And the lips thickened far as was befitting。
He who lay prostrate thrusts his muzzle forward；
And backward draws the ears into his head；
In the same manner as the snail its horns；
And so the tongue； which was entire and apt
For speech before； is cleft； and the bi…forked
In the other closes up； and the smoke ceases。
The soul； which to a reptile had been changed；
Along the valley hissing takes to flight；
And after him the other speaking sputters。
Then did he turn upon him his new shoulders；
And said to the other： 〃I'll have Buoso run；
Crawling as I have done； along this road。〃
In this way I beheld the seventh ballast
Shift and reshift； and here be my excuse
The novelty； if aught my pen transgress。
And notwithstanding that mine eyes might be
Somewhat bewildered； and my mind dismayed；
They could not flee away so secretly
But that I plainly saw Puccio Sciancato；
And he it was who sole of three companions；
Which came in the beginning； was not changed；
The other was he whom thou； Gaville； weepest。
Inferno： Canto XXVI
Rejoice； O Florence； since thou art so great；
That over sea and land thou beatest thy wings；
And throughout Hell thy name is spread abroad！
Among the thieves five citizens of thine
Like these I found； whence shame comes unto me；
And thou thereby to no great honour risest。
But if when morn is near our dreams are true；
Feel shalt thou in a little time from now
What Prato； if none other； craves for thee。
And if it now were； it were not too soon；
Would that it were； seeing it needs must be；
For 'twill aggrieve me more the more I age。
We went our way； and up along the stairs
The bourns had made us to descend before；
Remounted my Conductor and drew me。
And following the solitary path
Among the rocks and ridges of the crag；
The foot without the hand sped not at all。
Then sorrowed I； and sorrow now again；
When I direct my mind to what I saw；
And more my genius curb than I am wont；
That it may run not unless virtue guide it；
So that if some good star； or better thing；
Have given me good； I may myself not grudge it。
As many as the hind （who on the hill
Rests at the time when he who lights the world
His countenance keeps least concealed from us；
While as the fly gives place unto the gnat）
Seeth the glow…worms down along the valley；
Perchance there where he ploughs and makes his vintage；
With flames as manifold resplendent all
Was the eighth Bolgia； as I grew aware
As soon as I was where the depth appeared。
And such as he who with the bears avenged him
Beheld Elijah's chariot at departing；
What time the steeds to heaven erect uprose；
For with his eye he could not follow it
So as to see aught else than flame alone；
Even as a little cloud ascending upward；
Thus each along the gorge of the intrenchment
Was moving； for not one reveals the theft；
And every flame a sinner steals away。
I stood upon the bridge uprisen to see；
So that； if I had seized not on a rock；
Down had I fallen without being pushed。
And the Leader； who beheld me so attent；
Exclaimed： 〃Within the fires the spirits are；
Each swathes himself with that wherewith he burns。〃
〃My Master；〃 I replied； 〃by hearing thee
I am more sure； but I surmised already
It might be so； and already wished to ask thee
Who is within that fire； which comes so cleft
At top； it seems uprising from the pyre
Where was Eteocles with his brother placed。〃
He answered me： 〃Within there are tormented
Ulysses and Diomed； and thus together
They unto vengeance run as unto wrath。
And there within their flame do they lament
The ambush of the horse； which made the door
Whence issued forth the Romans' gentle seed；
Therein is wept the craft； for which being dead
Deidamia still deplores Achilles；
And pain for the Palladium there is borne。〃
〃If they within those sparks possess the power
To speak；〃 I said； 〃thee； Master； much I pray；
And re…pray； that the prayer be worth a thousand；
That thou make no denial of awaiting
Until the horned flame shall hither come；
Thou seest that with desire I lean towards it。〃
And he to me： 〃Worthy is thy entreaty
Of much applause； and therefore I accept it；
But take heed that thy tongue restrain itself。
Leave me to speak； because I have conceived
That which thou wishest； for they might disdain
Perchance； since they were Greeks； discourse of thine。〃
When now the flame had come unto that point；
Where to my Leader it seemed time and place；
