| 1 |
At the edge of a high cliff, made by great rocks broken in a circle, we came above a crueler crowding; |
| 4 |
and there, because of the horrible excess of stench cast up by the abyss, we moved back beside the lid |
| 7 |
of a great tomb, where I saw writing which said: “I hold Pope Anastasius, whom Photinus drew from the straight way.” |
| 10 |
“Our descent will have to be delayed, so that our sense can become a little accustomed to the evil smell; and then we can disregard it.” |
| 13 |
So my master; and I to him: “Find something to compensate, so that the time may not be lost.” And he: “You see I am considering it.” |
| 16 |
“My son, within these rocks,” he then began to say, “are three smaller circles descending step by step, like those you are leaving. |
| 19 |
All are full of cursed spirits; but so that later the mere sight of them may suffice, hear how they are constricted and why. |
| 22 |
Of every malice gaining the hatred of Heaven, injustice is the goal, and every such goal injures someone either with force or with fraud. |
| 25 |
But because fraud is an evil proper to man, it is more displeasing to God; and therefore the fraudulent have a lower place and greater pain assails them. |
| 28 |
Of the violent the first circle is full; but because violence can be directed against three persons, the circle is divided and constructed in three subcircles. |
| 31 |
To God, to oneself, and to one’s neighbor one can do violence, that is, to them and to their possessions, as you will hear with clear reason. |
| 34 |
Death by violence and painful wounds can be inflicted on one’s neighbor, and on his possessions ruin, fires, and wrongful extortion; |
| 37 |
thus homicides and whoever wrongfully strikes, spoilers, and bandits, all are tormented in the first subcircle in different groups. |
| 40 |
One can turn a violent hand against oneself or one’s own possessions; therefore in the second subcircle each must uselessly repent |
| 43 |
whoever deprives himself of your world, or utterly squanders and undermines his wealth, and weeps where he should be happy. |
| 46 |
One can use force against the Deity by denying it and cursing it in one’s heart or by scorning Nature and its goodness; |
| 49 |
and therefore the smallest subcircle stamps with its seal Sodom and Cahors and whoever speaks with scorn of God in his heart. |
| 52 |
Fraud, which bites at every mind, a man can use against one who trusts in him or against one who has in his purse no cause for trust. |
| 55 |
This latter mode seems to cut solely into the bond of love that Nature makes; thus in the second circle find their nest |
| 58 |
hypocrisy, flattery, casters of spells, impersonators, thievery and simony, panders, embezzlers, and similar filth. |
| 61 |
The former mode forgets the love that Nature makes and also that which is added to it, from which special trust is created; |
| 64 |
thus in the smallest circle, at the point of the universe where Dis is enthroned, whoever is a traitor is eternally consumed.” |
| 67 |
And I: “Master, your reasoning proceeds most clearly and divides very well this pit and the people it possesses. |
| 70 |
But tell me: those of the greasy swamp, those driven by the wind and beaten by the rain, and those who collide with such harsh words, |
| 73 |
why are they not punished inside the ruddy city, if they are under God’s wrath? and if not, why are they treated so?” |
| 76 |
And he to me: “Why does your wit,” he said, “so wander from its usual course? or where does your mind gaze mistaken? |
| 79 |
Do you not remember the words with which your Ethics treats so fully the three dispositions that Heaven refuses, |
| 82 |
incontinence, malice, and mad bestiality? and how incontinence offends God less and acquires less blame? |
| 85 |
If you consider this judgment well and bring to mind who those are that undergo their penitence higher up and outside, |
| 88 |
you will see clearly why they are separated from these wicked ones and why God’s justice hammers them less wrathfully.” |
| 91 |
“O sun that heals every clouded sight, you content me so when you resolve questions, that doubting is no less pleasurable than knowing. |
| 94 |
Turn back a little yet again,” I said, “to where you say that usury offends God’s goodness, and untie that knot.” |
| 97 |
“Philosophy,” he said, “to one who understands it, notes, and not merely in one place, how Nature takes its course |
| 100 |
from the divine intellect and art; and if you take good note of your Physics, you will see, after not many pages, |
| 103 |
that your art follows Nature as much as it can, as a disciple follows the master; so that your art is almost God’s grandchild. |
| 106 |
From these two, if you bring to mind the beginning of Genesis, we must draw our life and advance our people; |
