Данте Алигьери – The Divine Comedy / Божественная комедия (страница 51)

Without the hope of hole or heliotrope.

They had their hands with serpents bound behind them;

95 These riveted upon their reins the tail

And head, and were in front of them entwined.

And lo! at one who was upon our side

There darted forth a serpent, which transfixed him

There where the neck is knotted to the shoulders.

100 Nor 'O' so quickly e'er, nor 'I' was written,

As he took fire, and burned; and ashes wholly

Behoved it that in falling he became.

And when he on the ground was thus destroyed,

The ashes drew together, and of themselves

105 Into himself they instantly returned.

Even thus by the great sages 'tis confessed

The phoenix dies, and then is born again,

When it approaches its five-hundredth year;

On herb or grain it feeds not in its life,

110 But only on tears of incense and amomum,

And nard and myrrh are its last winding-sheet.

And as he is who falls, and knows not how,

By force of demons who to earth down drag him,

Or other oppilation that binds man,

115 When he arises and around him looks,

Wholly bewildered by the mighty anguish

Which he has suffered, and in looking sighs;

Such was that sinner after he had risen.

Justice of God! O how severe it is,

120 That blows like these in vengeance poureth down!

The Guide thereafter asked him who he was;

Whence he replied: “I rained from Tuscany

A short time since into this cruel gorge.

A bestial life, and not a human, pleased me,

125 Even as the mule I was; I'm Vanni Fucci,

Beast, and Pistoia was my worthy den.”

And I unto the Guide: “Tell him to stir not,

And ask what crime has thrust him here below,

For once a man of blood and wrath I saw him.”

130 And the sinner, who had heard, dissembled not,

But unto me directed mind and face,

And with a melancholy shame was painted.

Then said: “It pains me more that thou hast caught me

Amid this misery where thou seest me,

135 Than when I from the other life was taken.

What thou demandest I cannot deny;

So low am I put down because I robbed

The sacristy of the fair ornaments,

And falsely once 'twas laid upon another;

140 But that thou mayst not such a sight enjoy,

If thou shalt e'er be out of the dark places,

Thine ears to my announcement ope and hear:

Pistoia first of Neri groweth meagre;

Then Florence doth renew her men and manners;

145 Mars draws a vapour up from Val di Magra,

Which is with turbid clouds enveloped round,

And with impetuous and bitter tempest

Over Campo Picen shall be the battle;

When it shall suddenly rend the mist asunder,

150 So that each Bianco shall thereby be smitten.

And this I've said that it may give thee pain.”

Canto XXV

At the conclusion of his words, the thief

Lifted his hands aloft with both the figs,

Crying: “Take that, God, for at thee I aim them.”

From that time forth the serpents were my friends;

5 For one entwined itself about his neck