Inferno - Canto 9

CANTO THE NINTH.

ARGUMENT.

By the Interposition of an unexpected Visitant, the Poets at length obtain admission within the walls of the METROPOLIS. ---Here the first object presented to view is the THEATRE of HERESY : where, among the other HERESIARCHS, they find the Souls of a POPE and an EMPORER.

HE spoke, I felt the cold contagion spread :

The friendly spirit saw my rising dread,

And with dissembled hope assuag’d my fear :

Then stood, suspense awhile, and listen’d round

Where fogs, tumultuous roll’d, the sight confound

In vain ! no welcome summons met his ear.

II.

“ Conquest was promis’d by the pow’rs on high :

Can Heav’n recede ! and Hell its force defy ?

Why stays her messenger !” amaz’d he said.

I mark’d his wav’ring mind, and instant drew

Conclusions unforeseen, and terrors new,

From the deep musings of the MANTUAN shade.

III.

“ On Hells’ extremest bound thy lot was thrown,

What could allure thee thus thro’ worlds unknown,

From yon’ calm sphere beyond the reach of pain ?

Did any one before the voyage try ?”

I spoke, and this the MANTUAN’s mild reply :

“ Long since, my feet explor’d the dark domain !

IV.

“ Scarce had I left the cheerful bounds of day,

When, new to all the terrors of the way,

ERICTHO sent me thro’ the flaming deep.[i]

Fearless I plung’d among the felon crew,

And from the midst a chosen spirit drew

In long reluctance up the horrid steep.

Her potent word the nether deep display’d,

Where JUDAS hides in Hell’s remotest shade,

And bade the ghosts obey her mighty law :

Won to inspire the sealed lips of death

With sad prophetic sounds, and magic breath,

The Sorc’ress held the central world in awe.”

VI.

Where yonder noisome fogs eternal rife

From the pale wave, and intercept the skies,

Fearless I past yon’ ever-burning spires.

“ Tho’ danger keeps the gate,” th’ unfinish’d word

Broke off, succeeded by a fight abhorr’d,

Hov’ring on high amid the folding fires.

VII.

Three female forms, with recent blood embru’d,

On the tall battlements in council stood,

And ev’ry face a snaky vizor wore :

Green warping Hydras form’d the flowing vest,

And twin’d Cerastae wove the horrent crest,

Whose mingled hissings ran around the shore.

VIII.

My guide, who knew the daughters of despair,

Exclaim’d, “ behold MAGARA’s threat’ning air ;

Yonder her deep remorse ALECTO feeds !

The third, yet fiercer still an hideous store[ii]

Of vengeance hoards, and counts o’er and o’er,

The dire atonement of unrighteous deeds.”

IX.

Soon as they spy’d us from their station high,

They sent a scream that shook the gloomy sky,

And beat their breasts, and menac’d from afar.

“ Away !” MEDUSA thunders at the gate ;

“ Her stern petrific eye shall fix your fate.

Away ! great THESEUS felt our force in war.”

“ Turn, turn away, the trembling Poet cries,

Lest that portentous vision meet thine eyes.”

Speaking he turn’d averse, nor I delay’d,

With folded hands, to hide my darken’d sight :

His kind paternal hands their aid unite,

And cover my pale face with friendly shade.

XI.

( Ye sound of intellect ! the truth retain,

Hide in the mazes of the mystic strain)

Not long we stood, till thro’ the vast profound,

Dismal afar, but more astounding near,

A mingled tumult struck my startled ear,

The vaulted deep and trembling shore resound.

XII.

A whirlwind thus, the child of heav’nly wrath,

Thro’ the tall forest sweeps an ample path,

And rends their shatter’d boughs, and flings afar ;

Thro’ the long avenue in dusty pride

The desolating God is seen to ride,

And flocks and swains avoid the coming war.

XIII.

“ Now turn thy sharpen’d eye to yonder steep,

Where damps and noisome fogs eternal weep.”

I look’d ! and saw a throng, in deep dismay,

Flying in shoals ; as when the finny train

Before the sable monarch of the main

Innum’rous scud, and fill the ample bay.

XIV.

Thus in loud ruin came the bands forlorn :

Behind, a godlike form in tempest borne,

Urg’d the foul flight across the sable flood :

Before his lifted arm the vapours hoar,

In gloomy volumes roll’d to either shore ;

And full disclos’d the heav’nly vision stood.

XV.

I watch’d the MANTUAN look --- he gave the sign ;

At once with rev’rend awe out heads decline.

He answer’d not, but turn’s a wrathful eye,

Full on the gate oppos’d. His beamy wand

The portal smote, it felt the heav’nly hand,

The jarring valves disjoin, and open fly.

XVI.

Full in the flaming arch the Seraph stood,

“ Exiles of Heav’n !” he cry’d, “ rebellious brood !

Learn less presumption, and his arm to dread

Whose sov’reign will admits of no control ;

Whose vollied thunders oft were heard to roll

Thro’ the sad regions of the sentenc’d dead !

XVII.

“ Dare ye contend with Heav’n, ye sons of night ?

Think how your JAILER mourn’d a MORTAL’s might !”

He ceas’d, and frowning left the gates of death :

Silent and stern the MANTUAN shade he past.

Then mounted upwards on a whirlwind blast,[iii]

Like one that burn’d with unextinguish’d wrath.

XVIII.

To the unguarded gate we bent our way,

Secure of conquest in the STYGIAN fray ;

And ent’ring slow, our careful eyes explore

The Heav’n‑built fortress of eternal wrath ;

Where viewless tortures lin’d the plains beneath,

And execrations ran from shore to shore.

XIX.

As where old ARLI sees the stagnant flood,[iv]

Or nigh QUARNARO stain’d with ISTRIAN blood,

Long sepulchres deform the fun’ral field :

Thus ridgy rose, and bold, the burning space ;

But deeper dykes the Stygian foil deface,

And ev’ry tomb a struggling victim held.

XX.

Round each sad furnace glows a lamping flame,

And ev’ry cell reflects a ruddy gleam :

Masses of molten steel they seem’d afar.

Some pow’r suspends their burning valves on high,

And sends abroad the lamentable cry

Of prison’d souls that curse their natal star.

XXI.

“ Ah, Guide divine ! explain this horrid fight ;

Say , who are they that mourn their wretched plight

In yon’ deep dungeons of outrageous fire ?”

“ There the HERESIARCHS dwell,” the Poet said,

“ Who their sad proselytes from truth misled,

Their impious followers fill the dismal choir.

XXII.

“ In subterranean tribes beneath the plain

The victims lie, comdemn’d to various pain ;

As each more deeply drank of error’s wave

Millions unthought the distant bound possess.”

Thus speaking, down the wid’ning path we press,

Where the wall frowns o’er many a flaming grave.

END OF THE NINTH CANTO.