for his right foot, which is baked clay. He stands with more weight on that foot than on the other.⁵⁰ Every part except the gold is split by a crack that drips tears. The tears gather and cut through the cavern. “The tears flow from rock to rock into this valley. They form Acheron, Styx, and Phlegethon. Then the flow goes down through this narrow channel to where there is no further descent. There the tears form Cocytus. You will see what that pool is, so I will not tell you here.”

And I to him, “If the present rill floweth down thus from our world, why doth it appear to us only at this rim?”

And I said to him, “If this stream flows down from our world, why do we see it only at this rim?”

And he to me, “Thou knowest that the place is round, and though thou art come far, ever to the left descending toward the bottom, not yet hast thou turned through the whole circle; wherefore if a new thing appears to us, it ought not to bring wonder to thy face.”

And he said to me, “You know this place is round. Though you have come far, always descending to the left toward the bottom, you have not yet gone all the way around. So if we see something new, you should not look surprised.”

And I again, “Master, where are Phlegethon and Lethe found, for of the one thou art silent, and of the other thou sayest that it is formed by this rain?”

And I asked again, “Master, where are Phlegethon and Lethe? You have said nothing about one, and you say the other is formed by this rain.”

“In all thy questions surely thou pleasest me,” he answered, “but the boiling of the red water ought truly to solve one that thou askest. Lethe thou shalt see, but outside of this ditch, there where souls go to lave themselves when sin repented of is taken away.” Then he said, “Now it is time to depart from the wood; take heed that thou come behind me; the margins afford way, for they are not burning, and above them all the vapor is extinguished.”

“Your questions always please me,” he answered, “but the boiling red water should really answer one of them. You will see Lethe, but outside this ditch. Souls go there to wash themselves when their repented sins are taken away.” Then he said, “Now it is time to leave the woods. Make sure you follow me. We can walk along the banks because they are not burning, and all the vapor above them has been put out.”