L ' I N F E R N O

NESSUS MYTHICAL AGE : *?
PLACE./.LANGUAGE ETC
GREECE.
DESCRIPTION
VOICE ONLY. FIERCE SPEECH.
NESSUS: A CENTAUR, SON OF IXION, KILLED BY HERCULES, WITH AN ARROW POISONED WITH THE HYDRA’S BLOOD, FOR HIS
ATTEMPT TO STEAL & RAPE DEIANIRA. HE DIPPED HIS FATAL SHIRT IN HIS OWN, POISONED, BLOOD & GAVE IT AS A GIFT (A
SUPPOSED LOVE CHARM) TO DEIANIRA, WHO THEREBY, UNWITTINGLY, BROUGHT ABOUT HERCULES’S DEATH.
VIRGIL SHOUTS BACK.
VIRGIL:
INF C12 64-66 / DANTE INF C12 64-66 / KLINE
Lo mio maestro disse: «La risposta My Master said: We will make our reply
farem noi a Chirón costà di presso: to Chiron, who is there, nearby.
mal fu la voglia tua sempre sì tosta». Sadly, your nature was always rash.
CHIRON (KI-RON): WISE CENTAUR, SON OF SATURN & PHILYRA, TO WHOM APOLLO ENTRUSTED HIS SON AESCULAPIUS & WHO
VARIOUSLY REARED JASON & ACHILLES.
VIRGIL, STANDING NEARER THE CENTAURS, TOUCHES DANTE AND POINTS.
VIRGIL:
INF C12 67-69 / DANTE INF C12 67-69 / KLINE
Poi mi tentò, e disse: «Quelli è Nesso, Then he touched me, and said: That is Nessus,
who
che morì per la bella Deianira, died because of his theft of the lovely Deianira,
e fé di sé la vendetta elli stesso. and, for his blood, took vengeance, through his
blood.
106
INF C12 70-72 / DANTE
E quel di mezzo, ch'al petto si mira, He, in the centre, whose head is bowed to his chest,
è il gran Chirón, il qual nodrì Achille; is the great Chiron, who nursed Achilles:
quell' altro è Folo, che fu sì pien d'ira. the other is Pholus, who was so full of rage.
PHOLUS: A CENTAUR WHO ENTERTAINED HERCULES & WAS ACCIDENTALLY KILLED BY ONE OF HIS ARROWS. HE WAS PRESENT
AT THE BATTLE OF THE LAPITHS & CENTAURS.
DANTE TAKES OUT HIS STYLUS AND DROPS IT. WHILE TRYING TO PICK IT UP HE KICKS IT AWAY.
VIRGIL:
INF C12 73-75 / DANTE INF C12 73-75 / KLINE
Dintorno al fosso vanno a mille a mille, They race around the ditch, in thousands,
saettando qual anima si svelle piercing with arrows any spirit that climbs further
del sangue più che sua colpa sortille». from the blood than its guilt has condemned it to.
INF C12 76-78 / KLINE
We drew near the swift creatures. Chiron took an arrow, and pushed back his beard from his face with the notched
flight.
THE UNSEEN CENTAURS ARE NOW CLOSE.
CHIRON (VOICE):
INF C12 79-81 / DANTE INF C12 79-81 / KLINE
Quando s'ebbe scoperta la gran bocca, When he had uncovered his huge mouth,
disse a' compagni: «Siete voi accorti he said to his companions: Have you noticed
che quel di retro move ciò ch'el tocca? that the one behind moves whatever he touches?