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      Grinning with ghastly feature: he, of all

      Who enter, strict examining the crimes,

      Gives sentence, and dismisses them beneath,

      According as he foldeth him around:

      For when before him comes th’ ill fated soul,

      It all confesses; and that judge severe

      Of sins, considering what place in hell

      Suits the transgression, with his tail so oft

      Himself encircles, as degrees beneath

      He dooms it to descend. Before him stand

      Always a num’rous throng; and in his turn

      Each one to judgment passing, speaks, and hears

      His fate, thence downward to his dwelling hurl’d.

      “O thou! who to this residence of woe

      Approachest?” when he saw me coming, cried

      Minos, relinquishing his dread employ,

      “Look how thou enter here; beware in whom

      Thou place thy trust; let not the entrance broad

      Deceive thee to thy harm.” To him my guide:

      “Wherefore exclaimest? Hinder not his way

      By destiny appointed; so ’tis will’d

      Where will and power are one. Ask thou no more.”

      Now ’gin the rueful wailings to be heard.

      Now am I come where many a plaining voice

      Smites on mine ear. Into a place I came

      Where light was silent all. Bellowing there groan’d

      A noise as of a sea in tempest torn

      By warring winds. The stormy blast of hell

      With restless fury drives the spirits on

      Whirl’d round and dash’d amain with sore annoy.

      When they arrive before the ruinous sweep,

      There shrieks are heard, there lamentations, moans,

      And blasphemies ’gainst the good Power in heaven.

      I understood that to this torment sad

      The carnal sinners are condemn’d, in whom

      Reason by lust is sway’d. As in large troops

      And multitudinous, when winter reigns,

      The starlings on their wings are borne abroad;

      So bears the tyrannous gust those evil souls.

      On this side and on that, above, below,

      It drives them: hope of rest to solace them

      Is none, nor e’en of milder pang. As cranes,

      Chanting their dol’rous notes, traverse the sky,

      Stretch’d out in long array: so I beheld

      Spirits, who came loud wailing, hurried on

      By their dire doom. Then I: “Instructor! who

      Are these, by the black air so scourg’d?” — “ The first

      ’Mong those, of whom thou question’st,” he replied,

      “O’er many tongues was empress. She in vice

      Of luxury was so shameless, that she made

      Liking be lawful by promulg’d decree,

      To clear the blame she had herself incurr’d.

      This is Semiramis, of whom ’tis writ,

      That she succeeded Ninus her espous’d;

      And held the land, which now the Soldan rules.

      The next in amorous fury slew herself,

      And to Sicheus’ ashes broke her faith:

      Then follows Cleopatra, lustful queen.”

      There mark’d I Helen, for whose sake so long

      The time was fraught with evil; there the great

      Achilles, who with love fought to the end.

      Paris I saw, and Tristan; and beside

      A thousand more he show’d me, and by name

      Pointed them out, whom love bereav’d of life.

      When I had heard my sage instructor name

      Those dames and knights of antique days, o’erpower’d

      By pity, well-nigh in amaze my mind

      Was lost; and I began: “Bard! willingly

      I would address those two together coming,

      Which seem so light before the wind.” He thus:

      “Note thou, when nearer they to us approach.

      Then by that love which carries them along,

      Entreat; and they will come.” Soon as the wind

      Sway’d them toward us, I thus fram’d my speech:

      “O wearied spirits! come, and hold discourse

      With us, if by none else restrain’d.” As doves

      By fond desire invited, on wide wings

      And firm, to their sweet nest returning home,

      Cleave the air, wafted by their will along;

      Thus issu’d from that troop, where Dido ranks,

      They through the ill air speeding; with such force

      My cry prevail’d by strong affection urg’d.

      “O gracious creature and benign! who go’st

      Visiting, through this element obscure,

      Us, who the world with bloody stain imbru’d;

      If for a friend the King of all we own’d,

      Our pray’r to him should for thy peace arise,

      Since thou hast pity on our evil plight.

      If whatsoe’er to hear or to discourse

      It pleases thee, that will we hear, of that

      Freely with thee discourse, while e’er the wind,

As now, is mute. The land,1 that gave me birth,

      Is situate on the coast, where Po descends

      To rest in ocean with his sequent streams.

      “Love, that in gentle heart is quickly learnt,

      Entangled him by that fair form, from me

      Ta’en in such cruel sort, as grieves me still:

      Love, that denial takes from none belov’d,

      Caught me with pleasing him so passing well,

      That, as thou see’st, he yet deserts me not.

Love brought us to one death: Caina2 waits

      The soul, who spilt our life.” Such were their words;

      At hearing which downward I

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