Canto 20

Of a new punishment needs must I make verses, and give matetial to the twentieth canto of the first lay, which is of the submerged.¹⁰¹

I must now write verses about a new punishment for the twentieth canto of the first part, which tells of the submerged.¹⁰¹

I was now wholly set on looking into the disclosed depth that was bathed with tears of anguish, and I saw folk coming, silent and weeping, through the circular valley, at the pace at which lltanies go in this world. As my sight descended deeper among them, each appeared marvelously distorted from the chin to the beginning of the chest; for toward their reins their face was turned, and they must needs go backwards, because they were deprived of looking forward. Perchance sometimes by force of palsy one has been thus completely twisted, but I never saw it, nor do I think it can be.

I was now completely focused on the depths revealed below, which were bathed in tears of anguish. I saw people moving through the circular valley, silent and weeping, at the pace of a religious procession in this world. As I looked farther down among them, each seemed horribly twisted between the chin and the top of the chest. Their faces were turned toward their lower backs, so they had to walk backward because they could not look forward. Perhaps paralysis has sometimes twisted someone so completely, but I have never seen it, nor do I think it possible.

So may God let thee, Reader, gather fruit from thy reading, now think for thyself how I could keep my face dry, when near by I saw our image so contorted that the weeping of the eyes bathed the buttocks along the cleft. Truly I wept, leaning on one of the rocks of the hard crag, so that my Guide said to me, “Art thou also one of the fools? Here pity liveth when it is quite dead.¹⁰²

May God let you, Reader, gather fruit from your reading. Now think for yourself how I could keep my face dry. Near me, I saw the human form so twisted that tears ran down the cleft between the buttocks. I truly wept, leaning against one of the rocks on the hard crag. My Guide said to me, “Are you also one of the fools? Here pity lives when it is completely dead.¹⁰²

Who is more wicked than he who feels compassion at the Divine Judgment? Lift up thy head, lift up, and see him¹⁰³ for whom the earth opened before the eyes of the Thebans, whereon they shouted all, ‘Whither art thou rushing, Amphiaraus? Why dost thou leave the war?’ And he stopped not from falling headlong down far as Minos, who seizes hold of every one. Look, how he has made a breast of his shoulders! Because he wished to see too far before him, he looks behind and makes a backward path.

Who is more wicked than someone who feels compassion in the face of Divine Judgment? Lift your head and see him¹⁰³ for whom the earth opened before the Thebans’ eyes. They all shouted, ‘Where are you rushing, Amphiaraus? Why are you leaving the war?’ But he kept falling headlong, all the way down to Minos, who seizes everyone. Look how his shoulders have become his chest! Because he wanted to see too far ahead, he looks behind him and walks backward.

“See Tiresias,¹⁰⁴ who changed his semblance, when from a male he became a female, his members all of them being transformed; and afterwards was obliged to strike once more the two entwined serpents with his rod, ere he could regain his masculine plumage. Aruns¹⁰⁵ is he that to this one’s belly has his back, who on the mountains of Luni (where grubs the Carrarese who dwells beneath), amid white marbles, had a cave for his abode, whence for looking at the stars and the sea his view was not cut off.

“See Tiresias,¹⁰⁴ who changed his appearance when he became a woman, with every part of his body transformed. Later, he had to strike the two entwined snakes again with his rod before he could regain his male form. Aruns¹⁰⁵ is the one whose back is against Tiresias’s belly. He lived in a cave among the white marble of the mountains of Luni. Below the mountains, the Carrarese dig in the earth. From his cave, Aruns had an unobstructed view of the stars and the sea.

“And she who with her loose tresses covers her breasts, which thou dost not see, and has on that side all her hairy skin, was Manto,¹⁰⁶ who sought through many lands, then settled there where I was born; whereof it pleases me that thou listen a little to me. After her father had departed from life, and the city of Bacchus had become enslaved, long while she wandered through the world. Up in fair Italy lies a lake, at foot of the alp that shuts in Germany above Tyrol, and it is called Benaco.¹⁰⁷ Through a thousand founts, I think, and more, between Garda and Val Camonica, the Apennine is bathed by the water which settles in that lake. Midway is a place where the Trentine Pastor and he of Brescia and the Veronese might each give his blessing if he took that road.¹⁰⁸ Peschiera, fortress fair and strong, sits to confront the Brescians and Bergamasques, where the shore round about is lowest. Thither needs must fall all that which in the lap of Benaco cannot stay, and it becomes a river down through the verdant pastures. Soon as the water gathers head to run, no longer is it called Benaco, but Mincio, far as Governo, where it falls into the Po. No long course it hath before it finds a plain, on which it spreads, and makes a marsh, and is wont in summer sometimes to be noisome. Passing that way, the cruel virgin saw a land in the middle of the fen without culture and bare of inhabitants. There, to avoid all human fellowship, she stayed with her servants to practice her arts, and lived, and left there her empty body. Afterward the men who were scattered round about gathered to that place, which was strong because of the fen which surrounded it. They built the city over those dead hones, and for her, who first had chosen the place, they called it Mantua, without other augury. Of old its people were more thick within it, before the stupidity of Casalodi had been tricked by Pinamonte.¹⁰⁹ Therefore I warn thee, that if thou ever hearest otherwise the origin of my town, no falsehood may defraud the truth.”

