Divine Comedy

1 About this Text 2 Canto I. The Dark Forest. The Hill of Difficulty. The Panther, the Lion, and the Wolf. Virgil. Midway upon the journey of our life I found myself within a forest dark 3 Canto II. The Descent. Dante's Protest and Virgil's Appeal. The Intercession of the Three Ladies Benedight. Day was departing, and the embrowned air Released the animals that are on earth From 4 Canto III. The Gate of Hell. The Inefficient or Indifferent. Pope Celestine V. The Shores of Acheron. Charon. The Earthquake and the Swoon. |Through me the way is to the city dolent 5 Canto IV. The First Circle, Limbo: Virtuous Pagans and the Unbaptized. The Four Poets, Homer, Horace, Ovid, and Lucan. The Noble Castle of Philosophy. Broke the deep lethargy within my head A heavy thunder 6 Canto V. The Second Circle: The Wanton. Minos. The Infernal Hurricane. Francesca da Rimini. Thus I descended out of the first circle Down to the second 7 Canto VI. The Third Circle: The Gluttonous. Cerberus. The Eternal Rain. Ciacco. Florence. At the return of consciousness, that closed Before the pity of those two relations 8 Canto VII. The Fourth Circle: The Avaricious and the Prodigal. Plutus. Fortune and her Wheel. The Fifth Circle: The Irascible and the Sullen. Styx. |Pape Satan, Pape Satan, Aleppe!| Thus Plutus with his clucking voice began 9 Canto VIII. Phlegyas. Philippo Argenti. The Gate of the City of Dis. I say, continuing, that long before We to the foot of that high tower had 10 Canto IX. The Furies and Medusa. The Angel. The City of Dis. The Sixth Circle: Heresiarchs. That hue which cowardice brought out on me, Beholding my Conductor backward turn 11 Canto X. Farinata and Cavalcante de' Cavalcanti. Discourse on the Knowledge of the Damned. Now onward goes, along a narrow path Between the torments and the city wall 12 Canto XI. The Broken Rocks. Pope Anastasius. General Description of the Inferno and its Divisions. Upon the margin of a lofty bank Which great rocks broken in a circle made 13 Canto XII. The Minotaur. The Seventh Circle: The Violent. The River Phlegethon. The Violent against their Neighbours. The Centaurs. Tyrants. The place where to descend the bank we came Was alpine 14 Canto XIII. The Wood of Thorns. The Harpies. The Violent against themselves. Suicides. Pier della Vigna. Lano and Jacopo da Sant' Andrea. Not yet had Nessus reached the other side, When we had put ourselves within a 15 Canto XIV. The Sand Waste and the Rain of Fire. The Violent against God. Capaneus. The Statue of Time, and the Four Infernal Rivers. Because the charity of my native place Constrained me 16 Canto XV. The Violent against Nature. Brunetto Latini. Now bears us onward one of the hard margins 17 Canto XVI. Guidoguerra, Aldobrandi, and Rusticucci. Cataract of the River of Blood. Now was I where was heard the reverberation Of water falling into the next round 18 Canto XVII. Geryon. The Violent against Art. Usurers. Descent into the Abyss of Malebolge. |Behold the monster with the pointed tail, Who cleaves the hills 19 Canto XVIII. The Eighth Circle, Malebolge: The Fraudulent and the Malicious. The First Bolgia: Seducers and Panderers. Venedico Caccianimico. Jason. The Second Bolgia: Flatterers. Allessio Interminelli. Thais. There is a place in Hell called Malebolge, Wh 20 Canto XIX. The Third Bolgia: Simoniacs. Pope Nicholas III. Dante's Reproof of corrupt Prelates. O Simon Magus, O forlorn disciples, Ye who the things of God 21 Canto XX. The Fourth Bolgia: Soothsayers. Amphiaraus, Tiresias, Aruns, Manto, Eryphylus, Michael Scott, Guido Bonatti, and Asdente. Virgil reproaches Dante's Pity. Mantua's Foundation. Of a new pain behoves me to make verses And give material to the twent 22 Canto XXI. The Fifth Bolgia: Peculators. The Elder of Santa Zita. Malacoda and other Devils. From bridge to bridge thus, speaking other things Of which my Comedy cares not to 23 Canto XXII. Ciampolo, Friar Gomita, and Michael Zanche. The Malabranche quarrel. I have erewhile seen horsemen moving camp, Begin the storming 24 Canto XXIII. Escape from the Malabranche. The Sixth Bolgia: Hypocrites. Catalano and Loderingo. Caiaphas. Silent, alone, and without company We went, the one in front 25 Canto XXIV. The Seventh Bolgia: Thieves. Vanni Fucci. Serpents. In that part of the youthful year wherein The Sun his locks beneath Aquarius