| INFERNO CANTO 7 |
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INFERNO CANTO 7 |
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"Pape Satàn, pape Satàn aleppe!"
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7.1 |
CI |
"Pape Satàn, Pape Satàn
aleppe!"
|
| cominciò Pluto con la voce
chioccia;
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C |
so Plutus, with his grating voice, began. |
| e quel savio gentil, che tutto seppe,
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PE |
The gentle sage, aware of everything, |
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| disse per confortarmi: "Non ti noccia |
7.4 |
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said reassuringly, "Don't let your fear |
| la tua paura; ché, poder ch'elli abbia, |
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defeat you; for whatever power he has, |
| non ci torrà lo scender questa roccia." |
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he cannot stop our climbing down this crag." |
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| Poi si rivolse a quella 'nfiata labbia, |
7.7 |
I |
Then he turned back to Plutus' swollen face |
| e disse: "Taci, maladetto lupo!
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C |
and said to him: "Be quiet, cursed wolf! |
| consuma dentro te con la tua rabbia. |
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Let your vindictiveness feed on yourself. |
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| Non è sanza cagion l'andare al cupo: |
7.10 |
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His is no random journey to the deep: |
| vuolsi ne l'alto, là dove Michele
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C |
it has been willed on high, where Michael took |
| fé la vendetta del superbo strupo." |
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revenge upon the arrogant rebellion." |
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| Quali dal vento le gonfiate vele |
7.13 |
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As sails inflated by the wind collapse, |
| caggiono avvolte, poi che l'alber fiacca, |
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entangled in a heap, when the mast cracks, |
| tal cadde a terra la fiera
crudele.
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C |
so that ferocious beast fell to the ground. |
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| Così scendemmo ne la quarta lacca, |
7.16 |
I |
Thus we made our way down to the fourth ditch, |
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pigliando più de la
dolente ripa
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PL |
to take in more of that despondent shore |
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che 'l mal de
l'universo tutto insacca.
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where all the universe's ill is stored. |
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| Ahi giustizia di Dio! tante chi stipa
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7.19 |
D |
Justice of God! Who has amassed as many |
| nove travaglie e pene quant' io viddi? |
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strange tortures and travails as I have seen? |
| e perché nostra colpa sì ne scipa? |
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Why do we let our guilt consume us so? |
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| Come fa l'onda là sovra Cariddi,
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7.22 |
PL |
Even as waves that break above Charybdis, |
| che si frange con quella in cui s'intoppa, |
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each shattering the other when they meet, |
| così convien che qui la gente riddi. |
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so must the spirits here dance their round dance. |
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| Qui vid' i' gente più ch'altrove troppa, |
7.25 |
I |
Here, more than elsewhere, I saw multitudes |
| e d'una parte e d'altra, con grand' urli, |
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to every side of me; their howls were loud |
| voltando pesi per forza di poppa. |
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while, wheeling weights, they used their chests to push. |
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| Percotëansi 'ncontro; e poscia pur lì |
7.28 |
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They struck against each other; at that point, |
| si rivolgea ciascun, voltando a retro, |
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each turned around and, wheeling back those weights, |
| gridando: "Perché tieni?" e "Perché burli?" |
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cried out: "Why do you hoard?" "Why do you squander?" |
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| Così tornavan per lo cerchio tetro |
7.31 |
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So did they move around the sorry circle |
| da ogne mano a l'opposito punto, |
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from left and right to the opposing point; |
| gridandosi anche loro ontoso metro; |
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again, again they cried their chant of scorn; |
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| poi si volgea ciascun, quand' era giunto, |
7.34 |
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and so, when each of them had changed positions, |
| per lo suo mezzo cerchio a l'altra giostra. |
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he circled halfway back to his next joust. |
| E io, ch'avea lo cor quasi compunto, |
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And I, who felt my heart almost pierced through, |
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| dissi: "Maestro mio, or mi dimostra |
7.37 |
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requested: "Master, show me now what shades |
| che gente è questa, e se tutti fuor cherci |
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are these and tell me if they all were clerics- |
| questi chercuti a la sinistra nostra." |
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those tonsured ones who circle on our left." |
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| Ed elli a me: "Tutti quanti fuor guerci |
7.40 |
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And he to me: "All these, to left and right |
| sì de la mente in la vita primaia, |
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were so squint-eyed of mind in the first life- |
| che con misura nullo spendio ferci. |
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no spending that they did was done with measure. |
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| Assai la voce lor chiaro l'abbaia, |
7.43 |
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Their voices bark this out with clarity |
