Canto 31

One and the same tongue first stung me, so that it tinged both my cheeks, and then supplied the medicine to me. Thus do I hear²⁰⁹ that the lance of Achilles and of his father was wont to be cause first of a sad and then of a good gift. We turned our back to the wretched valley,²¹⁰ up along the bank that girds it round, crossing without any speech. Here it was less than night and less than day, so that my sight went little forward; but I heard a horn sounding so loud that it would have made every thunder faint, which directed my eyes, following its course counter to it,²¹¹ wholly to one place.

The same tongue first stung me, making both my cheeks flush, and then gave me the cure. I have heard²⁰⁹ that the spear of Achilles and his father did the same, first wounding and then healing. We turned our backs on the wretched valley²¹⁰ and walked silently along the bank surrounding it. It was neither fully night nor day, so I could not see far ahead. But I heard a horn so loud that it would have made any thunder seem faint. I followed its sound back to its source with my eyes,²¹¹ fixing them on one spot.

After the dolorous rout when Charlemagne lost the holy gest, Roland sounded not so terribly.²¹² Shortwhile did I carry my head turned thitherward, when it seemed to me I saw many high towers; whereon I, “Master, say, what city is this?” And he to me, “Because too far away thou peerest through the darkness, it happens that thou dost err in thy imagining. Thou shalt see well, if thou arrivest there, how much the sense at distance is deceived; therefore somewhat more spur thyself on.” Then tenderly he took me by the hand, and said, “Before we go further forward, in order that the fact may seem less strange to thee, know that they are not towers, but giants, and they are in the abyss²¹³ round about the bank, from the navel downward, one and all of them.”

After the painful defeat in which Charlemagne lost his holy army, Roland did not sound his horn so terribly.²¹² I had kept my head turned in that direction only a short while when I thought I saw many tall towers. So I asked, “Master, what city is this?” He answered, “Because you are trying to see too far through the darkness, your imagination is misleading you. If you reach that place, you will see how much distance can deceive your senses. So push yourself a little harder.” Then he gently took me by the hand and said, “Before we go any farther, I want to tell you something so that it will seem less strange. Those are not towers, but giants. Every one of them stands in the abyss²¹³ around its rim, submerged from the navel down.”

Chanson de Roland, 1753-57.

Chanson de Roland, 1753-57.

As when the mist is dissipating, the look little by little shapes out what the vapor that thickens the air conceals, so, as I pierced the gross and dark air as we drew nearer and nearer to the verge, error fled from me and fear grew upon me. For as above its circular enclosure Montereggione²¹⁴ crowns itself with towers, so with half their body the horrible giants, whom Jove still threatens from heaven when he thunders, betowered the bank that surrounds the abyss.

As mist clears, the eye gradually makes out what the thick vapor hides. In the same way, as we drew closer to the edge, I peered through the thick, dark air. My confusion faded, and my fear grew. For just as towers crown the circular walls of Montereggione²¹⁴, horrible giants rose halfway above the rim surrounding the abyss. Jove still threatens the giants from heaven when he thunders.

And I discerned now the face of one, his shoulders, and his breast, and great part of his belly, and down along his sides both his arms. Nature, surely, when she left the art of such like creatures, did exceeding well in taking such executers from Mars; and if she repent not of elephants and of whales, he who looks subtly holds her more just and more discreet therefor;²¹⁵ for where the faculty of the mind is added to evil will and to power, the human race can make no defense against it. His face seemed to me long and huge as the pine-cone²¹⁶ of St. Peter at Rome, and in its proportion were his other bones; so that the bank, which was an apron from his middle downward, showed of him fully so much above, that to reach to his hair three Frieslanders²¹⁷ would have made ill vaunt. For I saw of him thirty great palms down from the place where one buckles his cloak.

I could now make out the face of one giant, his shoulders and chest, and much of his belly. I could also see both arms down his sides. Surely Nature did very well when she stopped making such creatures, taking such agents away from Mars. And if she does not regret making elephants and whales, anyone who looks closely will judge her more just and wise for it.²¹⁵ For when intelligence is added to evil will and power, the human race has no defense against it. His face seemed to me as long and huge as the pine-cone²¹⁶ of St. Peter at Rome. The rest of his bones were in proportion. The bank covered him like an apron from his waist down. Even so, it left so much of him visible that three Frieslanders²¹⁷ could hardly have boasted of reaching his hair. For I saw thirty great palms of him below the place where a man fastens his cloak.

“Raphel mai amech zabi almi,” the fierce mouth, to which sweeter psalms were not befitting, began to cry. And my Leader toward him, “Foolish soul! Keep to thy horn, and with that vent thyself when anger or other passion touches thee; seek at thy neck, and thou wilt find the cord that holds it tied, O soul confused! and see it lying athwart thy great breast.” Then he said to me, “He himself accuses himself; this is Nimrod, because of whose evil thought the world uses not one language only. Let us leave him, and let us not speak in vain, for so is every language to him, as his to others, which to no one is known.”

