"Not quite so ready was it," he rejoin'd,

109

WI

"When to the flames they bore you tightly bound, Though still more ready was it when you coin'd." He with the dropsy: "Now your speech is true ;But not so true a witness were you found, When of the truth at Troy they question'd you." "If I spake false, you falsely coin'd," replied Sinon," and here for but one fault am I, While you for more than any fiend beside." "Remember, perjured one, the horse at Troy ;" Answer'd the spirit of the stomach high;

"That thou art guilty knows each puny boy." "Proof of thy guilt thy gaping mouth supplies,"

The Greek retorted, "and that ample fount
Rear'd by thy tumid paunch before thine eyes."
The coiner then : "So runs your tongue-the same
To utter evil as 'twas ever wont ;

And if I thirst, and moisture swells my frame,
Your head is rack'd by fever, and doth ache;
Nor pressing invitation would you need,
Of fond Narcissus' mirror to partake."
Listening I stood intent, with all my mind,

When unto me the master said: "Take heed:
To quarrel with thee am I much inclined,"

An

115

121

127

Co

Th

me

Gr

an

Ca

W

S

When I perceived him speak in angry strain,
I turn'd to him with such remorse, I deem

My mind for aye the impression will retain.

And like to one who dreams of miseries,

133

Which, as he dreams, he hopes may prove a dream,
And longs for that which all the time is his ;—
So I, to whom my tongue its aid refused,

E'en by the wish to palliate what I'd done,
Had unawares my own offence excused.
My master said: "Less shame would wash away
A far more heinous fault than thine, my son;
Then let no sorrow on thy spirits prey.

Consider I am always at thy side,

If e'er again thou happen to be placed

Where, in like strife, each other, men deride:-
The wish to hear them shows a vulgar taste.”

NOTES,

139

145

Page 261. (Line 4.) Of Athamas, see Ovid, Met. iv. 511. Page 262. (Line 28.) Capocchio is the alchymist of Siena, mentioned in the last canto, line 136. (31.) The Aretine is Griffolino, the alchymist. See last canto, line 109. (32.) Gianni Schicchi was a Florentine gentleman of the family of Cavalcanti, so great a master in the art of counterfeiting, that when Buoso Donati died, Gianni was requested by the son, Simon Donati, his intimate friend, to personate the deceased,

and write a will in his favour; for which important service he received a most beautiful mare. See line 43. (34.) The "other" is presently stated to be Myrrha.-Ovid. Met. x. 318.

Page 264. (Line 61.) Adamo was a Brescian, burnt for counterfeiting the coin of Florence, at the instigation of Guido Alessandro, and Aghinolfo, counts of Romena. (70.) "Justice in hell rules alone, without the allay and sweet abatements of mercy. They shall have pure and unvarying misery-no pleasant thoughts to refresh them-no comfort in another accident, to alleviate their pressures-no water to cool their flames."-Jeremy Taylor. Sermon xix. 2nd part. (78.) "We were obliged to put up at a solitary inn called Uomo Morto, an object as woful in aspect as in name. This it derives from the execution of a coiner whom Dante has packed among the damned as an accomplice to the three counts of Romena. The castle of Romena mentioned there, line 73, is a fine Gothic ruin, standing on a precipice about a mile from our inn; near it is a spring called Fonte Branda. Now might I presume to differ from his commentators, Dante, in my opinion, does not mean the great fountain of Siena, but rather this obscure spring."-Forsyth. Italy, p. 92.

Page 266. (Line 114.) From Virgil. Æn. ii. 149.

66

Mihique hæc edissere vera roganti: Quo molem hanc immanis equi statuere? quis auctor? Quidve petunt? quæ religio, aut quæ machina belli?"

(129.) Narcissus fell in love with his reflection in water.

Page 267. (Line 148.) "Nihil viro bono et quieto magis convenit quam abesse a controversiis."-Cicero.

orto,

from

the

The

othic

near ne to

s not

Scure

Dagis

ARGUMENT.

APPROACHING the ninth circle, divided into four rounds, Dante
fancies he sees it surrounded by lofty towers. Virgil unde-
ceives him, and informs him they are giants. Nimrod, Ephi-
altes, Briareus. Antæus takes both the poets in his arms,
and places them at the bottom of the circle.

THE very tongue whose sharp rebuke had dyed
My either cheek with shame of crimson hue,
Itself, unask'd, a remedy supplied.

Thus have I heard Achilles' lance possest

A charmed power, as erst his father's too,
Inflicting wounds it presently redrest.

Turning our backs upon the vale of woe,

Mounted we then the circumambient height,

In silence leaving the abyss below.

Here less than day, and less than night we found;
So that not far could I extend my sight;

But through the gloom I heard a horn resound,

77

1

Thus

Wherefore I turn'd mine eyes to whence it came,

A

Sounded Orlando such a fearful blast.

Then towards the place I somewhat raised my head; 19
And many a lofty tower I seem'd to view:

"O master, what new land is this?" I said.

"Athwart the dusky air so long the way,

Thy sight," he answer'd, well may be untrue;
And hence imagination leads astray.

So

By d

W

St

Of o

TH

A

And said: "Ere we pursue our journey hence-
That this delusion thou mayst understand,
Know-giants these, not towers that meet thine eye: 31

All from the navel downward are immersed
Within the pit around the bank on high."

As when a mist dispersing-melts away,
The eye by slow degrees takes in what erst
Conceal'd within the lurid vapour lay;