| quando vegnono a' due punti del cerchio |
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when they have reached the two points of the circle |
| dove colpa contraria li dispaia. |
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where their opposing guilts divide their ranks. |
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| Questi fuor cherci, che non han coperchio |
7.46 |
I |
These to the left their heads bereft of hair- |
| piloso al capo, e papi e cardinali, |
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were clergymen, and popes and cardinals, |
| in cui usa avarizia il suo soperchio." |
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within whom avarice works its excess." |
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| E io: "Maestro, tra questi cotali |
7.49 |
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And I to him: "Master, among this kind |
| dovre' io ben riconoscere alcuni |
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I certainly might hope to recognize |
| che furo immondi di cotesti mali." |
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some who have been bespattered by these crimes." |
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| Ed elli a me: "Vano pensiero aduni: |
7.52 |
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And he to me: "That thought of yours is empty: |
| la sconoscente vita che i fé sozzi, |
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the undiscerning life that made them filthy |
| ad ogne conoscenza or li fa bruni. |
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now renders them unrecognizable. |
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| In etterno verranno a li due cozzi: |
7.55 |
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For all eternity they'll come to blows: |
| questi resurgeranno del sepulcro |
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these here will rise up from their sepulchers |
| col pugno chiuso, e questi coi crin mozzi. |
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with fists clenched tight; and these, with hair cropped
close.
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| Mal dare e mal tener lo mondo pulcro |
7.58 |
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Ill giving and ill keeping have robbed both |
| ha tolto loro, e posti a questa zuffa: |
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of the fair world and set them to this fracas- |
| qual ella sia, parole non ci appulcro. |
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what that is like, my words need not embellish. |
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| Or puoi, figliuol, veder la corta buffa |
7.61 |
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Now you can see, my son, how brief's the sport |
| d'i ben che son commessi a la fortuna, |
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of all those goods that are in Fortune's care, |
| per che l'umana gente si rabuffa; |
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for which the tribe of men contend and brawl; |
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| ché tutto l'oro ch'è sotto la luna |
7.64 |
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for all the gold that is or ever was |
| e che già fu, di quest' anime stanche |
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beneath the moon could never offer rest |
| non poterebbe farne posare una." |
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to even one of these exhausted spirits." |
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| "Maestro mio," diss' io, "or mi dì anche: |
7.67 |
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"Master," I asked of him, "now tell me too: |
| questa fortuna di che tu mi tocche, |
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this Fortune whom you've touched upon just now- |
| che è, che i ben del mondo ha sì tra branche?" |
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what's she, who clutches so all the world's goods?" |
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| E quelli a me: "Oh creature sciocche, |
7.70 |
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And he to me: "O unenlightened creatures, |
| quanta ignoranza è quella che v'offende! |
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how deep-the ignorance that hampers you! |
| Or vo' che tu mia sentenza ne 'mbocche. |
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I want you to digest my word on this. |
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Colui lo cui saver tutto trascende,
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7.73 |
D |
Who made the heavens and who gave them guides |
| fece li cieli e diè lor chi conduce |
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was He whose wisdom transcends everything; |
| sì, ch'ogne parte ad ogne parte splende, |
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that every part may shine unto the other, |
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| distribuendo igualmente la luce. |
7.76 |
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He had the light apportioned equally; |
| Similemente a li splendor mondani |
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similarly, for worldly splendors, He |
| ordinò general ministra e duce |
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ordained a general minister and guide |
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| che permutasse a tempo li ben vani |
7.79 |
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to shift, from time to time, those empty goods |
| di gente in gente e d'uno in altro sangue, |
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from nation unto nation, clan to clan, |
| oltre la difension d'i senni umani; |
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in ways that human reason can't prevent; |
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| per ch'una gente impera e l'altra langue, |
7.82 |
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just so, one people rules, one languishes, |
| seguendo lo giudicio di costei, |
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obeying the decision she has given, |
| che è occulto come in erba l'angue. |
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which, like a serpent in the grass, is hidden. |
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| Vostro saver non ha contasto a lei: |
7.85 |
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Your knowledge cannot stand against her force; |
| questa provede, giudica, e persegue |
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for she foresees and judges and maintains |
| suo regno come il loro li altri dèi. |
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her kingdom as the other gods do theirs. |
