Canto 18

There is a place in Hell called Malebolge, all of stone of the color of iron, as is the encircling wall that surrounds it. Right in the middle of this field malign yawns an abyss exceeding wide and deep, the structure of which I will tell of in its place. That belt, therefore, which remains between the abyss and the foot of the high bank is circular, and it has its ground divided into ten valleys. Such an aspect as where, for guard of the walls, many moats encircle castles, the place where they are presents, such image did these make here. And as in such strongholds from their thresholds to the outer bank are little bridges, so from the base of the precipitous wall started crags which traversed the dykes and the moats far as the abyss that collects and cuts them off.

There is a place in Hell called Malebolge. It is made entirely of iron-colored stone, as is the wall surrounding it. In the middle of this evil place is a vast, deep abyss. I will describe its structure in due course. The circular belt of ground between the abyss and the foot of the high bank is divided into ten valleys. These valleys looked like the many moats that surround castles to defend their walls. In such strongholds, small bridges run from the entrances to the outer bank. In the same way, rocky ridges ran from the base of the steep wall across the banks and moats. They reached the abyss, where they all ended.

In this place, shaken off from the back of Geryon, we found ourselves; and the Poet held to the left, and I moved on behind. On the right hand I saw new sorrow, new torments, and new scourgers, with which the first pit⁷⁸ was replete. At its bottom were the sinners naked. This side the middle they came facing us; on the farther side with us, but with swifter pace. As the Romans, because of the great host in the year of Jubilee,⁷⁹ have taken means upon the bridge for the passage of the people, who on one side all have their front toward the Castle,⁸⁰ and go to Saint Peter’s, and on the other toward the Mount.⁸¹

After Geryon shook us off his back, we found ourselves in this place. The Poet turned left, and I followed him. On the right I saw new suffering, new torments, and new tormentors filling the first pit⁷⁸. Naked sinners were at the bottom. On our side of the middle, they came toward us. On the farther side, they walked in the same direction as us, but faster. It was like the arrangement the Romans made on the bridge because of the great crowds in the Jubilee year⁷⁹. On one side, people all face the Castle⁸⁰ and go toward Saint Peter’s. On the other, they face the Mount⁸¹.

Along the gloomy rock, on this side and on that, I saw horned demons with great scourges, who were beating them cruelly from behind. Ah! how they made them lift their heels at the first blows; truly not one waited for the second, or the third.

Along the dark rock, on both sides, I saw horned demons with large whips. They cruelly whipped them from behind. Ah, how they made them run at the first blow! Not one waited for a second or third blow.

While I was going on, my eyes encountered one, and I said straightway, “Ere now for sight of him I have not fasted;” wherefore to shape him out I stayed my feet, and the sweet Leader stopped with ire, and assented to my going somewhat back. And that scourged one thought to conceal himself by lowering his face, but little it availed him, for I said: “O thou that castest thine eye upon the ground, if the features that thou bearest are not false, thou art Venedico Caccianimico; but what brings thee unto such pungent sauces?”

As I went on, I caught sight of someone and said at once, “I have seen him before.” So I stopped to get a better look at him. My gentle Guide stopped angrily and agreed to let me go back a little. The man being whipped lowered his face, hoping to hide, but it did him little good. I said, “You there, looking at the ground, if your features do not deceive me, you are Venedico Caccianimico. But what brings you to such pungent sauces?”

And he to me, “Unwillingly I tell it, but thy clear speech compels me, which makes me recollect the olden world. I was he who brought the beautiful Ghisola⁸² to do the will of the Marquis, how ever the shameful tale may be reported. And not the only Bolognese do I weep here, nay, this place is so full of them, that so many tongues are not now taught between Savena and the Reno to say sipa;⁸³ and if of this thou wishest pledge or testimony, bring to mind our avaricious heart.” As he spoke thus a demon struck him with his scourge and said, “Begone, pandar, here are no women for coining.”

And he said to me, “I tell you this unwillingly, but your clear speech compels me. It reminds me of the old world. I was the one who brought the beautiful Ghisola⁸² to do the Marquis’s will, however the shameful story may be told. And I am not the only Bolognese weeping here. This place is so full of them that fewer people are now taught to say sipa⁸³ between Savena and the Reno. If you want proof of this, remember how greedy we are.” As he spoke, a demon struck him with his whip and said, “Get moving, pimp, there are no women here for you to make money from.”

I rejoined my Escort; then with few steps we came to where a crag jutted from the bank.⁸⁴ Easily enough we ascended it, and turning to the right⁸⁵ upon its ridge, from those eternal circles we departed.

