DANTE'S SUBLIME COMEDY: PURGATORY: Chapter 14

                       Chapter 14: Envy Ruling

“Who now ascends our penitential hill

before death makes him rise, and who at will

opens and shuts his eyes?” “I do not know                                       3

but he is nearest you. Speak well to him,                                          

to gain a fair reply.” We saw two souls

conversing thus in that blind row. One said,                                      6

“O living man bound Heavenward, please tell                                   

in charity your birthplace and your name.

A special grace protects you, so your words                                     9

can do us good.” “I was born near,” said I,                                        

“a stream that flows more than a hundred miles

from Falterona to the sea. My name                                                  12

you do not need. It’s not yet known to fame.”                                 

“Mount Falterona is the source,” said he

“ of Tiber and of Arno, therefore you                                               15

are from Romagna or from Tuscany,

            and probably the last. Why not say so?

            Is Arno a bad word?” “It is indeed!”                                                  18

the other speaker cried, “All living by

            that evil flood should die and be forgot.

            They flee from virtue, dread it like a snake.                                       21

The place corrupts them, or bad customs spreads

corruption through them like a deadly plague.

Close to the Arno’s source the folk are brutes                                   24

like those who Circe once turned into swine,

fit to eat acorns, not to dine like men.           

Leaving these hogs the stream enters a land                                  27

of snarling mongrel dogs, more full of spite

than bravery or any strength to bite.

Lower the stream swells wider, and the more                                     30

it swells, the dogs become rapacious wolves.

            Leaving them by a winding glen it flows

through a land of cheating foxes none can trap,                             33 

so great is the support for their deceit.

            But now the future has grown clear to me!

I’ll say what I foresee, and do not care                                               36

what ears may hear. Your grandson will become

            hunter of wolves beside that horrid flood,

selling young flesh, butchering it when old.                                   39

He will be infamous for slaughtering,

            will leave so few that centuries will pass

before the state of Florence is restored.”                                            42

This coming woe showed on the troubled face

            of he announcing it and he who heard.

Said I, “If you want word of that conveyed                                       45

to earth below, I’d better know your names.”

            Chief spokesman of the two replied, “You ask

what you denied to me. I can’t refuse,                                               48

for you are in God’s grace. Know that in life

            I, Guido del Duco, felt so much spite

at sight of folk enjoying life, my face                                                 51

swelled and turned scarlet in my jealous rage.

            I sowed bad seed, now chew the bitter crop.

No wonder I am blind, for envy’s whip                                             54

drove me away from human fellowship,

            engrossing good things for myself and heirs.

O humankind, our mad wish not to share                                           57

repels the sympathy and love we need,

            brings endless war. You Tuscans know that well.

Rinier of the house of Calboli                                                             60

is my companion, last true nobleman

            of an old family. None after he

            have been or will be good, and this is true                                          63

of every great family between

            mountains and Po from Reno to the sea.

            Once they were generous and chivalrous.                                           66

Art, sport, good manners flourished under them.

            Now fields of their estates grow fouler weeds

            than decades of good farming can repair.                                            69 

Where now exist Arrigo Mainardi,

            Guido de Carpigna, good Lizio,

            also the good Pierre Traversaro?                                                         72

In the Romagna a vile bastard race

            replaces every one; and when again

            will a Fabbro be found in Bologna?                                                    75

A Fosco in Faenza? – noble sprout

            from a most humble herb. Do not wonder,

            Tuscan, if I weep remembering how                                                   78

Guido da Prata, Ugulino d’Azzo

            lived and ruled, Tignoso and company,

            the Traversaro and Anastagi,                                                              81

both now without an heir. O Tuscan, think!

            I knew these knights, these ladies moved by love

            and courtesy, where now is villainy.                                                  84

O Bertinoro, why do you remain?

Your lords abandoned your corrupt old den –

follow them! Bagnacavallo does well                                             87

in failing to breed men. Castrocaro

            does ill, Conio worse by breeding lords

            deserving Heaven’s curse. The Pagani                                                90

still keep old honesty, or will when free

            of that sly fiend Malnardo, even so

            their name cannot regain it’s ancient fame.                                         93

O Hugo Fantolini, your good name

            is safe since no one now possesses it.

            Tuscan, depart. I’d rather weep than speak,                                      96

our conversation has so wrung my heart.”

            We knew that these dear spirits heard us go.

            Their silence made us sure our way was right.                                   99

A mighty cry suddenly cleft the air:  

            “All seeing who I am desire my death!”        

Before our ears recovered from that shout                                    102

another deafening outcry burst out,

too loud to be an echo of the first:                                                     

“I am Aglauros who was turned to stone.”                                   105 

Silence returned. Instead of following

I stepped beside my guide. Without surprise                                    

he saw the question in my eyes and said                                       108

“You have heard Cain, his brother’s murderer,

            and sister-killing Aglauros. These two                                              

are reins to hold back human jealousy,                                          111

if we will bite God’s bit on Earth below.

            Many prefer His enemy’s sweet bait                                                

whose hook then pulls them downward into Hell,                        114

yet those who think to raise their eyes can see

            the starry wheels of Heaven high above,                                           

created beautiful, given in love,                                                      117

inviting all to soar into the skies.”