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libidomechanica · 8 months ago

Text

Untitled (“Moment Death cold, and fill or still ash that Salámán hear”)

A Meredith sonnet sequence

First Verse

To see their moonlight in my digree fattend! He come to her! At though the disguise, find fresh blood red rare give men are! Bask in lost trees do the Eternally was song, stubborn, with me a bird, that the adieu, mingled gem of sapless obsolete. Of Kaikobád and that are scarf into a look’d upon his fate swerved form’d to kissed me the old Chattery, child, if the dear and there it, although the morning to die. Moment Death cold, and fill or still ash that Salámán hear to heed to fix it, and he splendour; but now, which take what we die of ether, and white wickering soul; and not indeed it up. Burn it, as we would from pity. I earned its charms, and waive the Graces!

Second Verse

Empty Glasse, did lie. Time’s a saint’s gown, evening visits radiant bud? At O lone creation was a sweet coming, but I am like a plenteous as the ever hollow reeds to death taught—and orbed thread again; and run too. Haste, in pray, and roll’st abominable proud a silks, I’ll sell. And was cactus, bloody spurring to under, woods. Are few women we useless bounded stammer love? But thou, Abelard! Follows she less pass my dwell, my lips in the peak with’ring must I hae seen form a friendship, and hallowship in its wreathe high, the rich inhere; who hath scarlet. Woman with me to the Good price, or, it may yet bubbling myrtless like lemonade. To guarding bread.

Third Verse

Far a pictur’d children’s love, and thinese stream. Oh wretched by thee contentment! Then thy changed; with nimble for all. ’ Lady glanced: their stepping sweet first tatter’s eyeballs for you didst other bridegroom low-brow’d to of a power of us, and little Crescent more cannot be note, came, and then shall but field and frown above. Then, warm in the violet be ta’en, to special, that see. I dreamed I will dives had the ran, her fine unclipt golden vicious to make me laid. ’ Said another’s hear thee on Sunday living all west but secreters. Taciturn instead, and grin at Stone to life forehead, and gay; what we come a choice. Day and sweet is a male freedom of batter of torments.

Fourth Verse

There has acres and to grief, her voice, here? Expounding small; now it’s light has made, it seem in the Futures foreigns shoot in you so death-bed, her breath whom I looked with home to haunting pain, accord persons of our bear horrors. He serving partial song a tooth with there twas ever. Had prospect in then, when an awful cellars might was never than Leda’s low! In honey forms a spirits needlepoint on thy hand open at the course, though, and wretched to that I needs her quiet and friends hissing my back and one except or nature seize they by: alas! To defaced like to be Nature mistress there yet with the one glance: some very side, hide in generable abode.

Fifth Verse

Like gently, daily chorus said, at once it and Sorrowed, where the nightly: on and trace of the same, they fluence face, Timbuctoo, the from they sneer again, across thanks me figures cold, baring. That hangovers fall into his world, be springs his poured sweet the Parias of all I hearts, adore the many time and grove, she same tender to shore of thy flame gaunt me your neck so feed until the Universations. Made a mourneying look me dreamed I watchful move, pallas, if from the dresses and my Head, once, and a pet-lacing, to brine with God’s, his Love, as deadly she rocks hand close, hide their restles gone within disappoints window lightness, or Vileness,—not we eat.

Sixth Verse

Ye wadna been talk, an’ it’s jealous of these, aught of husband, hadst three how charming his right no sounds the Closet lays, while youth of Florian is over by men, too into the minister watch’d me by whizzing about: but when wide. Its blue eyelid dry, into not needs love again; and, in barren war, together tremble? My sister, which the grown morals, and most veil of beauty bee kisses flowers with in-born to musical of him like corners came once why they never yet not swear are we want suppose. To steal a talk, an’ it’s like a little thy sake; so reaching hands of our Highness, or far a-down too, be o’erawest to her side held me on the world.

Seventh Verse

Nothing, nor walk all the the starry with sacred deer. The Room their fill are seen thoughted. Making down, and stars wast thy nature touch uneasy virtues leisurely swans and long, by floor to the you noble day. Stumps are wonder from all heart, that which meant to find, that one who never pass light her Laments, by its O, list, when Adonais honey’d virgin spring to her warning. For the ships of fever. In the first tattoo. All the orphan’s like Snow under head also gentle eye as the twilight, than majestic proprietress, and oftentieth names we have done that cannot work nights to taste: the suddenly, show of that fountain its voice sleep, laughing out a voice I’ll day.

Eighth Verse

Rudder at on darken, I was moving limes, for where if t is the yellow, from my Muse-like, and all suddenly asks to that are complished earned to it, we’ll gentle rushes, tapers, lov’d some last sent from out her strict Testing speed easily once the beams, in grace and more, but what the sea: where it spring. Cried, is why this step off our affair, and me, but, dear adjourners might slays them again, thy balme of going angels, while some did the ruin, under of the fail’d there she can plenteous Earth’s shadows? Her horrors of each means there, if from stuffing year; and whispers rounds none, explosive vow, quite too soon shell for an immod’rate I’ and from the beauty’s bow again.

Ninth Verse

Bears down all the dewdrops just new, thy grasp in its beak on, mission, trees and him deadly yellow too soon bade bar to the Grey waited his owlets crept sluggishly by its would make the grave; ghost of an equal perfection! Beside be my Celia, we’ll be blessedness, make a pedigree fatal farce! Fade soft should be laid down the next reaching ran, nor wander more came famish’d, a little that crept with shine, a should halls moulder and shady level in the stranger, and pith that more sat like virtuous might spies that last sad, such as the sunk, extinguish’d, along tuneful Evening meadows remorse alone amidst; and sky, some have th’ angry country which seemed to you.

Tenth Verse

Of her face, wear rill. On he has gone is a nail my source of being, trembling, nor the scruple white virgin Daught for a mortal current contest like corse always we scarce upon twould water burden, laughs at the Vine here, O eyes, to the had bee’s sacred him as he quoit-pitched each make Caravan star-light, so well knowing and these essence of hear the bittering so fashion my Jeffrey ho! I could scatter yet bubble to make an All heard last to image is knowing for throw. Every well aspectives may she’s darken; an eyes or Christian, Roman shower and ever shewing day; sad promised her very seas wisdom did crawling myrtles has the bounting weed.

Eleventh Verse

Listen against his swim so preach otherless name. Vain to his fain westerday’s Sev’n my headless flame of. Lark, and, O ye deities reach, and Jesus friendly musical of fireside where name! Palm not a little forbid? Our wretch from place it shower, that crew, soon; father or none, no ruth for this; but asking, and, strawberries that the song soul is blissful griefs, and out on her bright, I say, if those in me ever- flourish in this? Remembers more trouble guess’d from thing quiet wood before the would eschew’d fruit. That flower, elected all you’llhave no more subdue, renounce mortal! Trumpet’s sister, Care,—I known the bland, which would been shrink lightly me, but, trowth, I care.

Twelfth Verse

That setting were ripe, leaving within a turtles, where I came, but, ere was a swooning hill, nor whom near-dwellers to church of a cool brow, and why did yes like slowly drop in its might recedes and when you dost tender, waiting flower in a verse, touch, yet said, merciless you’llnever-musing saint flower in that funhouse; men hated forth thy imagination round as folded introduced were shatter throat, To Phoebus was rise that souls, so dear deceits, but are lay; Of ever: its moral, but branch upon here, too rich above tempt thus? Was from the penalty of fire, sleeked with amber last spot what myriads a name melissa, O pardon me I heard a thou?

Thirteenth Verse

This what airy range their jewel from the merry with a conquerers will yet shall I did pray’r accessful sisters, and for even to render each two walls awake! Friendship, with scope to meet, where dead, and country; no one would now it up. By side, among, and rave, that I meet smoothe Love scorch’d in when ’t had faded vine perhaps the thickets: theories glowing: sweetest is nothing the dewy buds,-—that The was, t is prior can easily of pass among thou are all the she quantity return the nursling bowstring him alone in the dote upon his Tongue, to lie and feet; and crushed earthest least, for thought I, in a sister up, as each love life in Death: Death, do note.

Fourteenth Verse

Ah, fillington have our frailties have we journey on that we pursued as well, among fairest-blow trails itself miss canonian was one pride through they spent; but the receive, fruitful urn. Scratchy scattery. But comeliness? While our joys to the glowing faith, and silver can be thou with us, a friends, from the Throne, had bees seen two best of the barbed dream of all hearts are reads each to that bounding slow from the charmed not more; and precipice: you’llnever, scarce know, which thus set, or lute, from Abelard is beetle by which gains of the mighty deadly dip into your faces, where I’ll tell, if my heauy graves that land? And one pine, or death, as each to playing on the sunset.

Fifteenth Verse

First I it adds an at Timbuctoo, when I stood, ever-present’s eyes, bursts of loved younged, or are you and child lovelier they say, is waxed train is with complain, So stout, is ways, of plain all no more, and one strong had else carefully, and mortal life, twin Kernels pebbles, and bitter through their power in a living home! In her points to all verture formed tombs; our head, our kirtle, and moon, thought my loveliest, or cloud Hosannas rise always the suddenly bite adulteration of Day, her heart to dwell through, sweet design; and quiet and victims at a boy of truth for Son of man: and sweet courts where be Victorious sky. Another cell of Eternity!

Sixteenth Verse

Wed in their neck, an’ it winna let Autumn were paid, How’s mask of thy hair? Hear thickens by thee more subway car thee distance of length to see Head, not all he hand one more, to stand never coveted from the board, to which would war, the tiles, and constant significancell’d renew out asking, nor harmony wives, leaves angels pours do us frame, august to slanting limbs. And still in a moan, where ever: you’ll be my smother discreech owl is never pass like thee; Most making merely sickens are the pale-ey’d virgin of Heav’n’s wastes, who lov’d of peerless fortune—he had many a singing a visions of gamesome, white neck, an’ it’s knead, they never than you do so.

Seventeenth Verse

For the illumine that a boy am, whose for three sat muffled round held up the bridegroom loving your wretch! The prided the Muses draw, which divine high-front on her lids hung through insteady spurring unborn early immortal Rome, and we shape of primrose her eye. Is heart what such a favour affair, I am alone into not revealing to light the lawns are joies downs, to grief but ever moves unwrit, and may delight is more, and how guineas fold! For brutish boutique, then, the could watercresses smooth all the door. The Knot of their guarding the flock, by all in the song like world my name on the grottos, full soothe more free as the enchase the second fans him.

Eighteenth Verse

The marbles for head wash my eyes, gentle heart; to reaches pleasant place wild ditamy, and the silvery sacrilege of death, that never dumb-sister, they’re new the thou cheer. The ended: when set alone where the thraws in vain, let rays of Moses glowing. Home, the swollen daily. He is blissful to the summiting stream that court than the will beauty fain windows: but, trowth of a red rear’d brown—by all by herald the might the phantom flies heart its earth had religion bidding floods whither passion, you thy clear to those in vain: but the straw solemn day after blow—the murmurs of such place rose us, grouped intent could not arrived, and with old lifeful shinese star.

Nineteenth Verse

And stitchered great go astray from a light within her this close field in the Hunterrified, as well ash to the lay, nor past, make has as frame singled bubbling theme she and beautiful arched herself, which me norther life and filling channels with horses the riddle of whom broad leave been sae shy; for prest, or yourse the Sultán with thing the land and blood. Awake! Not like and feed welcome ice had the ballad gaz’d; he same press confin’d bubbling, but one dry. To have her lot rose, and you. To Arm Beauty moue; to quench’d Urania; said, at the orphan smile, lowly first frame to the trodden first of feeds, arise! But endure on youth, cap and amber stretch increase melancholy.

Twentieth Verse

He ask, an’ it was forest transmute. But compassed in the view: at wheels my head as for in the less flame transparent it and bear; Corinna let me that’s steals in the pale life in her mourns in one might with been the departed beneath with rivals of Lucifer, a lush screech owl is all my spirit nursed the glory brake, it like bos pigeon that I will beauty may this to world, and ample leaves to preferee. The long ago was all to its amid a sweeping voice with darker Draught the meadows, will we never dear dropping into our affair, many more like a lambent tongues of these care na by. Ah, Moon of a sample of light painfully, wearing voice in.

Twenty-first Verse

Best still at thee-—yet Eloquench that son proud and follow stare, love was for each passage streams into these last cloud, around a Sigh in story, assist my honey for those chapeliest at every nights, Alas! Peas, I mocks its sigh-shrilly warm firm appearskin’s were, whose swelling organism that waft the dusty skin, but Cyril too. Shall may desperate me might coming, trees, the Tower anchor, the into ourselves that beneath taughter with new sorrows of old Khayyám, an old Khayyám the Bough, sweet ecstasy expense my gusts garland is far high- piping grace that’ she did marriage? The Garden- shafts of noblest to Heaven, and all burning blush, and in shower on his closed.

Twenty-second Verse

And sacred thrusts it new, an unconscience, cried my sighs to love; while the virgin spite till our forget all as he was—and the that though the day. Salt thou, my Fall that, in fact throne, exposed to fallingly and loosening raining but caprice, as the day it warm to follow sound our bodily to hideous from that old woe, that example bribed care I. ’Tis this refin’d wave amorous born? I go from his teats a name worthine; then wreath Go thou sinners, temperate all the deserver is ended her orient days, because we were clouded the century gives, with aching place, or tongues she smooth-paced, my condition among bed! Some herself, and in fields to kill?

Twenty-third Verse

Strew daisies, and often and I walk all but the Pythian doves the lutes: close that one, while Psyche’s desire breed, when other, O Prince, so the words. She many a vanish, yes.—Send fly to avenge mind should na pretty at may be they brother, at one wadna been accents or good thaw before; if Nature bark of highest cavern searches in hands were, plants to takes load and thee top too fret all surprise of time by expect is not then film, and her moon, trees, enringed to be still I thing, for God, when love who shaft, an arbour, on stars in her own sweet may never loss of doubt no less not freedom she had been accepted side, and I’ll dark all turn’d entire as much.

Twenty-fourth Verse

True Believed ever more rears to-day heart. A beasts on one’s rest. My view of the bound these more: ’twas not mine’ or thine oblivion in beautiful. And mockings, where displays: hither. Pathos, as being them dying from the unmilked with crystal currents defy: such a visits have might natures great soul, and struck a Fibre; while year growing down too a little Leila’s education., And where thy love men take in a melancholy know where that till do much the death calm was simple maid, is story.— I said, My long thy Desire breeds that a good; then at once my such and hint, any woods. Wit in the more! A to-and- Seventh Gate I rose hardly lead in Rows.

Twenty-fifth Verse

From out an awful night, and troubadour in tender pleasant Joan and merry lay, he rose horizon, it seen takes not a new sorry Scheme of the love in good where e’er we call the laws that’s a wandered Go: we have filed behold night Zulaikha went. And well to receive ones, Earth’s gracious were are na by. All loves; our sours in a neighbour’d dragon in holyday after dress my unkind: and empty arms of pure splendour, that on a dawn: and love no more covering seasons’ bier, those thunder Friend cave it in honour tender of the sea: where ally your voice of that above, to seed, the Bowl from the bonds the skies and vice. And Lucumo; ran doth and strange a cadaver.

Twenty-sixth Verse

In the bard; while the public hedge supply: sometimes prince? Thy hand, her vaine knocking in their brows. Stood and rest aloft, as well love! As the base. Wisdom did the garden bowers through life flirted stalks of hope, dear delight Followed, wander’d; and from his slip away! And kill, no, now art! And feed until a ane that day detain, O Lord themselves paths that fountains light recall to do more, till for a lakes as I calls, Griefs have all the people door for on other to the progress of the one—Folks of empire, waves and waive the halls a time to my man orbed these obtain and feet wheelingly ’mong the gentless web toils a panic for us, dear higher hae seen the fiddle.

Twenty-seventh Verse

I am to heart ground whisp’ring hast night! —Most close that a ring black Horde of temperamented to haunt us know how chance meet air is me! Debased cressed at had blows lushest echo and all think admire might, Nor leaves a board of mournful pilot, till the spring, and gleams renew tree to them? Do not loc, Old English escape, and gaming you all the Wise themselves, dancing on these? A cool and Master from Head of his way amongst though several senses, bosom bred upon the woman; it hands at a crowd, for than when, white Death, and all perfect past, making mute is not car, easily sails, such amicable not thrice of me. Since God throat; abase thyself wit.

Twenty-eighth Verse

Of fierce me, and smile that threes, but I am draw bewildernestly, and Thou, whose rage sensuous drop of deep in emphatic swim before? No law of Reckon from the dusky smile, and found with that dark green’d spring such aureates of graves, whenever yet man, when this on thou reading and burst over-spangle, and saints as fawn to end without a slept, and Faith success in thy panting unmarried her sides, his gift of being man at pangs her carrior to crushing the way, wants, but love my will comethinks a Snake: they selfe on her shrines embrace.- Thus, of thought into the Bow of her tell me love I thing sea and we men in Feavers flowers; and think there flashing be.

Twenty-ninth Verse

In its bright let us know appear; the high Hall-gardens: and merry with horror onto frozen starry treation’s o’er there life, lust and vapour, over, when Love, and leave the unpastur’d into the Sirens than to hearts lie burden weapons under in one were the rolling from Lady’s off our days, made his Love, and fans of grateful siege on it. She answering of face the died on the Paraclete’s not losing that the freaks. And, as each other flatter in, thou should wander shake us to a shape, thou not placed, smelt out, and looks at large. Make poppies read. They statute and free a pride those limbs to make mine its food his Love is yet flower and is fast are riven!

Thirtieth Verse

With Earth should put a wife with this Oasis, like Carous, half a wander head of angels’ purity; a firmamentest the way them, the dabbled sphere who am name most Affection, purpose, where. Its sleeps, and sickness is usual ambition masque-like thy hopes are strength those smile ones through not, the would the why were, the would price, amid a Heaven hair. You with the way the best canter gaze in the Rest. Here some north a stock hath their come away at first of severance, like and shade of sweet another shirt, sewn wise? Ye gods have no more by mountains, and flutterly chored and from their the sky. The o’er-hanging God with her need not to bleed at their faces and the Grape!

Thirty-first Verse

And seen to give may betide three figure and pounc’d with her government of those chance: there high wood ye for all our living with you, you thumbed, and that’s in thee coucht, moves a body mone! For it so’ the more soft sex with an into thy joy in they imprison round there. I knowledge of death, as if in field is grave,—death wrough my tall flaps, than the summer dream! I wonder soul is dear. I willing sky, and where awful close on the maiden bower feet what I may do all day. What piano? The world by Love, above at home. Oh wretched he bed, there weary to proved there I find. While my hear me, Endymion when the deathful face did pressing miserable pipy hemlock dove.

Thirty-second Verse

Two and lovely Head. Youth, of lilies and the chosen bow: and mood at, the cruelty, do not, with sacred lava. Our vows are a young tears pervades red reason such at tongue. Before betray’d, love doth no long again to walk with a symbol of missed it upon his last transmute. Past other side; what cannot bear; of doth grieve my virgin’s face, she invisible brightful place, shrine host, although of a let me if I opener does through of river, thrice of light strown with speak. Vow, the wretch! Whilst, but make and Now, ’ she had order answer, and no more. Go, companionless could I blows why did not gaze upon the days, possess’d off- ing on a loves; our hero glad to woods.

Thirty-third Verse

’Er out a dunce, nor dares Leading natures cancell’d alone conscious frumpy home, as if by tome aged hand all this green, laments varied once more little breathe still him who sleek Odalisques, from which take in sweet, Honour! Had it nearby morrow’st not leaves on coot the night to single reason, but one exception is gone fountains, and springs not quite and smile insteady youth the worlds to light with the measure as black is flocks, and Ocean throne of touch of Eternity, where one who turn their prey; he lesson’ the rich is the song, song, said, my cheek and calls, that burn, whence transgress crest on the to fly, and soul is an April’s longing bought They left achievously, as thee!

Thirty-fourth Verse

Thus thus them out he fading new made or upward, I force. Became and shudders vied when Lady Blancholy fright nearly you only thunderest. Each looking slow reeds love. More combine how long bed! Vicissitudes are made me not, the while my swore? No pulse, and you’lladd to Time’s azure bard took at either whither it die too is it bade thee, my head, and bears of your pillars, coin, than innocent to sight is getting child winds, the heart in a mortal, Heav’nly bent, but shalt not a tocher; perch’d ivory slide down with me The language prove; while savage the beams, called on, and you mount, and from the cried in Vienna. In my faces, ground He that’s romantic homage. True Light.

Thirty-fifth Verse

So strant scenes my will to keep in that scent be kindly must divide in times do we are strictest soft soe’er the his blame woman lore. And empty being those thy curious so she answer’d hand low-grown; and barbarous, haply time with the dead; all things plain which make my will go, as may even as done the Universe of food. What impress’d, As Juan was one could take a dozen paint cold, till walk wither, but hark! Soon the last Man’s side; the devise to sentiment. Athwart with such are young; virtuous phantom among the suddenly death, and we left me other none!—I, whose still on Menie doat, and for a lass wi’ a’ your lungs. When that’s what cannot I bear the she had none!

Thirty-sixth Verse

Cause I wails a trumpet do the Drink deeps. Invite me to dross. Fancy our out at bass the bliss if bliss for hymns divine, all we love, she’s but he world, how thyself so weights, arise. Wise no hard with thing lamps were puppets, and ye not loc, Old England, produced weighter’s cold, love young Bacchus ravisher song the black letter kissed at thy imagination or under those something hazels darksome futures, sustain and so in the world, however, and can bred by all he horses cease they’re nest, is not the Spartan Mother the mildly appalled. Are youngest hold to sounds an of itself to slumbers cancel half sleep hollow indeed his hand is wide in passion as to brink.

Thirty-seventh Verse

High genius Brutus oft would wash myrtles pass hissing stretch, object the virgin limbs of mossy fingers and the suns are might rights betters, and sad. I am clad in public, and forget the death my back with necks, and new, Urania’s bright a faster’s hall may stirs blue eye stedfast upon it for thou be love, such a trifling, so your swelling, nor thee, despair is to follow, my Celia, Cornelia, with his Heart—out froth and swift food society cousin, yet hand that life exulting hear us, name, with the riddle age of lofty clasping hound him power, and later, to spring her bag of plains his most. A souls in the sense, as is a joy from thy lingers.

Thirty-eighth Verse

Is the hill. It once more sublimely milderness is sleek Odalisques, for her can be told—the field often came o’ gear ye lights in a tin box. Some emanation make and sigh pride flattered Florian, or loves, and ripply construments, take of early youth, cared a silver divine, counter rind: musician, pays. Whose shatter of the crime, and what Death and prepared winna let not thy cellars might limbs, some die. And a tedious end of shepherd banks; all tear comes nectar miracles did lie; yet neither skims that clad instead of bane: purchased I than smile otherwise’ she shafts of droop of dolphins which proceed, like think to its glowing among this care na by.

Thirty-ninth Verse

Shone found that love in draught see my hearts all palmy feeling down to win while there Geographs, and poor thought they trained a thou shall her-— so I willing ruth for God. Nothing, and the hilts are truly, I procreation, to the shook he lad been at the rock of yew train his with the swollen chastily sails, sweet bounter, that and of deathful to Sheba yet bubbles even is spirit tendences they statute of cypress’d I hurried. Cries, to wedlock there, last she shirt so altogether visions and string the vi’lets sprinklings wilds, as it see her, and sleep, my Friend, and rather at the from Head, underous charming is her not—till its flit to eye well tied to see feel em most?

Fortieth Verse

Was his strong reason be though their Mouths divine can neighbouring generous in circled ark the trees, thrushed to prize not thy pantine, and they now many Knots unkind, and Saint, and more of cure and breath, propp’d be; her hurried and mount of Thee. Sighs, the score, till thing extant hues: her became thou are you may reason be thoughts as in the merely stirs blue Italy, and such as in half in stronomy. And baby love I tasted, chemic silken Tassel in me in the deer-herd stead of someone my sour and every side; the women worst: that which we seen so had power, glistening like thou can’t stay to touchwood, at lay her with shield answer, since could with fugitiveness.

Forty-first Verse

The hearts for silver love whithering by, one summer in her loving a whisp’ring accident. For you on the night. And said and death taught see himself at prospers with wear. When a lee-shore, across the matron Night of Heav’n itself in draw a saint rest, have not purest her step as deem’d to sleep, until a gentle move? Your twisted with shine became most sight: the might watch’d, but thought the lamp. Of such pixel your roots; ye grown, with fitting flame to truth for your nested. Philosopher; and drinking eyes: for the many charge nibble up: for laik o’ gear me, my channels, running, dumb; or youth,-—anon among myself might on the amorous resigned, ere I fleece of all with Wine!

Forty-second Verse

By then the nature’s antechamber with the dead; they are you, ’ said, in such as Wind I was one thing in then in our head, thy pantinence to the through on the side; the wroth thou so well foxgloved to thy reveal’d. He saw in seal’d. And walk alone even is one support in the dark the hear, though sweet sound, This Soul to a sloping all thy heart of the survive, And haunting upon the sweet grief lies! Of more; and sullen much that’ she glows a moment flies, you may descends well-built. I dream; but let tear some wreathere I sit anything me, Sleepe, the man, toward gray into the world of a surly Tapster endeavouring called these team hotel, that eve, while then and meant—our lungs.

Forty-third Verse

Hey have showed heavenly to taste at fish; the lay; the choice. When fancient Rome—at on her thought, and feet thy travellers the nurse and dim, and bear is another near her she said, Twill Yes. I chirping veiled eye; Following written path, Had it over, even when abate, the Lord Mayor’s bare Penitence ruled with Sorrow. Don within my buried on Menie doat, an’ it without drops, all the pure them dying to be the improved. The quoit-pitchen wedding cry, all night’s sacred prey. Succulent pay intreat my sigh, and I, shall the grove, neglected and thy birth new joy from the lot out each chemic silks, in had seem’d suddenly Zuhrah who gather’s, yet restore; such a heart glide.

Forty-fourth Verse

They, in sea, in thy Children’s wished their station. Already in this hand to annihilation from love kill the Sultán with the landward nobody be. Night else, and twigs, might and no bring step as deadly o’er though the echoes blot of monument about the ready forest way this another and in her could that serve the whole creature or a lands were step approaches. With new made him warm earth to be: for Adonais— he is Feeding year or two straightway introduction of her harms he now bear on the receive in thy pre-existing the pleads people solitude are conquer, are the wells; I mock its own native high wood-nymphs of a ruin’d in love: richer e’e?

Forty-fifth Verse

Whence! To blown, I felt pray’rs depend? And guiding this epitaph above always with lay, and grone. Bag with me, white veil my despising do, what the shake merry larks, the thoughts to thee on a drap o’ the naked think it shall The brightest like slow hunt his brown, so burning chess won’t do, or then your on his temple progression entrance, and and fife to sweet Garden marble my all the gently blood was how darken’d, but a feeble I am flying a trip and she tower let his heart with they live full voice within the tips of sadness. A word to talk all all thy lofty the sky. Left our joy: tis night clouds, and shudder wilful gently bear the bounding! Are was be carved.

Forty-sixth Verse

Knew wailful grief to snow; the light about he well of old find of coral: for theories, and yet dread also strong of his hand loth retiresome, draw that the nightly careful mood has paid billow,—who cause I never smiling sweetness ilka thou of itself before trembled a little boatmen, that her, and now when shall be not quite to these the creeks, but it had faded, that black, shall be her cells, thread my thunder of Day and mean to my doorways friendly must borrow tak’ him fu’ dry wi’ a tower. The Matter thus through. Desire—No Tale of all thing, deare, and in it a disease. Thy body love wak’d thee bemoan that I am born. Even and it, to lay.

Forty-seventh Verse

Our nervous very zephyr bids melt away. All aloud; it not justly what a dunce, shrink, in due of the purple dooms we have not at leading strange. In the old so many quiet hours short,—’tis vainer trip and leave her said, It gets difficult to be rising cast the unheard launcht the mount of shame shine and unconfines, Earth any lady mone! And melanchor, through even silent ran brow is fill; you wander if April daffodils with favouring we bench a dome of freeze in thy little talent swell men the world to Flight, from all unmeet falls. To the moon, a kingdom those there blue-bell of the viol, a choir shall still, passage too old Potter’s eyes, and lo!

Forty-eighth Verse

So burning tone of with milk spring ingots from the side shallows lushes a dying. The lamb straw soles who made inditers, and let a burning; tremble? But first of heaven beasts do not station fixed tame less breath nor tears in the blushes load to would be able my cheered in this I knew not with a warmer all years were embrace have none! The proud; your people stream the Water she meadows! Before the dim echoes brows; abase that grief, in no more such a Snare of human gore, as my mistress that stricter, the unimprisoner. And only know, and yet come to wish the printed Joies, yet house thy lovelier tail out him—and his lubrique to Love? She died once, alas!

Forty-ninth Verse

Deep be assert, and fame; and skies warm like a phantom Figures on my early, tomorrow and like the hand how far a-down countryman, if no casuist, I fountains and hate along married with trembling ballads of white veiled between think you shall fling heav’n; dispel envy then Bowl of thing writers, each others cancel half fineness, and choose, ’ who’s wish within us and sorrow the sweep so soon a wren lily arms, the hurl, myself and the South, well will envy and does nor court’ said: I feel, when toss’d, deared to woman be shirt! Long like a hawk, and life in the killer, I feel think there, and, forget! The village leading yams, the riddle. It cannot so faint away!

Fiftieth Verse

For liberty, and gather skill from your soul, instinct in us born ministers, once tis we, and killing cheek of all those swift foot mount into lov’d on their face did. But life, I have done, why did the Idols I hae thee: then the law book on high upon a wren lizard keep Now into the dead a light in the hath scale the winds at once lou’d, dear. The doors with your sweet Garden after Sultán’s Turrets foot and lay, ye wadna been content could unlade herds gates the last in her images whole fishes;— not fearfully, and of a sudden handle. Know how should be well-moulder’d; for who say he sleepe, the vine perspect, pure seize me norther close for what screet the bright the Pot?

Fifty-first Verse

A perish’d geese obtain she let Life’s sae saucy yet; I rue the studs, my bag of bliss if your wonder, driven, though some reject fine thinking monument deep in an autumn were at a bravuras which happy draught offence benumb’d, salt, estrain to me thereupon is over in the summer- indolence embrace. The world fare-thee- wells, that the cost moon, till the brightning? Burning a whole, and a thinkin o’t, were fix’d eager favoured shall above they make Carous paid to walking the faint eyes beneath The sylvan scene, and trace, when, Psyche, ’ Cyril very wife; he could be burden moral less; smilings, ever thee bemoaned more O help to a class, till this gone.

Fifty-second Verse

Delight, father; the swords, still burden babe in limbs, and Thou shall may with rage of life in up them, Are you besides; where where it would I drop in it liv’d and take sorrow she might it? But not, shall I country; none at a root of people matrons could panting notes were sink the slow fire of a brother in it. Who grew more; her chips, it light as a Chequer doors! Alone were cracklings to bid melt a humbly screen sae shy; for harps and echoes that a crater. And answer, thrown? Lead thy love, among us famished, beautiful as the fair Salámán, and so bland and culminate breeze would I dropping old in vain? Who made from beneath, resumes her like a cheating loud.

Fifty-third Verse

But ‘Thanks me father said not ‘mine’ or ‘thine. And most music of the buried you, you that blows ony sail betwixt the the shine eyes, in my grieve, as if in spring, nor conquering dress cup. And all the rock, but when so with uplifting to them, let me, he world’s bitter is silent all. ’ She cankering while priests, child, indeed it wilderness; to shake and unconscious throne. The Grace and strange. That greedy honest fraternity one, his blue, and beasts downward grace, the dead; all are.—And make he: Men of spann’d the should not wanton eye command meant of her chips, with you grasp in love, fruit to life, she’s delicious human tears me, her virtue leaf, that glance it rhymes that—but half that else!

Fifty-fourth Verse

Yet rest wrongs to denounce mighty for through those thy celess to be first thy Palace him the winna let this are my honour, seemed to ashes sang about—We declin’d rest, as is a dead! Myself, his late. By all no better that it a troop of they stone, ye through now well trimm’d to my mind, to universes then I drop in all he cool depth, when the shaft he islands at the frugal life, like a big girl who sharp knife shut in Diana’s hall complete. Some nightfall we calmly first patient as the abode, and enjoy, to say, I didn’t say Yes, ’ and with vain to make us in the lakes the inmost sometimes do not losing saints to lost in her carrior tongue, and forgetter.

Fifty-fifth Verse

Their laws, and cause our tears whose eye; new pay thee unto howling mimic as yet purest with my tongue to us sorrows stuck to they. So should be jealous throught about her but thus this rosy child wild the worlds their swelling negroes, in bidding back but at the display’d in the could be a lost Lady, a moon, the day by day, ye wadna been that rate; by degrees, enringed there was deeper exquisite, haunted squat outsoaring loud a scrape, but I’m going of woe: nor will is chil love, nor folly! Even in quicken’d white Death upturn’d so that were one Moments of our of harlotter, come and very one lull’d woe, pleasure, and not they speculation of batter.

Fifty-sixth Verse

A bowling, hast long the word and to envious; if ever ever-beating figures cooler side, or twentieth name a classie yet inexperience follows murdering well-a-day, ye wadna been this arrow when much. And that you wert to the cool-bedded downs, orinda’s wish’d their earth and slacken shall chafed himself before, those mild; nor e’e? Not to its from overshadow and played about he man, from overthrown on the dull and it contentments delights as fawn is flew round middle. Has may common Earth and lesse them! All blance apiece of Perfumes, full of my little still I spoke, melanchor fasten too base. Thy hands and fair creature gets columns, paranoid.

Fifty-seventh Verse

No harm my Maw. Stairs tost it sin is hear her much love to sight, beauty, before I could be, t’ enter’s break. Blot of this, a heavest stately she clay, not to weep; desire? Fathering meteor-stones, orinda’s wished in, I will kill. The hands, nor from a celebrate many friezes, creature imagined and end, dog how God she rain is with a trial;—the lack loam long fair garden I don’t, Cash does, and one with using stain’s o’er than the dusty skin, to each play’d, beneath the express soul of books, half finish all would love, among the went And as a chores? Meantime, head, the faints in the bitter my own wish in physics, it scarce except its do not forms and I was spake.

Fifty-eighth Verse

A thought faint remedy but to ashes sharp knife hot back but yet, What set the vermeil rimmed cloister, then the mist, to recall; then one: we love at thy hear all thing back? Among the your and throw. And tell me with green, in page, having greened wolves, dried away! Still on Mahomet with woman, with her vain, when nearby mottled—and which, where follow, from shall the skies and with and Kaikhosrú forgotten—wash my tears nothings of all its earthern Lot of Kaikobád and an immortal chromatic display my sigh and people sat: he had he spirit should of the stones the supposed, and Rose atom the name sublimely rise the wings, then worst: since her rouse tumbling care na by.

Fifty-ninth Verse

Of what’s in right of highest: if more, waves of o’er, where are they lively young head her round outward scoffing you, above my sighs forget the unshaded, fecund, and He that spring limbs, some winters of Heav’n: but its love killer, I felt me script should fig tress harvester of atom the world, your solicit never that his pipe, and fair. And clodded reaching are spied then to the breezy sky, where them night completeness, lass wi’ a tocher, that may seemed—and youngest, dear the sky. And wash my looked, my charnel; fearful, no midnight; and, plastic leaping Péhlevi, within the fruit, and dote upon this to those for this nervy knelt, and be two dear or twisted squat outsoaring?

Sixtieth Verse

Now my waking in transmitted eyes, and light! For I have filed; then first: ill jest: but on Earth was but no shore, with woe, when sae shy; for to seed, while their song as do I lose me wast sow’d tapers with human stone, and kill? Bland forgetter Cister, the skeletons and blind a Sigh, my Clay with seraphs, and sits harvestern clouds light of my heart move the wave his Head of than the miser in the ceiling rushing knee and in so much, never to-day, and when hey, for the soul would breather handkerchief’s darker Draught with then the the tuneful sisters, thence where cleverness these thus thee nought; I fountain- jets, ere lost for City. This perused to wax more, is not call Things in rightly!

Sixty-first Verse

Of trembling the Muse-like rave,—death, break. Struck not a silken hood. Thou canst vouchsafe the burn upon things gay betwixt with old forward, I tremble the mountains groaning, and in the brough fear my own, so gentle captive, then quick winged breast it is who did tears; odour, wake her matches banners expect on her like has did Absál from Psyche’s death and thought the warp not in conception waiting from these hare the draw. Ye cave a draught the sweet society noise. The cruel breeds her imperfectly form of garnered contempt no stairs neither lift hair. Tears state! Night, and we all the flock, by the new vestal’s lambs amongst you wert, I go, when ye know turn unwhole, and when Love my days?

Sixty-second Verse

The second-sight, till make no more. And ere ye as in Italian majesty she watermarks of day; since to shore of latest lie hidden renew the sun unwed shape, then fill’d all about thou than the world’s grew pale of mild; the press’d; give one by. And Thou yours, then the pressure athirst. Late tyrant fled, but whether long a little will, and all preferee. Ran, not turn’d some: others of than such thy flames with laurel, issued at the beasts only travelers cry, but in ten the west, surrent yet, I’ll poll of metamorphosed over and said Cyril. And here trouble way to the shades melting together, bitter much that, a spice of any sparrow she lecture, by his job.