“Raphel mai amech zabi almi,” the fierce mouth began to cry, a mouth unsuited to sweeter psalms. My Guide said to him, “Foolish soul! Stick to your horn, and blow it when anger or some other passion stirs you. Feel around your neck, confused soul, and you will find the cord that holds it. Look, the horn lies across your great chest.” Then he said to me, “His own words accuse him. This is Nimrod, whose evil thought is why the world no longer speaks a single language. Let us leave him and not waste our words. Every language is as strange to him as his is to others. No one understands his language.”

Then turning to the left, we pursued our way, and at a crossbow’s shot we found the next, far more fierce and larger. Who the master was for binding him I cannot tell; but he had his right arm fastened behind, and the other in front, by a chain that held him entwined from the neck downward, so that upon his uncovered part it was wound as far as the fifth coil. “This proud one wished to make trial of his power against the supreme Jove,” said my Leader, “wherefore he has such reward; Ephialtes²¹⁸ is his name, and he made his great endeavors when the giants made the Gods afraid; the arms which he plied he moves nevermore.”

Then we turned left and continued on our way. About a crossbow shot away, we found the next giant, far fiercer and larger. I cannot say who was skilled enough to bind him. His right arm was fastened behind him and his other arm in front. A chain held him bound from the neck down, wrapping five times around the part of his body we could see. “This proud one wanted to test his power against the supreme Jove,” my Guide said. “That is why he has received this reward. His name is Ephialtes²¹⁸, and he performed his great feats when the giants made the Gods afraid. He will never again move the arms he used then.”

And I to him, “If it may be, I should like my eyes to have experience of the huge Briareus.”²¹⁹ Whereon he answered, “Thou shalt see Antaeus close at hand here, who speaks, and is unbound,²²⁰ and will set us at the bottom of all sin. Him whom thou wishest to see is much farther on, and is bound and fashioned like this one, save that he seems more ferocious in his look.”

And I said to him, “If possible, I would like to see the huge Briareus with my own eyes.”²¹⁹ He answered, “You will see Antaeus close by. He speaks and is not bound,²²⁰ and he will set us at the bottom of all sin. The one you wish to see is much farther on. He is bound and built like Antaeus, but he looks more ferocious.”

Never was earthquake so mighty that it shook a tower as violently as Ephialtes was quick to shake himself. Then more than ever did I fear death; and there had been no need of more than the fright, if I had not seen his bonds. We then proceeded further forward, and came to Antaeus, who full five ells, besides his head, issued forth from the cavern. “O thou that, in the fateful valley which made Scipio the heir of glory when Hannibal and his followers turned their backs, didst bring of old a thousand lions for booty,—and it still seems credible that hadst thou been at the high war of thy brothers, the sons of the Earth would have conquered,—set us below, and disdain thou not to do so, where the cold locks up Cocytus. Make us not go to Tityus, nor to Typhon;²²¹ this one can give of that which here is longed for;²²² therefore stoop, and curl not thy snout. He yet can restore fame to thee in the world; for he is living, and still expects long life, if Grace doth not untimely call him to itself.” Thus said the Master; and he in haste stretched out those hands, whose strong grip Hercules once felt, and took my Leader. Virgil, when he felt himself taken up, said to me, “Come hither so that I take thee.” Then he made one bundle of himself and me. As beneath its leaning side, the Carisenda²²³ seems to look when a cloud is going over so that the tower hangs counter to it, thus seemed Antaeus to me that stood attent to see him bend; and it was a moment when I could have wished to go by another road. But lightly on the bottom that swallows Lucifer with Judas he set us down; nor, thus bent, did he there make stay, and like a mast in a ship he raised himself.

No earthquake ever shook a tower as violently as Ephialtes suddenly shook himself. Then I feared death more than ever. The fright alone would have killed me if I had not seen his bonds. We went farther and came to Antaeus. He rose a full five ells above the cavern, not counting his head. “Long ago, in the fateful valley where Scipio won his glory when Hannibal and his followers fled, you carried off a thousand lions as your prize. It still seems believable that the sons of the Earth would have won if you had fought in your brothers’ great war. Set us down where the cold locks up Cocytus, and do not scorn the task. Do not make us go to Tityus or Typhon.²²¹ This man can give you what is longed for here.²²² So bend down, and do not curl your snout. He can still restore your fame in the world. He is alive and expects to live a long time, if Grace does not call him to itself before his time.” So said the Master. Antaeus quickly stretched out the hands whose strong grip Hercules had once felt and took hold of my Leader. When Virgil felt himself lifted, he said to me, “Come here so I can hold you.” Then he gathered us together in a single bundle. As I stood watching Antaeus bend, he seemed like the Carisenda²²³ viewed from beneath its leaning side. When a cloud passes over the tower in the opposite direction, the tower seems to be falling. At that moment, I wished I could have taken another road. But Antaeus gently set us down at the bottom that swallows Lucifer with Judas. He did not remain bent over. He rose up like a mast on a ship.