CANTO XXV.

ARGUMENT.

THE blasphemy of Fucci: he is seized by serpents; and, endeavouring to escape, is pursued by Cacus in the form of a Centaur, who is described with a swarm of serpents on his haunch, and a dragon on his shoulders, breathing forth fire. Our Poet then meets with the spirits of three of his countrymen, two of whom undergo a most marvellous transformation in his presence.

His speech thus closed, -the thief insultingly

Pointed his hands in scornful gesture vile,

Exclaiming: "Take them, God, they are for thee."

I from that instant was the serpent's friend;
For one about his throat enwreath'd its coil,

As though it said: "No more shalt thou offend."
Another clasp'd his arms; and like a chain

Was riveted in front of him so fast,

That all attempt to move had been in vain. Pistoia! ah Pistoia! it is time

That fire consumed thee, since thou hast surpast

Thy very forefathers in height of crime!

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No soul throughout the murky rounds of hell
Tow'rds God beheld I manifest such pride ;-

Not he, from Thebes' high battlements who fell.
He fled-nor spoke again :-then did I see

A Centaur coming, full of rage, who cried:
“This impious, foul blasphemer-where is he?"
More snakes were hissing on his turgid hip

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Than in Maremma's marsh their coils are wreathing,
E'en reaching upward to his very lip.
Behind the neck, upon his shoulder, lay

A dragon fierce, with ample pinions, breathing
Fierce flames of fire on all who cross'd his way.
"Cacus is this," my faithful master said,

"Who in the cave of Aventine erewhile

A lake of blood full many a time hath made.
Not with his brethren doth he onward hie

In the same path ;-since he with fraud and guile
Captur'd the mighty herd which pastured nigh.

But ceased his deeds of evil, when were dealt

A hundred blows by the Herculean mace;
Though scarcely ten perhaps the robber felt."
My guide thus speaking, Cacus straight was gone,
When lo, three spirits we beneath us trace,
Of whose arrival warning had we none;

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Wherefore we ceased discoursing as we went,
And fix'd on them alone our eager eye.
I knew them not; but so it did befall,
(As often comes to pass by accident)

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That one had need another's name to call,

Exclaiming : "Where can Cianfa now be gone?"
Whereat my guide's attention to engage,

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I raised my finger to my lip anon.
No wonder, reader, should'st thou disbelieve
What now will be unfolded in my page,
For I who saw it scarce can credit give.
Whilst upon them mine eyes attentive hung,

A serpent with six feet like lightning sped
Full in the front of one, and to him clung.
His middle feet he round his paunch did wreathe,
And o'er his arms his foremost feet outspread;
Then fix'd in either cheek his savage teeth.
Stretch'd o'er the thighs the hinder feet remain'd;

And 'twixt them both he made his tail protrude,
Which up the loins behind he had enchain'd.
So closely ne'er did circling ivy bind

An aged tree, as round his limbs were glued
Those of the horrid beast about them twined.

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Then were they mingled, e'en as they had been
Of melted wax, in selfsame hues array'd;
And which was which no longer could be seen,—
Like burning paper, when there glides before

The advancing flame a brown and dingy shade,
Which is not black, and yet is white no more.
In wonder lost the other two stood near,

And cried: "Agnello, oh how altered thou!
Behold nor two nor one dost thou appear."
Already the two heads were grown to one ;

When the two aspects disappearing, now

One face, partaking of the twain, was shown.
Two arms were visible where four had been ;

The thighs, the legs, the belly, and the chest
Became such limbs as never yet were seen.
All vestige of the former shape was gone;
Nor one, nor two the unsightly frame express'd;
And in such guise it moved full slowly on.
As underneath the dog-star's scorching ray,
The lizard, darting swift from fence to fence,
Appears like lightning if he cross the way ;—
So, to the stomach of the other twain,

A viper came, inflamed with violence,
As black and livid as a pepper grain :

And in that part whence first our embryo strength 85
Is drawn, he pierced one shade, then fell below,

In front of him extended all his length.

And standing motionless, he yawn'd, as though

By sleep or fever he were overcome.

Th

A

He eyed the snake, the snake that look gave back; 91
One from his wound, the other hard and strong
Fumed through his mouth, while mix'd the vapours

Now let Nasidius' and Sabellus' fate

Hi

[black.

B

Silent be Ovid ;-though his poetry
Changed Arethusa to a fount of old,

And Cadmus to a snake, no jealousy have I.
For ne'er two natures changed he face to face,
So that they both assumed the other's mould,
And each the other's substance did embrace.

Their limbs in such exact accordance meet,
That to a fork his tail the serpent cleft;
The wounded shade united both his feet.

Connected each with each, the legs and thighs

So closely clung, that soon, combined, they left
No trace of junction to our wondering eyes.