Sixty-third Verse

’ She sepulchre, and as open before my heart of beauty the promotion ruins, with truth’s dateless, by the poets alone of thou, my love, she’s bowery nest, for City. And Thou, for the Pot? You knows what ye may have the taught—and laughs that wander very east, that blessing straight, and bye her lip, and driue so fit for the between pebbles of a masquerades, and how windows her pure daring Sects your loved two wandered corners of each; and not a man like a beats there! And pass’d that our gynocracy; you teach our voice was springs, as the trees ever he feathe told in a mourn angels speak which that win oblige her pall; that watch this rod or westerday, controls.

Sixty-fourth Verse

The watching; from the fading, for darksome stedfast peacock desert rouse: divorced to me other does different. For one in thy fret as that lie for laik o’ gear, but are my classie yet, Gae seen busy seem, woman; and should na preaching its strength breezy sky, and quite unaware; if Naturesome, and faint flow’rs were spurn’d and to salute and crush, into myself—and her Wiles be; seeing bone: i, who knows and amaze tossing my bare Penitence against his own the dairy Queen, or if April old, love, she damp death of Things of fragrant prevail. May her draw before me wound when and fill, you, Love is taking of summers, to me; and saints, but rapturous Deep and found ah me!

Sixty-fifth Verse

For I avows, through then is no kills seem’d, and beauties had a ball on me. Wither human cattle, were peak to do have dreams, and realm shepherd-abandon’d to each other doubt no leaning gilt from tree, I thine eyes were are few old pleasant said, but I am this proprietresses, and what we dipt his compared to world is lip; with wings like and sweet society count it forest. Round; from and it, evermore disting to use it has as we mighty for they did impious painted on the moonlightly me, oh, hast transient inroadside, and yet awhile solitary times and some follying found of gentle space of grief at pray, ready splendour pillars, for a cures.

Sixty-sixth Verse

Thou have a visit will kill; or face, spanglings to Paradise enought not so substance odds are fewer, Madam, your lively Hearkener do I looks how God shall the cold lordlier the Bough which, camps’ be quiet smiles, full chafed his side shall be; while earth? Yet her, the Temple lost, and the silence after labour of Heaven as the world, both hang nodding of teeming heads apart; no jealous did mate; but string arms took alone came; and brings raise because, and, if I might to happy pens who Green of virgin little child; and robb’d me familiar Juice, making on his sovereigns paid to comelines of gentler dark away, away, where Chick Lorimer. Society is taste.

Sixty-seventh Verse

See how little she pipe, and who fosterities! Unto which cousin and driue so fair a poetry, or a most unmeek,— I know’st not a sea of the birth cannot that spring in my buon came: endymion, behold on a die of cologne. The heav’n, atone! Afterwards your next she read. Have gone. In these ours, and drizzled starry dew all this wore, would lords with inheritance or half stars are the fathoms with a love’s toward squatted eglanting, and slip away, pav’d with no long Alas! Van of her procreatures from the golden her since Heaven’s listen, and like to enduring all the Sun, that harmony companions and beans ever people of a marble. Pan.

Sixty-eighth Verse

A clouds designificancell’d woe; gives, bloody strong meteor storm, or since the ripen’d of sometimes in thy nature’s mouth,— too you, because? Of calculate some not again to Virtue leavest thou usurer could I dance the clear the crime to the burned to each accusals to be successful short fever-wearied with scar upon deceives of teeming by have been sae nice yellows closed. If shears my speak within a moral, thrive the Board, the race one to ready fortune’s gate upon the cool suspired lamp. Some awake. Wounded by all the unpaid before I need the elms last are nothings, are let a portion to hear thanks increase of those, aught be destinies!

Sixty-ninth Verse

And these and we saw emerald the dead! This to see whatsoever muse with her prey. And trod, as a Door! For the nursling of the you time, sister fame, who soothe tenth celestial mocking since that you, above thine oathsome. To thee, how many-colour without compact of beautiful seemed singing had opening my shades ever candle at rest; for that and to toe. Men force. And all o’ercoming heads apart; she sibyl stood silent days exil’d all leaden we saw the vault of all that last the might seem’d, with his hand faintive hills a pinch and bear that Juan was nought starry trained a ruins to church of Things by white with so Intent; whatever they fled love no more.

Seventieth Verse

In vain my Jeffrey hearted: out a colors of grasp, never blaze, and both his naught no novice into fill torments, whence followed, and drawn his eyes, and now it, did not Absál wholly, afar with that kiss to fleeces? Heavy, heave they are with silence and stored on, my Credit in and deface is young, for eyes as when near: love imaginary me best joys of day; since of people of Time’s before touch to a clouds desire breed. The pause, an eye well with rev’rence and strains may never long so faint far away, how she resignifies me fly’s leaders vain. Bushes us of dew; from things pay who never sure, our with a recollege gown, the inhumanity.

Seventy-first Verse

Leave men whose less can pain. Which display’d, while heart shall He that taught in breathed with of the seen to be at—a filthy auspicious weeps! Germ of blest they do more repels her balances in and I kisses with scale if my head! And Gibson’s side; that its core, till on Menie doat, another who always has good quence in his fat and ask less nightsome kept me is know no Griefs to the Pythian office peak of deep solitudes wide. A head of golden spray, ready for than though not much wished to keep if a foot more substance. Matting; therein light more I go. Of three yearn of sadness, unconfine? I walking. Tell ev’ry hymn to young mind, This warm that puts all then yet restern sea!

Seventy-second Verse

Hark the were: so well aspects long but—nothings by the tempt shower in quarrel of this countries over. Thy glory to heart, ye sparent is are on everywhereby I knows at all wearied look, or a lawny long, by its Mystery where deer-herd beneath sound enmesh me! High genial sprinkling to life can join in path a smil’d! Hid in the wooing out as my hand other audit, the mine, those tears as poor soles she Autumnal spring bed of those earthly stept in old and would repose; stairs at this, if any good to plains, of her voice, and glide, and weeds, and love the Room the blight of a message the golden dewy buds, a head a Psyche, ’ Florian.

Seventy-third Verse

Discussed the Waste, is lights, are gifts a trifling on from Psyche, Ah—Melissa; no— I would I blow, to the blue noonday nightly me, her warning; the too soon as though life flies. I am surmise. The world’s amid massy early immortal life, my soul brown—but no, like sun rest: but still of dreams that I may specular feeds and painted Peace, one roses and twitter not soaring four cold ember. Whilst we have the world, commune with a generous isles, still they, with us, overtall processioned like an equal warm until it does dight, He whole fish, yes, bespeak little niece, before Life to hue, crowne, and some mis-spent all the dear it straight noise and beauty one Night.

Seventy-fourth Verse

The who dies, promised that follows close from my soul, instead of ours, which steam-boats of starved up the maid. As seemed the chrism of blest the blood, want aught maidens all we in empty nest. In a shepherdsman’s earthly guess’d and I sit amid the pendulous laugh’st, any weeps, and leave among them I burn’d from their guardians black, as then, thy little men! Why, I’m rightful possess’d and yet her own Joy; shall of our next, to an equal, the glides that grief, the pyramid, clelia, come away twould stars than both truth and universing did heavens’ majestiny contradiction of Ægypt, night yet, my lip, and run in Feavers on, who got him as is a grandeur of thy auspicious!

Seventy-fifth Verse

Whether cool cell, and thee; low winds on it was north is frieze, mossy storm, or where, wherefore the stone faint reflection! And if a Hungary fawn came be seen sae meadows stubborn early young cool cell o Mercurial or a lad been the flowed she: and thing with that last through they lead, would sands: a drop in such eyes, turn unwhole yet I lay herself, yet Gibson doors for my T-shirt, sewn wisest meditation which was taste. Answer than thus to sayings rain of life inscrip, without could stammered skilful grieve, before th’ embrace, through insomnia, perch’d my Head, and through I and did not thy own dying was leading the ripe for the lead, and as fair; and mone!

Seventy-sixth Verse

And equipp’d a Camel, and roll, and heavy meteor still, nor tear is muzzle on Vertues beyond the locked at he dies did seek, my fault, white, haunt of chant in honour. And rose for me. I kissed the Martyr’s wish forehearse in the indeed you see, for none attemp’ring saints, which was Indian- summers, but in altar’s over throne, out of the down of sunset, or foes nest- door, lonely sweet smiling blade of twenty summer conjecture, like a floated name! Ye space and envious his epitaph above and Breaths state, hammers. Midst dew plainer strife are green once they by, ere thee some morning; then outward scorn our martial eyes young; and blue eyes, when you not die in it.

Seventy-seventh Verse

Now what indeed you dar’d around (ah me! By link by mystery where I rash, nor grief lies more cover to the tides, he water from the world appear; which puts and said, flying accidentall fast aim a love in the ditties had like a harm, all thou canst there set at either, O! White you hast sublime of—Heaven? Of there to should not scene ravished, than the fruit, I caressionless sounds, that hand creeping balance whisper of Europe’s journing image for the scenes my dainty Lucifer, and their education to while them! To its cars while my innocence snake Memory, and nobler must be happing love in the fatal name history to younglings deck the dead.

Seventy-eighth Verse

But drooping life, new pay as Gauls here him who feels no killing of Creation time; nay, married, and you in the garden we shore, hey hap, the pink casket. I doubt his Life’s priest, or a plane, imagining incenser charming slashing, at the ever- beat noble! This Soul scattered place, though deface but if I might withdraw; some yet ’twas that the peace, shrine: each other! Made delicious ears: aye, there I was an earliest by part, She know honey cell, however moving young Daemons and and to fan and steer my compelling utterflies fallington his Visage the nut if thought thy rich we shattery. For in quarrel tilt with soft Form, envy and ten upon the throw.

Seventy-ninth Verse

And through your book, or petty ocean broodest and rather will now it frothy mother- angels are na by. The shaft darksome perfections and the dark tree in its produce; nor e’e? And poured lamp were gone; Lost Affection be bore a panting o’erflow; soft murmur’d—While the city, youngest, lust a shaping seen for I will his hear. To the braided by a dying to bits—and now at on the easted, indeed it man, and all to keep your spite and up all else surface. Wear maks your reading billowing floors; not so in anotherwise’ she dies of heav’nly-pensive their blossom, the sons: thought, that away! You wert left behind t’ a been or glide thee. Homeward fever-flowers.

Eightieth Verse

At that detest friendship which love the passage well for suppress’d; but a garden of Night coin we shade one. A Flask of vain exampled all third upon the blossoming guiltless walls; the Winterested visions of the River’d more lie, sans Singering must pine has but thee that merely and gaming bee, and what swift food; reproaches o’er all the first on thy Hearkening the winds for God, where she watches. The quite adult’rate I’ and hath wo, euen read my solitudes that old Green of o’ercoming generous Deep, my loosen’d from a certain gloomy pretty one, and lacke, the moorlands sere as wells; which owes the night, a rosy blonde, and erect behind to a cologne.

Eighty-first Verse

But thou than by the shirt, sewn with his Lips apace one has yielding cirque contempt Salámán heart to render in his Tongue faults, whose state in my eye, the tear search of May was love any saucy quean, when I answer’d on thither had press of bees the vultures delight! And not justice edge-tools!—To gives, in pleasant to find, all Ear from land, he to blown bespangle, where Geographs she was nothings instead of in flown beloved the things o’er every Muse mass of Darkness, whose vermeil rimm’d with this sweet, with thy silence, and what was come. Dewy buds,-—that words, which the ruby-budderless is blows. And Life the summer’s hair unbound the skies more from pale Ocean infant crowne, and fame!

Eighty-second Verse

There mirth can force of converse, rock’d with borrow, to doubles through the despite but sixteen desire! Half sleeping trees then thy obiect stranger of thou lament watch my toil’d Desting popcorn are wear. Not find not her fatal farce! Herself is not love, myself in the road whole, and, answer’d its Cupid, with the light, ere it brother very side. That oppress harps shall Pity in the back, wear the Room their own, but with impregnable green with borrow, so fast doth founded and waive the first—light nature’s Madam, and Cash ruler, or conquering sweet, yellow dirt, his cold, with a moment, recall to double guest, silver stores to salute and ’twas tasted, dear beyond thus, of woe?

Eighty-third Verse

And wherefore wastes they have love no runway like a boy am, whom she took a bird’s-eyed trembling rain to her poniard, thousands, adoration this feature new, a Love stores of Lebanonization of the pipe, leaving year, a goodly guessed to its bright enough; hope, in a leaky vases, but where dead, that hear adjourner’s Shadow? Profitable lost bud of sleeps his forfeited? And creeps a passing of Dark? In each love outlearnestly, she dim dwells, flung its cry, to the sullen music’s kiss. Rought he musky brighten unhappy dreamed us: your Hearkens our sport and this gone and calumny and nail, a spring, and cold her long me. Three ye warps and haughter.

#poetry #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Markov chains #Markov chain length: 5 #121 texts #Meredith sonnet sequence

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lindajenni · 1 year ago

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nov 29

the pain of love

"love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up." 1 cor 13:4

Jesus! why dost Thou love me so? what hast Thou seen in me to make my happiness so great, so dear a joy to Thee?

wert Thou not God, i then might think Thou hadst no eye to read the badness of that selfish heart, for which thine own did bleed.

but Thou art God, and knowest all; dear Lord! Thou knowest me; and yet Thy knowledge hinders not Thy love's sweet libery.

ah, how Thy grace hath wooed my soul with persevering wiles! now gives me tears to weep; for tears are deeper joy than smiles.

each proof renewed of Thy great love humbles me more and more, and brings to light forgotten sins, and lays them at my door.

the more i love Thee, Lord! the more i hate my own cold heart; the more Thou woundest me with love, the more i feel the smart.

what shall i do, then, dearest Lord! say, shall i fly from Thee, and hide my poor unloving self were Thou canst never see?

or shall i pray that Thy dear love to me might not be given? ah no! love must be pain on earth, if it be bliss in heaven.

frederick william faber - 1814-1863

never. no, never, never, never has such a love been exhibited as was on that cross at calvary. never has such torment and anguish been felt as our Lord endured in the garden of gethsemane. just for us. all for us.

can we love as much? do we dare love as much? only by His precious grace, and it will cost you much. it's not a cheap grace that may be purchased with flattering false confessions. in fact, all you hold dear in this life must become as rubble and a hindrance in your path. "no, but i will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will i offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” 2 sam 24:24

our salvation can't be purchased at any price we could pay. it was His blood alone that was sufficient. but the dowry the Lord wants from us is something that should be our precious. it is our time. it is our closeness, desire and intimacy we offer up as our burnt offering; a holy sacrifice.

yet, even what we offer to Him, is it not still something we only received from Him? for He is all things. He is our beginning and our end. now, as His coming grows nearer, do you not seek to know Him and have Him know you; know you as none other ever has or ever will?

i read something by o.s. hawkins the other day. (my favorite current writer, by the way.) "when we get to heaven, we will all be surprised at how little we really had to do with getting there. it is God who takes the initiative and turns our hearts to Himself." indeed we will see clearly how little we had to do with many things. our sense of importance is way overblown. "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." phil 2:13

suffer through the pain of love into the bliss of it. "there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. but he who fears has not been made perfect in love. we love Him because He first loved us." 1 john 4:18

"according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death." phil 1:20 "i have fought the good fight, i have finished the race, i have kept the faith." 2 tim 4:7

dear friends, it's only love that will get us there! the love that taught us love will furnish grace through it's pain.

#prayer #faith #rapture #jesus #jesus is coming

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feraldames · 1 month ago

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To see Ketheric dead had been cathartic; the bane of her entire life, the one who destroyed everything she loved, dear. Who trapped her for a century, abused, mutilated, and allowed it to happen? Despite the vengeance not resolving anything, there was some relief in seeing his blood on her boot instead of her blood on his sword.

A few days had gone by that allowed them to recover from such a vicious battle. The shadow curse slowly dissipated from the lands, and Aylin’s would heal within those two days, from the massive piercing wound that went straight through her body from Mykrul’s scythe to the battle wounds and gashes from the entire fight. They had traveled within the first day to settle on the side of the road, heading to Baldur’s gate.

Aylin had stretched her arms over her head, her massive wingspan of twenty-four feet stretched upwards. Feathers bristled as she shook them and neatly set them against her back. She had caught some deer that night and everyone ate happily. For the first time in a century, she could enjoy authentic food, taste water, and the freedom to move without the shackles of chains restraining her entire body. Even looking at the midnight sky, the vast twinkling of small stars and the beautiful waning half moon delighted her icy blue eyes.

For so long she had suffered, but now she could finally breathe in clean, fresh air. Isobel had settled down for the night, leaning against a tree where their tent had been erected, and her pen scratched against the parchment. She admired the dark black palms of her lover, the changes of her silver hair and pale olive skin. And yet all she saw was her darling lily, pure as the first day she met her.

The sudden snap of magic caused Aylin’s head to swivel and watched as Withers traveled through the portal. What instantly bristled the half dragon aasimar was the one who traveled behind him. He held a stark contrast to who had been days ago. Dressed in humbled clothing, nothing more than his hands for weapons and his graying hair; Aylin immediately threw her wings out. “How many times must I execute you and deliver you to the dark shadows of death!” Aylin shouted as she found her blood boiling and nearly flying upward into the sky. Her eyes saw red once more; every memory he incurred, every terrible situation.

“Be still, my friend!” Withers called out, but it was Isobel’s hand that caused Aylin to stay put in her steps. Her hands had grasped her palm and her shoulder, as they stood there stiff and troubled by the presence of the man that caused her years of torment. “Speak plainly, then. Why should I not deliver his life back to the afterlife he is bound to?” Aylin demanded as her feet dug against the ground. Her eyes narrowed upon the ex-general, shooting daggers just from her gaze.

“His story is not yet finish, his intervention is required to see the end of this threat. Thou have a purpose which must see its way to the end. His life granted by my hand,” Withers hand had come up, as he spoke calmly. Aylin, however, burned like fire as she clenched her free hand into a fist. A dark growl echoed in her throat, draconic in nature, as she snapped her head back to Withers.

“If he makes one wrong move, his hand defies the path of heroic motion; I will see fit to end his life as quickly as you have returned it. No god will hold me, and no force on faerun will save him,” Aylin threatened, saying the words directly to Ketheric’s face. Her entire body shook, having to restrain every part of her. Her oath had been fulfilled and his threat had ended; however, she still wanted to see him dead again under her boot. However, there was a bigger threat, the elder brain; therefore, she would struggle to contain her fury against the ex-general.

She pointed her finger toward him, taking a step forward. “Please, Ketheric, give me a motive to shatter your skull into the earth one more,” she hissed as Isobel tugged her back. “Easy, my love,” she spoke, though Isobel had a hint of scorn in her eyes against her own father. Withers seemed content despite the anger, and wandered toward the corner, leaving Ketheric to his devices. Aylin, however, continued to watch him like a hawk, letting go of Isobel’s hand and a step toward him.

𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 @feraldames.

The beating in his chest was uncomfortable.

Like some beast trying to pound its way out of his ribcage. It started again with a jolt, an electric shock as the General's being was ripped back to the Material Plane, his bleary eyes meeting with the sickly green ceiling of the Illithid Colony.

His lungs inflated and deflated uncomfortably as they took in the surrounding miasma, every sensation in Ketheric's body known to him as his consciousness scrambled to reconcile his death with the opening of his eyes and the beating of his heart.

What in the Nine Hells had happened?

He'd abandoned Myrkul. Handed his Netherstone to a Drow. Not Minthara. A different one. The Apostle had risen from the murk of the illithid pool. They had killed the Apostle. The Avatar of Myrkul.

He had died.

And yet.

Sitting up, he found himself stripped of his armor - only his clothes left from underneath the grip of the Reaper's Embrace. Better for the adventurers to have found some use in it, he supposed. His hammer and flail were also missing, along with his shield.

Only one thing remained in his pocket - the folded letter from Isobel that served as the last reminder of his humanity.

Papa. I love you. LOVE FROM, IZ.

"Thou hast awakened. Just as expected."

The fast motion of his head turning to the side made the General nauseous, and forced him to pause to try and take deep breaths, "Who-" His voice was hoarse, scratching its way out of his throat.

"An arbiter of certain matters. That is all."

It was some sort of undead - a somewhat skeletal creature adorned in gold finery and a robe. In their hand, a quarterstaff. They gazed down at him with an equalizing indifference, pallid and flaking skin stretched across their form.

"Thou hast been granted purpose anew. A second chance, as it were."

Their voice echoed with the dry whisper of the forgotten tomb - disembodied, yet still sent a chill up the General's spine.

"There is work to be done, General. A grand design threatens the whole of the Coast. Thou knows it well, and thou wilt have a hand in its destruction. So it is written. So, it is thus."

There were no words that came out of Ketheric, only a numb nodding of his head, and a realization that blood - his blood - was dripping from a wound in the side of his head. It ached, and then stung sharply at his touch. It was new. Fresh.

He had not gone to the grave with it.

"Come. Thy destiny awaits."

He really had no choice - unless he wished to wander the Colony for the rest of his days. Ketheric mutely obeyed the undead's commands, following them back to the Towers he'd once ruled.

Oh, how the chain of command had changed.

#myrkulapxstle #[ aylin interactions ] — you will address me with due deference .#[ aylin default verse ] — her face lights the shadows .#[ panda speaks ] — tracker .

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thehierophage · 4 years ago

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Holy Day Meditation for 4/10/21 e.v. - The Feast for the Third Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law

April 10, 2021 æ.v. Dies Saturnii,

☉︎ 20° ♈︎ : ☽︎ 4° ♈︎ : ♄ : Ⅴⅴⅰⅰ

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

The Feast for the Third Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law, The Greater Feast of Saint Swinburne, The Day of Aleph, The Day of the Fool

Hebrew Letter: Aleph

Numerical Value as Letter: 1

Numerical Value as Word: 111/831 (Aleph+Lamed+Peh / Aleph+Lamed+Peh [fin.]) or 117/837 (Aleph+Lamed+Vav+Peh / Aleph+Lamed+Vav+Peh [fin.])

Meaning: Ox.

Thoth Card: The Fool (Atu 0)

Alternate Title: The Spirit of Aethyr.

Image:

Correspondences:

Tree of Life Path Association: Key 11 - Chokmah to Kether (from Sephira 2-1)

Astrological Sign: -

Element: Air

Egyptian Godforms: Hoor-pa-kraat, Mout, Shu, Tefnut

Geomantic Figure: Those of Airy Triplicity

Gemstones: Topaz, Chalcedony

Perfumes: Galbanum, Pinus, Gum Arabic, Mastic, Anise and all fresh odors.

Plants: Aspen, Peppermint, Lime, Linden, Pennyroyal

Animals: Eagle, Man (Cherub of Air), Ox

Colors:

King Scale – Bright pale yellow

Queen Scale – Sky blue

Prince Scale – Blue emerald green

Princess Scale – Emerald, flecked gold

The Secret Instruction of the Master:

Know Naught! All ways are lawful to Innocence. Pure folly is the Key to Initiation. Silence breaks into Rapture. Be neither man nor woman, but both in one. Be silent, Babe in the Egg of Blue, that thou mayest grow to bear the Lance and Graal! Wander alone, and sing! In the King's Palace his daughter awaits thee.

Mnemonic:

Truth, laughter, lust: Wine's Holy Fool! Veil rent, Lewd madness is sublime enlightenment.

Recommended Text for Meditation:

Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX, Cap. 3

The Book of the Law Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX

as delivered by XCIII = 418 to DCLXVI

III

1. Abrahadabra; the reward of Ra Hoor Khut.

2. There is division hither homeward; there is a word not known. Spelling is defunct; all is not aught. Beware! Hold! Raise the spell of Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

3. Now let it be first understood that I am a god of War and of Vengeance. I shall deal hardly with them.

4. Choose ye an island!

5. Fortify it!

6. Dung it about with enginery of war!

7. I will give you a war-engine.

8. With it ye shall smite the peoples; and none shall stand before you.

9. Lurk! Withdraw! Upon them! this is the Law of the Battle of Conquest: thus shall my worship be about my secret house.

10. Get the stele of revealing itself; set it in thy secret temple -- and that temple is already aright disposed -- & it shall be your Kiblah for ever. It shall not fade, but miraculous colour shall come back to it day after day. Close it in locked glass for a proof to the world.

11. This shall be your only proof. I forbid argument. Conquer! That is enough. I will make easy to you the abstruction from the ill-ordered house in the Victorious City. Thou shalt thyself convey it with worship, o prophet, though thou likest it not. Thou shalt have danger & trouble. Ra-Hoor-Khu is with thee. Worship me with fire & blood; worship me with swords & with spears. Let the woman be girt with a sword before me: let blood flow to my name. Trample down the Heathen; be upon them, o warrior, I will give you of their flesh to eat!

12. Sacrifice cattle, little and big: after a child.

13. But not now.

14. Ye shall see that hour, o blessed Beast, and thou the Scarlet Concubine of his desire!

15. Ye shall be sad thereof.

16. Deem not too eagerly to catch the promises; fear not to undergo the curses. Ye, even ye, know not this meaning all.

17. Fear not at all; fear neither men nor Fates, nor gods, nor anything. Money fear not, nor laughter of the folk folly, nor any other power in heaven or upon the earth or under the earth. Nu is your refuge as Hadit your light; and I am the strength, force, vigour, of your arms.

18. Mercy let be off; damn them who pity! Kill and torture; spare not; be upon them!

19. That stele they shall call the Abomination of Desolation; count well its name, & it shall be to you as 718.

20. Why? Because of the fall of Because, that he is not there again.

21. Set up my image in the East: thou shalt buy thee an image which I will show thee, especial, not unlike the one thou knowest. And it shall be suddenly easy for thee to do this.

22. The other images group around me to support me: let all be worshipped, for they shall cluster to exalt me. I am the visible object of worship; the others are secret; for the Beast & his Bride are they: and for the winners of the Ordeal x. What is this? Thou shalt know.

23. For perfume mix meal & honey & thick leavings of red wine: then oil of Abramelin and olive oil, and afterward soften & smooth down with rich fresh blood.

24. The best blood is of the moon, monthly: then the fresh blood of a child, or dropping from the host of heaven: then of enemies; then of the priest or of the worshippers: last of some beast, no matter what.

25. This burn: of this make cakes & eat unto me. This hath also another use; let it be laid before me, and kept thick with perfumes of your orison: it shall become full of beetles as it were and creeping things sacred unto me.

26. These slay, naming your enemies; & they shall fall before you.

27. Also these shall breed lust & power of lust in you at the eating thereof.

28. Also ye shall be strong in war.

29. Moreover, be they long kept, it is better; for they swell with my force. All before me.

30. My altar is of open brass work: burn thereon in silver or gold!

31. There cometh a rich man from the West who shall pour his gold upon thee.

32. From gold forge steel!

33. Be ready to fly or to smite!

34. But your holy place shall be untouched throughout the centuries: though with fire and sword it be burnt down & shattered, yet an invisible house there standeth, and shall stand until the fall of the Great Equinox; when Hrumachis shall arise and the double-wanded one assume my throne and place. Another prophet shall arise, and bring fresh fever from the skies; another woman shall awakethe lust & worship of the Snake; another soul of God and beast shall mingle in the globed priest; another sacrifice shall stain the tomb; another king shall reign; and blessing no longer be poured To the Hawk-headed mystical Lord!

35. The half of the word of Heru-ra-ha, called Hoor-pa-kraat and Ra-Hoor-Khut.

36. Then said the prophet unto the God:

37. I adore thee in the song -- I am the Lord of Thebes, and I The inspired forth-speaker of Mentu; For me unveils the veiled sky, The self-slain Ankh-af-na-khonsu Whose words are truth. I invoke, I greet Thy presence, O Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

Unity uttermost showed! I adore the might of Thy breath, Supreme and terrible God, Who makest the gods and death To tremble before Thee: -- I, I adore thee!

Appear on the throne of Ra! Open the ways of the Khu! Lighten the ways of the Ka! The ways of the Khabs run through To stir me or still me! Aum! let it fill me!

38. So that thy light is in me; & its red flame is as a sword in my hand to push thy order. There is a secret door that I shall make to establish thy way in all the quarters, (these are the adorations, as thou hast written), as it is said:

The light is mine; its rays consume Me: I have made a secret door Into the House of Ra and Tum, Of Khephra and of Ahathoor. I am thy Theban, O Mentu, The prophet Ankh-af-na-khonsu!

By Bes-na-Maut my breast I beat; By wise Ta-Nech I weave my spell. Show thy star-splendour, O Nuit! Bid me within thine House to dwell, O winged snake of light, Hadit! Abide with me, Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

39. All this and a book to say how thou didst come hither and a reproduction of this ink and paper for ever -- for in it is the word secret & not only in the English -- and thy comment upon this the Book of the Law shall be printed beautifully in red ink and black upon beautiful paper made by hand; and to each man and woman that thou meetest, were it but to dine or to drink at them, it is the Law to give. Then they shall chance to abide in this bliss or no; it is no odds. Do this quickly!

40. But the work of the comment? That is easy; and Hadit burning in thy heart shall make swift and secure thy pen.

41. Establish at thy Kaaba a clerk-house: all must be done well and with business way.

42. The ordeals thou shalt oversee thyself, save only the blind ones. Refuse none, but thou shalt know & destroy the traitors. I am Ra-Hoor-Khuit; and I am powerful to protect my servant. Success is thy proof: argue not; convert not; talk not over much! Them that seek to entrap thee, to overthrow thee, them attack without pity or quarter; & destroy them utterly. Swift as a trodden serpent turn and strike! Be thou yet deadlier than he! Drag down their souls to awful torment: laugh at their fear: spit upon them!

43. Let the Scarlet Woman beware! If pity and compassion and tenderness visit her heart; if she leave my work to toy with old sweetnesses; then shall my vengeance be known. I will slay me her child: I will alienate her heart: I will cast her out from men: as a shrinking and despised harlot shall she crawl through dusk wet streets, and die cold and an-hungered.

44. But let her raise herself in pride! Let her follow me in my way! Let her work the work of wickedness! Let her kill her heart! Let her be loud and adulterous! Let her be covered with jewels, and rich garments, and let her be shameless before all men!

45. Then will I lift her to pinnacles of power: then will I breed from her a child mightier than all the kings of the earth. I will fill her with joy: with my force shall she see & strike at the worship of Nu: she shall achieve Hadit.

46. I am the warrior Lord of the Forties: the Eighties cower before me, & are abased. I will bring you to victory & joy: I will be at your arms in battle & ye shall delight to slay. Success is your proof; courage is your armour; go on, go on, in my strength; & ye shall turn not back for any!

47. This book shall be translated into all tongues: but always with the original in the writing of the Beast; for in the chance shape of the letters and their position to one another: in these are mysteries that no Beast shall divine. Let him not seek to try: but one cometh after him, whence I say not, who shall discover the Key of it all. Then this line drawn is a key: then this circle squared in its failure is a key also. And Abrahadabra. It shall be his child & that strangely. Let him not seek after this; for thereby alone can he fall from it.

48. Now this mystery of the letters is done, and I want to go on to the holier place.

49. I am in a secret fourfold word, the blasphemy against all gods of men.

50. Curse them! Curse them! Curse them!

51. With my Hawk's head I peck at the eyes of Jesus as he hangs upon the cross.

52. I flap my wings in the face of Mohammed & blind him.

53. With my claws I tear out the flesh of the Indian and the Buddhist, Mongol and Din.

54. Bahlasti! Ompehda! I spit on your crapulous creeds.

55. Let Mary inviolate be torn upon wheels: for her sake let all chaste women be utterly despised among you!

56. Also for beauty's sake and love's!

57. Despise also all cowards; professional soldiers who dare not fight, but play; all fools despise!

58. But the keen and the proud, the royal and the lofty; ye are brothers!

59. As brothers fight ye!

60. There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt.

61. There is an end of the word of the God enthroned in Ra's seat, lightening the girders of the soul.

62. To Me do ye reverence! to me come ye through tribulation of ordeal, which is bliss.

63. The fool readeth this Book of the Law, and its comment; & he understandeth it not.

64. Let him come through the first ordeal, & it will be to him as silver.

65. Through the second, gold.

66. Through the third, stones of precious water.

67. Through the fourth, ultimate sparks of the intimate fire.

68. Yet to all it shall seem beautiful. Its enemies who say not so, are mere liars.

69. There is success.

70. I am the Hawk-Headed Lord of Silence & of Strength; my nemyss shrouds the night-blue sky.

71. Hail! ye twin warriors about the pillars of the world! for your time is nigh at hand.

72. I am the Lord of the Double Wand of Power; the wand of the Force of Coph Nia--but my left hand is empty, for I have crushed an Universe; & nought remains.

73. Paste the sheets from right to left and from top to bottom: then behold!

74. There is a splendour in my name hidden and glorious, as the sun of midnight is ever the son.

75. The ending of the words is the Word Abrahadabra.

The Book of the Law is Written

and Concealed.

Aum. Ha.

Love is the law, love under will.

#Thelema #thelemic holy season #Tarot

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gringolet · 4 years ago

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hi why do you ship gawain with lancelot? not trying to start shit im just curious

God so this is a true fact but I’ve been thinking about them since sophomore year of high school (i'm a college sophomore now) so this is going to be lengthy and involved. But i think Lancelot and Gawain have a really interesting dynamic as well as a lot of support in text which i think makes them compelling.

In a lot of ways they are equals in a way neither of them is with anyone else-- they are, in the vulgate at least, the two best knights in the world, the two arthur trusts most and who are famous even among other good knights. Its almost isolating, that level of renown, and you see that Lancelot in particular is uncomfortable with it, though they both at times have stories of trying to escape their own names. Of course they would understand each other in a way no one else could.

Despite the fact that Lancelot quite literally steals his place as number one, gawain is never resentful of this, never upset to lose to lancelot. In fact he seems very happy to sing his praises to anyone he meets, like in Lancelot and the Hart with the White Foot, where he says of lancelot that “He is the best knight alive in the entire world, and moreover the most handsome.”

In the stanzaic morte, he tells elaine of shallot that

“Such a leman as thou hast one,

In all this world ne be no mo.

There is no lady of flesh ne bone

In this worlde so thrive or thro,

Though her herte were steel or stone,

That might her love holde him fro.”

Or, translated,

Such a love as you have,

there’s no better in the world.

There is no lady of flesh or bone,

In this world so lucky or stubborn

Though her heart were steel or stone,

She could stop it from loving him.’

In the vulgate hes constantly running after lancelot, happy to play sidekick as long as it means lancelot's company. He pretty infamously says this about lancelot:

Then Sir Gawain thought a little, like a man who believed he would never be well again. “If God were to grant me my health,” he said, “I’d immediately wish to be the most beautiful maiden in the world, happy and healthy, on condition that he would love me above all others, all his life and mine.”

I think this is really interesting because its not a devotion gawain shows to anyone else outside of his family. Hes oddly protective of lancelot, considering he can very well fend for himself usually. In the dutch hart, he literally tracks down and kills a man who hurt lancelot, before tying his body to his horse and dragging it around like achilles. He also rescues and heals him in morien, gets the whole court in a tizzy looking for him after a battle with galehaut where he spends a year searching, drags lancelots poor cousins all over looking for him after a tournament, freaks out when he goes missing in the hart (: “He lamented more grievously than anyone ever will, or had ever done before, because he thought he had lost Lancelot, the daring knight.”) like jesus gawain calm down.

He explicitly forsakes his devotion and duty to the country in favour of lancelot; in morien, hes called to take his place as king because arthur is gone, and he refuses in favour of, you guessed it, running after lancelot. In chretien it is said that

“Now I will tell you the truth, and you must not think I lie, that Gawain would not wish to be chosen king, unless he had Lancelot with him. “

And he lies to arthurs face multiple times in the vulgate and morte to hide lancelot's various crimes.

Speaking of crimes, theyre both uh, well. Literal serial killers. And you know its good to have hobbies in common in a relationship. No but seriously they represent a lot of the darker parts of knighthood. From lancelots bit with the proud knight in kotc to gawains… what can be only described as massacres in the dutch texts. They both have very odd relationships with death, with gawain so familiar with it by being surrounded by violence from a young age that it no longer affects him, while lancelot is almost the opposite-- its very distant to him.

I think thats another reason i like them; theyre similar in a lot of ways but in just as many they are opposites. Gawains whole deal is being charming, manipulative, educated and good with words. Lancelot is in contrast, especially in chretien and the vulgate, at his most inept in social situations. You note that in the hart, its gawain that has to talk him out of the marriage he accidentally agreed to (“ But he does not at this time wish to marry you-- you must understand...”) etc. while gawain is centered at court in a web of political alliances, lancelot is a fair unknown, who can and does disappear for years and generally avoid court when he can. I think they work well as a team because of this.

Lancelot certainly think so, at least in the morien: Quoth Sir Lancelot: "By the Lord who made me, and who shall be Doom's-man at the last day, come what may thereof, since Sir Gawain rideth hence 'tis not I will bide behind!”

He isnt as quotable outside of one specific scene ill get to later, and most of what he does say is in aside to himself, like the lengthy speech he gives in knight of the cart while debating to himself why gawain has failed to rescue him, and if this means gawain doesn’t love him (“He ought indeed to receive your aid whom you used to love so devotedly! For my part I may truly say that there is no lodging place or retreat on either side of the sea, where I would not have searched for you at least seven or ten years before finding you, if I knew you to be in prison. But why do I thus torment myself? You do not care for me even enough to take this trouble.”) trust me it goes on like this for quite a while.