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| Le sue permutazion non hanno triegue: |
7.88 |
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The changes that she brings are without respite: |
| necessità la fa esser veloce; |
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it is necessity that makes her swift; |
| sì spesso vien chi vicenda consegue. |
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and for this reason, men change state so often. |
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| Quest' è colei ch'è tanto posta in croce |
7.91 |
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She is the one so frequently maligned |
| pur da color che le dovrien dar lode, |
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even by those who should give praise to her- |
| dandole biasmo a torto e mala voce; |
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they blame her wrongfully with words of scorn. |
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| ma ella s'è beata e ciò non ode: |
7.94 |
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But she is blessed and does not hear these things; |
| con l'altre prime creature lieta |
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for with the other primal beings, happy, |
| volve sua spera e beata si gode. |
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she turns her sphere and glories in her bliss. |
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| Or discendiamo omai a maggior pieta; |
7.97 |
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But now let us descend to greater sorrow, |
| già ogne stella cade che saliva |
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for every star that rose when I first moved |
| quand' io mi mossi, e 'l troppo star si vieta." |
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is setting now; we cannot stay too long." |
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| Noi ricidemmo il cerchio a l'altra riva |
7.100 |
I |
We crossed the circle to the other shore; |
| sovr' una fonte che bolle e
riversa
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PL |
we reached a foaming watercourse that spills |
| per un fossato che da lei deriva. |
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into a trench formed by its overflow. |
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| L'acqua era buia assai più che persa; |
7.103 |
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That stream was even darker than deep purple; |
| e noi, in compagnia de l'onde bige, |
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and we, together with those shadowed waves, |
| intrammo giù per una via diversa. |
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moved downward and along a strange pathway. |
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| In la palude va c'ha nome Stige
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7.106 |
PL |
When it has reached the foot of those malign |
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questo tristo
ruscel, quand'è disceso
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gray slopes, that melancholy stream descends, |
| al piè de le maligne piagge grige. |
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forming a swamp that bears the name of Styx. |
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| E io, che di mirare stava inteso, |
7.109 |
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And I, who was intent on watching it, |
| vidi genti fangose in quel pantano, |
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could make out muddied people in that slime, |
| ignude tutte, con sembiante offeso. |
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all naked and their faces furious. |
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| Queste si percotean non pur con mano, |
7.112 |
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These struck each other not with hands alone, |
| ma con la testa e col petto e coi piedi, |
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but with their heads and chests and with their feet, |
| troncandosi co' denti a brano a brano. |
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and tore each other piecemeal with their teeth. |
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Lo buon maestro disse: "Figlio, or vedi
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7.115 |
IPE |
The kindly master told me: "Son, now see |
| l'anime di color cui vinse l'ira; |
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the souls of those whom anger has defeated; |
| e anche vo' che tu per certo credi |
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and I should also have you know for certain |
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| che sotto l'acqua è gente che sospira, |
7.118 |
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that underneath the water there are souls |
| e fanno pullular quest' acqua al summo, |
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who sigh and make this plain of water bubble, |
| come l'occhio ti dice, u' che s'aggira. |
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as your eye, looking anywhere, can tell. |
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| Fitti nel limo dicon: 'Tristi fummo |
7.121 |
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Wedged in the slime, they say: 'We had been sullen |
| ne l'aere dolce che dal sol s'allegra, |
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in the sweet air that's gladdened by the sun; |
| portando dentro accidïoso fummo: |
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we bore the mist of sluggishness in us: |
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| or ci attristiam ne la belletta negra.' |
7.124 |
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now we are bitter in the blackened mud.' |
| Quest' inno si gorgoglian ne la strozza, |
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This hymn they have to gurgle in their gullets, |
| ché dir nol posson con parola integra." |
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because they cannot speak it in full words." |
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| Così girammo de la lorda pozza
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7.127 |
PL |
And so, between the dry shore and the swamp, |
| grand' arco, tra la ripa secca e 'l mézzo, |
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we circled much of that disgusting pond, |
| con li occhi vòlti a chi del fango ingozza. |
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our eyes upon the swallowers of slime. |
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| Venimmo al piè d'una torre al da sezzo. |
7.130 |
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We came at last upon a tower's base. |
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