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第6章

the divine comedy(神曲)-第6章

小说: the divine comedy(神曲) 字数: 每页4000字

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He whose omniscience everything transcends
  The heavens created; and gave who should guide them;
  That every part to every part may shine;

Distributing the light in equal measure;
  He in like manner to the mundane splendours
  Ordained a general ministress and guide;

That she might change at times the empty treasures
  From race to race; from one blood to another;
  Beyond resistance of all human wisdom。

Therefore one people triumphs; and another
  Languishes; in pursuance of her judgment;
  Which hidden is; as in the grass a serpent。

Your knowledge has no counterstand against her;
  She makes provision; judges; and pursues
  Her governance; as theirs the other gods。

Her permutations have not any truce;
  Necessity makes her precipitate;
  So often cometh who his turn obtains。

And this is she who is so crucified
  Even by those who ought to give her praise;
  Giving her blame amiss; and bad repute。

But she is blissful; and she hears it not;
  Among the other primal creatures gladsome
  She turns her sphere; and blissful she rejoices。

Let us descend now unto greater woe;
  Already sinks each star that was ascending
  When I set out; and loitering is forbidden。〃

We crossed the circle to the other bank;
  Near to a fount that boils; and pours itself
  Along a gully that runs out of it。

The water was more sombre far than perse;
  And we; in company with the dusky waves;
  Made entrance downward by a path uncouth。

A marsh it makes; which has the name of Styx;
  This tristful brooklet; when it has descended
  Down to the foot of the malign gray shores。

And I; who stood intent upon beholding;
  Saw people mud…besprent in that lagoon;
  All of them naked and with angry look。

They smote each other not alone with hands;
  But with the head and with the breast and feet;
  Tearing each other piecemeal with their teeth。

Said the good Master: 〃Son; thou now beholdest
  The souls of those whom anger overcame;
  And likewise I would have thee know for certain

Beneath the water people are who sigh
  And make this water bubble at the surface;
  As the eye tells thee wheresoe'er it turns。

Fixed in the mire they say; 'We sullen were
  In the sweet air; which by the sun is gladdened;
  Bearing within ourselves the sluggish reek;

Now we are sullen in this sable mire。'
  This hymn do they keep gurgling in their throats;
  For with unbroken words they cannot say it。〃

Thus we went circling round the filthy fen
  A great arc 'twixt the dry bank and the swamp;
  With eyes turned unto those who gorge the mire;

Unto the foot of a tower we came at last。



Inferno: Canto VIII


I say; continuing; that long before
  We to the foot of that high tower had come;
  Our eyes went upward to the summit of it;

By reason of two flamelets we saw placed there;
  And from afar another answer them;
  So far; that hardly could the eye attain it。

And; to the sea of all discernment turned;
  I said: 〃What sayeth this; and what respondeth
  That other fire? and who are they that made it?〃

And he to me: 〃Across the turbid waves
  What is expected thou canst now discern;
  If reek of the morass conceal it not。〃

Cord never shot an arrow from itself
  That sped away athwart the air so swift;
  As I beheld a very little boat

Come o'er the water tow'rds us at that moment;
  Under the guidance of a single pilot;
  Who shouted; 〃Now art thou arrived; fell soul?〃

〃Phlegyas; Phlegyas; thou criest out in vain
  For this once;〃 said my Lord; 〃thou shalt not have us
  Longer than in the passing of the slough。〃

As he who listens to some great deceit
  That has been done to him; and then resents it;
  Such became Phlegyas; in his gathered wrath。

My Guide descended down into the boat;
  And then he made me enter after him;
  And only when I entered seemed it laden。

Soon as the Guide and I were in the boat;
  The antique prow goes on its way; dividing
  More of the water than 'tis wont with others。

While we were running through the dead canal;
  Uprose in front of me one full of mire;
  And said; 〃Who 'rt thou that comest ere the hour?〃

And I to him: 〃Although I come; I stay not;
  But who art thou that hast become so squalid?〃
  〃Thou seest that I am one who weeps;〃 he answered。

And I to him: 〃With weeping and with wailing;
  Thou spirit maledict; do thou remain;
  For thee I know; though thou art all defiled。〃

Then stretched he both his hands unto the boat;
  Whereat my wary Master thrust him back;
  Saying; 〃Away there with the other dogs!〃

Thereafter with his arms he clasped my neck;
  He kissed my face; and said: 〃Disdainful soul;
  Blessed be she who bore thee in her bosom。

That was an arrogant person in the world;
  Goodness is none; that decks his memory;
  So likewise here his shade is furious。

How many are esteemed great kings up there;
  Who here shall be like unto swine in mire;
  Leaving behind them horrible dispraises!〃

And I: 〃My Master; much should I be pleased;
  If I could see him soused into this broth;
  Before we issue forth out of the lake。〃

And he to me: 〃Ere unto thee the shore
  Reveal itself; thou shalt be satisfied;
  Such a desire 'tis meet thou shouldst enjoy。〃

A little after that; I saw such havoc
  Made of him by the people of the mire;
  That still I praise and thank my God for it。

They all were shouting; 〃At Philippo Argenti!〃
  And that exasperate spirit Florentine
  Turned round upon himself with his own teeth。

We left him there; and more of him I tell not;
  But on mine ears there smote a lamentation;
  Whence forward I intent unbar mine eyes。

And the good Master said: 〃Even now; my Son;
  The city draweth near whose name is Dis;
  With the grave citizens; with the great throng。〃

And I: 〃Its mosques already; Master; clearly
  Within there in the valley I discern
  Vermilion; as if issuing from the fire

They were。〃  And he to me: 〃The fire eternal
  That kindles them within makes them look red;
  As thou beholdest in this nether Hell。〃

Then we arrived within the moats profound;
  That circumvallate that disconsolate city;
  The walls appeared to me to be of iron。

Not without making first a circuit wide;
  We came unto a place where loud the pilot
  Cried out to us; 〃Debark; here is the entrance。〃

More than a thousand at the gates I saw
  Out of the Heavens rained down; who angrily
  Were saying; 〃Who is this that without death

Goes through the kingdom of the people dead?〃
  And my sagacious Master made a sign
  Of wishing secretly to speak with them。

A little then they quelled their great disdain;
  And said: 〃Come thou alone; and he begone
  Who has so boldly entered these dominions。

Let him return alone by his mad road;
  Try; if he can; for thou shalt here remain;
  Who hast escorted him through such dark regions。〃

Think; Reader; if I was discomforted
  At utterance of the accursed words;
  For never to return here I believed。

〃O my dear Guide; who more than seven times
  Hast rendered me security; and drawn me
  From imminent peril that before me stood;

Do not desert me;〃 said I; 〃thus undone;
  And if the going farther be denied us;
  Let us retrace our steps together swiftly。〃

And that Lord; who had led me thitherward;
  Said unto me: 〃Fear not; because our passage
  None can take from us; it by Such is given。

But here await me; and thy weary spirit
  Comfort and nourish with a better hope;
  For in this nether world I will not leave thee。〃

So onward goes and there abandons me
  My Father sweet; and I remain in doubt;
  For No and Yes within my head contend。

I could not hear what he proposed to them;
  But with them there he did not linger long;
  Ere each within in rivalry ran back。

They closed the portals; those our adversaries;
  On my Lord's breast; who had remained without
  And turned to me with footsteps far between。

His eyes cast down; his forehead shorn had he
  Of all its boldness; and he said; with sighs;
  〃Who has denied to me the dolesome houses?〃

And unto me: 〃Thou; because I am angry;
  Fear not; for I will conquer in the trial;
  Whatever

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