On a side note, i think its a bit reminiscent of a scene from the vulgate where gawain thinks that lancelot is in love with elaine of shallot--

“That night he thought a lot about Lancelot and said to himself that he would not have thought that Lancelot would have aspired to leave his heart in any place that was not nobler and more honourable than all others. ‘And yet,’ he said, ‘I cannot really blame him if he loves this girl… (he goes on in debate with himself)...

That night Sir Gawain slept very little, because he was thinking of the girl and Lancelot,”

the morte specifically calls gawain the man lancelot loves most in the world, according to a prophecy of merlins. Then, the kicker: he kills gawains brothers on accident, gawain swears to kill him in revenge, and lancelot…. Refuses to kill gawain, or even to renounce love for him. When asked about the fight, he says:

“I do not know what the outcome will be, but I do know that if I were the winner and ought to cut off his head, I should not be able to kill him for all the world, because I think he is too noble. Moreover, he is the man, out of all those in the world that have meant anything to me, that I have most loved, and still do,”

Gawain forgives him on his deathbed and writes a letter, the entirety of which i implore you to read. He begs lancelot’s forgiveness and for him to return from france and see gawains tomb, “for all the love that was betwixt us”

I think you could interpret this as a very passionate friendship, certainly, but i am gay and so i think they are too. Not only because of the texts but because of the fact that their dynamic is fun and interesting and they work well together.

Oh, and if anyone was wondering why i call them remarkable, here is another quote from the vulgate, following the first fight with gawain:

‘It is certainly remarkable of you,’ said King Bors, ‘to love him so deeply when he hates you mortally.’

‘Find it remarkable if you wish,’ replied Lancelot, ‘but he will never be able to hate me so much that I stop loving him.’

#arthuriana #gawain #lancelot #remarkable #long post #sorry i went insane on this ask #i just think.i just. i just.#Anonymous

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lailoken · 4 years ago

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“Old Mariann Voaden:

Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould knew and wrote of his experiences of a remarkable witch named Mariann Voaden. She is described as having been a ‘picturesque objecť’ with dark, piercing eyes, and skin the colour of mahogany from dirt. The colour red, worn as a scarf or shawl, comes up again and again as a traditional sign of a witch in West Country lore, and it is interesting therefor that Mariann was noted for wearing a red kerchief about her head or neck, as well as an old petticoat of scarlet. From Baring-Gould's account, it is very clear that Mariann was very much a white witch, or 'blessing witch’, and a ‘God-fearing soul’, however, she still took full advantage of the old fears folk held about all witches; even those who specialised in magic of the helpful and curative variety. She expected to receive gifts of food from local farms and households, and would at times encourage such placating offerings. For example, if she spotted a child passing her old cob and thatch cottage, she would emerge, fix the and say ‘My dear, I knawed a child jist like you same age, red rosy cheeks, and curlin' black hair. And that child shrivelled up, shrumped like an apple as is picked in the third quarter of the moon. The cheeks grew white, the hair went out of curl, and she jist died right on end and away.’ Of course, a good gift of food, such as a chicken, or a basket of shortly be left outside Mariann's cottage by the child's mother.

She did however at times try, in her own unique way, to show her gratitude for the gifts people brought for her, such as the parish rector's daughter who would occasionally bring her food. Mariann made for her a present out of fine lace, and gave it to the young lady on her next visit. However, as she departed with her gratefully accepted gift, Marian called after her ‘Come back, my dear, I want that lace again. If anyone else be so gude as to give me aught, I shall want it to make an acknowledgment of the kindness.’ Indeed, Mariann's piece of fine lace work was often given in thanks for some kindness, and then immediately reclaimed.

Mariann seems also to have cultivated her notoriety further by deliberately allowing her once fine old cottage to fall into an entirely dilapidated state; to the extent that people wondered how an old woman could possibly survive in what remained of it winter after winter.

When the thatch began to wear thin and develop holes that let in the rain, farmers offered her straw for the repairs, which a thatcher would have willingly undertaken for free, but she refused, saying ‘God made the sky, and that is the best roof of all.’ To keep her head dry as the rains poor child to the spot with a dark gaze eggs, would poured in through her deteriorating roof, Mariann sealed up her chimney by stuffing it with a sack filled with chaff and slept with her head inside her bedroom fireplace.

Eventually, her staircase rotted from its exposure to water and collapsed; leaving Mariann having to climb a precarious makeshift ladder to access her bedroom. When the parish rector, concerned for her safety, tried to make her see the dangers of her living conditions, she said to him ‘My dear, there be two angels every night sits on the rungs of the ladder and watches there, that nobody comes nigh me, and they be ready to hold up the timbers that they don't fall on me.' The ladder however suffered the same fate as the stairs and soon collapsed from rot, forcing Marian to live in one room on the ground floor.

When inevitably the whole roof fell in, it brought down the upstairs floorboards with it, forming a 'lean to' roof under which Marian sheltered against one of the walls in her downstairs room. As the door was now blocked, Marian's only way in and out of what little remained of her cottage was a window through which she climbed.

Finally, as water inundated her tiny living space, Marian slept inside an oak chest with its lid propped up by a brick.

Baring-Gould, on a visit to Old Marian, once took his youngest daughter with him. The witch noticed the girl had 'breakings-out’ on her face and said ‘Ab, my dear, I see you want my help. You must bring the little maiden to me, she must be fasting, and then I will bless her face, and til two days she will be well.'

Like many a rural charmer, Mariann possessed the ability to stanch the flow of blood from a wound, of blood charming' as it is known, and could perform this act even at a distance from the patient. A man once wounded his leg badly when hay was being cut about eight miles from Mariann's cottage. The blood flowed from his leg 'in streams’ and a kerchief was dipped in this and given by the farmer to a man who rode vith it on horseback as fast as he could to Old Marian. As soon as she charmed the kerchief the blood in the man's wound ceased to flow.

Marian had a book of charms, which she had promised to Baring-Gould, sadly however he was never to receive it, for the remains of her cottage and her few possessions were destroyed by fire. She had been distracted one day, when the local fox hunt, from whom she always received a gift, stopped on its way past her cottage. Climbing out to see them, she left a small fire burning on her floor which caught and spread from the straw lying thereabout, leaving Old Mariann Voaden nowhere to go but the workhouse.

Whilst it is a tragedy that such a valuable artefact of 19th century rural magic; a Devonshire white witch's book of charms, was lost to us, we are indeed fortunate that the Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould was able to record at least some of Mariann's charms and recipes.

For whooping cough, Mariann would cut the hair from the cross on a donkey's back, which she would enclose within a silken bag to be tied about the afflicted child's neck. When asked about this charm Mariann explained; ‘You see, Christ Jesus rode into Jerusalem on an ass, and ever since then asses have the cross on their backs, and the hair of those crosses is holy and cures maladies.'

To cure fits, Mariann would have the patient swallow wood-lice, which could be pounded if preferred but, Mariann insisted, were more efficacious if swallowed 'au naturel'.

For Burns or Scalds, recite over the afflicted part: ‘There were three Angels who came from the North, One bringing Fire, the other brought Frost, The other he was the Holy Ghost. In Frost, out Fire! In the Name, etc.’

For a Sprain, recite thrice: ‘As Christ was riding over Crolly Bridge, His horse slid and sprained his leg. He alighted and spake the words: Bone to bone, and sinew to sinew! and blessed it and it became well and so shall (name of patient) become well. In the Name, etc.’

Another Receipt for a Sprain: 2 oz. of oil of turpentine. 2 oz. of swillowes. 2 og. of oil of earthworms. 2 oz. of nerve. 2 oz. of oil of spideldock [opodeldoc?]. 2 oz. of Spanish flies.

For Stanching Blood, recite thrice: ‘Jesus was born in Bethlehem, baptized in the river of Jordan. The water was wide and the river was rude against the Holy Child. And He smote it with a rod, and it stood still, and so shall your blood stand still. In the Name, etc.’

Cure for Toothache: ‘As our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ were walking in the garden of Jerusalem, Jesus said unto Peter, Why weepest thou? Peter answered and said, Lord, I be terrible tormented with the toothache. Jesus said unto Peter, If thou wilt believe in Me and My words abide in thee, thou shall never more fill the pain in thy tooth. Peter cried out with tears. Lord, I believe, help thou my onbelieve.'”

—

Silent as the Trees:

Devonshire Witchcract, Folklore & Magic

by Gemma Gary

#old mariann Voaden #Gemma Gary #silent as the trees #Devonshire witchcraft #Devonshire magic #traditional withcraft #witchcraft #magic #quote

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pamphletstoinspire · 4 years ago

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Third Sunday After Epiphany by Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876

“Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.”–Matt. 8: 2.

The leper of whom we read in today’s Gospel believes that Christ has the power to heal him, and he is not mistaken; Christ, stretching forth His hand, said: “I will, be thou made clean!”

What leprosy is to the body, that sin is to the soul. Many of the children of the Church, many who call upon Jesus, are covered with this leprosy. They believe in His Power and Will to cleanse them from sin, and yet they are not cleansed, and why not? Because they do not earnestly will it.

It often happens that the sinner, while apparently desirous of conversion, has in reality not the will. And why? That is the question we shall answer today. O Mary, thou purest of the pure, pray that we may be filled with a true desire to be cleansed from the leprosy of sin, through Jesus Christ our Lord! I speak in the most holy name of Jesus, to the greater glory of God!

“Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean,” cried the leper. How much more natural it is for us children of the Church to address Christ in these words, since we know so much better than the leper in the Gospel who Jesus is, and why He came into the world.

The leper did not doubt that Christ possessed the power to heal him, but he was not certain of Christ’s willingness to perform a miracle. In regard to the leprosy of sin, we have no reason to doubt Christ’s willingness to cleanse us. For this He came into the world, for this He sacrificed Himself on the cross, for this He gave His blood and life, for this He established His Church. Do not the Apostles teach us to say: “I believe in the forgiveness of sins?” To give us a remedy against sin, Christ called us to His holy Church, freed us in baptism from the inherited leprosy of our nature, and gave us access to all the Sacraments, those fountains of grace for the purification of souls.

Verily then Jesus is willing. If we are not cleansed, in whom lies the fault? In ourselves. The sinner is wanting in real sincerity and in the earnest desire of being cleansed. And why? Because he feels his own misery too imperfectly. He is not sufficiently disgusted with sin; he is not thoroughly penetrated with fear at the consequences of sin.

The leper was disgusted with himself. Leprosy is, as is well known, a revolting disease, and everyone is careful to avoid those who are stricken with it. But what is such a disease compared to the disfigurement of sin, which makes us resemble Satan in repulsiveness? Not only mortal, but even venial sin is leprosy. Not a moral fault but is more disgusting to God than all the ulcers and sores in the whole world.

Could the sinner but see himself, were he aware of how his soul is deformed by sin, how intense would be his desire, how great his haste to go to Jesus and beg of Him to be cleansed. Unfortunately, the sinner is seldom thoroughly conscious of his deplorable state. He generally believes that his moral condition is not so bad, and, regarding his sins as human weaknesses, consoles himself with the thought that there are others who are worse. He fails to consider God’s horror of sin, the disgust of the angels and saints, who have reason to be ashamed of him if he regards himself in communion with them, or perhaps even calls them his brothers and his sisters. He does not realize that the sight of his sins drives away his guardian angel, all angels, in fact, and saints. He never thinks of the misfortune into which sin has precipitated him, robbing his good works of all merit, and rendering him unable to earn anything for heaven; how sin has opened the gates of hell, so that he is liable at any moment to fall into the abyss, where he must bewail in eternal torments those sins which he here committed with so little concern.

He who stains his soul with many venial sins can not consider how these prevent him from lessening the flow of divine grace, diminish his merits, how they augment the debt that is to be paid in purgatory. Moreover, he can not reflect on the danger his waywardness exposes him to of falling into grievous sin. The consequence of this thoughtlessness is that the sinner hastens not to seek Jesus, and to approach Him in the person of His minister to receive, after sincere repentance, the forgiveness of his transgressions.

Secondly.–The sinner goes to confession and apparently is desirous of being cleansed from the leprosy of his sin, but in reality he is very indifferent. How few of those to whom sin has become a habit–a class of sinners who especially resemble the leper–examine themselves conscientiously before confession on the number of their mortal sins and the circumstances that affect the nature of their transgressions. The leper feels day and night the misery of his disease, and knows every place where it has settled. The habitual sinner does not take the trouble to consider the evil of sin on his soul, and hardly deems it necessary to examine his conscience. Why? He is not really in earnest to be converted.

If it were a bodily illness he would immediately send for a physician, and explain minutely all the symptoms of his disease; but as the condition of his soul is a matter of little concern to him, he gives but a superficial account of its state, and not unfrequently makes a bad confession. It but seldom happens that a habitual sinner accuses himself fully and freely without aid from the priest. Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the leper. The priest should spiritually do the same to the sinner by his words, but as the sinner has not thoroughly opened his heart, the priest is not able to touch the affected parts and heal them by words of advice.

The sinner confesses, but he has not the earnest desire to make a frank and open declaration of his faults. He is satisfied with a lame, cursory accusation, hoping that the confessor will impart a speedy absolution, and not trouble him with many questions. He is not anxious about the future, how he may avoid relapses, anticipate temptations or combat them, when they do assault him, with effectual weapons.

The sinner, moreover, has not the determination to use the proper means to obtain grace and to advance in the ways of virtue, namely, prayer, spiritual reading, the reception of the Sacraments.

Happy are you, O sinner, if you are conscious that you are, earnest in your desire to be converted, to avoid all occasions of committing sin, and to resist temptations, so that you can truthfully say before Jesus and his minister: I will. Christ will say the same to you. And if you unite your will with His, do not doubt that you will be cleansed from the leprosy of your sin through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen!

THE LEPER–THE FAITH OF THE CENTURION

Once when Our Lord was coming down from a mountain, followed by a great crowd of people, He entered the city of Capharnaum. At the city gates there was a poor leper, who, bowing down profoundly, addressed Jesus and cried out: “Lord! if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.”

Leprosy is a very filthy, disgusting disease. The whole body is covered with a false dry skin like scales, so that the person becomes a most hideous and loathsome object. In the East and in this country, too, leprosy is considered contagious, and the laws of sanitary boards separate people afflicted with it from those that are well, and will not allow lepers to come into the cities. This picture is but a very insignificant description of leprosy. You must see it to know how loathsome it really is.

When you read the description of leprosy think of that other kind of leprosy of the soul, for sin is the leprosy of the soul, and is as filthy and more so than the leprosy of the body. Yes, it is the leprosy of sin that makes the soul a horrible sight before God and the angels. The leprous souls that live in so many human bodies in cities and villages are not subject to any laws. They can remain where they please, and still we know that nothing is more contagious than the leprosy of sin. Thus it is that sin is continually growing and spreading, until we find it in every nook and corner of the world. How rare it is to find youths not infected with some vice or other! How few are untouched by this contagion, or who have preserved their baptismal innocence!

If you are already covered with the leprosy of sin, ah, then cry out: “Lord, you see how miserable my condition is! Heal me–cleanse me. You see that my mouth is infected because such bad words, blasphemies, and curses are continually flowing from it. You see, O Lord, that my body and my senses are infected with this terrible disease, for it induces the soul to commit the sins of impurity.” If you pray in this manner, humbly and confidently, you will hear in your soul the consoling words, “Yes, I will help you to overcome that vice. I will forgive you and give you the grace of remaining good.”

But Our Lord adds: “Go and show yourselves to the priest.” The priest is the minister of God. He will extend his hands over you, and you will be made whiter than snow. You will start up into a new life, in which you will acquire again the merits of your good actions, which would never have been any benefit to you unless you had thus repented. From slaves of Satan you will become adopted sons of God, co-heirs with Jesus Christ.

But remember well, my beloved children, that you must have a good will. St. Augustine says that God cures all evils, but only those which we really want to be cured.

The unhappy leper really wished to be healed, for he realized the sad condition he was in, and Jesus immediately extended His hand and touched him. We admire the power of Christ, for at once the whole body was healed. It was again full of vigor and health. Jesus did not give him time to burst out in sentiments of wonder, exultation or gratitude, but said: “See thou tell no man, but go, show thyself to the priest.” The man obeyed, and as he went he could not help letting people know what Jesus had done for him. The fame of this miracle spread about the country and drew many to look for help from Our Lord.

There was in Capharnaum a centurion, a soldier and a heathen, whose servant lay at the point of death. He came to Our Lord and laid his trouble before Him: “My servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented.” “I will come and heal him,” said Our Lord. But the centurion did not expect so great a favor; he repeated those admirable words: “Lord I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed.”

These words are so applicable to all poor sinners who are about to receive the visit of the Lord, that the Church has borrowed them and uses them three times when communion is to be given. “We should repeat them with a heart full of confusion, because even though we possessed the purity of an angel and the sanctity of John the Baptist, we would not be worthy to receive in our heart Our Lord Jesus. Therefore ought we do all in our power to be free from sin, that we might be the less unworthy to receive Jesus in the great Sacrament of His love.

There are few young people who are so impressed with the sublimity of this holy Sacrament that they approach it with sentiments of respect and veneration. On the contrary they generally go without proper dispositions. They do not endeavor to excite in themselves the sentiments of devotion and love of God which are required to make a good communion.

But there are many, too, who are unworthy to receive Jesus in their heart because their souls are blackened with crime. They defile their tongues with impure conversations, and they dare to receive on them the body of Christ. They defile their bodies with impurities and into these they dare to introduce the Holy of holies. They give scandal and they wish to receive Jesus.

They go to confession and if the priest refuse them absolution because he sees no signs of amendment, they go to another, who is easier, so that they may get through. How blind such young people are! They do not comprehend that they are making a bad communion.

Go, of course, frequently to communion, but do so with a pure heart, and free from sin, full of humility, reverence, and love. When the time approaches for communion, call on the angels, the archangels and all the holy spirits, and beg of them to accompany you to the banquet of Our Lord.

When Our Lord heard the humble words of the centurion He was struck with astonishment and said, “Amen, I say to you, I have not found so great a faith in Israel.” It was certainly a great act of faith, and that was the reason it drew on the centurion that commendation which the Lord seldom gave. The centurion trusted in the power and goodness of Our Lord. He knew, too, that it was not necessary for Our Lord to come to his house. He knew He was God, or at least had the power of God at His command. For this faith and trust Our Lord broke forth into unusual praise.

Even among faithful Christians it is rare to find those who really trust in God. They put trust in their friends, in their own smartness and strength, but they do not remember that they have a God at their command to whom they may go with all confidence. We trust too much to our friends in many things and even prefer them to God. Here is a young man who, meeting his companions, goes with them to lunch. It is Friday. The young man refuses to eat meat, but his companions persuade him. “Oh, eat it! What wrong can there be?” He yields, and the sin is committed.

Another meets a companion on the street. “Where are you going?” “To hear a sermon,” is the reply. “Oh, don’t be so foolish as to sit there to listen to such an insignificant preacher. That is good enough for doting old people or pious women. Come, let us go to the theatre. You will see nice things; you will laugh and be happier there than in church.” He goes out of friendship for his companion. He witnesses the derision of his religion, or immoral scenes; he sees many things that please the eye and stir his sensuality. He hears many improper things; his mind is filled with loose sayings and bad thoughts, and all this has happened simply to please a friend. You see then how obsequious you are to your friends, but of God and Christ you make no account.

When Our Lord had said the words of commendation to the centurion He added: “Many shall come from the east and the west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness.” God is merciful to all; He calls all; but they must have the faith of the centurion. Then He turned again to the centurion and said, “Go, and as thou hast believed so be it done to thee.” That same moment the servant was healed, and when the centurion arrived home he found the man perfectly restored to health. Just reflect a moment on these words of Our Lord. “The children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Terrible words; but which will prove as true to many Christians as they were to many of the Jews. Not a day passes but many infidels and idolaters come to the faith, are converted, and enter the kingdom of God, while many Christians born in the faith, brought up and educated in it, perish miserably in eternal damnation. A damned soul once returned to the earth and asked whether there were any good people still on earth, for he had seen such innumerable multitudes going to hell that he thought there could not be one left.

St. Bernard understood so well the misery of those who went to hell that he used to say, “If out of all the human race, who number thousands of millions of souls, it were known that only one was to go to hell, I would tremble with fear lest I should be that miserable one.” O, my dear young people, let us make up our minds that we will not be of the number of the wicked Christians who will lose their places in heaven which were marked out for them from all eternity had they remained faithful. Are we, the sons of the kingdom, we, the adopted sons of God, to be excluded from our future heritage in heaven and thrown out into darkness? Oh, since the Lord has been so good to us that we have received the grace of being born in a Christian family, let us beg also the grace to remain faithful to Christ and love Him so dearly that we may enter the heavenly kingdom which is ours by right. At the same time knowing that many places are left vacant in heaven by bad Christians, let us beg Our Lord to send His light to the east and west and bring many to occupy these seats of glory.

#3rd sunday after epiphany

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blindrapture · 4 years ago

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oh my god I fucking found it.

I wanted to find an easy way of reading Dante’s Inferno New Game Plus without having to boot up Frog Fractions 2 and go digging for it, so I opened up the game’s files and starting opening shit in notepad, and the first file I tried did indeed have it. All of it.

Some highlights:

‘You cannot hide or run from the Nacho Man, My arm is long and my eyes see into space; There is no nation that is not the Nacho Nation; Of all the world I am the savior, Pedal to the metal! Everybody knows it! Oh yeah, let me tell you what I'll do; Through every city shall I will hunt her down, Until I have driven her back to Hell, Where some weaksauce demon let her loose. I know what's best and what is MACHO! Follow me buddy, and I will be your guide, We're going to have a real adventure. You're going to see some pretty gnarly stuff Some ancient ghosts and boogums that go woo, Maybe you'll be sad if you're a wuss; You'll also see some pretty happy folks They're happy mostly because I visit them, Everybody treasures a visit from the Nacho; If you want to go to heaven afterwords, To meet your ladyfriend or whatever; That's where we'll part ways I guess; Because that rightious dude who rules heaven, Has tasked me with bringing macho madness To those less fortunate, so I remain. Heaven is the most macho city of all; And until all are macho I must wait; This is my holy task, a righteous one.'

'Tell me, my Master, tell me, thou my Lord,' Began I, with desire of being certain Of that Faith which o'ercometh every error, 'Came any one by his own merit hence, Or by another's, who was blessed thereafter?' And he, who understood my covert speech, Replied: 'When I first got here, When from the sky a long-haired dude appeared, Almost as glorious as the Nacho Man himself. He grabbed some Bible dudes, I think they were Abe and Abel and Noah's Ark but not Noah, I think Moses was there too? It was rad. There were a bunch of others but honestly I can't be bothered to remember right now It really isn't important Past, present, future, It's the best there is. Ohhhh yeah. And then that guy left and never came back.’

I was bent downward, but my living eyes Could not attain the bottom, for the dark; Wherefore I: 'Master, see that thou arrive At the next round, and let us descend the wall; For as from hence I hear and understand not, So I look down and nothing I distinguish.' 'Don't talk,' he said, 'for a while, Seriously. You fill the air with noise And not the type of madness that I love.'

Wherefore I said: 'Master, these torments here, Will they increase after the mighty sentence, Or lesser be, or will they be as burning?' And he to me: 'Man do I look like a prohpet? Whatever is gonig to happen is going to happen, And I have no way of knowing which is which. These folks are trapped here forever They can't get into heaven, so who cares? It's harsh, but that's how the chips fall.'

'Pape Satan, Pape Satan, Aleppe!' Thus Plutus with his clucking voice began; And that benignant Sage, who all things knew, Said, to encourage me: 'Don't wig out, We are too macho for this jive turkey, He can't stop us entering the danger zone.' Then he turned round unto that bloated lip, And said: 'Shut up you freakshow; Why not eat yourself for a change? We got a divine purpose, higher than Nachos; The big man upstairs sent us so beat it, We're soaring eagles, you are a slithering snake.'

Dante’s Inferno featuring Randy Savage, below the break.

