Данте Алигьери – The Divine Comedy / Божественная комедия (страница 44)

“Thinkest thou, Malacoda, to behold me

80 Advanced into this place,” my Master said,

“Safe hitherto from all your skill of fence,

Without the will divine, and fate auspicious?

Let me go on, for it in Heaven is willed

That I another show this savage road.”

85 Then was his arrogance so humbled in him,

That he let fall his grapnel at his feet,

And to the others said: “Now strike him not.”

And unto me my Guide: “O thou, who sittest

Among the splinters of the bridge crouched down,

90 Securely now return to me again.”

Wherefore I started and came swiftly to him;

And all the devils forward thrust themselves,

So that I feared they would not keep their compact.

And thus beheld I once afraid the soldiers

95 Who issued under safeguard from Caprona,

Seeing themselves among so many foes.

Close did I press myself with all my person

Beside my Leader, and turned not mine eyes

From off their countenance, which was not good.

100 They lowered their rakes, and “Wilt thou have me hit him,”

They said to one another, “on the rump?”

And answered: “Yes; see that thou nick him with it.”

But the same demon who was holding parley

With my Conductor turned him very quickly,

105 And said: “Be quiet, be quiet, Scarmiglione;”

Then said to us: “You can no farther go

Forward upon this crag, because is lying

All shattered, at the bottom, the sixth arch.

And if it still doth please you to go onward,

110 Pursue your way along upon this rock;

Near is another crag that yields a path.

Yesterday, five hours later than this hour,

One thousand and two hundred sixty-six

Years were complete, that here the way was broken.

115 I send in that direction some of mine

To see if any one doth air himself;

Go ye with them; for they will not be vicious.

Step forward, Alichino and Calcabrina,”

Began he to cry out, “and thou, Cagnazzo;

120 And Barbariccia, do thou guide the ten.

Come forward, Libicocco and Draghignazzo,

And tusked Ciriatto and Graffiacane,

And Farfarello and mad Rubicante;

Search ye all round about the boiling pitch;

125 Let these be safe as far as the next crag,

That all unbroken passes o'er the dens.”

“O me! what is it, Master, that I see?

Pray let us go,” I said, “without an escort,

If thou knowest how, since for myself I ask none.

130 If thou art as observant as thy wont is,

Dost thou not see that they do gnash their teeth,

And with their brows are threatening woe to us?”

And he to me: “I will not have thee fear;

Let them gnash on, according to their fancy,

135 Because they do it for those boiling wretches.”

Along the left-hand dike they wheeled about;

But first had each one thrust his tongue between

His teeth towards their leader for a signal;

140 And he had made a trumpet of his rump.

Canto XXII

I have erewhile seen horsemen moving camp,

Begin the storming, and their muster make,

And sometimes starting off for their escape;