The Divine Comedy (Complete Annotated Edition). Dante Alighieri

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СКАЧАТЬ lake there lies, at foot of that proud Alp,

      That o’er the Tyrol locks Germania in,

      Its name Benacus, which a thousand rills,

      Methinks, and more, water between the vale

      Camonica and Garda and the height

Of Apennine remote. There is a spot2

      At midway of that lake, where he who bears

      Of Trento’s flock the past’ral staff, with him

      Of Brescia, and the Veronese, might each

      Passing that way his benediction give.

      A garrison of goodly site and strong

Peschiera3 stands, to awe with front oppos’d

      The Bergamese and Brescian, whence the shore

      More slope each way descends. There, whatsoev’er

      Benacus’ bosom holds not, tumbling o’er

      Down falls, and winds a river flood beneath

      Through the green pastures. Soon as in his course

      The steam makes head, Benacus then no more

      They call the name, but Mincius, till at last

      Reaching Governo into Po he falls.

      Not far his course hath run, when a wide flat

      It finds, which overstretchmg as a marsh

      It covers, pestilent in summer oft.

      Hence journeying, the savage maiden saw

      ’Midst of the fen a territory waste

      And naked of inhabitants. To shun

      All human converse, here she with her slaves

      Plying her arts remain’d, and liv’d, and left

      Her body tenantless. Thenceforth the tribes,

      Who round were scatter’d, gath’ring to that place

      Assembled; for its strength was great, enclos’d

      On all parts by the fen. On those dead bones

      They rear’d themselves a city, for her sake,

      Calling it Mantua, who first chose the spot,

      Nor ask’d another omen for the name,

      Wherein more numerous the people dwelt,

Ere Casalodi’s madness4 by deceit

      Was wrong’d of Pinamonte. If thou hear

      Henceforth another origin assign’d

      Of that my country, I forewarn thee now,

      That falsehood none beguile thee of the truth.”

      I answer’d: “Teacher, I conclude thy words

      So certain, that all else shall be to me

      As embers lacking life. But now of these,

      Who here proceed, instruct me, if thou see

      Any that merit more especial note.

      For thereon is my mind alone intent.”

      He straight replied: “That spirit, from whose cheek

      The beard sweeps o’er his shoulders brown, what time

      Graecia was emptied of her males, that scarce

      The cradles were supplied, the seer was he

      In Aulis, who with Calchas gave the sign

      When first to cut the cable. Him they nam’d

      Eurypilus: so sings my tragic strain,

      In which majestic measure well thou know’st,

      Who know’st it all. That other, round the loins

So slender of his shape, was Michael Scot,5

      Practis’d in ev’ry slight of magic wile.

“Guido Bonatti6 see: Asdente mark,7

      Who now were willing, he had tended still

      The thread and cordwain; and too late repents.

      “See next the wretches, who the needle left,

      The shuttle and the spindle, and became

      Diviners: baneful witcheries they wrought

      With images and herbs. But onward now:

For now doth Cain with fork of thorns8 confine

      On either hemisphere, touching the wave

      Beneath the towers of Seville. Yesternight

      The moon was round. Thou mayst remember well:

      For she good service did thee in the gloom

      Of the deep wood.” This said, both onward mov’d.

      Footnotes

1 Amphiaraüs, one of the seven kings who besieged Thebes. He is said to have been swallowed up by an opening of the earth.

2 “There is a spot.” Prato di Fame, where the dioceses of Trento, Verona, and Brescia meet.

3 “Peschiera.” A garrison situated to the south of the lake, where it empties and forms the Mincius.

4 Alberto da Casalodi, in possession of Mantua, was persuaded by Pinamonte Buonacossi to ingratiate himself with the СКАЧАТЬ