ARGUMENT.

ARRIVING at the verge of the seventh circle, in which are punished the heretics, Dante sees the sepulchre of Pope Anastasius. Here, taking shelter awhile from the horrible stench that rose from the abyss, he is instructed by Virgil in the divisions of the next three circles, in which are contained the violent, the fraudulent, and the usurious.

INFERNO.

CANTO XI.

High on a bank's extremest verge we stood,
Where stones enormous form'd a precipice,
Whence greater agony beneath we view'd.
And here to such excess was prevalent

The horrid fume which rose from the abyss,
That we withdrew behind a monument
Whose lid gave shelter, and whereon I read

Inscribed:" Pope Anastasius I contain, Whom from the path direct Photinus led." "Now it behoves us slowly to descend,

That by degress our sense we may constrain
To bear the stench, that will no more offend."

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Thus spake my guide. "Lest time be idly spent,
Do thou," I said, "some compensation find."

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"On that," he answer'd, are my thoughts intent. Within these rocks, my son, I'd have thee know, Three lesser circles in gradation wind,

E'en like to those which thou art leaving now. Fill'd are they all with souls accurst for

Of

aye;

But that the sight of them may hence suffice,

Hear how and why imprison'd thus they lie.

every malice that in heaven's abhorr'd,

The aim is injury; and all such vice

Brings grief to others, or by force or fraud.

But as deceit is man's peculiar stain,

God hates it most; hence those who use deceit Are placed below, and rack'd by greater pain. With those to violence prone this space abounds; But since in threefold mode men practise it, The circle is disposed in triple rounds.

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Against our God—ourselves—our neighbours-force 31
Is exercised; 'gainst them and what belongs
To them I mean, as shall be proved in course.
By force and painful wounds may death be brought
Upon our neighbour, and may grievous wrongs
By fire and rapine on his goods be wrought.

Hence murderers, and all with violent hands,

Spoilers and robbers, each in the first round
Their torment find, arranged in various bands.
Against himself man may be violent,

And his possessions; wherefore each is found
Within the second circle, penitent

In vain, whoever doth his life destroy,

And wastes the substance for his use supplied;-
Grieving, where all was given him to enjoy.

Force may be offer'd to the Deity,

When he is cursed and in the heart denied,
And nature's goodness held in contumely:

Wherefore the lesser circle sets its seal

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On Sodom and on Cahors, and on each

Who for his God no reverence doth feel. Fraud-whence to every breast remorse ensuesMan uses, when he tries to overreach

Or him who trusteth, or doth trust refuse. This latter mode appears to cut in twain

The bond of social love which nature ties;
Whence to the second circle appertain
Witchcraft, hypocrisy, and flattery,

Falsehood, with secret theft, and simonies;
Whoremongers, barterers, and such infamy.

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The other mode breaks nature's bond of love,
As well as that, which added unto this
The source of special confidence doth prove.
Hence in the minor circle (where is placed

The centre of the world and seat of Dis)
Each traitor is for ever doom'd to waste."

Then I replied: "Thy argument is clear,
And is full well adapted to explain

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This gulf profound, and all in torment here. But tell me,--those within the muddy marsh,

Driv'n by the wind,—those beaten by the rain,And those who meeting use such language harshTell me, within the city fraught with fire,

If God is wrath, why not consumed are they? Or else, why are they in such penance dire?" "Wherefore from its accustom'd seat," he said, "Wanders thy intellect so far astray?

Or to what other object hath it fled?
Dost thou forget thine ethics, where is given

A treatise on the crimes that cause offence
More than all others to the King of Heaven-
Incontinence and bestiality-

With malice foul?-and how incontinence

Is less offensive to the Deity?

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