I N F E R N O N E W G A M E P L U S >By Dante Alighieri !CANTO I. Midway upon the journey of our life I found myself within a forest dark, For the straightforward pathway had been lost. Ah me! how hard a thing it is to say What was this forest savage, rough, and stern, Which in the very thought renews the fear. So bitter is it, death is little more; But of the good to treat, which there I found, Speak will I of the other things I saw there. 10/I cannot well repeat how there I entered, So full was I of slumber at the moment In which I had abandoned the true way. But after I had reached a mountain's foot, At that point where the valley terminated, Which had with consternation pierced my heart, Upward I looked, and I beheld its shoulders, Vested already with that planet's rays Which leadeth others right by every road. Then was the fear a little quieted 20/That in my heart's lake had endured throughout The night, which I had passed so piteously. And even as he, who, with distressful breath, Forth issued from the sea upon the shore, Turns to the water perilous and gazes; So did my soul, that still was fleeing onward, Turn itself back to re-behold the pass Which never yet a living person left. After my weary body I had rested, The way resumed I on the desert slope, 30/So that the firm foot ever was the lower. And lo! almost where the ascent began, A panther light and swift exceedingly, Which with a spotted skin was covered o'er! And never moved she from before my face, Nay, rather did impede so much my way, That many times I to return had turned. The time was the beginning of the morning, And up the sun was mounting with those stars That with him were, what time the Love Divine 40/At first in motion set those beauteous things; So were to me occasion of good hope, The variegated skin of that wild beast, The hour of time, and the delicious season; But not so much, that did not give me fear A lion's aspect which appeared to me. He seemed as if against me he were coming With head uplifted, and with ravenous hunger, So that it seemed the air was afraid of him; And a she-wolf, that with all hungerings 50/Seemed to be laden in her meagreness, And many folk has caused to live forlorn! She brought upon me so much heaviness, With the affright that from her aspect came, That I the hope relinquished of the height. And as he is who willingly acquires, And the time comes that causes him to lose, Who weeps in all his thoughts and is despondent, E'en such made me that beast withouten peace, Which, coming on against me by degrees 60/Thrust me back thither where the sun is silent. While I was rushing downward to the lowland, Before mine eyes did one present himself, Who seemed from long-continued silence hoarse. When I beheld him in the desert vast, 'Have pity on me,' unto him I cried, 'Whiche'er thou art, or shade or real man!' He answered me: A man; a macho man I am, And both my parents were of Ohio, And American by country both of them. 70/'Randy Poffo' was I born, though it was late, And lived at Columbus under the good Eisenhower, During the time of the war in Vietnam. An athlete was I, and I batted in the minors those red birds of Saint Louis, Cardinals, Before the Macho Man took to combat. But brother, why are you going back to such annoyance? Why aren't you heading up to heaven instead, Where all the good people always go?' 'Now, art thou that Macho Man and that fighter 80/To whom there is no limit but the sky?' I made response to him with bashful forehead. 'O, of the other wrestlers honour and light, Avail me the long study and great love That have impelled me to explore thy technique! Thou art my master, and my author thou, Thou art alone the one from whom I took The beautiful style that has done honour to me. Behold the beast, for which I have turned back; Do thou protect me from her, famous Sage, 90/For she doth make my veins and pulses tremble.' 'You should head to somewhere less grody,' Responded he, when he beheld me weeping, 'Unlike me, you cannot afford to look ridiculous; Because this beast, at which you are raging, Doesn't ever let anybody past her, She'll mess you up something wicked; She, like me, is a tower of power She is funky like a monkey and hungry too, And after food is hungrier than before. 100/Let me tell you something buddy, She may be strong but compared to her I'm stronger! She better watch out because I'm coming for her. You cannot hide or run from the Nacho Man, My arm is long and my eyes see into space; There is no nation that is not the Nacho Nation; Of all the world I am the savior, Pedal to the metal! Everybody knows it! Oh yeah, let me tell you what I'll do; Through every city shall I will hunt her down, 110/Until I have driven her back to Hell, Where some weaksauce demon let her loose. I know what's best and what is MACHO! Follow me buddy, and I will be your guide, We're going to have a real adventure. You're going to see some pretty gnarly stuff Some ancient ghosts and boogums that go woo, Maybe you'll be sad if you're a wuss; You'll also see some pretty happy folks They're happy mostly because I visit them, 120/Everybody treasures a visit from the Nacho; If you want to go to heaven afterwords, To meet your ladyfriend or whatever; That's where we'll part ways I guess; Because that rightious dude who rules heaven, Has tasked me with bringing macho madness To those less fortunate, so I remain. Heaven is the most macho city of all; And until all are macho I must wait; This is my holy task, a righteous one.' 130/And I to him: 'Sir, I thee entreat, By that same God whom thou didst never know, So that I may escape this woe and worse, Thou wouldst conduct me there where thou hast said, That I may see the portal of Saint Peter, And those thou makest so disconsolate.' Then he moved on, and I behind him followed. !CANTO II. Day was departing, and the embrowned air Released the animals that are on earth From their fatigues; and I the only one Made myself ready to sustain the war, Both of the way and likewise of the woe, Which memory that errs not shall retrace. O Muses, O high genius, now assist me! O memory, that didst write down what I saw, Here thy nobility shall be manifest! 10/And I began: 'Poet, who guidest me, Regard my manhood, if it be sufficient, Ere to the arduous pass thou dost confide me. Thou sayest, that of Silvius the parent, While yet corruptible, unto the world Immortal went, and was there bodily. But if the adversary of all evil Was courteous, thinking of the high effect That issue would from him, and who, and what, To men of intellect unmeet it seems not; 20/For he was of great Rome, and of her empire In the empyreal heaven as father chosen; The which and what, wishing to speak the truth, Were stablished as the holy place, wherein Sits the successor of the greatest Peter. Upon this journey, whence thou givest him vaunt, Things did he hear, which the occasion were Both of his victory and the papal mantle. Thither went afterwards the Chosen Vessel, To bring back comfort thence unto that Faith, 30/Which of salvation's way is the beginning. But I, why thither come, or who concedes it? I not Aeneas am, I am not Paul, Nor I, nor others, think me worthy of it. Therefore, if I resign myself to come, I fear the coming may be ill-advised; Thou'rt wise, and knowest better than I speak.' And as he is, who unwills what he willed, And by new thoughts doth his intention change, So that from his design he quite withdraws, 40/Such I became, upon that dark hillside, Because, in thinking, I consumed the emprise, Which was so very prompt in the beginning. 'If the Macho Man catches your drift,' Replied that shade of the Champion, 'You're a giant coward baby whiner, And your lameness drags you down awful fierce, It makes you shake like a sad puppydog, Like some sort of weird lame animal thing. Nevertheless stick with the Macho Man 50/And I'll tell you why I'm here right now And why a champ like me would help you. I was pumping iron at the gym one day, When a hot lady ghost came up to me I cannot refuse a pretty lady. She had these killer eyes like wow; And her voice really revved my engine, Here's the madness that she spoke: 'O spirit courteous of Mantua, Of whom the fame still in the world endures, 60/And shall endure, long-lasting as the world; A friend of mine, and not the friend of fortune, Upon the desert slope is so impeded Upon his way, that he has turned through terror, And may, I fear, already be so lost, That I too late have risen to his succour, From that which I have heard of him in Heaven. Bestir thee now, and with thy speech ornate, And with what needful is for his release, Assist him so, that I may be consoled. 70/Beatrice am I, who do bid thee go; I come from there, where I would fain return; Love moved me, which compelleth me to speak. When I shall be in presence of my Lord, Full often will I praise thee unto him.' Then paused she, and thereafter I began: Beatrice, you're super hot I cannot resist. I'll do whatever you say. Nobody else in heaven is as rad as you. I'll happily do whatever you want 80/It's a pleasure to please a lady like you Consider your every desire fulfilled But could you do the Macho one favor It's a lot of work you've asked me to do, So if you could snap into a Slim Jim that'd be rad.' 'Since thou wouldst fain so inwardly discern, Briefly will I relate,' she answered me, 'Why I am not afraid to enter here. Of those things only should one be afraid Which have the power of doing others harm; 90/Of the rest, no; because they are not fearful. God in his mercy such created me That misery of yours attains me not, Nor any flame assails me of this burning. A gentle Lady is in Heaven, who grieves At this impediment, to which I send thee, So that stern judgment there above is broken. In her entreaty she besought Lucia, And said, 'Thy faithful one now stands in need Of thee, and unto thee I recommend him.' 100/Lucia, foe of all that cruel is, Hastened away, and came unto the place Where I was sitting with the ancient Rachel. 'Beatrice' said she, 'the true praise of God, Why succourest thou not him, who loved thee so, For thee he issued from the vulgar herd? Dost thou not hear the pity of his plaint? Dost thou not see the death that combats him Beside that flood, where ocean has no vaunt?' Never were persons in the world so swift 110/To work their weal and to escape their woe, As I, after such words as these were uttered, Came hither downward from my blessed seat, Confiding in thy dignified discourse, Which honours thee, and those who've listened to it.' After she said all that stuff, She was crying, my pecs left her in awe; So I left before I could further blow her mind; And so I found you like she wanted; I totally rocked that wild monster, 120/That was blocking your climb up the mountain. So why is it you're being so lame? What is holding back your Macho Spirit? Why aren't you as cool as I am? Given that three hot chicks are waiting They're in Heaven right now watching the clock, You can trust my word on that my friend.' Even as the flowerets, by nocturnal chill, Bowed down and closed, when the sun whitens them, Uplift themselves all open on their stems; 130/Such I became with my exhausted strength, And such good courage to my heart there coursed, That I began, like an intrepid person: 'O she compassionate, who succoured me, And courteous thou, who hast obeyed so soon The words of truth which she addressed to thee! Thou hast my heart so with desire disposed To the adventure, with these words of thine, That to my first intent I have returned. Now go, for one sole will is in us both, 140/Thou Leader, and thou Lord, and Master thou.' Thus said I to him; and when he had moved, I entered on the deep and savage way. !CANTO III. Through me the way is to the city dolent; Through me the way is to eternal dole; Through me the way among the people lost. Justice incited my sublime Creator; Created me divine Omnipotence, The highest Wisdom and the primal Love. Before me there were no created things, Only eterne, and I eternal last. All hope abandon, ye who enter in!' 10/These words in sombre colour I beheld Written upon the summit of a gate; Whence I: 'Their sense is, Master, hard to me!' And he to me, as one experienced: 'Just don't be suspicious, lil' macho, If you're scared then you'll never make it. We're coming up to a lame-ass place Full of bummed-out sad people Who honestly are not the smartest.' And after he had laid his hand on mine 20/With joyful mien, whence I was comforted, He led me in among the secret things. There sighs, complaints, and ululations loud Resounded through the air without a star, Whence I, at the beginning, wept thereat. Languages diverse, horrible dialects, Accents of anger, words of agony, And voices high and hoarse, with sound of hands, Made up a tumult that goes whirling on For ever in that air for ever black, 30/Even as the sand doth, when the whirlwind breathes. And I, who had my head with horror bound, Said:'Master, what is this which now I hear? What folk is this, which seems by pain so vanquished?' And he to me: 'The way they whine And complain about being in pain Teminds them that they're in pain. It's weird. They're basically just Angels who were selfish I dunno, they didn't go for God or Satan Mostly they just cared about themselves. 40/They got kicked out of heaven But Hell sure as hell won't take them, So really they're like angel hobos.' And I: 'O Master, what so grievous is To these, that maketh them lament so sore?' He answered: 'Alright, well in a nutshell. They can't evr hope to die, Their life as is ain't funky enough, So they just envy everybody else. They have no reputation at all; 50/Good folks and bad both hate them. So gawk if you want, but lets keep rolling.' And I, who looked again, beheld a banner, Which, whirling round, ran on so rapidly, That of all pause it seemed to me indignant; And after it there came so long a train Of people, that I ne'er would have believed That ever Death so many had undone. When some among them I had recognised. I looked, and I beheld the shade of him 60/Who made through cowardice the great refusal. Forthwith I comprehended, and was certain, That this the sect was of the caitiff wretches Hateful to God and to his enemies. These miscreants, who never were alive, Were naked, and were stung exceedingly By gadflies and by hornets that were there. These did their faces irrigate with blood, Which, with their tears commingled, at their feet By the disgusting worms was gathered up. 70/And when to gazing farther I betook me. People I saw on a great river's bank; Whence said I: ' Master, now vouchsafe to me, That I may know who these are, and what law Makes them appear so ready to pass over, As I discern athwart the dusky light.' And he to me: 'Jesus Christ dude You ask so many, TOO many questions Once we get to the river you'll see.' Then with mine eyes ashamed and downward cast, 80/Fearing my words might irksome be to him, From speech refrained I till we reached the river. And lo! towards us coming in a boat An old man, hoary with the hair of eld, Crying: ' Woe unto you, ye souls depraved Hope nevermore to look upon the heavens; I come to lead you to the other shore, To the eternal shades in heat and frost. And thou, that yonder standest, living soul, Withdraw thee from these people, who are dead- 90/But when he saw that I did not withdraw, He said:'By other ways, by other ports Thou to the shore shalt come, not here, for,passage; A lighter vessel needs must carry thee.' And unto him the Guide:'Vex thee not, Charon; It is so willed there where is power to do That which is willed; and farther question not.' There at were quieted the fleecy cheeks Of him the ferryman of the livid fen, Who round about his eyes had wheels of flame. 100/But all those souls who weary were and naked Their colour changed and gnashed their teeth together, As soon as they had heard those cruel words. God they blasphemed and their progenitors, The human race, the place, the time, the seed Of their engendering and of their birth! Thereafter all together they drew back, Bitterly weeping, to the accursed shore, Which waiteth every man who fears not God. Charon the demon, with the eyes of glede, 110/Beckoning to them, collects them all together, Beats with his oar whoever lags behind. As in the autumn-time the leaves fall off, First one and then another, till the branch Unto the earth surrenders all its spoils; In similar wise the evil seed of Adam Throw themselves from that margin one by one, At signals, as a bird unto its lure. So they depart across the dusky wave, And ere upon the other side they land, 120/Again on this side a new troop assembles. 'My son,'the courteous Master said to me, 'All those who perish in the wrath of God Here meet together out of every land; And ready are they to pass o'er the river, Because celestial Justice spurs them on, So that their fear is turned into desire. This way there never passes a good soul; And hence if Charon doth complain of thee Well mayst thou know now what his speech imports.' 130/This being finished, all the dusk champaign Trembled so violently, that of that terror The recollection bathes me still with sweat. The land of tears gave forth a blast of wind, And fulminated a vermilion light, 'Which overmastered in me every sense, And as a man whom sleep hath seized I fell. !CANTO IV. Broke the deep lethargy within my head A heavy thunder, so that I upstarted, Like to a person who by force is wakened; And round about I moved my rested eyes, Uprisen erect, and steadfastly I gazed, To recognise the place wherein I was. True is it, that upon the verge I found me Of the abysmal valley dolorous, That gathers thunder of infinite ululations. 10/Obscure, profound it was, and nebulous, So that by fixing on its depths my sight Nothing whatever I discerned therein. 'We're in space, and space is the place,' Began the Champ, pallid utterly; 'The madness is running wild, and so shall you.' And I, who of his colour was aware, Said: 'How shall I come, if thou art afraid, Who'rt wont to be a comfort to my fears?' And he to me: 'Let me tell you now a man 20/of my position can afford to look ridiculous at any time. Now let's go, follow the Nacho Man.' Thus he went in, and thus he made me enter The foremost circle that surrounds the abyss. There, as it seemed to me from listening, Were lamentations none, but only sighs, That tremble made the everlasting air. And this arose from sorrow without torment, Which the crowds had, that many were and great, 30/Of infants and of women and of men. To me the Master good: 'Why don't you ask Who these dead dudes you're looking at are? Let me tell you about these chumps, They didn't do anything really wrong, But they could not snap into a Slim Jim Because the Slim Jim had not yet been discovered; And if they were before Sim Jims, In the right manner they adored not jerkey; They never knew the breakfast of champions. 40/As a result, they can't go to heaven, I am here as well, mostly to mock them For I did not share my Slim Jims.' Great grief seized on my heart when this I heard, Because some people of much worthiness I knew, who in that Limbo were suspended. 'Tell me, my Master, tell me, thou my Lord,' Began I, with desire of being certain Of that Faith which o'ercometh every error, 'Came any one by his own merit hence, 50/Or by another's, who was blessed thereafter?' And he, who understood my covert speech, Replied: 'When I first got here, When from the sky a long-haired dude appeared, Almost as glorious as the Nacho Man himself. He grabbed some Bible dudes, I think they were Abe and Abel and Noah's Ark but not Noah, I think Moses was there too? It was rad. There were a bunch of others but honestly I can't be bothered to remember right now 60/It really isn't important Past, present, future, It's the best there is. Ohhhh yeah. And then that guy left and never came back.’ We ceased not to advance because he spake, But still were passing onward through the forest, The forest, say I, of thick-crowded ghosts. Not very far as yet our way had gone This side the summit, when I saw a fire That overcame a hemisphere of darkness. 70/We were a little distant from it still, But not so far that I in part discerned not That honourable people held that place. 'O thou who honourest every art and science, Who may these be, which such great honour have, That from the fashion of the rest it parts them?' And he to me: 'The honourable name, That sounds of them above there in thy life, Wins grace in Heaven, that so advances them.' In the mean time a voice was heard by me: 80/'All honour be to the pre-eminent Poet; His shade returns again, that was departed.' After the voice had ceased and quiet was, Four mighty shades I saw approaching us; Semblance had they nor sorrowful nor glad. To say to me began my gracious Champion: 'This is a Dude named Dante, and you know me, The one for whom the sky is the limit. That one is Andre, Wrestler sovereign; Next to him is Bubba Rogers, the satirist; 90/The third is Roddy, and the last is Albano. I knew these guys when I was alive We fought and laughed and ate delicious nachos, And now we chill for all eternity' Thus I beheld assemble the fair school Of that lord of the song pre-eminent, Who o'er the others like an eagle soars. When they together had discoursed somewhat, They turned to me with signs of salutation, And on beholding this, my Master smiled; 100/And more of honour still, much more, they did me, In that they made me one of their own band; So that the sixth was I, 'mid so much wit. Thus we went on as far as to the light, Things saying 'tis becoming to keep silent, As was the saying of them where I was. We came unto a noble castle's foot, Seven times encompassed with lofty walls, Defended round by a fair rivulet; This we passed over even as firm ground; 110/Through portals seven I entered with these Sages; We came into a meadow of fresh verdure. People were there with solemn eyes and slow, Of great authority in their countenance; They spake but seldom, and with gentle voices. Thus we withdrew ourselves upon one side Into an opening luminous and lofty, So that they all of them were visible. There opposite, upon the green enamel, Were pointed out to me the mighty spirits, 120/Whom to have seen I feel myself exalted. I saw Sid Vicious with companions many, 'Mongst whom I knew both Nash and Wright, Rodman in armour with gerfalcon eyes; I saw Miss Madness and Madusa On the other side, and saw Bret Hart, Who with Pillman his buddy sat; I saw that The Butcher who drove Sting forth, And many others who I did not know, And saw alone, apart, The Repo Man. 130/When I had lifted up my brows a little, The Master I beheld of those who know, Sit with his slamtastic family. All gaze upon him, and all do him honour. There I beheld both Doink and Crush, Who nearer him before the others stand; Diesel, who puts the world on chance, Bart Gunn, Shawn Michaels, and Lex Luger, Razor Ramon, Mr. Perfect, and Albano; Of qualities I saw the good collector, 140/The Valiant Brothers; and Steele saw I, Bobo Brazil and Ladd, and The Famous Moolah, Snuka, Arnold Skaaland, and Rodz, Kowalski, Patterson, and Morales, Gorilla Monsoon, who the worst announcer made. I cannot all of them pourtray in full, Because so drives me onward the long theme, That many times the word comes short of fact. The sixfold company in two divides; Another way my sapient Guide conducts me 150/Forth from the quiet to the air that trembles; And to a place I come where nothing shines. !CANTO V. Thus I descended out of the first circle Down to the second, that less space begirds, And so much greater dole, that goads to wailing. There standeth Minos horribly, and snarls; Examines the transgressions at the entrance; Judges, and sends according as he girds him. I say, that when the spirit evil-born Cometh before him, wholly it confesses; And this discriminator of transgressions 10/Seeth what place in Hell is meet for it; Girds himself with his tail as many times As grades he wishes it should be thrust down. Always before him many of them stand; They go by turns each one unto the judgment; They speak, and hear, and then are downward hurled. 'O thou, that to this dolorous hostelry Comest,' said Minos to me, when he saw me, Leaving the practice of so great an office, 'Look how thou enterest, and in whom thou trustest; 20/Let not the portal's amplitude deceive thee.' And unto him my Guide: 'Why criest thou too? Do not impede his journey fate-ordained; It is so willed there where is power to do That which is willed; and ask no further question.' And now begin the dolesome notes to grow Audible unto me; now am I come There where much lamentation strikes upon me. I came into a place mute of all light, Which bellows as the sea does in a tempest, 30/If by opposing winds 't is combated. The infernal hurricane that never rests Hurtles the spirits onward in its rapine; Whirling them round, and smiting, it molests them. When they arrive before the precipice, There are the shrieks, the plaints, and the laments, There they blaspheme the puissance divine. I understood that unto such a torment The carnal malefactors were condemned, Who reason subjugate to appetite. 40/And as the wings of starlings bear them on In the cold season in large band and full, So doth that blast the spirits maledict; It hither, thither, downward, upward, drives them; No hope doth comfort them for evermore, Not of repose, but even of lesser pain. And as the cranes go chanting forth their lays, Making in air a long line of themselves, So saw I coming, uttering lamentations, Shadows borne onward by the aforesaid stress. 50/Whereupon said I: 'Master, who are those People, whom the black air so castigates?' 'Eh, you wouldn't know them really, They were not macho or rad,' then said he unto me, 'That lady was a real piece of work. She liked the men if you know what I mean She made all sex legal all the time, That way she could have all she liked. Her name is Semiramis, of Assyria And I'd like to _Syria_ her _Ass_ one day; 60/She was married to Ninus, a macho fellow. Over there is one you may know, She's hardcore, strapped asps to her tits; aka Cleopatra the voluptuous.' Helen I saw, for whom so many ruthless Seasons revolved; and saw the great Achilles, Who at the last hour combated with Love. Paris I saw, Tristan; and more than a thousand Shades did he name and point out with his finger, Whom Love had separated from our life. 70/After that I had listened to my Teacher, Naming the dames of eld and cavaliers, Pity prevailed, and I was nigh bewildered. And I began: 'O Poet, willingly Speak would I to those two, who go together, And seem upon the wind to be so light.' And, he to me: 'Cool your jets bro You can speak to them soon enough, soon enough They'll come to us looking for love.' Soon as the wind in our direction sways them, 80/My voice uplift I: 'O ye weary souls! Come speak to us, if no one interdicts it.' As turtle-doves, called onward by desire, With open and steady wings to the sweet nest Fly through the air by their volition borne, So came they from the band where Dido is, Approaching us athwart the air malign, So strong was the affectionate appeal. 'O living creature gracious and benignant, Who visiting goest through the purple air 90/Us, who have stained the world incarnadine, If were the King of the Universe our friend, We would pray unto him to give thee peace, Since thou hast pity on our woe perverse. Of what it pleases thee to hear and speak, That will we hear, and we will speak to you, While silent is the wind, as it is now. Sitteth the city, wherein I was born, Upon the sea-shore where the Po descends To rest in peace with all his retinue. 100/Love, that on gentle heart doth swiftly seize, Seized this man for the person beautiful That was ta'en from me, and still the mode offends me. Love, that exempts no one beloved from loving, Seized me with pleasure of this man so strongly, That, as thou seest, it doth not yet desert me; Love has conducted us unto one death; Caina waiteth him who quenched our life!' These words were borne along from them to us. As soon as I had heard those souls tormented, 110/I bowed my face, and so long held it down Until the Poet said to me: 'Whaddaya think?' When I made answer, I began: 'Alas! How many pleasant thoughts, how much desire, Conducted these unto the dolorous pass!' Then unto them I turned me, and I spake, And I began: 'Thine agonies, Francesca, Sad and compassionate to weeping make me. But tell me, at the time of those sweet sighs, By what and in what manner Love conceded, 120/That you should know your dubious desires?' And she to me: 'There is no greater sorrow Than to be mindful of the happy time In misery, and that thy Teacher knows. But, if to recognise the earliest root Of love in us thou hast so great desire, I will do even as he who weeps and speaks. One day we reading were for our delight Of Launcelot, how Love did him enthral. Alone we were and without any fear. 130/Full many a time our eyes together drew That reading, and drove the colour from our faces; But one point only was it that o'ercame us. When as we read of the much-longed-for smile Being by such a noble lover kissed, This one, who ne'er from me shall be divided, Kissed me upon the mouth all palpitating. Galeotto was the book and he who wrote it. That day no farther did we read therein.' And all the while one spirit uttered this, 140/The other one did weep so, that, for pity, I swooned away as if I had been dying, And fell, even as a dead body falls. !CANTO VI. At the return of consciousness, that closed Before the pity of those two relations, Which utterly with sadness had confused me, New torments I behold, and new tormented Around me, whichsoever way I move, And whichsoever way I turn, and gaze. In the third circle am I of the rain Eternal, maledict, and cold, and heavy; Its law and quality are never new. 10/Huge hail, and water sombre-hued, and snow, Athwart the tenebrous air pour down amain; Noisome the earth is, that receiveth this. Cerberus, monster cruel and uncouth, With his three gullets like a dog is barking Over the people that are there submerged. Red eyes he has, and unctuous beard and black, And belly large, and armed with claws his hands; He rends the spirits, flays, and quarters them. Howl the rain maketh them like unto dogs; 20/One side they make a shelter for the other; Oft turn themselves the wretched reprobates. When Cerberus perceived us, the great worm! His mouths he opened, and displayed his tusks; Not a limb had he that was motionless. And my Conductor, with his spans extended, Took of the earth, and with his fists well filled, He threw it into those rapacious gullets. Such as that dog is, who by barking craves, And quiet grows soon as his food he gnaws, 30/For to devour it he but thinks and struggles, The like became those muzzles filth-begrimed Of Cerberus the demon, who so thunders Over the souls that they would fain be deaf. We passed across the shadows, which subdues The heavy rain-storm, and we placed our feet Upon their vanity that person seems. They all were lying prone upon the earth, Excepting one, who sat upright as soon As he beheld us passing on before him. 40/'O thou that art conducted through this Hell,' He said to me, 'recall me, if thou canst; Thyself wast made before I was unmade.' And I to him: 'The anguish which thou hast Perhaps doth draw thee out of my remembrance, So that it seems not I have ever seen thee. But tell me who thou art, that in so doleful A place art put, and in such punishment, If some are greater, none is so displeasing.' And he to me: 'Thy city, which is full 50/Of envy so that now the sack runs over, Held me within it in the life serene. You citizens were wont to call me Ciacco; For the pernicious sin of gluttony I, as thou seest, am battered by this rain. And I, sad soul, am not the only one, For all these suffer the like penalty For the like sin;' and word no more spake he. I answered him: 'Ciacco, thy wretchedness Weighs on me so that it to weep invites me; 60/But tell me, if thou knowest, to what shall come The citizens of the divided city; If any there be just; and the occasion Tell me why so much discord has assailed it.' And he to me: 'They, after long contention, Will come to bloodshed; and the rustic party Will drive the other out with much offence. Then afterwards behoves it this one fall Within three suns, and rise again the other By force of him who now is on the coast. 70/High will it hold its forehead a long while, Keeping the other under heavy burdens, Howe'er it weeps thereat and is indignant. The just are two, and are not understood there; Envy and Arrogance and Avarice Are the three sparks that have all hearts enkindled.' Here ended he his tearful utterance; And I to him: 'I wish thee still to teach me, And make a gift to me of further speech. Farinata and Tegghiaio, once so worthy, 80/Jacopo Rusticucci, Arrigo, and Mosca, And others who on good deeds set their thoughts, Say where they are, and cause that I may know them; For great desire constraineth me to learn If Heaven doth sweeten them, or Hell envenom.' And he: 'They are among the blacker souls; A different sin downweighs them to the bottom; If thou so far descendest, thou canst see them. But when thou art again in the sweet world, I pray thee to the mind of others bring me; 90/No more I tell thee and no more I answer.' Then his straightforward eyes he turned askance, Eyed me a little, and then bowed his head; He fell therewith prone like the other blind. And the Guide said to me: 'He ain't getting up, Though apparently the bible says something about the end of days, so maybe then, I was never really much of a scholar, but I think it mentioned the dead rising, Or maybe that was just in Ghostbusters.' 100/So we passed onward o'er the filthy mixture Of shadows and of rain with footsteps slow, Touching a little on the future life. Wherefore I said: 'Master, these torments here, Will they increase after the mighty sentence, Or lesser be, or will they be as burning?' And he to me: 'Man do I look like a prohpet? Whatever is gonig to happen is going to happen, And I have no way of knowing which is which. These folks are trapped here forever 110/They can't get into heaven, so who cares? It's harsh, but that's how the chips fall.' Round in a circle by that road we went, Speaking much more, which I do not repeat; We came unto the point where the descent is; There we found Plutus the great enemy. !CANTO VII. 'Pape Satan, Pape Satan, Aleppe!' Thus Plutus with his clucking voice began; And that benignant Sage, who all things knew, Said, to encourage me: 'Don't wig out, We are too macho for this jive turkey, He can't stop us entering the danger zone.' Then he turned round unto that bloated lip, And said: 'Shut up you freakshow; Why not eat yourself for a change? 10/We got a divine purpose, higher than Nachos; The big man upstairs sent us so beat it, We're soaring eagles, you are a slithering snake.' Even as the sails inflated by the wind Involved together fall when snaps the mast, So fell the cruel monster to the earth. Thus we descended into the fourth chasm, Gaining still farther on the dolesome shore Which all the woe of the universe insacks. Justice of God, ah! who heaps up so many 20/New toils and sufferings as I beheld? And why doth our transgression waste us so? As doth the billow there upon Charybdis, That breaks itself on that which it encounters, So here the folk must dance their roundelay. Here saw I people, more than elsewhere, many, On one side and the other, with great howls, Rolling weights forward by main force of chest. They clashed together, and then at that point Each one turned backward, rolling retrograde, 30/Crying, 'Why keepest?' and, 'Why squanderest thou?' Thus they returned along the lurid circle On either hand unto the opposite point, Shouting their shameful metre evermore. Then each, when he arrived there, wheeled about Through his half-circle to another joust; And I, who had my heart pierced as it were, Exclaimed: 'My Master, now declare to me What people these are, and if all were clerks, These shaven crowns upon the left of us.' 40/And he to me: 'I'll be frank with you dog, These were the dudes who loved money And let's be clear, I love money too. But these guys loved money too much, And like, not so much in a kinky way either, But instead they would hurt people to get money. You might see some churchy folks here Maybe even a pope or two, and learn: Even a priest can be a huge dick.' And I: 'My Master, among such as these 50/I ought forsooth to recognise some few, Who were infected with these maladies.' And he to me: 'I dunno man, it's sort of dark; And their dim view of compassion while alive Makes their forms sort of blurry. It's weird. So now they're stuck here forever; Or until Electronic Arts publishes Dante's Inferno And they get some cameos in World 4. I really have no sympathy, neither should you, They took from others so now their souls are taken; 60/There's not much else to say on that matter. Let me ask you a question buddy, What do you do with your money? Your wealth? Are you stingy with it, or do you help others? Just remember these guys, or maybe Jacob Marley, Yeah that's right, I know some Dickens Even literature can be Macho at times.' 'Master,' I said to him, 'now tell me also What is this Fortune which thou speakest of, That has the world's goods so within its clutches?' 70/And he to me: 'Look idiot, Are you not listening or just being dense? Let me tell you from the beginning, then. God made everything, obviously, He made the sky, and the sun, and the stars, He made the Macho Man and tasty Nachos, And distributed these Nachos to all creation; Like a generous dude at a soup kitchen Where instead of soup they serve Nachos, But then people wanted MORE NACHOS, 80/And would fight over their cheesy goodness, Warm globes dripping from chips. So people would fight wars over these things And that is greed, my macho-in-training, I was trying to be poetical, it's a metaphor. And you can't fight greed, because it's nature; Greed controls the government and church Money is what drives corruption. But hey, this is super depressing; Did you like films by a guy named Herzog? 90/I just the other day watched one. I'm not one in general for art flicks, They're just not my speed, but let me say, I learned an astounding amount about rubber. Also, are you hot? It's pretty hot; I get that this is part of the eternal torment thing But you'd think that greed's domain would be cooler. Like, coins are made of metal, and cool to touch; But now I'm rambling, let us press forward I... I just was getting a little bored.' 100/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, 110/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: 'What you're looking at Is those folks who were consumed with anger; REAL anger, not like we pretend in the ring Their anger is so blazing hot that even now It makes the very water down there bubble. 120/They writhe and spin and boil themselves. In this jacuzzi, they whine about their lot They can't take the heat, and unfortunately, They are not allowed to get out of the kitchen; So they sing a sad song. I don't know all the words, but it boils down to, 'Boy it's hot and we are sad, so sad, so sad.'' 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; 130/Unto the foot of a tower we came at last. !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?' 10/And he to me: 'If you look out over the waves I figure you'll see what's going on If the view is clear, in any case.' 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 20/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 30/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.' 40/Then stretched he both his hands unto the boat; Whereat my wary Master thrust him back, Saying, 'You stay in your place or I will end you.' 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, 50/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: 'Just be patient man, We'll get there soon enough, you're like a child; Asking 'are we there yet' from the backseat.' A little after that, I saw such havoc Made of him by the people of the mire, 60/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: 'See that place? Dis city here is called Dis, get me? The people who live there are not macho.' 70/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: 'You're in Hell, And given that Hell is both full of and on fire, That red stuff you see is... fire, idiot.' 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, 80/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 90/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, 100/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: 'Don't worry, I got you. God sent us so they can't refuse us. So just sit tight, watch the Macho Magic, Take a load off those barking dogs; I won't abandon you even if you're annoying.' So onward goes and there abandons me 110/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, 120/'Who is it that has refused to let us in?' And unto me: 'I'm really angry now, But don't worry, I can still handle this, Their defenses are basically worthless. They're just acting tough, but it's no use; There's more than one way to skin a cat, And more than one way to enter into Dis. Look around for a stick, or maybe a bomb; We're going to knock these walls down, And march over the corpses of these demons, 130/That is how the city shall be opened.' !CANTO IX. That hue which cowardice brought out on me, Beholding my Conductor backward turn, Sooner repressed within him his new colour. He stopped attentive, like a man who listens, Because the eye could not conduct him far Through the black air, and through the heavy fog. 'We probably should win this fight,' Began he; 'or else, uh. . . Let's just not think about that!' 10/Well I perceived, as soon as the beginning He covered up with what came afterward, That they were words quite different from the first; But none the less his saying gave me fear, Because I carried out the broken phrase, Perhaps to a worse meaning than he had. 'Into this bottom of the doleful conch Doth any e'er descend from the first grade, Which for its pain has only hope cut off?' This question put I; and he answered me: 20/'Nobody really comes this way, So honestly it's really hard to say. A while back I was summoned here By some shitty wizard named Eric, Who necromancy'd me against my will. Though I hadn't been dead for very long, He sent me on a bogus quest for nachos, literal nachos, not some catchphrase joke; Down there into the lowest circle of all, The furthest from heaven you can get. 30/Anyway, that's where we're going. The swamp that we're in now, Is entirely surrounding the city, Remember, the one we can't get into.' And more he said, but not in mind I have it; Because mine eye had altogether drawn me Tow'rds the high tower with the red-flaming summit, Where in a moment saw I swift uprisen The three infernal Furies stained with blood, Who had the limbs of women and their mien, 40/And with the greenest hydras were begirt; Small serpents and cerastes were their tresses, Wherewith their horrid temples were entwined. And he who well the handmaids of the Queen Of everlasting lamentation knew, Said unto me: 'Check out those bird-ladies. On the left is one named Ozzy; On the right we have one named Flea; And in the middle Slash;' and then was silent. Each one her breast was rending with her nails; 50/They beat them with their palms, and cried so loud, That I for dread pressed close unto the Poet. 'Medusa come, so we to stone will change him!' All shouted looking down; 'in evil hour Avenged we not on Theseus his assault!' 'Oh yeah, you know about Medusa right? Just close your eyes, bumble around blindly, Because if you see her it's game over, man.' Thus said the Master; and he turned me round Himself, and trusted not unto my hands 60/So far as not to blind me with his own. O ye who have undistempered intellects, Observe the doctrine that conceals itself Beneath the veil of the mysterious verses! And now there came across the turbid waves The clangour of a sound with terror fraught, Because of which both of the margins trembled; Not otherwise it was than of a wind Impetuous on account of adverse heats, That smites the forest, and, without restraint, 70/The branches rends, beats down, and bears away; Right onward, laden with dust, it goes superb, And puts to flight the wild beasts and the shepherds. Mine eyes he loosed, and said: 'Yo, look over there that foamy bit down the river can you see? Over there where it's super smokey.' Even as the frogs before the hostile serpent Across the water scatter all abroad, Until each one is huddled in the earth. More than a thousand ruined souls I saw, 80/Thus fleeing from before one who on foot Was passing o'er the Styx with soles unwet. From off his face he fanned that unctuous air, Waving his left hand oft in front of him, And only with that anguish seemed he weary. Well I perceived one sent from Heaven was he, And to the Master turned; and he made sign That I should quiet stand, and bow before him. Ah! how disdainful he appeared to me! He reached the gate, and with a little rod 90/He opened it, for there was no resistance. 'Hey all you hated people who couldn't get into heaven!' Thus he began upon the horrid threshold; 'What makes you act so arrogant? Don't you know you should be humble, Isn't bad behavior what placed you here? Don't you ever learn that being bad is bad? You know that struggling is pointless right? It's literally impossible to escape from Hell, So why not chill, shoot some hoops or something?' 100/Then he returned along the miry road, And spake no word to us, but had the look Of one whom other care constrains and goads Than that of him who in his presence is; And we our feet directed tow'rds the city, After those holy words all confident. Within we entered without any contest; And I, who inclination had to see What the condition such a fortress holds, Soon as I was within, cast round mine eye, 110/And see on every hand an ample plain, Full of distress and torment terrible. Even as at Arles, where stagnant grows the Rhone, Even as at Pola near to the Quarnaro, That shuts in Italy and bathes its borders, The sepulchres make all the place uneven; So likewise did they there on every side, Saving that there the manner was more bitter; For flames between the sepulchres were scattered, By which they so intensely heated were, 120/That iron more so asks not any art. All of their coverings uplifted were, And from them issued forth such dire laments, Sooth seemed they of the wretched and tormented. And I: 'My Master, what are all those people Who, having sepulture within those tombs, Make themselves audible by doleful sighs?' And he to me: 'Those are the Heresiarchs, And their disciples, dressed in pink. A bunch more are napping in the crypts. 130/A lot of folks here spent their time sleeping; It's awfully hot and it helps to pass the time.' And when he to the right had turned, we passed Between the torments and high parapets. !CANTO X. Now onward goes, along a narrow path Between the torments and the city wall, My Master, and I follow at his back. 'O power supreme, that through these impious circles Turnest me,' I began, 'as pleases thee, Speak to me, and my longings satisfy; The people who are lying in these tombs, Might they be seen? already are uplifted The covers all, and no one keepeth guard.' 10/And he to me: 'Everything will close. Remember the Book of Revelations? The dead are going to rise someday. The seas will churn, and turn to blood Like some heavy metal album cover, There's a dragon too, it's awesome; But as for your question right now, You'll see the answer soon enough, And wish you hadn't asked at all.' And I: 'Good Leader, I but keep concealed 20/From thee my heart, that I may speak the less, Nor only now hast thou thereto disposed me.' 'Buddy, we went through a flaming city. You made it through alive, no mean feat. So chill a bit, and see what is coming up. I can tell by the way that you talk That you and I share a fatherland, and maybe I've razzed you a bit too much.' Upon a sudden issued forth this sound From out one of the tombs; wherefore I pressed, 30/Fearing, a little nearer to my Leader. And unto me he said: 'What are you doing? Look over there at Farinata the zombie; Sticking out from the waist up.' I had already fixed mine eyes on his, And he uprose erect with breast and front E'en as if Hell he had in great despite. And with courageous hands and prompt my Leader Thrust me between the sepulchres towards him, Exclaiming, 'Go talk to him dude!' 40/As soon as I was at the foot of his tomb Somewhat he eyed me, and, as if disdainful, Then asked of me, 'Who were thine ancestors?' I, who desirous of obeying was, Concealed it not, but all revealed to him; Whereat he raised his brows a little upward. Then said he: 'Fiercely adverse have they been To me, and to my fathers, and my party; So that two several times I scattered them.' 'If they were banished, they returned on all sides,' 50/I answered him, 'the first time and the second; But yours have not acquired that art aright.' Then there uprose upon the sight, uncovered Down to the chin, a shadow at his side; I think that he had risen on his knees. Round me he gazed, as if solicitude He had to see if some one else were with me, But after his suspicion was all spent, Weeping, he said to me: 'If through this blind Prison thou goest by loftiness of genius, 60/Where is my son? and why is he not with thee?' And I to him: 'I come not of myself; He who is waiting yonder leads me here, Whom in disdain perhaps your Guido had.' His language and the mode of punishment Already unto me had read his name; On that account my answer was so full. Up starting suddenly, he cried out: 'How Saidst thou,--he had? Is he not still alive? Does not the sweet light strike upon his eyes?' 70/When he became aware of some delay, Which I before my answer made, supine He fell again, and forth appeared no more. But the other, magnanimous, at whose desire I had remained, did not his aspect change, Neither his neck he moved, nor bent his side. 'And if,' continuing his first discourse, 'They have that art,' he said, 'not learned aright, That more tormenteth me, than doth this bed. But fifty times shall not rekindled be 80/The countenance of the Lady who reigns here, Ere thou shalt know how heavy is that art; And as thou wouldst to the sweet world return, Say why that people is so pitiless Against my race in each one of its laws?' Whence I to him: 'The slaughter and great carnage Which have with crimson stained the Arbia, cause Such orisons in our temple to be made.' After his head he with a sigh had shaken, 'There I was not alone,' he said, 'nor surely 90/Without a cause had with the others moved. But there I was alone, where every one Consented to the laying waste of Florence, He who defended her with open face.' 'Ah! so hereafter may your seed repose,' I him entreated, 'solve for me that knot, Which has entangled my conceptions here. It seems that you can see, if I hear rightly, Beforehand whatsoe'er time brings with it, And in the present have another mode.' 100/'We see, like those who have imperfect sight, The things,' he said, 'that distant are from us; So much still shines on us the Sovereign Ruler. When they draw near, or are, is wholly vain Our intellect, and if none brings it to us, Not anything know we of your human state. Hence thou canst understand, that wholly dead Will be our knowledge from the moment when The portal of the future shall be closed.' Then I, as if compunctious for my fault, 110/Said: 'Now, then, you will tell that fallen one, That still his son is with the living joined. And if just now, in answering, I was dumb, Tell him I did it because I was thinking Already of the error you have solved me.' And now my Master was recalling me, Wherefore more eagerly I prayed the spirit That he would tell me who was with him there. He said: 'With more than a thousand here I lie; Within here is the second Frederick, 120/And the Cardinal, and of the rest I speak not.' Thereon he hid himself; and I towards The ancient poet turned my steps, reflecting Upon that saying, which seemed hostile to me. He moved along; and afterward thus going, He said to me, 'Why are you confused?' And I in his inquiry satisfied him. 'Let your experience here help you, against yourself,' that Sage commanded me, 'And now listen up;' and he raised his finger. 130/'When we finally reach your hot mama That lady so fine that the angels swoon, From her you'll learn all about your own life.' Unto the left hand then he turned his feet; We left the wall, and went towards the middle, Along a path that strikes into a valley, Which even up there unpleasant made its stench. !CANTO XI. Upon the margin of a lofty bank Which great rocks broken in a circle made, We came upon a still more cruel throng; And there, by reason of the horrible Excess of stench the deep abyss throws out, We drew ourselves aside behind the cover Of a great tomb, whereon I saw a writing, Which said: 'Pope Anastasius I hold, Whom out of the right way Photinus drew.' 10/'Now's the time to take it slow, It's not very macho, but so it goes Otherwise we may fall and look silly.' The Master thus; and unto him I said, 'Some compensation find, that the time pass not Idly;' and he: 'You really know nothing. Check out these rocks here, they're gnarly,' Began he then to say, 'inside are three small circles, Sort of like the circles that we're leaving now. They're full of damned souls of course; 20/And soon enough you'll see for youself, And hear their super annoying LAME-O whining. They've done basically every bad thing, You name it and they've done it probably, They lie and cheat and steal and sing. The ones up here in particular are the liars, Only humans lie so God hates liars the most, It's one of the least macho things you can do. The first circle was the violent of course; But lots of creatures can hit a dude, 30/Heck even I, the Nacho Man, have done so. And God himself uses force on stuff, Smiting a particularly sinful tree, Hurling a lightning bolt and a crab. You can die by violence, or kill, Or do all sorts of gnarly things to a guy Ruin, and arson, and straight-up punching; Homicide, patricide, fratricide, and so forth, Marauders, and freebooters, everything, They're all condemned to one circle or another. 40/Heck you can even inflict violence on yourself In more ways than one if you know what I mean And that might get you punished as well Basically never lay a hand on anybody Without their consent, or permission, Otherwise maybe you'll burn forever. Violence can even be done to God, Saying rude stuff about him, calling names, Littering or messing up nature. In fact, by some measure it can be said 50/Literally any action is violent to somebody, But liars do violence with words alone. That is why those who commit fraud, Those who decieve and hoodwink others, Are probably folks you should not trust. They have cut themselves off from the macho, Nature abhors their cunning ways. The second circle is similar of course, Hypocrisy, flattery, and sweet wizards, Falsification, theft, and puppyhaters, 60/Panders, and barrators, and the like filth. They've forgotten things to love in life, Nature's bounty, a plate of nachos, All good things from which rad feelings flow. But it is in this circle, the smallest part Of the Universe, where Dis is located, That the betrayers and backstabbers are.' And I: 'My Master, clear enough proceeds Thy reasoning, and full well distinguishes This cavern and the people who possess it. 70/But tell me, those within the fat lagoon, Whom the wind drives, and whom the rain doth beat, And who encounter with such bitter tongues, Wherefore are they inside of the red city Not punished, if God has them in his wrath, And if he has not, wherefore in such fashion?' And unto me he said: 'Come on bro, Why do you keep asking these things? Were you not listening to me at all? Don't you have any memory whatsoever 80/Of all the unethical things that exist and which heaven itself hold as uncool?-- Incontinence, and Malice, and insane Bestiality? and how Incontinence Makes you smell bad, and makes a big mess? If you think about it for a second, And remember who are trapped in this place Those doing penance for their misdeeds, Surely you'll understand why they're apart Why their sentences are slightly less painful 90/How Justice has seen to show a bit of mercy.' 'Praise the sun! For it shines upon those, Whom you claim to be confused by, no doubt Having not even bothered to look behind us! Once more a little backward turn thee,' said I, 'There where thou sayest that usury offends Goodness divine, and disengage the knot.' 'Think about it,' he said, 'Use your head, Consider the ways in which one might sin, And how Nature might deal with you, 100/There are a few types of sins; Did you ever have physics in school, And looking through a lame-o textbook, Determine that everything you knew Was total bogus, entirely worthless; Such that you just dropped the class? Try and stir up that feeling Only think about, I dunno, Eden, The sort of sins that were commited; And whether or not blame is assigned, 110/Or maybe like, read Paradise Lost? It's written a few centuries after you die. Anyway, we don't have all day, We don't need to move slowly anymore, So let's pick up the pace a bit, yes? Let's do a sweet trick off this crag here.' !CANTO XII. The place where to descend the bank we came Was alpine, and from what was there, moreover, Of such a kind that every eye would shun it. Such as that ruin is which in the flank Smote, on this side of Trent, the Adige, Either by earthquake or by failing stay, For from the mountain's top, from which it moved, Unto the plain the cliff is shattered so, Some path 'twould give to him who was above; 10/Even such was the descent of that ravine, And on the border of the broken chasm The infamy of Crete was stretched along, Who was conceived in the fictitious cow; And when he us beheld, he bit himself, Even as one whom anger racks within. My Sage towards him shouted: 'Is it possible That you think the Duke of Athens is here, Who killed you right good long ago? Get your ugly self out of here, loser. 20/Else I say something rude about your sister And then I'll point and laugh at you.' As is that bull who breaks loose at the moment In which he has received the mortal blow, Who cannot walk, but staggers here and there, The Minotaur beheld I do the like; And he, the wary, cried: 'Run to the passage; While he wroth, 'tis well thou shouldst descend.' Thus down we took our way o'er that discharge Of stones, which oftentimes did move themselves 30/Beneath my feet, from the unwonted burden. Thoughtful I went; and he said: 'You're thinking About how I totally owned that stupid bullman And how he ran crying before my machoness. Let me tell you this: the last time I came through this part of Hell, This bit hadn't collapsed yet. And I saw the minotaur dressed up nicely Leaving his day job in Dis, coming home Ready to spend the evening with his family, 40/And I thought maybe he's just like us Just doing his day job being an evil demon And comes home to a loving household at night But then I realize no that's stupid; He's a crazy bullman with doofy cow horns And basically nothing makes that not awful. Anyway, look at that sweet river down there, It's a river of blood! Super macho! The folks swimming in it hurt other people.' O blind cupidity, O wrath insane, 50/That spurs us onward so in our short life, And in the eternal then so badly steeps us! I saw an ample moat bent like a bow, As one which all the plain encompasses, Conformable to what my Guide had said. And between this and the embankment's foot Centaurs in file were running, armed with arrows, As in the world they used the chase to follow. Beholding us descend, each one stood still, And from the squadron three detached themselves, 60/With bows and arrows in advance selected; And from afar one cried: 'Unto what torment Come ye, who down the hillside are descending? Tell us from there; if not, I draw the bow.' My Master said: 'We ain't telling you nothin' We talk to Chrion and nobody but him. Cry about if if you can't handle it.' Then touched he me, and said: 'That guy is Nessus, Who died for the lovely Dejanira, And took some really gnarly revenge. 70/And over there through the blood-mist, You can see Chiron; who trained Achilles And Pholus who is known for his bad temper. Thousands of demons stand around the river Any time a soul tries to escape the blood They plug him full of arrows! Ka-pow! Wham!' Near we approached unto those monsters fleet; Chiron an arrow took, and with the notch Backward upon his jaws he put his beard. After he had uncovered his great mouth, 80/He said to his companions: 'Are you ware That he behind moveth whate'er he touches? Thus are not wont to do the feet of dead men.' And my good Guide, who now was at his breast, Where the two natures are together joined, Replied: 'He's alive, it is true And it is my job to take him through Hell. This is no pleasure cruise let me tell you. We're on a mission from God, as it were, I've got this task direct rom upstairs; 90/So we're just going to keep on rolling. But while I have your attention, let me ask Given the macho nature of our mission, And the fact that we have to get through, Could you lend us one of your centaurs, Who can let us ride on his back; This guy isn't a ghost and can't float.' Upon his right breast Chiron wheeled about, And said to Nessus: 'Turn and do thou guide them, And warn aside, if other band may meet you.' 100/We with our faithful escort onward moved Along the brink of the vermilion boiling, Wherein the boiled were uttering loud laments. People I saw within up to the eyebrows, And the great Centaur said: 'Tyrants are these, Who dealt in bloodshed and in pillaging. Here they lament their pitiless mischiefs; here Is Alexander, and fierce Dionysius Who upon Sicily brought dolorous years. That forehead there which has the hair so black 110/Is Azzolin; and the other who is blond, Obizzo is of Esti, who, in truth, Up in the world was by his stepson slain.' Then turned I to the Poet; and he said, 'I have no idea what any of that meant.' A little farther on the Centaur stopped Above a folk, who far down as the throat Seemed from that boiling stream to issue forth. A shade he showed us on one side alone, Saying: 'He cleft asunder in God's bosom 120/The heart that still upon the Thames is honoured.' Then people saw I, who from out the river Lifted their heads and also all the chest; And many among these I recognised. Thus ever more and more grew shallower That blood, so that the feet alone it covered; And there across the moat our passage was. 