L ' I N F E R N O

114
INF C13 79-84 / KLINE
The poet listened for a while, then said to me: ‘Since he is silent, do not lose the moment, but speak, and ask him to
tell you more.’ At which I said to him: ‘You ask him further, about what you think will interest me, because I could
not, such pity fills my heart.’
VIRGIL:
INF C13 85-87 / DANTE INF C13 85-87 / KLINE
Perciò ricominciò: «Se l'om ti faccia So he continued: That the man may do freely what
liberamente ciò che 'l tuo dir priega, your words request from him, imprisoned spirit,
spirito incarcerato, ancor ti piaccia be pleased
INF C13 88-89 / DANTE
di dirne come l'anima si lega to tell us further how the spirits are caught in these
in questi nocchi; e dinne, se tu puoi, knots.: and tell us, if you can,
DANTE:
INF C13 89-90 / KLINE INF C13 89-90 / KLINE
in questi nocchi; e dinne, se tu puoi, and And tell us, if you can, whether any of them
s'alcuna mai di tai membra si spiega». free themselves from these limbs.
[WORDS ORIGINALLY VIRGIL’S]
TRUNK / PIER DELLE VIGNE (VOICE):
INF C13 91-93 / DANTE INF C13 91-93 / KLINE
Allor soffiò il tronco forte, e poi My reply will be brief. Then the trunk
si convertì quel vento in cotal voce: blew fiercely, and the breath
«Brievemente sarà risposto a voi. was turned to words like these:
TRUNK./.PIER DELLE VIGNE SPEAKS WHILE DANTE VERSIFIES./.INTERPRETS, ABOUT A VERSE BEHIND.
DANTE: & TRUNK / PIER DELLE VIGNE (VOICE):
INF C13 94-96 / DANTE INF C13 94-96 / KLINE
Quando si parte l'anima feroce When the savage spirit leaves the body,
dal corpo ond' ella stessa s'è disvelta, from which it has ripped itself,
Minòs la manda a la settima foce. Minos sends it to the seventh gulf.
INF C13 97-99 / DANTE
Cade in la selva, e non l'è parte scelta; It falls into this wood, and no place is set for it,
ma là dove fortuna la balestra, but, wherever chance hurls it, there it sprouts,
quivi germoglia come gran di spelta. like a grain of German wheat,
INF C13 100-102 / DANTE
Surge in vermena e in pianta silvestra: shoots up as a sapling, and then as a wild tree.
l'Arpie, pascendo poi de le sue foglie, The Harpies feeding then on its leaves hurt it,
fanno dolore, e al dolor fenestra. and give an outlet to its hurt.
INF C13 103-105 / DANTE
Come l'altre verrem per nostre spoglie, Like others we shall go to our corpses on the
ma non però ch'alcuna sen rivesta, Day of Judgement, but not so that any of us may
ché non è giusto aver ciò ch'om si toglie. inhabit them again, because it would not be just to
have what we took from ourselves.
INF C13 106-108 / DANTE
Qui le strascineremo, e per la mesta We shall drag them here, and our bodies
selva saranno i nostri corpi appesi, will be hung through the dismal wood,
ciascuno al prun de l'ombra sua molesta». each on the thorn-tree of its tormented shade.
INF C13 109-114 / KLINE
We were still listening to the tree, thinking it might tell us more, when we were startled by a noise, like those who
think the wild boar is nearing where they stand, and hear the animals and the crashing of branches.