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A Free Translation, in Verse, of the "inferno" of Dante
A Free Translation in Verse of the inferno of Dante Author:Dante Alighieri Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CANTO V. Thus to the second circle mute we go, Inferior to the first in magnitude, But far more dreadful by th' excess of woe. Here Minos grinning ho... more »rribly I view'd, Th' inexorable judge of all below. Soon as a culprit in his presence stood, His crimes without delay the wretch confess'd; And he, the judge, th' infernal place assign'd That suited the delinquent's case the best. Coil'd round his waist, his monstrous tail defin'd The circles to be pass'd, each by a coil express'd. Many offenders of each sex and kind Are hourly by this dire tormentor tried, Who hears, condemns, and hurries them to Hell. " Stranger, whoe'er thou art," now Minos cried, " Who dar'st approach this sad receptacle, " Trust not its ample port, nor yet thy guide !" To whom my leader: " Minos, why repel " This mortal, whose approach is ratified " By Him whose will no creature can dispute?" Oh then such notes of sorrow reach'd mine ear, I felt convinc'd that accents so acute Could only flow from spirits tortur'd here. It was a place where ev'ry light is mute; A whirlwind roar'd like billows of the main When winds tempestuous rouse them and incense. No pause it knew, but whirling in its train The wretched ghosts, dash'd them with violence 'Gainst pointed cliffs oppos'd to it in vain. Shrieks, curses, groans, complaints 'gainst providence Resounded here. These spirits were condemn'd For that their lives in carnal joys were spent, And Reason's dictates silenc'd and contemn'd. As stares, when Winter's frosts are imminent, In widely scatter'd groups prepare to quit In quest of some more genial continent, So by the whirlwind toss'd these spirits flit East, west, north, south, or up in air, or low; No h...« less