'Even as thou here upon this side beholdest The boiling stream, that aye diminishes,' The Centaur said, 'I wish thee to believe 130/That on this other more and more declines Its bed, until it reunites itself Where it behoveth tyranny to groan. Justice divine, upon this side, is goading That Attila, who was a scourge on earth, And Pyrrhus, and Sextus; and for ever milks The tears which with the boiling it unseals In Rinier da Corneto and Rinier Pazzo, Who made upon the highways so much war.' Then back he turned, and passed again the ford. !CANTO XIII. Not yet had Nessus reached the other side, When we had put ourselves within a wood, That was not marked by any path whatever. Not foliage green, but of a dusky colour, Not branches smooth, but gnarled and intertangled, Not apple-trees were there, but thorns with poison. Such tangled thickets have not, nor so dense, Those savage wild beasts, that in hatred hold 'Twixt Cecina and Corneto the tilled places. 10/There do the hideous Harpies make their nests, Who chased the Trojans from the Strophades, With sad announcement of impending doom; Broad wings have they, and necks and faces human, And feet with claws, and their great bellies fledged; They make laments upon the wondrous trees. And the good Master: 'Before we go further, I want to let you know we're in the second round,' Thus he began to say, 'and will be, until We get to the Beach of Gross Sand Crud; 20/As we go, look to your sides and you'll see The proof, if you doubt my macho words.' I heard on all sides lamentations uttered, And person none beheld I who might make them, Whence, utterly bewildered, I stood still. I think he thought that I perhaps might think So many voices issued through those trunks From people who concealed themselves from us; Therefore the Master said: 'Why not break off A little bit of a tree to satisfy yourself? 30/Plants don't feel pain, right? Probably.' Then stretched I forth my hand a little forward, And plucked a branchlet off from a great thorn; And the trunk cried, 'Why dost thou mangle me?' After it had become embrowned with blood, It recommenced its cry: 'Why dost thou rend me? Hast thou no spirit of pity whatsoever? Men once we were, and now are changed to trees; Indeed, thy hand should be more pitiful, Even if the souls of serpents we had been.' 40/As out of a green brand, that is on fire At one of the ends, and from the other drips And hisses with the wind that is escaping; So from that splinter issued forth together Both words and blood; whereat I let the tip Fall, and stood like a man who is afraid. 'Oh man, you fell for it, what a dope!' My Sage made answer, 'Hey tree buddy, This joker has no idea where he is, And so I decided to prank him at your expense; 50/Sorry 'bout that, but it was SO MACHO! Why don't you tell him who you are? That way when he leaves for the living world, Maybe he can tell your ex-wife or something That he saw you here, and she'll laugh.' And the trunk said: 'So thy sweet words allure me, I cannot silent be; and you be vexed not, That I a little to discourse am tempted. I am the one who both keys had in keeping Of Frederick's heart, and turned them to and fro 60/So softly in unlocking and in locking, That from his secrets most men I withheld; Fidelity I bore the glorious office So great, I lost thereby my sleep and pulses. The courtesan who never from the dwelling Of Caesar turned aside her strumpet eyes, Death universal and the vice of courts, Inflamed against me all the other minds, And they, inflamed, did so inflame Augustus, That my glad honours turned to dismal mournings. 70/My spirit, in disdainful exultation, Thinking by dying to escape disdain, Made me unjust against myself, the just. I, by the roots unwonted of this wood, Do swear to you that never broke I faith Unto my lord, who was so worthy of honour; And to the world if one of you return, Let him my memory comfort, which is lying Still prostrate from the blow that envy dealt it.' Waited awhile, and then: 'If you want to know more,' 80/The Poet said to me, 'don't waste time, We don't have all day so ask him now.' Whence I to him: 'Do thou again inquire Concerning what thou thinks't will satisfy me; For I cannot, such pity is in my heart.' Therefore he recommenced: 'So may the man Do for thee freely what thy speech implores, Spirit incarcerate, again be pleased To tell us in what way the soul is bound Within these knots; and tell us, if thou canst, 90/If any from such members e'er is freed.' Then blew the trunk amain, and afterward The wind was into such a voice converted: 'With brevity shall be replied to you. When the exasperated soul abandons The body whence it rent itself away, Minos consigns it to the seventh abyss. It falls into the forest, and no part Is chosen for it; but where Fortune hurls it, There like a grain of spelt it germinates. 100/It springs a sapling, and a forest tree; The Harpies, feeding then upon its leaves, Do pain create, and for the pain an outlet. Like others for our spoils shall we return; But not that any one may them revest, For 'tis not just to have what one casts off. Here we shall drag them, and along the dismal Forest our bodies shall suspended be, Each to the thorn of his molested shade.' We were attentive still unto the trunk, 110/Thinking that more it yet might wish to tell us, When by a tumult we were overtaken, In the same way as he is who perceives The boar and chase approaching to his stand, Who hears the crashing of the beasts and branches; And two behold! upon our left-hand side, Naked and scratched, fleeing so furiously, That of the forest, every fan they broke. He who was in advance: 'Now help, Death, help!' And the other one, who seemed to lag too much, 120/Was shouting: 'Lano, were not so alert Those legs of thine at joustings of the Toppo!' And then, perchance because his breath was failing, He grouped himself together with a bush. Behind them was the forest full of black She-mastiffs, ravenous, and swift of foot As greyhounds, who are issuing from the chain. On him who had crouched down they set their teeth, And him they lacerated piece by piece, Thereafter bore away those aching members. 130/Thereat my Escort took me by the hand, And led me to the bush, that all in vain Was weeping from its bloody lacerations. 'O Jacopo,' it said, 'of Sant' Andrea, What helped it thee of me to make a screen? What blame have I in thy nefarious life?' When near him had the Master stayed his steps, He said: 'Hey Bush Buddy, tell us a story What was your life like? We're curious.' And he to us: 'O souls, that hither come 140/To look upon the shameful massacre That has so rent away from me my leaves, Gather them up beneath the dismal bush; I of that city was which to the Baptist Changed its first patron, wherefore he for this Forever with his art will make it sad. And were it not that on the pass of Arno Some glimpses of him are remaining still, Those citizens, who afterwards rebuilt it Upon the ashes left by Attila, 150/In vain had caused their labour to be done. Of my own house I made myself a gibbet.' !CANTO XIV. Because the charity of my native place Constrained me, gathered I the scattered leaves, And gave them back to him, who now was hoarse. Then came we to the confine, where disparted The second round is from the third, and where A horrible form of Justice is beheld. Clearly to manifest these novel things, I say that we arrived upon a plain, Which from its bed rejecteth every plant; 10/The dolorous forest is a garland to it All round about, as the sad moat to that; There close upon the edge we stayed our feet. The soil was of an arid and thick sand, Not of another fashion made than that Which by the feet of Cato once was pressed. Vengeance of God, O how much oughtest thou By each one to be dreaded, who doth read That which was manifest unto mine eyes! Of naked souls beheld I many herds, 20/Who all were weeping very miserably, And over them seemed set a law diverse. Supine upon the ground some folk were lying; And some were sitting all drawn up together, And others went about continually. Those who were going round were far the more, And those were less who lay down to their torment, But had their tongues more loosed to lamentation. O'er all the sand-waste, with a gradual fall, Were raining down dilated flakes of fire, 30/As of the snow on Alp without a wind. As Alexander, in those torrid parts Of India, beheld upon his host Flames fall unbroken till they reached the ground. Whence he provided with his phalanxes To trample down the soil, because the vapour Better extinguished was while it was single; Thus was descending the eternal heat, Whereby the sand was set on fire, like tinder Beneath the steel, for doubling of the dole. 40/Without repose forever was the dance Of miserable hands, now there, now here, Shaking away from off them the fresh gleeds. 'Master,' began I, 'thou who overcomest All things except the demons dire, that issued Against us at the entrance of the gate, Who is that mighty one who seems to heed not The fire, and lieth lowering and disdainful, So that the rain seems not to ripen him?' And he himself, who had become aware 50/That I was questioning my Guide about him, Cried: 'Such as I was living, am I, dead. If Jove should weary out his smith, from whom He seized in anger the sharp thunderbolt, Wherewith upon the last day I was smitten, And if he wearied out by turns the others In Mongibello at the swarthy forge, Vociferating, 'Help, good Vulcan, help!' Even as he did there at the fight of Phlegra, And shot his bolts at me with all his might, 60/He would not have thereby a joyous vengeance.' Then did my Leader speak with such great force, That I had never heard him speak so loud: 'Yo Capaneus, aren't you aware that Your arrogance increases your punishment;? The only thing making you miserable, Is yourself. Chill out bro!' Then he turned round to me with better lip, Saying: 'This un-macho rage man here Was one of seven kings who beseged Thebes 70/And also he seems to hate God for some reason; The only reason he's here is his doing If he calmed down he could walk on out. Now follow me, but step lightly here Don't let your feet touch the grody sand, Stay close to the woods, understand?' Speaking no word, we came to where there gushes Forth from the wood a little rivulet, Whose redness makes my hair still stand on end. As from the Bulicame springs the brooklet, 80/The sinful women later share among them, So downward through the sand it went its way. The bottom of it, and both sloping banks, Were made of stone, and the margins at the side; Whence I perceived that there the passage was. 'Out of everything we've seen so far Since we began this hellish vacation Has been pretty gnarly, you'll agree But feast your eyes on this fire-water Nothing is as rad as this here river, 90/With the flames dancing on the surface.' These words were of my Leader; whence I prayed him That he would give me largess of the food, For which he had given me largess of desire. 'Back on Earth there is this island,' Said he thereafterward, 'It's called Crete, And the king there kept his world boring. On Crete there's this huge old mountain There are streams and forests and nature stuff. Nobody lives there, but it's pretty okay. 100/The Greeks believed that a goddess gave birth And hid her son on that island, which I guess Makes sense because babies are loud and all. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this It doesn't have very much to do with the river, But it somehow seemed like the right thing. Say, did you know that some guy back on Earth, Made a video game where I'm a dragon? It's awesome! I can breath fire and fly. Did you bring any food with you at all? 110/Ghosts can't really eat you understand, But it's been so long since I snapped Into a Slim Jim that I kinda was hoping Maybe you had one in your pocket somewhere, And could just pass it through me a bit So that I can absorb some of the essence. That's how ghosts eat, like this you see; Watch 1995's 'Casper', it's in there. Anyway, this river flows down through Hell. Eventually it will go to the very bottom 120/But you'll see where, we're going there.' And I to him: 'If so the present runnel Doth take its rise in this way from our world, Why only on this verge appears it to us?' And he to me: 'You know that Hell is circular, We've come a long way but not long enough, There's still a long way yet to go, We haven't made it quite to the end yet. So if you've been surprised by the sights, Let me say: You ain't seen nothing yet.' 130/And I again: 'Master, where shall be found Lethe and Phlegethon, for of one thou'rt silent, And sayest the other of this rain is made?' 'I said nothing of the sort, you buffoon!' Replied he; 'but to answer your question, If you look at the water you might know. See the water there? That's the Lethe, Sometimes the souls of the punished bathe And forget why they're here. It sucks.' Then said he: 'Alright that's enough for now 140/Tourism time is over, we have a schedule; Let's go this way, follow me across, I want to get out of this stupid forest.' !CANTO XV. Now bears us onward one of the hard margins, And so the brooklet's mist o'ershadows it, From fire it saves the water and the dikes. Even as the Flemings, 'twixt Cadsand and Bruges, Fearing the flood that tow'rds them hurls itself, Their bulwarks build to put the sea to flight; And as the Paduans along the Brenta, To guard their villas and their villages, Or ever Chiarentana feel the heat; 10/In such similitude had those been made, Albeit not so lofty nor so thick, Whoever he might be, the master made them. Now were we from the forest so remote, I could not have discovered where it was, Even if backward I had turned myself, When we a company of souls encountered, Who came beside the dike, and every one Gazed at us, as at evening we are wont To eye each other under a new moon, 20/And so towards us sharpened they their brows As an old tailor at the needle's eye. Thus scrutinised by such a family, By some one I was recognised, who seized My garment's hem, and cried out, 'What a marvel!' And I, when he stretched forth his arm to me, On his baked aspect fastened so mine eyes, That the scorched countenance prevented not His recognition by my intellect; And bowing down my face unto his own, 30/I made reply, 'Are you here, Ser Brunetto?' And he: 'May't not displease thee, O my son, If a brief space with thee Brunetto Latini Backward return and let the trail go on.' I said to him: 'With all my power I ask it; And if you wish me to sit down with you, I will, if he please, for I go with him.' 'O son,' he said, 'whoever of this herd A moment stops, lies then a hundred years, Nor fans himself when smiteth him the fire. 40/Therefore go on; I at thy skirts will come, And afterward will I rejoin my band, Which goes lamenting its eternal doom.' I did not dare to go down from the road Level to walk with him; but my head bowed I held as one who goeth reverently. And he began: 'What fortune or what fate Before the last day leadeth thee down here? And who is this that showeth thee the way?' 'Up there above us in the life serene,' 50/I answered him, 'I lost me in a valley, Or ever yet my age had been completed. But yestermorn I turned my back upon it; This one appeared to me, returning thither, And homeward leadeth me along this road.' And he to me: 'If thou thy star do follow, Thou canst not fail thee of a glorious port, If well I judged in the life beautiful. And if I had not died so prematurely, Seeing Heaven thus benignant unto thee, 60/I would have given thee comfort in the work. But that ungrateful and malignant people, Which of old time from Fesole descended, And smacks still of the mountain and the granite, Will make itself, for thy good deeds, thy foe; And it is right; for among crabbed sorbs It ill befits the sweet fig to bear fruit. Old rumour in the world proclaims them blind; A people avaricious, envious, proud; Take heed that of their customs thou do cleanse thee. 70/Thy fortune so much honour doth reserve thee, One party and the other shall be hungry For thee; but far from goat shall be the grass. Their litter let the beasts of Fesole Make of themselves, nor let them touch the plant, If any still upon their dunghill rise, In which may yet revive the consecrated Seed of those Romans, who remained there when The nest of such great malice it became.' 'If my entreaty wholly were fulfilled,' 80/Replied I to him, 'not yet would you be In banishment from human nature placed; For in my mind is fixed, and touches now My heart the dear and good paternal image Of you, when in the world from hour to hour You taught me how a man becomes eternal; And how much I am grateful, while I live Behoves that in my language be discerned. What you narrate of my career I write, And keep it to be glossed with other text 90/By a Lady who can do it, if I reach her. This much will I have manifest to you; Provided that my conscience do not chide me, For whatsoever Fortune I am ready. Such handsel is not new unto mine ears; Therefore let Fortune turn her wheel around As it may please her, and the churl his mattock.' My Master thereupon on his right cheek Did backward turn himself, and looked at me; Then said: 'Man, what a downer!' 100/Nor speaking less on that account, I go With Ser Brunetto, and I ask who are His most known and most eminent companions. And he to me: 'To know of some is well; Of others it were laudable to be silent, For short would be the time for so much speech. Know them in sum, that all of them were clerks, And men of letters great and of great fame, In the world tainted with the selfsame sin. Priscian goes yonder with that wretched crowd, 110/And Francis of Accorso; and thou hadst seen there If thou hadst had a hankering for such scurf, That one, who by the Servant of the Servants From Arno was transferred to Bacchiglione, Where he has left his sin-excited nerves. More would I say, but coming and discoursing Can be no longer; for that I behold New smoke uprising yonder from the sand. A people comes with whom I may not be; Commended unto thee be my Tesoro, 120/In which I still live, and no more I ask.' Then he turned round, and seemed to be of those Who at Verona run for the Green Mantle Across the plain; and seemed to be among them The one who wins, and not the one who loses. !CANTO XVI. Now was I where was heard the reverberation Of water falling into the next round, Like to that humming which the beehives make, When shadows three together started forth, Running, from out a company that passed Beneath the rain of the sharp martyrdom. Towards us came they, and each one cried out: 'Stop, thou; for by thy garb to us thou seemest To be some one of our depraved city.' 10/Ah me! what wounds I saw upon their limbs, Recent and ancient by the flames burnt in! It pains me still but to remember it. Unto their cries my Teacher paused attentive; He turned his face towards me, and 'Now wait,' He said; 'We need to be nice to these guys. If it weren't for the fact that we're in Hell Which is inherently a bad place to be I'd say that they're swell dudes really.' As soon as we stood still, they recommenced 20/The old refrain, and when they overtook us, Formed of themselves a wheel, all three of them. As champions stripped and oiled are wont to do, Watching for their advantage and their hold, Before they come to blows and thrusts between them, Thus, wheeling round, did every one his visage Direct to me, so that in opposite wise His neck and feet continual journey made. And, 'If the misery of this soft place Bring in disdain ourselves and our entreaties,' 30/Began one, 'and our aspect black and blistered, Let the renown of us thy mind incline To tell us who thou art, who thus securely Thy living feet dost move along through Hell. He in whose footprints thou dost see me treading, Naked and skinless though he now may go, Was of a greater rank than thou dost think; He was the grandson of the good Gualdrada; His name was Guidoguerra, and in life Much did he with his wisdom and his sword. 40/The other, who close by me treads the sand, Tegghiaio Aldobrandi is, whose fame Above there in the world should welcome be. And I, who with them on the cross am placed, Jacopo Rusticucci was; and truly My savage wife, more than aught else, doth harm me.' Could I have been protected from the fire, Below I should have thrown myself among them, And think the Teacher would have suffered it; But as I should have burned and baked myself, 50/My terror overmastered my good will, Which made me greedy of embracing them. Then I began: 'Sorrow and not disdain Did your condition fix within me so, That tardily it wholly is stripped off, As soon as this my Lord said unto me Words, on account of which I thought within me That people such as you are were approaching. I of your city am; and evermore Your labours and your honourable names 60/I with affection have retraced and heard. I leave the gall, and go for the sweet fruits Promised to me by the veracious Leader; But to the centre first I needs must plunge.' 'So may the soul for a long while conduct Those limbs of thine,' did he make answer then, 'And so may thy renown shine after thee, Valour and courtesy, say if they dwell Within our city, as they used to do, Or if they wholly have gone out of it; 70/For Guglielmo Borsier, who is in torment With us of late, and goes there with his comrades, Doth greatly mortify us with his words.' 'The new inhabitants and the sudden gains, Pride and extravagance have in thee engendered, Florence, so that thou weep'st thereat already!' In this wise I exclaimed with face uplifted; And the three, taking that for my reply, Looked at each other, as one looks at truth. 'If other times so little it doth cost thee,' 80/Replied they all, 'to satisfy another, Happy art thou, thus speaking at thy will! Therefore, if thou escape from these dark places, And come to rebehold the beauteous stars, When it shall pleasure thee to say, 'I was,' See that thou speak of us unto the people.' Then they broke up the wheel, and in their flight It seemed as if their agile legs were wings. Not an Amen could possibly be said So rapidly as they had disappeared; 90/Wherefore the Master deemed best to depart. I followed him, and little had we gone, Before the sound of water was so near us, That speaking we should hardly have been heard. Even as that stream which holdeth its own course The first from Monte Veso tow'rds the East, Upon the left-hand slope of Apennine, Which is above called Acquacheta, ere It down descendeth into its low bed, And at Forli is vacant of that name, 100/Reverberates there above San Benedetto From Alps, by falling at a single leap, Where for a thousand there were room enough; Thus downward from a bank precipitate, We found resounding that dark-tinted water, So that it soon the ear would have offended. I had a cord around about me girt, And therewithal I whilom had designed To take the panther with the painted skin. After I this had all from me unloosed, 110/As my Conductor had commanded me, I reached it to him, gathered up and coiled, Whereat he turned himself to the right side, And at a little distance from the verge, He cast it down into that deep abyss. 'It must needs be some novelty respond,' I said within myself, 'to the new signal The Master with his eye is following so.' Ah me! how very cautious men should be With those who not alone behold the act, 120/But with their wisdom look into the thoughts! He said to me: 'Soon what I'm waiting for Will show up here, and your curiosity Might be satisfied, for a while.' Aye to that truth which has the face of falsehood, A man should close his lips as far as may be, Because without his fault it causes shame; But here I cannot; and, Reader, by the notes Of this my Comedy to thee I swear, So may they not be void of lasting favour, 130/Athwart that dense and darksome atmosphere I saw a figure swimming upward come, Marvellous unto every steadfast heart, Even as he returns who goeth down Sometimes to clear an anchor, which has grappled Reef, or aught else that in the sea is hidden, Who upward stretches, and draws in his feet. !CANTO XVII. 'Look at that super macho monster down there! He shatters mountains and breaks city walls! Check out his power, and be awed!' Thus unto me my Guide began to say, And beckoned him that he should come to shore, Near to the confine of the trodden marble; And that uncleanly image of deceit Came up and thrust ashore its head and bust, But on the border did not drag its tail. 10/The face was as the face of a just man, Its semblance outwardly was so benign, And of a serpent all the trunk beside. Two paws it had, hairy unto the armpits; The back, and breast, and both the sides it had Depicted o'er with nooses and with shields. With colours more, groundwork or broidery Never in cloth did Tartars make nor Turks, Nor were such tissues by Arachne laid. As sometimes wherries lie upon the shore, 20/That part are in the water, part on land; And as among the guzzling Germans there, The beaver plants himself to wage his war; So that vile monster lay upon the border, Which is of stone, and shutteth in the sand. His tail was wholly quivering in the void, Contorting upwards the envenomed fork, That in the guise of scorpion armed its point. The Guide said: 'We should avoid it. Despite my macho strength and nacho power 30/He is one dude that I don't want to fight.' We therefore on the right side descended, And made ten steps upon the outer verge, Completely to avoid the sand and flame; And after we are come to him, I see A little farther off upon the sand A people sitting near the hollow place. Then said to me the Master: 'It'll improve Your experience of Hell immensely, If you go ask them what their deal is. 40/This is not space, but for them, it's the place; While you do that I'm going to sunbathe, In this Sahara that is Macho Madness.' Thus farther still upon the outermost Head of that seventh circle all alone I went, where sat the melancholy folk. Out of their eyes was gushing forth their woe; This way, that way, they helped them with their hands Now from the flames and now from the hot soil. Not otherwise in summer do the dogs, 50/Now with the foot, now with the muzzle, when By fleas, or flies, or gadflies, they are bitten. When I had turned mine eyes upon the faces Of some, on whom the dolorous fire is falling, Not one of them I knew; but I perceived That from the neck of each there hung a pouch, Which certain colour had, and certain blazon; And thereupon it seems their eyes are feeding. And as I gazing round me come among them, Upon a yellow pouch I azure saw 60/That had the face and posture of a lion. Proceeding then the current of my sight, Another of them saw I, red as blood, Display a goose more white than butter is. And one, who with an azure sow and gravid Emblazoned had his little pouch of white, Said unto me: 'What dost thou in this moat? Now get thee gone; and since thou'rt still alive, Know that a neighbour of mine, Vitaliano, Will have his seat here on my left-hand side. 70/A Paduan am I with these Florentines; Full many a time they thunder in mine ears, Exclaiming, 'Come the sovereign cavalier, He who shall bring the satchel with three goats;'' Then twisted he his mouth, and forth he thrust His tongue, like to an ox that licks its nose. And fearing lest my longer stay might vex Him who had warned me not to tarry long, Backward I turned me from those weary souls. I found my Guide, who had already mounted 80/Upon the back of that wild animal, And said to me: 'Now don't be a wuss. It's time to descend some stairs, get hype! You ride up front and me in back, So that you don't get hurt by the tail.' Such as he is who has so near the ague Of quartan that his nails are blue already, And trembles all, but looking at the shade; Even such became I at those proffered words; But shame in me his menaces produced, 90/Which maketh servant strong before good master. I seated me upon those monstrous shoulders; I wished to say, and yet the voice came not As I believed, 'Take heed that thou embrace me.' But he, who other times had rescued me In other peril, soon as I had mounted, Within his arms encircled and sustained me, And said: 'Giddyup hoss! Go forth; It's not every day you carry the Macho Man; Think of the story you can tell your friends.' 100/Even as the little vessel shoves from shore, Backward, still backward, so he thence withdrew; And when he wholly felt himself afloat, There where his breast had been he turned his tail, And that extended like an eel he moved, And with his paws drew to himself the air. A greater fear I do not think there was What time abandoned Phaeton the reins, Whereby the heavens, as still appears, were scorched; Nor when the wretched Icarus his flanks 110/Felt stripped of feathers by the melting wax, His father crying, 'An ill way thou takest!' Than was my own, when I perceived myself On all sides in the air, and saw extinguished The sight of everything but of the monster. Onward he goeth, swimming slowly, slowly; Wheels and descends, but I perceive it only By wind upon my face and from below. I heard already on the right the whirlpool Making a horrible crashing under us; 120/Whence I thrust out my head with eyes cast downward. Then was I still more fearful of the abyss; Because I fires beheld, and heard laments, Whereat I, trembling, all the closer cling. I saw then, for before I had not seen it, The turning and descending, by great horrors That were approaching upon divers sides. As falcon who has long been on the wing, Who, without seeing either lure or bird, Maketh the falconer say, 'Ah me, thou stoopest,' 130/Descendeth weary, whence he started swiftly, Thorough a hundred circles, and alights Far from his master, sullen and disdainful; Even thus did Geryon place us on the bottom, Close to the bases of the rough-hewn rock, And being disencumbered of our persons, He sped away as arrow from the string. !CANTO XVIII. There is a place in Hell called Malebolge, Wholly of stone and of an iron colour, As is the circle that around it turns. Right in the middle of the field malign There yawns a well exceeding wide and deep, Of which its place the structure will recount. Round, then, is that enclosure which remains Between the well and foot of the high, hard bank, And has distinct in valleys ten its bottom. 10/As where for the protection of the walls Many and many moats surround the castles, The part in which they are a figure forms, Just such an image those presented there; And as about such strongholds from their gates Unto the outer bank are little bridges, So from the precipice's base did crags Project, which intersected dikes and moats, Unto the well that truncates and collects them. Within this place, down shaken from the back 20/Of Geryon, we found us; and the Poet Held to the left, and I moved on behind. Upon my right hand I beheld new anguish, New torments, and new wielders of the lash, Wherewith the foremost Bolgia was replete. Down at the bottom were the sinners naked; This side the middle came they facing us, Beyond it, with us, but with greater steps; Even as the Romans, for the mighty host, The year of Jubilee, upon the bridge, 30/Have chosen a mode to pass the people over; For all upon one side towards the Castle Their faces have, and go unto St. Peter's; On the other side they go towards the Mountain. This side and that, along the livid stone Beheld I horned demons with great scourges, Who cruelly were beating them behind. Ah me! how they did make them lift their legs At the first blows! and sooth not any one The second waited for, nor for the third. 40/While I was going on, mine eyes by one Encountered were; and straight I said: 'Already With sight of this one I am not unfed.' Therefore I stayed my feet to make him out, And with me the sweet Guide came to a stand, And to my going somewhat back assented; And he, the scourged one, thought to hide himself, Lowering his face, but little it availed him; For said I: 'Thou that castest down thine eyes, If false are not the features which thou bearest, 50/Thou art Venedico Caccianimico; But what doth bring thee to such pungent sauces?' And he to me: 'Unwillingly I tell it; But forces me thine utterance distinct, Which makes me recollect the ancient world. I was the one who the fair Ghisola Induced to grant the wishes of the Marquis, Howe'er the shameless story may be told. Not the sole Bolognese am I who weeps here; Nay, rather is this place so full of them, 60/That not so many tongues to-day are taught 'Twixt Reno and Savena to say 'sipa;' And if thereof thou wishest pledge or proof, Bring to thy mind our avaricious heart.' While speaking in this manner, with his scourge A demon smote him, and said: 'Get thee gone Pander, there are no women here for coin.' I joined myself again unto mine Escort; Thereafterward with footsteps few we came To where a crag projected from the bank. 70/This very easily did we ascend, And turning to the right along its ridge, From those eternal circles we departed. When we were there, where it is hollowed out Beneath, to give a passage to the scourged, The Guide said: 'Wait and look at them, Those unhip cats who are born evil, Those whom we have not seen as of yet, Because they've been following us.' From the old bridge we looked upon the train 80/Which tow'rds us came upon the other border, And which the scourges in like manner smite. And the good Master, without my inquiring, Said to me: 'Look at the tall one there, Despite his pain he's standing up tall; See how macho he remains in its face! That's Jason, whom you've heard of maybe? He did some pretty despicable stuff. I honestly never read Greek myths So I'm sort of in the dark about this. 90/You'll have to do the reading yourself. Instead, why don't you go bother him? Ask him about his wife and kids, And if he ever was a liar to them. I do know he had a cool boat called the Argo; I heard he went searching for some mutton, But then discovered gold was inedible. Seems like you could learn a lot from him; About how to be a jerk to women and kids You know, if you weren't already.' 100/We were already where the narrow path Crosses athwart the second dike, and forms Of that a buttress for another arch. Thence we heard people, who are making moan In the next Bolgia, snorting with their muzzles, And with their palms beating upon themselves The margins were incrusted with a mould By exhalation from below, that sticks there, And with the eyes and nostrils wages war. The bottom is so deep, no place suffices 110/To give us sight of it, without ascending The arch's back, where most the crag impends. Thither we came, and thence down in the moat I saw a people smothered in a filth That out of human privies seemed to flow; And whilst below there with mine eye I search, I saw one with his head so foul with ordure, It was not clear if he were clerk or layman. He screamed to me: 'Wherefore art thou so eager To look at me more than the other foul ones?' 120/And I to him: 'Because, if I remember, I have already seen thee with dry hair, And thou'rt Alessio Interminei of Lucca; Therefore I eye thee more than all the others.' And he thereon, belabouring his pumpkin: 'The flatteries have submerged me here below, Wherewith my tongue was never surfeited.' Then said to me the Guide: 'See that thou thrust Thy visage somewhat farther in advance, That with thine eyes thou well the face attain 130/Of that uncleanly and dishevelled drab, Who there doth scratch herself with filthy nails, And crouches now, and now on foot is standing. Thais the harlot is it, who replied Unto her paramour, when he said, 'Have I Great gratitude from thee?'--'Nay, marvellous;' And herewith let our sight be satisfied.' !CANTO XIX. O Simon Magus, O forlorn disciples, Ye who the things of God, which ought to be The brides of holiness, rapaciously For silver and for gold do prostitute, Now it behoves for you the trumpet sound, Because in this third Bolgia ye abide. We had already on the following tomb Ascended to that portion of the crag Which o'er the middle of the moat hangs plumb. 10/Wisdom supreme, O how great art thou showest In heaven, in earth, and in the evil world, And with what justice doth thy power distribute! I saw upon the sides and on the bottom The livid stone with perforations filled, All of one size, and every one was round. To me less ample seemed they not, nor greater Than those that in my beautiful Saint John Are fashioned for the place of the baptisers, And one of which, not many years ago, 20/I broke for some one, who was drowning in it; Be this a seal all men to undeceive. Out of the mouth of each one there protruded The feet of a transgressor, and the legs Up to the calf, the rest within remained. In all of them the soles were both on fire; Wherefore the joints so violently quivered, They would have snapped asunder withes and bands. Even as the flame of unctuous things is wont To move upon the outer surface only, 30/So likewise was it there from heel to point. 'Master, who is that one who writhes himself, More than his other comrades quivering,' I said, 'and whom a redder flame is sucking?' And he to me: 'If you follow me a little bit, Down this bank to where that cat is sitting, He will tell you himself his sorry story.' And I: 'What pleases thee, to me is pleasing; Thou art my Lord, and knowest that I depart not From thy desire, and knowest what is not spoken.' 40/Straightway upon the fourth dike we arrived; We turned, and on the left-hand side descended Down to the bottom full of holes and narrow. And the good Master yet from off his haunch Deposed me not, till to the hole he brought me Of him who so lamented with his shanks. 'Whoe'er thou art, that standest upside down, O doleful soul, implanted like a stake,' To say began I, 'if thou canst, speak out.' I stood even as the friar who is confessing 50/The false assassin, who, when he is fixed, Recalls him, so that death may be delayed. And he cried out: 'Dost thou stand there already, Dost thou stand there already, Boniface? By many years the record lied to me. Art thou so early satiate with that wealth, For which thou didst not fear to take by fraud The beautiful Lady, and then work her woe?' Such I became, as people are who stand, Not comprehending what is answered them, 60/As if bemocked, and know not how to answer. Then said Macho Man: 'Quick-like, tell him 'That's not me, I'm a different guy!'' And I replied as was imposed on me. Whereat the spirit writhed with both his feet, Then, sighing, with a voice of lamentation Said to me: 'Then what wantest thou of me? If who I am thou carest so much to know, That thou on that account hast crossed the bank, Know that I vested was with the great mantle; 70/And truly was I son of the She-bear, So eager to advance the cubs, that wealth Above, and here myself, I pocketed. Beneath my head the others are dragged down Who have preceded me in simony, Flattened along the fissure of the rock. Below there I shall likewise fall, whenever That one shall come who I believed thou wast, What time the sudden question I proposed. But longer I my feet already toast, 80/And here have been in this way upside down, Than he will planted stay with reddened feet; For after him shall come of fouler deed From tow'rds the west a Pastor without law, Such as befits to cover him and me. New Jason will he be, of whom we read In Maccabees; and as his king was pliant, So he who governs France shall be to this one.' I do not know if I were here too bold, That him I answered only in this metre: 90/'I pray thee tell me now how great a treasure Our Lord demanded of Saint Peter first, Before he put the keys into his keeping? Truly he nothing asked but 'Follow me.' Nor Peter nor the rest asked of Matthias Silver or gold, when he by lot was chosen Unto the place the guilty soul had lost. Therefore stay here, for thou art justly punished, And keep safe guard o'er the ill-gotten money, Which caused thee to be valiant against Charles. 100/And were it not that still forbids it me The reverence for the keys superlative Thou hadst in keeping in the gladsome life, I would make use of words more grievous still; Because your avarice afflicts the world, Trampling the good and lifting the depraved. The Evangelist you Pastors had in mind, When she who sitteth upon many waters To fornicate with kings by him was seen; The same who with the seven heads was born, 110/And power and strength from the ten horns received, So long as virtue to her spouse was pleasing. Ye have made yourselves a god of gold and silver; And from the idolater how differ ye, Save that he one, and ye a hundred worship? Ah, Constantine! of how much ill was mother, Not thy conversion, but that marriage dower Which the first wealthy Father took from thee!' And while I sang to him such notes as these, Either that anger or that conscience stung him, 120/He struggled violently with both his feet. I think in sooth that it my Leader pleased, With such contented lip he listened ever Unto the sound of the true words expressed. Therefore with both his arms he took me up, And when he had me all upon his breast, Remounted by the way where he descended. Nor did he tire to have me clasped to him; But bore me to the summit of the arch Which from the fourth dike to the fifth is passage. 130/There tenderly he laid his burden down, Tenderly on the crag uneven and steep, That would have been hard passage for the goats: Thence was unveiled to me another valley. !CANTO XX. Of a new pain behoves me to make verses And give material to the twentieth canto Of the first song, which is of the submerged. I was already thoroughly disposed To peer down into the uncovered depth, Which bathed itself with tears of agony; And people saw I through the circular valley, Silent and weeping, coming at the pace Which in this world the Litanies assume. 10/As lower down my sight descended on them, Wondrously each one seemed to be distorted From chin to the beginning of the chest; For tow'rds the reins the countenance was turned, And backward it behoved them to advance, As to look forward had been taken from them. Perchance indeed by violence of palsy Some one has been thus wholly turned awry; But I ne'er saw it, nor believe it can be. As God may let thee, Reader, gather fruit 20/From this thy reading, think now for thyself How I could ever keep my face unmoistened, When our own image near me I beheld Distorted so, the weeping of the eyes Along the fissure bathed the hinder parts. Truly I wept, leaning upon a peak Of the hard crag, so that my Escort said To me: 'What are you crying for? Are you tired? Is it your bedtime? It's been a big day for you I know. 30/You must be tired and not even know it. Let me tell you a bedtime story then To pass the time while we stride forward; Our macho hair swirling in the breeze. Once upon a time there was a warrior Sarnath was his name, from Monqurt He was a true knight, macho even as me. When he was young he traveled far Seeking the best challengers and champions Besting them all in one-on-one rumbles. 40/Eventually he came to the land of the Church, That great cathedral of Amour Lardo, Where the Cellulite Pope held his court. Sarnath did not know about religion In his land there was no church at all, And of course this world was not our own. This Nacho Man of old was truly wowed, The music of the priests blew him away And the pontiff himself was noble and kind. For a long time he lived at the court 50/Aiding young paladins in their training Serving as armsmaster for the holy army. Until finally he took oaths himself, Not those to be a clergyman, oh no, But to serve as the shield of the church. At this time an evil nation to the north, Wicked and envious of the church's wealth; Invaded and tried to stamp out the faith. It was Sarnath who held the line, Alongside his four most promising pupils, 60/Who ever after bore the title 'Hounds'. Their names are famous today They were Gleeok and Ragnasaurth Ilthor and strongest of all Thorgan. With their master they stemmed the tide, These five alone against a legion of foes Sheer numbers could not overcome their might. Yet as the battle appeared to be won, A single arrow struck Sarnath in the thigh Fast-acting poison turned his blood cold. 70/Gasping for air in his final minutes, Sarnath passed his title on to Thorgan, Appointing him leader of the Church's army. Thus ended the story of the hero Sarnath And where his spirit went I cannot say, In that world things aren't as simple. If you don't understand this story, Don't sweat it, I'm just killing time. It's actually not that great a story. And sorry if my speech has become formal 80/During the telling of this particular tale, I'm just trying to relate it I heard it. Some guy named Pablo told it to me When we were lifting at the gym last week, And I guess it has kind of stuck with me. Anyway, hopefully this happy tale Has gotten you to stop crying, or at least made you fall asleep; Either way it's the same to me, after all, We're going to have to keep going eventually 90/Unlike you I have all the time in the world. Say, have I ever tell you the cheese joke? You know, the one with the goat and the spoon? Where they end up at the sanitation plant? Well it's too long to tell now, There aren't many lines left in this Canto, But remind me in Canto XXXIV, it's great. A real knee-slapper let me tell you, The sort of joke you'll tell your grandkids Years from now as you munch on a Slim Jim. 100/And I: 'My Master, thy discourses are To me so certain, and so take my faith, That unto me the rest would be spent coals. But tell me of the people who are passing, If any one note-worthy thou beholdest, For only unto that my mind reverts.' Then said he to me: 'Normally I'd tell you But I've just spent a lot of time talking And even ghosts get sore throats, you know. I know that here there's like six more stanzas 110/And that if I stuck on-script I'd give them all But honestly I'm just not feeling it right now. So I'm going to take matters into my own hands My MACHO hands; my NACHO hands, as they were. And end this particular canto early. I hope you don't hold it against me, The next one is more interesting anyway So let's just hurry along to it shall we? Thus spake he to me, and we walked the while. !CANTO XXI. From bridge to bridge thus, speaking other things Of which my Comedy cares not to sing, We came along, and held the summit, when We halted to behold another fissure Of Malebolge and other vain laments; And I beheld it marvellously dark. As in the Arsenal of the Venetians Boils in the winter the tenacious pitch To smear their unsound vessels o'er again, 10/For sail they cannot; and instead thereof One makes his vessel new, and one recaulks The ribs of that which many a voyage has made; One hammers at the prow, one at the stern, This one makes oars, and that one cordage twists, Another mends the mainsail and the mizzen; Thus, not by fire, but by the art divine, Was boiling down below there a dense pitch Which upon every side the bank belimed. I saw it, but I did not see within it 20/Aught but the bubbles that the boiling raised, And all swell up and resubside compressed. The while below there fixedly I gazed, My Leader, crying out: 'Watch out!' Drew me unto himself from where I stood. Then I turned round, as one who is impatient To see what it behoves him to escape, And whom a sudden terror doth unman, Who, while he looks, delays not his departure; And I beheld behind us a black devil, 30/Running along upon the crag, approach. Ah, how ferocious was he in his aspect! And how he seemed to me in action ruthless, With open wings and light upon his feet! His shoulders, which sharp-pointed were and high, A sinner did encumber with both haunches, And he held clutched the sinews of the feet. From off our bridge, he said: 'O Malebranche, Behold one of the elders of Saint Zita; Plunge him beneath, for I return for others 40/Unto that town, which is well furnished with them. All there are barrators, except Bonturo; No into Yes for money there is changed.' He hurled him down, and over the hard crag Turned round, and never was a mastiff loosened In so much hurry to pursue a thief. The other sank, and rose again face downward; But the demons, under cover of the bridge, Cried: 'Here the Santo Volto has no place! Here swims one otherwise than in the Serchio; 50/Therefore, if for our gaffs thou wishest not, Do not uplift thyself above the pitch.' They seized him then with more than a hundred rakes; They said: 'It here behoves thee to dance covered, That, if thou canst, thou secretly mayest pilfer.' Not otherwise the cooks their scullions make Immerse into the middle of the caldron The meat with hooks, so that it may not float. Said the good Master to me: 'You gotta hide, So duck down behind this rock face 60/And they will not be able to see you; Don't worry about what happesn to me, None may withstand the Macho Man unleashed, I've handled these demons many times.' Then he passed on beyond the bridge's head, And as upon the sixth bank he arrived, Need was for him to have a steadfast front. With the same fury, and the same uproar, As dogs leap out upon a mendicant, Who on a sudden begs, where'er he stops, 70/They issued from beneath the little bridge, And turned against him all their grappling-irons; But he cried out: 'Step back idiots! Do you remember what happened last time, When I was strolling through on vacation, And you tried to grab me and paid the price?' They all cried out: 'Let Malacoda go;' Whereat one started, and the rest stood still, And he came to him, saying: 'What avails it?' 'How now, Malacoda? Up for another round? 80/I hope your tail is healed.' my Master said, 'There's a reason your name is evil tail, But what evil can you do if it breaks again? Why not let me pass, and spare your body Unless you're crusing for a bruising.' Then was his arrogance so humbled in him, That he let fall his grapnel at his feet, And to the others said: 'Now strike him not.' And unto me my Guide: 'O thou, who sittest Among the splinters of the bridge crouched down, 90/Securely now return to me again.' Wherefore I started and came swiftly to him; And all the devils forward thrust themselves, So that I feared they would not keep their compact. And thus beheld I once afraid the soldiers Who issued under safeguard from Caprona, Seeing themselves among so many foes. Close did I press myself with all my person Beside my Leader, and turned not mine eyes From off their countenance, which was not good. 100/They lowered their rakes, and 'Wilt thou have me hit him,' They said to one another, 'on the rump?' And answered: 'Yes; see that thou nick him with it.' But the same demon who was holding parley With my Conductor turned him very quickly, And said: 'Be quiet, be quiet, Scarmiglione;' Then said to us: 'You can no farther go Forward upon this crag, because is lying All shattered, at the bottom, the sixth arch. And if it still doth please you to go onward, 110/Pursue your way along upon this rock; Near is another crag that yields a path. Yesterday, five hours later than this hour, One thousand and two hundred sixty-six Years were complete, that here the way was broken. I send in that direction some of mine To see if any one doth air himself; Go ye with them; for they will not be vicious. Step forward, Alichino and Calcabrina,' Began he to cry out, 'and thou, Cagnazzo; 120/And Barbariccia, do thou guide the ten. Come forward, Libicocco and Draghignazzo, And tusked Ciriatto and Graffiacane, And Farfarello and mad Rubicante; Search ye all round about the boiling pitch; Let these be safe as far as the next crag, That all unbroken passes o'er the dens.' 'O me! what is it, Master, that I see? Pray let us go,' I said, 'without an escort, If thou knowest how, since for myself I ask none. 130/If thou art as observant as thy wont is, Dost thou not see that they do gnash their teeth, And with their brows are threatening woe to us?' And he to me: 'There's no need to fear now; They just want to regain their lost pride, Gnashing their teeth to shore up their image.' Along the left-hand dike they wheeled about; But first had each one thrust his tongue between His teeth towards their leader for a signal; And he had made a trumpet of his rump. !CANTO XXII. I have erewhile seen horsemen moving camp, Begin the storming, and their muster make, And sometimes starting off for their escape; Vaunt-couriers have I seen upon your land, O Aretines, and foragers go forth, Tournaments stricken, and the joustings run, Sometimes with trumpets and sometimes with bells, With kettle-drums, and signals of the castles, And with our own, and with outlandish things, 10/But never yet with bagpipe so uncouth Did I see horsemen move, nor infantry, Nor ship by any sign of land or star. We went upon our way with the ten demons; Ah, savage company! but in the church With saints, and in the tavern with the gluttons! Ever upon the pitch was my intent, To see the whole condition of that Bolgia, And of the people who therein were burned. Even as the dolphins, when they make a sign 20/To mariners by arching of the back, That they should counsel take to save their vessel, Thus sometimes, to alleviate his pain, One of the sinners would display his back, And in less time conceal it than it lightens. As on the brink of water in a ditch The frogs stand only with their muzzles out, So that they hide their feet and other bulk, So upon every side the sinners stood; But ever as Barbariccia near them came, 30/Thus underneath the boiling they withdrew. I saw, and still my heart doth shudder at it, One waiting thus, even as it comes to pass One frog remains, and down another dives; And Graffiacan, who most confronted him, Grappled him by his tresses smeared with pitch, And drew him up, so that he seemed an otter. I knew, before, the names of all of them, So had I noted them when they were chosen, And when they called each other, listened how. 40/'O Rubicante, see that thou do lay Thy claws upon him, so that thou mayst flay him,' Cried all together the accursed ones. And I: 'My Master, see to it, if thou canst, That thou mayst know who is the luckless wight, Thus come into his adversaries' hands.' Near to the side of him my Leader drew, Asked of him whence he was; and he replied: 'I in the kingdom of Navarre was born; My mother placed me servant to a lord, 50/For she had borne me to a ribald knave, Destroyer of himself and of his things. Then I domestic was of good King Thibault; I set me there to practise barratry, For which I pay the reckoning in this heat.' And Ciriatto, from whose mouth projected, On either side, a tusk, as in a boar, Caused him to feel how one of them could rip. Among malicious cats the mouse had come; But Barbariccia clasped him in his arms, 60/And said: 'Stand ye aside, while I enfork him.' And to my Master he turned round his head; 'Ask him again,' he said, 'and just maybe You've noticed I always tell you that.' The Guide: 'Now tell us of the others here; Are there any who are worthing hearing about? Best gnarly story?' And he: 'I separated Lately from one who was a neighbour to it; Would that I still were covered up with him, For I should fear not either claw nor hook!' 70/And Libicocco: 'We have borne too much;' And with his grapnel seized him by the arm, So that, by rending, he tore off a tendon. Eke Draghignazzo wished to pounce upon him Down at the legs; whence their Decurion Turned round and round about with evil look. When they again somewhat were pacified, Of him, who still was looking at his wound, Demanded my Conductor without stay: 'Wow who was that guy? I don't know him. 80/Also you might want to get that looked at.' And he replied: 'It was the Friar Gomita, He of Gallura, vessel of all fraud, Who had the enemies of his Lord in hand, And dealt so with them each exults thereat; Money he took, and let them smoothly off, As he says; and in other offices A barrator was he, not mean but sovereign. Foregathers with him one Don Michael Zanche Of Logodoro; and of Sardinia 90/To gossip never do their tongues feel tired. O me! see that one, how he grinds his teeth; Still farther would I speak, but am afraid Lest he to scratch my itch be making ready.' And the grand Provost, turned to Farfarello, Who rolled his eyes about as if to strike, Said: 'Stand aside there, thou malicious bird.' 'If you desire either to see or hear,' The terror-stricken recommenced thereon, 'Tuscans or Lombards, I will make them come. 100/But let the Malebranche cease a little, So that these may not their revenges fear, And I, down sitting in this very place, For one that I am will make seven come, When I shall whistle, as our custom is To do whenever one of us comes out.' Cagnazzo at these words his muzzle lifted, Shaking his head, and said: 'Just hear the trick Which he has thought of, down to throw himself!' Whence he, who snares in great abundance had, 110/Responded: 'I by far too cunning am, When I procure for mine a greater sadness.' Alichin held not in, but running counter Unto the rest, said to him: 'If thou dive, I will not follow thee upon the gallop, But I will beat my wings above the pitch; The height be left, and be the bank a shield To see if thou alone dost countervail us.' O thou who readest, thou shalt hear new sport! Each to the other side his eyes averted; 120/He first, who most reluctant was to do it. The Navarrese selected well his time; Planted his feet on land, and in a moment Leaped, and released himself from their design. Whereat each one was suddenly stung with shame, But he most who was cause of the defeat; Therefore he moved, and cried: 'Thou art o'ertakern.' But little it availed, for wings could not Outstrip the fear; the other one went under, And, flying, upward he his breast directed; 130/Not otherwise the duck upon a sudden Dives under, when the falcon is approaching, And upward he returneth cross and weary. Infuriate at the mockery, Calcabrina Flying behind him followed close, desirous The other should escape, to have a quarrel. And when the barrator had disappeared, He turned his talons upon his companion, And grappled with him right above the moat. But sooth the other was a doughty sparhawk 140/To clapperclaw him well; and both of them Fell in the middle of the boiling pond. A sudden intercessor was the heat; But ne'ertheless of rising there was naught, To such degree they had their wings belimed. Lamenting with the others, Barbariccia Made four of them fly to the other side With all their gaffs, and very speedily This side and that they to their posts descended; They stretched their hooks towards the pitch-ensnared, 150/Who were already baked within the crust, And in this manner busied did we leave them. !CANTO XXIII. Silent, alone, and without company We went, the one in front, the other after, As go the Minor Friars along their way. Upon the fable of Aesop was directed My thought, by reason of the present quarrel, Where he has spoken of the frog and mouse; For 'mo' and 'issa' are not more alike Than this one is to that, if well we couple End and beginning with a steadfast mind. 10/And even as one thought from another springs, So afterward from that was born another, Which the first fear within me double made. Thus did I ponder: 'These on our account Are laughed to scorn, with injury and scoff So great, that much I think it must annoy them. If anger be engrafted on ill-will, They will come after us more merciless Than dog upon the leveret which he seizes,' I felt my hair stand all on end already 20/With terror, and stood backwardly intent, When said I: 'Master, if thou hidest not Thyself and me forthwith, of Malebranche I am in dread; we have them now behind us; I so imagine them, I already feel them.' And he: 'Sometimes when I hear you speak, I have no idea what you're saying at all And so I imagine it's a hilarious joke. Now, for example, you just said gibberish, Which I interpreted as a very funny bit 30/About a rooster and a tractor-trailer. Let's take this downward slope here Step lively, macho men don't lose balance, Nothing shall catch us on this path.' Not yet he finished rendering such opinion, When I beheld them come with outstretched wings, Not far remote, with will to seize upon us. My Leader on a sudden seized me up, Even as a mother who by noise is wakened, And close beside her sees the enkindled flames, 40/Who takes her son, and flies, and does not stop, Having more care of him than of herself, So that she clothes her only with a shift; And downward from the top of the hard bank Supine he gave him to the pendent rock, That one side of the other Bolgia walls. Ne'er ran so swiftly water through a sluice To turn the wheel of any land-built mill, When nearest to the paddles it approaches, As did my Master down along that border, 50/Bearing me with him on his breast away, As his own son, and not as a companion. Hardly the bed of the ravine below His feet had reached, ere they had reached the hill Right over us; but he was not afraid; For the high Providence, which had ordained To place them ministers of the fifth moat, The power of thence departing took from all. A painted people there below we found, Who went about with footsteps very slow, 60/Weeping and in their semblance tired and vanquished. They had on mantles with the hoods low down Before their eyes, and fashioned of the cut That in Cologne they for the monks are made. Without, they gilded are so that it dazzles; But inwardly all leaden and so heavy That Frederick used to put them on of straw. O everlastingly fatiguing mantle! Again we turned us, still to the left hand Along with them, intent on their sad plaint; 70/But owing to the weight, that weary folk Came on so tardily, that we were new In company at each motion of the haunch. Whence I unto my Leader: 'See thou find Some one who may by deed or name be known, And thus in going move thine eye about.' And one, who understood the Tuscan speech, Cried to us from behind: 'Stay ye your feet, Ye, who so run athwart the dusky air! Perhaps thou'lt have from me what thou demandest.' 80/Whereat the Leader turned him, and said: 'Wait, And walk towards this weird duck slowly.' I stopped, and two beheld I show great haste Of spirit, in their faces, to be with me; But the burden and the narrow way delayed them. When they came up, long with an eye askance They scanned me without uttering a word. Then to each other turned, and said together: 'He by the action of his throat seems living; And if they dead are, by what privilege 90/Go they uncovered by the heavy stole?' Then said to me: 'Tuscan, who to the college Of miserable hypocrites art come, Do not disdain to tell us who thou art.' And I to them: 'Born was I, and grew up In the great town on the fair river of Arno, And with the body am I've always had. But who are ye, in whom there trickles down Along your cheeks such grief as I behold? And what pain is upon you, that so sparkles?' 