Canto 22

I have seen of old horsemen moving camp, and beginning an assault, and making their muster, and sometimes setting forth on their escape; I have seen runners through your land, O Aretines, and I have seen freebooters starting, tournaments struck and jousts run, at times with trumpets, and at times with bells, with drums, and with signals from strongholds, and with native things and foreign,—but never with so strange a pipe did I see horsemen or footmen set forth, or ship by sign of land or star.

I have seen horsemen break camp, launch attacks, gather for inspection, and sometimes flee. I have seen scouts ride through your land, O Aretines, and raiders set out. I have seen tournaments fought and jousts run, sometimes to trumpets, sometimes to bells or drums. I have seen them begin at signals from fortresses, and with other signs both local and foreign. But never have I seen horsemen or foot soldiers set out to such a strange pipe, or a ship sail by such a signal from land or star.

We went along with the ten demons. Ah, the fell company! but in the church with saints, and in the tavern with gluttons. Ever on the pitch was I intent, to see every aspect of the pit, and of the people that were burning in it.

We went along with the ten demons. What dreadful company! But in church, you keep company with saints, and in a tavern, with gluttons. I kept my eyes on the pitch, looking at every part of the pit and the people burning in it.

As dolphins, when, by the arching of their back, they give a sign to sailors that they take heed for the safety of their vessel, so, now and then, to alleviate his pain, one of the sinners showed his back and hid in less time than it lightens. And as at the edge of the water of a ditch the frogs stand with only their muzzle out, so that they conceal their feet and the rest of their bulk, thus stood on every side the sinners; but as Barbariccia approached so did they draw back beneath the boiling. I saw, and still my heart shudders at it, one waiting, just as it happens that one frog stays and another jumps. And Graffiacane, who was nearest over against him, hooked him by his pitchy locks, and drew him up so that he seemed to me an otter. I knew now the name of every one of them, so had I noted them when they were chosen, and when they had called each other I had listened how. “O Rubicante, see thou set thy claws upon him so thou flay him,” shouted all the accursed ones together.

Dolphins arch their backs to warn sailors to watch out for the safety of their ship. In the same way, a sinner would sometimes show his back to ease his pain, then disappear again faster than lightning. Frogs at the edge of a ditch keep only their snouts above water, hiding their feet and the rest of their bodies. The sinners stood like that on every side, but as Barbariccia approached, they drew back beneath the boiling pitch. I saw one sinner waiting there, just as one frog may stay while another jumps. My heart still shudders at the sight. Graffiacane was closest to him. He hooked the sinner by his pitch-covered hair and pulled him up, so that he looked like an otter to me. I now knew every demon’s name. I had noted their names when they were chosen and listened when they called to one another. “Rubicante, make sure you use your claws to flay him,” all the accursed ones shouted together.

And I, “My Master, see, if thou canst, that thou find out who is the luckless one come into the hands of his adversaries.” My Leader drew up to his side, asked him whence he was, and he replied, “I was born in the kingdom of Navarre; my mother placed me in service of a lord, for she had borne me to a ribald, destroyer of himself and of his substance. Afterward I was of the household of the good King Thibault;¹²⁴ there I set myself to practice barratry, for which I pay reckoning in this heat.”

And I said, “Master, see if you can find out who this unfortunate man is, now that his enemies have caught him.” My Leader went up beside him and asked where he was from. He replied, “I was born in the kingdom of Navarre. My mother placed me in a lord’s service because my father was a scoundrel who ruined himself and wasted his property. Later, I served in the household of the good King Thibault.¹²⁴ There I took up barratry, selling public offices and favors for profit. Now I pay for it in this heat.”

And Ciriatto, from whose mouth protruded on either side a tusk, as in a boar, made him feel how one of them rips. Among evil cats the mouse had come; but Barbariccia clasped him in his arms, and said, “Stand off, while I enfork him,” and to my Master turned his face. “Ask,” said he, “if thou desirest to know more from him, before some other undo him.” The Leader, “Now, then, tell of the other sinners; knowst thou any one under the pitch who is Italian?” And he, “I parted short while since from one who was a neighbor to it; would that with him I still were covered so that I might not fear claw or hook.” And Libicocco said, “We have borne too much,” and seized his arm with his grapple so that, tearing, he carried off a sinew of it. Draghignazzo, also, he wished to give him a clutch down at his legs, whereat their decurion turned round about with evil look.

Ciriatto had a tusk on each side of his mouth, like a boar. He showed the sinner how one of them could rip flesh. The mouse had fallen among wicked cats. But Barbariccia clasped him in his arms and said, “Stand back while I hold him on my fork.” Then he turned to my Master. “Ask him,” he said, “if you want to know more, before someone else finishes him off.” My Leader said, “Now, tell us about the other sinners. Do you know any Italian under the pitch?” The sinner replied, “I just left one who was a neighbor to Italy. I wish I were still covered by the pitch with him, so I would not have to fear claw or hook.” Libicocco said, “We have put up with too much.” He seized the sinner’s arm with his hook and tore out a sinew. Draghignazzo also wanted to grab him by the legs. At that, their leader turned and gave them a threatening look.

