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Canto Xxii Hell Translation Part 1

Horsemen moving camp I already saw ,
And storming to show themselves then to start,
And too sometimes for escape  withdraw;

Fast runners I saw in your land depart,
Oh Aretines, and gatherers to go,
Tournaments fight and also the joust art;

Sometimes with bells, sometimes with trumpets blow,
With drums and with of castles signal sounds,
And with things of our land or stranger though; 

Not yet with such unlike music around
Horsemen I saw or walkers then to move,
Nor ship to signals from a star or ground.  

We were going with ten devils in groove.
Ouch how fierce companions! But in church
You have saints, and in tavern gluttons you’ve.

My attention to mud was set to search,
Of the bedlam to see any content
And of the people there in pain and lurch.

Like dolphins, when want to express intent
To seamen bending of their back the bow
How save their boat giving help consent,

Sometimes, in order to ease the pain, so
Sinners were trying to emerge their back
And cloaked then as an heartbeat rapid though.

And as at border of a ditch for snack
Remain the frogs with their mouth quite well out,
Hiding feet and corps to any attack,

So there remained the sinners all throughout;
But when Barbariccia came too close,
Then became submerged again with no doubt.

I saw, and still now my heart horror knows,
One was to expect out, as happens when
A frog out remains and other down bows;

And Graffiacan, who was  closer then,
Grappled his hardly pitch entangled hair 
And lifted him, like an otter again.   

I already knew all the names of their,
So I recognized when they could out show,
And I well herd then after they called were.

“Oh Rubicante, you should catch him so
With your claws, that now you him skin and flay!”,
Were screaming then all those cursed aglow.

And I: “My master, act, in case you may,
To know the full name of the wretched man
Fallen in hands of his foes with dismay”.

My duke went close to him on side a span;
Asked him which was his land, and answered he:
“I the Navarra kingdom was began.

My mother as a lord servant placed me,
After she with a villain me birth gave,
Who destroyed himself and too his things fee.

Then I became gyp of  king Tybalt brave;
Here I started barratry to do,
For which in this boiling heat I am slave”.

And Ciriatto, whose mouth  had out through
In every part a fang as in a boar,
Made him to experience how it teared thru.

Of aggressive cats fell the mouse in core;
But Barbariccia with arms  clasped him 
And told: “Stand aside, while I hook his corps”.

And to my master turned then his face grim;
“Ask”, told, “again, if you any more need
To know, first others break any his limb”.

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Copyright © Mario De Paz | Year Posted 2014

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