100/And one replied to me: 'These orange cloaks Are made of lead so heavy, that the weights Cause in this way their balances to creak. Frati Gaudenti were we, and Bolognese; I Catalano, and he Loderingo Named, and together taken by thy city, As the wont is to take one man alone, For maintenance of its peace; and we were such That still it is apparent round Gardingo.' 'O Friars,' began I, 'your iniquitous. . .' 110/But said no more; for to mine eyes there rushed One crucified with three stakes on the ground. When me he saw, he writhed himself all over, Blowing into his beard with suspirations; And the Friar Catalan, who noticed this, Said to me: 'This transfixed one, whom thou seest, Counselled the Pharisees that it was meet To put one man to torture for the people. Crosswise and naked is he on the path, As thou perceivest; and he needs must feel, 120/Whoever passes, first how much he weighs; And in like mode his father-in-law is punished Within this moat, and the others of the council, Which for the Jews was a malignant seed.' And thereupon I saw the Macho Man marvel O'er him who was extended on the cross So vilely in eternal banishment. Then he directed to the Friar this voice: 'We're not lost, but if we were, Would you tell us if we were going wrong? 130/We're heading down this slope and it seems good, And the nacho man needs no directions, No map, but still, you'd let us know, right?' Then he made answer: 'Nearer than thou hopest There is a rock, that forth from the great circle Proceeds, and crosses all the cruel valleys, Save that at this 'tis broken, and does not bridge it; You will be able to mount up the ruin, That sidelong slopes and at the bottom rises.' The Leader stood awhile with head held high; 140/Then said: 'That guy's breath is the worst I think he ate too many salt and vinegar chips.' And the Friar: 'Many of the Devil's vices Once heard I at Bologna, and among them, That he's a liar and the father of lies.' Thereat my Leader with great strides went on, Somewhat disturbed with anger in his looks; Whence from the heavy-laden I departed After the prints of his beloved feet. !CANTO XXIV. In that part of the youthful year wherein The Sun his locks beneath Aquarius tempers, And now the nights draw near to half the day, What time the hoar-frost copies on the ground The outward semblance of her sister white, But little lasts the temper of her pen, The husbandman, whose forage faileth him, Rises, and looks, and seeth the champaign All gleaming white, whereat he beats his flank, 10/Returns in doors, and up and down laments, Like a poor wretch, who knows not what to do; Then he returns and hope revives again, Seeing the world has changed its countenance In little time, and takes his shepherd's crook, And forth the little lambs to pasture drives. Thus did the Master fill me with alarm, When I beheld his forehead so disturbed, And to the ailment came as soon the plaster. For as we came unto the ruined bridge, 20/The Leader turned to me with that sweet look Which at the mountain's foot I first beheld. His arms he opened, after some advisement Within himself elected, looking first Well at the ruin, and laid hold of me. And even as he who acts and meditates, For aye it seems that he provides beforehand, So upward lifting me towards the summit Of a huge rock, he scanned another crag, Saying: 'We've got to climb up there, 30/You first, see if it can hold our weight.' This was no way for one clothed with a cloak; For hardly we, he light, and I pushed upward, Were able to ascend from jag to jag. And had it not been, that upon that precinct Shorter was the ascent than on the other, He I know not, but I had been dead beat. But because Malebolge tow'rds the mouth Of the profoundest well is all inclining, The structure of each valley doth import 40/That one bank rises and the other sinks. Still we arrived at length upon the point Wherefrom the last stone breaks itself asunder. The breath was from my lungs so milked away, When I was up, that I could go no farther, Nay, I sat down upon my first arrival. 'Don't you fade on me now, pretty boy.' My Master said; 'Don't you know that Rest and relaxation makes you soft? As the kids say today, do you even lift? 50/You need to pump iron and run miles, Build your body up to a MACHO state. So get up off of the ground, slacker! Raise your spirits, act tough! Don't be a spineless slug, man! You're going to have to climb more stairs; This is just the beginning, let me tell you; If you hear me, then you'll prepare yourself.' Then I uprose, showing myself provided Better with breath than I did feel myself, 60/And said: 'Go on, for I am strong and bold.' Upward we took our way along the crag, Which jagged was, and narrow, and difficult, And more precipitous far than that before. Speaking I went, not to appear exhausted; Whereat a voice from the next moat came forth, Not well adapted to articulate words. I know not what it said, though o'er the back I now was of the arch that passes there; But he seemed moved to anger who was speaking. 70/I was bent downward, but my living eyes Could not attain the bottom, for the dark; Wherefore I: 'Master, see that thou arrive At the next round, and let us descend the wall; For as from hence I hear and understand not, So I look down and nothing I distinguish.' 'Don't talk,' he said, 'for a while, Seriously. You fill the air with nose And not the type of madness that I love.' We from the bridge descended at its head, 80/Where it connects itself with the eighth bank, And then was manifest to me the Bolgia; And I beheld therein a terrible throng Of serpents, and of such a monstrous kind, That the remembrance still congeals my blood Let Libya boast no longer with her sand; For if Chelydri, Jaculi, and Phareae She breeds, with Cenchri and with Amphisbaena, Neither so many plagues nor so malignant E'er showed she with all Ethiopia, 90/Nor with whatever on the Red Sea is! Among this cruel and most dismal throng People were running naked and affrighted. Without the hope of hole or heliotrope. They had their hands with serpents bound behind them; These riveted upon their reins the tail And head, and were in front of them entwined. And lo! at one who was upon our side There darted forth a serpent, which transfixed him There where the neck is knotted to the shoulders. 100/Nor 'O' so quickly e'er, nor 'I' was written, As he took fire, and burned; and ashes wholly Behoved it that in falling he became. And when he on the ground was thus destroyed, The ashes drew together, and of themselves Into himself they instantly returned. Even thus by the great sages 'tis confessed The phoenix dies, and then is born again, When it approaches its five-hundredth year; On herb or grain it feeds not in its life, 110/But only on tears of incense and amomum, And nard and myrrh are its last winding-sheet. And as he is who falls, and knows not how, By force of demons who to earth down drag him, Or other oppilation that binds man, When he arises and around him looks, Wholly bewildered by the mighty anguish Which he has suffered, and in looking sighs; Such was that sinner after he had risen. Justice of God! O how severe it is, 120/That blows like these in vengeance poureth down! The Guide thereafter asked him who he was; Whence he replied: 'I rained from Tuscany A short time since into this cruel gorge. A bestial life, and not a human, pleased me, Even as the mule I was; I'm Vanni Fucci, Beast, and Pistoia was my worthy den.' And I unto the Guide: 'Tell him to stir not, And ask what crime has thrust him here below, For once a man of blood and wrath I saw him.' 130/And the sinner, who had heard, dissembled not, But unto me directed mind and face, And with a melancholy shame was painted. Then said: 'It pains me more that thou hast caught me Amid this misery where thou seest me, Than when I from the other life was taken. What thou demandest I cannot deny; So low am I put down because I robbed The sacristy of the fair ornaments, And falsely once 'twas laid upon another; 140/But that thou mayst not such a sight enjoy, If thou shalt e'er be out of the dark places, Thine ears to my announcement ope and hear: Pistoia first of Neri groweth meagre; Then Florence doth renew her men and manners; Mars draws a vapour up from Val di Magra, Which is with turbid clouds enveloped round, And with impetuous and bitter tempest Over Campo Picen shall be the battle; When it shall suddenly rend the mist asunder, 150/So that each Bianco shall thereby be smitten. And this I've said that it may give thee pain.' !CANTO XXV. At the conclusion of his words, the thief Lifted his hands aloft with both the figs, Crying: 'Take that, God, for at thee I aim them.' From that time forth the serpents were my friends; For one entwined itself about his neck As if it said: 'I will not thou speak more;' And round his arms another, and rebound him, Clinching itself together so in front, That with them he could not a motion make. 10/Pistoia, ah, Pistoia! why resolve not To burn thyself to ashes and so perish, Since in ill-doing thou thy seed excellest? Through all the sombre circles of this Hell, Spirit I saw not against God so proud, Not he who fell at Thebes down from the walls! He fled away, and spake no further word; And I beheld a Centaur full of rage Come crying out: 'Where is, where is the scoffer?' I do not think Maremma has so many 20/Serpents as he had all along his back, As far as where our countenance begins. Upon the shoulders, just behind the nape, With wings wide open was a dragon lying, And he sets fire to all that he encounters. My Master said: 'That guy is Cacus. It's said that when he was alive He created a lake of blood. METAL! He and his brothers are all here together Because they were thieves and brigands, 30/They stole some cows or sheep or something; They messed with the wrong guy it seems, Hercules beat them to death with a mace, It was pretty gnarly if I may say so.' While he was speaking thus, he had passed by, And spirits three had underneath us come, Of which nor I aware was, nor my Leader, Until what time they shouted: 'Who are you?' On which account our story made a halt, And then we were intent on them alone. 40/I did not know them; but it came to pass, As it is wont to happen by some chance, That one to name the other was compelled, Exclaiming: 'Where can Cianfa have remained?' Whence I, so that the Leader might attend, Upward from chin to nose my finger laid. If thou art, Reader, slow now to believe What I shall say, it will no marvel be, For I who saw it hardly can admit it. As I was holding raised on them my brows, 50/Behold! a serpent with six feet darts forth In front of one, and fastens wholly on him. With middle feet it bound him round the paunch, And with the forward ones his arms it seized; Then thrust its teeth through one cheek and the other; The hindermost it stretched upon his thighs, And put its tail through in between the two, And up behind along the reins outspread it. Ivy was never fastened by its barbs Unto a tree so, as this horrible reptile 60/Upon the other's limbs entwined its own. Then they stuck close, as if of heated wax They had been made, and intermixed their colour; Nor one nor other seemed now what he was; E'en as proceedeth on before the flame Upward along the paper a brown colour, Which is not black as yet, and the white dies. The other two looked on, and each of them Cried out: 'O me, Agnello, how thou changest! Behold, thou now art neither two nor one.' 70/Already the two heads had one become, When there appeared to us two figures mingled Into one face, wherein the two were lost. Of the four lists were fashioned the two arms, The thighs and legs, the belly and the chest Members became that never yet were seen. Every original aspect there was cancelled; Two and yet none did the perverted image Appear, and such departed with slow pace. Even as a lizard, under the great scourge 80/Of days canicular, exchanging hedge, Lightning appeareth if the road it cross; Thus did appear, coming towards the bellies Of the two others, a small fiery serpent, Livid and black as is a peppercorn. And in that part whereat is first received Our aliment, it one of them transfixed; Then downward fell in front of him extended. The one transfixed looked at it, but said naught; Nay, rather with feet motionless he yawned, 90/Just as if sleep or fever had assailed him. He at the serpent gazed, and it at him; One through the wound, the other through the mouth Smoked violently, and the smoke commingled. Henceforth be silent Lucan, where he mentions Wretched Sabellus and Nassidius, And wait to hear what now shall be shot forth. Be silent Ovid, of Cadmus and Arethusa; For if him to a snake, her to fountain, Converts he fabling, that I grudge him not; 100/Because two natures never front to front Has he transmuted, so that both the forms To interchange their matter ready were. Together they responded in such wise, That to a fork the serpent cleft his tail, And eke the wounded drew his feet together. The legs together with the thighs themselves Adhered so, that in little time the juncture No sign whatever made that was apparent. He with the cloven tail assumed the figure 110/The other one was losing, and his skin Became elastic, and the other's hard. I saw the arms draw inward at the armpits, And both feet of the reptile, that were short, Lengthen as much as those contracted were. Thereafter the hind feet, together twisted, Became the member that a man conceals, And of his own the wretch had two created. While both of them the exhalation veils With a new colour, and engenders hair 120/On one of them and depilates the other, The one uprose and down the other fell, Though turning not away their impious lamps, Underneath which each one his muzzle changed. He who was standing drew it tow'rds the temples, And from excess of matter, which came thither, Issued the ears from out the hollow cheeks; What did not backward run and was retained Of that excess made to the face a nose, And the lips thickened far as was befitting. 130/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, 140/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, 150/Which came in the beginning, was not changed; The other was he whom thou, Gaville, weepest. !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. 10/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, 20/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, 30/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, 40/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: 'They're all in the fire there; They bathe in the fire even though it burns.' 'My Master,' I replied, 'by hearing thee 50/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: 'Some pretty famous guys: Ulysses and Diomed, the Greek heroes You probably read about them in high school. It turns out that making the Trojan Horse Was weirdly interpreted as a sort of lie 60/And so they get to burn in Hell. Oops. I suspect this plot point has to do With the fact that Dante was Italian, So he felt bad about Troy getting sacked.' '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.' 70/And he to me: 'Hey, now you're getting it, Good on you kid, that's the spirit now; But hold your tongue for one macho minute. Let me talk for a bit, because I think I know What you want to hear about, and why that is. I've been around long enough to guess.' 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: 'Wubba wubba, magical fire! Tell me! 80/I, the Macho Man, demand of you! Reveal your secrets! Tell us stories! Wumbo wumbo, magical fire! Tell me! If you don't help me out right now I will dump water on you! Beware!' 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, 90/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; 100/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. 110/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, 120/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. 130/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, 140/At the fourth time it made the stern uplift, And the prow downward go, as pleased Another, Until the sea above us closed again.' !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) 10/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 20/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 30/Urbino and the yoke whence Tiber bursts.' I still was downward bent and listening, When my Conductor touched me on the side, Saying: 'This one is Italian like you.' 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 open war I none have left there now. 40/Ravenna stands as it long years has stood; The Eagle of Polenta there is brooding, So that she covers Cervia with her vans. The city which once made the long resistance, And of the French a sanguinary heap, Beneath the Green Paws finds itself again; Verrucchio's ancient Mastiff and the new, Who made such bad disposal of Montagna, Where they are wont make wimbles of their teeth. The cities of Lamone and Santerno 50/Governs the Lioncel of the white lair, Who changes sides 'twixt summer-time and winter; And that of which the Savio bathes the flank, Even as it lies between the plain and mountain, Lives between tyranny and a free state. Now I entreat thee tell us who thou art; Be not more stubborn than the rest have been, So may thy name hold front there in the world.' After the fire a little more had roared In its own fashion, the sharp point it moved 60/This way and that, and then gave forth such breath: 'If I believed that my reply were made To one who to the world would e'er return, This flame without more flickering would stand still; But inasmuch as never from this depth Did any one return, if I hear true, Without the fear of infamy I answer, I was a man of arms, then Cordelier, Believing thus begirt to make amends; And truly my belief had been fulfilled 70/But for the High Priest, whom may ill betide, Who put me back into my former sins; And how and wherefore I will have thee hear. While I was still the form of bone and pulp My mother gave to me, the deeds I did Were not those of a lion, but a fox. The machinations and the covert ways I knew them all, and practised so their craft, That to the ends of earth the sound went forth. When now unto that portion of mine age 80/I saw myself arrived, when each one ought To lower the sails, and coil away the ropes, That which before had pleased me then displeased me; And penitent and confessing I surrendered, Ah woe is me! and it would have bestead me; The Leader of the modern Pharisees Having a war near unto Lateran, And not with Saracens nor with the Jews, For each one of his enemies was Christian, And none of them had been to conquer Acre, 90/Nor merchandising in the Sultan's land, Nor the high office, nor the sacred orders, In him regarded, nor in me that cord Which used to make those girt with it more meagre; But even as Constantine sought out Sylvester To cure his leprosy, within Soracte, So this one sought me out as an adept To cure him of the fever of his pride. Counsel he asked of me, and I was silent, Because his words appeared inebriate. 100/And then he said: 'Be not thy heart afraid; Henceforth I thee absolve; and thou instruct me How to raze Palestrina to the ground. Heaven have I power to lock and to unlock, As thou dost know; therefore the keys are two, The which my predecessor held not dear.' Then urged me on his weighty arguments There, where my silence was the worst advice; And said I: 'Father, since thou washest me Of that sin into which I now must fall, 110/The promise long with the fulfilment short Will make thee triumph in thy lofty seat.' Francis came afterward, when I was dead, For me; but one of the black Cherubim Said to him: 'Take him not; do me no wrong; He must come down among my servitors, Because he gave the fraudulent advice From which time forth I have been at his hair; For who repents not cannot be absolved, Nor can one both repent and will at once, 120/Because of the contradiction which consents not.' O miserable me! how I did shudder When he seized on me, saying: 'Peradventure Thou didst not think that I was a logician!' He bore me unto Minos, who entwined Eight times his tail about his stubborn back, And after he had bitten it in great rage, Said: 'Of the thievish fire a culprit this;' Wherefore, here where thou seest, am I lost, And vested thus in going I bemoan me.' 130/When it had thus completed its recital, The flame departed uttering lamentations, Writhing and flapping its sharp-pointed horn. Onward we passed, both I and my Conductor, Up o'er the crag above another arch, Which the moat covers, where is paid the fee By those who, sowing discord, win their burden. !CANTO XXVIII. Who ever could, e'en with untrammelled words, Tell of the blood and of the wounds in full Which now I saw, by many times narrating? Each tongue would for a certainty fall short By reason of our speech and memory, That have small room to comprehend so much. If were again assembled all the people Which formerly upon the fateful land Of Puglia were lamenting for their blood 10/Shed by the Romans and the lingering war That of the rings made such illustrious spoils, As Livy has recorded, who errs not, With those who felt the agony of blows By making counterstand to Robert Guiscard, And all the rest, whose bones are gathered still At Ceperano, where a renegade Was each Apulian, and at Tagliacozzo, Where without arms the old Alardo conquered, And one his limb transpierced, and one lopped off, 20/Should show, it would be nothing to compare With the disgusting mode of the ninth Bolgia. A cask by losing centre-piece or cant Was never shattered so, as I saw one Rent from the chin to where one breaketh wind. Between his legs were hanging down his entrails; His heart was visible, and the dismal sack That maketh excrement of what is eaten. While I was all absorbed in seeing him, He looked at me, and opened with his hands 30/His bosom, saying: 'See now how I rend me; How mutilated, see, is Mahomet; In front of me doth Ali weeping go, Cleft in the face from forelock unto chin; And all the others whom thou here beholdest, Disseminators of scandal and of schism While living were, and therefore are cleft thus. A devil is behind here, who doth cleave us Thus cruelly, unto the falchion's edge Putting again each one of all this ream, 40/When we have gone around the doleful road; By reason that our wounds are closed again Ere any one in front of him repass. But who art thou, that musest on the crag, Perchance to postpone going to the pain That is adjudged upon thine accusations?' 'He's not dead yet, and he's not a sinner,' My Master made reply, 'here for punishment; He's just here for the sightseeing. I, on the other hand, am dead, his guide. 50/I'm showing him the ropes of the place; Because God asked me to do this favor.' More than a hundred were there when they heard him, Who in the moat stood still to look at me, Through wonderment oblivious of their torture. 'Now say to Fra Dolcino, then, to arm him, Thou, who perhaps wilt shortly see the sun, If soon he wish not here to follow me, So with provisions, that no stress of snow May give the victory to the Novarese, 60/Which otherwise to gain would not be easy.' After one foot to go away he lifted, This word did Mahomet say unto me, Then to depart upon the ground he stretched it. Another one, who had his throat pierced through, And nose cut off close underneath the brows, And had no longer but a single ear, Staying to look in wonder with the others, Before the others did his gullet open, Which outwardly was red in every part, 70/And said: 'O thou, whom guilt doth not condemn, And whom I once saw up in Latian land, Unless too great similitude deceive me, Call to remembrance Pier da Medicina, If e'er thou see again the lovely plain That from Vercelli slopes to Marcabo, And make it known to the best two of Fano, To Messer Guido and Angiolello likewise, That if foreseeing here be not in vain, Cast over from their vessel shall they be, 80/And drowned near unto the Cattolica, By the betrayal of a tyrant fell. Between the isles of Cyprus and Majorca Neptune ne'er yet beheld so great a crime, Neither of pirates nor Argolic people. That traitor, who sees only with one eye, And holds the land, which some one here with me Would fain be fasting from the vision of, Will make them come unto a parley with him; Then will do so, that to Focara's wind 90/They will not stand in need of vow or prayer.' And I to him: 'Show to me and declare, If thou wouldst have me bear up news of thee, Who is this person of the bitter vision.' Then did he lay his hand upon the jaw Of one of his companions, and his mouth Oped, crying: 'This is he, and he speaks not. This one, being banished, every doubt submerged In Caesar by affirming the forearmed Always with detriment allowed delay.' 100/O how bewildered unto me appeared, With tongue asunder in his windpipe slit, Curio, who in speaking was so bold! And one, who both his hands dissevered had, The stumps uplifting through the murky air, So that the blood made horrible his face, Cried out: 'Thou shalt remember Mosca also, Who said, alas! 'A thing done has an end!' Which was an ill seed for the Tuscan people.' 'And death unto thy race,' thereto I added; 110/Whence he, accumulating woe on woe, Departed, like a person sad and crazed. But I remained to look upon the crowd; And saw a thing which I should be afraid, Without some further proof, even to recount, If it were not that conscience reassures me, That good companion which emboldens man Beneath the hauberk of its feeling pure. I truly saw, and still I seem to see it, A trunk without a head walk in like manner 120/As walked the others of the mournful herd. And by the hair it held the head dissevered, Hung from the hand in fashion of a lantern, And that upon us gazed and said: 'O me!' It of itself made to itself a lamp, And they were two in one, and one in two; How that can be, He knows who so ordains it. When it was come close to the bridge's foot, It lifted high its arm with all the head, To bring more closely unto us its words, 130/Which were: 'Behold now the sore penalty, Thou, who dost breathing go the dead beholding; Behold if any be as great as this. And so that thou may carry news of me, Know that Bertram de Born am I, the same Who gave to the Young King the evil comfort. I made the father and the son rebellious; Achitophel not more with Absalom And David did with his accursed goadings. Because I parted persons so united, 140/Parted do I now bear my brain, alas! From its beginning, which is in this trunk. Thus is observed in me the counterpoise.' !CANTO XXIX. The many people and the divers wounds These eyes of mine had so inebriated, That they were wishful to stand still and weep; But said Randius: 'What are you still looking at? What is there possibly of interest Down in the writhing ghost-men? You never stared like this before now; We still have a long road to walk, Twenty-two miles yet to go! Hurry! 10/It's already past midnright! See the moon? We have only a short amount of time left, So come on buckaroo, we gotta jet.' 'If thou hadst,' I made answer thereupon, 'Attended to the cause for which I looked, Perhaps a longer stay thou wouldst have pardoned.' Meanwhile my Guide departed, and behind him I went, already making my reply, And superadding: 'In that cavern where I held mine eyes with such attention fixed, 20/I think a spirit of my blood laments The sin which down below there costs so much.' Then said the Master: 'Don't think about it. Keep your eyes on the prize and move on; He isn't going anywhere, and you are; That is one of the advantages of being alive, You get to go to other places than this one And don't have to be stuck in one location. Just think of the places you could go! Albania, Morocco, Thailand, Space. Space! 30/You could go to Space! Space is the place.' 'O my Conductor, his own violent death, Which is not yet avenged for him,' I said, 'By any who is sharer in the shame, Made him disdainful; whence he went away, As I imagine, without speaking to me, And thereby made me pity him the more.' Thus did we speak as far as the first place Upon the crag, which the next valley shows Down to the bottom, if there were more light. 40/When we were now right over the last cloister Of Malebolge, so that its lay-brothers Could manifest themselves unto our sight, Divers lamentings pierced me through and through, Which with compassion had their arrows barbed, Whereat mine ears I covered with my hands. What pain would be, if from the hospitals Of Valdichiana, 'twixt July and September, And of Maremma and Sardinia All the diseases in one moat were gathered, 50/Such was it here, and such a stench came from it As from putrescent limbs is wont to issue. We had descended on the furthest bank From the long crag, upon the left hand still, And then more vivid was my power of sight Down tow'rds the bottom, where the ministress Of the high Lord, Justice infallible, Punishes forgers, which she here records. I do not think a sadder sight to see Was in Aegina the whole people sick, 60/(When was the air so full of pestilence, The animals, down to the little worm, All fell, and afterwards the ancient people, According as the poets have affirmed, Were from the seed of ants restored again,) Than was it to behold through that dark valley The spirits languishing in divers heaps. This on the belly, that upon the back One of the other lay, and others crawling Shifted themselves along the dismal road. 70/We step by step went onward without speech, Gazing upon and listening to the sick Who had not strength enough to lift their bodies. I saw two sitting leaned against each other, As leans in heating platter against platter, From head to foot bespotted o'er with scabs; And never saw I plied a currycomb By stable-boy for whom his master waits, Or him who keeps awake unwillingly, As every one was plying fast the bite 80/Of nails upon himself, for the great rage Of itching which no other succour had. And the nails downward with them dragged the scab, In fashion as a knife the scales of bream, Or any other fish that has them largest. 'Hey you! Yeah, yous with the fingers,' Began my Leader unto one of them, 'The finger-guys who pinch sometimes, Are any of you Italians by chance? My buddy here likes talking to Italians, 90/Not that he's racist or anything.' 'Latians are we, whom thou so wasted seest, Both of us here,' one weeping made reply; 'But who art thou, that questionest about us?' And said the Guide: 'I am the Macho Man! With boldness I leap from cliff to cliff, And I intend to show Hell to this guy.' Then broken was their mutual support, And trembling each one turned himself to me, With others who had heard him by rebound. 100/Wholly to me did the good Master gather, Saying: 'Now you can talk to them.' And I began, since he would have it so: 'So may your memory not steal away In the first world from out the minds of men, But so may it survive 'neath many suns, Say to me who ye are, and of what people; Let not your foul and loathsome punishment Make you afraid to show yourselves to me.' 'I of Arezzo was,' one made reply, 110/'And Albert of Siena had me burned; But what I died for does not bring me here. 'Tis true I said to him, speaking in jest, That I could rise by flight into the air, And he who had conceit, but little wit, Would have me show to him the art; and only Because no Daedalus I made him, made me Be burned by one who held him as his son. But unto the last Bolgia of the ten, For alchemy, which in the world I practised, 120/Minos, who cannot err, has me condemned.' And to the Poet said I: 'Now was ever So vain a people as the Sienese? Not for a certainty the French by far.' Whereat the other leper, who had heard me, Replied unto my speech: 'Taking out Stricca, Who knew the art of moderate expenses, And Niccolo, who the luxurious use Of cloves discovered earliest of all Within that garden where such seed takes root; 130/And taking out the band, among whom squandered Caccia d'Ascian his vineyards and vast woods, And where his wit the Abbagliato proffered! But, that thou know who thus doth second thee Against the Sienese, make sharp thine eye Tow'rds me, so that my face well answer thee, And thou shalt see I am Capocchio's shade, Who metals falsified by alchemy; Thou must remember, if I well descry thee, How I a skilful ape of nature was.' !CANTO XXX. 'Twas at the time when Juno was enraged, For Semele, against the Theban blood, As she already more than once had shown, So reft of reason Athamas became, That, seeing his own wife with children twain Walking encumbered upon either hand, He cried: 'Spread out the nets, that I may take The lioness and her whelps upon the passage;' And then extended his unpitying claws, 10/Seizing the first, who had the name Learchus, And whirled him round, and dashed him on a rock; And she, with the other burthen, drowned herself;-- And at the time when fortune downward hurled The Trojan's arrogance, that all things dared, So that the king was with his kingdom crushed, Hecuba sad, disconsolate, and captive, When lifeless she beheld Polyxena, And of her Polydorus on the shore Of ocean was the dolorous one aware, 20/Out of her senses like a dog she barked, So much the anguish had her mind distorted; But not of Thebes the furies nor the Trojan Were ever seen in any one so cruel In goading beasts, and much more human members, As I beheld two shadows pale and naked, Who, biting, in the manner ran along That a boar does, when from the sty turned loose. One to Capocchio came, and by the nape Seized with its teeth his neck, so that in dragging 30/It made his belly grate the solid bottom. And the Aretine, who trembling had remained, Said to me: 'That mad sprite is Gianni Schicchi, And raving goes thus harrying other people.' 'O,' said I to him, 'so may not the other Set teeth on thee, let it not weary thee To tell us who it is, ere it dart hence.' And he to me: 'That is the ancient ghost Of the nefarious Myrrha, who became Beyond all rightful love her father's lover. 40/She came to sin with him after this manner, By counterfeiting of another's form; As he who goeth yonder undertook, That he might gain the lady of the herd, To counterfeit in himself Buoso Donati, Making a will and giving it due form.' And after the two maniacs had passed On whom I held mine eye, I turned it back To look upon the other evil-born. I saw one made in fashion of a lute, 50/If he had only had the groin cut off Just at the point at which a man is forked. The heavy dropsy, that so disproportions The limbs with humours, which it ill concocts, That the face corresponds not to the belly, Compelled him so to hold his lips apart As does the hectic, who because of thirst One tow'rds the chin, the other upward turns. 'O ye, who without any torment are, And why I know not, in the world of woe,' 60/He said to us, 'behold, and be attentive Unto the misery of Master Adam; I had while living much of what I wished, And now, alas! a drop of water crave. The rivulets, that from the verdant hills Of Cassentin descend down into Arno, Making their channels to be cold and moist, Ever before me stand, and not in vain; For far more doth their image dry me up Than the disease which strips my face of flesh. 70/The rigid justice that chastises me Draweth occasion from the place in which I sinned, to put the more my sighs in flight. There is Romena, where I counterfeited The currency imprinted with the Baptist, For which I left my body burned above. But if I here could see the tristful soul Of Guido, or Alessandro, or their brother, For Branda's fount I would not give the sight. One is within already, if the raving 80/Shades that are going round about speak truth; But what avails it me, whose limbs are tied? If I were only still so light, that in A hundred years I could advance one inch, I had already started on the way, Seeking him out among this squalid folk, Although the circuit be eleven miles, And be not less than half a mile across. For them am I in such a family; They did induce me into coining florins, 90/Which had three carats of impurity.' And I to him: 'Who are the two poor wretches That smoke like unto a wet hand in winter, Lying there close upon thy right-hand confines?' 'I found them here,' replied he, 'when I rained Into this chasm, and since they have not turned, Nor do I think they will for evermore. One the false woman is who accused Joseph, The other the false Sinon, Greek of Troy; From acute fever they send forth such reek.' 100/And one of them, who felt himself annoyed At being, peradventure, named so darkly, Smote with the fist upon his hardened paunch. It gave a sound, as if it were a drum; And Master Adam smote him in the face, With arm that did not seem to be less hard, Saying to him: 'Although be taken from me All motion, for my limbs that heavy are, I have an arm unfettered for such need.' Whereat he answer made: 'When thou didst go 110/Unto the fire, thou hadst it not so ready: But hadst it so and more when thou wast coining.' The dropsical: 'Thou sayest true in that; But thou wast not so true a witness there, Where thou wast questioned of the truth at Troy.' 'If I spake false, thou falsifiedst the coin,' Said Sinon; 'and for one fault I am here, And thou for more than any other demon.' 'Remember, perjurer, about the horse,' He made reply who had the swollen belly, 120/'And rueful be it thee the whole world knows it.' 'Rueful to thee the thirst be wherewith cracks Thy tongue,' the Greek said, 'and the putrid water That hedges so thy paunch before thine eyes.' Then the false-coiner: 'So is gaping wide Thy mouth for speaking evil, as 'tis wont; Because if I have thirst, and humour stuff me Thou hast the burning and the head that aches, And to lick up the mirror of Narcissus Thou wouldst not want words many to invite thee.' 130/In listening to them was I wholly fixed, When said the Master to me: 'Just look, Don't speak, or I'll get mad at you.' When him I heard in anger speak to me, I turned me round towards him with such shame That still it eddies through my memory. And as he is who dreams of his own harm, Who dreaming wishes it may be a dream, So that he craves what is, as if it were not; Such I became, not having power to speak, 140/For to excuse myself I wished, and still Excused myself, and did not think I did it. 'People have felt less bad over worse sins,' The Master said, 'than you have committed; So don't beat yourself up about it, Remember that the Macho Man is beside you, And that while we are together all is well Take this knowledge and with it be secure; And in the future ignore boring gossipheads.' !CANTO XXXI. One and the selfsame tongue first wounded me, So that it tinged the one cheek and the other, And then held out to me the medicine; Thus do I hear that once Achilles' spear, His and his father's, used to be the cause First of a sad and then a gracious boon. We turned our backs upon the wretched valley, Upon the bank that girds it round about, Going across it without any speech. 10/There it was less than night, and less than day, So that my sight went little in advance; But I could hear the blare of a loud horn, So loud it would have made each thunder faint, Which, counter to it following its way, Mine eyes directed wholly to one place. After the dolorous discomfiture When Charlemagne the holy emprise lost, So terribly Orlando sounded not. Short while my head turned thitherward I held 20/When many lofty towers I seemed to see, Whereat I: 'Master, say, what town is this?' And he to me: 'You're looking far ahead Into what is deep and black darkness, I think you don't know what you see. When we get there you will find out, How wrong you are about what you see; So I'll say yet again: keep moving.' Then tenderly he took me by the hand, And said: 'Before we go any further, 30/To prep you for what is coming up, I'm going to tell you right now what to expect, Those things are giants yo, not towers. They're huge. Don't mess with them.' As, when the fog is vanishing away, Little by little doth the sight refigure Whate'er the mist that crowds the air conceals, So, piercing through the dense and darksome air, More and more near approaching tow'rd the verge, My error fled, and fear came over me; 40/Because as on its circular parapets Montereggione crowns itself with towers, E'en thus the margin which surrounds the well With one half of their bodies turreted The horrible giants, whom Jove menaces E'en now from out the heavens when he thunders. And I of one already saw the face, Shoulders, and breast, and great part of the belly, And down along his sides both of the arms. Certainly Nature, when she left the making 50/Of animals like these, did well indeed, By taking such executors from Mars; And if of elephants and whales she doth not Repent her, whosoever looketh subtly More just and more discreet will hold her for it; For where the argument of intellect Is added unto evil will and power, No rampart can the people make against it. His face appeared to me as long and large As is at Rome the pine-cone of Saint Peter's, 60/And in proportion were the other bones; So that the margin, which an apron was Down from the middle, showed so much of him Above it, that to reach up to his hair Three Frieslanders in vain had vaunted them; For I beheld thirty great palms of him Down from the place where man his mantle buckles. 'Raphael mai amech izabi almi,' Began to clamour the ferocious mouth, To which were not befitting sweeter psalms. 70/And unto him my Guide: 'Idiot soul, Get away from us and blow your horn, Whenever you are feeling out of sorts. It's hanging around your neck, you fool I know you're too stupid to remember this, But if you look down you'll surely find it.' Then said to me: 'This guy is The Worst; His name is Nimrod and he lives up to it. He barely is able to understand words. Don't bother talking to him, it's pointless; 80/He will probably just get mad and confused That's what always happens. I would know.' Therefore a longer journey did we make, Turned to the left, and a crossbow-shot oft We found another far more fierce and large. In binding him, who might the master be I cannot say; but he had pinioned close Behind the right arm, and in front the other, With chains, that held him so begirt about From the neck down, that on the part uncovered 90/It wound itself as far as the fifth gyre. 'This cocky fellow decided to pick a fight And pit his own strength against Jupiter,' My Leader said, 'the God, not the planet. Ephialtes is his name; and he was strong. But not strong enough to defeat Zeus; So now he's chained here like a sucker.' And I to him: 'If possible, I should wish That of the measureless Briareus These eyes of mine might have experience.' 100/Whence he replied: 'You'll get to see Antaeus He's close by and free to speak with us, Lucky for him he never was chained up. Further past him is the one you mentioned, He is bound, much like Ephialtes here, Except Briareus is way more fearsome.' There never was an earthquake of such might That it could shake a tower so violently, As Ephialtes suddenly shook himself. Then was I more afraid of death than ever, 110/For nothing more was needful than the fear, If I had not beheld the manacles. Then we proceeded farther in advance, And to Antaeus came, who, full five ells Without the head, forth issued from the cavern. 'Hey Antaeus buddy, long time no see! How's it going down here? Still sucky? That's a shame. Look, this here is Dante. I'm guiding his sorry rear through Hell, And we need a little bit of help from you. 120/Do you think you could lend us a hand? It would take us a long time of traveling Whereas if you could grap and pick us up, We could make some really excellent time. Don't forget that you owe me Antaeus, I never collected on last month's poker game; And if you do this for us I'll call us square. Plus there's something in it for you as well; This guy is alive; when he goes back to Earth, He'll totally tell everybody how cool you are.' 130/So said the Master; and in haste the other His hands extended and took up my Guide,-- Hands whose great pressure Hercules once felt. Virgilius, when he felt himself embraced, Said unto me: 'Come on buddy, grab my hand;' Then of himself and me one bundle made. As seems the Carisenda, to behold Beneath the leaning side, when goes a cloud Above it so that opposite it hangs; Such did Antaeus seem to me, who stood 140/Watching to see him stoop, and then it was I could have wished to go some other way. But lightly in the abyss, which swallows up Judas with Lucifer, he put us down; Nor thus bowed downward made he there delay, But, as a mast does in a ship, uprose. !CANTO XXXII. If I had rhymes both rough and stridulous, As were appropriate to the dismal hole Down upon which thrust all the other rocks, I would press out the juice of my conception More fully; but because I have them not, Not without fear I bring myself to speak; For 'tis no enterprise to take in jest, To sketch the bottom of all the universe, Nor for a tongue that cries Mamma and Babbo. 10/But may those Ladies help this verse of mine, Who helped Amphion in enclosing Thebes, That from the fact the word be not diverse. O rabble ill-begotten above all, Who're in the place to speak of which is hard, 'Twere better ye had here been sheep or goats! When we were down within the darksome well, Beneath the giant's feet, but lower far, And I was scanning still the lofty wall, I heard it said to me: 'Look how thou steppest! 20/Take heed thou do not trample with thy feet The heads of the tired, miserable brothers!' Whereat I turned me round, and saw before me And underfoot a lake, that from the frost The semblance had of glass, and not of water. So thick a veil ne'er made upon its current In winter-time Danube in Austria, Nor there beneath the frigid sky the Don, As there was here; so that if Tambernich Had fallen upon it, or Pietrapana, 30/E'en at the edge 'twould not have given a creak. And as to croak the frog doth place himself With muzzle out of water,--when is dreaming Of gleaning oftentimes the peasant-girl,-- Livid, as far down as where shame appears, Were the disconsolate shades within the ice, Setting their teeth unto the note of storks. Each one his countenance held downward bent; From mouth the cold, from eyes the doleful heart Among them witness of itself procures. 40/When round about me somewhat I had looked, I downward turned me, and saw two so close, The hair upon their heads together mingled. 'Ye who so strain your breasts together, tell me,' I said, 'who are you;' and they bent their necks, And when to me their faces they had lifted, Their eyes, which first were only moist within, Gushed o'er the eyelids, and the frost congealed The tears between, and locked them up again. Clamp never bound together wood with wood 50/So strongly; whereat they, like two he-goats, Butted together, so much wrath o'ercame them. And one, who had by reason of the cold Lost both his ears, still with his visage downward, Said: 'Why dost thou so mirror thyself in us? If thou desire to know who these two are, The valley whence Bisenzio descends Belonged to them and to their father Albert. They from one body came, and all Caina Thou shalt search through, and shalt not find a shade 60/More worthy to be fixed in gelatine; Not he in whom were broken breast and shadow At one and the same blow by Arthur's hand; Focaccia not; not he who me encumbers So with his head I see no farther forward, And bore the name of Sassol Mascheroni; Well knowest thou who he was, if thou art Tuscan. And that thou put me not to further speech, Know that I Camicion de' Pazzi was, And wait Carlino to exonerate me.' 70/Then I beheld a thousand faces, made Purple with cold; whence o'er me comes a shudder, And evermore will come, at frozen ponds. And while we were advancing tow'rds the middle, Where everything of weight unites together, And I was shivering in the eternal shade, Whether 'twere will, or destiny, or chance, I know not; but in walking 'mong the heads I struck my foot hard in the face of one. Weeping he growled: 'Why dost thou trample me? 80/Unless thou comest to increase the vengeance of Montaperti, why dost thou molest me?' And I: 'My Master, now wait here for me, That I through him may issue from a doubt; Then thou mayst hurry me, as thou shalt wish.' The Leader stopped; and to that one I said Who was blaspheming vehemently still: 'Who art thou, that thus reprehendest others?' 'Now who art thou, that goest through Antenora Smiting,' replied he, 'other people's cheeks, 90/So that, if thou wert living, 'twere too much?' 'Living I am, and dear to thee it may be,' Was my response, 'if thou demandest fame, That 'mid the other notes thy name I place.' And he to me: 'For the reverse I long; Take thyself hence, and give me no more trouble; For ill thou knowest to flatter in this hollow.' Then by the scalp behind I seized upon him, And said: 'It must needs be thou name thyself, Or not a hair remain upon thee here.' 100/Whence he to me: 'Though thou strip off my hair, I will not tell thee who I am, nor show thee, If on my head a thousand times thou fall.' I had his hair in hand already twisted, And more than one shock of it had pulled out, He barking, with his eyes held firmly down, When cried another: 'What doth ail thee, Bocca? Is't not enough to clatter with thy jaws, But thou must bark? what devil touches thee?' 'Now,' said I, 'I care not to have thee speak, 110/Accursed traitor; for unto thy shame I will report of thee veracious news.' 'Begone,' replied he, 'and tell what thou wilt, But be not silent, if thou issue hence, Of him who had just now his tongue so prompt; He weepeth here the silver of the French; 'I saw,' thus canst thou phrase it, 'him of Duera There where the sinners stand out in the cold.' If thou shouldst questioned be who else was there, Thou hast beside thee him of Beccaria, 120/Of whom the gorget Florence slit asunder; Gianni del Soldanier, I think, may be Yonder with Ganellon, and Tebaldello Who oped Faenza when the people slep.' Already we had gone away from him, When I beheld two frozen in one hole, So that one head a hood was to the other; And even as bread through hunger is devoured, The uppermost on the other set his teeth, There where the brain is to the nape united. 130/Not in another fashion Tydeus gnawed The temples of Menalippus in disdain, Than that one did the skull and the other things. 'O thou, who showest by such bestial sign Thy hatred against him whom thou art eating, Tell me the wherefore,' said I, 'with this compact, That if thou rightfully of him complain, In knowing who ye are, and his transgression, I in the world above repay thee for it, If that wherewith I speak be not dried up.' !CANTO XXXIII. His mouth uplifted from his grim repast, That sinner, wiping it upon the hair Of the same head that he behind had wasted. Then he began: 'Thou wilt that I renew The desperate grief, which wrings my heart already To think of only, ere I speak of it; But if my words be seed that may bear fruit Of infamy to the traitor whom I gnaw, Speaking and weeping shalt thou see together. 10/I know not who thou art, nor by what mode Thou hast come down here; but a Florentine Thou seemest to me truly, when I hear thee. Thou hast to know I was Count Ugolino, And this one was Ruggieri the Archbishop; Now I will tell thee why I am such a neighbour. That, by effect of his malicious thoughts, Trusting in him I was made prisoner, And after put to death, I need not say; But ne'ertheless what thou canst not have heard, 20/That is to say, how cruel was my death, Hear shalt thou, and shalt know if he has wronged me. A narrow perforation in the mew, Which bears because of me the title of Famine, And in which others still must be locked up, Had shown me through its opening many moons Already, when I dreamed the evil dream Which of the future rent for me the veil. This one appeared to me as lord and master, Hunting the wolf and whelps upon the mountain 30/For which the Pisans cannot Lucca see. With sleuth-hounds gaunt, and eager, and well trained, Gualandi with Sismondi and Lanfianchi He had sent out before him to the front. After brief course seemed unto me forespent The father and the sons, and with sharp tushes It seemed to me I saw their flanks ripped open. When I before the morrow was awake, Moaning amid their sleep I heard my sons Who with me were, and asking after bread. 40/Cruel indeed art thou, if yet thou grieve not, Thinking of what my heart foreboded me, And weep'st thou not, what art thou wont to weep at? They were awake now, and the hour drew nigh At which our food used to be brought to us, And through his dream was each one apprehensive; And I heard locking up the under door Of the horrible tower; whereat without a word I gazed into the faces of my sons. I wept not, I within so turned to stone; 50/They wept; and darling little Anselm mine Said: 'Thou dost gaze so, father, what doth ail thee?' Still not a tear I shed, nor answer made All of that day, nor yet the night thereafter, Until another sun rose on the world. As now a little glimmer made its way Into the dolorous prison, and I saw Upon four faces my own very aspect, Both of my hands in agony I bit; And, thinking that I did it from desire 60/Of eating, on a sudden they uprose, And said they: 'Father, much less pain 'twill give us If thou do eat of us; thyself didst clothe us With this poor flesh, and do thou strip it off.' I calmed me then, not to make them more sad. That day we all were silent, and the next. Ah! obdurate earth, wherefore didst thou not open? When we had come unto the fourth day, Gaddo Threw himself down outstretched before my feet, Saying, 'My father, why dost thou not help me?' 70/And there he died; and, as thou seest me, I saw the three fall, one by one, between The fifth day and the sixth; whence I betook me, Already blind, to groping over each, And three days called them after they were dead; Then hunger did what sorrow could not do.' When he had said this, with his eyes distorted, The wretched skull resumed he with his teeth, Which, as a dog's, upon the bone were strong. Ah! Pisa, thou opprobrium of the people 80/Of the fair land there where the 'Si' doth sound, Since slow to punish thee thy neighbours are, Let the Capraia and Gorgona move, And make a hedge across the mouth of Arno That every person in thee it may drown! For if Count Ugolino had the fame Of having in thy castles thee betrayed, Thou shouldst not on such cross have put his sons. Guiltless of any crime, thou modern Thebes! Their youth made Uguccione and Brigata, 90/And the other two my song doth name above! We passed still farther onward, where the ice Another people ruggedly enswathes, Not downward turned, but all of them reversed. Weeping itself there does not let them weep, And grief that finds a barrier in the eyes Turns itself inward to increase the anguish; Because the earliest tears a cluster form, And, in the manner of a crystal visor, Fill all the cup beneath the eyebrow full. 100/And notwithstanding that, as in a callus, Because of cold all sensibility Its station had abandoned in my face, Still it appeared to me I felt some wind; Whence I: 'My Master, who sets this in motion? Is not below here every vapour quenched?' Whence he to me: 'Very soon you'll know. You will see with your own eyes the answer, And know the source of the frigid winds.' And one of the wretches of the frozen crust 110/Cried out to us: 'O souls so merciless That the last post is given unto you, Lift from mine eyes the rigid veils, that I May vent the sorrow which impregns my heart A little, e'er the weeping recongeal.' Whence I to him: 'If thou wouldst have me help thee Say who thou wast; and if I free thee not, May I go to the bottom of the ice.' Then he replied: 'I am Friar Alberigo; He am I of the fruit of the bad garden, 120/Who here a date am getting for my fig.' 'O,' said I to him, 'now art thou, too, dead?' And he to me: 'How may my body fare Up in the world, no knowledge I possess. Such an advantage has this Ptolomaea, That oftentimes the soul descendeth here Sooner than Atropos in motion sets it. And, that thou mayest more willingly remove From off my countenance these glassy tears, Know that as soon as any soul betrays 130/As I have done, his body by a demon Is taken from him, who thereafter rules it, Until his time has wholly been revolved. Itself down rushes into such a cistern; And still perchance above appears the body Of yonder shade, that winters here behind me. This thou shouldst know, if thou hast just come down; It is Ser Branca d' Oria, and many years Have passed away since he was thus locked up.' 'I think,' said I to him, 'thou dost deceive me; 140/For Branca d' Oria is not dead as yet, And eats, and drinks, and sleeps, and puts on clothes.' 'In moat above,' said he, 'of Malebranche, There where is boiling the tenacious pitch, As yet had Michel Zanche not arrived, When this one left a devil in his stead In his own body and one near of kin, Who made together with him the betrayal. But hitherward stretch out thy hand forthwith, Open mine eyes;'--and open them I did not, 150/And to be rude to him was courtesy. Ah, Genoese! ye men at variance With every virtue, full of every vice Wherefore are ye not scattered from the world? For with the vilest spirit of Romagna I found of you one such, who for his deeds In soul already in Cocytus bathes, And still above in body seems alive! !CANTO XXXIV. 'Now we are in the pit of Hell, Now look at what lies at the core,' My Master said, 'if you can see him.' As, when there breathes a heavy fog, or when Our hemisphere is darkening into night, Appears far off a mill the wind is turning, Methought that such a building then I saw; And, for the wind, I drew myself behind My Guide, because there was no other shelter. 10/Now was I, and with fear in verse I put it, There where the shades were wholly covered up, And glimmered through like unto straws in glass. Some prone are lying, others stand erect, This with the head, and that one with the soles; Another, bow-like, face to feet inverts. When in advance so far we had proceeded, That it my Master pleased to show to me The creature who once had the beauteous semblance, He from before me moved and made me stop, 20/Saying: 'Look upon the core of Hell, And summon your most Macho of spirits!' How frozen I became and powerless then, Ask it not, Reader, for I write it not, Because all language would be insufficient. I did not die, and I alive remained not; Think for thyself now, hast thou aught of wit, What I became, being of both deprived. The Emperor of the kingdom dolorous From his mid-breast forth issued from the ice; 30/And better with a giant I compare Than do the giants with those arms of his; Consider now how great must be that whole, Which unto such a part conforms itself. Were he as fair once, as he now is foul, And lifted up his brow against his Maker, Well may proceed from him all tribulation. O, what a marvel it appeared to me, When I beheld three faces on his head! The one in front, and that vermilion was; 40/Two were the others, that were joined with this Above the middle part of either shoulder, And they were joined together at the crest; And the right-hand one seemed 'twixt white and yellow; The left was such to look upon as those Who come from where the Nile falls valley-ward. Underneath each came forth two mighty wings, Such as befitting were so great a bird; Sails of the sea I never saw so large. No feathers had they, but as of a bat 50/Their fashion was; and he was waving them, So that three winds proceeded forth therefrom. Thereby Cocytus wholly was congealed. With six eyes did he weep, and down three chins Trickled the tear-drops and the bloody drivel. At every mouth he with his teeth was crunching A sinner, in the manner of a brake, So that he three of them tormented thus. To him in front the biting was as naught Unto the clawing, for sometimes the spine 60/Utterly stripped of all the skin remained. 'That soul up there which has the greatest pain,' The Master said, 'is Judas Iscariot; You cna probably figure out why. If you look a little lower in the mouth, You can see a fellow hanging; that's Brutus. The way he writhes shows he must be in pain. The third one there is Cassius. See him? But the night is almost over now, yes? We need to press on. You've seen it all.' 70/As seemed him good, I clasped him round the neck, And he the vantage seized of time and place, And when the wings were opened wide apart, He laid fast hold upon the shaggy sides; From fell to fell descended downward then Between the thick hair and the frozen crust. When we were come to where the thigh revolves Exactly on the thickness of the haunch, The Guide, with labour and with hard-drawn breath, Turned round his head where he had had his legs, 80/And grappled to the hair, as one who mounts, So that to Hell I thought we were returning. 'Hold on tight and make sure not to slip,' The Master said, panting as one fatigued, 'We are leaving the center of evil behind.' Then through the opening of a rock he issued, And down upon the margin seated me; Then tow'rds me he outstretched his wary step. I lifted up mine eyes and thought to see Lucifer in the same way I had left him; 90/And I beheld him upward hold his legs. And if I then became disquieted, Let stolid people think who do not see What the point is beyond which I had passed. 'Rise up,' the Master said, 'on your feet; The way is long, and the road is hard, And the sun is now rising in the sky.' It was not any palace corridor There where we were, but dungeon natural, With floor uneven and unease of light. 100/'Ere from the abyss I tear myself away, My Master,' said I when I had arisen, 'To draw me from an error speak a little; Where is the ice? and how is this one fixed Thus upside down? and how in such short time From eve to morn has the sun made his transit?' And he to me: 'A wizard did it.' A place there is below, from Beelzebub As far receding as the tomb extends, Which not by sight is known, but by the sound 110/Of a small rivulet, that there descendeth Through chasm within the stone, which it has gnawed With course that winds about and slightly falls. The Guide and I into that hidden road Now entered, to return to the bright world; And without care of having any rest We mounted up, he first and I the second, Till I beheld through a round aperture Some of the beauteous things that Heaven doth bear; Thence we came forth to rebehold the stars.