When they were a little appeased, my Leader, without delay, asked him who still was gazing at his wound, “Who was he from whom thou sayest thou madest in parting to come to shore?” And he replied, “It was Brother Gomita, he of Gallura,¹²⁵ vessel of all fraud, who held the enemies of his lord in hand, and dealt so with them that they all praise him for it. Money he took, and let them smoothly off, so he says; and in other offices besides he was no little barrator, but sovereign. With him frequents Don Michael Zanche of Logodoro,¹²⁶ and in talking of Sardinia their tongues feel not weary. O me! see ye that other who is grinning: I would say more, but I fear lest he is making ready to scratch my itch.” And the grand provost, turning to Farfarello, who was rolling his eyes as if to strike, said, “Get thee away, wicked bird!”

When they had calmed down a little, my Leader immediately questioned the man who was still staring at his wound. “Who was the one you say you parted from when you came to shore?” The man replied, “It was Brother Gomita of Gallura,¹²⁵ a vessel of every kind of fraud. He had his lord’s enemies in his hands and treated them so well that they all praise him for it. He says he took their money and let them go without trouble. In his other offices, too, he was no minor barrator, but a master of corruption. Don Michael Zanche of Logodoro¹²⁶ keeps company with him, and their tongues never tire of talking about Sardinia. Oh, look at that other one grinning! I would say more, but I fear he is getting ready to scratch my itch.” The grand provost turned to Farfarello, who was rolling his eyes as if about to strike, and said, “Get away, wicked bird!”

“If you wish to see or to hear Tuscans or Lombards,” thereon began again the frightened one, “I will make them come; but let the Malebranche stand a little withdrawn, so that they may not be afraid of their vengeance, and I, sitting in this very place, for one that I am, will make seven of them come, when I shall whistle as is our wont to do whenever one of us comes out.” Cagnazzo at this speech raised his muzzle, shaking his head, and said, “Hear the knavery he has devised for throwing himself under!” Whereon he who had snares in great plenty answered, “Too knavish am I, when I procure for mine own companions greater sorrow.” Alichino held not in, and, in opposition to the others, said to him, “If thou dive, I will not come behind thee at a gallop, but I will beat my wings above the pitch; let the ridge be left, and be the bank a shield, to see if thou alone availest more than we.”

“If you want to see or hear Tuscans or Lombards,” the frightened one began again, “I will make them come. But let the Malebranche stand a little farther back, so the others will not fear their vengeance. I will sit right here and, though I am only one, bring seven of them by whistling. That is what we do whenever one of us comes out.” At this, Cagnazzo raised his muzzle and shook his head. “Listen to the trick he has devised to slip back under!” he said. The one who had plenty of tricks answered, “I must be very cunning indeed, if I bring greater suffering on my own companions.” Alichino could not hold back. Against the others’ wishes, he said to him, “If you dive, I will not gallop after you. I will beat my wings above the pitch. Let us leave the ridge and let the bank hide us. Then we shall see whether you alone can outwit us all.”

O thou that readest! thou shalt hear new sport. Each turned his eyes to the other side, he first who had been most averse to doing it. The Navarrese chose well his time, planted his feet firmly on the ground, and in an instant leaped, and from their purpose freed himself. At this, each of them was pricked with shame, but he most who was the cause of the loss; wherefore he started and cried out, “Thou art caught.” But little it availed, for wings could not outstrip fear. The one went under, and the other, flying, turned his breast upward. Not otherwise the wild duck on a sudden dives when the falcon comes close, and he returns up vexed and baffled. Calcabrina, enraged at the flout, kept flying behind him, desirous that the sinner should escape, that he might have a scuffle; and when the barrator had disappeared he turned his talons upon his companion, and grappled with him above the ditch. But the other was indeed a sparrowhawk full grown to gripe him well, and both fell into the midst of the boiling pool. The heat was a sudden ungrappler, but nevertheless there was no rising from it, they had their wings so glued. Barbariccia, grieving with the rest of his troop, made four of them fly to the other side with all their forks, and very quickly, this side and that, they descended to their post. They stretched out their hooks toward the belimed ones, who were already baked within the crust: and we left them thus embroiled.

Reader, you are about to hear of a new spectacle. Each turned his eyes to the other side, the most reluctant one first. The Navarrese chose his moment well. He planted his feet firmly on the ground and leaped in an instant, escaping their plan. Each of them was ashamed, but none more than the one who had caused the loss. He sprang forward and cried, “You are caught.” But it did little good, for wings could not outrun fear. The Navarrese went under, and the other, flying after him, turned his chest upward. Just so, a wild duck suddenly dives when a falcon comes close, and the falcon flies up again, annoyed and thwarted. Calcabrina, furious at being mocked, kept flying behind his companion. He wanted the sinner to escape so that he could start a fight. When the barrator disappeared, Calcabrina turned his talons on his companion and grappled with him above the ditch. But the other was a full-grown sparrowhawk, well able to grip him. Both fell into the middle of the boiling pool. The heat quickly forced them apart, but they could not rise because their wings were glued fast. Barbariccia and the rest of his troop were distressed. He sent four of them, armed with their forks, to the other side. They quickly descended to their positions on both sides. They stretched their hooks toward the fouled pair, who were already baked inside a crust. And we left them tangled in their predicament.