Eugène Delacroix

I am saying, to follow, that before we
   came to the base of a tower did our
   eyes travel straight to the top, at two tiny
flames that we saw set, while one other
   fire from afar returned signal, such that it
   was scarely possible to make out more.
And I turned to that sea of all feeling; said
   I, "What does it mean? & what response does the
   other fire make?, who are the ones who built it?"
And he told me, "Beneath the fetid waves you
   can already get a glimpse of what you await,
   if fumes from the marsh abscond it not from you."
No bow has ever shot arrow, to direct
   so fast a path, across the air quick as
   when I saw a little boat cut across that
water toward us that moment, under
   the piloting of just one sole merchant
   marine who screamed, "Got to you now, base soul!"
"Phlegyas, Phlegyas, you're shouting in vain," said
   my feudal master, "this time: we are yours
   no longer than it takes to pass the sludge."
Like he who realizes vast deceptions
   which may-be, were done, to then become a source
   of gossip, so does Phlegyas with his wrath
restrained. My master got down into the
   boat, and then made me embark after him; and
   only when I was inside did it seem laden.
As soon as the guide and I were in the skiff did
   the age-old ship cut deeper into the
   water than it would with other spirits. While[30
we went through standing pool, a muddy
   man put himself before me, and said, "Who
   are you to come before it's time?" And I
told him, "If I'm here, it's not to stay; but you
   were who, to have been made so horrid?"
   He said, "You see that I am one that weeps."
And to him I said, "Stay here, you cursèd
   shade, in weeping and grief; from what I know of
   you, would still be all filthy." He then stretched
toward the little bark both of his hands,
   in return for which the master, with caution,
   shoved him back: "Hit the road with the other dogs!"
Vergil then hung about my neck his arms;
   he kissed my face and said, "You indignant
   soul, blessed is she who conceived to bear you!
That was one hubristic figure in the world;
   no good will pays homage to his memory:
   thus is his shade outrageous here. What great
many up there now hold themselves lordly
   kings, that will be established like hogs in slop,
   leaving behind them horrendous infamy!"
And I said, "Master, I am quite eager
   to see him pickled in this swill before
   we get clear of the lake." And to me, he said,
"Before the shore lets you leave seeing, you
   shall have your fill: it is appropriate
   for you to enjoy such a desire." Then a
little later I saw that one subjected
   to torture by the people of the mud, just
   as I do still praise and thank God for it.[60
Every one of them was crying out, "Get
   Filippo Argenti!" -- & the strange ghost
   from Florence was turned inside out wit' teeth.
We left him there, of which I relate not
   more; but a wail of a shout reached my ears,
   at which I opened my gaze intently out.
The great master said, "So, dear son, that is
   the city which bears the name Dis approaching,
   with grave citizenry, with massive ramparts."
And I said, "Master, I'm already discerning
   the mosques there for sure within the valley,
   crimson as if just withdrawn from the firing."
And he told me, "The flame which eternally
   burns over there makes them glow red hot, as
   you see in this infernal hell." We had only
just gotten beyond the trenches which gird
   that forlorn land; the fortifications did
   appear to me as if they were iron.
First thing we did was going widely about,
   to come to the arrival where the ship's
   pilot loudly screamed, "Get out: that there's the entry."
I saw over a thousand that poured down
   from heaven over beneath the entrance, who
   with irritation said: "Who is that there
who goes, free from death, through the dead people's
   kingdom?!" And my master the wise guide, signaled
   to them the gesture for wishing to speak
together privily. Then they bottled up their vast
   disregard: "You're coming alone, & that one
   goes with no, so eager was he to come into this[90
realm. Let him head back to the way of madness alone:
   or try, if he knows how; but you stay here,
   for escorting him to so black a district." Con-
sider, oh reader, whether I was so de-
   jected at the sound of those accursèd words,
   since I did not believe I'd get back ever.
"Oh my dear guide, who more than seven times
   has given me proof positive and taken
   me from great danger that took a stand against
me, don't let me come," I said, "undone
   like this; and if passing further here is for-
   bidden, let's retrace our steps together fast." And
that noble-man who brought me there said to
   me: "Don't be afraid; no one can detract
   from our path now: so great is the one granting
it. But wait for me right here, and take care of
   weary spirit and feed it with great hope that
   I'll not go away from you in th' under world."
So he goes off, & there the poetic father left
   me as I remained in doubt, as yes and no each
   were holding disputation in my head
What he told them I could not hear; but he
   had not been there among them very long
   as each one withdrew back inside quickly.
Those enemies of ours shut the gateway in
   my master's face -- and he stayed waiting out-
   side, & headed toward me with loitering step.
His eyes he kept upon the ground, the brows --
   shorn of all confidence, and through his sighs, said
   he, "They refused me the hurtful houses!"[120
And he told me: "Though I'm upset, you must not
   worry yourself, for I will beat this test no matter
   which should outflank the front inside. This resistance of
theirs is nothing new; they tried it before
   already at a less secret gate, which is
   still found to be unhinged. It was over near where
you saw the deathly writing: and already does
   there descend, on this side of the plane -- passing
   unaccompanied through the rings -- such one as
through whom the land should be opened up."