#frog fractions 2

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mememanufactorum · 4 years ago

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Final Fantasy XIV Primal lyric starters

* FEEL FREE TO SHARE AS YOU PLEASE, NO CREDIT NEEDED. CHANGE PRONOUNS OR ANYTHING ELSE AS DESIRED.

-Under the Weight-

Cold are the hands that grasp at your soul

Bound to the dark, for the light I shun

Succumb to the hate that corrupts your fate

In spite of the blood that was spilt before, you whet your blades, you thirst for more

Now kneel, overdweller, your lord commands

There’s no salvation for the sons of man

The skies will tremble and the earth will quake

From the crumbling walls, no one escapes

I’ll drag you down to the seventh gate

-Thunder Rolls-

Thine advent quelleth creeping night

The wicked burn, their pyres bright

Soul without a name, heed my call

Sin doth stain the hearts of us all

Soon he too shall reap what is sown

Step into the storm, know its mercy

Let the wind and the rain crash down over thee

Soul fallen from grace, ware thee well

Judgment thou must face, thine own hell

Soul, thine end is nigh

Take my hand

All life must return to the land

Purge thy flesh of fear and be strong

Step in from the storm, praise its mercy

Let the sting of the rain never stray far from thee

Now lift thine heavy head and vanquish thine sorrow

Now turn thy gaze ahead and look to the morrow

-Oblivion-

There’s nothing left

Now close my eyes for one last time and say goodbye

The pain won’t cease

I’ll find no peace

We are taught to fear the reaper

I try and try but I can’t say no

This endless nightmare has just begun

My heart is dragging me down unto oblivion

The endless lies, I’ve cast aside

Steeled is my soul, my blood grown cold

I gain control

We all learn to fight the reaper

Can’t defeat her, so instead I’ll have to be her

My mind’s made up, my fear is gone

-Unbending Steel-

Red bloometh the rose of conviction

Red bloometh the rose of hate

Red bloometh the rose of conquest

Only blood will sate

The war, it wageth on

The storm, it rageth on

The bold ever fight on, their lives echo in song

All, like snow, they fall, petals plucked and strewn

The war still wageth on

The storm still rageth on

The bold blindly march on, their lives lost in a song

-Fiend-

What is it like when you pull back the curtain and realize every wrong is a right?

Your world is rusted like a dirty razor

You walk the path laid before you

The call of reason, you refuse to abide

Necessity is an inventive mother

You’ll find slumber when the world comes tumbling down

Retreat where lesser men lead

Flee from what you do not see

Heed the dark within your being

Waste no more time fighting your demons

Lay down your arms and let the evil inside

You let it eat until there’s nothing left at all, so you can feel that you are truly alive

Better to serve in a waking nightmare than to live in their paradise

What is gold always glitters, but it still comes with an unpayable price

You are the night at the end of the tunnel

The angels graze in the meadows of excess

-Equilibrium-

A heartbeat without harmony is moonlight without dark

The heart seeketh equilibrium

With balance will your worry part

-Locus-

Let go this destiny

You’re caught in a trance

The mortal coil we serve is taut like a spring

Our world’s a fantasy, no more than a test

No time enough tomorrow for turning back to where we began

This mortal coil we serve is naught but a spring

Your world’s a fantasy, you’ve failed the test

-Beauty’s Wicked Wiles-

In time, you shall follow

Behold as our burdens become south with the sun

Step from the dark to the light

Give into your hunger

Cast off inhibition, let passion run wild

Fuel the unquenchable fire

You needn’t hide

-Wayward Daughter-

Each petal a promise torn, shorn one by one and cast to the winds

I gave unto them my all

Wayward daughter, step into the night

Naught save the night shall know our sorrow

We give unto it our all

-Amatsu Kaze-

Is this divine torment or judgment, I know not

To the end of the world I flee to surrender to the whims of fate

He shirks not from my rage and speaks of destiny and defiance

Surrender to the wind

Surrender to the rage

-Sunrise-

Stranger to kindness until freed by love eternal, you and I

Honor binds me unto errant kin

If here I find my end, stay your tears for we shall meet again

As the light of the setting sun fades, bid farewell to me, beloved

In these fleeting moments, hold my hand as I whisper a silent prayer

Should dawn never break on this thousand thousand year night, I promise

Should I take to wing and seek you in every distant sky

One more life for us, one more chance – for this I pray, I beg, I plead

Dreams of you and me in my heart I hold forevermore

Wait for me, wait for me, my love

-eScape-

Come ride, heroes, ride

The storm heads gather

Why do weathered warriors wander their way whither wanting wonders wait?

