d.

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NOTES.

Page 176. (Line 15.) Thus Spenser. Fairy Queen, b. viii. 31,
"But very uncouth sight was to behold
How he did fashion his untoward pace;
For as he forward moved his footing old,

So backward still was turned his wrinkled face;
Unlike to men, who, ever as they pace,

Both feet and face one way are wont to lead.”

(28.) "Though human pity should melt at the afflictions of the good, every tear shed at the misery of the wicked would accuse the Divine Judgment of cruelty."-Ugo Foscolo. Discorso. (32.) Amphiaraus was one of the seven kings who besieged Thebes, and a celebrated soothsayer. He foreknew

that it would be fatal to him to engage in the war, and accordingly concealed himself; but his wife was bribed to discover the place of his retreat, and he was forced by Adrastus to accompany the army. He is said to have been swallowed up by the earth, which opened under his feet, when the exclamation was made. "Qui præceps per immane ruis?"-Statius. Thebais.

Page 177. (Line 40.) Tiresias was a celebrated soothsayer, who, on striking two serpents, was changed into a woman, and before he regained his sex, was obliged to beat the serpents again for the space of seven years. See Ovid, Met. lib. iii. 325. (46.) Arons was a distinguished Tuscan soothsayer, who dwelt in the mountains of Luni above Carrara. "Aruns inclouit deserti monia Lunæ."-Lucan. Phars. i. 586. (55.) Manto was a Theban sorceress, daughter of Tiresias, who lived at Thebes, a city dedicated to Bacchus, and afterwards enslaved by Creon; to escape whose tyranny she left her native country, wandered into Italy, and settled where Mantua now stands.

Page 178. (Line 67.) The spot is called Prato di Fame, where three Dioceses meet. (72.) "At Peschiera the lake terminates in the Mincio, which flows through the town, broad, deep, and clear as crystal, though almost as rapid as a mountain torrent."-Eustace. Class. Tour. (74.) The more modern name is Lago di Garda. "Fluctibus et fremitu assurgens, Benace, marino."-Virg. Georg. ii. 160.

Page 179. (Line 95.) Alberto Casalodi, who possessed Mantua, was persuaded by Pinamonte Buonacossi that he might ingratiate himself with the people by banishing to their own castles the obnoxious nobles. This done, Pinamont drove out Casalodi, and obtained the sovereignty for himself.—See Muratori, anno 1269.

Page 180. (Line 112.) "Suspensi Eurypylum scitatum oracula Phœbi Mittimus."-En. ii. 114. (116) Michael Scot was a Scotchman, of great learning and skill in astrology, alchemy, and natural philosophy. He was looked upon as a magician both in his own country and abroad. Boccaccio calls him a great necromancer, and mentions his having been at Florence. "Dempster informs us, that he remembers to have heard in his youth that the magic books of Michael Scott were still in existence, but could not be opened without danger, on account of the fiends who were thereby invoked. Accordingly the memory of Sir Michael Scott survives in many a legend; and in the south of Scotland any work of great labour and antiquity is ascribed either to the agency of Auld Michael, of Sir Wm. Wallace, or of the Devil."-Walter Scott. Notes. Lay of the Last Minstrel. (118.) Guido Bonati was an astrologer of Forli:-Asdente, a shoemaker of Parma, who deserted his business to practise divination. (125.) The moon is vulgarly called Cain, or the man in the moon.-See Par. ii, 51.

ARGUMENT.

In the fifth partition are punished barterers and public peculators. They are plunged into a lake of boiling pitch, and guarded by Demons, who thrust them back whenever they appear above. These Demons prepare to attack Virgil, who calms them by his undaunted manner. They are ordered by their leader to conduct the poets forward.

CONVERSING, as from bridge to bridge we went,

Of things my Comedy cares not to tell,

We reach'd at last the summit of the ascent;
There paused, to view the souls that idly wail'd
In Malebolge's next unhappy cell ;-

And marvellous the darkness that prevail'd.
As in the arsenal of Venice boils

The adhesive pitch in winter, to repair
The bark disabled by long watery toils;
For since they cannot put to sea-instead

One here his vessel builds, another there
Calks that which many voyages hath made;
;-

poop,

One mends a main-and one a mizen sail, One shapes an oar-another twists a rope ;So, not by fire beneath, but art divine,

Boil'd up thick pitch throughout the gloomy vale, Whose viscous spatterings all the margin line. Nought on the surface of the boiling tide

I saw, save bubbles rise, and now and then The whole swell up-then settle and subside. While down I gazed in one continued stare, Back on a sudden was I drawn again,

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19

My guide exclaiming: "Oh beware, beware!"

I turn'd around, like one in haste to see

25

That, which when seen compels him to withdraw,

By panic fear unnerved so suddenly,

That though he looks, he may not check his flight;

And in our rear a Demon black I saw
Swiftly advancing o'er the rocky height.
Alas, how fierce and savage was his face!

How frightful too the gestures he display'd!
Stretch'd were his wings, and rapid was his

Each shoulder, proudly rising and acute,

Was laden with a miserable shade;
And hard he grasp'd the sinew of his foot.

pace.

31

"O Malebranche of our bridge," quoth he,
"Lo one of Santa Zita's Elders! haul
The wretch beneath; while I full speedily
Regain that land which plenty more doth hold :
There save Bonturo barterers are they all;
And 'No' is quickly turn'd to 'Yes' for gold."
His load cast down-so swift he turn'd him back
O'er the hard rock, that never mastiff fleet
Sprang with such haste a flying thief to track.
The sinner sank, then rose with upward face,
Whilst from beneath the bridge the fiends repeat,
"Here hath the Holy Countenance no place;
Here swim you not as erst in Serchio's tide;

And if you relish not our hooks-take care

That in the boiling pitch your back you hide."
Then with a hundred hooks the wretch they maul,

And "To dance in secret now prepare,
cry:

And pilfer, if you can, unseen by all."

So to the centre of the pot do cooks

Their scullions teach to thrust the floating stew,
And keep it under with their iron hooks.
To me the master: "Lest it should be seen
That thou art here, conceal thyself from view;
Some rock will haply serve thee for a screen;

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