tempers 26 Canto XXV. Vanni Fucci's Punishment. Agnello Brunelleschi, Buoso degli Abati, Puccio Sciancato, Cianfa de' Donati, and Guercio Cavalcanti. At the conclusion of his words, the thief Lifted his hands aloft with both the 27 Canto XXVI. The Eighth Bolgia: Evil Counsellors. Ulysses and Diomed. Ulysses' Last Voyage. Rejoice, O Florence, since thou art so great, That over sea and land thou beatest 28 Canto XXVII. Guido da Montefeltro. His deception by Pope Boniface VIII. Already was the flame erect and quiet, To speak no more 29 Canto XXVIII. The Ninth Bolgia: Schismatics. Mahomet and Ali. Pier da Medicina, Curio, Mosca, and Bertrand de Born. Who ever could, e'en with untrammelled words, Tell of the blood and of the wounds 30 Canto XXIX. Geri del Bello. The Tenth Bolgia: Alchemists. Griffolino d' Arezzo and Capocchino. The many people and the divers wounds These eyes of mine had so inebriated 31 Canto XXX. Other Falsifiers or Forgers. Gianni Schicchi, Myrrha, Adam of Brescia, Potiphar's Wife, and Sinon of Troy. Twas at the time when Juno was enraged, For Semele 32 Canto XXXI. The Giants, Nimrod, Ephialtes, and Antaeus. Descent to Cocytus. One and the selfsame tongue first wounded me, So that it tinged the one cheek 33 Canto XXXII. The Ninth Circle: Traitors. The Frozen Lake of Cocytus. First Division, Caina: Traitors to their Kindred. Camicion de' Pazzi. Second Division, Antenora: Traitors to their Country. Dante questions Bocca degli Abati. Buoso da Duera. If I had rh 34 Canto XXXIII. Count Ugolino and the Archbishop Ruggieri. The Death of Count Ugolino's Sons. Third Division of the Ninth Circle, Ptolomaea: Traitors to their Friends. Friar Alberigo, Branco d' Oria. His mouth uplifted from his grim repast, That sinner 35 Canto XXXIV. Fourth Division of the Ninth Circle, the Judecca: Traitors to their Lords and Benefactors. Lucifer, Judas Iscariot, Brutus, and Cassius. The Chasm of Lethe. The Ascent. |'Vexilla Regis prodeunt Inferni' Towards us; therefore look in front of 36 Canto I. The Shores of Purgatory. The Four Stars. Cato of Utica. The Rush. To run o'er better waters hoists its sail The little vessel of my genius now 37 Canto II. The Celestial Pilot. Casella. The Departure. Already had the sun the horizon reached Whose circle of meridian covers o'er Jerusalem with 38 Canto III. Discourse on the Limits of Reason. The Foot of the Mountain. Those who died in Contumacy of Holy Church. Manfredi. Inasmuch as the instantaneous flight Had scattered them asunder o'er the plain 39 Canto IV. Farther Ascent. Nature of the Mountain. The Negligent, who postponed Repentance till the last Hour. Belacqua. Whenever by delight or else by pain, That seizes any faculty of ours 40 Canto V. Those who died by Violence, but repentant. Buonconte di Monfeltro. La Pia. I had already from those shades departed, And followed in the footsteps of my Guide 41 Canto VI. Dante's Inquiry on Prayers for the Dead. Sordello. Italy. Whene'er is broken up the game of Zara, He who has lost remains behind despondent 42 Canto VII. The Valley of Flowers. Negligent Princes. After the gracious and glad salutations Had three and four times been reiterated 43 Canto VIII. The Guardian Angels and the Serpent. Nino di Gallura. The Three Stars. Currado Malaspina. Twas now the hour that turneth back desire In those who sail the sea 44 Canto IX. Dante's Dream of the Eagle. The Gate of Purgatory and the Angel. Seven P's. The Keys. The concubine of old Tithonus now Gleamed white upon the eastern balcony 45 Canto X. The Needle's Eye. The First Circle: The Proud. The Sculptures on the Wall. When we had crossed the threshold of the door Which the perverted love of souls 46 Canto XI. The Humble Prayer. Omberto di Santafiore. Oderisi d' Agobbio. Provenzan Salvani. |Our Father, thou who dwellest in the heavens, Not circumscribed 47 Canto XII. The Sculptures on the Pavement. Ascent to the Second Circle. Abreast, like oxen going in a yoke, I with that heavy-laden soul went on 48 Canto XIII. The Second Circle: The Envious. Sapia of Siena. We were upon the summit of the stairs, Where for the second time is cut 49 Canto XIV. Guido del Duca and Renier da Calboli. Cities of the Arno Valley. Denunciation of Stubbornness. |Who is this one that goes about our mountain 50 Canto XV. The Third Circle: The Irascible. Dante's Visions. The Smoke. As