I rejoined my guide. After a few steps, we came to a crag jutting out from the bank.⁸⁴ We climbed it easily, then turned right⁸⁵ along its ridge and left those eternal circles behind.

When we were there where it opens below to give passage to the scourged, the Leader said, “Stop, and let the sight strike on thee of these other miscreants, of whom thou hast not yet seen the face, because they have gone along in the same direction with us.”

We reached the place where it opens below to let the whipped sinners pass. The Leader said, “Stop and look at these other sinners. You have not yet seen their faces because they have been going in the same direction as us.”

From the ancient bridge we looked at the train that was coining toward us from the other side, and which the whip in like manner drives on. The good Master, without my asking, said to me, “Look at that great one who is coming, and seems not to shed a tear for pain. What royal aspect he still retains! He is Jason, who by courage and by wit despoiled the Colchians of their ram. He passed by the isle of Lemnos, after the undaunted women pitiless had given all their males to death. There with tokens and with ornate words he deceived Hypsipyle, the maiden, who first had deceived all the rest. There he left her pregnant, and alone; such sin condemns him to such torment; and also for Medea is vengeance done. With him goes whoso in such wise deceives. And let this suffice to know of the first valley, and of those that it holds in its fangs.”

From the ancient bridge, we watched the line coming toward us from the other side. The whip drove them on just as it drove the others. Without my asking, the good Master said to me, “Look at that great man coming toward us. He seems not to shed a tear from pain. How royal he still looks! He is Jason, who used courage and wit to steal the ram from the Colchians. He passed the island of Lemnos after its fearless women had mercilessly killed all their men. There, with gestures and polished words, he deceived the maiden Hypsipyle, who had first deceived all the others. He left her there, pregnant and alone. That sin condemns him to this torment, and it also serves as vengeance for Medea. Everyone who deceives in this way goes with him. Let that be enough to know of the first valley and those it holds in its fangs.”

Now we were where the narrow path sets across the second dyke, and makes of it shoulders for another arch. Here we heard people moaning in the next pit, and snorting with their muzzles, and with their palms beating themselves. The banks were encrusted with a mould because of the breath from below that sticks on them, and was making quarrel with the eyes and with the nose. The bottom is so hollowed out that no place sufficeth us for seeing it, without mounting on the crest of the arch where the crag rises highest. Hither we came, and thence, down in the ditch, I saw people plunged in an excrement that seemed as if it proceeded from human privies.

We had reached the place where the narrow path crossed the second embankment, which supported another arch. Here we heard people moaning in the next pit. They snorted through their snouts and beat themselves with their palms. The banks were covered in mold because the fumes from below clung to them. The mold offended both the eyes and the nose. The pit was so deep that we could see its bottom only by climbing to the top of the arch, where the rocky ridge rose highest. We climbed there, and from that spot I saw people down in the ditch. They were plunged in excrement that looked as if it came from human latrines.

And while I am searching down there with my eye, I saw one with his head so foul with ordure that it was not apparent whether he were layman or clerk. He shouted to me, “Why art so greedy to look more at me than at the other filthy ones?” And I to him, “Because, if I remember rightly, ere now I have seen thee with dry hair, and thou art Alessio Interminei of Lucca⁸⁶; therefore I eye thee more than all the rest.” And he then, beating his pate, “Down here those flatteries wherewith my tongue was never cloyed have submerged me.”

As I searched below with my eyes, I saw a man whose head was so covered in filth that I could not tell whether he was a layman or a clergyman. He shouted to me, “Why are you so eager to look at me more than the other filthy ones?” And I said to him, “Because, if I remember rightly, I have seen you before with dry hair. You are Alessio Interminei of Lucca⁸⁶, so I look at you more than all the rest.” Then he beat his head and said, “Down here, the flattery my tongue never tired of has sunk me.”

Hereupon my Leader, “Mind thou push thy sight a little farther forward so that with thine eyes thou mayest quite reach the face of that dirty and disheveled creature, who is scratching herself there with her nasty nails, and now is crouching down and now standing on foot. She is Thais the prostitute, who answered her paramour when he said, ‘Have I great thanks from thee?’—‘Nay, marvelous.’”⁸⁷ And herewith let our sight be satisfied.

Then my guide said, “Look a little farther ahead, so you can see the face of that dirty, disheveled creature. She is scratching herself with her filthy nails, now crouching down, now standing up. She is Thais the prostitute. When her lover asked her, ‘Are you very grateful to me?’ she answered, ‘No, wonderfully grateful.’”⁸⁷ And with that, let us look no further.