This much will I have manifest to you; Provided that my conscience do not chide me, Such hansel is not new unto mine ears; Therefore let Fortune turn her wheel around As it may please her, and the churl his mattock." My Master thereupon on his right cheek Did backward turn himself, and looked at me; Then said: "He listeneth well who noteth it." Nor speaking less on that account, I go With Ser Brunetto, and I ask who are His most known and most eminent companions. And he to me: "To know of some is well; Of others it were laudable to be silent, 95 100 For short would be the time for so much speech. 105 Know then, in sum, that all of them were clerks, And men of letters great and of great fame, In the world tainted with the selfsame sin. Priscian goes yonder with that wretched crowd, And Francis of Accorso; and thou hadst seen there, If thou hadst had a hankering for such scurf, From Arno was transferred to Bacchiglione, 110 More would I say, but coming and discoursing In which I still live, and no more I ask." Who at Verona run for the Green Mantle Across the plain; and seemed to be among them The one who wins, and not the one who loses. 115 120 CANTO XVI. OW was I where was heard the reverberation Now Of water falling into the next round, Like to that humming which the beehives make, When shadows three together started forth, Running, from out a company that passed Beneath the rain of the sharp martyrdom. Towards us came they, and each one cried out : Stop, thou; for by thy garb to us thou seemest Ah me! what wounds I saw upon their limbs, Recent and ancient by the flames burnt in! Unto their cries my Teacher paused attentive; He turned his face towards me, and "Now wait," He said; "to these we should be courteous. And if it were not for the fire that darts The nature of this region, I should say That haste were more becoming thee than them." 5 10 15 As soon as we stood still, they recommenced 20 Watching for their advantage and their hold, Before they come to blows and thrusts between them, Thus, wheeling round, did every one his visage Direct to me, so that in opposite wise His neck and feet continual journey made. And, "If the misery of this soft place 25 Bring in disdain ourselves and our entreaties," Began one, "and our aspect black and blistered, 30 Let the renown of us thy mind incline To tell us who thou art, who thus securely Thy living feet dost move along through Hell. He in whose footprints thou dost see me treading, Naked and skinless though he now may go, Was of a greater rank than thou dost think; He was the grandson of the good Gualdrada; His name was Guidoguerra, and in life Much did he with his wisdom and his sword. The other, who close by me treads the sand, Tegghiaio Aldobrandi is, whose fame Above there in the world should welcome be. 35 40 And I, who with them on the cross am placed, Jacopo Rusticucci was; and truly 44 My savage wife, more than aught else, doth harm me.” Could I have been protected from the fire, Below I should have thrown myself among them, And think the Teacher would have suffered it; But as I should have burned and baked myself, My terror overmastered my good will, Which made me greedy of embracing them. Then I began: "Sorrow and not disdain Did your condition fix within me so, That tardily it wholly is stripped off, As soon as this my Lord said unto me I of Words, on account of which I thought within me your city am; and evermore Your labors and your honorable names I with affection have retraced and heard. I leave the gall, and go for the sweet fruits Promised to me by the veracious Leader; But to the centre first I needs must plunge." "So may the soul for a long while conduct 50 55 60 Those limbs of thine," did he make answer then, 65 "And so may thy renown shine after thee, |