“And the woman whose loose hair covers her breasts, which you cannot see, and whose hairy skin is all on that side, was Manto.¹⁰⁶ She traveled through many lands, then settled where I was born. I would like you to listen to me for a little while about that place. After her father died and the city of Bacchus was enslaved, she wandered the world for a long time. In fair Italy, at the foot of the Alp that borders Germany above Tyrol, lies a lake called Benaco.¹⁰⁷ I think a thousand springs or more feed the waters that flow down the Apennine between Garda and Val Camonica and collect in that lake. Midway is a place where the bishops of Trento, Brescia, and Verona could each give his blessing if he passed that way.¹⁰⁸ Peschiera, a fair and strong fortress, stands facing the people of Brescia and Bergamo, where the shore around the lake is lowest. All the water that cannot remain in Benaco must flow there. It becomes a river that runs through green pastures. As soon as the water begins to flow, it is no longer called Benaco, but Mincio. It keeps that name as far as Governo, where it flows into the Po. The river has not traveled far before it reaches a plain. There it spreads out and forms a marsh, which sometimes becomes foul in summer. Passing that way, the cruel virgin saw land in the middle of the marsh. It was uncultivated and had no inhabitants. To avoid all human company, she stayed there with her servants and practiced her arts. There she lived and left her empty body. Later, the people scattered around the region gathered there. The place was well protected because of the marsh that surrounded it. They built the city over her dead bones. They called it Mantua for her, since she had first chosen the place, and used no other augury. In the past, more people lived within its walls, before the foolish Casalodi was tricked by Pinamonte.¹⁰⁹ So I warn you: if you ever hear a different story of my town’s origin, do not let any falsehood rob you of the truth.”

And I, “Master, thy discourses are so certain to me, and so lay hold on my faith, that the others would be to me as dead embers. But tell me of the people who are passing, if thou seest any one of them worthy of note; for only unto that my mind reverts.”

And I said, “Master, your words are so certain to me and hold my faith so firmly that the others would be like dead embers to me. But tell me about the people passing by, if you see anyone worth noting. For that is all my mind returns to.”

Then he said to me, “That one, who from his cheek stretches his beard upon his dusky shoulders, was an augur when Greece was so emptied of males that they scarce remained for the cradles, and with Calchas at Aulis he gave the moment for cutting the first cable. Eurypylus was his name, and thus my lofty Tragedy sings him in some place;¹¹⁰ well knowest thou this, who knowest the whole of it. That other who is so small in the flanks was Michael Scott,¹¹¹ who verily knew the game of magical deceptions. See Guido Bonatti,¹¹² see Asdente,¹¹³ who now would wish he had attended to his leather and his thread, but late repents. See the forlorn women who left the needle, the spool, and the spindle, and became fortune-tellers; they wrought spells with herb and with image.

Then he said to me, “That man, whose beard hangs from his cheeks onto his dark shoulders, was an augur. At the time, Greece had so few men left that there were hardly any for the cradles. At Aulis, he and Calchas chose the moment to cut the first cable. His name was Eurypylus, and my lofty Tragedy mentions him somewhere. You know this well, since you know the whole work.¹¹⁰ That other man, with such narrow hips, was Michael Scott,¹¹¹ who truly knew the art of magical deception. Look at Guido Bonatti,¹¹² and look at Asdente,¹¹³ who now wishes he had stuck to his leather and thread, but repents too late. Look at the wretched women who left their needles, spools, and spindles to become fortune-tellers. They cast spells with herbs and images.”

“But come on now, for already Cain with his thorns¹¹⁴ holds the confines of both the hemispheres, and touches the wave below Seville. And already yesternight was the moon round; well shouldst thou remember it, for it did thee no harm sometimes in the deep wood.” Thus he spoke to me, and we went on the while.

“But come on now, for Cain with his thorns¹¹⁴ is already at the boundary between the two hemispheres. He touches the waves below Seville. And last night the moon was already full. You should remember it well, for it sometimes helped you in the deep wood.” He said this to me as we went on.