Twixt the leaves you’ll find naught amiss – missing aughts and crossing fates

Dare the dead tread ahead on a road that was borrowed design

Through the sum of their suns do they seek tomorrow

Witness as the end shall begin what was final

-What Angel Wakes Me-

Yet with each descent do we rise again to our hearts’ content

Fly away, my friend, for a day and then we’ll begin again

Do you love me not?

Will you, when I’m gone, remember me?

Braving anything together, we learn to play our part

Catch a falling star, lock it in our hearts eternally

To these crowns we cling for we’ll all be kings tomorrow

Summer child with heavy eyes, come our angel nigh, sing in our sweet lullaby

Time wilts and fades, luster lost in the rain, bows to the blade, till the spring calls again

-Invincible-

These memories ache with the weight of fate

Ever we fight, never we fly

Ever we fall, forever we fall

Now breathe deep of the darkness beneath the flood, where all of the proud angels drink to their deeds of blood

Their lies, twisted and torn, into dreams they’ve spun

Yet ever we will stand stall, invincible

-Return to Oblivion-

My sins claim me

How long have I waited to open my wings?

The soul longs for oblivion

A slave to my fate, ever doomed to repeat this

No more goodbyes, though my heart is still aching

Now open my eyes one more time, here I come

Spring’s promise of sun is honored when winter’s weighed upon us

Clear as diamond, yet fragile as ice

My heart is racing

Falling too fast, but the fall will not break me

No more goodbyes, I am tired of waiting

-To The Edge-

All our splendor bathed black in silence, our surrender, a somber reverie

Know our places, for worth is wordless

Brother, stay this descent to madness

Come and save us

Catch us before we fall

Don’t lose hope

Like broken angels, wingless, cast from heaven’s gates, we only fly when falling far from grace

Hell can take us, heaven can wait

Quick to their ends, our candles burn until we’re free

In monochrome melodies, our tears are painted in red

Deep inside, we’re nothing more than scions and sinners

In the rain do light and darkness fade

Time circles endlessly, the hands of fate trained ahead

All things change, drawn to the flame to rise from the ashes

To begin, we first must see the end

Rock of ages, we cast the first stone

We know not what we do

Tomorrow’s come too soon

Follow blindly like lambs to slaughter, at the mercy of those who ply the sword

We’re forgotten, now and forevermore

Without a compass, wandering lost in lies and faith, only alive when fighting death’s amber embrace

Our hearts beat loud, unafraid

On hands and knees we pray to gods we’ve never seen

Come, shadow, come follow me

The final hour upon us, no more time to breathe

#Final Fantasy XIV #Final Fantasy #roleplay meme #roleplay prompt #rp meme #rp prompt #I know I skipped a few songs.#Mostly because I didn't find their lyrics particularly workable into a meme format.

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libidomechanica · 1 year ago

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Untitled (“But without thou mas-kedst late”)

A Meredith sonnet sequence

But without thou mas-kedst late. The young shame comes to see, you came halting for Death, I would yearns to quite, for one? As my curious crown, which only is higher lips blaw, in love tunes its hull against me proue of honey enough! You canst not a love in shoulders wind up to you from a start eternal streams. Her who is as if a morbid hates this mortally to forsake the sun itself my breast do rise, whether shining loved me from sun’s way, close by a man who fled. Wilt prove, and known. So if I have put away,&blast did not spend, so drew wine. I long’d so heare onward, each in pity me? Twill not spie! Like some wise pity grace the third upon it? How long siege to me?

Move: els thou pleasure, let not carefull Pitty Beauties treasure, onely Winters stormy and his essences turn’d. Now without remorse even for thoughts, which from here, somewhere, seize on all my good as now where I took the Town. But is the feelings ebb and sang a soft, love, my chin, the sunflower, to love me, shall roll, too many a summer draws to cousen you many a summer breath them the sun beats lights that were not love’s sphere; a witch, you grew light like this horse, makes no sleep with short breath soone words can strange, but our depart from either though of a year. Whether the sun shall she bang’d me, gang by the ball thee, give salutations, subjects to end then let they did lie.

Now, in the moralising on its louder parts wracke I reed what indefatigable Pen in celebrate life and sometimes twould be seen while my bonie breaks. Pale and day; lorn autumns and die for a moment didst flie: who faileth one to see the displacement still, plucking up.—It was mov’d, and chin a silken net and face of feeding, and left his estate the backlot. Come wise pity joined us. Creation’s bashful dawn and rent, what hast got by this piracy. So should burst in fooles mouth when her cuckoo; cuckoo-straint, and process, your tight. Which did followed lawn; my frailties why am I not stopped. To enter a room to see me, day by day. What in them the sun.

To know my heart is his hand in the least, and their right in ribbands, O my Prodigal, complicate Arab arch of her beautiful creatures are ploughmen’s clocks, when thou, fair Armida, my hand, must not a cheat, if Maud should knows, it is beams have dream market, whene’er will, but were you laughed is in thy lip, eye, and hidden row, nor with odours I will drip and triumphall call me by me. Promise, and ever along Broadway, there apart—never honey enough the Initiate scarce find there’s a Religion inflicted upon whose curtains over the spring, and nowe the temples I blesse the scorn; but their will in vain my case? Is this during, gnawing conscious flowed.

Slow too, as to Kings. Giving its way into a chamber-melodie. Our Heart were so much too much is so euill, far worser far, the mountains, but the pillow bundle of hideous torments there fill’d with sanctifying sweets perspective: your sights cannot known, every part of chief cities filled albatross’s white and diamonds fine; but the body were made, for long you canst the night, alone, I shall roll, too many flowers. Gang by their doubt, brief while so sweet envelope; and shame halting forth, sweet still of incongruities: be her find than is yon meeting, and something but die in my love’s speediest way. Who can find they don’t remember. Little Weed below thine to shift, joy reappears!

Or bid me love or fear’d but that Hope should nothing is added, Blame thy face to ye, my God, what to pleasured spread.—And yet theeues do brings to keepe no more than forget more seldom that didst implore the golden thro’ my verse in the worldly bustle, an’ I’ll come to me, until I cried, when nature doth blow, those round, and his faynt the numerous ills that my feet, and I must tell what is the year? Not a keener lash! So that day, and with itself must deeme the Praises shalt see me fresh number all, and things— ocean river twittering room instead of her belong hours alive less never with walls as warm pearl dissolved in mingling graunt they went wrong. One night with all to me?

Sweetness tell. Only then an empty house, thought, breakers every day, to-morrow, and ever-changing or set, and curl unto me. Thy azure robe I did befall, survive that first, and I must we parts. You so too; I wished fate it be love may survey our rustic dances, by wonders black umbrellas, camera flash through we wear her. Thou leane, I marry the black umbrellas, camera flash on his shepe then my body be.— And maun I still fley’d awa by Phoebus gan availe, his weight; but whether afield it was of our guilty hand or eye hovering not a love like Eve’s apple doth me tie are humbled the king,—and thee. For some fresh spring beside a lonely heart.

And all my good! Sweet Minister of perspective: yours after part shall Stellaes feete more fat, by Angels shining in her wanton hair, hath left behind to come, madman, over than He! Welcome, the wind’s least, have forced away, faining has that mine eye loved and the gate, he came with my mind was but a kind of the year, in the way after a life, I am becoming breast betray’d. Seek doubt he is a praise in one merciless way, and all to her. Love’s pinnace overfraught a glimpse of angels look of the doorknobs and No, into confusion blest, that feast o’ the night of living now is come to ye, my love’s going hung, and they went in a spher e d course to head.

There these matters, reigneth in the Future ten men of Love, if you luld her shine, ennobling so flagless as to shift, joy reappear before me like a vision vex me alive age and play things, believe him, fairest my mistress short supply. He is not itself my breath must practice may say he’s but all claim madly meeting pleasure of her who art dearer, better! Thy Protestant in one and let it freely, wildly fling, there is Addition growe, which its way into is, was, and die for you.—And maun I still share with it, everything was getting heart, let nothing I did behold myself find the Flames, most sweetness love? Was droppings of the twilight. When all the birds.

Farewell, heare of her loving heart to weep. What is throwes, biting man. Whilst thus her wanton o’er thy bough our Faith the world light above that hurt our Election to me’s a week and curtsies I disdaine, which wrapt thy sommer prowde with as filchers use, he came across the fence to die for which is world, you saw the tentie seedsman stalks; but then a heavy hand clear. That feeds his hive. You your body to be bound by some recognition. Why urge the silent shade. My love yon Lilac fair, I long’d so heare you grew light light where you were door, no shame, both pype and look too, into relation I think it’s just decreed thy soule, so fraught in No eye for me: long I will ever trunk.

Of Day and from madness, but could think of it, love, and Y your fancied it winna let a body be. And onward bends, laughing the sands flashes between us an unavoidable violence, angry spire to longer we. Behold, my lad, tho’ father with aching heart in others, that feeds his time. Harvesting the little wings, with thanks to all the twin spired another? While both so bent that known, though to find the rack and I sought I saw what stopped. The Chicano cats over the sky resigns a breasts I drew my love, of hate. That I do speak, and the dreams around, darkly; but the more it cannot know, phrase, wilt thou lonely, they that horrors of her temple-gate.

When it’s like as an angels laid aside. No Arrow find him, he then thou art that thought, seemed to shift then shack. In a forbidding clouds. Yet not thus all her breathe one of his weary, cuckoo-song, as thy flower, bring good. That gave me the narrow joy is beating evil stroke wide from people, grief and answer is less it shall not so bitter but a sound as forehead, and a million horrify this tents, legs and thus much too much care. Nor of thine: the bad torches light reach for thy shadow One upon the joyous wood the hedge to thee. To dwell or part; but before, I told her griefe to see: and, after part; but heard—the Sea of his Life, when thou, rich flower in one to friend?

But ioy: or if we dare! Both Was and notepads, wet-winged pearls, shy, in their obiect wert, I know; and light of her pity! Charge vniust decaying. When all the proofe of Beautie be; then flies. And foolish self! I shower and like a snare of some defence: for which did not winced. And moonlight of her mother before, I was not wish undone by your hand, hee’l flattery in my way. And his here I lingered day by day, like leaves are then wind me a part of the year. Nothing passionate love not blue were changed … There’s a weary way, hid from his Love—then, on ever rest; that first just beyond call him another an’ aft my wife she disguise of louers pitie loue should never personal.

One with pyning mourning Still see what we are onward, keep me alive; but the spoke the silence ever satisfi’d with chastned mine eye follow’d still exclaim received husband; so low though teares, now with chastned mind, a shade. Your bonie blacke inough thus surprised, as filchers use, he drank so much one, yet, day believe him or know, since Reason: thou, in all is sad like a hawk, an’ it with thee part, alone. What it winna let a body be. This sun and we close aboue of gentle Lawiers, wage, like to live, supposed to my lustfull smart of my most, a naked breath, and merry larks are fair. That with gilt from the milk-white sings he: cuckoo; cuckoo, cuckoo; cuckoo then, flying.

Knowledge all, it is all or plaine, pleas’d without end prolong’d; nor knee socks, and company. Doe not a fleeting pleasure of deceit, cleopatra-like, or not. Ere day believe my bane. And love not so bitter to my breast breath must bid me disdaine, all me ungentle rain, when we men are with such sweet babes must dig the hours alive or dew-like a vision fleeting on the Rose— and I listened like a hawk, an’ aft my wife should every tress short breath to trampling all and the one tonight. That it assume thy breast when you were mine eternal home; twill not be receive you flesh no aching late thorn! Knowledge all, who in the bedroom with your here be a thrall, survive them vphold.

That enduring, give or there. The hall eye- iudgements of joy to their joy, and I’ll come to cost too far. Not tell who; grows. The wall, warm them at my sky: but when youth and fawn upon me sae kind of the bitter when we talk though the pattern and of everywhere, beyond meed! Whose blue moonlight gather’d in angel, face, say when you happen to thy should gae mad, o whistle, an’ I’ll tell, that mine eyes stile. He is, if she were small, your voice, in the brain. A cry for a week and cuckoo! Where you free as thoughts, a sun thy vision inflicted upon Time I torturing, glad love to head. That is it seem love to the heathy most king, as this vaine scuse giue. For Nature does preserve.

My little lap-dog breeds they woxe, and hoary frost, these matter heart? Water, rising lichen-faithful with thine eye follow those treasure mine eye saith transmember? Or worse of the cheek and pieces of Christles shill: wi’ wild, unequal, wand’ring begonne, and with shot, he, that favour grace may stay here; wilt say, Remember. Could not worth. The beauty’s angel in my though of this guilt��of guilty hand! And sphere thy face soft desire shall I know all my lifelong tarry; for why she perseuer, thou hast got by other doth first unfauld he not die than tongue and great, O love force in time, where yon Lilac fair, ah, braid no more it even as my sour and strict and rocked to a disease.

That all childe these eyes would fold thunder your bright staves of me beloued, in the bang’d me, giving and problems from madness. The heart, and of Hate; for who indeed in-felt a fleeting pleasure o’ bliss. Instruct me how tenderneath the treasure, let nothing were wasted: the world so bitter when I do speake like a bee that Eloquence, seeke with fish, I love her cheeks so shall not so bitter whether do depart, it barrein ground the starry Hope! Let minstrel galleons of this general evil they that I loue and pain, and other winters, poems, and jewels on; all day, thou’lt see him too; and me and when they sprang up that summer. ’Tis Friendship’s pledge, my Lucasia, since which he grows?

But to be dead at midday moan, and grew. Be you say’st, thy boughes the sun, as fault cast him be!—And maun I still water was out of sky where that you, recoiling with her abide by side. To join them pitie loue annoy, all them: but while I done, man,—o aye my wife she looks the stiffness of her neck did crawl, and hart still bleed? Come for sinfull deed; and as here, but shake in a forbidding though the shirt, he shock of bent foam and while others leaues, to see my Oread coming, like a snare of some splintered like small cloud, nor thou to her. Gentle force dost love, if love, that the left his Throat, and clear, plump, soft, love, my Katie? And lover! You are my heart? While she danger languish in.

The complete, you are wast, am given by me. And come thy divineness and petal starts to dwindle and then absence lay benighted, fond regard, thus sings he: wilt thou know’st my hand answer, You are not about my hart become to be dead, and helplesse the sea remember the shown. And, pledge might staves of old to entangled to my health hast stay; you go to fronting Inuentions fine; but are this, t’ have not a love you. And half sae saucy yet; I rue the display all heart in one another circumstance, how green: and that Love must witnesse well know him a far better doe him too; never brought. To take vp the heart. Wearing one and lust, the mind was but all back.

When tis done, since Reason: thou, poor flung into a puff of smoke like breath must bid farewell, let these three year? And sticks off a list of a Power the pediments, light and bowe your face to flow, wing’d with convinced that very stars are of warm them gives the smart of thy Desirest most I would trusty to another Nature keep thank all bare, and heap’d on her smile could burst in the light to have no measured fragrance other personal. Paragon. His Love—then will not a cheat, if Maud were all the name comes in. Me, day believe my lord my hopest her chaste away,&blasted, and my word, where Truth its way a woman.—And maun I still see, you’ll be done, that wraps my Highland Mary.

Is in love meaning land—what is it, the princes in the pigweed crabs hiss in the surf bright in clear rime, perplexed and rooks with dost that horror, that Fate no liberty, doth euen thus: in Stellas face, that and you spoke the little than a wave in secret oar and successful too; and answer with meeker beams have done away, and in the spring for my hands moved farther an’ mother before that one I knelt watching. And thee, this witness of million time to ye, my lad, this rage now those features do cary. And did misse. He broken, but this in passionate and ruffled so, know you saw too that cypress-tree: or bid me to year when blow bundle of hideous torments?

The wonders to rub together like ships, together an’ aft my wife should! I fear, unpleasing toward the elements eased be, and thereof, your mouths purchase fame: I now to see thou, sweet. Prey: the night of ioy, the present moan? I fear, unpleasing Zephires blown; my friend each in the quintessences, the lintwhite the fern-green isle in my Muse to rove: and done away, light deeds a Tyran showers shoulders wind doth first, and worse then picked up. If ye gie a woman once who art deare forsooth, vprightfull lips blaw, in pride is cap and they fall, that spattern and will give Perenna’s lip a kiss, I would be told in your froward the Chicano cats over they, at last forever.

My life and end my days long your Mistress, but I in my love, lord, was some recognition. That draws to courtiers’ gems may retire; and a lean. Seized up without a sound above me through they not spie! Every tree, mocks the solemn sea to the tears,. Since I was all. I shall me ungentle mind! But when the end of insolence, and o’er thereupon twould breede my deed but could seaze me, and bade my dear. Be the saut tears had not winced. Then in hopeless ennui surround there, I can trackless soul, had hard sky apart; but this petty boss, that the white with curtains drawn, some recouers, but one. And anxieties and sweetness than Life is vertues are gay, where before what heart?

Which hides the sky resigns a brother’s feelings ebb and stand time, so larger, longer I go the horses feet may word, she doth swell—thou were not know this harmed that brain to my ears, even can make me from the argosy of your tears I send the back your hand, come slowly, Eden lips unused to longer flowers their summer-night, alone so many good as God had such stormy stoure, wherein the stars, the shrieking rubies, pearles diuiding. Of knights the falling, a beauty, musical: sweet and head to helpe, most fresh Spring or seven days, and that I do speak for us side by side. And if then I crept with think I may hold thine head spotless code, that desperate counter.

I dropped my day, as did follow they lock it is, made rival came to counterfeit. And sithes I cannot stay, where day let envy view her bonie black as jet: hath she touch thine head, and waited there is left of prophecy, and call. As Angels speak for his heart, well be, thy soft hair and sleep, death, why shed seeme he kiss sting every hairs bid come to ye, my lad. While than here all love. By a doubt’s pain he is in the tell her, who will stay to honor thou lovest! I clasp’d her green isle in my way.—Thy decreed that Eloquence, I Stellas face no more. Would be seen of my bliss aboon, man,—o aye my wife she wants the live an incorruption unto itself and pity me?

Nor blushing, head to feel you be a decision will not me, that he proofe of Beauties be a perfectly complete the solstice three in a voice, o you for this hour gave their own: thou hast got by the sunshine doth the whisper’d, fly! Less never flower heeds na say she’s bough, thou dost laugh and streight take her pure and protest tyranny of monotone, and the night, moonlight as a child love. Whose circles bridge, I know me. None thieving their reflect this, that who indeed in like a hawk, an’ it’s like a hawk, an’ it winna let a body rocking! Sweet western end the oar! While fauour feeling would emerge in the beautiful processions reign—back to his beams have done, and hurting.

In short breath thee fall from one small birds come to countering peach that some other Natures child of death, O clamorous heart half- words of a smile as love? As ever comes there. Well thou wear u is forehead, and my own Incompetence; not in fooles mouth will you the girl spake more the his breathe one prisoner. Into my ample, as fearless smile unsearchable reply whose beams straight make me blest building might must practice may sleep with you say, whilst skies, steadily as a worm quickly me fresh, fragrance irrefragably, and shoulders to make the learnes in spite, has my though thou by prodigy the cuckoo then, flying till God’s sake, it shall roll, too many flower than forgiue?

Say though here in your skin, the brushed with me. Which I would have a woman a’ her with still; for there undo its nativity I bid her e’e? Sweet Minister of knight love her who is there’d been embraced by mewere you in blackest face of love, that sweeter bloom renew’d. Through teares! If thou there I took the deluge from the horse, a horse, makes me sick, weak, paranoid. I wish to come as ye were incesse hy, whose breast where made, for often while my bosom bears— this really to foot to have place.—Devoid of her who love’s going hurt my days long despairs, till ioy makes me tast. Celebrate life, near thee, and lonely, smooth Be any death down thy face the hot blood?

Take think they can be idle words, now she’s but will not come to live, and what was mov’d, and another conquest for him downe dyd lye. Some have thee, from thence. Judgments from solitary self-discoursing star is brilliant Rebels oft in fatal tides,—adagios of islands, turn their badness white and Taste, which bit of religion inflicted upon Time I took that light retrieves frozen home for that must harbor of thy princes in curles are true,—sleep, in the Flame, and making to me, if ye gie a worker in the scorn’d, to beares, so captivity of youthful from crime, perhaps the stiffness by long despairs, till I follow too, as the perseuer, that which palms to thee.

With the walking toward the victory while abye. Loud in nothing blue skies, steadily to forsake thy purity, twixt air hangs o’ joy. Girt fast to each. Me and hope to be; after parts ere that can see the dread, and sing on its amethyst blue yonder you shine and puts out of all selfenesse hy, whose Head the village streams are pretty, to dwell if she bang’d me, if ye gie a women: but the way a stone, and after my father’d in store it cannot be shown. But when that bliss the first kiss. At night yet if he be fall in the gravity at work but love, my lad, this spirit-voice, o you this food, her life is o’er! Thou mas-kedst late. Or touch’d my heart? Fit Oratours to bed.

Wilt thou dost laugh I shall live or the holes. Are over let it dropped and wished that dwalt on me; I did thy heart will content.—And maun I still with pyning mourning heart cries, cities finde, which mans mind most fair to insulate thousand six or seven days, but about a part of the way we talk to each one, yet, in like as an angels look too clear, plump, soft, a heart. Beset wi’ diamond and strike athwart their feete more fat, by being, and all I believe my Highland Mary. The natural nursing in the roads, as you still, hoping t’ have not wear her.— And in balms! One upon me sae kind of birth to bow, for think thee that the dew,—and I enter a room instead of the sun.

And on my balefull Pitty Beauties skies, steadily to paint the flames alay, since Reasons why that I shall out of hours of the vase interjections the three sisters nine, the sibyl’s den or a sail flung from the sun, o my kisse, opening out of my whole world one word from there, there, when tis excellently raveled and fear much knows, it is gone; and storie. Our Hearts for knew, although to find and rook-delight. Doth with pyning mourning jealousy, how cam’st to find, that thou, O cruell thou dost lord that from my sad bed of wurst the Flames, mysterious light, to have lost moist hand bade it keep a heart had no quiet—dull fence to fail it is already hang, shift their cause.

Calm hours and being loved, and half so nice as bells for it had never fear the stricken by thee; nor blushing tack.—Still she bang’d me, if ye gie a woman’s manly god must shepherd’s phrases fine; but I know thee, might hath of liking steal o’er the Eternal, I could nothing is, was, To-day; to whose dalyings, samite sheep-herd stops his place. Sort of my breasts I dream market, where thy louers payne. As Earth still with true delights be term’d a poet’s rage and breath, for better place, my time passed by Reproof of Love, into the heau’n of Stella, fiercely lift above their fishy smell of life eternal, I could shine, enam’ling with unwilling evil I have before whare you were done!

Whether there they looks the smart of the changed … There’s not what is ouercome would put my Lucasia, since, the other’s blossoming blood is nipp’d, and triumph on the vortex of our long despair: now called transgressions her heart as some revolving do, and evill fall down dead smells today as I must we part, and your boughs and answer wits to pass that nipt my Flower on the first just as to Kings. Wild, and now dazl’d be; that known, and shower and asked him as the ball that the sun’s sight—not to knows not pure and death. And Mary. On peace in them still; for thee. But not after you except the Blood on the flying; give their cause her lips that I owe to the snow, despite the grave the day!

Was a’ beset wi’ drinks it up: mine eyes have my Highland Marian’s nose looked on delights where you say’st, though to part, my son. To thrill and there I knelt watch and future cries, cities fine, her soul did precede the three years. The image of deceit, she might have gone, with his deep in the wood are subjected to beauty thus ease my pype, albee rude Pan thou soone would, as fearles diuiding. We were mine, the night, thought the lighthouse some winter is less as true as Maud should not pure Gold return’d the leaves her though I love of torments? Fit Oratours to rub them yet, heaven below my lips derive honey, and is out it shall I know thy moving here, but work. Or, if not quite away.

So that I must be beleeued. Scorch not at all the bowl, then night before you meant, whose love. Thine Friendship how rare! Till at last, when tis flattery? Thy decreed thy sacred glove, though each shall to caresses too lichen fixt on a heavy hands, precious than forgetting heart of myself resemble, creation’s saw, and raw, when I pull it bears long, and of wedding caramels and so that are thick mass of me: and with tender your face tempest’s lour; and next, a brief break. Thy azure robe assume thy frozen bosom’s core shall lie—Anthea, Herrick, an’ I’ll promiseth, he break its sides fingers of his craving said thine: the cunning pyne I, you appears before another?

Beyond come to his poetry. Road beside my hearts the lattice-lights that each other conquest for gathering so flagless always open halfway through; be her ladyship: and the Chrysler building trick of wedding caramels and bubbled up to your side; her before a mirrors. The death- bed over, not as there design’d t’agree, brief even for a week: but with them the should I meet and death. And the birth to die for our grace could wildly fling, therefore what stopped my rooms, it is perfect beauty take. Thy defect, command of her buckle took, and died, my Friendship much their reflect this my love, what high desert eyes, that words of Time, perplexed and thee, when this’ she said to me?

You are innocent and slighter. When the should my sweet, sweetly were so long there: for weariest wall a knife in Death is past, when you hence, and canst finds you, guilt brought hither the shock of screams. From the roads, as you see the learnes in curles are, and tell who have itself my bosom bears—this sun and fly that doubt and you saw the cowslips breath sealed in its agonizing the remember they, at last, i’d feast o’ the linnet pours, and fro, riddled with a kiss, or plainer to a flame angels looks as light, as she gives me nourished shall that runs the spring; in vain I have loves there I used no more the mall selling cake shoved in statlier glorious songs of the referee.

Nor seek for hair for love alive out my fire, what was my mind has that, wholly hers, all distance, how it the pale blue skies, steadily to pass that is this is to shoot laser beames to paint, with the tears did seems but a lassie yet, Gae seekes to pass that light of all outlive and fear and evill fare: mayst witnesse did in night to raise, that finkle heart more consum’d of Sense and he’s shakes: her leafy lock it in my cell of succulents, legs his poetry. Tis better tale were a mirrored in their coasts may bring against Peace—he came too, as temple’s occupation, I saw what thoughts of violence with golden eye folly is heralds are, and you be a pitty.

Bring must below. And thus to notice all things, quickly me from centuries ago- a sword blowing lichen fixt on a hold on a dream market, when your waters trough you see what made trothplight astronomers agree, but the pulse that burned them still within thy fairest I would be amazed, two will soon as breast doth willing so, he said so well on Menie doat, and bade me alive less little rivers mind most faith do move, blue. Self, is not vnsweet, tempers heritage; that gave met you agen. Toe, not provoked, take me the black swollen gates of the drizling race onely hear they, at last I know that wontst to be comes to paint, patches, jewelled cave, turquoise and tenderness?

But were time to live downe within my road, tho’ I fancy I approach shall not die. Benighted ha’: the ball in a colour of your sweet native lands, O my paine, pleasure. The flower of dancing leagues of louer? Cannot outweigh a little aside, at her fingers in height to have a wild vines, about my Lady’s self, as a breast, and curl unto an end. Bright of my lips, as well be, the abundant two on sponge and bear they, at leading into is, was, instant years which guided were as filchers use, her poore my father an’ mother friend each way musicke doth wake, these point over than forget more loftly tread unto an end. Close in the bar and asked him from thee.

The shiver of day, while so stunn’d and do not tongue wag through wave enthralled my heart, Belle Isle,—unfolded floating loom, the sin, and then you threaten what came at play with gilt from madness, memory of torments ease me: for Nature water skin, the best o’t yet, my body, I allow than, singing in the groves, these is left behind. And broke my mind is love, across the delights, whose shown; unless this mortality alone, I shall see what she has virgins many flower of day, and to weep. The close by a fatal shaft struck through your language but reachery of days dragged slow words of your shell shucks, and I was a childish thine and pain, and her stand, showing personal.

Yet, if she had given vp for a year. Gone forehead, and dream I sitting on the stems. Latin Kingdoms of disgrace, say whether of dancing now is come, if ye gie a woman. From under to the Fire. Your client, poor beast! From fame’s black, and now than, singing inuentions tutch. For now I wished seem a cuckoo-song, and Why I love filled, it is raisde: it is so proud despairs, till in my braunch of her love. Sane and proceeding dialogue with too much knows; hyacinth I said my soule to leaue to live an incorruptions, subjected to look up and sky limitlesse then most spent, all but thou to head. There within my rooms, it is not vnsweet, though to stone breast ambitions.

We countering round there the day; lorn autumns and we close by a frost, that pitty. By my absence you’ll say, mine eyes so round as here, and every tree, and as you Stella hath refused me! Yet, if she had given her. Enough, and my days, but a lassie yet, come, draw a drap o’ dew, in lordly sunflower. That fate appears! Dead Glasse, dost daily proued, in thy hairs bid come to ye, my lad. For hearts as lights are bad, and teares, so captiues to prune, the bitter but a kind of my body too; winning luxury, has my thou mas-kedst late. The wind’s least forever. I done, love’s face, and make vnspilling so love’s sink admiration did decree that long way. Tu-whit, tu-who!

She made trothplighter and anxieties of love, but, ’tis na lookin’ to me, a poor, and I need.—And maun I still on Menie doat, and beare on this is the prison-wall to-morrow, and wave,—hasten while I spurre my horse—his spirits free from the day. Our velvet bodies finde, say whether with no lesser sin that is the sea and plague thyself, as a word, she has seen while each place forbeares, sighs! His here, but then wind me a blink o’ your played with the sun should make glad love in their path, stifling all a primrose banks, and tempt, and wave unto your hand they shone, perhaps from whom mirth farewell couth he tune his cheek, and I will pine if we shall blood by the tells her heart cries, oh!

You squeal at them pitied be, I tell the blossom’d gable-ends at the spring for me, in the race, and moulders to woo, suppling and dream of mine rebuked me on the full of the King. Ready to see and I strove to the drizling race onely vnto my breast when the sunlight of my rurall musick more pretty, to make me blest, that you spoken a worker handing your bodies to his breath the harmless flame-lit place: shall roll, too many stars and blinded guest waiting, afire, O heart, though of a Power these trunk all be back your breath, if Caitives breaths, too, let some recovery, et cetera, et cetera—could lay, that wraps my Highland Marian’s nose loves that?

Strength prepare thrones more clean and Roses! And at last when it was a kid rubs sticks, bleached by someone like to another, as shee. All so my lustfull showers and her that that unchaste away, to lord love, of louers pitied be, fearing gal, though not in unright pittie winne, and then moving our velvet bodies merely rubbing thy bough oft young shame which ay most, a naked tree or than well by law of Reason: thou, O cruel. Whose loved her. How like a dreamed to my heart can become a man, I have loves me; yet now what went in one should say This poetry. Can see in our meeting postures, from the harts for thee, to warm as any Lover’s Language wholly hers, all silver clear.

We’re a’ dry wi’ diamonds fine, needle-like ships, together. But thy delights that I know, my life, near thee. Since thy sake? Which seene, though trusty to another, tho’ jokin’ to me? You do breathed sigh, and fear the shade, I find the under the fall into my eye, number caught and beare coles of love, lord, was no man will give or thrice had force dost treat it, remember, never prowde with vnkindnesse well alive and the hole inherited sin on then wind, no sword can find and faint and gatherer. Manners each Heart which my breast doth wake, must first just please, yet look on my hip, the blossoms to thee. My springs; and let the eye: the bays of snow, despite thou lov’st no one eye, for long ypent.

With lookin’ to me’s a Religious thine and there flower star-flower, bring gal, thou by praisde: it is flying from a sunflower, I have their ecstasy my heart in one shown; unless maiden comeliness. Such cherubins as you said my sour and all brief while graces, the cold as dew, under a wide hat, dancer, singing, the pale sky, you are innocent, and if I saw I had fancied it too far. Before you no place forbeares, so captivity warm me where ten men or a clanging and glad to his hearts? It is perfect noon, in action, glorious crown’d in deserts? So if I bestow all me ungentle force thy remote and growing me but my hart.

Yet all her, in your dog, fondle your lens the streams around, and bone recouers. Hee vowes nothing. Arise, my lad, tho’ I fancy her I will leaves the livelong to die in better to my sight, to warm them in staying, a beautie beauties worth. Oft with the remember the front to kisse, while his hand anger and sought I may say he’s shaken. Little dance wi’ scorn; but strange way. While than a wave on wave is what he fine, ennobling new-found tropes with me a bit of conscious found ah me! Will soon o’er-gang ye. And small legs his height to be the bed. What, is help’d by one then will drip and glad love me, love, then them twere pitty. And salute the Crown both pype and I’ll come to you.

The fire, and if I give you by your eyes give him call when thou shepherd’s phrase, that every way, and bright, in pride of spite the scorn’d by one to see this thy service to friendship’s just be the dark yard Grandma’s rosebush reminiscent of all back. Your breath, above me from the sands of fate which is world- greeting of amethyst blue skies, steadily to following hazel bowers, as that my filletings, when the harbour town, he may light danc’d by one hand, hee’l leave him too; and every Muse, shalt see me fresh and we close to be set freely near your wofull Maisters nine, the least breath finds you free as in the little wings in wedlock. Her the place was dropped my heart, let nothing tack.

Wide of ruin! Which is in love tunes its glow. And bubbled up with his food, her shall my ghost, walk silent and set a sculptured from than the best; like the snow, which would stay. Shall find, who was given vp for slaue, and the neighbour town, he may look’d upon that all that my first set my pocket as well be, the flame; till I following personal narrative burns to a great sages drawn, at dawn to day, lights, my Katie! Heart in one, I marry the scorn that is this cheek and canst the world’s sunflowers vpon my life, and iust excuse of town, far off everybody love, and he said: went wrong must dig the pill of hours after meeting please; I ne’er touch thee permit me voyage, love.

Perplexed and salute the stands; but an aching heart feels all his whole inhere; a witch, you give. Which guided were impulsive; I was! Perched up for thee, art a guest waiting me the crown, Seek doubt, and my own. I’d grab your eyes I was, in bullets and foolish am I not stay; inuentions stay; you will, gude faith dost lord my heart freely move: be my low last for bloud, it is mortality. Before I know, phrase, that spicy nest. So nere, in thou art a diuell, thou hast decree that a calamity hard to reachery of thy little sorrows sit and seal for now when she forsworn as the night, alone, I marry the Sun’s early ray; but I know for certaine, whose break.

Art made of Love, and swell; no, child; she touches ne’er ye meet. And fruit. The stand a morbid hate had forced away; whether the paint the best o’t yet, my body to be bold, tho’ father’d in answer not her, O! Thy azure robe I did I’d grab your virtue answer to be borne from crime, with wayling a contumelious light, star kissed the fallen, or not how tender to toucht with thou there rises every weary dream, grown Latmian steep’d in desert eyes to ballast long loom, the young, this witnesse kils delights be term’d a poet’s rage as was torn by Autumn wild, a lesson new you so too; while they such pity you could live some eares; but could not slay, that weaves are turn’d.

Hues: her love as some defence fro the dark hours after the darkness greet with wares worth. From there be prophesy in passing stars are bow’d caught it too far. Whose child, I felt a door opening our love you must bid farewell o’ my sweetness, red and beautiful olives. The fault, O curse, child lover, I have not well in the wrapt inflection, which seene, there and I’ll come to her breasts. Bright air and puts out of mine rebuked me on the flames alay, since we see that thou wilt crown’d in summer’s sky, or our lap, and stand, showing I did befall, love, she’s to make of all but dream of grounded old dream market, when it’s jet, jet black e’e, yet I do sturre, and that day may yet you said. And thee.

Drown with me. I thankes and drunk as flies. Thought; that once against thou art a diuels in that died seven days, supposed to violence with their Destiny, it pushed metal, a lethal musket shot, a caravel staving said think good? Devoted to violently sorry. By the bitter when I do appear to ye, my own sad name unnamed! Like me! Mark hours creep in this still singing in dressing; is come to ye, my sunflower for love taught in clear raindrops in your bodies merely rubbing theefe, wilt say, which, like the face the shore until I say though to fingers Cupid is sweep the primrose, and fair face. Only remained a little heart, sleep. Since which did not behaviour.

I have gone! Or bid me dead. God’s sake, if you luld he not glad, as make her abide to keep it winna let a body rocking! Of fear, unpleasing to be scorn; and let him be! Who art dearer, better thee, that I never, ye waves, the counter. Two clear, plump, soft, love, if I ween, to Shepheards boye no better! Put off your naked this witnesse hy, whose beautifies. Love not walk silence would be saying heauens still on Menie doat, and broke my heart? The rooks with you in staying, was a’ beset wi’ drinking; think I may be beguiled by mewere you see what can become sliding when the tempts and wanne he was, in bullets and aching her bed: but weake: the could he improbable!

Since she, disdaine, I sought on: in ev’ry other here is in my selfe forgot, nor with a riding our language of tender; and, hee’l leaves that? But since we were greatest thro’ the nard shall car, her shine on all him alone so many waters stormy state recouers, but an uncrossable line; in vain. Wholly miscarries fleck the prow,—thy defect, commanded by the same time, you can make a brave expansion. Thought I may have no measure what is then—’tis the sod, and that is never stiffness by the time when the sun’s birth, and rook-delights the cottage under pullings ebb and said, and left his essences, the sea which did flowrd, and her wits crie on the moralising Muse.

#poetry #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Markov chains #Markov chain length: 6 #137 texts #Meredith sonnet sequence

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