L ' I N F E R N O

INF C19 28-45 / DANTE
As the flame of burning oily liquids moves only on the surface, so it was in their case, from the heels to the legs. I
said: ‘Master, who is that, who twists himself about, writhing more than all his companions, and licked by redder
flames?’ And he to me: ‘If you will let me carry you down there by the lower bank, you will learn from him about
his sins and himself.’ And I: ‘Whatever pleases you is good for me: you are my lord, and know that I do not deviate
from your will, also you know what is not spoken.’ Then we came onto the fourth buttress: we turned and
descended, on the left, down into the narrow and perforated depths. The kind master did not let me leave his side
until he took me to the hole occupied by the one who so agonised with his feet.
DANTE ADDRESSES A BARELY-VISIBLE UPSIDE-DOWN SPIRIT, POPE NICHOLAS III, IMPERSONATED BY
CLIO.
POPE NICHOLAS III *---- ? - 1280
PLACE./.LANGUAGE ETC
ROME.
DESCRIPTION
MUSE CLIO.
NICHOLAS III, GIOVANNI GUATANI ORSINI: POPE FROM 1277 TO 1280. THE ORSINI FAMILY EMBLEM WAS A SHE-BEAR. HE
HAD TO WAIT 23 YEARS IN HELL UNTIL THE DEATH OF BONIFACE HIS SUCCESSOR IN 1303, WHO WOULD IN TURN WAIT ONLY
ELEVEN YEARS FOR THE DEATH OF CLEMENT V. (BENEDICT XI, IN BETWEEN THEM, POPE FROM 1303-1304, WAS NOT GIVEN
TO SIMONY.)
142
DANTE:
INF C19 46-48 / DANTE INF C19 46-48 / KLINE
«O qual che se' che 'l di sù tien di sotto, I began to speak: anima trista…O, unhappy spirit,
anima trista come pal commessa», whoever you are, who have with your upper parts
comincia' io a dir, «se puoi, fa motto». below, planted like a stake, form words if you can.
INF C19 49-51 / KLINE
I stood like the friar who gives confession to a treacherous assassin, who, after being fixed in the ground, calls the
confessor back, and so delays his burial.
POPE NICHOLAS III / CLIO:
INF C19 52-54 / DANTE INF C19 52-54 / KLINE
Ed el gridò: Se' tu già costì ritto?, And he cried: Are you standing there already,
se' tu già costì ritto, Bonifazio? Boniface? The book of the future
Di parecchi anni mi mentì lo scritto. has deceived me by several years.
INF C19 55-57 / DANTE
Se' tu sì tosto di quell' aver sazio Are you sated, so swiftly, with that wealth, for
per lo qual non temesti tòrre a 'nganno which you did not hesitate to seize the Church,
la bella donna, e poi di farne strazio?». our lovely lady, and then destroy her?
INF C19 58-60 / KLINE
I became like those who stand, not knowing what has been said to them, and unable to reply, exposed to scorn.
VIRGIL:
INF C19 61-63 / DANTE INF C19 61-63 / KLINE
Allor Virgilio disse: «Dilli tosto: Then Virgil said: Quickly, say to him,
"Non son colui, non son colui che credi"»; “I am not him, I am not whom you think.”
e io rispuosi come a me fu imposto. And I replied as I was instructed.
DANTE:
INF C19 62 / DANTE INF C19 62 / KLINE
Non son colui, non son colui che credi I am not him, I am not whom you think.
POPE NICHOLAS III / CLIO: & POPE NICHOLAS III / CLIO:
INF C19 64-66 / DANTE INF C19 64-66 / KLINE
Per che lo spirto tutti storse i piedi; At which the spirit’s legs writhed fiercely:
poi, sospirando e con voce di pianto, then, sighing, in a tearful voice, he said to me:
mi disse: «Dunque che a me richiedi? Then what do you want of me?