Salvador Dali

So we went from one bridge to next, discoursing
   more that my comedy is not concerned
   to recite; and we reached the top, whereupon
we stayed to see Malebolge's next fosse and
   the other empty, weeping cries; and I
   saw it to be marvelously obscured.
Like how the sticky pitch at th' Arsenal
   in Venice is boiled to coat their unsound
   planks, as they are unable to navigate --
rather does one make his boards like new, and
   another refinishes the ribs for him who
   made greater journeys; some keep hammering at
the prow and others, the stern; some others do
   fashion oars, and some handle the tackle ropes; an-
   other patches up the sails -- so by arts
divine, and not by fire, did a thick
   pitch boil down below to such extent,
   it coated the banks in every direction.
The tar I saw, but but did not see into it,
   beyond the bubbles which the boiling produced,
   and that all did swell up, & settle calm again.
As I fixed my gaze down there, my leader said,
   "Look out, look out!", and took me unto him-
   self from the place where I was. Then he turned
to me, not unlike a man who's delayed in
   seeing that from which he should flee, and whom fear
   does paralyze suddenly -- for seeing,
he does not delay his departure;
   & I saw behind us a black devil come
   on flying over the rocks. My, how fierce[30
of face was he!, & how savage did it seem
   to me in the very act, what with wings
   spread wide and so light of swift foot.
The shoulder, which was lifted on high,
   toted a sinner by both the thighs: and he
   held on to it by the feet, sinew seized.
From the bridge we were on, he said: "Oh you
   Bad-Claws, look and see one of the officials
   of St. Zita! Put this one down, while I
go back again to that city which is
   well supplied with such: every man there's crooked,
   except Bonturo; in that place, for cash
'no' is made 'yes'." He threw the sinner down, and
   turned back over the rough rock; not a hound
   was ever let loose in such a rush to chase
after a thief. He sunk, and surfaced;
    but the devils who took cover by the bridge
   cried out: "The sacred face has a place
here: swimming here is different than in the
   river Serchio! But if you're not into our
   inscribing, don't go beyond the over-heated
pitch." Then puncturing with more than hundred hooks,
   it said, "It's best that he should seethe hidden there,
   so that you may seize him in absconded fashion, if
you can." In no other way do cooks have their
   assistants submerge the meat with hooks in
   the bottom of the pot, so it not float. My noble
master told me, "In order that your being
   here goes unnoted, kneel down behind a crag,
   that you might shield yourself with one other screen;[60
do not have any fear over offense which
   would be done to me, for I've accounted for
   things, so that another turn is swapped for such a trick."
Thereupon he went away from th' head of the bridge;
   and as he came upon the sixth embankment,
   his task was keeping up a good front for them.
With that rabid rage and that same storming
   which the dogs issue the peasant from be-
   hind when of a sudden, as he demands it
right where one stops, they went out from under
   the bridge, and turned all their pitchforks towards him;
   but he screamed, "Let none of you be wicked!
Before you hook your spear in me,
   let one of your own come forth to hear me and
   then hold counsel on biting into me."
They all cried out, "Come on, Naughty-Tail!", at
   which turned one -- & th' others remained fixed -- as he
   arrived, asking: "What good will it do them?"
"Malacoda, did you think I came here," my
   master said, "already protected from all
   your smokescreens, without the divine
and skilfull fate's consent? Let us get going,
   for it is willed up in heaven that I
   should show this wild roadway otherwise."
Next then was pride so fallen that he let
   the hook drop to the feet, and told the
   others: "Don't let him be injured yet."
And my, the guide told me: "Oh, you who are
   sitting among the shards of the stone bridge -- huddled
   silence, now let's come back to each in security."[90
So I got moving, and got to him quickly; and
   the devils all put themselves up front, so
   I was afraid they might not keep their word;
just like so did I once see th' infantry shudder
   when given safe conduct from Caprona,
   upon seeing themselves among such foes.
I drew near to my guide with every part
   of my form, and wrenched not my eyes away
   from their appearance, for it was not right.
They crooked their hooks and said, "You want me
   to hit him on the backside?" to each other.
   And the response: "Yeah, go let them have it!"
But the demon which discoursed with my
   master, turned right away and said: "Down,
   Mad-Gobblin', down!" Then did he tell us:
"Going further in this reef is impossible,
   since it lies all broken at the base
   of the sixth ridge. And if going forward
solely here will please you, go on ahead
   over this cliff; there is another rock
   formation near, which does form a path.
It was some XIX hours ago, and
   twelve-hundred sixty-six years it's been
   since that pathway was broken. I am
sending some of my own in that direction,
   to see if anyone shows themselves for
   it; take a trip with them -- they won't act guilty..."
"Come forward, Harlebends and Frostomper,"
   saying he began, "and you too Nastydog; and
   Boredom-Beardcurling in charge of The 10.[120
Let Livid/Libyan go on too, and Puff
   the Manic Dragon, saber-toothed Hogface and Snarl-
   eyhead and Shit-Disturber and crazy-ass Redrum.
Look within the boiling hot bird-lime;
    these ones would be safe on up to the next crag
   which goes in full unbroken over the dens."
"Um, master, what is that which I'm seeing?"
   Said I, "Well, we may go alone with no
   escort, if you know the way; not that I'm asking
for myself. If you're so sharp as usual, do
   you not see that they're gnashing teeth, and by their
   expressions they threaten harm?" And to
me, he says, "Will yourself unafraid; let them
   grumble by their signs only, which they pro-
   duce like that through the par-boiled pains." They
made an about face to the lefthand
   bank; but first each stuck their tongue out between
   teeth, towards their leader, at his signal --
and he made his ass into a trumpet.