much as 'twixt the close of the third hour And dawn of day appeareth 51 Canto XVI. Marco Lombardo. Lament over the State of the World. Darkness of hell, and of a night deprived Of every planet under a poor sky 52 Canto XVII. Dante's Dream of Anger. The Fourth Circle: The Slothful. Virgil's Discourse of Love. Remember, Reader, if e'er in the Alps A mist o'ertook thee 53 Canto XVIII. Virgil further discourses of Love and Free Will. The Abbot of San Zeno. An end had put unto his reasoning The lofty Teacher 54 Canto XIX. Dante's Dream of the Siren. The Fifth Circle: The Avaricious and Prodigal. Pope Adrian V. It was the hour when the diurnal heat No more can warm the coldness of 55 Canto XX. Hugh Capet. Corruption of the French Crown. Prophecy of the Abduction of Pope Boniface VIII and the Sacrilege of Philip the Fair. The Earthquake. Ill strives the will against a better will; Therefore 56 Canto XXI. The Poet Statius. Praise of Virgil. The natural thirst, that ne'er is satisfied Excepting with the water for whose grace The 57 Canto XXII. Statius' Denunciation of Avarice. The Sixth Circle: The Gluttonous. The Mystic Tree. Already was the Angel left behind us, The Angel who to the sixth round had 58 Canto XXIII. Forese. Reproof of immodest Florentine Women. The while among the verdant leaves mine eyes I riveted 59 Canto XXIV. Buonagiunta da Lucca. Pope Martin IV, and others. Inquiry into the State of Poetry. Nor speech the going, nor the going that Slackened 60 Canto XXV. Discourse of Statius on Generation. The Seventh Circle: The Wanton. Now was it the ascent no hindrance brooked, Because the sun had his meridian circle 61 Canto XXVI. Sodomites. Guido Guinicelli and Arnaldo Daniello. While on the brink thus one before the other We went upon our way 62 Canto XXVII. The Wall of Fire and the Angel of God. Dante's Sleep upon the Stairway, and his Dream of Leah and Rachel. Arrival at the Terrestrial Paradise. As when he vibrates forth his earliest rays, In regions where his Maker shed his 63 Canto XXVIII. The River Lethe. Matilda. The Nature of the Terrestrial Paradise. Eager already to search in and round The heavenly forest 64 Canto XXIX. The Triumph of the Church. Singing like unto an enamoured lady She, with the ending of her words 65 Canto XXX. Virgil's Departure. Beatrice. Dante's Shame. When the Septentrion of the highest heaven Which never either setting knew or rising 66 Canto XXXI. Reproaches of Beatrice and Confession of Dante. The Passage of Lethe. The Seven Virtues. The Griffon. |O thou who art beyond the sacred river,| Turning to me the point of her 67 Canto XXXII. The Tree of Knowledge. Allegory of the Chariot. So steadfast and attentive were mine eyes In satisfying their decennial thirst 68 Canto XXXIII. Lament over the State of the Church. Final Reproaches of Beatrice. The River Eunoe. |Deus venerunt gentes,| alternating Now three, now four, melodious psalmody The maidens in the midst 69 Canto I. The Ascent to the First Heaven. The Sphere of Fire. The glory of Him who moveth everything Doth penetrate the universe 70 Canto II. The First Heaven, the Moon: Spirits who, having taken Sacred Vows, were forced to violate them. The Lunar Spots. O Ye, who in some pretty little boat, Eager to listen 71 Canto III. Piccarda Donati and the Empress Constance. That Sun, which erst with love my bosom warmed 72 Canto IV. Questionings of the Soul and of Broken Vows. Between two viands, equally removed And tempting, a free man would die of hunger Ere 73 Canto V. Discourse of Beatrice on Vows and Compensations. Ascent to the Second Heaven, Mercury: Spirits who for the Love of Fame achieved great Deeds. |If in the heat of love I flame upon thee Beyond the measure that on 74 Canto VI. Justinian. The Roman Eagle. The Empire. Romeo. |After that Constantine the eagle turned Against the course of heaven 75 Canto VII. Beatrice's Discourse of the Crucifixion, the Incarnation, the Immortality of the Soul, and the Resurrection of the Body. |Osanna sanctus Deus Sabaoth, Superillustrans claritate tua Felices ignes horum malahoth!