After this fashion did I hear him speak：
〃O ye； who are twofold within one fire；
If I deserved of you； while I was living；
If I deserved of you or much or little
When in the world I wrote the lofty verses；
Do not move on； but one of you declare
Whither； being lost； he went away to die。〃
Then of the antique flame the greater horn；
Murmuring； began to wave itself about
Even as a flame doth which the wind fatigues。
Thereafterward； the summit to and fro
Moving as if it were the tongue that spake；
It uttered forth a voice； and said： 〃When I
From Circe had departed； who concealed me
More than a year there near unto Gaeta；
Or ever yet Aeneas named it so；
Nor fondness for my son； nor reverence
For my old father； nor the due affection
Which joyous should have made Penelope；
Could overcome within me the desire
I had to be experienced of the world；
And of the vice and virtue of mankind；
But I put forth on the high open sea
With one sole ship； and that small company
By which I never had deserted been。
Both of the shores I saw as far as Spain；
Far as Morocco； and the isle of Sardes；
And the others which that sea bathes round about。
I and my company were old and slow
When at that narrow passage we arrived
Where Hercules his landmarks set as signals；
That man no farther onward should adventure。
On the right hand behind me left I Seville；
And on the other already had left Ceuta。
'O brothers； who amid a hundred thousand
Perils；' I said； 'have come unto the West；
To this so inconsiderable vigil
Which is remaining of your senses still
Be ye unwilling to deny the knowledge；
Following the sun； of the unpeopled world。
Consider ye the seed from which ye sprang；
Ye were not made to live like unto brutes；
But for pursuit of virtue and of knowledge。'
So eager did I render my companions；
With this brief exhortation； for the voyage；
That then I hardly could have held them back。
And having turned our stern unto the morning；
We of the oars made wings for our mad flight；
Evermore gaining on the larboard side。
Already all the stars of the other pole
The night beheld； and ours so very low
It did not rise above the ocean floor。
Five times rekindled and as many quenched
Had been the splendour underneath the moon；
Since we had entered into the deep pass；
When there appeared to us a mountain； dim
From distance； and it seemed to me so high
As I had never any one beheld。
Joyful were we； and soon it turned to weeping；
For out of the new land a whirlwind rose；
And smote upon the fore part of the ship。
Three times it made her whirl with all the waters；
At the fourth time it made the stern uplift；
And the prow downward go； as pleased Another；
Until the sea above us closed again。〃
Inferno： Canto XXVII
Already was the flame erect and quiet；
To speak no more； and now departed from us
With the permission of the gentle Poet；
When yet another； which behind it came；
Caused us to turn our eyes upon its top
By a confused sound that issued from it。
As the Sicilian bull （that bellowed first
With the lament of him； and that was right；
Who with his file had modulated it）
Bellowed so with the voice of the afflicted；
That； notwithstanding it was made of brass；
Still it appeared with agony transfixed；
Thus； by not having any way or issue
At first from out the fire； to its own language
Converted were the melancholy words。
But afterwards； when they had gathered way
Up through the point； giving it that vibration
The tongue had given them in their passage out；
We heard it said： 〃O thou； at whom I aim
My voice； and who but now wast speaking Lombard；
Saying； 'Now go thy way； no more I urge thee；'
Because I come perchance a little late；
To stay and speak with me let it not irk thee；
Thou seest it irks not me； and I am burning。
If thou but lately into this blind world
Hast fallen down from that sweet Latian land；
Wherefrom I bring the whole of my transgression；
Say； if the Romagnuols have peace or war；
For I was from the mountains there between
Urbino and the yoke whence Tiber bursts。〃
I still was downward bent and listening；
When my Conductor touched me on the side；
Saying： 〃Speak thou： this one a Latian is。〃
And I； who had beforehand my reply
In readiness； forthwith began to speak：
〃O soul； that down below there art concealed；
Romagna thine is not and never has been
Without war in the bosom of its tyrants；
But