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VIRGIL: & VIRGIL:<br />
INF C20 25-27 / DANTE INF C20 25-27 / KLINE<br />
Certo io piangea, poggiato a un de' rocchi Truly, I wept, leaning against one of the rocks<br />
del duro scoglio, sì che la mia scorta of the solid cliff, so that my guide said to me:<br />
mi disse: «Ancor se' tu de li altri sciocchi? Are you like other fools?, as well?<br />
VIRGIL:<br />
INF C20 28-30 / DANTE INF C20 28-30 / KLINE<br />
Qui vive la pietà quand' è ben morta; Pity is alive here, where it is best forgotten.<br />
chi è più scellerato che colui Who is more impious than one who bears<br />
che al giudicio divin passion comporta? compassion for God’s judgement?<br />
VIRGIL TRIES LIFTING DANTE’S HEAD.<br />
147<br />
VIRGIL: & VIRGIL:<br />
INF C20 31-33 / DANTE INF C20 31-33 / KLINE<br />
Drizza la testa, drizza, e vedi a cui Lift your head, lift it and see See him for whom<br />
s'aperse a li occhi d'i Teban la terra; earth opened, under the eyes of the Thebans,<br />
per ch'ei gridavan tutti: "Dove rui, at which they all shouted: “Where are you rushing,<br />
INF C20 34-36 / DANTE<br />
Anfïarao? perché lasci la guerra?". Amphiaräus? Why do you quit the battle?”<br />
E non restò di ruinare a valle And he did not stop his downward rush<br />
fino a Minòs che ciascheduno afferra. until he reached Minos, who grasps every sinner.<br />
AMPHIARÄUS: A GREEK SEER, ONE OF THE HEROES AT THE CALYDONIAN BOAR HUNT. IN THE WAR OF THE SEVEN AGAINST<br />
THEBES, AMPHIARAÜS WAS ONE OF THE SEVEN CHAMPIONS. HE FLED ALONG THE BANKS OF THE RIVER ISMENUS IN HIS<br />
CHARIOT AND WAS ON THE POINT OF BEING KILLED WHEN ZEUS CLEFT THE EARTH WITH A THUNDERBOLT. HE VANISHED<br />
FROM SIGHT, CHARIOT & ALL, & NOW REIGNS ALIVE AMONG THE DEAD. (OVID’S METAMORPHOSES 8 317, 9 407-410.)<br />
INF C20 37-39 / DANTE<br />
Mira c'ha fatto petto de le spalle; Note how he has made a chest of his shoulders:<br />
perché volle veder troppo davante, because he willed to see too far beyond him,<br />
di retro guarda e fa retroso calle. he now looks behind and goes backwards.<br />
INF C20 40-42 / DANTE<br />
Vedi Tiresia, che mutò sembiante See Tiresias, who changed his form,<br />
quando di maschio femmina divenne, when he was made into a woman,<br />
cangiandosi le membra tutte quante; all his limbs altering:<br />
TIRESIAS: THEBAN SEER. HE SPENT SEVEN YEARS IN THE FORM OF A WOMAN AFTER STRIKING A PAIR OF COUPLING SNAKES.<br />
ON STRIKING THEM AGAIN HE WAS CHANGED BACK. HE WAS CALLED UPON, BY JUPITER, TO JUDGE AN ARGUMENT, BETWEEN<br />
HIMSELF & JUNO, AS TO WHETHER MEN OR WOMEN GET THE MOST PLEASURE FROM LOVEMAKING. DECIDING IN FAVOUR OF<br />
WOMEN (& SO JUPITER), JUNO STRUCK HIM BLIND. JUPITER GAVE HIM THE POWER OF PROPHECY TO COMPENSATE FOR HIS<br />
BLINDNESS. (OVID’S METAMORPHOSES 3 324-332.)<br />
INF C20 43-45 / DANTE<br />
e prima, poi, ribatter li convenne and later he had to strike the two entwined snakes<br />
li duo serpenti avvolti, con la verga, with his staff, a second time,<br />
che rïavesse le maschili penne. before he could resume a male aspect.<br />
INF C20 46-51 / KLINE<br />
That one is Aruns, who has his back to Tiresias’s belly, he who in the mountains of Tuscan Luni, where the<br />
Carrarese hoe, who live beneath them, had a cave to live in, among the white marble, from which he could gaze at<br />
the stars and the sea, with nothing to spoil his view.’