| In this wise 76 Canto VIII. Ascent to the Third Heaven, Venus: Lovers. Charles Martel. Discourse on diverse Natures. The world used in its peril to believe That the fair Cypria delirious love Rayed 77 Canto IX. Cunizza da Romano, Folco of Marseilles, and Rahab. Neglect of the Holy Land. Beautiful Clemence, after that thy Charles Had me enlightened 78 Canto X. The Fourth Heaven, the Sun: Theologians and Fathers of the Church. The First Circle. St. Thomas of Aquinas. Looking into his Son with all the Love Which each of them eternally breathes forth 79 Canto XI. St. Thomas recounts the Life of St. Francis. Lament over the State of the Dominican Order. O Thou insensate care of mortal men, How inconclusive are the syllogisms That make thee 80 Canto XII. St. Buonaventura recounts the Life of St. Dominic. Lament over the State of the Franciscan Order. The Second Circle. Soon as the blessed flame had taken up The final word to give it utterance 81 Canto XIII. Of the Wisdom of Solomon. St. Thomas reproaches Dante's Judgement. Let him imagine, who would well conceive What now I saw 82 Canto XIV. The Third Circle. Discourse on the Resurrection of the Flesh. The Fifth Heaven, Mars: Martyrs and Crusaders who died fighting for the true Faith. The Celestial Cross. From centre unto rim, from rim to centre, In a round vase the water moves 83 Canto XV. Cacciaguida. Florence in the Olden Time. A will benign, in which reveals itself Ever the love that righteously inspires 84 Canto XVI. Dante's Noble Ancestry. Cacciaguida's Discourse of the Great Florentines. O thou our poor nobility of blood, If thou dost make the people glory in 85 Canto XVII. Cacciaguida's Prophecy of Dante's Banishment. As came to Clymene, to be made certain Of that which he had heard against 86 Canto XVIII. The Sixth Heaven, Jupiter: Righteous Kings and Rulers. The Celestial Eagle. Dante's Invectives against ecclesiastical Avarice. Now was alone rejoicing in its word That soul beatified 87 Canto XIX. The Eagle discourses of Salvation, Faith, and Virtue. Condemnation of the vile Kings of A.D. 1300. Appeared before me with its wings outspread The beautiful image that in sweet fruition Made 88 Canto XX. The Eagle praises the Righteous Kings of old. Benevolence of the Divine Will. When he who all the world illuminates Out of our hemisphere so far descends That 89 Canto XXI. The Seventh Heaven, Saturn: The Contemplative. The Celestial Stairway. St. Peter Damiano. His Invectives against the Luxury of the Prelates. Already on my Lady's face mine eyes Again were fastened 90 Canto XXII. St. Benedict. His Lamentation over the Corruption of Monks. The Eighth Heaven, the Fixed Stars. Oppressed with stupor, I unto my guide Turned like a little child who always runs 91 Canto XXIII. The Triumph of Christ. The Virgin Mary. The Apostles. Gabriel. Even as a bird, 'mid the beloved leaves, Quiet upon the nest of her sweet 92 Canto XXIV. The Radiant Wheel. St. Peter examines Dante on Faith. |O company elect to the great supper Of the Lamb benedight 93 Canto XXV. The Laurel Crown. St. James examines Dante on Hope. Dante's Blindness. If e'er it happen that the Poem Sacred, To which both heaven and earth have 94 Canto XXVI. St. John examines Dante on Charity. Dante's Sight. Adam. While I was doubting for my vision quenched, Out of the flame refulgent that had 95 Canto XXVII. St. Peter's reproof of bad Popes. The Ascent to the Ninth Heaven, the 'Primum Mobile.' |Glory be to the Father, to the Son, And Holy Ghost!| all Paradise began 96 Canto XXVIII. God and the Angelic Hierarchies. After the truth against the present life Of miserable mortals was unfolded By her who 97 Canto XXIX. Beatrice's Discourse of the Creation of the Angels, and of the Fall of Lucifer. Her Reproof of Foolish and Avaricious Preachers. At what time both the children of Latona, Surmounted by the Ram and by the 98 Canto XXX. The Tenth Heaven, or Empyrean. The River of Light. The Two Courts of Heaven. The White Rose of Paradise. The great Throne. Perchance six thousand miles remote from us Is glowing the sixth hour 99 Canto XXXI. The Glory of Paradise. Departure of Beatrice. St. Bernard. In fashion then as of a snow-white rose Displayed itself to me the saintly host 100 Canto XXXII. St. Bernard points out the Saints in the White Rose. Absorbed in his delight, that contemplator Assumed the willing office of a teacher 101 Canto XXXIII. Prayer to the Virgin. The Threefold Circle of the Trinity. Mystery of the Divine and Human Nature. |Thou Virgin Mother, daughter of thy Son, Humble and high beyond all other creature 102 SIX SONNETS ON DANTE'S DIVINE COMEDY 103 Postscript