Their lids above them were suspended duly, And from them did such piteous wailings rise, As seemed to come from painéd wretches truly. 66 Master," said I, "what people in this guise, Make themselves heard with miserable sighs? He answered, "Here is each heresiarch, And all his sect of followers, who load 125 The graves much more than you would think to mark. Here like with like is fixed in one abode; The sepulchres are heated more and less." He ceased, and to the right we took the road, 130 CANTO X. Now wend we by a secret path confined My master in the front, and I behind. "O supreme puissance, through the guilty gyres, Who leadest and turnest me after thy own sense, 5 Speak now, and satisfy my heart's desires. This people, lying in the monuments, Could they be seen? the lids are now thrown by From all, and none are set for their defence." 66 They shall be all shut fast," was his reply, "When from Jehoshaphat they come back hither, Taking the bodies which they left on high; On this side is the cemetery, whither With Epicurus all his sect are sent, Who make the soul and body die together. 10 15 But further, thou shalt soon have thy content And that on which thou art in silence bent." My thought, unless from many words to abstain, 20 Which hath been, now and erewhile, thy behest." "Ho, Tuscan, talking in such courtly strain, Who treadest alive the fiery city, be Content awhile at this place to remain. Thy language clearly manifesteth thee A native of that noble land, which may Perchance have suffered too much wrong by me." To From one among the arks, at which I drew my guide somewhat nearer in dismay. "Turn round again," he said, "what wilt thou do? Look! Farinata standeth there upright; Down to the girdle he appears in view." 25 30 Already had I fixed on him my sight, And he stood working up his chest and head, As 'twere a man that scorneth hell outright. F 35 My guide, with hands alert and spirited, Looked on me for awhile, then 'gan to say, With some disdain, "What was thy ancestry?" 40 Kept nothing back, but showed him all things plain; At which he raised his brows a little way, And said, "They were fierce foes of all my strain, And of myself, and all who took our part, For which I scattered them once and again." "Though scattered, they returned from every part, Both once and afterwards,” said I; "but ye On your side mastered not so well the art." And hereat with discovered face I see A shade beside the former rise chin-high; 45 50 55 55 He weeping said, "If thou into this blind 60 "Not my own power," said I, "my passage wrought; By him that waiteth yonder I am led, Whom, it may be, your Guido held at nought." His words and mode of punishment had read His name to me by this time, wherefore I Could answer him as fully as I've said. Eftsoons he rose up with a bitter cry, "What meanest thou by held? lives he no more? Does the sweet light no longer meet his eye?" Then finding I made some delay before I answered him, right back I saw him fall; Nor once to reappear above he bore. But that high-minded comrade, at whose call I there had halted, neither bowed his head, Nor bent his flank, nor countenance changed at all. Continuing our words, "And if," he said, "They learnt the art but ill, this being so Doth more afflict me than my fiery bed; 65 70 76 |